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'Wonder Woman 1984' Review | Divine Disappointment

Patty Jenkin’s first Wonder Woman film is widely regarded as the best film in the current DC Comics Extended Universe (DCEU). It’s a colorful film that’s mostly cheerful and fun until the final act. There were high hopes for the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984 (WW 1984), with the film scheduled to release in theaters and on HBO Max on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, Wonder Woman 1984 does not live up to its predecessor and is arguably the worst film in the DCEU. Let’s take a closer look in our Wonder Woman 1984 review. Most of the films in the DCEU aren’t absolutely terrible. Some people think the best films can be considered good, while others are of the mindset that even Wonder Woman and Shazam were just average at best. For those who fall into the latter category, WW 1984 is a mess at best, and the bottom of the DCEU film slate at worst. For the more optimistic Wonder Woman fans, WW 1984 is serviceable, but still nowhere near the level of quality found in the first film. Read the full article

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Seasons Readings: What to Buy the Geeky Book Lover on Your Holiday Shopping List

`Tis the season to buy a book for that nerd or geek in your life! Let GNN help you pick the right one! Christmas is just around the corner. If you have a geek or nerd in your life, you can’t go wrong with buying them a good book. Sure, you can grab them gift cards, but I’ve always felt that handing someone a good book that they can touch and feel is always better. Before I get to some recommendations for this holiday season, I’d like to give a shout out to independent bookstores. Instead of hopping on Amazon, you should try to Google your local independent bookstores. Buying a book (or two…or three…) from an independent, small business is like giving two gifts: one to your friend or loved one and one to the small business owner who can use every dollar, especially in these difficult times. I tried to link each book to different booksellers to “spread the wealth” this holiday season, but don’t be afraid to search for these books at your local, independently-owned bookstore. So, without further ado, here are some recommendations of books to purchase for that geek or nerd in your life. Read the full article

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Borat Subsequent Moviefilm | Lost & Found in Translation

In BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM: DELIVERY OF PRODIGIOUS BRIBE TO AMERICAN REGIME FOR MAKE BENEFIT ONCE GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN, Borat’s journey back to America goes as aloofly planned, until his only daughter, Tuta, becomes a stowaway for the father-daughter journey ahead. Following Borat's disapproval, he takes advantage of the situation to offer his daughter as a gift to the Vice President. Tuta’s dynamic with Borat is that of a breeder and a prize horse which throughout each encounter from a pet store to a debutante advisor evolves into a proper relationship. This evolution of ideas/values that Tuta has been taught call back to old traditions that echo misogyny and preposterous cautionary tales on being a female. As Borat remains determined to succeed we see this bond change both characters for the better. Borat however unsuccessful in each cringe-worthy attempt to gift his daughter begins to learn newfound curiosity on his values while Tuta embraces a sense of self-discovery as a young woman.  Read the full article

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Not Just Another Day at The Office: An Interview with Kate Flannery

You most likely know her as Meredith Palmer, the socially inappropriate, hard-drinking, and sexually promiscuous supplier relations representative for the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch on The Office. However, in real life, Kate Flannery is a multi-talented actress, comedian, singer, dancer, and improv performer. I got a chance to sit down with this extremely funny and talented lady to talk about her career, how she developed her various talents, her time on The Office, and what she’s been up to since. Scott (GNN): All right. I’d always like to do a little history of the folks I interview. However, I’m doing this research on the internet, so…from what I read, you came from a pretty big family if what I read was correct. Kate Flannery (KF): Yes. I'm the youngest of seven kids. My dad owned a bar in Philadelphia. We're Irish. My grandparents were from Ireland. You do the stereotype. Yes (laughs). GNN: Yeah. It was like five sisters and one brother. I was wondering if they kept trying until they had a boy, and then they were like, "Thank goodness." KF: Well, he was the second one. Yeah. GNN: You just mentioned stereotypes. Was one boy in a family with six girls…was it the stereotype? I mean, did you gang up on him constantly? KF: No. He felt like he was raised in enemy camp. I think he wanted a brother, but luckily, he had a son. So he's okay. GNN: I’m sure he’s okay.  So, from researching you online…I mean, you sing, you dance, you do improv, you act. Read the full article

