‘Batman: The Dawnbreaker’ Reminds Us To Fear The Dark

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Beware His Power. Batman’s Light!

Well, it’s time to rock out with another chapter in the Dark Multiverse. To those who haven’t been keeping up in DC Comics, they are in the middle of their fall event, Dark Nights Metal. The story revolves around the Justice League facing off against invaders (who just so happen to be evil Batmen) from a “Dark Multiverse.” Each week, the readers get a one-shot to show off the origins of the Dark Invaders. This week, we get The Dawnbreaker (the combination of Batman and Green Lantern). With two fantastic Batmen one-shots out of the way, will this issue contain the same quality?

**SOME SPOILERS BELOW**

Story:

This origin story takes us back to the infamous alley where the Waynes were killed, with Bruce watching helplessly. Unlike the original, a Green Lantern ring finds its way to a vengeful Bruce. He uses this newfound gift to hunt down and avenge his parent’s death. In the process of doing this, Bruce pushes enough “willpower” to crack the ring and corrupt it. Years pass and the murderous vigilante takes the ultimate step and absorbs all of the Green Lanterns’ energy, turning into The Dawnbreaker.

While the story is fascinating, it is the weakest of the three released Dark Night one-shots so far–there will be seven in all. The Dawnbreaker’s motivation is just the origin of the average Batman. The other two had a unique hook to them, something unique that made them stand out from the other Batmen of the Multiverse. In the first one-shot, The Red Death’s (the merging of Batman and The Flash) crusade led to the deaths of his allies. The Murder Machine (the merging of Batman and Cyborg) had to watch his father figure get murdered in his home. Both of these Batmen have characteristics that make them more compelling characters than The Dawnbreaker. The ring and its use, however, adds an intriguing storyline.

Frankly, this Batman is quite terrifying in how he acts and his view of the world. I especially love his ability to drain the light, thanks to the power of his corrupted ring. Having power over the ring also allows his “shadow” constructs to dismember criminals. It’s a creative combination of Batman’s skills in the shadows and a Lantern’s powers.

Art:

While the first two Dark Night one-shots provided fascinating stories over this issue, This issue clearly had the best art. Ethan Van Sciver, best known for his art in Green Lantern stories, once again shows why he’s one of the best. The “shadow” constructs that Batman creates are by far one of the most terrifying creations a Lantern has made. Its design, along with the coloring, by Jason Wright, make this Lantern construct stand out from any that have come before.

The only aspect of the art that can be improved is the design of Batman’s cowl. It’s as if Bruce stole Captain Cold’s iconic glasses and painted them green. Even the suit itself looks like a stereotypical Green Lantern outfit. This is disappointing considering some of the interesting designs for other Lantern villains over the years. Yeah, this might be nitpicking, but it could have been so much more.

Conclusion:

While it may not have the emotional depth the first two have, this issue is another great chapter in the Dark Nights Metal Saga. We are introduced to a version of Batman that is a fascinating take on Lantern powers. If you haven’t picked it up already, go check it out today.

Issue description:

As the events of DARK NIGHTS: METAL rock the DC Universe, the creatures of the Dark Multiverse stand ready to invade our world! How can even the World’s Greatest Heroes stop a horde of deadly beings that appear to be powerful, nightmare versions of familiar figures? Find out in these special tie-in issues!

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James Cameron Suckers Kate Winslet Into His ‘Avatar’ Universe

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 3, 2017

Somehow, some way, James Cameron has convinced Kate Winslet to join his ever-expanding, super-expensive Avatar universe. The guy must be one helluva sweet talker.

According to the report over at The Tracking Board, “Winslet will play a character named Ronal in the Avatar universe, though details of the character are being kept under wraps.” I bet she ends up being a blue Na’vi and she will tell John Dunbar that he should return to his people and leave the Sioux… sorry, wrong movie.

Of course, Kate Winslet and James Cameron worked together 20 years ago in Titanic, so perhaps they have a strong working relationship. That’s still not really an excuse for any of this to happen.

James Cameron is seriously going through with these Avatar sequels, fam. Sam Worthington has nothing else to do so he’s back on board, as is Stephen Lang and Sigourney Weaver. Although, didn’t she die in the first one? Does literally one person out there remember Weaver’s fate in the original.

Hopefully for Kate Winslet, her character will be killed off in Avatar 2. Otherwise she will spend the rest of her natural born days filming Avatar sequels.

