When it comes to Alien: Covenant‘s pre-release marketing, we have gotten the Kitchen Sink with stills, teasers, trailers, set photos, and now a virtual reality experience. Welcome to Alien: Covenant – In Utero:
The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.
This VR experience will be for the Oculus Rift technology and will take you.. inside?.. the neomorph. This sounds like it would be pretty badass if you had access to an Oculus Rift. Anyone have $500 to $1600 I could borrow?
The inundation of marketing tools on display here are a little worrisome. Most of the time, when you can cobble together movie still and trailer footage to pretty much re-create the entire film, that isn’t necessarily the best thing. It exudes a certain lack of confidence in the film itself. But maybe it will work this time.
Alien: Covenant stars Michael Fassbender, Danny McBride, James Franco (probably in an extended cameo role), Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup and, yes, Noomi Rapace back from Prometheus. Ridley Scott’s sequel isn’t far away now, as it opens May 19.
The zombie craze is just as crazy as ever. With the ‘Walking Dead’, ‘Z-Nation’ and ‘I-Zombie’ being such successful TV shows, it doesn’t seem like that is going away anytime soon. What’s better than watching some zombies and drinking a beer? Zombie beer of course! Today we will go into the best Zombie beers on the market. Most importantly, where they are originated and if you can get them!
Indiana Brewery Three Floyds have taken their love of zombies to a new level. This Pale Ale is a 6.2% hoppy beer that is a year round release, and even comic book artists themselves have a hand in this one. Tim Seely did the artwork, and it is glorious.
With the success of the Walking Dead comics and TV show, it only makes sense to have a beer to go with the merchandise. Sitting at a hoppy 7.7%, seemingly this IPA is a hefty one. With the citrus of the blood orange and the crazy amount of hops, this beer will make you want to chase down some walkers. Limited springtime availability for this beast.
Oregon brewery Nikkasi jumped on the zombie train by grabbing this awesome Red IPA. It’s a bit red in color, with mosaic and El Dorado hops, and a bit of a caramel backing. This bad boy comes in at 7% and is available all year round for your bloody needs.
There’s a beer for every zombie fan, and you are bound to find one that you love, just about as much as the undead love brains. These are only a few examples of beers to enjoy while you binge watch the day away.
For more awesome beers, check out the Beer Zombies. A site for lovers of both things in this article today, plus awesome merch!
The best three days of the year came to a close once again on Sunday, as the sun set in Chicago on the massive C2E2 banner hanging in McCormick Place. Like any good con, C2E2 provides a snapshot of popular culture, and especially providing a look at what the trends are in comics. After three very full days of panels and floor-journeying, here is what we saw as the state of comics:
DC continues to capitalize on a hell of a year. Rebirth worked, and they know it. Every one of their panels was packed, completely full up. And for each one, they presented a surprising amount of tact and honesty. Dan DiDio and the rest of the moderators spoke at length about the lack of faith and interest from fans toward the end of the New 52, and how fans missed the legacy of their deep pool of characters, while still longing for new and innovative stories. The result of course was Rebirth, devoted to more consistent creative teams, legacy focus, and risk-taking stories. The zenith of this is the new DC banner “Dark Matter,” which focuses heavily on art and fully-collaborative stories. The general sense provided at the panels was that these books were going to take big risks, and not be afraid to get weird with it. Looks no further than Capullo’s Batman promo image, in which the Dark Knight is holding a pair of battle axes.
Confusingly, DC continues to lack promotion, despite their success. Exclusive ashcan books were handed out at their “surprise” panel that re-announced “Dark Matter,” but that was about it. Considering their Post-Rebirth surge and the upcoming Wonder Woman film, you’d expect more of everything. This could be read as a lack of faith, though it seems more likely to express their continued struggle with allocation and lack of resources.