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Zack Snyder Releases Tease For Director’s Cut of JUSTICE LEAGUE

About Justice League The Justice League screenplay is by Chris Terrio, story by Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film’s producers are Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, with executive producers Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Jim Rowe, Ben Affleck, Wesley Coller, Curtis Kanemoto, and Chris Terrio. Director: Zack Snyder Starring: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Amber Heard, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Diane Lane, J.K. Simmons, Jesse Eisenberg, Joe Manganiello, Ciaran Hinds, Jeremy Irons, Joe Morton, Peter Guinness, Ray Porter Releases: 2021 on HBO Max Read the full article

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Irresistible | Jon Stewart Returns to Political Satire

Comedy legend Jon Stewart broke many hearts when he announced he’d be leaving the critically renowned political comedy program The Daily Show in 2015. Stewart helmed the program for 16 years providing his satirical take on politics. There has really never been anything quite like Stewart in the political world before, nor has there been since. Stewart has kept mostly low-key since his retirement, so when he announced he’d be returning to the arena of political satire as writer/director of Irresistible it turned many heads. Irresistible follows Democratic campaign strategist Gary Zimmer (Steve Carell). After seeing a viral video of retired Marine Colonel Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) go off on his small town Republican Mayor at a town hall, Zimmer sees an opportunity to try and turn Hasting into a Democratic candidate for mayor. Although the small down-on-its-luck town of Deerlaken, Wisconsin doesn’t seem like it should matter to the Washington political machine, Zimmer sees an opportunity to try and rebrand the Democrat image in the rural Midwest. His efforts don’t go unnoticed, as his political foil and nemesis Faith Brewster (Rose Byrne) is sent to campaign hard on behalf of the incumbent mayor. What follows is a quaint fish-out-of-water story told on two fronts as Washington politico Zimmer tries to relate to small town life and Hasting tries to acclimate himself to the bizarre world of politics. Read the full article

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Semi-Snarky Interview with Snarky Jay Cosplay

Snarky Jay is a south Florida-based cosplayer that’s been (snarkily) cosplaying for about four years now. She’s been part of panels and cosplay contests and she was just invited to take part in one of MegaCon’s online fan meetups. I sat down and talked to Snarky Jay about what makes her so “snarky,” how she started cosplaying, some of her convention experiences, and some advice she has for other cosplayers. We had a great time chatting…and I didn’t find her snarky at all! Great Scott (GNN): So, first question, right out of the gate, I have to know. Snarky Jay? Snarky Jay (SJ): Everybody always asks about that. So basically, when I started my page, I wanted my name Jay and cosplay, because they rhyme. So, I liked that; I thought it would be easy for people to remember. And then I wanted an adjective, and I was trying to think of things that I've been called. And my dad says I'm snarky all the time, and I usually get, "I don't need the snarky answer, just tell me what you're thinking," or whatever. So, I thought that snarky more specifically meant sarcastic, so I made the username. And when I got to about 1,000, I had somebody be like, "Why is snarky your username, though? You're not snarky." And I was like, "I kind of am snarky. I'm sarcastic all the time." And then I looked up the definition, and it just means rude. So… GNN: Really? I always thought the same as you…snarky meant sarcastic, not rude. SJ: Yeah. That's like the main definition for it. Read the full article

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Lady Gaga | Chromatica

Little Monsters, rejoice; Lady Gaga has returned to dance music with an interstellar bang and more star power than a supernova. Gaga’s sixth studio album, and sixth album to debut at number one in the US, Chromatica serves a level of polish that feels refreshing in a genre often dominated by new artists. Longtime fans of Lady Gaga can revel in her return to dance floor beats after her work in many other genres on recent albums. But the influence her catalog brings Chromatica is undeniable. From the orchestral interludes and soaring vocals to its deeply personal lyrics and subject matter, Chromatica feels like a capstone to Lady Gaga’s journey so far. The First Act The first of three orchestral movements dividing the album, Chromatica I opens with an almost ominous feel. It’s string-heavy composition and unexpected turns lend to the feeling of anticipation. It’s clear from the start we’re meant to feel transported, a theme continued in the proper opening track, “Alice.” “My name isn’t Alice / But I’ll keep looking for Wonderland,” floats Gaga’s airy soprano as the late ‘90s/early ’00s dance beat of my dreams begins pumping. The impulse to dance throughout the album is welcome, as it’s clear the topics of each song will take some working out. The first act also includes lead single “Stupid Love” as well as the Arianna Grande feature “Rain On Me.” Both tracks have gotten similarly styled music videos set in Gaga’s futurescape, Chromatica. Read the full article

