There is very little doubt at this point that Baby Driver is going to be an awesome, damn near perfect summer movie. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy these increasingly badass trailers.
Like this new one, set to different mixes of The Champ’s classic song, Tequila. Enjoy..
Yeah, we’re both gonna be saying “tequila” all day.
After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.
Baby Driver appears to be how cliche action tropes can be manipulated and shaped to fit inside a terrific film. We’ve all seen movies about getaway drivers and eccentric crooks and shootouts stacked on shootouts. There’s nothing original here, really, but who cares? When it’s done in stylish and heartfelt ways, which appears to be precisely what Edgar Wright has done here, there are fewer enjoyable things in modern cinema than seeing something familiar told with some panache.
Baby Driver stars Ansel Elgort as the Baby in question, Kevin Spacey doing Kevin Spacey bad dude things, Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Eiza González, and Jon Bernthal. It opens on June 28, which is approximately 28 days too far away from where we sit currently.
Over the course of 22 years and eight studio albums, the Foo Fighters have proven two things. One, they make some incredible music that’s earned them four Grammy awards for Best Rock Album and a butt-load of money. Two, they have an off-kilter sense of humor that is bizarre to some and absurdist comedy gold to others.
“Wake up. Run for your life with me.” – Foo Fighters, “Run”
Earlier today the Foo Fighters released a new video (scroll down to watch!) that represents these two things perfectly. The song is called “Run” and features the modern grunge sound that Dave Grohl and his cast of bandmates have refined over two decades. The video does what a video should do and elevates the lyrics and music. It also entertains, even if that entertainment seems completely insane.
In the Grohl-directed video, we start on an old man in a retirement home. A nurse played Missi Pyle comes in to deliver the nightly regiment of pills. She leaves, but not after snapping her fingers to affirm to the old man and the audience that this is not a happy place. The old man crushes the little plastic cup and ditches the drugs. He then heads out to sit with his fellow retirees who are about to watch an old Foo Fighters play.
Melancholy strums of the guitar start off the song. It gives the impression of waking up from a dream. There is a chorus filling the space between guitars and lyrics which has Grohl singing: “Wake up. Run for your life with me.” But is he singing to the old people or someone else, like society itself?
Don’t lose yourself in a constant haze of distraction.
That’s what being old is for.
As typical of the Foo Fighters, the lyrics to “Run” are poetry left to be interpreted by the listener. But “Run” and the absurd chaos that erupts in the video seem to be a microcosm for the chaos of modern-day America. And “wake up” is a call to everyone with the strength to do so to get up and fight against the disorder. “We are the nation’s stake. If everything’s erased, what you gonna do?”
At the end of the video, the rampaging old people assault four young “cool kids” who are busy sitting in a car while on their phones. As the old man, in the beginning, was taking his pills which effectively erase his will, these kids are wrapped up in their lifestyles. There’s no will while good is being erased. “In another perfect life, in another perfect light, we run. We run. We run. RUN!” Move. Act. Don’t lose yourself in a constant haze of distraction. That’s what being old is for. Though you should do it all after watching veteran rockers, the Foo Fighters deliver some hard-hitting rock and roll.
Along with the devastating announcement that Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera’s interdimensional masterpiece Black Science was ending at issue 40 came a promise. Fans were told that the final thirteen issues of the series would “rev up the velocity” and reach depths that no other comic book has. Black Science reaches 30 this week and the duo is living up to their promise as the book is better than ever.
Grant McKay is desperately trying to atone for all the selfish mistakes he’s made in his past. He’s trying to save his family and repair the damage he’s done to all of them. McKay’s also responsible for the nonstop wave of death and destruction jumping from dimension to dimension. He’s got a lot on his plate.
Black Science fans are rewarded more and more the deeper into this interdimensional shit storm they get.
Black Science #30 is a culmination of all the mistakes that Grant and his dimensionauts have made during their journey through the layers of the onion. Every betrayal, misunderstanding, shortcut, and misfortune is coming to bite them on the ass. Those who obtained and worship the pillar technology have reached the McKay family on their home world with their sights set on destruction.
Writer Rick Remender is a modern day comic book giant; his current line of books should be among every comic fan’s pull list. He and his creative teams deliver on every issue of every series.
We all have a dark side within us, no matter how deep it may be buried. Remender has the ability to pull that darkness and doubt out of his readers and expose it on the pages of his comic books. This is especially the case with Grant McKay.
This milestone issue of Black Science is an action packed thrill ride, where every page satisfies a thread that readers have been invested in for 29 installments. Every turn is another layer of hell that our hero is going to have to dig himself and his family out of.
