‘Bad Boys for Life’ was scheduled to hit theaters on November 9, 2018, but Friday afternoon Sony Pictures pulled the film from the release schedule, according to Exhibitor Relations.
Martin Lawrence and Will Smith blew up Miami and Cuba in the sequel, who knows how much carnage could have been. Joe Carnahan left the project in March over scheduling conflicts, he had worked on a first draft of ‘Bad Boys for Life’ and was set to direct the film as well. After five months of Sony looking for a director with no luck, you understand why the film has been pulled.
‘Bad Boys’ from 1995 made $141 million from a $19 million budget. Eight years later Smith was an icon, and in 2003, Michael Bay blew the doors off everything with $130 million budgeted sequel and earned a solid return with $274 million at the box office for ‘Bad Boy II.’ Here we are 23 years removed from the original, and 14 years after the sequel, does anyone care for a third film?
For a good comparison, the Lethal Weapon franchise came out in 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1998. The trilogy came together in five years, then the fourth film felt like a dead horse by the time 1998 came around. In ‘Lethal Weapon 4,’ 11 years after the original film redefined action movies, the fourth installment became a sitcom of itself.
The Bad Boys films are great, but how could a third film come together this far removed from the original?
Directed by Sunao Katabuchi, In This Corner Of The World tells the story of a woman dealing with the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. The movie was featured at the 2017 Los Angeles film festival, along with winning “Animation of the Year” at the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize. If you are interested in seeing In This Corner Of The World theatrically, it’s just been released in select cinemas nationwide.
A few screenings are available in California and New York. If you’re unavailable to see one of those, a plethora of theaters will be showing the movie starting August 18. For more information on finding a screening of In This Corner Of The World, click here.
“The award-winning story of In This Corner Of The World follows a young lady named Suzo Urano, who in 1944 moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima to live with her husband’s family. Suzu’s life is thrown into chaos when her town is bombed during World War II. Her perseverance and courage underpin this heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by the Japanese in the midst of a violent, war-torn country. This beautiful yet poignant tale shows that even in the face of adversity and loss, people can come together and rebuild their lives.”
The film is beautiful – check out some screenshots below, via the official website.
Will you be seeing the movie in theaters? Sound off in the comments below!
Jack Kirby co-created some of the most enduring characters that Marvel Comics, or its predecessors Timely or Atlas, has published. Not satisfied with co-creating Captain America, one of the most popular and enduring wartime comics characters of 1941 with Joe Simon, Kirby went on to co-create The Fantastic Four with Stan Lee twenty years later. Following that, the Kirby/Lee partnership spawned the creation of several other popular Marvel properties, like Thor, Iron Man, the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk, and the Black Panther to name a few. But what about the years in between? With kudos to wikipedia and the hardcovers I borrowed from my friend, let’s check it out.
Leaving Captain America Comics to Al Avison and Syd Shores after just ten issues, Jack Kirby and Joe Simon left Timely and joined the ranks at National Comics (which eventually became DC). There they notably did some work on Sandman and Manhunter.
Jack Kirby: The War and Romance … Comics, That Is!
While working with National, Kirby was drafted into military service during the second World War. Called upon by one of his commanding officers to draw reconnaissance maps of enemy-held towns, Kirby was lucky to make it through the war alive. Honourably discharged in 1944 after suffering extreme frostbite, Kirby went back to work with Joe Simon at Harvey Comics, also turning in work for Crestwood and Hillman.
Although Simon and Kirby published some adventure stories during this time, their big seller was romance comics. Although not really my thing, these stories of betrayal and teenage lust sold pretty dang well in the early ’50s. But, luckily for superhero fans everywhere, you can take the superhero away from the artist but you can’t take the artist away from the superhero.
After a brief stint at Atlas Comics, Kirby did some of his most memorable work of the time as a freelancer for National. This included the co-creation of the Challengers of the Unknown and a great deal of work on House of Mystery, House of Secrets, My Greatest Adventure, Tales of the Unexpected, and a revamp of the Green Lantern in World’s Finest and Adventure Comics.
Jack Kirby: Challengers of the Unknown
Although not strictly superheroes since they’re without special powers, the Challengers of the Unknown, which Kirby co-created with Dave Wood, represent a kind of prototypical version of two of the most popular teams Kirby co-created, the X-Men and the Howling Commandos. Each of the five Challengers has his own defined personality and expertise: Ace Morgan the air force pilot, Professor Haley the brainy undersea explorer, Red Ryan the daredevil, and Rocky Davis the Olympic wrestling champion.
