Disney is releasing Star Wars: The Last Jedi a day early in the United Kingdom, according to Heroic Hollywood.
The film will be hitting theaters on December 14, rather than December 15.
North American residents will have to surf the web with caution on that day, or risk having major spoilers from Episode VIII be revealed on sites such as Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is directed by Rian Johnson and stars Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Anthony Daniels, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Benicio del Toro, Laura Dern, Kelly Marie Tran, and Lupita Nyong’o.
It Comes At Night is an average horror film that’s being presented as if it’s some edgy tale of terror.
Summary
The film centers on Paul (Joel Edgerton), his wife Sarah (Carmen Ejogo), and their son Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). Apparently, the apocalypse has happened, and there’s some mysterious disease that is affecting humans. Anyone who contracts this disease ends up getting these festering boils and begin to vomit blood (yep, kinda gross). It’s at this juncture that nearly everyone in the theater is waiting for the zombies to show up but alas, nothing. The disease begins to impact Paul’s family as Sarah’s dad somehow contracts the illness and he begins to spiral out of control. Paul and Travis take him out to a nearby field to end his misery by shooting him in the temple and burning his remains. Just as the family is trying to recover from having to essentially euthanize their grandfather, they now have to deal with a strange man trying to break into their home. They eventually track down Will (Christopher Abbott) and realize he’s less hostile and more desperate to find food and shelter for his family. Paul finally agrees to help his family in exchange for livestock that hasn’t been affected by this apocalyptic plague. Eventually, the families begin to converge and begin to live together. It’s at this point that things go from bad to worse.
What Worked
Director Trey Edward Shults decision to have most of the film unfold inside Paul’s family compound was the right call. It gave the audience a feeling of being both trapped and heightened the paranoia of the narrative.
Loved the dark and monochrome color pallet that Shults choose.
The soundtrack was put together well. The music was both stirring and scary as hell. Brian McOmber deserves much praise.
What Didn’t Work
Shults attempted to create a narrative that was smartly constructed, much in the way Jordan Peele wrote Get Out. Instead of a story that was well crafted, unique, and frightening, what we got was more of the same. There is nothing in the film that separates itself from the rest of the psychologically based horror movies.
With the exception of Paul, the rest of the characters in the film are entirely forgettable. It’s as if Shults was attempting to finish up his mad-libs horror edition when he wrote this script.
Shults is trying to heighten the paranoia of the audience by not exactly revealing what’s causing all these people to get sick. While I can understand the need to keep things somewhat muddled, you can’t just have people straight up getting sick for no reason. The audience needs to be let in on what’s going on, even if it’s just slightly. Is it Zombies? Is it some flesh eating bacteria? Let someone in on what’s happening! Shults avoided explaining much of the exposition of this story, and it just left us asking more questions. Why did they need the gas masks? How did they end up in the middle woods? Why is it they burn the bodies after shooting them in the head?
Why is it that most of the terror was only seen through Paul’s son? Anyone who has watched a fair selection of horror films has seen that horror trope quite a number of times.
Overall
Some critics are rushing to anoint It Comes At Night as this smartly written horror film in the same way critics gushed over Get Out. In fact, as of Tuesday, the A24 release has a rating of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. Before anyone starts throwing a party and allowing the cast to take a victory lap, can we just take a moment and think? How exactly is this film any different than any typical psychologically based horror film? What does this horror film accomplish that others do not? I can answer that question about Get Out but draw a huge blank when it applies to It Comes At Night. The reason is that Joel Edgerton’s latest film is just like most psychologically based horror films. An average narrative with a fairly familiar ending. These days, with the quality of horror films being released, average just isn’t good enough.
You know that sinking feeling you get when you witness the destruction of an entire planet? Rodimus and company are about to feel that. Hardcore.
Writing
Before I begin this review, I’d like to give a shout out to Mairghread Scott and the recent cancellation of Transformers: Til All Are One. It was great book which featured a wonderful look at life on Cybertron. It started slow but had some very memorable issues and set up plot lines which shouldn’t be abandoned but should expanded on. Now onto the review of another intense Transformers comic.
The issue finishes up the recent story of a small team in another dimension where the Functionalists were never taken down. As Brainstorm finds a way to bring everyone home, it becomes a race against time to take down the bad guys but not get trapped in another dimension in the process. Writer James Roberts finds a way to mix the action and tension together with a dash of comedy to lighten the mood at just the right moment. This is employed thanks to Rodimus who finds ways to be humorous despite the carnage going around around him.
The main draw of this issue is a major change for Megatron. There will be no spoilers here, but if you are a fan of the character and have been enjoying the new direction they have been going with him, then you can’t afford to miss this issue. Of course given how tight the story telling can be, skipping an issue of this series is never recommended.
Artwork
The art team of Jack Lawrence on art and Joana Lafuente on colors produces some very memorable pages. One of the most impressive involves the alternate universe Rung, trying a last ditch effort to save the day in an incredible memorable splash page. Also, the detail work showcasing the damage characters take in the course of the battle are particularly impressive.