Black Science fans are rewarded more and more the deeper into this interdimensional shit storm they get. There’s a major payoff in almost every panel as we wonder how McKay is going to get himself out of this one.
The supporting cast of this book is complex and constantly evolving. Remender has an unrivaled ability to toy with a reader’s emotions, forcing us to flip back and forth on how we feel about these magnificent scum bags.
When this series ends, there will be a void in every fan’s pull list. There’s no other reading experience like Black Science.
Artist Matteo Scalera and colorist Moreno Dinisio are an untouchable duo. Scalera was actually recovering from an injury to his drawing arm while working on this issue. That’s no small feat given that not only is this one of the best looking books in the series, but also one of the best visual experiences in comic books.
You read Black Science for the concept and story, you re-read it to get lost in the art. Every world, creature, and device is so well constructed and thought out. None of the brilliance of this series is by accident, this art team should be the standard for science fiction.
If you aren’t reading Black Science, you’re depriving yourself of the very best that a comic book can be. If you’ve been reading all along, do your part in spreading the good word and recruit as many dimensionauts as possible. This should be apart of every collector’s library.
There’s only ten issues left. Grant and company are in way over their heads like never before. If this was any indication, we’re in for a wild ride as Black Science heads into its final arc.
Are you a member of the Anarchist League of Scientists? Let us know in the comments below!
Murder on the Orient Express, the Agatha Christie story featuring her world-famous sleuth, Hercule Poirot, has a new movie loaded with stars. This first trailer for Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation has some terrific moments, and some not-so-inspiring, and a cringeworthy musical choice.
Adapting Agatha Christie’s best-selling 1934 novel, Kenneth Branagh directs and stars in the Fox film as Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective who investigates a murder aboard a lavish sleeper train through Europe while being surrounded by duplicitous passengers.
There are definitely some cool images here. Anytime a movie can have a locomotive in snowy conditions I’m pretty much sold. And the cast is a mishmash of awesome and mediocre and oh no not him again. I’ll leave it to you to make your own assessments.
Speaking of that cast: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Penelope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe, Josh Gad, Judi Dench, and Leslie Odom Jr. fill out the cast of suspects.
Branagh’s version of Murder on the Orient Express has a lot of work to do to reach the heights of Sidney Lumet’s 1974 adaptation, and hopefully, they don’t shoehorn anachronistic music into the movie itself. It’s bad enough in the trailer.
Although Aquaman comes out at a later date than Justice League, before today it was unknown whether or not the film took place before or after the DC superhero team up picture. Now, after an interview with Cinemablend, Aquaman producer Charles Roven confirmed the movie’s place in the timeline.
Unsurprisingly, Aquaman takes place after Justice League.
“Aquaman will make reference [to Justice League]. There will be some reference of something that preceded Aquaman that will be in Aquaman. I believe that is the intention.”
Will Aquaman be heavily influenced by the event’s of Justice League, or will the flashbacks be about minor details? Speculate in the comments below.
Justice League hits theaters on November 17; Aquaman is slated for a theatrical release on December 21, 2018.
While most of the marketing has included the warrior side of Diana, this simplistic poster highlights the compassion within the character.
“Wonder Woman hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.”
Wonder Woman stars Gal Gadot as the title character, Chris Pine, Robin Wright as Antiope, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Connie Nielsen, Ewen Bremner, and Lucy Davis.
Since 2001, Sony has released a total of five Spider-Man movies. Now, with the Marvel cinematic universe in full swing, the company decided to loan Marvel Studios the rights to the character and let them create films using him. While most think it’s great that Spidey is finally “home”, Kirsten Dunst, who played the original Mary Jane, disagrees.
While speaking with Marie Claire, the actress revealed that she’s not a fan of the new Spider-Man films.
“We made the best ones, so who cares? I’m like, ‘You make it all you want.’ They’re just milking that cow for money. It’s so obvious. You know what I mean?”
Do you agree with Dunst? If not, which Spider-Man movie is your favorite? Sound off in the comments below.
Spider-Man: Homecoming features Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Donald Glover, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Tyne Daly, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, and Hannibal Buress.
“A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.”
The world is wrought with chaos and confusion. Pessimism is common currency. In a time when comic book properties are found by the plentiful, it’s deeply ironic that we’re left in such a deep need for a honest-to-God superhero. One that’ll inspire courage, bravery, persistence and, above all else, resistance against the nasty forces of evil that plague the world at large. Thankfully, Wonder Woman is here to whip us up and lasso us into shape.