Avatar 2 will be here in December of 2020. 2020! Only 11 years after the original slipped from our consciousness.

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Review : ‘Blade Runner 2049’ A Dazzling Spectacle Of Science Fiction Fun

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Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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Sensational production design and beautiful cinematography are just some of the reasons why Blade Runner 2049 exceeds expectations.

Summary

The Los Angeles Police Department’s best employee appears to be officer K (Ryan Gosling). He’s a member of a specialized unit whose purpose is to hunt down and retire replicants. Lieutenant Joshi (Robin Wright) sends K on a routine mission that ends up being anything but that. He stumbles upon a mystery that could rock the foundation of society itself. Business mogul Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) is alerted to K’s current predicament and begins seeking to solve the same mystery. K eventually heads to the most desolate part of the southwest where he finds former blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford).

What Worked

Director Denis Villeneuve demonstrates once again why he’s one of the best directors working today. He’s a master of creating tension in the simplest of ways. In Sicario, that final scene where Alejandro shows up at Rafael’s home for a meal was such a simple setup, but the tension was off the charts. The same is true about the scenes where officer K is having a drink. Once again, such a simple setup that’s incredibly relatable but each time led to something significant occurring.

Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer’s score is intoxicating. It evokes memories of the original movie, yet it appears to have another layer of depth to it. Could it be the deeper synthesizer sounds?

Dennis Gassner’s production design was sleek, eye-popping, and the kind of work that wins Academy Awards. The way he seamlessly mixed in dark and dreary colors and splashed them with fluorescent lighting that illuminated this industrial complex in such a way that it looked like something out of a Chris Nolan film. When we traveled to the most desolate parts of the new world, he used different shades of red which gave that location a unique feel. This part of the film had a gritty/dirty feel as if secrets were buried out there. One can only imagine how the actors felt coming to work in such imaginative locales.

Renee April’s costume choices gave us more insight into these rich characters. Leto’s character wore a Japanese coat which was an interesting choice. Typically that type of attire would belong to someone who’s more at peace, and his character appears to be far from that.

Roger Deakins is a virtuoso once again as his cinematography plays a critical role in the overall success of the movie. Loved his decision to shoot from behind officer K as he walked ever so slowly into the most desolate part of the city. Not only does it give the viewer K’s perspective, but it creates tension in the scene as well (especially when we don’t what he’s walking into).

Hampton Fancher and Micheal Green have developed a storyline that’s far from ambiguous but still dives into some pretty deep themes. Without getting too much into the details of the film, this plot will have your head spinning long after the credits have ended.

The performances were solid. Can’t say that one actor outshined them all, but each of them played key roles in enhancing this new world that Villeneuve and Ridley Scott created.

What Didn’t Work

While the writing for about two-thirds of the film is outstanding, the last third of the movie was extremely predictable. Can’t say much more than that but I do welcome any debate on the matter once the film opens up on Thursday night.

Overall

Blade Runner 2049 is almost a three-hour movie, and it didn’t feel anywhere close to that. The pacing is fantastic, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t touch on the eye-popping action sequences. Watching this film was like witnessing a master composer strike the right notes again and again with the result being a cinephile’s dream. They say good things come to those who wait and boy were they ever right in this instance.

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A Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Is In The Works

By

Parish Hodges

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October 3, 2017

Paramount has acquired movie rights to the popular video game franchise Sonic The Hedgehog. Variety was first to report the exciting news.

Neil H. Moritz is set to produce, while Jeff Fowler is set to direct, making his directorial debut. Toby Ascher will executive produce while Dmitri Johnson and Dan Jevons will serve as co-producers.

Though it hasn’t been confirmed, the upcoming film seems like it will center around Sonic and his pals Tails and Knuckles, as they collect items and points while trying to stop the global domination plans of Doctor Eggman Robotnik. it will also be a mix of live action and CGI animation.

The game was first released by SEGA in 1991, with the character becoming one of the world’s biggest gaming icons. More than 360 million copies, including both packaged and digital games, have been sold on various platforms.

No release date has been announced, and no word on who will voice characters. Stay tuned for more updates!

While waiting, you can get your Sonic fix by playing Sonic Mania, and Sonic Forces when it’s released November 7^th for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC.

