Hey, Universal, Casting Johnny Depp as ‘The Invisible Man’ is Garbage

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May 23, 2017

Yesterday, Universal Studios officially released some information regarding their new shared Monster Universe, which will kick off with The Mummy in a couple of weeks. It has an official name, The Dark Universe, and a few snippets of cast and crew for upcoming movies were announced. One new addition to the universe was an inspired bit of casting, the one announced director even better. The other one was Johnny Depp.

We all know by now what’s happening with The Mummy: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella as the mummy, Russell Crowe as Dr. Henry Jekyll, batshit crazy trailers, and a whole mess of Tom Cruise running and shouting. I have my reservations, but I’ve at least come around to the fact that it should be fun.

Then, this announcement yesterday let us know that Javier Bardem has been cast as Frankenstein’s Monster and the next film in The Dark Universe, Bride of Frankenstein, will be directed by Bill Condon – which is absolute perfection since Condon directed the James Whale biopic Gods and Monsters. But Universal also had some bad news to give us, that the personification of Steven Tyler’s microphone stand, the “wacky pirate” himself, Johnny Depp, would play The Invisible Man in what will likely be the third entry into The Dark Universe.

Having Johnny Depp anywhere near this franchise is a garbage move from Universal. It makes almost no sense these days, and it’s flat, uninspired, lazy casting. Because we no longer have 1990s Depp, or even early 2000s Depp, when his idiosyncrasies were endearing, his craft intriguing, and even his work in between Tim Burton films was worth seeing. Gone is the quirky charmer with the tattoos and the clove cigarettes and wisps of jet black hair we all loved. Instead we have a puffy, necklace-obsessed, fedora-sporting egomaniac who’s allegedly inching ever closer to bankruptcy thanks to his penchant for maintaining islands and buying expensive wine. Plus, he appears to be an insufferable diva these days.

Reports this month surfaced regarding Depp’s issues on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean 11 or whatever we’re on now. Depp would alienate his cast and crew, mail in his performance, show up late and drunk, and be just an overall pain in the ass during filming. Maybe these are rumors, but nobody from Depp’s camp has bothered to rebut the claims.

Depp certainly appears to be battling the bottle and a dozen or so inner demons, and who really knows the truth behind that whole domestic issue between he and Amber Heard. If that wasn’t bad enough, these reports come on the heels of an incredible run of mediocrity over the last decade, a stunning mixture of poor critical reception and box office failure: Dark Shadows, The Lone Ranger, Transcendence, Mortdecai, Black Mass (don’t even try to tell me this was good), Alice Through the Looking Glass… these are merely highlights of a wasteland of terrible films from an actor who doesn’t seem to care about the work he’s doing anymore.

Yet here he is, without any box office clout, or admirable work ethic, or any discernible ability to do anything aside from playing the super wacky eccentric with the accessories, cast as The Invisible Man. The Universal Monsters were for me, like so many of us out there, singular moments in my evolution as a movie lover. I remember my grandmother showing me Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man and, yes, The Invisible Man, when I was 9, 10, 11… the mythology of these characters is woven into the tapestry of my cinephile DNA. Having this new universe clearly go in the direction of action/adventure is one thing, but The Mummy at least has the action/adventure GOAT in Tom Cruise; and it has Russell Crowe. And Frankenstein has Javier Bardem. The Invisible Man, an incredible story about a mad scientist who turns himself invisible and cannot handle the psychological windfall of this breakthrough, has a lazy diva who’s spent more money on necklaces than I’ve made in my lifetime.

What a perfect place for Universal to add some diversity to their Dark Universe. What a squandered opportunity. Having an African-American actor, someone like Get Out‘s Daniel Kaluuya, would be fresh and exciting – and inclusionary. Or, leaning older, what about Don Cheadle? Hell, imagine what Samuel L. Jackson could do with such an inventive role? If they didn’t want to go that route, why not call Oscar Isaac? He would be great. You know who else would be great in The Invisible Man? Literally anyone but Johnny Depp. Universal has shown zero creativity with this casting.

