After a week of slowly releasing images, information, and teasers, Warner Bros. has finally put out a new full-length trailer for the much-discussed upcoming Justice League film. Check it out below.
So there we have it, folks. What do you guys think? Comment and discuss below!
Here’s the official synopsis:
In ‘Justice League’, fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Justice League is directed by Zack Snyder, from a screenplay by Chris Terrio, and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Jeremy Irons and Jesse Eisenberg.
Gurinder Chadha is one of the best known British-Indian directors and certainly one of the most successful – having made movies like Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice to her credit. She has taken a more dramatic turn with her historical drama Viceroy’s House, looking at the end of the British Empire in India and the birth of India and Pakistan.
Viceroy’s House focuses on two stories: the first about the Mountbattens who arrive in India assigned with the impossible task to come up with a reasonable settlement for Indian independence in the space of a few months. The second focus is on Jeet (Manish Dayal), a Hindu man from the Punjab and a new staff member at the Viceroy’s House, who finds a Muslim woman, Aalia (Huma Qureshi) who he had fallen for years before.
Chadha’s films are known to feature themes about Indian people and the clash between British and Indian culture: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging was a rare exception. It was easy to see why she would be drawn to this story setting and there was a personal meaning for her: Chadha’s family were affected by the Partition of India.
The Partition of India was a complex and controversial moment of history – leading to civil violence, thousands of people dead and millions displaced. Chadha and her writers, Paul Mayeda Berges (Chadha’s regular collaborator) and Moira Buffini (Jane Eyre, 2011) tried to be fair as possible – at least to the British side. Lord Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville) is a man doing his best to come up with a satisfying solution when both sides refuse to meet each other. His wife and daughter (Gillian Anderson and Lily Travers) are shown to be interested in humanitarian work and argue that the British should do more to help the Indian population before they leave. Sir Cyril Radcliffe (Simon Callow), a high-ranking barrister, was also portrayed sympathetically, having only five weeks to draw up borders for the new states. Even the less sympathetic members of the British authorities are shown to care about the violence and bloodshed and have reasons why they act the way they do. Considering it would be easy to make the British blanket villains, it is appreciated that filmmakers showed that the picture wasn’t black-and-white.
This approach wasn’t taken when portraying the Hindu and Muslim political parties. The Hindus, led by the Congress and Gandhi argue that India shouldn’t be broken up, that Muslim fears of discrimination were unfounded and would be protected. Their argument is that the British want to divide India and make the people fight amongst themselves despite the fact that within India there are regional and language differences, let alone with Pakistan. Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Denzil Smith) is shown to be a villain of the piece, a man who is so intransigent that it tears a country apart and brings violence to the streets and is made out to be a hypocrite because he fears Muslims would be persecuted in India, but Hindus and Sikhs would be okay in Pakistan. Jinnah also used the argument that Britain partitioned Ireland and Palestine as examples – which to anyone who knows history were not the best case studies. Chadha and her team project a troubling message – that Pakistan shouldn’t have been created. Aalia and her father are Muslims yet they are shown to want India to be united.
Viceroy’s House also tactics the geopolitical situation of the time – but it comes off so clumsily. The American ambassador offers the Congress the hand of friendship, but they rebuke it by saying why get rid of one colonial power to replace it with another – while the character Lord Hastings “Pug” Ismay (Michael Gambon) states in the most on the nose way possible about the British/Western strategic interests. It is even more remarkable because Ismay was considered to be more pro-Indian than pro-Pakistani. It’s all bad history. Viceroy’s House is essentially an Indian set Upstairs, Downstairs or if you prefer a more modern example: Downton Abbey. It is a film that is looking at the lives of both the elites, their staff and how they interact. The Viceroy’s House setting is used as a microcosm of India during this time: there are British, Hindu and Muslims in the area, the British are struggling to keep law and order as ethnic and religious tensions flare up and Partition refugees come to the area. While Viceroy’s House fails with the political history it felt more authentic with its portrayal of the social issues.
As already mentioned Viceroy’s House attempts to show a more complex and balanced portrayal of the British. While the Jeet and Aalia star-crossed lovers storyline Dayal and Qureshi were decent enough actors to make the relationship engaging -and there was a twist because Aalia’s father (Om Puri) actually likes Jeet and her arranged fiancé (Hriiday Malhotra) is shown to be a good, caring man – making this segment more nuance.
