In a bit of Halloween (both the film series and the holiday) fun, actress and original scream queen Jaime Lee Curtis has taken to Twitter to tease us about the upcoming Halloween sequel being directed by David Gordon-Green. Check out the tweet below.
Well, it seems that Michael Myers will be coming home again for next Halloween! October 19, 2018, to be exact.
Not much is known about the movie other than it is going to be a direct sequel to the first two movies with Curtis reprising her role as Laurie Store/Myers.
What do you guys think? Are you excited to return to this original franchise? Comment and discuss below!
A new international trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been released, showing glimpses of never-before-seen footage. Check it out below.
“Having taken her first steps into a larger world in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Rey joins Luke Skywalker in an adventure with Leia, Finn, and Poe that unlocks mysteries of the Force and secrets of the past.”
Star Wars: The Last Jedi features Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, Andy Serkis, Kelly Marie Tran, and Gwendoline Christie.
Are you looking forward to The Last Jedi? Sound off in the comments below.
The supernatural world has gone crazy! There are zombies, monster gods, swamp vampires, ghost storms, and space monkeys! The apocalypse is coming, and only the Gravediggers Union can stop it! How? Well, first their leader Cole has to find his estranged daughter. But is she the one behind the apocalypse?
The Grave Diggers Union #1 Written by: Wes Craig Art by: Wes Craig & Toby Cypress Colors by: Niko Guardia Letters & Design: Jared K. Fletcher Published by: Image Comics
Writing
Grave Diggers Union was a book I had my eye on. Having been a fan of Wes Craig’s work on Deadly Class, I was keen on picking this up as soon as it hit. And although Craig might have made his name as an artist, he has obvious writing chops as well. This comic creates a unique concept in the world of horror/supernatural comics. The Union is not your typical monster fighting team. With their overalls, surly demeanor and humor, they have a refreshingly realistic and grounded ‘working class’ attitude that contrasts all the insanity going on. There seems to be real thought given to the hierarchy of how the organization works, with those on the ground floor showing disdain for the bureaucracy of the higher-ups. If I was going to compare it to something, it would be Mike Mignola’s Hellboy (an influence I am sure) but this is far from a copy of that.
Art
The art here is a total stand out. Not only are the pencils fantastic, but the colors, layouts, lettering, and design of the whole thing are on point and completely complementary to each other. There is a texture to the pages, weight to the line work and mood in the colors. You can also feel a strong classic comics (especially EC horror comics) to the style. Nothing here is ‘assembly line’ comic book making, every aspect of the production adds to the look.
Conclusion
I am definitely sticking with this book to see where it goes. This has the makings of another unique hit for Image and it’s one of those titles people will surely soon be talking about in the industry. Pick it up at your local comic shop today!
Welcome to the MFR Definitive Review Collection, a new series where Site Owner Matthew Sardo and Managing Editor Larry Taylor put their brains together and rate/review cinematic staples that have left their mark on the movies throughout the years. This week, for Halloween, they tackle the John Landis horror-comedy classic, An American Werewolf in London.
Larry’s Take
Blending horror and comedy is one of the tougher genre mashup exercises a director can try and take on; more often than not, they don’t work, because these two specific genres are so defined by their rules that one can easily outweigh the other. It’s part of what makes Jon Landis’s werewolf yarn so impressive, that it seamlessly blends these genres to absolute perfection.
An American Werewolf in London can transition from amusing to laugh-out-loud funny to horrific and nightmarish like no other film has been able to do (those Nazi werewolves are never not shocking as hell), including Landis’s own attempt to recapture the magic a decade later with his vampire mob comedy Innocent Blood. David (David Naughton) is our perfect guide into this bizarro transformation picture, playing the put-upon protagonist in such a way that when he does transform into the wolf – the pinnacle of practical special effects magic – we wince and cringe and feel genuine pity for this doomed man.
The details of Landis’s film, which he wrote himself, also add terrific texture and gallows humor. Especially the ghost of his slain friend, Jack (Griffin Dunne), who decomposes as the story unfolds. An American Werewolf in London sings in spite of the fact there is, honestly, very little “werewolf action.” We don’t need it; we have these actors and their tremendous performances to pull us into the story.
Matt’s Take
John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London is the combination of three amazing scenes and an unfinished story that leaves you with the feeling that you didn’t get the joke.
The werewolf transformation won Rick Baker an Academy Award in 1982 and set the standard for filmmakers.
The cinematography and editing are what truly stands out here. With a $10 million budget in 1981, An American Werewolf in London has the grit of an independent movie which adds to uneasy horror element of the film. If the movie were too polished, the practical special effects would not mesh as well. The independent feel also lets the over-the-top Nazi werewolves scene work and not become too much of a joke.
The editing really stands out when David Kessler first goes out as the werewolf. Instead of screams, Landis used cutaways to loud noise that transitions to the next scene, but as the cuts continue the viewer can’t help but subconsciously add the screams in. Landis lets the viewer use his or their imagination, which can sometimes be scarier than reality.
The Piccadilly Circus bloodbath is so outrageous that it reminds me of any one of the chases from the Blues Brothers. The chaos continues for so long as the bodies are flying left and right; the screams from the crowd in 1981 must have been brilliant. Yet, as soon as you catch your breath, the film is over. It’s a gut punch, an incomplete feeling.
What was going on in Yorkshire at the Slaughtered Lamb? The incompleteness of the film became even more prevalent in the follow up, An American Werewolf in Paris. Oh the 90s…
What are your feelings on An American Werewolf in London? Give us your grade in the comment section below.
Pet Sematary is getting the remake treatment, courtesy of directing tandem Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch, who directed the underrated 2014 horror film Starry Eyes.