But here we are, with a rotting apple at the bottom of Hollywood’s fruit bowl, an actor whose bit just about everyone has grown weary of, anchoring what should be a major tentpole franchise picture. Again. And studios can’t figure out why people are getting tired of multiplexes and actual good movies are relocating to place like Netflix or HBO at alarming rates. This was just another missed opportunity from a shared universe who clearly spends a fraction of their time and brain power on casting as they do marketing and CGI.

At least this time we shouldn’t have to see much of Johnny Depp. Just his stupid hat, disembodied, floating above a dozen necklaces and scarves.

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‘Wonder Woman’ Won’t Have A Post-Credits Scene

By

Aric Sweeny

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May 23, 2017

In our current state of comic book movies, post-credits scene are often assumed to exist. The trend was started in the early stages of the Marvel cinematic universe, when Nick Fury offered the Avengers initiative to Tony Stark.

Although these scenes are often essential in world building, it looks like the next DC extended universe film won’t include one.

Cinemablend talked to Wonder Woman producer Charles Roven, and here’s what he said on the matter.

“No. I’m not going to say we’d never do one – there was one in Suicide Squad. But I don’t think that we want to feel that we’re forced to do something just because we didn’t in the past.”

How do you feel about Wonder Woman lacking a credits scene of any kind? Given that this film is a period piece set in World War 1, it actually makes sense. However, I assumed Warner Bros. would decide to switch time periods at the end for the sake of throwing in a character tease or easter egg.

“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.

The film hits theaters on June 2, 2017.

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Using a VPN to Access All Netflix Content

By

Don Draper

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May 23, 2017

Despite other online streaming services growing in popularity, as well as creating a lot of great original content, Netflix is still the most popular. A Netflix subscription gives you access to their incredibly successful original series and movies. It also gives you access to a large range of series and movies from other networks.

Or so it should.

Unfortunately, if you live outside the U.S., you may not have access to the majority of content available on American Netflix. Due to copyright conflicts with regional cable suppliers, Netflix is forced to block certain series and movies depending on the country. You might be lucky to have access to almost everything. Or you may have access to a mere percentage.

For this reason, people around the world have been using a VPN for Netflix access. A VPN (virtual private network) routes your connection through a remote server, making it seem like you are connecting from the U.S. (or anywhere else).

But it’s no longer a simple choice. This is what you need to know before paying for a VPN to unblock Netflix.

Netflix are getting good at blocking VPNs

Although it’s probably beneficial to Netflix to let things be (and rack up more and more subscriptions from around the world), authorities have come down hard on the streaming service. This has subsequently caused Netflix to increase its security measures, and can now detect and block VPNs that were once quite handy.

One of the popular alternatives is to use a Smart DNS service. These are proxies that are usually cheaper than VPNs, and have had success beating Netflix’s block. However, since they do not encrypt your data, it is recommended that you stay away from them. Data security is more important than the couple of dollars you might save.

And, importantly, there are VPNs that still work.

Which VPNs still unblock Netflix?

Although Netflix’s block managed to counter many fan-favorites, there are still some great VPNs that unblock Netflix. These include ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, Buffered, PrivateVPN, and more.

It is crucial, however, that before you dive into a subscription with one of these sites, you do the requisite research. What worked yesterday may no longer work today. This is also a reason to purchase short-term subscriptions, rather than paying a discounted price for a full year upfront.

You should also research exactly what each service provides. Some have stronger encryption services. The ideal is that they have a “no logs” policy. However, if they do keep logs, it is far better that they keep only connection logs and not usage logs. Usage logs will reveal your actual activity.

Use a VPN even in the U.S.

One more important point to consider is that a VPN is recommended even to those who have full access to Netflix (or whatever other streaming services they like). VPNs encrypt your data, keeping you protected from hackers and government surveillance.

It is really frustrating that Netflix blocks these services even to those who are not trying to access blocked contents. So, even if you live in the U.S., make sure the VPN you choose is going to work with the streaming service you love.