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A Joker Awakened: An Interview with Author and Impractical Joker James Murray

James “Murr” Murray is a Joker, and he’s proud of it. He’s currently on three television shows, he’s starred in a movie, he’s got an action figure, and he’s releasing (along with co-author Darren Wearmouth) the third novel of his Awakened trilogy, Obliteration, on June 23rd. I’ve interviewed Murr in the past, after his first novel Awakened had been in stores for a while and The Brink was about to release. You can read that interview right here. I got a chance to sit down with Murr again and chat about his upcoming novel release, the digital release of Impractical Jokers: The Movie, all three of the shows the Jokers are on, and what’s up next for Murr and The Jokers. Oh yeah, at the end of this interview there’s a short review of the Awakened trilogy. I purchased the first two books (Awakened and The Brink) and the folks at HarperCollins Publishers were kind enough to send an advanced copy of Obliteration. Scroll down past the interview if you’d like to read the review. Oh yeah, one last thing, there are minor spoilers for the Awakened novels and Impractical Jokers: The Movie in this interview. You’ve been warned! Read the full article

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Every Interview is Awful (Except This One!) | An Interview with Comedian Jim Florentine

“I’m a simple man trying to live in a complicated world. Most days, all I want to do is maintain my peace of mind. But, that’s hard as hell when everything I consider normal has flipped on its head.” Jim Florentine, Everybody is Awful (Except for You!) I’ve attended a few Jim Florentine shows, I’ve watched him on Crank Yankers, and I read his book. He’s funny because he’s like that one friend you have that seems to hate everything, but channels that hate into stories that have you falling on the floor laughing. Jim Florentine, who in his book goes so far as to call himself, “an awful kid,” and who admits he wasn’t good enough to play music or dedicated enough to play baseball (drinking and smoking weed were more fun), has turned his childhood “awfulness” into an amazing career. He’s had a number two CD on Amazon (second only to The Backstreet Boys), he’s a regular on The Howard Stern Show, he’s shared the stage with Eminem (and a puppet), he’s toured the country, he’s been on multiple television shows, he’s been in movies, and now he’s written a book. He’s gotten to do what he loves for over 30 years, and he doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. I got a chance to chat with Jim Florentine for Geek News Network and I learned a lot of cool stuff about an amazingly talented guy. Read the full article

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KNIVES OUT | Streaming Exclusively on Prime Video June 12th

It was announced today that KNIVES OUT, written and directed by Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Looper) and starring Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, and Jamie Lee Curtis, will be streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on June 12th, 2020. Knives Out received critical acclaim, particularly for its direction, screenplay, and acting, and grossed $312 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. The film received three nominations at the 77th Golden Globe Awards in the Musical or Comedy category: Best Motion Picture, Best Actor for Daniel Craig, and Best Actress for Ana de Armas. It received Best Original Screenplay nominations at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards and 92nd Academy Awards as well. It was also selected by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2019. Lionsgate announced in February 2020 that a sequel was in development. Check out our review of the movie HERE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL-9Khv7wa4

About Knives Out

Synopsis: When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death. Director: Rian Johnson Writer: Rian Johnson Stars: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ana de Armas, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer Rated: PG-13 Run time: 2 Hours, 10 Minutes Read the full article

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HBO Max to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut

Zack Snyder’s Director’s Cut of Justice League to World Premiere Exclusively on the Streamer in 2021 After global passionate fan calls to action and the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement, HBO Max and Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that it will exclusively world premiere Zack Snyder’s director’s cut of the Warner Bros. Pictures/DC feature film Justice League in 2021. Snyder surprised fans with the news this morning during a live online commentary of his film Man of Steel with Henry Cavill. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut first became a passionate rallying social media cry among fans in 2017 and has not let up. From countless press articles and hundreds of thousands of social media mentions, it became a powerful global movement among cinephiles and comic book fans. “I want to thank HBO Max and Warner Brothers for this brave gesture of supporting artists and allowing their true visions to be realized. Also a special thank you to all of those involved in the SnyderCut movement for making this a reality,” said Snyder. “Since I got here 14 months ago, the chant to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut has been a daily drumbeat in our offices and inboxes. Well, the fans have asked, and we are thrilled to finally deliver. At the end of the day, it really is all about them and we are beyond excited to be able to release Zack’s ultimate vision for this film in 2021. This could never have happened if it weren’t for the hard work and combined efforts of the teams at HBO Max and Warner Bros. Pictures,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, Warner Media Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer. “When Zack and Debbie shared the extraordinary vision of where Zack wanted to take Justice League, my team and our counterparts at Warner Bros. took it as a mission to solve the many issues that stood in the way,” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer at HBO Max, President, TNT, TBS and truTV. “Thanks to the partnership at Warner Bros. and the relentless pursuit of the entire WarnerMax team we are able to deliver this incredibly exciting moment for Zack, the fans and HBO Max.” “Thanks to the efforts of a lot people, we’re excited to bring fans this highly anticipated version of Justice League,” said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. “This feels like the right time to share Zack’s story, and HBO Max is the perfect platform for it. We’re glad the creative planets aligned, allowing us to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut.” 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.  The Justice League screenplay is by Chris Terrio, story by Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film’s producers are Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, with executive producers Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Jim Rowe, Ben Affleck, Wesley Coller, Curtis Kanemoto, and Chris Terrio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cxixDgHUYw Read the full article

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TNT's Snowpiercer | A Cold Reality

