The Alien film franchise is one of the great additions to Science Fiction and this week ‘Alien: Covenant’ hits theaters to answer some lingering questions from ‘Prometheus.’ Filmmaker Ridley Scott revived the franchise with 2012, but fans wanted more, Matt and EJ explain exactly what we got in this week’s episode.
Strap yourself in buckaroos! Episode 122 of the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast is here.
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About the Monkeys Fighting Robots Podcast:
A Gen Xer and a Millennial debate the latest topics in pop culture. One guy is a filmmaker and the other is a journalist, but both are nerds. We make your slowest days at work better. Hosts, Matthew Sardo and EJ Moreno.
Never heard of Matt Sardo? For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.
Who’s EJ Moreno? Is he a trained physician? No. Is he a former Miss Universe contestant? Possibly. But what we know for sure is he’s a writer, filmmaker, and pop culture enthusiast. Since film school, EJ has written & directed several short films. He’s used his passion of filmmaking to become a movie critic for MonkeysFightingRobots.com.
The second day of OCC 2017 was much busier than the first, full to bursting with cosplayers attending for the masquerade, or just there to show off their hard work. There were also more panels than the first day, including a Q&A with Arryn Zech (RWBY, Red vs. Blue), “Your Fuzzy Sidekick: Puppet Building 101” and a concert from Rock, Paper, Cynic.
HIGHLIGHT PANEL: John Barrowman Q&A
John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Arrow, Torchwood) is known for his antics both on and off-set, but that didn’t stop a cheer of joy from the audience as he danced onto the stage in a TARDIS dress and leggings. He kept the energy going all the way through his panel, with a wonderful mix of hilarious and heartwarming answers. The panel was definitely geared at an older audience, with raunchy jokes galore. Barrowman was definitely one of the most energetic guests of OCC 2017.
One audience member asked if he’d ever considered funding Torchwood, his canceled Doctor Who spin-off focusing on Captain Jack Harkness.
“No, because that would look desperate. I’ll leave the crowdfunding up to you. It’s not about the money, it’s about the politics – there’s always an excuse,” said Barrowman.
He also welcomed a shy LGBT+ teen up to the stage, giving her words of encouragement – another LGBT+ teen who called him a role model got a selfie with him. Barrowman, as an openly gay man, proved in this panel that he continues to be an inspiration to people both in and out of the closet.
“Don’t cry for being you. Celebrate being you. Never cry when describing who you are. Have a voice,” SAID BARROWMAN.
Another highlight was his musical performance of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”, in which he encouraged the audience to participate. It’s easy to forget that half of his career has been on Broadway, especially after his roles in Doctor Who, but after this impromptu performance, nobody in the audience is likely to forget again.
HIGHLIGHT ARTIST: Peter Chiykowski of ‘Rock, Paper, Cynic’
Peter Chiykowski went full-time as a webcomic artist eight months ago, but it’s far from the only thing he does. His concert on Saturday was packed to bursting, as he performed classics from his album ‘Borken Telephone’, as well as new songs. Some of the highlights of the concert included his rendition of ‘The Internet Doesn’t Make You An Asshole”, “Hello NSA” and “Ivan the Worst”.
“The internet doesn’t make you an asshole,
being an asshole makes you an asshole,
don’t blame being an asshole on the Internet!” said Chiykowski, “The InternEt Doesn’t Make You An Asshole”
At his booth, Peter sold prints of his one-panel comics as posters, as well as his first book, H.M.S. Bad Idea, and USB keys with all of his songs and comics on them, minus the most recent year. He is a frequent and welcome guest at Ottawa ComicCon, and OCC 2017 was no exception.
Peter Chiykowski (left), pictured with boothmate Simon Colwell (right).
These amazing cosplayers got the Voltron Paladins dead-on! From left to right: Shiro (anonymous); Pidge (kaneki_ken_cosplay), Keith (cipheral), Lance (summ.jpeg), and Hunk (anonymous).
HIGHLIGHT MERCH: Pascaluna
Selena Pascal is an Ontario artist specializing in handcrafted polymer clay figurines. At her booth, she sold her figurines alongside notebooks and other creations from her store.
The House, a new comedy starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler as money-strapped parents who open a casino to pay their daughter’s tuition, looks like an actually funny Will Ferrell movie. We haven’t had one of those in about a decade.
This new trailer has a ton of laughs, and quite a bit of salty language, so be careful when you click play:
That severed finger bit near the end had me rolling.