5. Marvel
Talk about a polar opposite. Marvel has struggled in the past year with decreasing sales and bad PR. Of late, the big story has been around Nick Spencer’s Captain America, and the upcoming “Secret Empire” event that doubles down on his allegiance to Hydra. Marvel’s Secret Empire panel provided a look into their strategy around this criticism: completely ignore it, and in fact, lean hard into what is viewed as the problem. It opened with the moderator asking if there were any Hydra members in the crowd; one fan stood immediately, proudly dressed in Hydra gear. He was cheered by the panel, and brought forward to read an advance copy of “Secret Empire.” Then they dived in, exploring the future plotlines of the event and the art, and the tie in books. And not once, in an hour plus, did they address the concerns of Steve Rogers being a Nazi. The crowd filled the room on this one, though was noticeably quieter than in DC’s Dark Matter panel. However, there was also a noticeable lack of dissent. Undoubtedly self-selection played a role, such that those who are more likely to read Secret Empire happily are more likely to go to the panel.
Other than Secret Empire, Marvel’s panels were relatively quiet. The most surprising was their X-Men panel, which was around half capacity. There were very few cheers at any of the news, and a noticeable silence around any Inhumans announcement. This was unthinkable in years past, when events like IvX, or the advertising around the Inhumans filled these panels to capacity. This spells bad news for the future of the larger X-Men and Inhumans franchise.
Their one advantage over DC should not come as a surprise: Marvel can promo anything. Free coloring books, inserts, one sheets, and comics flowed from their yearly booth. While last year the Michael Cho variant cover banners stood out over the floor, this year a massive Secret Empire banner welcomed every guest. Even if the event does flop or they are losing sales, one cannot help but think that they still garner more attention than DC, simply because they get their name out there more.
4. Image
Image really has nowhere to go but up. Their Contemporary Storytelling panel showcased the depth of talent the company now has relationships with. It also showed their continued focus on storytelling first, and above all. They aren’t interested in promotion through a traditional sense. Instead, they let their often-eccentric creative teams showcase their own works, and through that, Image’s brand image. They know that they are telling some of the best stories today, not just in comics, but in any medium. And if the amount of Lucille bats that were sold at their booth is any indication, Image is still able to play ball with the Big Two.
3. Dark Horse
Dark Horse always has a good presence at C2E2, though they’re real strength is in their booth. It is prominent, with lots of great books, staff, freebies, and signings. They’ve got panel topics that the Big Two aren’t talking about: “The Millennials Guide to Keeping Comics Alive” and “The Un-CONventional Superheroes.” And the real kicker: their new headlining comic, “American Gods,” adorned every three-day badge, and its presence was everywhere. Once the new show drops, expect Dark Horse to really kick things into high gear.
2. Valiant
Valiant has a smaller but devoted fan base, and that was felt in their full-capacity panels. However, their real strength comes from brand dispersion: Valiant is everywhere. Even if you’ve never read a comic by them, or even knew they existed, you could still walk out of the con with seemingly endless stacks of free comics and merchandise bearing the Valiant logo. Given their some-rumored-some-confirmed film/TV adaptations in the works, Valiant stands to make some larger waves going forward.
1. Aftershock, IDW, Lionhead
These are some of the smaller players, but if the con is any indication, then their future is bright. Most significantly: they all had panels! This is great to see from smaller publishers, and the focus was on putting up bigger names. Having Brian Azzarello up on stage obviously helps spread their brand and show that they are legitimate players. Fans can personally interact with the staff and creative at their booth in a way that just isn’t possible with the larger brands. If you’re not reading titles from any of these companies, well, you should be.
Eternal Empire got my attention for one simple reason: the team that created Alex + Ada are behind it. If there ever was a team that’s earned a level of trust from me, Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn have got that trust. This is also a new genre from this team playing in the realm of fantasy. My interest is piqued and I’m game to see how this turns out. Heck, Alex + Ada is one of my favorite Image series. There is a level of excitement here mixed in with my genuine love for Luna and Vaughn’s last work. It’s a brand new experience from a creative team I love. Let’s do this. Let’s face it there’s only so much I can do to delay this one so on with the show. Time to venture forth into the new realm of Eternal Empire #1!
If Eternal Empire is even half as good as Alex + Ada we are in for a treat.