These days when I think of being cramped in cold isolation at the end of humanity’s rope I’m usually thinking of Reddit's front page, not the post-apocalyptic world of TNT’s Snowpiercer. A bleak future serves as the backdrop for the icy sci-fi series that is set to premiere on May 17th. While the show is a new and original story, it takes it’s foundation firmly from the 2013 film with the same name. Bong Joon-ho serves as an executive producer on the show along with Tae-Sung Jeong and others who worked on the original film. You might recognize Bong Joon-ho as an important name as he directed the original film. With amazing talent lining the cast such as Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs, Snowpiercer holds many recognizable faces such as Susan Park, Iddo Goldberg, and Mike O’Malley. The potential that this show promised to bring to the table had me eagerly awaiting what was to come down the tracks. It is an unavoidable reality that the following review may contain spoilers for the 2013 film Snowpiercer. Despite the upcoming show being heralded as a prequel, it is my highest recommendation that if you have not seen it yet, to stop reading, watch the film, and finish this review after the credits roll. The film brings much to the table that serves as an inception to the show and while you can watch and enjoy the show without it, having the set foundation that Bong Joon-ho provided us is, in my opinion, a necessity. The world has been frozen due in no small part to, surprise, global warming. Humanity noticed that the world was heating and in a desperate attempt to save mankind, we launched the gaseous form of Icy-Hot into the sky, and just like that the world froze. As a last-ditch effort to preserve life, the Allfather, I mean the Emperor, I mean Wilford opened up his train to passengers. But this was no ordinary train, this was Snowpiercer! This was a self-sufficient titan of industry that promised to run eternally and preserve the last remnants of humanity. For seventeen years Snowpiercer had run on its transorbital track when the events of the film took place. The show, however, takes place a cool seven years into the apocalypse. The train is broken and separated into a few different sections, namely the Engine, First Class, Second Class, Third Class, and the squalid ghetto of The Tail. As in the film, our show’s protagonists are passengers consigned to the base living found at the back of the train. Being given little in the way of food, general decency, or basic human respect, those from the Tail (known as Tailies) are understandably hungry for revolt. This wonderful powder keg of tension serves as the backdrop for both stories centered around one concept: Class. While a monument to engineering, human perseverance, and survival, above all Snowpiercer is a monument to Class. While watching through the show I wanted to touch on three major concepts that I was eager to see. The first being what homage is paid to the movie and previous works, the second being how it expanded on the world of Snowpiercer both inside and outside of the train, and third was what the show brought forward itself. An important note as well is the different expectations put on television and cinema, through camera work, direction, screen time, and character development. The requirements of television are markedly different than those in film.  Snowpiercer paid its dues to the spirit of the movie is admittedly underwhelming ways. Having poor reiterations of iconic moments from the film does serve as a nod to the past (or future) of Snowpiercer, but seeing them twisted and caged through the lens of network television was disheartening. The attempts to emulate much of the shock felt flat and unimaginative. While enjoyable enough to point a finger and say, “Remember in the movie?” it seemed just a shadow of what came before. At its core the show’s main concepts lay on track with the film, a depiction of the struggle of class; an eager attempt for the Haves to hold on and the Have-nots to take. Where the film succeeded in humanizing that commentary the show holds to a watered-down and shallow perspective. While enjoyable and easy to swallow, it fails to say much of anything, rather playing predictably into the cause of the Have-nots. Although understandably necessary, it fails to present the same gripping metaphor. In the end, what Snowpiercer brings with it into 2020 is a bite-sized portion of a bigger meal. Having less focus on the past is not necessarily a bad thing, however. The talents of Jennifer Connelly and her first class compatriots bring a whole new vision into the train. The decadence and highlife serve well to contrast the familiar underdog world of the Tail. While most of the passengers at the front of the train hold little in the way of genuinely interesting personalities, it is Connelly and her team that shines as enjoyable. Distinctly different from the first-class passengers, whose understanding of decadency is seemingly limited to casino card games, Connelly’s team comprises the Hospitality and Engineering departments. Through them we get a rare glimpse at the everyday procedures of those “in power” and with every conversation, we learn a bit more about the world that was and the realities that are. This is especially evident with Alison Wright’s zealous performance, playing into our desperate tendency to look for someone with answers. An enjoyable perspective I found with this prequel is the slow reinforcement of class boundaries that occurs. Not yet reaching the full 17 years of depravity that the movie showed us, we could see shreds of humanity and decency slowly fade from first-class passengers. While not entirely revolutionary, Snowpiercer brings welcome details and facts about the setting, some which have the potential to redefine our understanding of the world inside the train. The sad reality of Snowpiercer is how different and base humans become when faced with inevitable extinction. The world is set on the edge of a knife, ready to be cast into oblivion with one wrong move. This is a world where many stories can thrive. Sadly, a cop show is not one of them and Snowpiercer is, in its execution, a cop show. Similar to other shows like Lucifer and Gotham, the true meat of the show boils down to dry and meaningless interrogations leading to particularly pointless C-plots that only serve to pad each episode until the slightly more interesting (and considerably worse acted) B-plot comes onto the screen. Finally, in the handful of minutes dedicated to the A-plot during each episode, there is actually a spark of interest. The true STORY of Snowpiercer is set in its overarching plot, which is broken up by its uninteresting side plots and characters, bland set designs (that could very well be sets on loan from other shows just hastily thrown together in a Uhaul truck), and extremely confusing world establishment. In the end, the realities of an ordered train, car after car all lined up in a row, falls to conveniently undefined disorder. The unnecessary fat that hangs on the shaky and brittle bones of Snowpiercer only serves to muddy its vision and weigh it down. The potential of TNT’s Snowpiercer is solid. A strong and established world serves as a drawing board for the producers. The show has taken creative liberties, some of which paid off in enjoyable ways, but others failed to hit their mark. The main issue facing Snowpiercer is the impossible task of breathing human reality into an extremely well-executed metaphor. In the areas where it stays true to those roots, Snowpiercer is a warm and unflinching experience. However, in far too many other places the cold freeze of boring television drags it down into mundanity.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lFMpmwn_hQ About Snowpiercer Synopsis: The last humans on earth circle the globe in a train, struggling to live in a precariously balanced social ecosystem when a brutal murder may unbalance everything. Series Creators: Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements Based on: Snowpiercer (2013) directed by Bong Joon-ho Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, Susan Park, Iddo Goldberg, Katie McGuinness, Lena Hall, Annalise Basso, Sam Otto, Roberto Urbina, Sheila Vand and Jaylin Fletcher. Details: 1 season (10 Episodes), Premiers on TNT on May 17th @ 9pm ET/PT Website: https://www.tntdrama.com/snowpiercer Read the full article

