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Exploring the Exciting Potential of The Dark Tower Movie

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Summer movie season is quickly coming and while there is a lot to be excited about, The Dark Tower is really making it hard to wait. Already the film has been pushed back from a July 28th opening (which would’ve been SO happy birthday to me) to August 4th (A little less HBD to me). As many know the origin of this is the Stephen King book series named The Dark Tower. An old Stephen King series it took him three decades to finish. Don’t get me started on that rant.

The Book

Idris ElbaQuick recap for those outside of the know.  This is a series about the last gunslinger in a
totally meta universe that is removed from ours. He is on a quest and has been all of his existence. Along the way he meets some friends and enemies. They either help or hinder in the quest to find, yes, The Dark Tower. Which in some ways is both physical and metaphoric. Its a genre bender that calls on elements found in such classics as The Lord of the Rings, Camelot King Arthur tales and spaghetti westerns.

While there are a long list of not so great book to film adaptations, especially for King books, this one feels different. When the announcement was made that Idris Elba was in the lead role I got excited. Not for the wrong reasons mind you. Ok ok well maybe some, could be, the wrong reasons. I mean look at him.

The Players

Artistically speaking, it was more about the fact that Idris Elba is a very talented actor and more than capable of capturing the essence of Roland Deschain. Beyond that Akiva Goldsman (The Da Vinci Code) is an adapted script king with work under his belt such as A Beautiful Mind and I Am Legend. He is the screenwriter for my guilty pleasure movie Practical Magic. Which forces me to forgive him for Batman Forever.

Furthermore director Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) stunned with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo proving he can be trusted with gritty starkness when it’s needed. There is always the fear of a beloved story being Michael Bay’d so to have a relatively fresh director feels like a great start.  He has everything to prove and nearly nothing to lose. That feels like a formula for success.

Popular Subject Matter

Over the years The Dark Tower story has been given some great treatments. Usually done by King himself. This has branched into graphic novels and online apps. It’s a fully lived in fleshed out universe now.  The exciting aspects of the film come from it having something to offer to both old fans and new ones. King himself has given away spoilers from the script and how this can almost be perceived as another chapter in the universe.

Reasons to be Excited

Dark Tower

Art is best when lived in real time. Sometimes adaptations and remakes lose what makes them special in transition.  That being the ability to tell the story in another way with different aspects.  Some of the fan base was disappointed by certain choices in casting based on racial perceptions inferred in the books. A valid point if this was a strict remake. This is an adaptation. Meaning do not take away the best parts of adapting things, which is how they can mutate and change into a better work over all.

While that may be off putting for some, it feels like an opportunity to create great art developed specifically for film. The issue with adapting written words to visual mediums is the loss of context created by framing in written narratives. Trying to capture the story as the book portrays it is already a losing battle. Knowing that this will have a fresh take specifically for the big screen is more appealing than all other aspects of this.

What are your thoughts on The Dark Tower movie? Comment below!

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‘Star Wars Battlefront 2’ Gets Official Reveal Trailer

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The official trailer for Star Wars Battlefront 2 has been unveiled, and it features many familiar faces within the Star Wars universe. Check it out below.

The Battlefront 2 panel at Celebration featured developers from EA and creative directors from Disney. They talked about what makes this game different, and better, than its predecessor.

A criticism of the first game was its lack of content and pricey Season Pass. The game at retail was 60 dollars, but to get the full experience, consumers had to purchase the DLC that came out to 70 more dollars when it was all said and done. In Battlefront 2, there won’t be a Season Pass. However, there will still surely be DLC.

Battlefront 2 features a single player story, online multiplayer, and several time periods from the Star Wars universe – it’s been confirmed that both Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren will be playable.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 launches November 17 for PC, Xbox One, and Playstation 4. Are you planning to pick up the game?