After surviving a plane crash that should have killed them, these four men make a pact to live life to its fullest. Convinced that they’re living on borrowed time, each man engages in a string of death-defying pursuits until the news is filled with headlines about their exploits. Having seemingly conquered death, the four men decide to create a team dedicated to taking on whatever risky venture they’re offered. The Challengers of the Unknown are born.
Although the Challengers don’t represent a novel idea, they’re basically just a team of adventurous guys much like Doc Savage’s team of stalwart companions, they provide a vehicle for Kirby to engage with far-out ideas that give way to some excellent art.
One such far-out idea involves the Challengers dealing with a giant, sentient robot named “Ultivac.” Fans of Isaac Asimov will notice a marked similarity between this giant robot’s name and that of the giant, sentient computer Multivac, a recurring character in several of Asimov’s stories.
Jack Kirby: House of Mystery, House of Secrets, & Tales of the Unexpected
Aside from his unique penciling style and excellent choice of creative partners, Jack Kirby was also a workhorse. In April of 1957, Kirby had stories published in House of Secrets, House of Mystery, Tales of the Unexpected, and a 20-page Challengers of the Unknown story in Showcase. This means that for the month of April 1957 alone, Kirby, working as a freelancer, had at least forty-one pages of art published by National Comics. Kirby kept this pace or improved upon it for the majority of his professional life, but after a year of freelancing with National Kirby eventually returned to Atlas where he would revolutionize the American comics scene three years later with his string of Marvel Age co-creations with Stan Lee.
It’s impossible to say which publisher Kirby preferred working for or which one he had the greater effect on. Kirby’s creations for Timely/Atlas/Marvel certainly stood the test of time. Captain America is in the movies nearly 80 years after his creation in 1941. And although the same can’t be said for the Challengers of the Unknown, they continue to enjoy popularity enough to warrant repeated revamps, including a New 52 reboot in DC Universe Presents back in 2012.
So, whether you’re a Marvel-ous comics fan or a Decidedly Comparable comics fan, you can’t deny King Kirby’s legacy. And though some of his creations were superior to others—Fighting American and X-51 being examples of his lesser-known work—they all have an undefinable quality that makes them memorable and unique. So, hail to the King and his entourage of collaborators, and let’s hope an X-51 movie is close at hand.
No terms were disclosed, but Amazon must have dropped a ton of cash in Robert Kirkman’s lap for the creator to leave AMC for a two-year deal.
It was announced Friday morning that Kirkman was taking Skybound Entertainment over to Amazon to develop genre projects, according to the press release.
“Robert is a gifted storyteller who shares our passion for elevated genre storytelling that pushes boundaries. Robert and the team at Skybound are some of the most innovative and fearless creatives in the business. Together, we plan to explore immersive worlds and bold ideas for Prime Video,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Event Series, Amazon Studios.
The partnership is a first-look deal with Kirkman and David Alpert’s Skybound Entertainment. Amazon Studios is trying to get a foot-hold in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror programming. Kirkman is also very excited to work with the unlimited resources of Amazon.
“At Skybound Entertainment we strive to tell the best stories in the most unique and creative ways in an effort to always break new ground. A forward thinking company like Amazon is the perfect home for us. Their new foray into genre fiction has us at peak optimism for what can be accomplished during this unprecedented partnership. Sharon Tal Yguado has been an instrumental force in the success of Walking Dead and Outcast from day one. Being able to not only continue that relationship, but also expand it into new territory with the vast resources of Amazon, means great things are ahead for myself, David Alpert, Skybound and fans of awesome entertainment. Look out world, here we come!” said Kirkman.
Up next, Kirkman will produce ‘Invincible.’ The project will be written, directed and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for Universal Pictures. Additional properties that could be developed by Amazon include Super Dinosaur, Battle Pope, Astounding Wolf-Man, and Thief of Thieves.
What do you think of this blockbuster deal? Comment below.
Warner Bros. can’t seem to catch a break with the DC Extended Universe, after the good will of ‘Wonder Woman,’ misinformation and overreaction have ruled the perception of the DCEU. Ben Affleck stepping down as Batman and Joss Whedon taking over directorial duties for ‘Justice League’ has kept the chaos fire of social media burning bright.
Affleck has finally spoken up about the change in the directors:
“It’s a little bit unorthodox. Zack had a family tragedy, and stepped off, which was horrible. For the movie, the best person we could’ve possibly found was Joss. We got really lucky that he stepped in. (Justice League is) an interesting product of two directors, both with kind of unique visions, both with really strong takes. I’ve never had that experience before making a movie. I have to say, I really love working with Zack, and I really love the stuff we’ve done with Joss,” said Affleck to EW.