I have been itching for a new funny Will Ferrell movie. I love the guy, but his last run of movies have been pretty awful. I didn’t watch Daddy’s Home, but I tried to make it through that overtly racist one where he went to jail and Kevin Hart helped him be a tough guy. Made it about twenty minutes.
The magic ingredient here might be Poehler, however, who really feels like the perfect goofy partner for Ferrell’s manchild style.
Aside from Ferrell and Poehler, The House looks to have a pretty impressive cast of comedic talent around them, namely the great Jason Mantzoukas from the How Did This Get Made? podcast. It’s directed by Andrew J. Cohen, who wrote both Neighbors films.
Following the conclusion of writer David F. Walker’s stellar Power Man & Iron Fist, Luke Cage gets his own series. The first issue in this new ongoing series was released this week. David Walker is proving his voice for the character is the definitive one as Luke Cage starts off strong.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Harlem’s hero finds himself back home, doing what he does best. His brand of justice, available to anyone in need with one simple phone call, takes a back seat after an exciting open. A tragedy, tied to Cage’s past, demands his attention and forces him into a messy mystery.
David Walker has such a firm grasp on the character, he could write Luke Cage Vs. A Laundry Machine and it would be entertaining. This is one of those creator/character chemistries that don’t happen very often.
Power Man & Iron Fist was over too soon, it’s an under-appreciated masterpiece of old school comic book fun. A Marvel book that many internet voices claimed they were so desperate for. Regardless, Walker moved on, this new series is a chance to fine tune his characterization of Power Man even more.
There’s an infectious light sarcasm about Luke that makes him more real than even the wonderful Netflix version of the hero. Luke’s dialogue about his line of work and the people he helps add an extra layer of character that wasn’t there before. Walker quickly takes readers through a surprising and effective emotional arc as Power Man revisits his past.
Every interaction Cage has with anyone in this issue is a standout moment of his character shining through. His slightly arrogant but majorly wholesome mindset provides plenty short and sweet scenes that never linger too long.
Nelson Blake II and Marcio Menyz pull their weight as well, Luke Cage #1 is a beautiful book. The art solidifies every character moment and action sequence as a memorable one. Every panel provides a clean and stimulating visual without wasting any space.
It’s a drastically approach than that of Power Man & Iron Fist, but very much stands on its own. Luke appears as much less of a teddy bear than the previous series’ interpretation.
David Walker wrote a wonderful Danny Rand, but taking him out of the equation allows his Luke Cage to really stand out. There aren’t many comic writers right now that have this clear and deep of a connection with a character’s voice. Walker continues to grow as a force of nature for Marvel comics. One that deserves more attention.
Luke Cage really couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. New readers from the Netflix series and longtime fans alike can enjoy Walker’s interpretation of Harlem’s hero.
The Mummy has a new trailer and, yeah, it still looks totally bonkers.
But this trailer primarily focuses on Tom Cruise, who is seen running, shouting, doing all manner of Ethan Hunt-esque stunts and tricks, and that’s not all terrible. Check it out:
The action looks great, and Cruise looks as dedicated as always. That’s enough to make The Mummy worth seeing. But traditional fans of the Universal Monsters can’t be that excited. This is clearly an action adventure kickstart to the new Universal Monster Universe, and the real scares will be nonexistent. Need more evidence? Where is the trailer that spends any time at all focusing on the mummy itself, Sofia Boutella?
Boutella’s mummy sure seems to take a backseat to the Tom Cruise olympics. That’s all well and good, yeah, but this isn’t Jack Reacher or Mission: Impossible. Now that I’ve complained enough about it, let me be the first to say I will be there opening day for this wild ass movie.
Brian Fuller’s Katrina: American Crime Story has it’s Bush.
Dennis Quaid has been cast as the maligned 43rd President, who came under fire after his mishandling of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans back in 2005. Quaid joins Annette Bening, Matthew Broderick, and Sarah Paulson.
Quaid will be the second actor to play George W. Bush after Josh Brolin donned the twang for Oliver Stone’s W (not counting arguably the best portrayal of Dubya, Will Ferrell). He will be great, no doubt, and it will be fun to see who Ryan Murphy and Co. cast as Dick Cheney. And maybe Mike Meyers and Kanye can reprise their roles in the whole fiasco…
Murphy is already working on the season 3 follow up to Katrina: American Crime Story. The third season will focus on the murder of Gianni Versace. It will star Ricky Martin, Penelope Cruz, and Darren Criss.
Katrina: American Crime Story won’t premiere on FX until 2018.