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Anna Paquin Joins Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 3, 2017

Anna Paquin has officially joined Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, Jack Huston, and Bobby Cannavale (this cast… be still my heart) in his upcoming Netflix gangster picture, The Irishman.

The film, based on Charles Brandt’s I Heard You Paint Houses: Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran and the Inside Story of the Mafia, the Teamsters, and the Final Ride by Jimmy Hoffa – which is a helluva title – tells the story of retired Teamsters heavy hitter Frank Sheeran (De Niro). On his deathbed, Sheeran allegedly confessed to killing infamous Teamsters troublemaker Jimmy Hoffa, whose body has still never been found.

Al Pacino will play Hoffa, which seems pretty weird since the two of them look nothing alike. Joe Pesci will play Russell Bufalino, of the Bufalino crime family with whom Sheeran was rumored to be in cahoots with.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Anna Paquin will play Peggy, Frank Sheeran’s daughter. It’s nice to see Paquin back in something, anything. She has been basically absent – appearing in only a smattering of shows and films – since True Blood ran out of steam over at HBO.

The Irishman is written by Steven Zaillian. There is no confirmed release date yet for the film, but expect it some time in 2018.

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‘Justice League’: Check Out This Epic Empire Magazine Cover

By

Aric Sweeny

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October 3, 2017

Empire Magazine has unveiled the cover for their latest issue and it should get fans of DC Comics excited. Pictured down below, the cover proudly boasts Wonder Woman as the leader of the team, with The Flash and Aquaman taking supporting roles and Batman and Cyborg fading towards the back of the image. Though Warner Bros. was making out Batman to be head of the Justice League just a few months back, it looks like Wonder Woman’s critical + financial success changed that.

“Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.”

Justice League is the first live-action adaptation of the characters on the big screen. It features Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Amber Heard, J.K. Simmons, Willem Defoe, Ciarán Hinds, and Connie Nielsen.

The film will be released in theaters on November 17.

Are you looking forward to Justice League? Start a conversation in the comments below.

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Check Out The Trailer for Netflix’s Blood-Soaked Horror Comedy, ‘The Babysitter’

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 3, 2017

The Babysitter is not really a spoof, not a direct parody, but it’s something in between. And, judging by this first trailer, it definitely didn’t skimp on the ol’ blood budget.

The trailer is funny, violent, NSFW, and then there’s one little negative element that gave me pause: Directed by McG. We’ll see how McHack can do in the realm of horror comedy. Check out the trailer and see for yourself:

It’s a funny bit that the hot babysitter is in a religious cult. And they do human sacrifice but “in America with hot people” so it’s different.

The Babysitter looks like a cut above the Scary Movie franchise, but somewhere below the Scream films. It stars a relatively unknown cast outside of Bella Thorne’s inclusion. This could be fun, but it also could be an endurance test given the fact McG is at the helm. It will drop on Netflix October 13.

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Always Be Closing: ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ at 25

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 3, 2017

They don’t make ’em like Glengarry Glen Ross anymore.

At least these films, adult-oriented dramas with an elite cast of talent, David Mamet’s abrasive rat-a-tat dialogue, and tension in words more than actions, don’t find their way to multiplexes. There’s little room for a Glengarry Glen Ross film to be wedged in between a superhero movie and a sci-fi epic.

Mamet’s screenplay, based on his award-winning play, directed by James Foley, has a specific universality. No matter how strong the economy may be, no matter how squared away the working man is, there is always someone out there like Jack Lemmon’s Shelly Levene. Lemmon, who made a career out of plying the sympathetic loser, delivers one of the greatest performances of his great career. Shelly Levine has no shot at the Glengarry leads, no matter how desperately he tries. And those moments of desperation, whether they happen inside the dreary phone booth, or at the door of a client in the middle of the night, are painful to watch. Lemmon lives in the role. In fact, the collaboration of everyone in Glengarry Glen Ross is the most divine bit of casting of any film in the past 30 years.

Ed Harris is hard-talking, bitter schlub, Dave Moss. Alan Arkin’s disparate real-estate salesman, George, is a bit dim, a bit aloof. Al Pacino nails the part of Ricky Roma, the supreme salesman, though his typical bloviating and gesticulating is subdued here. Kevin Spacey, who was a terrific serpentine yuppie in his earlier days, plays serpentine boss, John. And then, well, there’s Alec Baldwin.