Starting off at the ground floor of anything is an exciting experience. When you’re experiencing something along with everyone else, it’s unique and cool to see develop. Eternal Empire from this first issue has that level of excitement to it. For one thing, Luna and Vaughn are developing a massive world in terms of Saia. From the beginning to the end of the issue, we get character work but a ton of world building. It’s a tough intro at first and honestly I do recommend being patient with it. This is an entirely different beast than Alex + Ada in terms of tone and everything else. At least from what I can see of this first issue, this can easily change as the series goes on. Yet from that intro, I can see a lot of potential.
For one thing our main character is only known as “Snow Hair” and we see her struggles as she deals working in Essla. She’s a great character though, and through her we see the world that Luna and Vaughn are crafting. We don’t really get a glimpse into the Eternal Empress wreaking havoc, but we know she’s powerful and not to be trifled with. It may not work for some but I like how Luna and Vaughn handled the Eternal Empress here. This is about “Snow Hair” and her journey, we only need to know the world at this stage. We’ll see and learn more together through her eyes down the line but for now, we have what we need. It does work as by the end of the issue and who she runs into, I can’t help but be intrigued as to what will happen to her next.
It’s a unique new series for sure. Eternal Empire takes all the right risks and they work in the series favor.
I do like how Jonathan Luna’s art and design of Eternal Empire is as detailed as the story itself. Let’s start with the logo and lettering, which deserves a lot of praise. I especially like the faded out letters as “Snow Hair” whispers to herself; that is a cool effect. Even better is the growling, loud, and powerful letters at the beginning of the book; that is cool as well. Even the logo has a great look to it. It almost looks like something you’d see on a family crest. It’s in the simple touches that you can’t help but pay attention to how much care is going into this. As much as I liked the art, I definitely noticed everything else in play here. It’s a detailed wonderland here and the scope of this is just as noticeable in the overall design of this series.
Now as for the art in this, it has an intimacy to it similar to Alex + Ada but there’s a twist to that. The best way I can describe this is this book is showing brilliant vistas and scope, while still keeping the reader engaged on “Snow Hair” herself. There’s a level of appreciation in how everyone from the workers to the guards has such a unique style to them. “Snow Hair” has a look that shows she’s just one of the workers, but it shows her difference and how much more weary she is. Then you notice the color effects, my goodness the color in this is beautiful. From how the fire looks to how snow falls, there is some serious detail work here and I like that. The craft in Eternal Empire shows from the ground up.
Eternal Empire is showing immense potential and it could easily become as beloved as Alex + Ada.
Eternal Empire is off to a strong start. There are emotional hooks and a world that can’t help but get more interesting as it develops. I’m intrigued and excited to see where this story goes from here. If you’re a fan of Alex + Ada, you need Eternal Empire in your life. If you’re not, I say give this comic a chance. Eternal Empire is going to be one series I follow excitedly month to month. Eternal Empire hits stores on May 3rd and I highly recommend grabbing it when it is released. This will be one amazing adventure.
The debut trailer for Kingsman: The Golden Circle is here! Watch it down below.
Well, what do you think? Does it look as outrageously entertaining as the first? Be sure to sound off in the comments section below.
“Kingsman: The Secret Service” introduced the world to Kingsman – an independent, international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion, whose ultimate goal is to keep the world safe. In “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” our heroes face a new challenge. When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman, dating back to the day they were both founded. In a new adventure that tests their agents’ strength and wits to the limit, these two elite secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy, in order to save the world, something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy…”
The film’s cast includes Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, with Sir Elton John, Channing Tatum, and Jeff Bridges.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle hits theaters on September 22.
When I stumbled upon Gosu by Ki-Woon Ryu and Jung-Hoo Moon, I was initially looking for something to keep me entertained in between major releases. What I found instead was an amazing diamond many people passed over.