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Doctor Who’s ‘The Pilot’ Refreshes the Show

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At long last, after a year and a half and two Christmas specials, Doctor Who has returned. There is perhaps just a bit of bittersweetness to it. After all this will be Peter Capaldi’s last run as the Doctor. But The Pilot has a joy to it and feels a bit like coming home for this long-term fan.

Spoilers ahead.

The episode serves as our introduction to the new companion, Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie. There are some shades of Rose Tyler to Bill. Like Rose, Bill is just an ordinary person, working an ordinary job. Her foster Mum seems to be a single parent, raising the orphaned Bill. She’s plucky and clever and catches the Doctor’s attention.

The first half of the episode serves to establish the developing relationship between the Doctor and Bill. The Doctor is a professor at the University, while Bill works in the canteen. He noticed her in his lectures because “Most people frown when they don’t understand, you smile.” Despite not being a student, he offers to tutor her, which she accepts.

The adventure of the later half begins when a sentient puddle kidnaps a girl Bill has a crush on (A Doctor Who plot if there ever was one). This leads to a chase across the universe which also introduces Bill to the Tardis and what it can do.

“Never underestimate the power of a crush,” seems to be the overarching theme of the episode. And sometimes love means letting go.

For new fans, the show explains the shows concepts in an interesting and engaging way. If someone had never watched the show before, they might not get all the easter eggs and references, but they could certainly follow along.

For long time fans, there are quite a few treats. The Doctor as a university professor brings to mind the unaired episode Shada. On the Doctor’s desk he has pictures of River Song and Susan Foreman, as well as a cup full of sonic screwdrivers. At one point he tosses Nardole what could be the Fourth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver.

The Pilot serves as a solid foundation to the new series. It will be interesting to see where the season goes from here. With Bill now as the companion it feels like a new start for everyone in the same old blue box.

What did you think of the episode? Leave your comments below!

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A Slow Build Happening In ‘Attack On Titan’

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The latest episode of Attack on Titan is the weakest to come from the season so far. Of course considering, what’s happened so far, with the Beast Titan and Sasha having her moment, it was only a matter of time before they reached an episode which was heavy on the dialogue. The excessive talk is pointant thought and it is building towards something greater.

What was covered in episode 28, “Southwestward?” A lot actually. Two scouting parties meet up who were searching for a whole in the wall and report nothing. This means the Titans didn’t breach the wall at all. Which could only mean they came from the inside. (Insert dramatic music)

Levi shows Minister Nick what happens to the population after a Titan attack. The shock of seeing others in peril gets him to give them a hint of who can give them the answers. Oh who could it be? Like they aren’t given some pretty big hints. It’s a woman, she joined the scouting team, and she’s currently out right now. Leaves only two real possibilities Ymir and Christa.

So, Levi and the others will be heading out to find the two next episode. Unfortunately, they are currently under attack by a group of Titans who able to walk at night. Man, they are just throwing the rules right out the window this season. Also, the Beast Titan looks like he is leaving. He better not be disappearing over the wall for the rest of the season.

All in all not a bad episode despite not much action. A truly bad episode of this show would involve the animation quality taking a major dip while at the same time the episode doesn’t have any substance. This is just one of those episodes where more time was spent on setup than on killing monsters. These episodes are necessary and won’t hurt the overall story as long as they aren’t abundant. Besides, seeing Sasha’s face as she’s offered a baked potato is adorable.

Attack on Titan: Season Two is streaming on Crunchyroll.

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‘Rupaul’s Drag Race’ Season 9 Episode 4 Review: Good Morning & Good Bye

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Rupaul’s Drag Race Says Good Morning Bitches And Good Bye To Charlie

The fourth episode of this season really proves this is not ‘Rupaul’s Best Friend Race‘. Some serious shade is thrown and the queens have one of the most awkward celebrity interactions in Drag Race history. Stumbling slightly after the grandiose premiere, ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race‘ is finding its footing and the race feels like its finally on!