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HBO Max & Crunchyroll Bring Fans More Anime On May 27th

At Launch, HBO Max Will Have Top Anime Series Including FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD, RE:ZERO - STARTING LIFE IN ANOTHER WORLD (Director’s Cut), KILL LA KILL, YOUR LIE IN APRIL and KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF EIZOUKEN New Anime Premiering Every Quarter  The highly anticipated streamer HBO Max and Crunchyroll, the world’s most popular anime destination, are teaming up to bring more dubbed and subtitled anime to fans across the US. When the platform launches on May 27th, HBO Max subscribers will have access to 17 beloved and celebrated anime titles including Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World - (Director’s Cut), and Keep Your Hands off Eizouken alongside the Crunchyroll Original series In/Spectre. Additionally, HBO Max subscribers can watch a collection of series from Crunchyroll’s catalog of 1000+ titles including Rurouni Kenshin, KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!, Bungo Stray Dogs, Berserk, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Kill la Kill, Your Lie in April, ERASED, Kiznaiver, Schwarzes Marken, 91 Days, The Testament of Sister New Devil and Rokka - Braves of the Six Flowers. Crunchyroll will curate additional top anime titles for HBO Max each quarter, cultivating fresh offerings that appeal to new and existing anime fans including Hunter x Hunter and Death Note coming to the streamer within the first year of launch. Crunchyroll is the world’s leading anime brand, connecting more than 60 million registered users and over 2 million subscribers to the content they love, and building fan-favorite series into 360-degree experiences with events, games, merchandise, and more. Crunchyroll is available in more than 200 countries and territories and simultaneously translates simulcast series into eight languages around the world. "Anime is a celebrated, diverse art form with a rich culture rooted in imaginative worlds and vibrant characters. Crunchyroll has centralized these fantastic adventures for everyone to enjoy,” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max, President, TNT, TBS, and truTV. “This WarnerMedia family collaboration is bringing together an incredible collection of content with a passionate fandom and HBO Max is tottemo ureshiii to expand the reach of this inventive artistry.”  “The HBO brand is known for premiere content and innovative storytelling. By bringing series from Crunchyroll to HBO Max, we hope to introduce anime to a wider audience who appreciates compelling stories told through this dynamic medium,” said Joanne Waage, General Manager, Crunchyroll. “Together with HBO Max, we are delivering the maximum reach for these incredible anime series, and we can’t wait for new fans to fall in love with anime.”  TITLES AVAILABLE ON DAY ONE, MAY 27th: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Full Series (64 episodes) Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Edward Elric’s limbs from his body and left his brother Alphonse’s soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philosopher’s Stone. Re:ZERO - Starting Life in Another World- (Director’s Cut) – Season 1 (13 episodes and 1 OVA) Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student, is transported to another world where the only person to reach out to him was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Determined to repay her, Subaru agrees to help the girl find something she's looking for. In/Spectre – Season 1 (12 episodes) In this Crunchyroll Original, an enthralling, fantastical mystery mixes with the supernatural and romance, as a duo sets out to solve a series of dark incidents plaguing their world. Keep Your Hands off Eizouken – Season 1 (12 episodes) Three high school students band together to create an animation club to realize the "ultimate world" that exists in their minds. Rurouni Kenshin – Full Series (94 episodes) Former government assassin, Kenshin Himura works to keep the peace during the Meiji Era in Japan, a time of troubled renewal after a long and bloody civil war.  KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! – Seasons 1 and 2 (22 episodes) Kazuma Sato is transported to a fantasy world filled with adventure after a traffic accident. Now, along with the goddess Aqua, he is on a quest to solve many of this world's problems. Bungo Stray Dogs – Seasons 1 – 3 (37 episodes) Kicked out of his orphanage and on the verge of starving to death, Atsushi Nakajima meets members of the "Armed Detective Agency" said to solve incidents that even the military and police won't touch. Berserk – Seasons 1 and 2 (26 episodes)  Spurred by the flame raging in his heart, the Black Swordsman Guts continues his seemingly endless quest for revenge. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – Season 1 (12 episodes) At a time when the industrial revolution was carrying the world into the modern age, a horde of undead monsters suddenly appeared. The people of Hinomoto have built fortresses to help them survive this threat.  Kill la Kill – Season 1 (24 episodes) Six years since their collaboration on the ground-breaking anime series, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Hiroyuki Imaishi and Kazuki Nakashima are back to shock the world! Ryuko Matoi is a vagrant schoolgirl who enters Honnouji Academy to search for clues to the truth behind her father's death. Your Lie in April – Season 1 (22 episodes) Kousei Arima was a genius pianist until his mother's sudden death took away his ability to play. Then he meets a violinist named Kaori Miyazono who changes his life forever. ERASED – Season 1 (12 episodes) A young manga artist struggles to make a name for himself while living with a strange condition that transports him back in time before something life-threatening occurs. How can he erase the threats to stop this from happening?  Kiznaiver – Season 1 (12 episodes) A secret high school group is formed with students from different cities who share one another's pain: a "Kiznaiver."  Schwarzes Marken – Season 1 (12 episodes) In 1983, the East German Army 666th TSF Squadron, “Schwarzes Marken,” is a special-response force tasked with assaulting BETA forces.  91 Days – Season 1 (13 episodes) During prohibition, the law held no power and the mafia ruled the town. This 91-day story follows men guided by revenge as they try to escape their tragic fates. The Testament of Sister New Devil – Seasons 1 and 2 (22 episodes) Basara Toujo is a high school student whose father has suddenly just remarried. Hijinks ensue as his father then departs overseas leaving Basara with two new beautiful step-sisters.  Rokka -Braves of the Six Flowers – Season 1 (12 episodes)  Legend says, when the evil god awakens from the deepest of darkness, the god of fate will summon six braves and grant them with the power to save the world. However, it turns out that there are seven braves who gathered at the promised land. TITLES AVAILABLE AFTER INITIAL LAUNCH WINDOW: Hunter x Hunter  Gon, a young boy who lives on Whale Island, dreams of becoming a Hunter like his father, who left when Gon was still young. Death Note Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Read the full article