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Their World Is Bigger Than ‘Justice League’ And The DCEU

By

Matthew Sardo

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May 23, 2017

There are days when reporting the news is an awful job, and yesterday was a day like that.

Zack Snyder is stepping down from ‘Justice League’ in order to deal with the sudden death of his daughter, the filmmaker told The Hollywood Reporter. The film is and post-production and Joss Whedon take over post and the shooting of some additional scenes.

This is a time for nerds to come together and put positive vibes out into the world in Snyder’s time of need.

Thank you, Zack Snyder for all that you have done, and we wish you and your family only the best.

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‘American Gods’ Season 1 Episode 4 Spoiler Review – Git Gone

By

Michael Fromm

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May 22, 2017

Git Gone brings us to the halfway point into American Gods’ first season. For the first time, the traditional American Gods format has been ditched. And, for the first time, American Gods took a step back on quality storytelling.

Here’s the thing – the first season of American Gods is only 8 episodes. Eight precious hours to move the story forward. There shouldn’t be time to revisit events that were already mentioned in previous episodes.

Git Gone does not open with a vignette involving a God. It doesn’t spend time following Shadow and Wednesday on their trek to gather the Old Gods in preparation of war. Nor does make you think or question your beliefs. It is just a rehashing of story bits that end exactly where the previous episode had.

We spend the entirety of the episode from the perspective of Laura Moon, a character who is not likable, and certainly not as compelling as any other shown thus far. We didn’t need a reminder of her unfaithfulness to Shadow, or her demise in the car crash, or her resurrection.

While this episode was mostly unnecessary, it still holds some value. It is still written well, and the visuals are on point – particularly a bloody Laura hobbling down the street, carrying her arm. This occurs after her demolishing of Technical Boy’s faceless henchmen and saving Shadow from a lynching (from back in the first episode). Laura’s back and forth with Anubis is also a scene worth noting. It is a gripping scene about living a life without faith and a heavy heart.

Some fans may say this is a much needed breath of fresh air. It’s just that most of the episode could have been explained through brief flashbacks and conversational exposition.

If you haven’t yet, read the Monkeys Fighting Robots reviews of the previous episodes:

Did Git Gone leave you feeling like American Gods backtracked a little? Let us know in the comments.

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Somewhere Over the WWE Backlash of Jinder Mahal as Champ

By

Christina Freeman

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May 22, 2017

As WWE Backlash dropped the curtain with a celebrating Jinder Mahal as champ like many other fans I wondered, what did I just see? The entertainment spectacle known as WWE brand professional wrestling has seen many changes over the eras. Yet in many ways it looks like this era is desperately trying to figure out who it is. Not quite an identity crisis as much as the WWE has recently committed to so many things fans figured would never happen. So what happens when all the things this company never does becomes things that they do. When all is said what will this era of wrestling be known as? Because last night made one thing perfectly clear. We are not in Kansas anymore.

Those who follow wrestling closely have posed the idea that we find ourselves in the ‘Reality’ era, the ‘NXT/WWE’ era, or the ‘New’ era. Yet none of those seem to not quite capture what we are in the middle of. This era expands in a multitude of ways that was unknown to previous eras. From the Network to video games to a film production company, the WWE is clearly maturing beyond the point of professional wrestling. Instead it is developing as a fully faceted multimedia hydra. Perhaps this is instead the ‘Expansion’ era.

WWE Network

With the introduction of the WWE Network the company has managed to take control of an aspect of TV programming that has been missing in all of the previous eras. In previous eras programming has primarily been controlled by media providers and cable companies. Which has resulted in such enterprises calling the shots for airtime and even content. Interestingly enough the WWE Network has taken the control and given it to the average fan. A hard line to be sure but a gamble that seems to be paying off.