Picking up in the work room after Kimora Blac’s elimination, the queens begin to discuss Valentina. If you watched last week’s episode of ‘Untucked‘, you know things were heated between Aja and Valentina. This episode continued that but Valentina keeps shaking off the hate. It’s genuinely funny to watch people attempt to get under the flawless skin of Valentina; their efforts can’t knocked that smile. The feud seemingly gets squashed during the episode but it can always be rekindled later.

Where one drama ends, another begins. Or in this case, keeps getting more intense. Trinity Taylor and Eureka O’Hara know each other from outside the show and brought some of that history into the competition. It was a slow burn but things go in overdrive. It started on this week’s main show but carried over on ‘Untucked‘. Is Trinity regretting that Eureka was on her team now? Who knows but it was damn good television.

“No. You’re done because Imma tell you why you’re done”
-Trinity Taylor

The queens were split into groups for the main challenge. Group challenges this early in the show get to help showcase queens that need screen time going into the later half of the season. Also, I’m glad to see the return of the News/Talk Show challenge.

The teams for the episode were Shea Couleé, Sasha Velour, Farrah Moan, Alexis Michelle, Valentina, and Aja on “Good Morning Bitches”. For the show “Not On Today” was Eureka O’ Hara, Nina Bo’Nina Brown, Trinity Taylor, Peppermint, Charlie Hides, and Cynthia Lee.

RupaulRupaul

Shea Couleé and Sasha Velour both excelled on their team with a hilarious sexual food segment. They needed this attention because neither was bringing it in the challenges before. In the end, this was probably the only laugh-out-loud moment of the episode so a win feels deserved. No one from their “Good Morning Bitches” team tanked but wasn’t a memorable appearance from anyone else.

There was some laughs during the “Not On Today” segment but it was more laughing at them, instead of with them. Peppermint and Charlie Hides flubbed many of their lines and never recovered. At least when Cynthia Lee Fontaine messes up, it’s comedy gold. It’s worked for Sofia Vergara for this long and Cynthia’s gonna ride that cucu to the bank. Also on their team was Eureka and Nina trying to keep things afloat. Their segment turned out pretty funny and showcased that Eureka can be funny…when she isn’t playing the “villain”.

On the runway, I expected the theme to be “Naughty Nineties” when Rupaul first announced it. There was a misunderstanding as the queens showed off their “Naughty Nighties” in a lingerie-filled runway. Most of the looks were polished and fairly seductive, while there was some more sexier ones presented. The standouts to me being Valentina, Charlie Hides, Nina Bo’Nina Brown, and Trinity Taylor.

Not surprisingly, Shea Couleé and Sasha Velour won the challenge. Their entire team was safe so it was down to someone from “Not On Today” being eliminated. That was fair as the majority of “Good Morning Bitches” did well and the majority of “Not On Today” bombed. In one of the more shocking moves this episode, Rupaul asks the bottom queens who they think should go on. Usually this comes up in a later episode but this unleashed a pretty heated confrontation between Eureka and Trinity.

The bottom 3 was Charlie Hides, Trinity Taylor, and Peppermint. It turns out that Trinity and Charlie were lip-syncing against each other. Based on the challenge and runway, many expected to see Peppermint in the bottom. Trinity taking the blame as group leader ended up putting her in the bottom but she was prepared to battle. Sadly, Charlie wasn’t as ready. Charlie basically gave up, due to not being used to lip-syncing. That cop out answer and nothing performance was enough to send her home.

Did you enjoy the episode? What is your prediction for the next elimination?

Let me know what you think of the episode below!

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‘Star Wars Rebels’ Ending After Upcoming Season 4

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At the Star Wars Rebels panel at 2017’s Celebration, it was announced that the show will be ending after the upcoming season 4.

Dave Filoni announced the news alongside a panel that included Freddie Prince Jr., Vanessa Marshall, Taylor Gray, Steven Blum, and Tiya Sircar.

Although Rebels is ending, Filoni made sure to announce that Star Wars will continue to put out animated content.

Are you surprised to hear that Rebels is ending? Comment below, let us know!