The Amazon princess of Themyscira, an idyllic, dreamlike wonderland of lush greens, white palaces and blue waters hidden from the outside world with nary a Y chromosome in sight, Diana (Lilly Aspell) is the only child in her isolated mystical land, and she’s determined to live up to her elders’ ass-kicking ways. The daughter of the stern, benevolent Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and the niece of forceful, resilient General Antiope (Robin Wright), Diana is raised to be the perfect Amazonian, both resourceful and mindful. She also knows how to defend herself should anyone dare fight her. Sculpted out of clay, Diana was formed from women created by Zeus in order to protect “the God-Killer” after Ares, the God of War, infected mankind with anger and filled the world with ugliness and despair. Their utopia should hopefully one day rid the outside world of vengeance and evil.
Such willful determination leads Diana (Gal Gadot) into adulthood. Upon witnessing Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a U.S. spy infiltrating as a German to help end World War I, plunging to his death in Themyscira’s blue oceans after his plane breaks its invisible barrier, she rescues him without hesitation and soon lays eyes on the first man she’ll ever see. There’s an instant attraction, though they both play it coy. Especially since they have other, far more pressing matters at hand. Steve’s crash soon invites some vicious Germans into Themyscira, and while these warriors put up a good fight, they’re no match for bullets. Soon, several dead bodies lay on their sands and they blame Steve for these casualties. Forced to testify under The Lasso of Truth, Steve tells these powerful women about the war that rages beyond their solitude, which Diana wholeheartedly believes is Ares’ dirty work.
Believing she needs to join Steve in order to save the world, they both embark on a journey towards London, which isn’t necessarily as gorgeous as Diana’s perfect homeland. Their quest soon finds them in search of General Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and Doctor Maru (Elena Anaya), the latter of whom is often known as Doctor Poison. They’re as nasty and evil as can be, but are they any match for Diana and her impervious skills? Likely not.
Whether directly or not, Wonder Woman addresses many of the concerns found throughout the DCEU in their previous installments. Lacking the brutalism of Man of Steel, the cynicism of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the uncomfortable WTFery of Suicide Squad, director Patty Jenkins’ (Monster) heartfelt, inspiring and empowering standalone feature is an exquisitely realized wonderment (no pun intended, seriously) of hope, optimism, and continuous invigoration. Gorgeously filmed by cinematographer Matthew Jensen (Chronicle, 2015’s Fantastic Four), Wonder Woman often bursts with a wide assortment of colors, and it only finds itself washed out in murky grays and blacks whenever it fits the story at hand. It’s simply splendid to look at, much like DCEU’s other films, and now you have the added benefit of actually seeing (for the most part) what’s happening. What a time to be alive!
Comic/TV writer Allan Heinberg makes his feature screenplay debut, and while his script can often fall back on formulaic tendencies, there’s enough heart, warmth and genuine humor within this story and these characters that you’re invested in its quaintly simplistic narrative. There are no ceaseless callbacks, no tedious set-ups for future DCEU installments. Wonder Woman is all about Wonder Woman, even if they don’t speak that name just yet, and it’s all the better for it. It’s self-contained and focused in a way that feels like a smooth breath of fresh air. It’s traditional in just the right ways, and whenever it starts to delve into some formulaic tendencies, Jenkins and Heinberg are smart and suave enough to subvert their story without losing its integrity or its inherent feminism.
Gadot and Pine share a smoldering, likably old-fashioned chemistry. Their banter is casually witty, their rapport is playful and sexy. It’s instantly likable. Filled with flirting and innuendos though it might be, there’s an agreeably good-natured appeal to their dynamic. Diana is the stronger of the two, obviously, yet they continually care and respect one another. Even when it gets sappy, as it does towards its Casablanca-esque finale, you feel for these lead characters and their misshapen, endearingly unconventional relationship.
Pine is more weathered and melancholy here than he was in past performances, even including Hell or High Water, yet he still proves himself to be one of our most inherently charismatically working actors. He can play a right-hand man and a perfect gentleman with stride for days. His war-torn character is appropriately weighted and tormented, yet he knows how to amp up the charm without making unnatural or unseemingly. But that’s enough about Pine for now. Though Pine nearly stills the picture away at times, Wonder Woman is undoubtedly Gadot’s film, and she makes the most out of her first leading role.
Though I’ve found Gadot to be fairly stiff and unconvincing in the past, even during select scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, she completely owns this movie. Her rallying spirit is sincere and unflinching. Her battle sequences are assured and convincing. When she needs to see the dingy muddiness of 1918 London for the first time, her bright face and piercing dark eyes are awoken with wonder that isn’t simply childlike or naive, which is what sells the otherwise hard-to-swallow fish-out-of-water comedy with aplomb. Her performance radiates with pride and conviction, and it fits the role stunningly.