The actor, also had this to say about ‘Justice and his future with the franchise:
“This is a really nice time to work in DC. They’re hitting their stride. They’re getting it right. It’s starting to feel like it’s really working,” said Affleck to EW.
What do you think about Affleck’s comments? Comment below.
DC Extended Universe Release Schedule:
‘Justice League’ – 11/17/17
Untitled DC Film – 7/27/18
‘Aquaman’ – 12/21/18
‘Shazam’ – 4/5/19
Untitled DC Film – 6/14/19
Untitled DC Film – 11/1/19
‘Wonder Woman 2’ – 12/13/19
Untitled DC Film – 2/14/20
‘Cyborg’ – 4/3/20
Untitled DC Film – 6/5/20
‘Green Lantern Corps’ – 7/24/20
About ‘Justice League’: 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 directed by Zack Snyder and stars; Ben Affleck (Batman), Henry Cavill (Superman), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ezra Miller (The Flash), Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg), Ciarán Hinds (Steppenwolf), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Jeremy Irons (Alfred Pennyworth), J.K. Simmons (Commissioner Gordon), Amber Heard (Mera), Kiersey Clemons (Iris West) and Jesse Eisenberg (Lex Luthor).
On August 11, 1991, the pilot episode of Ren and Stimpy aired on Nickelodeon for the first time.
Created by John Kricfalusi, the show revolved around Ren, a Chihuaha, and Stimpy, a cat. The two characters were near opposites of each other, with Ren being an emotional wreck and Stimpy bringing lack of intelligence to the show.
Ren and Stimpy was aired for five seasons, providing fans with 52 episodes in total.
To this day, the programming is looked at as one of the better cartoons from the 1990s. Although it was up against shows like Rugrats and Rocko’s Modern Life, it’s still remembered with glaring nostalgia, and for good reason. Cartoons in 2017 rarely push the envelope and tinker with different types of humor, and that’s something that Ren and Stimpy did with spectacular execution.
Do you have any fond memories of watching the show? What’s your favorite episode? Sound off in the comments below!
Like we said earlier in the week, the Star Wars hype-machine is just getting started, and the latest update on ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ comes in the form of more information on Benicio Del Toro’s new character DJ.
DJ is the best codebreaker in the galaxy, he plays both sides of the war for money, and he’s part of the mission that Finn and Rose undertake to the wealthy, gambling resort city of Canto Bight, according to EW. Lucas film had this to say – “DJ is an enigmatic figure whose tattered, threadbare clothes and lackadaisical attitude conceal a sharp mind and expert skills.”
“We just need a codebreaker, and he’s the best in the galaxy. Unfortunately, he’s very dodgy and only in it for financial gain. He doesn’t fight for any side,” said Boyega to EW. “He has distinct opinions. The Resistance bombs the First Order one day, the First Order bombs the Resistance on another. It’s an ongoing war that will never end. For him, he’s trying to benefit off of that — which doesn’t make him the person you want to trust.”
It looks like the new trilogy has found its Han Solo character. All you need to do is swap ‘smuggler’ with ‘codebreaker,’ and you describe ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ Solo to a T.
What do you think of the comparison? Comment below.
About ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
The Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi,’ which is written and directed by Rian Johnson and continues the storylines introduced in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ hits theaters on December 15.
Set in 1985 Los Angeles, ‘GLOW’ follows Ruth Wilder, a struggling out-of-work actress as she auditions for, trains and eventually makes the first-ever women’s wrestling TV show. Inspired by the short-lived but beloved show from the 80s, ‘GLOW’ is a Cinderella story with bodyslams.
‘GLOW’ is created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch. ‘Orange Is the New Black’ creator Jenji Kohan and Tara Herrmann are executive producers alongside Flahive and Mensch, who are serving as showrunners.
‘GLOW’stars Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Sydelle Noel, Britney Young, Marc Maron, Britt Baron, Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, Sunita Mani, Kate Nash, Marianna Palka, Gayle Rankin, Kia Stevens, Jackie Tohn, and Ellen Wong.
Donald Sutherland is the latest talent to join an all-star cast in James Gray’s science-fiction epic, Ad Astra.
The always excellent Sutherland joins Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, and Ruth Negga in the story of “one man’s (Pitt) journey across a lawless and unforgiving solar system to find his missing father, a renegade scientist who poses a threat to all of mankind.” Odds are, Sutherland will play the missing father in question, unless Tommy Lee Jones steps into that role. My money is on Sutherland.
