A fourth Powerpuff Girl will be added making the famous super hero trio a quartet. The name of the new girl hasn’t been revealed, but what we do know is she’ll be unveiled on September 17 during the premiere episode of the five part movie event, The Powerpuff Girls: Power of Four.
Some have speculated the newest member may not be new at all, but the original fourth Powerpuff girl Bunny. Bustle tells us, in 2000, The Powerpuff Girls introduced a fourth sister named Bunny, who lasted for just one episode. In the episode, “Twisted Sister” the girls decide to create a new sister to help them with their hero duties. The formula they use to create Bunny isn’t exact — they use a mix of artificial sweetener, twigs, and their personal ideas of what nice means with an added dash of Chemical X — but her imperfections make her all the more endearing.
The Powerpuff Girls were created as a short in 1992 by Craig McCraken. Before making its debut on Cartoon Network in 1998, it was featured in the animation showcase What A Cartoon! in 1995 and 1996.
The last episode aired on March 25, 2005 with a total of 78 episodes. The series has been nominated for 6 Emmy Awards, 9 Annie Awards, and a Kid’s Choice Award.
On June 16, 2014 Cartoon Network announced a reboot which premiered April 4, 2016.
Any thoughts on who the fourth girl will be? Sound off in the comments!
It’s a red-letter day for the good folk of Unliklistan as they start to power up their first atomic reactor. But after pushing the wrong button, the ultra-rare radioactive element, unstabilium, has been released into the atmosphere! Now it’s up to pilot Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Atcherly and his navigator Captain Dudley “Mutt” Muller to save the day. Will they safely complete their mission? Or are things about to get a little…wacky?
Writing
Here we go, another addition to DC’s impressive library of titles featuring reimagining of classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons. This time around the focus is on Dick Dastardly and his sidekick Muttley being retold as modern characters who get swept up a bizarre antics. How does it come off? A bit forced actually.
Writer Garth Ennis seems to be trying a bit too hard to be funny with this title. It introduces concepts like a drone which farts gas which creates weird cartoon like effects on what are supposed to be normal looking characters. It’s a weird idea and gives a chuckle here and there. Unfortunately, the grounded backstory of these two as pilots being in a world where bizarre stuff doesn’t happen on a regular basis seems to make it hard to transition into the slapstick zany comedy the book is trying to obtain. It’s not bad, it just feels awkward at times.
Artwork
The art by Mauricet is very good. Too good in fact. The slapstick and unpredictable humor doesn’t play well with such impressively detailed human characters. The designs feel more like they should be in a action series more than a comedy one. When it comes to comedy, everything must blend well for the humor to come off just right.
Conclusion
This is one of those comic series where a second issue will help to cement the idea of where the story is going. This is not a bad thing at all and seems to be a trend which is happening lately in comics. So far Dastardly and Muttley is better than Wacky Raceland but nowhere near as good as The Flintstones. Nevertheless, it’s a welcomed addition to the Hanna-Barbera library DC is creating.
Warner Bros. and DC have finally found a director for Suicide Squad 2! According to Variety, Gavin O’Connor (The Accountant) will helm the project, which will see Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto and more stars return. The article also states that Warner Bros. wants the project to begin production by the end of 2017.
O’Connor’s hiring puts an end to the massive search for a new director, a search which looked at a lot of high-profile names such as Mel Gibson and Jaume Collet-Serra. David Ayer, who wrote and directed the first film, decided to move away from the franchise and focus on another DCEU movie, Gotham City Sirens.
This is a massive job for O’Connor, the first Suicide Squad movie grossed $745 million worldwide, although it was poorly received by critics. The franchise centres around a group of imprisoned supervillains, who complete missions for the government in exchange for a reduced sentence.