The perennial fame of Glengarry Glen Ross, however large or small that imprint may be, is primarily because of the incredible Baldwin cameo. He is Blake, a hotshot from “downtown” who is here to tell these losers just how big of losers they are. It’s a firecracker of a performance, which has carried the legacy of the entire picture. In fact, there is literally no way to possibly discuss the moment without seeing it…

Baldwin kickstarts the film, and the rest of the brilliant cast brings it home. Mamet’s words, more about what’s left unsaid than what these characters say to each other, create mystery in sideways glances. Glengarry Glen Ross is a film we don’t see much anymore. If we do, they land on Netflix or HBO or streaming services; think Robert De Niro’s latest, The Wizard of Lies, a film of similar prestige and star power which was released on HBO in the middle of the summer, not early December for an awards season push.

The film adaptation nabbed only one Oscar nomination, a supporting nom for Al Pacino’s hotshot Ricky Roma. It should have gone to Jack Lemmon, or Alec Baldwin, but time has corrected this in our collective unconscious. Glengarry Glen Ross will live on, the story will endure, and the universality of this pitiful men and their predicament will forever feel relevant.

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Jared Leto Will Play Hugh Hefner in Brett Ratner Biopic

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 3, 2017

Now here’s some news that, while timely, is also pretty funny: Jared Leto has signed on to play Hugh Hefner in director Brett Ratner’s long-gestating biopic.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news, and Ratner spoke about Leto in the upcoming film. “Jared is an old friend,” he said. “When he heard I got the rights to Hef’s story, he told me, ‘I want to play him. I want to understand him.’ And I really believe Jared can do it. He’s one of the great actors of today.”

So yeah, Jared Leto wants to “understand” him. Hoo boy, can you just imagine the silly lengths this dude is going to go to BECOME HUGH HEFNER! He didn’t get a chance to meet the mogul before his passing last week, which is either good or bad news. We shall see.

As for Ratner, well, there doesn’t seem to be anyone more suited to tell the story of Hugh Hefner. And don’t talk about the guy’s humanitarian endeavors. This is Brett Ratner at the helm, not Sidney Pollock.

There’s no release date or official title for the film. At one point it was going to be called Playboy, so we’ll see if that sticks. Stay tuned for more funny updates and set photos of Leto in his smoking jacket and sailor’s cap.

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‘Supermansion’ Tackles Horror & Humor With ‘Drag Me To Halloween’

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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October 3, 2017

Supermansion, the Crackle original series, will spook viewers this Thursday with a new holiday special. ‘Drag Me to Halloween‘ is a half-hour episode that lampoons the horror genre. The one-off episode follows the League of Freedom, a super team, trying to enjoy the holiday. The night then devolves into failed hook-ups, trick-or-treating, and a robot exorcism. It’s a zany half-hour special with some quality humor, perfect for October viewing.

‘Drag Me to Halloween’ crams a lot of horror parodies into a single special. The episode’s cold open takes a crack at nearly every classic horror film. There isn’t much focus on the team’s heroics, but that’s par for the course. Supermansion did a similar special, ‘War On Christmas,’ last year. The series is a superhero parody first and foremost, but it always takes on broader parody as well. ‘Drag Me to Halloween’ isn’t the most focused caped crusader comedy, but it’s got some great jokes.

The series is a lot like Robot Chicken, another stop-motion comedy from the same production company. The similarities are clear, from the stop-motion animation to the pop culture references. It wouldn’t be surprising if the next Supermansion special takes on Star Wars like its parent show. While the series usually focuses on superhero-related jokes, ‘Drag Me to Halloween’ broadens the scope for wider parody. The special walks the line between Supermansion and Robot Chicken, casting a wider net for its comedy.

What makes the show a standout is its phenomenal voice cast. The voice cast is full of amazing performances by top-notch actors. Supermansion stars Bryan Cranston as Titanium Rex, the aging superhero struggling to keep his team in order. Supermansion also features Keegan-Michael Key as American Ranger, and new SNL cast member Heidi Gardner as Cooch. Other regular cast members include Zeb Wells, Tucker Gilmore, and Jillian Bell. ‘Drag Me to Halloween’ has a stacked cast that make the episode pop.

‘Drag Me to Halloween’ airs this Thursday, October 5th. The special features Lake Bell and Phil LaMarr, along with the cast of series regulars. You can watch the first two seasons of the show, as well as last year’s Christmas special, for free on Crackle.

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