Star Wars Rebels will air its final season this Fall on Disney XD.

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Does Luke Turn To The Dark Side In ‘The Last Jedi’?

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In an interview with ABC News, Mark Hamill talked about how The Last Jedi‘s teaser trailer hints at the film’s story.

“There’s a difference between teaser and a trailer. A teaser is supposed to show you dynamic images that heighten your awareness and make you want to see the trailer, but avoid all story points if at all possible. [But] I think that’s the only story point that’s in the teaser, which is Luke saying it’s time for the Jedi to end… It was as shocking to me to read what Rian [Johnson] had written as I’m sure it will be for the audience.”

Then, he was asked if Luke turns to the Dark Side in Episode VIII.

“It’s possible, anything’s possible“.

Do you think Luke goes dark in The Last Jedi? What did you think of the teaser trailer? Comment below, let us know.

The movie hits theaters on December 15.

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‘The Last Jedi’ Is Singular, According To Rian Johnson

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Ever since Star Wars: Episode VIII got the title The Last Jedi, speculation has been going on and on about if it’s refering to one Jedi, or several. Well, it looks like that question has been answered in Rian Johnson’s interview with ABC News.

“It’s so funny when people started asking that when the title was announced because I never even pondered that question… In my mind it’s singular.

They say in The Force Awakens that he’s gone on to find the last Jedi temple. Luke is the last Jedi.”

It looks like the internet made something out of nothing yet again. Luke was the obvious answer to the question, “Who’s the last Jedi?”

What could be happening in the first Episode VIII trailer we got? Are you looking forward to the film? Comment below, let us know!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15.

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FilmKind Podcast Episode 11: ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Trailer #1 Review

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In this episode of the FilmKind podcast, Kieran discusses, reviews and geeks out about the first trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Was the trailer worth the wait? Does the film look too dark? Find out what Kieran thinks by listening to the episode!

Also Read: FilmKind Podcast Episode 9: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Trailer Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the latest installment of the franchise and the eighth episode of the saga, not including last year’s Rogue One.

Listen To My Review Of The Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer Below!

Make sure you hit the like button, subscribe and review the podcast! Alternatively, you can subscribe to the Monkeys Fighting Robots newsletter to be notified when new episodes are available, plus amazing content!

The FilmKind podcast is available on iTunes, YouTube, and Soundcloud!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is directed by Rian Johnson and stars Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Mark Hamill Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Leia Solo), Benicio del Toro (Unknown), Andy Serkis (Snoke), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Gwendoline Christie (Phasma), and Lupita Nyong’o (Maz Kanata).

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Indie Film Spotlight: ‘Fronteras’ Delves Into An Important Social Issue

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The Story Of ‘Fronteras’ Feels More Relevant Than Ever!

While the 2016 Election brought up a lot of issues, one of the major talking points was the border situation of Mexico and America. Writer and director Andrew Dean tackles the darkest parts of the border issues and makes viewers face the harsh realities. In ‘Fronteras‘, a Mexican Border Patrol agent has his morals challenged when a new task force arrives to contain a life threatening narcotic.

Recently, Andrew Dean and crew (Diego Cacho and Giancarlo Curzi) stopped by an Arizona radio station in support of ‘Fronteras‘. Check out the interview below:

The crew talked about their inspiration for the project. Producer Diego Cacho, a duel citizen to both countries, wanted to show this isn’t a black and white issue. “Not everyone is good, not everyone is bad. Not one side is right, one side is wrong. There’s always a grey area”, said Cacho. He went on to say how he felt this was important to tell this particular story as a learning experience.

Fronteras‘ is still funding, with production in Arizona starting this October. They are still looking to cast their lead role, as well. Director Andrew Dean mentioned needing someone who can speak both English and Spanish but doesn’t mind finding a “diamond in the rough”. Any actors out there…a career building part could be yours!

Did ‘Fronteras‘ spark your interest? Let me know in the comments below!

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