The state of the Japanese manga world is getting better but there was a time when content was primarily trash. It was around the time that Bleach was ending, and all of the good stuff was posted every 10 years, like Hunter x Hunter, Berserk, or even Hajime no Ippo. Ignoring those heavy hitters, there were also authors who decided to publish pieces with no real substance to them. There are countless stories where likeable protagonists and amazing worlds take backseat for an easy harem or fan service outcome. I’m looking at you Fairy Tail. I’m still reading it only to get closure, kind of like what I did with Bleach.
So then, where is someone craving great content supposed to look at? The South Korean and Chinese industries are excellent places to keep an eye on.
You may want to read Yongbi the Invincible as it provides backstory for some characters and events. I personally recommend you read Yongbi, simply because it is hilarious and has the best horse in any entertainment form.
Plot
The title of this piece leads the reader to think that this is going to be a simple revenge story. That means it does its job. The only thing it doesn’t do is justice to how the author approaches that common trope.
Gosu starts off with the backstory of Dokgo Ryong the Heavenly Destroyer. For all intents and purposes, the strongest martial artist of his time. We learn that he was so powerful he essentially dominated a majority of the land. His rule was great until the day he suddenly disappeared. The truth, however, was that he was left for dead after being betrayed by his four apprentices. Dokgo survived and took on a new apprentice, a young boy he trained in a cavern to get his revenge.
So far it sounds interesting, right? It gets even better once the boy goes out into the world and realizes that all four apprentices died. What came about was that once they took out Dokgo, their alliance crumbled as they all wanted to be the leader.
So what can our protagonist, who was trained by the strongest martial artist, do at this point?
He decides to work in a little dumpling joint where he can get free food and lodgings. Our boy is a smart man with little aspirations to use his power.
There would be no story, however, so in true protagonist fashion, he gets pulled back into the martial artist world. Murim is the name that world is commonly known as.
As we read more chapters, we find out that there is more to the four apprentices than what Gang Ryong was told.
There’s action, comedy, mystery, and the art is sublime. What else could you possibly want out of a comic?
Characters
The main character is named Gang Ryong. He has learned all of his master’s techniques and is a force of nature. Gang prefers to avoid fights and is content living a calm life alongside Yerin, and her mother. Always eating the restaurants’ leftovers is the principal reason he is referred to as fatty by everyone he meets. He is initially portrayed as a funny carefree guy and remains that way until he gets into more challenging fights. When he fights someone, he tends to toy around with them. In later arcs, he has to push himself against the masters of yesterday’s Murim.
Yerin Song could be considered the love interest in Gosu. She works at a restaurant that specializes in dumplings. After coming out of the cavern, she’s actually the first person Gang meets and the one who tells him all four apprentices are dead. Her character is great because she isn’t the typical damsel in distress. Although she knows no martial arts, she can still take care of herself and isn’t whiny.
The last character is Yerin’s mom. She isn’t really her mom but took care of her. Chohyang Song is the source of many gags against Gang or herself. She normally looks old but on her days off she goes around looking young with the power of makeup.
There’s more to each of them but their backstory is slowly revealed as the chapters are released.
As far as main characters go, that’s pretty much it.
There’s a bunch of secondary characters that are arc specific. We have yet to revisit any of the characters aside from the main bunch. There is hope though that Gang Ryong will run into them as he travels.
Taking mean mugging to new heights.
Art Style
Normal Japanese manga are done in black and white. What’s great about Korean comics is their usage of color in every single panel. When the color is muted in something like that, we get an even greater sense of impact. It is rarely done but when it is, it is to great effect.
The art style is simple but to the point. It lends itself perfectly to motion and large scale destruction that is oh so common in this. Jung-Hoo Moon does a good job of making you feel exactly what is happening in the scene. The artist does so by drawing all of the important frames of an exchange. In a normal comic, sometimes you can misunderstand what exactly a character is doing, but that never happens here.
Jung-Hoo utilizes black and white generously for the more intense skills characters use. A move that utilizes Ki to produce an explosion is pure white and is almost blinding, giving you an idea of how the characters feel in the moment.
See what I meant about motion?
