As all of our readers likely know, the legendary Adam West passed away earlier this year. He was the original Batman, and was considered one of the most influental actors to don the cape. Despite the tragic passing, West had finished his work on Batman vs. Two-Face, which means fans will get one more Batman movie starring the actor.
Best Buy has listed Batman vs. Two-Face with a October 17, 2017 release date.
Two-Face/Harvey Dent is voiced by none-other than Star Trek legend William Shatner, with Julie Newmar portraying Catwoman, Burt Ward as Robin, and Steven Weber as Alfred Pennyworth.
Former Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent, one side of his face scarred by acid, goes on a crime spree based on the number ‘2’. All of his actions are decided by the flip of a defaced, two-headed silver dollar.
Will you be picking up Batman vs. Two-Face on Blu-Ray, DVD, or Digital? Comment below, let us know.
Although the trailers and footage for Justice League have done well in not showing off Superman, the other pieces of marketing, unfortunately, have not followed suit. While we’ve gotten photos here and there, nothing, until now, has given us such a good look at Henry Cavill’s character in the film.
Unfortunately, it appears as though Kal-El won’t be rocking his famous mullet and beard after returning, like the character did in the comic books.
“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 Snyderand 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).
Darren Aronofsky Showcases His Unique Brand of Horror With ‘Mother!’
The first official look at ‘Mother!‘ is not only chilling but rather puzzling. Like previous Darren Aronofsky movies, the viewer isn’t always clued in on what’s happening. That doesn’t change with the newest trailer for ‘Mother!‘. Unlike the teaser released a few weeks back, there’s a better sense of the film’s plot. A reclusive couple (Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem) have their peaceful lives shaken up. There’s no confirmation on what starts the horror, but it doesn’t take long for it to get extreme.
Check it out below:
The film feels like a psycho-sexual version of Rosemary’s Baby. Viewers can’t help but get a satanic vibe from what’s shown here. With the addition of Michelle Phiffer and Ed Harris characters, things not only get stranger but far more erotic. Are they trying to lure this homely couple into something dark?
Darren Aronofsky is known for bending genre conventions, blurring the line between what is a thriller and what is horror. ‘Mother!‘seems to be in vain of his previous work Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream. The raw reality is a terrifying concept, so why not explore that? Though Aronofsky ups the realism with a little magic, it doesn’t take away from his dramatic & horrifying look at humans. ‘Mother!‘ seems to dive into marriage, love, and what happens when temptation strikes. Going from addiction to drugs and work, could this be his film about a serious addiction to love?
Let me know what you think of the first official trailer for ‘Mother!‘ in the comments below. Do you believe that this art-house horror film will find any mainstream appeal?
“Terror strikes when uninvited guests disrupt a couple’s tranquil existence.”
‘Mother!‘ stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Phieffer, and Ed Harris.
The new Darren Aronofsky film premieres in theaters on September 15th.
‘Wet Hot American Summer’ is a cult classic, and now two Netflix series later, BOOM! Studios believe there is enough material left for an original graphic novel. The comic publisher announced Monday afternoon, a ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ graphic novel would hit the shelves in June and take place between the original film and Netflix prequel series.
The complete cast of Camp Firewood will be featured in the book. No creative teams have been announced, only a Joe Quinones was released.
“Wet Hot American Summer is one of those magical films that not only helped launch the career of a dozen household names, but resonated with a generation of viewers over many repeat viewings,” said Filip Sablik, President of Publishing & Marketing, BOOM! Studios. “We’re excited to reveal more story details and the full creative team of this brand-new addition to the world of Wet Hot American Summer, but we know when you see the beautiful cover by Joe Quinones, you’ll understand why this will be one of our biggest releases in 2018.”
“We love the BOOM! Studios guys’ work and we’re thrilled to be partnering with them on the Wet Hot graphic novel,” said Howard Bernstein, producer of the 2001 film. “It’s exciting for us to bring to the billions of Wet Hot fans across the globe another way to enjoy the characters.”
‘Wet Hot American Summer’ stars Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, and Molly Shannon. The film was written by Michael Showalter and David Wain and directed by Wain. The Netflix series, ‘Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp,’ was released in Summer 2015, and a follow-up Netflix series, ‘Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later,’ was released this summer.
Are you die-hard ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ fan? Comment below.
Writer/director/podcaster/Jersey native Kevin Smith celebrated his birthday, as well as the 20th anniversary of Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, the landmark comic book store in Red Bank, New Jersey, over the weekend.