Conclusion
Transformers: Lost Light #6 serves as a must for Megatron fans and reminds us all of the fun you can have with these characters. When it comes to this series, the perfect mix of action, drama, and comedy with the right art always delivers a phenomenal issue. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go mourn the passing of Transformers: Til All Are One, a comic taking too soon from the fans.
Steve Trevor goes out with a bang in Wonder Woman, but is that the last we’ll see of him?
Warner Brothers is looking at the possibility of Chris Pine coming back, according to reports.
In a Fandango interview, director Patty Jenkins addresses a possible sequel and whether or not Pine will return. She indicates the plan is to set the next one in modern times, but she won’t go into specifics.
“All I can say is it was a dilemma. It’s something I hope we don’t talk about in the public,” she says. “I want people to see, but it’s very hard to know which characters will be in the next movie because of the time period, so it’s a big question.”
Pine is said to be signed to a multi-film deal, so there is a possibility of returning. In the comics, Steve dies a number of times over the years, but DC Comics manages to find ways to revive him. For example, the character got killed off in 1968, but Aphrodite brings him back to life years later. In 1978, Steve dies yet again, but he returns in 1980.
While the DCEU’s Steve was single, it is unlikely we’ll see a son or grandson in future movies. However, it is possible a descendant of Trevor might appear. While it won’t be a grandson, it could be a great-nephew or some other relation.
During an interview, Pine jokingly hints at a potential spin-off. “The movie’s gotta come out, and then we’ll see,” he says. “What about Wonder Man?”
Should Steve Trevor return to the DCEU in some form? Share your thoughts!
Yesterday Chris Hemsworth posted a video to his Instagram account of a “secret Avengers” rehearsal from the set of Avengers: Infinity War. He was less than pleased to be left out of such a momentous occasion.
A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) on
Thor has been left out of too many Avengers fights, and Hemsworth has CLEARLY had enough of the team. Most of the team. Mostly just Cap and Iron Man, actually. Good to know Thor and the Hulk will be back for Infinity War, especially since they’re “chums now”. Apparently Falcon and Bucky had managed to get on the God’s good side, as well.
Thor And Darryl Forever
This video is only the latest in Hemsworth’s hilarious “behind the scenes” series. Shortly after Civil War, he and Marvel worked together on a short video called “Civil War: Team Thor” which revealed what the Asgardian had been up to while Tony and Steve worked out their “relationship problems”.
Maybe now we’ll get a video about how Darryl keeps busy during Ragnarok and Infinity War.
The CW’s Supergirl announced Odette Annable as the newest addition to the season three cast, according to Variety online. Annable signed on as next season’s big bad, the worldkiller “Reign”
Supergirl Gets Bigger and Badder
Since the show moved to the CW at the beginning of season two, Supergirl has proven its staying power in the DC television universe. Over the course of season two, the show had crossover events with all three of CW’s other DC shows: Arrow, Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow. As a World Killer, Reign could easily lead to more crossovers for season three. The character was introduced in Supergirl‘s New 52 reboot, and her story ran parallel to Doomsday, the Superman villain who eventually killed the hero.
According to Variety, Annable’s iteration of the character shares a backstory with the comics version, though they will look much different in their costumes. So far, all Supergirl‘s characters were given costume changes that helped them “blend in” on Earth, regardless of their planet of origin. Apparently Reign’s look will follow the pattern.
Annable has been on the radar for Supergirl executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg for some time. “Greg and I have wanted to work with Odette for years. We are beyond excited to have her join our cast in the scary, powerful and heartbreaking role of Reign.”
Based on DC comics, Supergirl stars Melissa Benoist (Kara Danvers), Chyler Leigh (Alex Danvers), David Harewood (J’onn J’onzz), Katie McGrath (Lena Luthor), Mehcad Brooks (Jimmy Olsen), and Jeremy Jordan Winn Schott). The show premiered on CBS before transferring to the CW. Season three was confirmed in January, though a return date has yet to be announced.
Batman issue 24 hits stores tomorrow, but the issue’s cliffhanger ending has already hit the internet: Bruce Wayne asks Selina Kyle, Catwoman, to marry him.
View the issue’s final page here:
Image courtesy of USA Today. (Art: David Finch, DC Comics)
Writer Tom King had plenty to say on the subject. USA Today got the exclusive:
It’s the culmination of their 75-year relationship “into one unprecedented moment,” says Batman writer Tom King. “I want people to go home and be like, ‘Should she marry him? Should she say yes?’ There’s a whole conversation that could come out of this.”
“Everyone’s done vengeance, everyone’s done ‘The night is so dark,’ ” King says. “Giving Batman more pain doesn’t reveal anything about his character because he’s taken as much pain as he can. But giving him love and joy, that combines with the tragedy of his past into something new and never done before.”
“Catwoman is someone who’s seen his pain and has been through stuff as bad as he has been through,” King says. “She says, ‘Look, both of us are broken, but we can be broken together.’ ”
King’s run on the book has focused heavily on the relationship between Bruce and Selina; issue 24 is just the culmination of that. Fans will have to wait to hear Catwoman’s answer though. Issue 25 starts “The War of Jokes and Riddles,” a flashback tale. USA Today reports, “Batman tells Catwoman that before she marries him, he needs to tell her about his darkest moment.”