Read it
This is definitely a read for anyone looking to experience something new. If you aren’t that kind of person though, read it anyways. It’s that good. I always get giddy when I see that a new chapter has been released, because I know I’m in for a good time. There’s a bunch of chapters ahead if you start today.
Ashi’s search for Samurai Jack helps her to see his impact on the world after he encounters numerous people and places where his heroics have changed things for the better.
This episode helps to show just how committed the creators are to giving their all with this final season of Samurai Jack. As Ashi wonders and encounters all of Jack’s friends, it could have been really easy for them to make the entire thing into a clip show to cut costs. Instead, as she meets up with the Woolies, The Cursed Archeres, Da Samurai and others, new animation is employed to retell these classic scenes for the audience. The production team really deserves a pat on the back for not simply using their old stock of animation. Also, it’s truly interesting to see how Jack’s journey has affected the world around him and how those he has saved preserve his legend.
Scaramouche, the robot from the first episode of the new season is alive as well and tires to make contact with Aku. This results in an extremely funny moment many didn’t see coming. Just when you think the show has pushed the boundaries thanks to being on Adult Swim, they make a blatant genital joke. It is amusing though so give them some credit.
This become an entire episode dedicated to Ashi. While she takes the time to search for Jack, she also reflects on her pasts, and decides to make a change complete with a new outfit. Frankly, her new look suits her and is properly going to result in a lot of individuals trying to cosplay her look in the future.
The ending seals the deal though by delivering fantastic drama filled with action which will leave you on the edge of your seat the entire time. There will be no spoilers about what happens as it’s far too intense and any type of description would only spoil the surprise. Just know this is another episode of intense quality and it doesn’t look to be decreasing anytime soon.
America’s favorite scientist, Bill Nye, returns with Bill Nye Saves The World, a new Netflix series aimed at reminding adults that science applies to them too. From climate change to Monsanto, Bill Nye tackles the important issues facing human existence. It’s well-produced, high-energy, whip-smart, and even a bit controversial depending on where you stand on certain subjects. In this time where it seems facts are being swallowed up by ignorance, will the show slap sense into people?
From the very opening moments, Nye reminds people that this is not his old Disney show or a kids show. It’s like The Next Generation compared to the original Star Trek. Bill NyeSaves the World is sophisticated but hip; it’s smart but in a much more refined way. The theme song, produced by Tyler the Creator, could be used to hype up a football team before a game, particularly if an important player or coach is named Bill.
For people into alternative facts, this show will be supremely irritating. Too bad.
A rising, windowed wall doubles as a screen where Nye’s correspondents report from around the world. The correspondents are an interesting mix that includes model Karlie Kloss, comedian Joanna Hausmann, and science educator Derek Muller. Other segments include Bill Nye sharing an unfiltered thought in “Bill Needs A Minute.”
Celebrity guests such as Zach Braff, Tim Gunn, and Wil Wheaton appear on panel discussions or in bits used to explain science. In one bit, San Francisco Giants slugger Hunter Pence hits a baseball into Mars as a way to demonstrate panspermia.
Every episode includes a panel discussion with three guests. It’s at this point where Nye dabbles in discussion and debate. It’s never contentious, but in one episode, the head of much-maligned company Monsanto makes a case for GMOs. Anyone who follows Nye knows he’s okay with GMOs. Social media has taken to saying Nye is a shill for Monsanto. However, it misses the bigger argument. It’s not whether GMOs are good or bad, they’ve been around for a lot longer than most people realize, but whether or not Monsanto should force it on people, in secret, and own the rights to future food supplies?
Fans of Bill Nye rejoice, you get more of the exuberant science guy!
Bill Nye Saves the World doesn’t ever become Real Time with Bill Maher. It’s not trying to be. It is seeking to represent the facts, and on that end, it works, even the bit with Monsanto (sorry haters). Seeing it as anything else is looking for a reason to be triggered.
In other segments, Bill challenges the beliefs of alternative medicine. Comedian Joanna Hausmann shares a hilarious visit to a center that heals with sound. Those sounds include screaming at parts of the body experiencing pain or discomfort. Hausmann should be awarded for keeping a straight face.