Talk About Variety

Recently while watching a PPV shown on said network, I marveled at seeing men like Kevin Owens and AJ Styles on the same card with John Cena and Randy Orton. The worlds of independent wrestling and the WWE mainstream crossing in ways no one had ever called or perceived. While it may not seem like it, we are not long past the days where AJ Styles in a WWE ring was considered a hopeless fantasy.

Available Content

In that vein, shows like 205 Live highlights the antithesis of the ‘McMahon’ formula by featuring cruiserweights and technical showcases. NXT has gone from an almost crude reality show to a nearly cult-like phenomenon. Women have prominent roles and main event pay per views (PPVs). The network features ‘reality’ variety shows either in live action or animated. The Network catalog is cream for long time fans that remember previous wrestling entities like AWA, WCCW and Mid-South. Never in any era has there been more variety in style, form and figure. What we all knew as wrestling now accepts most stars regardless of variables that would normally deny some performers a WWE stage. In this sense of inclusion no wrestling fan is actually left behind. Instead they are invited to pick their poison.

Perception

For most fans wrestling lives and dies in the ring. As it should. It is the current stories and characters that should be used to sell the rest. Wrestling has the unerring task of having to stay relevant at all times. What we see in the ring is a direct reflection of the world we tolerate or do not tolerate around us. Wrestling struggles with ideas of power and authority. Fans know that decisions are sometimes made just for the purpose of aggravating the fan base. In this way of telling stories and selling its fiction it is no different from any other movie, sitcom, or staged play.

Leads and Co-Stars

The irony of it all is that wrestling’s greatest asset and biggest weakness are its fans. Fans of wrestling easily take ownership of their product. Mostly due to the idea that unlike any other entertainment media the fans are also performers in the show. Like most co-stars wrestling fans and performers don’t always agree on how the plot should go and who should get first billing. Even more so complacency and change have dramatic impact on fan reactions. There should be an interesting ‘backlash’ from the Mahal victory. Just as there has been from recent choices in character direction and show designations.

Suspension of Story

As confusing as it may seem it makes an eerie kind of sense. Wrestling is currently wall-less. When the walls are torn down and realities leak into others through social media, public relations, charity and fan events, the fervor that used to drive fans must change. In this idea the foundation must be reset. Conventions that have always been set in stone are melting like ice caps. Gone are the traditional standards of kayfabe, heel and face ideologies. Instead they are mutable points. Still the lynchpins, but no longer the story. Fans don’t wonder as much if it’s real. They wonder why certain decisions are made. In forums all over the web the main subject is ‘Why did they?’ The fan base has matured beyond the suspension of disbelief as much as it now can’t suspend the ‘WTF’ from certain plot points.

Reality of Eras

With all of that being said what should be clear here is that as fans we are in uncharted waters. As a company so is the WWE. Now I won’t advocate for going easy on them. Mostly because I know wrestling fans and they won’t listen. Which is a blessing and a curse. However try not to be so quick to trash what was once something we thought we’d never ever see on a WWE stage. As far as being willing to go outside of the box there is not a more interesting time to be a wrestling fan. This new ‘Expansion’ era is the result of the Larger than Life super hero caricatures of the 80’s. It lives because of the base titillation of the ‘Attitude’ Era. Even the PG era contributed.

With the rising of Jinder, in the evil twin role of Daniel Bryan, we are firmly rooted in the ‘Expansion’ Era. Also try to ignore the snickering from the WWE as they whisper, “Gotcha!” May we enjoy these boundless, anything can happen times. It will be walled up again before you know it.

What did you think of Jinder Mahal’s victory?

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Image Comics ‘Wayward’ Coming Soon to a Television and Tabletop Near You

By

Eric Morales

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May 22, 2017

Writer Jim Zub and artist Steven Cummings’ ongoing comic series Wayward, published by Image Comics, is set to be adapted for television and tabletop gaming in the near future.

Wayward was optioned by UK company Manga Entertainment to be developed as a manga or live action series. Both Zub and Cummings will be involved as creative consultants, developing the initial story treatment and assisting in character and creature designs.