What are your thoughts on the news? Should Batman marry? Keep it tuned to Monkeys Fighting Robots for more coverage of this event when Batman hits shelves tomorrow.
Warner Bros. have posted an open casting call for the second Fantastic Beasts film via Pottermore. The movie is looking for young actors to play five new roles, including teenage incarnations of familiar names and one completely unknown character.
An open casting call has gone out for three actors between the ages of 13 and 16 to play young versions of Newt, Leta, and another character called Sebastian. They are also looking for actors between 16 and 18 to portray both Gellert Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore as teenagers. So, if you know any young acting hopefuls who know their Elder Wand-lore, or have a penchant for Sherbet Lemons, now is the time to let them know.
The filmmakers responsible for bringing J.K. Rowling’s Magical World to life have made good use of open castings before. In preparation for the 5th instalment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the United Kingdom was scoured from top to bottom in the hunt for the perfect Luna Lovegood. Eventually, Evanna Lynch would be cast in the role which has become somewhat iconic; memorable for the character’s defiant bohemian individuality.
Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood in ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’
This is the first we’ve heard from the franchise since the news of Jude Law’s casting as a young Dumbledore (in his capacity as Hogwarts Transfiguration teacher, so not yet Headmaster). Not only will this open casting ignite a dreamy excitement in the hearts of countless young British actors, but it also gives clues as to what can be expected from the second film.
J.K. Rowling announced she had finished writing the script at the end of May, but details have been scarce. We know that the franchise will span two decades, starting in 1926 with Fantastic Beasts and coming to a close with the fifth instalment in 1945. With Jude Law entering the fray as Albus Dumbledore, who was only talked about in Fantastic Beasts, it is expected that the franchise will shed light on the historic events referenced in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That is, the relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, leading to the latter’s downfall around the year 1945.
As for this open casting call, there are a few things we can guess at. First of all, we can expect Eddie Redmayne’s awkward Buster Keaton-esque Newt Scamander to feature heavily despite speculation that his role would shrink in significance as the franchise moves forward. Well, at least heavily enough to warrant flashbacks to his school days.
Another role awaiting casting is that of Leta Lestrange, a character who only featured as a photograph and subject of conversation in Fantastic Beasts. Small though her role may have been, it was clear that there was a deep and perhaps uncomfortable story to explore surrounding Leta and her relationship with Newt. We know that Newt was expelled from Hogwarts school and that Leta may have been involved, so the age of the roles being cast here indicate that Fantastic Beasts 2 may give us some of the juicy details.
Zoe Kravitz just about appeared as Leta Lestrange in ‘Fantastic Beasts’
J.K.Rowling is very good at running multiple character arcs alongside each other without muddying the waters. All the signs are pointing towards a two-pronged (minimum) approach to the sequel, focusing both on Newt and Dumbledore, two of the most intelligent, but at the same time, unconventional characters she has every created.
Fantastic Beasts 2 is expected to begin shooting this summer and is slated for release on 16th November 2018. The returning cast includes Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Zoe Kravitz and Ezra Miller. Jude Law joins as Albus Dumbledore and Callum Turner is onboard to play Theseus Scamander, Newt’s “war-hero” brother. The film is directed by David Yates who has been at the helm of every movie in the Harry Potter world since Harry Potter 5.
What do you think these roles mean for the second Fantastic Beasts movie? Let us know your theories, hopes and dreams in the comments!
“About Last Night” is a movie review show, where movie critic EJ Moreno talks about the movie he saw last night. This week’s episode is all about DC’s ‘Wonder Woman‘.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMBfi_sxjz8
“Before she was Wonder Woman she was Diana, Princess of the Amazons, trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true destiny.”
‘Wonder Woman‘ stars Gal Gadot as the titular character and Chris Prine as Steve Trevor. The supporting cast includes Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen and Elena Anaya. Patty Jenkins is the director while Allan Heinberg penned the script.
You can find this film in theaters now! The next entry into the DC Extended Universe comes this November with ‘Justice League‘.
What did you think of this review? Let me know in the comments below!
On June 6th, 1947 (that’s 70 years ago today) a nightmare was born. That nightmare was Robert Barton Englund who is better known to pop culture as the man who played Freddy Krueger. Englund’s a legend in film for playing one of the greatest slasher villains of all time, but his career spans far beyond Kreuger. From Star Wars to Freddy to Injustice 2, Robert Englund’s long tenure in Hollywood provides a lot of work to admire.
Happy Birthday to Robert Englund! Here’s a look back through his career.
A new documentary called Nightmares in the Makeup Chair takes a look at the use of practical makeup effects. In the doc, Robert Englund reprises his role as Freddy Krueger, for a minute anyway, and pays tribute to Wes Craven. Englund says of the doc “I think it might inspire a new generation of practical effects artists.”