Fans of Bill Nye rejoice, you get more of the exuberant science guy! The experiments, segments, discussions and everything else flows in a wildly fun way. That is if you’re into facts. For people into alternative facts, this show will be supremely irritating. Too bad. The realities of climate change, overpopulation, and abundant ignorance don’t take feelings into account. All humans should root for Bill Nye Saves the World since we only have one world to save in the first place.
Netflix recently debuted an intense original series. 13 Reasons Why, based off the YA novel, follows a high school reeling from a young girl’s suicide. That is, until the release of said girl’s tapes about her death. Hannah Baker says there are thirteen reasons why she chose to kill herself. 13 Reasons Why, with executive producer Selena Gomez, put a twist on the murder-mystery formula fans loved from Making a Murderer. The show follows her story through flashbacks, as her friend Clay tries to piece everything together.
The series plays like most every teenage slice-of-life project. The writing is reminiscent of the film Perks of Being a Wallflower. The teenagers are all witty and worldly, often outwitting every adult. Normally, this type of program is hard to stomach unless you’re a teenager yourself. However, the murder-mystery element gives 13 Reasons Why a better edge. It’s an easier watch than Perks, or the CW’s teen soap operaRiverdale. They aren’t immune from cringe-y teen dialogue, but the characters are better than most. The show gives its teenagers just enough gravitas to be watchable.
The mystery itself plays pretty by-the-books. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just means it works the form well. 13 Reasons Why does a good job of revealing information in small doses. It helps that the show is a contained series, wrapping up its tale in thirteen episodes. Knowing that Hannah took her own life also helped the mystery, in a way. Audiences were left wondering who had hurt Hannah, and exactly what they did. The layers to the mystery was solid and well-paced.
The dynamic between Clay and Hannah is simultaneously intriguing and trite. On the one hand, it’s interesting to see them interact in different times. The over-lapping action makes for interesting posthumous interactions. However, they’re hampered by the stereotypical romance thrust upon them. 13 Reasons Why can’t get through an episode without reminding viewers Clay is a “nice guy.” It turns the relationship between the two protagonists into a bland teen rom-com plot. 13 Reasons Why misses a great opportunity to dissect a normally vanilla character. Their relationship makes the Perks of Being a Wallflower comparisons all too apt. It’s one of the big things that keeps 13 Reasons Why from being truly unique.
As far as the teenagers themselves, there are some disparities in character depth. Some have very well-done stories, while others fall into tropes. The reveal of Zach’s transgression did a good job separating him from the pack. It was also intriguing how Alex’s seemingly harmless action had huge consequences. Marcus, meanwhile, became a blander character with his tape reveal. Ryan also got little development outside of being the “gay best friend” trope.
While not every teenage performance is phenomenal, they are largely better than the adult actors. It’s actually quite amusing how some of the child actors show up the adults. Many of the performances by veteran actors slip into melodrama. Kate Walsh and Brian d’Arcy James have the hefty task of playing Hannah Baker’s parents. While they rarely slip into full over-acting, there are definitely moments of it. Meanwhile, Derek Luke’s performance is largely emotionless. It really is the kids who shine in the series.
The thing that really separates the show from other teenage-centric projects is the dark subject matter. Keep in mind, the set-up for the mystery is the suicide of Hannah Baker. There’s a load of darkness and tragedy in that premise alone. Other kids suffer from similar dark subject matter, like alcoholism and abusive parents. On top of that, there is a lot of the series that is dedicated to discussing sexual assault. The subject matter keeps the show away from standard teenage-centric show fare.
Some would say the realism used to approach such scenes are crucial. The assault scenes are not any more gruesome than the frequent death & torture in other shows. But much like those deaths, the necessity of such realism is questionable. To have not one, but TWO explicit sexual assault depictions is hard to stomach. It’s a lot like the horrifying Ramsay scene from season five of Game of Thrones. There’s powerful, and then there’s gratuitous. 13 Reasons Why winds up on the latter end of the spectrum.