“As soon as Jerome and I started talking about a collaboration, I had a good feeling Manga Entertainment would be the right place to develop Wayward. The crew at Manga intimately understand the anime market and have helped popularize some of the biggest brands in that space. As Japanese art and animation continues to go global, co-producing Wayward at a Japanese studio with Manga taking the lead is a natural choice.” – Jim Zub

Manga Entertainment is the UK’s largest anime distributor, dealing with franchises like Ghost in the Shell, Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach and Death Note.

“We are very excited to be working with Jim and Steven to bring the characters and world of WAYWARD to life for the screen. Jim and Steven have managed to create a truly unique high stakes action-drama that feels fresh and authentic in its mixture of Japanese and Celtic mythology. We are very confident this story will connect with audiences across Asia and the rest of the world.” – Jerome Mazandarani, COO of Manga Entertainment

Apparently trying to become a triple threat, Wayward is also set to be adapted for tabletop gaming by IDW Games. Zub and Cummings will once again be involved, along with Jon Gilmour, who previously co-designed Dead of Winter and Outpost: Siberia. The game will be fully cooperative, and allow players to control characters from the comics, who must defeat the villains controlled by the board game.

“Wayward is a passion project for Steven and I, and games are near and dear to our hearts, so getting the chance to bring both of those wonderful elements together with Jon and the rest of the IDW Games crew is an absolute thrill.” – Jim Zub

IDW Games has a large roster of licensed tabletop adaptations, including The X-Files and Back to the Future, as well as forthcoming games based on Planet of the Apes and Atari.

Wayward is an ongoing action-drama comic series published by Image Comics. From their solicit of Issue #1: “BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER FOR A NEW GENERATION! Rori Lane is trying to start a new life when she reunites with her mother in Japan, but ancient creatures lurking in the shadows of Tokyo sense something hidden deep within her, threatening everything she holds dear. Can Rori unlock the secrets of her power before it’s too late?”

Zub is a Harvey and Shuster Award-nominated comic writer who has written on series like Samurai Jack, Thunderbolts, and Dungeons & Dragons. He also writes and owns two other series, GLITTERBOMB and SKULLKICKERS.

Cummings is a comic book artist who has worked on titles like Deadshot and Legends of the Dark Knight.

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‘Samurai Jack’ Season Five Is A Masterpiece

By

Anthony Wendel

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The word masterpiece should never be used lightly. When it is the sediment must be to showcase the subject of the compliments is not only in a cut above the test but finds a way to be memorable, insightful, and have the ability to withstand the test of time. Under this idea, know by proclaiming Samurai Jack season five is a masterpiece, it comes from the upmost respect and commitment to what the very ideal of what a masterpiece truly is. The season isn’t perfect but is so overwhelmingly well presented, you forget about the bad and can only focus on the good.

Story

50 years have past for Samurai Jack. A side effect of travelling through time has caused him not to age. The experience has left him feeling strained, tried, and going crazy with guilt. He has lost his way and is unsure of what to fight for anymore. Elsewhere, a cult known as the Daughters of Aku have been plotting to take down Samurai Jack by training a group of young girls to be assassins from they day they were born. They have but one mission: To kill the samurai.

Season five begins by exploring some very interesting elements it hadn’t previously. At the beginning of the new season Jack is experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from losing his sword and feels like a failure. This causes him to fall into a level of madness where he is taunted by demons who become very real to him. It’s a fascinating bit of storytelling which showcases a redemption arc for a character who previously did nothing to deserve such a test.

The season also introduced Ashi, one of the aforementioned Daughters of Aku. The character starts as an antagonist and becomes something much more later on. Her backstory is intense and morphs into something much deeper as she must find a way to break through the lies which were fed to her since her birth. Her own journey from darkness parallels Jack’s and helps to truly leave the audience captivated.