Smith returned to his old stomping grounds to film a segment of AMC’s Comic Book Men, where he and his hetero life-mate Jason Mewes (the Jay to his Silent Bob) attempted to break a Guinness World Record on August 5 with fans cosplaying as the famous duo. Smith and Mewes greeted fans, passed out donuts, and even dressed up as their cinematic counterparts. Hundreds arrived over the course of the day to take part in the attempt – and they succeeded.
To top it off, Red Bank mayor Pasquale Menna was there to give Kevin Smith a key to the city.
After the event, Smith returned to his hometown of Atlantic Highlands as a special guest for a screening of Shooting Clerks, a feature film about the making of Clerks from independent Scottish writer/director Christopher Downie. Smith served as Executive Producer on the flick.
Kevin Smith is a busy man these days. He is producing and hosting a number of podcasts under his Smodcast brand. He is also in production of Moose Jaws, the third in his “True North Trilogy,” the horror anthology Killroy Was Here, the Spawn spinoff series Sam and Twitch, and an announced return to his View Askewniverse with Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. He has also been a welcome addition to DCTV, directing episodes of Supergirl and The Flash.
It has been one hell of a year already for Image Comics. Along with flagship titles like Walking Dead and Saga, the publisher has been providing top-notch entertainment in every genre imaginable. With five months left to go, let’s take a look at five of Image’s best in 2017 so far.
Extremity
Series creator/writer/artist, Daniel Warren Johnson, is making quite a name for himself in the comic book industry. He and colorist Mike Spicer have created one of the most gruesome and iconic worlds in comic books today.
Extremitybegins as a story of revenge and quickly evolves into so much more. In just six issues, readers have been through a fleet of emotional meat grinders with these characters.
The series is one of the most unique visual experiences in the medium. Every issue is loaded with carnage and violence on such a grand scale, while maintaining its heart and still proudly wearing it on its sleeve. Every character, creature, weapon, ensignia, and vehicle is iconic and memorable.
Black Science
The sci-fi masterpiece by Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera is coming to a close. Having just reached its thirtieth issue, there are only ten remaining.
While that is awful for fans of the series, it has also significantly amped up the book. The four issues that came out this year have lived up to Remender’s promise of a strong finish. Stakes are higher than ever for Grant McKay and his fellow dimensionauts.
Black Science is one of the best modern sci-fi comics and it keeps getting better. Remender and Scalera prove with every issue how important creative teams are. The chemistry on display each month is something you don’t see at Marvel or DC anymore, especially not for forty issues.
Grant McKay and his Anarchist League of Scientists unleashed the dangers of interdimensional travel upon the world. It will be a sad day for all of us when it’s over.
The Old Guard
This is a quieter title for Image, by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez. A group of soldiers cursed with immortality are finding it hard to keep their secret in the 21st century.
An interesting take on a familiar theme, The Old Guard has kept readers on their toes. Starring a strong female lead unlike any other, the cast of this book is so fleshed out and real that every bit of betrayal makes your heart skip a beat.
Rucka is delivering an unforgettable and fresh story that never goes where you expect it to. Fernandez, and colorist Daniela Miwa, accent Rucka’s vision perfectly and in a magnificently vibrant style.
Redneck
Writer Donny Cates is on fire at Image this year. God Country was a massively triumphant mini-series, but he didn’t stop there. Cates and artist Lisandro Estherren get spooky down south.
Redneck is a spectacular vampire comic about a family of hillbilly blood suckers that run a barbecue joint and live off of cow blood. Through four issues, this has been a very different take on the classic horror creatures. It’s also as far away from Trueblood as it can possibly be.
A down and dirty book that looks at vampires from a totally different angle, it’s a breath of fresh air for the genre and mythos. This is a world we’re going to want to explore for a long while.
Kill Or Be Killed
This Eisner-nominated series from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips is a non-stop thrill ride. A young man down on his luck is forced by a demon to kill people to keep himself alive.
Every page is pulse pounding, no other comic carries tension from issue to issue like Kill Or Be Killed. Brubaker has a way of convincing the reader to drop his guard along with the character, only to be taken by surprise again and again.
Stories about demons and deals and all that are a dime a dozen these days. If you’re only going to pay attention to one, make sure it’s Kill Or Be Killed, you won’t regret it.
Which Image comics are your top five? Let us know in the comments below!
Poor writing and sub par performances from the entire cast make Landline amediocre film.
Summary
‘Landline’ has a strong cast of John Turturro, Edie Falco, Abby Quinn, and Jenny Slate. The film deals with the ever changing dynamics of a family. Turturro’s character is a father who seems to hate himself for giving up on his art (he was a playwright) and selling out to write ad-copy. Falco’s character is this big shot at the EPA who appears to love work more than her husband. These two spend a great deal of time talking about the “good old days” and avoid most conversations dealing with the present. These characters show little affection towards one another. Their commitment to the children appears to be what binds them together.