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Newegg Is Giving Away A Custom #Maythe4th Gaming PC

Newegg and Justin Robey, AKA RobeyTech teamed up to create this one-of-kind PC featuring a 3D printed and hand-crafted Kylo Ren face mask case mod that even glows red. Valued at $4,500, this PC contains the some of the best hardware available, including an AMD 16-Core Ryzen 9 3950X CPU, ASUS Dual Geforce RTX 2080 Ti Video card, Corsair Dominator Platinum memory, custom cooling from Optimus Water Cooling, WD SN750 Black SSDs, all enclosed in a Rosewill Prism T PC case. Some lucky person will win this bespoke PC. Go to www.newegg.com/maythe4thbuild to enter. 

RobeyTech spent 140 hours customizing and fabricating this build. He published a video chronicling the effort here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTXMpIiDFys Read the full article

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Trick Questions | An Interview with Creator and Star of Magic for Humans, Justin Willman

Justin Willman’s magic and entertainment career began when he was 12 in a very “un-magical” way. He fell off his bike and broke both his arms. His orthopedic surgeon recommended he learn card tricks as an alternative to physical therapy and to get the dexterity back in his hands. Soon he was performing for friends and family, then at the local skating rink, Denny’s, and at his junior high school. Fast forward to the present and Justin has performed at the White House; on multiple talk shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show; and on his own Netflix series, Magic for Humans. The show will begin its third season on May 15. I got a chance to talk to Justin about a variety of topics, including how he started his career, his Netflix show, and his advice for aspiring magicians. Read more here: Read the full article

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Quarentine Re-Reads: Harleen