Deadline broke the news last night, and a remake of King’s horror classic makes sense given this new resurgence of the author’s material. The success of IT and Netflix’s 1922 and Gerald’s Game (oh yeah, and The Dark Tower movie, buuuut…) have made King’s work more popular than it has been in two decades, and as entertaining as Mary Lambert’s original Pet Sematary adaptation may be, it could handle a fresh take.
The original film is creepy, sure, but it is decidedly “80s” and a little hokey. Similar to the IT miniseries from around the same time.
As for Widmyer and Kolsch, Starry Eyes proved they could handle gritty horror, and it will be interesting to see how they approach King’s novel. There are a few things Lambert’s film left out, so perhaps they will include them – and find a better actor to play the dad. But maybe that’s just my issue…
Stay tuned for casting and release updates as they break.
Only mere hours after the announcement that Netflix would be canceling House of Cards following its sixth season, the streaming service was confirmed by Deadline to be considering a host of spinoffs for its flagship drama series.
One possibility that has been bandied about was a show following Doug Stamper, main character Frank Underwood’s chief of staff. Michael Kelly, who portrays Stamper, was nominated for an Emmy for this role. As of yet, however, nothing is official.
All of this news comes in the midst of the massive scandal surrounding Kevin Spacey and the allegations that he made unwanted sexual advances toward Anthony Rapp when the actor was 14-years-old. Spacey responded to the accusations claiming that he “did not remember the encounter” but found himself horrified by Rapp’s story. Spacey did not confirm or deny the alleged assault, and went on to publicly come out as gay, a move which drew massive fire on social media.
There is not yet any word on the involvement of Spacey in any of the possible spinoffs, although considering Netflix’s response to the circumstances, this would appear unlikely. However, Spacey has served not only as an actor on the series, but also as a crucial executive producer. He has certainly played an important role in shaping the show into what it has become, and it is hard to imagine a series set in the House of Cards universe without him. Spacey has been nominated for an Emmy for his performance as Frank Underwood in each of House of Cards’ five seasons.
This news is also reminiscent of HBO’s plans to create several spinoffs for its wildly successful Game of Thrones, and although the shows do share some common ground thematically, there is a significant gap in both the popularity and critical acclaim of both series. While Game of Thrones certainly has enough world-building to create multiple different series, House of Cards does not have the same bevy of options.
What do you think a House of Cards spinoff will be about?
Stranger Things 2 is at the top of the pop culture pyramid right now. Most fans probably binged it over this past weekend, coming out of a loving haze feeling like they just actually escaped The Upside Down. So what do you do now (other than rewatching it of course)? Where do you get your nostalgic look at kids encountering and adventuring into the supernatural and unknown? Well if comics are your thing (and if they aren’t what ARE you waiting for?) then check out the following three comic book series that will help curb your jones until the Duffer Brothers and Netflix inadvertently take us back to Hawkins, hopefully by next year!
Writers: Jeff Lemire & Emi Lenox
Artist: Emi Lenox
Published by: Image Comics
Plutona is another Image Comics title and its concept is brilliant. What if a group of kids found the dead body of the world’s greatest superhero laying in the woods? The story takes that Stand By Me idea and amplifies it through the lens of superhero comics. Like Paper Girls it gets added strength from strong, young female characters and has some beautiful and original art by co-creator Lenox. It also doesn’t rely on just a concept, as we have backup stories and glimpses that tell us who Plutona was and what might have happened to her.
Netflix announced Monday afternoon that ‘House of Cards’ would be canceled after its six season.
“Media Rights Capital and Netflix are deeply troubled by last night’s news concerning Kevin Spacey. In response to last night’s revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time,” said Media Rights Capital and Netflix in a joint statement.
You can read Anthony Rapp’s complete story on BuzzFeed News.
In five seasons ‘House of Cards’ has received 193 nominations with 29 wins including two Gloden Globes. The series is responsible for putting Netflix’s original content on the map.
Season six will have 16-episodes and hit Netflix in mid-2018, according to Deadline.
Kyle Starks is a comic book writer who created works like SEXCASTLE and ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN. Starks is currently the writer of the RICK & MORTY comic, and released the original graphic novel KILL THEM ALL in September. MFR spoke with Starks at NYCC about all of his various projects, his influences, and adding color to his work!
Drama behind-the-scenes on Solo: A Star Wars Story continues. According to The Resistance Broadcast, director Ron Howard reshot at least 80 percent of the film for reportedly “twice the budget”.
Controversy began stewing around Solo when rumors made their way onto the internet stating that Lucasfilm head, Kathleen Kennedy, was unhappy with directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The directing duo – of 21 Jump Street fame – signed onto the project in 2015 which gave the public the idea that Star Wars would be taking a more comedic approach with Solo. That turned out to be wrong when Lord and Miller were let go from the project, 4 months into principal photography.
In comes Ron Howard, who was tasked to right the ship and bring Kennedy the Han Solo film she wanted. Various reports began swirling about how much Howard was reshooting with much of the filming being completed. The veteran director began sharing images from the set and being very vocal about the project on social media, likely in an attempt to bring some stability. Well if this report is to be believed then this film may look significantly different than once thought with a majority of it being reshoot.
Speaking of the budget, Star Wars films are known for their larget budgets but a story focused on a more grounded character like Han Solo was likely given a smaller amount to work with. Rouge One had a smaller budget but it dealt with similar issues and it ballooned to $200 million. Having reshoots that reportedly doubled that budget could spell danger for Lucasfilm financially.
The film stars Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke and Thandie Newton. It will be directed by Ron Howard.
Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters May 25, 2018
Do you think Ron Howard’s reshoots made Solo better? Let us know in the comments below!