What Worked
Quinn’s character is the wild child of the family. It’s her heroin snorting, rave attending, and all night sex romps that allow her to stumble upon the evidence that her father is having an affair. While she’s the furthest thing from a saint, it’s her honesty about her father that was refreshing to see.
While the sisters bonding over this horrible act their father committed was extremely predictable, it still was nice to see unfold.
What Didn’t Work
It appears that cheating runs in the family as Slate’s character has a tryst with a former college friend. Basically, everyone in the family is awful to some degree. There really isn’t any sort of heart to this film, it’s more of an exercise in coping mechanisms. The family constantly makes jokes at the expense of Dana (Slate) even poking fun at her affair. Her sister can’t cope so she turns to drinking. The father hides behind his pencil and paper. Falco’s character buries herself in work. Instead of highlighting how these characters avoided conflict, this film should have been about how they dealt with it.
Having all these different deviations from the actual narrative diluted the quality of the overall piece. Instead of making this film about everyone’s bad habits, the story should have been about Dana’s parents. The family dynamic undergoes a massive shift due to their parent’s actions (specifically her father’s).
The cinematography was a mixture of two-shots and long drawn out looks at various characters facial expressions giving ‘Landline’ more of a television look rather than that of a feature film.
In absence of a focused narrative, they added in more off color humor. While the idea of pee and fart jokes might elicit a chuckle, it only masked some real issues.
Overall
Landline does nothing to separate itself from any number of indie films produced in a given year. If anything, watching this film reminded me just how special Slate’s performance was in The Obvious Child. Some will go check the film out just based on the actor’s resume but this is by far her worst movie to date. If anyone wants to check this out, wait till it hits Red Box in a few weeks.
The King is dead! Haruo Nakajima, has died at the age of 88. Though most American audiences may not know the name by heart, they will immediately recognize the iconic character he portrayed. Nakajima was the man behind Godzilla. More specially he was the man inside of Godzilla.
Nakajima was the suit actor from the first Godzilla film Gojira, which came to america as Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The effort and dedication he put behind the performance became the stuff of legend as getting into the costume was a time consuming process. It was documented, Nakajima lost a lot of weight from carrying the heavy suit through only the first appearance. Still his effort paid off as the original version of Gojira is hailed by some to be one of the greatest anti-war films to ever be created.
Afterward Nakajima would continue to work for Toho Studios, donning the role Godzilla for 12 films. Modifications would be made to the suit to allow easier access for the actor so he could take more breaks and not suffer as much through production. He would also play King Kong in King Kong Escapes and Baragon from Frankenstein Conquers The World. His non-suit acting roles included being featured in Akira Kurosawa films such as Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress, and Yojimbo. In 90s, he made several guest appearances at pop culture related conventions all over America where he talked about how much of an honor it was to play Godzilla through so many movies.
Seeing the passing of Mr. Nakajima strikes a personal cord with this writer. Had it not been for picking up Godzilla vs. Monster Zero at an early age, the joy of giant monster movies may never have been revealed. Thank you Mr. Nakajima for all your hard work and for creating films which will no doubt serve as a reminder to the world, how nature points out the folly of man. Go, Go, Godzilla.
Shout! Factory’s release of Cinematic Titanic brings together all of the team’s previous releases in one DVD case, but does the riffing of strange Philipino horror movies, incomplete sci-fi wrecks and technically challenged low-budget films hold up? Let’s find out.
Back in 2007, Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator Joel Hodgson reunited with his original collaborators Trace Beaulieu and J. Elvis Weinstein, and MST3K alums Mary Jo Pehl and Frank Coniff, to return to movie riffing as Cinematic Titanic. Initially a live riffing show, Hodgson made an attempt to create a fictional contain for the groups direct-to-TV releases. And as seen in Cinematic Titanic: The Complete Collection, it is easy to understand why he abandoned the container. Instead, Hodgson chose to switch to recording the live shows for the final five episodes.
The Studio Episodes
The first seven episodes in the set are studio-bound productions with Joel and his fellow riffers appearing in shadow at the corners of the 4:3 video frame. The loose premise suggests the participants are meant to be themselves in a world where the “electron scaffolding” is breaking down and their riffing of bad movies is key to the future. Hodgson never develops the idea much beyond that. Which is okay as the concept never feels more than secondary.
By this point Rifftrax proved the fictional container was no longer needed to explain why people riff movies.