Generation-X debuts, focusing on the school side of this new era of X-Men. ResurreXionhas been great so far, now it’s time to dive into the strange mutant youth. This crop of students will be Jubilee’s class of weirdos.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
With Kitty Pryde acting as not only X-Men team leader, but also headmaster of the school, she’s stretched pretty thin. Jubilee is brought in to teach and mentor a group of misfit mutants. Some old, some new, all strange in one way or another.
Newcomer Hindsight gets a full taste of what students at the Xavier Institute can expect along with their education. He witnesses a teen mutant brawl, has his thoughts invaded, sees a colorful cast of fellow students, and anti-mutant extremists. It’s become the standard for this kind of book to initially star a reluctant young mutant, overwhelmed by their first day.
Writer Christina Strain does a fine job making sure this doesn’t feel like a stale introduction that readers are all too familiar with. Any X-Men fan has read this story multiple times before, Strain makes it feel fresh. There’s an effective balance between new faces and old favorites that immediately buys trust from readers.
A book like this is absolutely necessary to make the world of X-Men comics feel populated and real. For every powerful physic, there should be an Eyeboy. Not all mutations are glamorous or superheroic. When it comes to mutants, the weirder, the better.
It’s also important to have a title focusing on the school, since it’s the heart of what X-Men comics are. Xavier’s dream lives and dies with the school, Kitty knows that. Her being overwhelmed by this new dual-role is relatable and satisfying. Not only is she dressing the part of headmaster, but she also made it clear to Quentin Quire who’s in charge.
The success of this book may heavily rely on Strain’s voice for Quire. His characterization sets a tone, he’s always an important figure in the mutant youth. Grant Morrison and Jason Aaron portrayed Quentin best, he was the fiery heart of a lot of great stories. His character has also been mishandled in the past, let’s hope Strain can wield the narrative power of Kid Omega justly and this book can reach its full potential.
The rest of the class is fun, once Hindsight buys in and starts interacting with the other students the book should begin finding it’s hopefully very weird identity. Generation-X cannot be an effective title by being “cookie cutter”, it seems Christina Strain is up to task and ready to embrace her abstract side.
Visually, the art team (Amilcar Pinna & Felipe Sobreiro) also appears to be ready and willing to unleash their inner-weirdo. A strong script can make for compelling mutants, but the art is crucial to make these lesser known characters really sing.
Already this looks and feels very different from the other X-Men titles. The brief displays of powers and gifts act as a preview of splendid things to come. There’s a lot of personalities to juggle here, Amilcar Pinna illustrates each character in their own disctinctive way. Generation-X looks like it’s a lot of fun to create and it translates well into a beautifully strange visual reading experience.
Generation-X is definitely worth your time. This first issue scratches the surface of its potential, let’s hope the creative team dives deep and delivers a wild ride. Their hearts and heads are in the right place, readers should expect a fun comic book going forward.
What did you think of Generation-X? What’s your favorite ResurreXion title so far? Let us know in the comments below!
In a recent interview with Cinemablend, Logan director James Mangold talked about why he thinks the film’s ending is positive.
“Something gets born of every tragedy. In many ways, I look at the movie and I realize what a happy ending it is. At least from the perspective of Wolverine’s character. I think, unlike anything you have seen in the previous seven or eight movies, he’s happy in his final moments on this earth. He’s happy. He feels somehow satisfied, and I think that’s something very few of us might be able to say in our parting glances from this world. That we suddenly taste and know everything and feel like we got to experience everything. And I think in some way, and Hugh’s performance is really transcendent there, he communicates that and leaves us more moved than bereft.”
Do you think the Logan ending is a “happy” one? To me, it’s both happy and sad. On one hand it shows a Wolverine character, that we’ve known for 16 years, finally get what he wanted – however, the negative outlook on it is obvious in the death.
“In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.”
Logan stars Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/ Logan, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, Dafnee Keen as Laura Kinney/X-23, Boyd Holbrook as Donald Pierce, Doris Morgado as Maria, Richard E. Grant as Dr. Zander Rice, Stephen Merchant as Caliban, Elizabeth Rodriguez as Gabriela, and others.
The movie is now available on Digital HD. For all those physical media fans out there, you’ll be able to get your hands on Logan on Tuesday, May 23.
It’s been almost a week since King Arthur: Legend of the Sword released to lackluster box office and critical performance. The newest film from director/producer/writer Guy Ritchie had a budget of $175M and was slated to be the first in a series of six films from Warner Bros. Now, it looks like those plans are dead; the King Arthur has managed to pull in only $46M to date.