A “lawless solar system” is an interesting premise for a sci-fi adventure; I’m not sure what that means. There is also the little detail that Gray and Ethan Gross wrote the Ad Astra original screenplay themselves. This is not based on any previous material, which is always an exciting prospect for science fiction.
Pitt’s Plan B is also producing Ad Astra, which is a promising sign as well because Plan B makes some great films. Long story short… this sounds like it’s going to be an excellent sci-fi adventure worth your time. Stay tuned for more updates.
Previous on ‘The Mist‘ – I saw Frances Conroy’s bum. That is literally all you need to know about last week. (Her bum is fabulous by the way.)
What The Fuck?!
I guess I have to just go straight into this! I repeat – WHAT THE FUCK! Everyone decided to go just a little bit crazy this week. This is officially my favorite episode of the season to date. Everything worked. The tension at points of this episode was intense. I’ve been quite hard on some of the characters so far, but after the events this week I take almost all of it back. (Some of my points about Eve I’m totally sticking too.)
I knew it!
There have been hints for weeks that Adrian was the rapist. However this week, not only did the truth come out. So did every single other bit of crazy that Adrian has been holding back. I have to say that Russel Posner was superb in every single scene. He brought some Grade A psychopath to the forefront this week but managed to try and keep some shred of humanity. Then Adrian shot his Dad and tried to kill Kevin. But he did it with some humanity. The revelation that he had raped Alex to poison her against Jay was jaw dropping. Not that he did it, it was finally getting to see the depth of darkness in him.
The whole setting of Adrian’s house and the ensuing interactions with his father brought some needed depth to Adrian. At first, you’re led to feel sorry for him. In the first episode Adrian’s dad was not painted in the best of lights, so when you saw he was covered in blood, the natural assumption is that he’s going to be a villain. The subsequent reveal that all along Adrian has been the villain was brilliant. From his hysterical confession to first his father and then Kevin, he’s cemented himself as a dead man walking next week.
Jonah and Mia finally consummated their relationship. After the weeks of building up to it, I was glad they had a moment together. It’s quite obvious that Mia is keeping more secrets and with this being ‘The Mist’, there’s a huge chance they’ll have to deal with something horrific next week.
Gus Is A Bad Man.
I was only complaining last week that Gus had barely lived up to any hype. “The Law of Nature” gave him the chance to show how far he is willing to go to remain in the mall. Although his food smuggling has seemed small when his safety is threatened he wasted no time in killing his accuser. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he wasted no time in using the mounting paranoia about Alex to his advantage and accuse her.
Eve featured very little this week, but after an episode filled with eye rolling moments aimed towards Alex and Jay, I’m glad. The romance between the two teens is very uncomfortable to watch. I’m quite happy Eve decided to lock Jay in the basement. At the very least it keeps the love birds apart. It’ll be interesting to see if the reason the mist didn’t want Alex comes out in the next episode. It didn’t want Nathalie or Adrian either – for all we know Alex could also be a murderous psychopath.
The Church Of Nathalie
Frances Conroy was beyond good this week. In fact, the entire church setting was fantastic. Not only did Nathalie command the rest of the congregation, but she also had me enthralled. The slow descent into darkness with her character has been so gradual that by this point, there is no memory of the early days. The events of last week have renewed her faith in the purpose of the mist. Crooked Connor also did amazingly this week. He’s been without a cause since Kevin escaped and watched Nathalie convince him to murder his son was mesmerizing. Watching him grasp towards a purpose and the acceptance that came with it showed the depth his character had sunk too. Darren Pettie did a terrific job during his breakdown, however bittersweet it is, now that we know Jay is innocent.
When only four of the church characters decided to leave, I had an ominous feeling about those that had rejected Nathalie. Sure enough, when she set the church ablaze and locked them in it cemented that she had completed her journey to the darkness. Screaming soundtrack included. Her power over her new followers extended to making sure they all played a part in sacrificing the remaining church characters.
Verdict
I cannot wait for the next two weeks! This show is the definition of a slow burner. It’s a shame that a lot of people might have switched off around episode 4 or 5, because if they’d just stuck with we’re starting to get the payoff. I’m guilty of this thinking myself. Watching how the characters have evolved to fit into the new world around them has been engrossing. This week was a fantastic pay off to a lot of loose ends story lines and has started bringing them all together for what I can only assume is going to be a bloody and horrific showdown.