Sadly since the previous seasons, legendary actor Mako passed away and was unable to finish his performance as the main villain of Aku. Luckily Greg Baldwin, who previously filled in for the late actor in the Avatar franchise resumed the role and gave a performance which reminded everyone just how evil a character Aku was. Thanks to everyone in the cast and through the story Samurai Jack season five went above and beyond in its plot and delivery.

Art

To say the animation in the season is gorgeous is a disservice. It was as if the entire production cast spent their time between seasons honing their craft for the sole purpose to deliver this glorious visual spectacle. The presentation is beyond explanation. The art team found new ways to showcase the glory which can come in the animated form. Utilizing simplistic effects such as weather, lighting, and color the team is able to deliver moments which are detailed, emotional, and stick with the viewer even after the show has long ended.

Music

The music almost feels alive through the season. It finds a way to act as a stimulant for the entire production, intensifying the mood, and swaying emotions when needed. There are a few moments where it feels like a heartbeat, coursing through the veins of the show and providing adrenaline for the action scenes. The music also tugs at the heartstrings with feelings of affection as when a particularly adorable scene occurs, Everybody Loves Somebody by Dean Martin was inserted in a way which was absolutely perfect and heartfelt in its delivery. Many fans may have been annoyed when they realized the show would not have its traditional opening anymore but thanks to the incredible new music in this season, there is little to complain about with the soundtrack.

Conclusion

Samurai Jack is a love letter to any who stayed fans of animation in the time between season four and season five. A way of thanking them for the long wait for the finale to come around. It’s almost too good. We will never get this again. We will never get a show of this caliber which could take such a monumental break, yet find a way to reclaim its glory. A show on hiatus for over a decade finds a way to come back with such fervor and dedication from the creative team to supercede what came before it and reach new heights of quality, intensity, and overall entertainment than ever before is unheard of.

There is nothing like Samurai Jack season five and unfortunately there’s a good chance there will never be anything like it again. Few shows will be able to truly level up like this one did. Samurai Jack season five was exactly what it needed to be and more. To this end there is only one thing to say: Thank you. Thank you to the original creator Genndy Tartakovsky, his creative team, and the Adult Swim programming staff. This season was beyond expectations and found a way to truly make us all remember why we are fans of animation in the first place.

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Marvel Teases New ‘Runaways’ Comic With Promo Image

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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May 22, 2017

Marvel seems to be prepping one of its superhero titles for a relaunch. Today, Marvel released a promotional image for Runaways character Nico Minoru. Along with some character facts, the image includes the tagline “get ready to run.” This likely means that Runaways will be getting a revamped comic series in 2017.

The Runaways is a team of teenage heroes created by Brian K. Vaughan. The series was first released in 2003, and ran sporadically until 2015. The comic focused on several teenagers who found out their parents were super villains. After gaining weapons and powers, the kids decided to become heroes and fight their parents. The series ended on some sizable cliffhangers, so it will be interesting to see how the new comic may or may not address those.

Although the main series was cancelled, the characters have shown up in other recent titles. Nico, for example, appeared alongside fellow Runaway Chase Stein in Avengers Arena. Nico is also featured in Avengers Underground and A-Force. A different team of Runaways were featured in the Secret Wars event, but that team probably disbanded following the event’s conclusion.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnhVeOuZce0[/embedyt]

The Runaways relaunch is likely due to the upcoming series on Hulu. Marvel’s Runaways, one of many Marvel shows currently on television, is due out early 2018. The show will circle back to the group’s origins, and how they first discovered their parents were super villains. The comic, therefor, will probably come out close to the end of this year. The hope is likely that the show will reinvigorate interest in the comic book series.

It’s also possible the comic is meant as a ways to bring in diversity. Marvel has recently come under fire for claiming fans dislike diversity. The Runaways is a diverse team, comprised of mostly women, and several non-white characters. Bringing back the team seems like a good way to naturally reintroduce diverse heroes.

No official date has been announced for either the comic or the series. The comic is due sometime this year, while the series will arrive in 2018. The promo image was drawn by Kris Anka (‘Star-Lord’, ‘X-Men’, ‘Captain Marvel’).

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