Don’t feel too bad for Ritchie; he’s set to helm the live-action Aladdin movie for Disney, and of course, there’s the third Sherlock Holmes film. Still, a flop this big is never good. However, there’s another Warner Bros. blockbuster that would benefit from Ritchie’s unique hand: The magical world of the extended Harry Potter franchise. Now before you click out in utter disbelief, hear me out: Ritchie might just be a perfect fit for WB’s renewed cash cow.
*Minor spoilers ahead for King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the Harry Potter franchise*
Demon Elephants and Bringing Magic to Life
The MFR review for King Arthurhit the nail on the head: “Despite moments of visual splendor, King Arthur…is structurally a mess.” Ritchie set out to start a six-film franchise based on a legend that does not have a mutually agreed upon canon and has been told a dozen different ways already. Oh, and he’s mainly known for gritty, focused crime films with intense and unique action sequences. This is to say that a truly massive blockbuster like King Arthur may have been doomed to start.
Except for those visuals. There quite a few moments throughout King Arthur that leave the viewer in awe, if for no other reason than the sheer audacity of what is bring presented. The opening sequence is the best example: fireballs are being shot out of pyramids on the back of giant demon elephants, as they assault the walls of Camelot, only to be solely defeated by an Excalibur-wielding Eric Bana. As ridiculous as it sounds, it works. Ritchie used excellent CGI to bring the magic of Arthurian legend to life.
See? You didn’t believe me, but there they are.
And that’s exactly what Harry Potter films need: magic. This seems like a no-brainer, but starting with Alfonso Cuarón’s Prisoner of Azkaban, most of the magic used in the HP movies consisted of various types of balls of light. The good guys shot white lights or turned into white smoke. The bad guys threw black and green lights or turned into black smoke. And that’s just how it was for six films.
With Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, there was once again the chance to show off the power of modern computer generated imagery, and wow audiences with what could seem, just maybe, like real magic. Instead, it was filled with creatures whose animation was no better than 2007’s The Golden Compass, and more light-flashing magic. There were few, if any, moments of “wow.”
Hard to tell that it’s not a real polar bear in magical armor, vs. the painful CGI of “Fantastic Beasts.”
The magic in King Arthur, far more sparse and less expected than in a Harry Potter film, was still more satisfying. Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as “The Mage” possessing various creatures while trying to eat Jude Law was both delightful, and terrifying. The magical was palpable, visceral, real. A viewer should not be more convinced of the realism of pyramid-clad demon elephants than bowtruckles. Ritchie is just the director to make that correction.
An Identity Problem
At this point, you might be thinking, “I haven’t seen King Arthur, so all of this is fairly meaningless to me.” Fair enough. Even if you haven’t seen Sherlock Holmes or one of his handful of British crime films, you’ve likely been exposed to his unique style. His movies are whimsically dark, often reliant on non-linear editing and unreliable voice over, and feature hard-hitting, close focused action. The most common description is “__ meets Rock n’ Roll.” The result are movies that are undeniably different. They stand out in the crowd, even if they aren’t received well. Watch this trailer for King Arthur; the pacing and music are exactly that of the film and gives a good sense of Ritchie’s style.
Now imagine Fantastic Beasts but with loud, quick-fire wand duels. Close up city-spanning chases that bring to life the inhabitants of the magic world. A percussive and contemporary soundtrack. Deplorably charismatic villains. It would give the new HP cinematic world exactly what it needs: an identity. As it stands, Fantastic Beasts was fairly typical modern blockbuster fare. The cinematography, the CGI, and the music were all fairly vanilla.
If there’s one thing Ritchie is not, it’s typical. The chance to have a highly-stylized WWII-set Harry Potter film? It’s almost too good to pass up.
Do you agree that Guy Ritchie would make an interesting Harry Potter film? Let us know why or why not on Twitter and Facebook!
It was confirmed in the early hours of this morning that Chris Cornell has sadly passed away while on tour with his band Soundgarden. As well as fronting and writing for his various rock bands, the American musician, singer and songwriter was famed for his huge vocal range, powerful belting technique and for writing some of the most iconic movie theme songs of recent years.
Let’s take a few moments to appreciate some of the artist’s greatest works.
5Machine Gun Preacher – ‘The Keeper’
Cornell earned a Golden Globe nomination for his song ‘The Keeper’ from the movie Machine Gun Preacher, a story of a gun-toting, God-fearing, crusader (Gerard Butler) seeking to protect Sudanese child soldiers. Cornell’s song is a hopeful ballad that has undertones of campfire singing with soaring harmonies.
Cornell is a huge loss to the music industry and will surely be greatly missed by cinema fans and filmmakers everywhere. But his formidable songwriting and unique voice are not going anywhere. We know his name and we know where to find him. Rest in peace.