Viceroy’s House is well intended and is similar to movies like Suffragette and A United Kingdom that aim to educate. However, it suffers from a heavy-handed screenplay that was more interested in telling facts than being a compelling movie – and it has a troubling interpretation of history.
Following yesterday’s Spider-Man: Homecomingposters, another one has landed online. Check it out below.
Are you looking forward to the film? Comment below!
“A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.”
Spider-Man: Homecoming features Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Donald Glover, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Tyne Daly, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Hannibal Buress, and Martin Starr.
Are you a fan of the Power Rangers? Then you will love the new film. If you are a casual moviegoer, you will enjoy the first half of the film and then stab your eyes out during the final battle. Good luck with that!
Strap yourself in buckaroos! Episode 115 of the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast is here.
Do you want to be our SUPER-FAN of the week? All you have to do is comment on this podcast to be eligible.
Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show?
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 is 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 for filmmaking to become a movie critic for MonkeysFightingRobots.com.
The idea of a shared universe isn’t something new. Over the last few years, it’s something that has almost become the new normal. If you look at the way comics have straddled popular culture and taken the leap from page to screen it almost seems expected now. People want more from their franchises. When J.J Abrams dropped the one-minute teaser for Castle Rock viewers were given a glimpse into the vast universe of Stephen King.
The World Of Stephen King
Stephen King has a very large fan base that he refers to as a “Constant Reader”. Think Belieber but obsessed with King. I’ve watched the movies, binged the TV shows, read his books and bought all the comics that have had anything to do with him. This is a good time to be a fan of The Master Of Horror.
Castle Rock is but one of a number of projects bearing Stephen King’s name getting released over the next few years. There’s The Dark Tower, IT, Gerald’s Game, The Mist TV series and the recently announced Bill Hodges Trilogy. Aside from worrying how they are all going to be adapted it got me thinking, is it time for a shared TV/Cinematic Stephen King Universe?
There Are Other Worlds Than These
The concept of a shared Stephen King universe is nothing new. If you read any number of his books you will come to realize that King has already built a world for his constant readers. There are landmarks that always stand out. Names that carry meaning to someone who’s read a couple of his stories. He’s built towns from scratch that are richly populated with multiple stories and characters that are all connected. The titular Castle Rock being one of the largest closely followed by Derry. There are a total of 17 Universes in the world of Stephen King, each ready for exploration by new fans.
The pillars of the King literary world have long been considered The Stand, The Dark Tower and IT. If you look at IT, set in the fictional town of Derry. Between the screaming and long term mental damage “The Losers Club” endure, they meet Maturin who is a giant turtle. Furthermore, he aids the children in their final battle with Pennywise. In The Dark Tower, the Turtle is a force of good that is represented as being a pillar of reality. While the main villain in The Dark Tower is the antagonist in The Stand with a different name.
With these books sharing multiple characters it seems that this would the ideal time to jump on the bandwagon. Extend the cinematic universe and have them acknowledge each other. Even a single line from The Man In Black talking about a clown he once knew. Who wouldn’t love to see Matthew McConaughey lead a new cast as Randal Flagg in a reboot of The Stand? Further strengthening the links to a tighter cinematic universe.
All Things Serve The Beam
With The Dark Tower being the central force keeping the multiverse functioning, they would have the means to explain why we have a book universe, a cinematic universe, and a TV universe. Each is a different level of the tower. A single line is all it would take to spark the idea. This takes the concept of the shared sandbox and turns it into a desert. Each can stand on its own merit whilst sharing ideas and characters between in a new and refreshing way. Link back to older movies if needed or simply tie into the upcoming ones. Stephen King has written 54 novels and nearly 200 short stories so there’s no shortage of material to mine.
There was a lot of attention on The Dark Tower movie due to the casting choices of Idris Elba. Followed by the revelation that it’s not an adaptation but a continuation of Kings eight book Magnus Opus. From a creative point of view, this allows the introduction of a shared universe with a clean sheet. If Stephen King has allowed his idea’s to be carried over to a movie bearing little resemblance to his works in The Dark Tower then why not have a throw away comment about a small town called Derry in Castle Rock. The character possibilities through an anthology show are limitless. Show us an older priest passing through from a town called Jerusalem’s Lot before popping up in the movies.