There are most definitely faults. The literally bombastic finale is par the course for superhero flicks these days, yet it feels all the more discerning and disappointing in Wonder Woman when you consider all that came before it. The third act, on the whole, feels rushed and a little too busy, and it doesn’t help that certain subplots — most notably one involving PTSD — is brought up only to be ignored for the remainder of the film. Considering how crowded and overloaded a majority of superhero movies end up these days, Wonder Woman is certainly less frantic than many others. Additionally, the CG is typically too rubbery, most especially by its final action beats, a few details that don’t quite add up (how does Diana always retain her shield and armor on her person, even when she doesn’t seem to be carrying either?), there are some tonal misgivings and there are your usual pacing issues. At 141 minutes, there’s room to edit it down by ten minutes without losing much.
But the good far outweighs the bad, and its gleeful, rousing spirit is genuinely invigorating and inspiring. These are good characters that want — nay, need — to do good, for the sake of good, so that good people can not be vanquished by bad people. It’s a good, well-made movie that makes you feel good, and that’s —you guessed it — pretty damn good. Good.
Wonder Woman is a superhero movie with the power to change, to dazzle, to invigorate, and to fill you with, ahem, wonder. In 2017, that’s powerful, extraordinary and heartwarming. While I’m not someone who hates the past few DCEU movies with the power of Solaris’ rays (with the exception of Suicide Squad), like all too many people do, I’ll admit that Wonder Woman is, much like Man of Steel, among the first DC movies since Christopher Nolan’s tenure that commands the screen with force, exuberance and triumphant resonance. Though deeply inspired by Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor and The Rocketeer, Wonder Woman — with the exception of its tacked-on modern day opening and its overactive third act — feels like its own effort, with minimal studio interference and foul play, while capturing the earnest goodwill that made those other films such enjoyable successes. Wonder Woman kicks butt and warms your heart, inspiring us to keep pushing for a better, stronger tomorrow. These days, that couldn’t be more special.
The casual observer may scratch their heads when coming across a book featuring the Phantom. The concept screams simplicity itself, the story of a masked avenger sporting purple tights and an iconic skull emblem as his calling card. Introduced in 1936, few at the time would have realised the contribution the Phantom would make to the world of fiction. Even today, as classic a pulp-icon as he may have been, his importance to the history of comics is lost on many readers. As the first costumed crusader in what we now call the superhero genre, the Phantom began a movement that would be followed and championed by the likes of Superman and Batman. Luckily, more than 80 years after his debut, one comic is aiming to ensure that the Phantom’s legend is one you never forget.
You may not have heard of independent Irish publisher, Lightning Strike Comics, but they’ve been creating high-quality anthologies and creator-owned series since 2012. Last year, they published an exclusive Dublin City Comic Con anthology to celebrate the Phantom’s 80th anniversary. Now, in conjunction with King Features Syndicate, they bring us The Phantom: Scarlet Sapphire, an original one-shot featuring the talents of writer: Stephen Mooney (Half-Past Danger), artist: Robert Carey (Power Rangers:Aftershock), colourist: Tríona Farrell (Azure Capricorn) and letterer: Robin Jones (Papercuts & Inkstains).
How do you introduce or re-acquaint audiences to a classic comic character when he lacks the instant recognition of the medium’s current staples? Some may have sought to re-vamp the Phantom for the sensibilities for The Dark Knight generation. Others may have sought to channel a self-referential awareness of the character’s pulp origins. The creative team have instead bravely doubled down on the character’s original premise and style. This reverence for the source material is evident from the interior cover page. Whereas comics such as Hawkeye begin by telling you “this is all you need to know”, The Phantom: Scarlet Sapphire elects to show you instead. In a move symbolic of the creative team’s tonal choice, the book begins with a stunning re-drawn version of the Phantom’s origin strip courtesy of the always wonderful Cormac Hughes (Red Sands). It leaves no doubt that the character’s pulp tendencies are here to stay.
The main story begins proper as the latest incarnation of the Phantom begins to find evidence of an illegal blood jewel ring. You may think you’ve heard this story before, but as calls to action go it resonates with the reader because its grounding in reality. Our villain may be called the Baron and guarded by elite assassins, but his scheme is one that the world is all too familiar with. In many ways that gives him a menace that iconic arch-villains often lack. Those fearful that the comic avoid that aspect of the Phantom entirely need not worry. Not only does the opportunity for a classic superhero showdown with the Baron’s hench-woman, but the Phantom is accompanied by both his trusty steed and pet wolf throughout this adventure. If you thought you never needed to see a dual-pistol wielding vigilante ride into battle on a horse, then you clearly haven’t lived.