Stephen King’s It is a master class in horror fiction. The original novel isn’t only terrifying, but it’s also a beautiful coming-of-age story, complete with interesting characters and heartwarming moments. That’s why the tale is still popular after 31 years. It’s not because of the scary clown; it’s because it’s relatable. That’s what great horror needs to do first and foremost: tell an interesting story. The clown is just icing on the cake. So how well does director Andrés Muschietti’s new film adapt this classic? Will diehard King fans be happy, or is this another adaptation to throw in the “meh” pile?
Well first we need to remember what It is supposed to be about. Again, it’s not just a scary clown story. It’s a story about 7 kids, the “Loser’s Club,” coming together to fight Fear incarnate. King’s novel is about friendship, about the power of hope and belief, and about being stronger as a team than as an individual. Most importantly, it’s about facing and conquering fear. And, in the process of telling this moving story about maturing from children into adults, it’s supposed to scare the shit out of you.
As far as terror goes, this flick delivers. Muschietti creates this grim and gritty atmosphere that fills you with a sense of dread. The camerawork by D.P. Chung-hoon Chung then amplifies it by ten, mixing in Dutch angles and funky movements that disorient you and put you on edge. This isn’t a horror film that relies on jump scares either. It utilizes them, obviously, but it’s more about creating an uneasy tone, which is a King trademark. He’s a novelist, so he can’t rely on jump scares to spook his reader. He has to do it on a deeper level, and any adaptation of his work worth its salt has to reflect that.
Bill Skarsgård is haunting as Pennywise the Dancing Clown as well. He plays the character in a much different way than Tim Curry did for the 1990 TV movie. Skarsgård’s Pennywise is much more monstrous than playful. He has a guttural, growly undertone to everything he says, and he feels savage while remaining somewhat humorous. The performance is fresh and original, and yet still feels familiar to the Pennywise we know from the book.
Now, with the scary clown element out of the way, how does the rest of It (2017) hold up? Does it stay true to the heart of the 1986 story? Thankfully, yes, it very much does. They admittedly take a lot of liberties with some plot details, but the core and the spirit of It perseveres. Everything mentioned earlier, the themes of friendship and inner strength, it’s all here. Muschietti’s film is first and foremost a coming-of-age story, just like it’s supposed to be. Everyone over the age of 15 should find something to relate to, whether it’s having a crush, getting bullied, going through puberty, or just hanging out with your friends.
The Loser’s Club is front-and-center, and that’s this movie’s greatest strength. The kids are likable, and the chemistry between them is phenomenal. It feels like they’ve been friends all their lives. The script by Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman has a lot to do with that, but the performances from these young actors is what truly sells it. You never know what you’re going to get with child actors, but these kids (or rather pre-teens) are pros. Even non-Losers like bully Henry Bowers, played by Nicholas Hamilton, give a memorable turn.
Granted, some of these kids get more development than others. That’s to be expected when you have an ensemble cast and are trying to fit a 1000+ page book into a 2 hour movie. But again the filmmakers find a way to make it work. Characters like Stanley and Mike may not get as much to do as Bill or Beverly, but you still get a perfect sense of their character.
The Bottom Line – It (2017)
This is how you do an adaptation. You take a story’s basic structure, change some general stuff to make it feel fresh, and keep the heart of the original. Stephen King fans, don’t fret. Thanks to great writing and even greater acting, Muschietti’s It joins the annals of strong King movies like Misery or Stand By Me.
Disney is very proud to announce production has started on the live-action version of ‘Aladdin,’ as the media giant went to Twitter with a photo of the cast Wednesday morning.
“We just started shooting Aladdin and I wanted to intro you guys to our new family. Here we go!” Smith wrote on Facebook.
Guy Ritchie is directing ‘Aladdin’ – based on the 1992 animated film, with additional influences from ‘1001 Arabian Nights.’
The film stars Will Smith as the Genie, Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmin, Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, Navid Negahban as the Sultan, Nasim Pedrad as handmaiden Dalia, Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders, and Numan Acar as palace guards head Hakim.