Money Talks
Even with a cynical view on things and looking at it from a purely financial point of view – a shared universe is big bucks. Geeks like to buy stuff. Think for a second about how much money Marvel or DC make from their merchandise. How many Harley Quinn’s did you see last Halloween? How many people, who have no interest in comics, have seen the Avengers and got the t-shirt from their local supermarkets? If Sony played their cards right, not only could we be seeing Idris Elba’s face everywhere, they’d have the chance to push anything relating to another level of the tower.
The Dark Tower has already received the Funko treatment
Extend The Universe
Gone are the days of simply watching a movie, leaving the cinema and then forgetting about it. People want a show, a video game, a comic and a t-shirt. The Dark Tower can feed into IT, which could feed into Castle Rock. Give us a show based on an antique shop where you can find whatever your heart desires for a price, with one of the characters visiting a friend in the neighboring town who mentions an OAP who can suddenly see the aura’s of people around him.
They don’t need to have crossovers. It doesn’t need to be the same writers, producers or air on the same channel but let them be aware of each other and reference the existence of the other. For those who have spent years connecting the King dots and gasping at a tiny connection, this is the dream. At some point, the current comic culture is going to go stale, but scaring people and monsters will never truly go out of fashion. This could be the start of a new book to movie trend, which begs the question – what would you like to see adapted next from Stephen King’s extensive back catalogIs It Time For An Extended Stephen King Universe??
I grew up when the original Mighty Morphing Power Rangers television show was at its peak popularity. I remember, every day after school, settling down in the living room with my younger sister and watching the continuing adventures of Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Zack, and Trini as they fought the evil that Rita Repulsa would bring raining down upon Angel Grove. I couldn’t get enough of their adventures, nor the toys that the show spawned. I remember one Christmas in particular when I awoke to find all of the essential action figures and their corresponding zords beneath the Christmas tree so that I could reenact the adventures of Rangers for days on end. As a child of the ‘90s, I can assure you that nothing was cooler when growing up than the Power Rangers.
When I first heard that Lionsgate wanted to adapt Power Rangers into a new, feature length film, I was dubious. The original television series was so campy, and such a product of the ‘90s, that I didn’t know how well it would work in today’s climate where a new superhero is released every month. Then there was the fact that rumors were swirling around that this reimagining of the classic series would be darker and more grounded in reality, which I believed would take away from what made the original show so fun. Yet, even though I wasn’t impressed by any of the trailers or surrounding marketing, nostalgia got the better of me and I not only became excited to see the film, but eager enough to see it opening night.
After watching the movie, I can honestly say that it was legitimately good. In fact, I’d go as far to say that the film has no business being as good as it actually turned out to be, considering the source material it’s based on. Before I elaborate, however, please note there are spoilers after the jump!
It’s almost like Marvel and DC Comics are fighting to release the most content this week. Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have released another poster for Spider-Man: Homecoming. This is the international poster and shows Spidey hanging from the Avengers tower in New York City.
Just like the first poster released earlier today, this international image plays heavily on the fact that Spidey now exists within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Avengers sell so I wouldn’t be too surprised to see the entire marketing campaign rely on some small MCU connections.
A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.
Spider-Man: Homecoming stars Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Jon Favreau, Donald Glover, Tyne Daly with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr.
Get ready to send me a check, HBO. I’m about to do your job for you!
Yesterday, I posted an article about how the premium cable network will be adapting a yet-to-be-published book about the 2016 Election into a miniseries sometime next year. In light of this news, I thought it would be fun to “fan cast” the important roles in the incredibly true story. Before I get into which actors I think should play each part, however, I just want to briefly explain the criteria I used to come to the decisions below.
Dean Israelite’s ‘Power Rangers’ movie is a tediously paced, heavy-handed attempt at rebooting a franchise cinematically.
Summary
The film starts off centering around Billy (RJ Cyler), who is longing to finish a project his late father started concerning an energy source at the base of a mountain in Angel Grove (his hometown). He makes friends with Jason (Darce Montgomery), who he meets in Saturday detention and they agree to meet up later that night. The deal was Jason would drive him to the site of the mountain in exchange for Jason getting some help with his pesky house arrest bracelet he now has to wear. They eventually make it to the location only to learn that some of the same teens who have detention on Saturday morning apparently like hanging out at a random mountain on Friday evening. We have Kimberly (Naomi Scott) a cheerleader who has been ostracized, Trini (Becky G) a confused young girl, and Zack (Ludi Lin) the bad boy, all seem to be up some shenanigans. Things quickly take a turn when they hear an explosion and realize that it was Billy who causes it (apparently he brought some dynamite with him). Amongst the rubble, the team discovers some power coins, and some new found super powers. Little do they know that they set in motion events that will lead to them coming face to face with the projection of an alien named Zordon (Bryan Cranston), a robot named Alpha 5 (Bill Hader), and a gold-driven villain named Rita (Elizabeth Banks) who only wants to destroy the world.