The moral of the story where 13 Reasons Why becomes convoluted. It’s admirable how the show tries to tackle things like assault and suicide in a realistic way. However, the show often goes too far into the edgy material. At the end of the day, Hannah is subjected to terrors no one should have to go through. It’s strange for the series to then subject audiences to it – twice, no less. On top of all that, there’s the problematic conflict resolution. Hanna DOES get her justice through suicide, insinuating it was a good thing. To have that be the message of your series is a huge issue.
This is why the series ultimately falls short of its aspirations. There’s too much silly teen angst, and too much visceral evil. It takes the elements that work and dilutes it. The show’s intentions of treating kids like adults, and exploring important subjects, are noble. But 13 Reasons Why fails to separate its gritty subject matter from its lofty goals. Perhaps that’s as good of a lesson as the show could realistically provide.
Overall, the series works for an adult’s 13-hour binge session. As far as teenage viewers go, perhaps they should stick with Gomez’s other projects. The show doesn’t work in giving viewers a meaningful resolution that justifies its cruelty towards Hannah. You could say that’s the “point” of the series, but that doesn’t justify it. 13 Reasons Why made a show inseparable from its dark subject matter, to its own detriment.
STAND-OUT PERFORMANCES: Katherine Langford, Alisha Boe, Christian Navarro, Ross Butler, Brandon Flynn
STAND-OUT EPISODES: “Tape 2, Side A;” “Tape 5, Side B;” “Tape 6, Side A”
Everything You Need To Know About Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga’s ‘A Star Is Born’ Remake
Don’t call her Gaga! The singer & actress is ditching the name that made her famous for her upcoming ‘A Star Is Born‘ remake. Warner Bros announced in a press release that Lady Gaga will be going by her birth name, Stefani Germanotta, for the project.
With the film attempting to not only appeal to audiences but award voters, it’s a polarizing move. The name Lady Gaga brings a certain level of artistic merit to the film. ‘A Star Is Born‘ could use her credibility to help promote it. But many actors have switched from stage names to real names for films. Dwayne Johnson dropped “The Rock” from his name when he moved from wrestling onto Hollywood roles; finding great success. So the same can happen for Gaga/Germanotta, who already has a Golden Globe for acting.
That’s not the only news to come from the film’s press release. The official plot has been announced and it continues the themes introduced in the three films before it. Bradley Cooper will play Jackson Maine, an alcoholic country singer with a failing career. He soon discovers the unknown but talented Ally, played by Germanotta, and they begin a passionate love affair. He soon pushes her to fame but can’t deal with the fact she is starting to become a bigger star than him.
‘A Star Is Born’ Invades Coachella 2017
After the press release, the next big update for ‘A Star Is Born‘ came from Coachella. The music festival was used by director Bradley Cooper to film major scenes. Production even used fans for a performance. Germanotta’s Ally performed one of the original songs written for the film, which is said to be called “Diggin’ My Grave”. It’s described as sounding like a Fleetwood Mac song and leaning more to a country/rock vibe. Lady Gaga recently dipped into country on her most recent album ‘Joanne‘ so the singer can use that experience when tackling the songs. The singer is writing all the songs for the film.
The scenes shot at Coachella are said to be very emotional. One scene is the timid Ally trying to work up confidence to perform in front of such a large crowd. Lady Gaga was said to be very strong in-between takes but immersed herself when camera’s rolled. Another scene is with Bradley Cooper’s Jackson Maine as he drunkenly introduces Ally to the crowd before her encore performance. It’s said his character is visibly bothered how the fans took to Ally. This feels like a callback to Barbra Streisand’s 1976 version. People in the audience have said this performance felt magical and played to both actor’s strengths.
The film is set for a September 28th, 2018 release. It’s coming out against very little competition so it can easily score number one at the box office. But the real question is can it reach the acclaim of recent musicals like ‘La La Land‘.
Only time will tell how Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut will turn out. Let me know what you think about the upcoming ‘A Star Is Born‘ remake.