The War of Jokes and Riddles takes another interlude as we once again dive into the life and mind of Kite Man. Charles Brown has ingrained himself in the Joker’s army, interacting with various villains as he attempts to gather information for Batman. But there is something more personal and deep at the core of what Kite Man is doing, and perhaps there is redemption for the once one-joke villain.
Batman #30 “The War of Jokes and Riddles Interlude-The Ballad of Kite Man Part 2” Written by: Tom King Art by: Clay Mann Inks by: Seth Mann Colors by: Jordie Bellaire Lettered by: Clayton Cowles Cover by: Mikel Janin Published by: DC Comics
Writing
When I reviewed the first part of the Kite Man interlude (Batman #27), I called it “stuff of classic villain making; full of ill choices, some what good intentions, and the kind of gut-punch ending all good comic book stories about bad guys becoming bad guys need.” Having read the second part, this now seems even truer. Tom King once again gets us into the mind Kite Man through his son. The choice to have such an emotionally charged conversation off panel/page serve as a narration, while we “watch” Kite Man interact and question various villains serves three great purposes. We get a great tour of some of Batman’s greatest B-listers, further making Kite Man into a true anti-hero, and it expands on the tragedy of the character, especially with what we already know happened to his son. If there is any justice in the world, ‘I am a joke. And so I guess I am.’ will become a classic line.
Art by Clay Mann
Splitting the Kite Man story into two parts, and not consecutive ones either, was a bold risk that pays off. The pacing on this arc has been strange, bordering on experimental, and incorporating a story within a story only makes it that much more unique. The Kite Man stuff still works as its own tale, but sandwiching it like this amps up the tension in both.
This issue also showcases how great King handles Batman villains. Tweedledee and Tweedledum are chilling, Two-Face is insane, Mr. Freeze’s ego gets the best of him, and Cluemaster is kind of a selfish dick. All these are done in great one or two-panel sequences and they are a ton of fun.
Art by Clay Mann
And of course, King continues to write both Joker and Riddler as very dangerous. We see the Joker losing control and we see Riddler basking IN control. It’s a great use of juxtaposition to show readers how different these two are and why an escalating war between them on this level is natural.
Art
Although Mikel Janin does the cover for this issue, the interior is handled by Clay Mann, Seth Mann, and Jordie Bellaire. Mann was the penciler on the first part of the Kite-Man arc, and his ability to capture emotion on faces is crucial to all of this working. He also has a way of subtlety breaking panel borders that give page layouts an extra bit of detail that raises how visually pleasing this book is.
Art by Clay Mann
The inks and the colors also add a ton of weight and texture to the images. There is a lot shading, deep greens, and blues, that all serve to create a perfect mood for such a somber story.
Conclusion
I have liked every chapter in ‘The War Of Jokes and Riddles’, but the Kite Man stuff has really been my favorite. I’m a sucker for heel turns and B-listers, so this is right up my alley. Plus it really does stretch the tension in the main story, as you get even more invested in Kite Man, you get more invested in the war. You’re following the battle through the foot soldier, and you really do feel like you are caught in the middle.
With distance and time, you forget how intimately disturbing Stephen King can get with his work. Netflix is here to remind us with the trailer for ‘Gerald’s Game’ starring Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood.
About the film: Once again, Jessie Burlingame has been talked into submitting to her husband Gerald’s kinky sex games—something that she’s frankly had enough of, and they never held much charm for her to begin with. So much for a “romantic getaway” at their secluded summer home. After Jessie is handcuffed to the bedposts—and Gerald crosses a line with his wife—the day ends with deadly consequences. Now Jessie is utterly trapped in an isolated lakeside house that has become her prison—and comes face-to-face with her deepest, darkest fears and memories. Her only company is that of the various voices filling her mind…as well as the shadows of nightfall that may conceal an imagined or very real threat right there with her…
‘Gerald’s Game’ is directed by Mike Flanagan, from a script he co-wrote with Jeff Howard. The film is based on a novel by Stephen King.