What Worked
It was neat hearing the old Power Rangers Theme when the Zords are dashing off in a formation to confront Goldar. Dean Israelite did a good job with fan service and paying homage to the original material.
Elizabeth Banks made a fairly decent villain in the film. She certainly made use of every inch of her costume to help accentuate how evil she was on screen. Those long gold fingernails looked equal parts painful and like something you would see at the mall.
What Didn’t Work
Screenwriter John Gatins’s attempts to make this film relatable to children in 2017 and fails miserably. Instead of creating fully developed characters, he seemed hellbent on filling certain demographics. Each one of the Rangers is defined by either their nationality, gender, interests or in some cases their sexual orientation. Little is done to allow us to know who these kids truly are. If you are going to truly reboot this show for a cinematic audience then we need a clearer understanding of why these kids are taking on these roles as Rangers. When Christopher Nolan directed Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne wasn’t just a brooding white billionaire playboy. We knew why he became Batman. Why is Billy so driven to follow in his Dad’s footsteps? What drives Kimberly to go from a Cheerleader to trusting this group of friends she barely knows? At least some of these questions must be addressed so the audience becomes more invested in the characters as they become these heroes.
One would have thought they would have attempted to temper down the cheesy fight sequences.Why wasn’t a more concentrated effort at updating the fight sequence made? The only noticeable thing was the use of slow motion at different points during the battles in Angel Grove. So we are going to allow fights which are poorly staged but we better make sure that we bust out some of our slow motion special effects. Doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Overall
Super fans of the Power Ranger franchise will indeed be overjoyed at this latest version of the franchise. Anyone else will find it tedious, cheesy, and lacking in any discernable entertainment value. At this point, Lionsgate has plans for six more Power Ranger films, and that kind of confidence in the franchise is alarming. Then again, it shouldn’t come as a shock as last summer Sony announced that they had planned a sequel to Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters (we all know how that turned out). Power Rangers will likely follow the same path as Feig’s latest film. It’s a shame because with a tighter storyline, better effects, and a stronger cast this could have been something more than what it ended up being.
The Ace Hill Beer Company, based in Ontario’s capital Toronto, takes a different approach to brewing than several of its craft competitors. Rather than offering a wide array of strong-tasting beers, like Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery or Hop City Brewing Company, the Ace Hill Beer Company brews but a single beer, their Ace Hill Pilsner. Taking fellow Torontonian Steam Whistle Brewing‘s model, Ace Hill brews one beer, and one beer only.
I like pilsners. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, my regular beer is Steam Whistle Pilsner. So if I don’t like their beer, Ace Hill has probably missed their target demographic, which is regular drinkers of locally and independently brewed Ontarian pilsner. Pressure’s on …
Ace Hill Pilsner – First Sip
Ace Hill Pilsner pours a pale golden colour with a layer of head, about a centimeter thick, that gathers at the rim of my pilsner glass. The foam dissipates steadily. I immediately notice its tart flavour when I take my first sip. Apple-y to the point of tasting almost like a hard cider with a grainy aftertaste, it’s an easy beer to guzzle, and at 4.9% ABV in 473-mL cans you can probably guzzle a couple. This pilsner’s sharp taste and active bubbles give it a crisp watery mouthfeel.
Ace Hill Pilsner – Last Sip
Exceptionally faithful readers of my beer reviews might remember that my first review was an arguably ill-conceived comparison between Steam Whistle Pilsner and Moosehead Lager. I realize now, having reviewed over a hundred beers, that my initial comparison review was probably a bit like comparing apples to oranges. But, save your crow! I won’t eat it! This pilsner, in my opinion, essentially represents a middle-ground between the two independent Canadian flagship brews.
Moosehead Lager, as my primary beer review states, has “a malty aftertaste” whereas Steam Whistle Pilsner is a “smooth, easy-drinking beer with just a bit of an edge.” Ace Hill Pilsner’s tart flavour and thirst-quenching mouthfeel make it both similar and dissimilar to both brews.
There Are Other Worlds Than These