Perhaps the most intriguing artistic choice taken throughout the book is the decision to keep the Phantom in his superhero persona throughout. Only in one scene does he take off his mask and even so, his face is obscured from the reader. Indeed, his true name is not mentioned once. This expertly portrays the Phantom’s central premise as merely the current wielder of a mantle that been passed down over the centuries. It doesn’t matter that this version is the 21st such Phantom or who he is under the mask. What’s important is that the legend he embodies, that of a man who cannot be killed, endures. In maintaining the illusion throughout the book, the reader is placed firmly within this universe and the mystery of the Phantom is one we are only tangentially clued in to. This also plays into how the local groups interact with the Phantom. He is treated as a revered figure within their culture, while simultaneously being viewed as a boogie man by the island’s criminal element. Mooney excels at this brand of subtle world-building that both expands and pays tributes to what has come before.
From an art perspective, this book displays a rare dynamism in its action scenes that often missing in mainstream comics. The Phantom is certainly skilled in martial arts, but his fighting style is minimalist and the interiors portray this stunning efficiency fantastically. Moreover, the story’s island setting allows for some breathtaking landscapes and imagery that you just don’t see outside of the Savage Land. The colouring helps to exemplify this by providing stark contrasts of densely-covered jungles, mines at sunset and midnight infiltration. They also liven up each fight scene by bringing focus to key tactical maneuvers and actions. Declan Shalvey recently said we have entered a golden age of colouring and Farrell certainly answers the call.
This comic is an utter joy to read and a credit to everyone involved. From the writing and artwork, even down to the lettering which invokes a pirate adventure, the creative team commit to a vision that celebrates the world’s first superhero. Having never read the Phantom or seen any media related to him, I was amazed by how invested and enthralled with the character’s mythos I became over the span of 28 pages. Whether an existing phan or a newcomer, you owe it to yourself to revel in the pulp glory of The Phantom: Scarlet Sapphire.
A review copy was kindly provided by the publisher.
If the prospect of a fifth (checks imdb. Yep, fifth) Transformers movie wasn’t bad enough, wait’ll you get a load of the Transformers: The Last Knight runtime.
Three hours, two minutes.
Yes, Transformers: The Last Knight is 182 minutes, the longest Transformers movie, besting the previous longest entry – the abysmal Age of Extinction in 2014 – by 17 whole minutes. It’s longer than The Godfather, longer than Casino, longer than any fifth movie about car robots should be by about 90-100 minutes.
Oh, and it’s one minute shorter than Michael Bay’s garbage historical epic, Pearl Harbor. He had as much to say about World War II than medieval car robots or whatever the hell this thing is about.
What in the world is Michael Bay doing to fill up these hours? I saw the last one when it came out and aside from Mark Wahlberg being in there I couldn’t tell you a single thing about it. These are movies about GIANT ROBOTS! What sort of twisted maniac would want to go and sit through this movie? I can’t summon up enough “nope” from the pit of my dark soul to reject even the thought of sitting for three hours and have my senses systematically dismembered by crunching metal and inhuman dialogue and racism and sexism and all manner of unnecessarily confusing “plot” stuff.
Yeah yeah, I know, don’t see it. Don’t worry, I won’t. But this is more about you, person out there who is reading this and somehow still eagerly anticipating Transformers: The Last Knight. Please just… don’t. Please go buy a book or watch two 90 minute movies that are undoubtedly better and more satisfying than this. Don’t play into Bay’s hands.
Make it stop.
Update: Michael Bay has responded to the news circulating that the movie is 3 hours plus:
Reports of #transformers The Last Knight being over 3hrs is wrong. It's shorter than the last 3 movies by a lot.
So count your blessings, everyone. We dodged a bullet there. Still, it’s pretty weird that such a specific runtime would make its way all the way to Google.
The main story begins proper as the latest incarnation of the Phantom begins to find evidence of an illegal blood jewel ring. You may think you’ve heard this story before, but as calls to action go it resonates with the reader because its grounding in reality. Our villain may be called the Baron and guarded by elite assassins, but his scheme is one that the world is all too familiar with. In many ways that gives him a menace that iconic arch-villains often lack. Those fearful that the comic avoid that aspect of the Phantom entirely need not worry. Not only does the opportunity for a classic superhero showdown with the Baron’s hench-woman, but the Phantom is accompanied by both his trusty steed and pet wolf throughout this adventure. If you thought you never needed to see a dual-pistol wielding vigilante ride into battle on a horse, then you clearly haven’t lived.