‘Gerald’s Game’ hits Netflix on September 29.
How well do you think Netflix handles horror? Comment below.
Charles Soule’s Daredevil run has consistently been one of the best books Marvel has to offer. In issue #26, we finally get back to our old friend Blindspot.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
After a lawyer heavy story arc, Daredevil picks up the threads from the earlier stages of this run. Horn-Head’s padawan sidekick has been absent ever since the gut wrenching finale to Muse’s arc. Daredevil receives a message from his pupil, seeking help in China.
Daredevil #26 is filled with perfect smaller moments, brilliant character interactions with both Matt Murdock and his alter ego. Blindspot’s sister, members of his law firm, Foggy, Chinese customs agents, etc. Charles Soule has such a firm grasp on the cast that even subtle five-panel scenes have “classic Daredevil” written all over them.
Much like the early stages of this run, combining Daredevil with elements of Chinese culture creates an extraordinarily pleasing aesthetic. He is a blind ninja after all! Blindspot was a major highlight of the previous arcs, to have him back in any capacity was a wise decision.
The twists and turns towards the end of the issue are top notch superhero comic book reading. “Land Of The Blind” gets off to a very promising start.
Once again The Hand find a way to exploit someone very close to Matt in order to destroy him. This is just the beginning, who is really pulling the strings this time? Did they give Blindspot his sight back in exchange for his service?
Marvel Legacy is supposed to be their comics returning to “classic” form. Soule and company should be unaffected in the new era as this run has felt classic every step of the way.
Ron Garney returns to the title in spectacular fashion. The last arc was a great story that severely lacked an artist capable of matching Soule’s script. Garney makes DD sing every issue he’s been on. He and Matt Milla have been a homerun art team, this issue feels like home again.
Milla’s color gets your blood flowing once Murdock appears in that beautiful classic red costume. The shadow work in this issue is phenomenal, even without the black costume, the dark atmosphere is still a major visual factor.
Another fantastic installment in what has been a stellar Daredevil run. Soule keeps stating his case as one of the top talents at Marvel. This series is a true testament to that.
From top to bottom, there isn’t much more you could want from an issue of Daredevil.
After officially premiering at the Telluride Film Festival, the first trailer for Scott Cooper’s (Black Mass) Western Hostiles has been released. The film stars Christian Bale and tells the story of an Army Captain who escorts a dying Cheyenne war chief (Wes Studi) and his family back home to the tribal lands.
The cast for Hostiles also includes Rosamund Pike, Adam Beach, Ben Foster, Jesse Plemons, and Q’orianka Kilcher.
Watch the trailer below:
Below is the official synopsis for Hostiles:
Set in 1892, Hostiles tells the story of a legendary Army Captain (Christian Bale) who, after stern resistance, reluctantly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief (Wes Studi) and his family back home to tribal lands. Making the harrowing and perilous journey from New Mexico to the grasslands of Montana, the former rivals encounter a young widow (Rosamund Pike) whose family was murdered on the plains. Together, they must join forces to overcome the punishing landscape, hostile Comanche, and vicious outliers they encounter along the way.
November 3rd looks to be the battle of the cetury when ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ takes on ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ for box office supremecy.
‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ is not pulling any punches with the release of its latest RED BAND trailer Wednesday morning, along with three new posters featuring six kick-ass moms.
Watch the trailer below.
About the movie: ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ follows our three under-appreciated and over-burdened women as they rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for moms: Christmas. And if creating a more perfect holiday for their families wasn’t hard enough, they have to do all of that while hosting and entertaining their own mothers. By the end of the journey, our moms will redefine how to make the holidays special for all and discover a closer relationship with their mothers.
The film is written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, and stars Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Christine Baranski, Susan Sarandon, and Cheryl Hines.
‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ hits theaters on November 3.
Who do you think will win the box office? ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ or ‘Thor: Ragnarok’
Comment below.