The films riffed during the studio episodes run the gamut from Al Adamson’s off-kilter monster-infused conspiracy flick Brain of Blood (called The Oozing Skull on this release for licensing reasons) to a repeat performance of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians; a film everyone but Weinstein previously suffered through for MST3K. Of the studio episodes, Doomsday Machine is probably the best version of Hodgson’s initial concept for the show. It introduces the premise and features host segments built out of events in the movie and the riffers own personalities. The film’s reach-exceeding-its-grasp quality also helps the riffing as wavering Russian accents and a terribly unfunny comic relief become great fuel for jokes.
Which isn’t to say there’s a stinker in the studio episodes. Some make for better riffing than others. And even when the riffs are not as fast or funny as they could be, the movies themselves are so mind-boggling strange that they entertain in their own right. Legacy of Blood‘s mishandled tone and fourth-wall breaking punchline are perfect examples. To say nothing of the craziness that is 1970s Filipino horror. In Blood of the Vampires, there’s a presumption that you understand the localized mythology. Which makes its notion of life after death stranger for the lack of context.
The Live Episodes
With the eighth episode, Hodgson abandons the “electron scaffolding” concept for the thing which really excited the group anyway: the live shows. Now produced in 16:9, the riffers appear face front on the edges of the frame. The energy, naturally, is different. Laughing fits break out as riffers miss cues. “Five: what a crappy number!” becomes a running joke as the films begin and the MST3K Season 11 running gag of “Bang!” makes early appearances thanks to Coniff. The films themselves are much slower than the studio-bound episodes, so the natural spontaneous laughter of the audience — and occasionally the riffers — is a welcome addition.
Adamson makes another appearance with East Meets Watts (originally called The Dynamite Brothers). Like The Oozing Skull and the MST3K Season 11 episode Carnival Magic, Adamson proves a worthy source of riffable movies. He’s right up there with Coleman Francis or Roger Corman in this regard. East Meets Watts, a martial arts/blacksploitation hybrid, might be the platonic ideal of movie riffing if it wasn’t so gosh-darn slow.
One of the live episodes also features another Philipino horror flick, Danger on Tiki Island, and is the better-riffed of the two. It’s also probably the better film for being much more ambitious and out there. It’s sort of like The Island of Dr. Moreau with some sort of atomic horror bolted on and a side-order of murderous trees. Add a terrible monster costume and you get great riffing material.
If there’s any great flaw in all of the Cinematic Titanic episodes, it is a sameness to the picture quality. Most of the films were made in the late 1960s and early ’70s, which means they are uniformly washed out and dreamlike. With the exception of Corman’s B&W The Wasp Woman, the desaturated colors from poorly preserved prints have a sedative effect. I know I started Legacy of Blood and The Alien Factor over a couple of times because I kept falling asleep.
Special Features
The special features are simple, but revealing. The first disc contains a recent interview with Weinstein. He looks back on his time with Cinematic Titanic fondly and even alludes to it healing wounds from his MST3K departure.
The other is an archival behind-the-scenes look at the group on tour. Typically in pairs, the group riff on each other and the typical sort of questions asked in electronic press kit materials. The exuberance of Coniff and Pehl is particularly infectious.
Bottom Line
If you like movie riffing and never picked up Cinematic Titanic in its earlier single-disc release days, this set is a must. The riffing is funny and Hodgson’s familiar voice is a welcome addition to the proceedings. The movies may have more visual and thematic similarities than a single season of MST3K generally allows, but they provide great sources of cheesy movie comedy.
Cinematic Titanic: The Complete Collection is available from Shout! Factory.
It seems like a few years ago, news came out that the GOAT Cate Blanchett would be playing Lucille Ball for an upcoming biopic, Lucy and Desi. That was all the news we had, until now.
According to Deadline, Blanchett will in fact star in Lucy and Desi, and the Aaron Sorkin-penned story will head to Amazon Studios:
The project has been percolating a couple years. Escape Artists Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will produce. I’m told that there is already movement toward finding a big star to play Ball’s former husband Desi Arnaz, with names like Javier Bardem in the mix, as well as for Fred and Ethel, the quartet behind one of TV’s classic early sitcoms. The subjects’ children, Lucie Luckinbill and Desi Arnaz Jr are all involved in the authorized telling of the tempestuous love/business relationship between Arnaz and Ball, whose production company launched such series as Star Trek. The rights package empowers the use of memoirs written by both Ball and Arnaz, rights their children have controlled since their parents died.
There you have it. I’m not entirely sold on Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz. He doesn’t really look like Desi. Of course there are makeup tricks to employ, and Bardem could alter his appearance. It still doesn’t see like it would be enough.
Blanchett, on the other hand, will be absolutely perfect as one of the pioneering Queens of Comedy. Sorkin on board ensures Lucy and Desi will not eschew the controversial, tempestuous relationship of these two icons.