If I can say anything about the imposed quarantine it’s that I have much more time in my day, and nights, to focus on the things I love. In between the all important activity of staring up at my stucco ceiling and lazily stirring my third pot of boiling noodles, I’ve found myself picking through my shelves of comics and graphic novels. Rarely do I re-read titles already on my shelf after the initial read, but digging through them once again has been an exciting distraction from the ever impending social isolation that may or may not be related to the quarantine (It is…. I promise…. Please believe me). The first title to come off my shelf, and the one I bring to you, is the recently released Harleen by Stjepan Sejic. After flipping through its pages again I found the hours had been chipped away and I couldn’t help but bring it as my first suggestion for our Quarantine Re-Read. Harleen was published through DC’s Black Label publications back in September of 2019. With both the writing and art being done by Stjepan Sejic, it brings the classic character of Harley Quinn into the spotlight once again by retelling the slippery slope of her backstory. Since the story was published through Black Label, Harleen includes the same dark content viewed through a much more mature filter. Including unfiltered profanity, mature sexual content, and uncensored violence, this reiteration of Harley Quinn’s backstory is less about the character dominating DC’s “bad girl” scene and more about the victimized woman that once was Harleen Quinzell. If you’re not already familiar with the story of the sassy anti-hero with the annoying Brooklyn accent this is an excellent introduction. From the bright, but downtrodden, doctoral graduate into the lovelorn and obsessed sidekick of Batman’s nemesis, Harleen Quinzell takes wrong turn after wrong turn on a path she herself admits as evil. The overarching theme in each of the three comics (presented as books in the graphic novel) can be boiled down into two ideas, “The road to hell being paved with good intentions” and “The abyss stares back”. The first is evident from the series’ narrator, Harleen herself, in how she retells the event, highlighting every wrong turn made for the best intention. Each choice gets muddier and muddier. These particular decisions reflect well on the character herself as a beacon of good intention. The second main idea, expressed explicitly by the Dark Knight, is shown brilliantly in the series’ depiction of the clown prince of crime himself.

It seems unfair to link the Joker as a pivotal part of Harley Quinn’s character. Especially in light of the recent Birds of Prey film which focuses on the explicit intent of Harley to distance herself from the Joker. Despite this, however, the Joker’s influence is what makes Harleen Quinzell, Harley Quinn. Stjepan takes the typical maniac, murderer, and psychopathic perspectives, and waters them down to an uncomfortably convincing subtlety. Paying homage to many different iterations of the character, Harleen’s Joker seems to stand out as having a genuinely well designed attraction. With each step down the fractured rabbit hole that Harleen takes, the reader takes one right alongside her, skeptically approaching the attractive volatility of the man with the smile. Throughout each scene and each page we’re shown a little humanity of the character, one we desperately want to believe is true. Of course, we all know how the story ends, we know what hides behind that smile. In addition to the depth of character we see portrayed in her budding romance with Joker, we also see the beginnings of Harley’s classic character relationships. Many of the rouges gallery make appearances, some brief and some with major story rolls, most notable are Two-Face, Killer Croc, Hugo Strange, and Poison Ivy. The friendship and support Harley receives from Poison Ivy in particular, is shown in its infancy through a handful of heartfelt scenes. While advertised as tertiary to the events of Harleen this relationship is one that is begging to be expanded on in later Black Label titles. Beside Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn’s relationship with Killer Croc has seeds planted in animosity and annoyance, leading to a particularly violent encounter later in the series. In addition to these major players, little cameos can be seen from characters including Bane, Penguin, Zsasz, and Victor Freeze. The traditional heroes, however, take a back seat serving only as supportive characters such as Batman and Commissioner Gordon, and brief cameos or offhand mentions such as Robin, Batgirl, and Alfred. From the first page to the very end, the reader is wrapped up in the city of Gotham, viewed from at first, the hopeful perspective of an everyday citizen. Then watched as the cynicism and mania of its worst villain twists that perspective, creating a dark and wickedly enjoyable story. The amazing visual art and compelling writing brings Harleen to the forefront as one of my favorite DC stories within the last year. Told from the growing Black Label publication, this dedicated Harley Quinn story is one that any true fan shouldn’t pass up. During this quarantine I highly recommend picking up all three books or the collected graphic novel, taking a hit of the laughing gas with me, and starting the story of Harleen Quinzell. Oh, and don’t forget to smile!

Spoiler Corner!!!

Alright, now is the time I want to touch on a few of my favorite parts of the story. Spoilers will be ahead, so if you haven’t had a chance to read Harleen, Batman:Damned, and Batman: White Knight, you may want to check them out before reading further. All of these DC Black Label series feature Harley Quinn iterations in a few issues for some, and as a major character and plot point for others. I wanted to commend the various perspectives found in each one of these series. The heartbroken spinout found in Batman:Damned really highlights the anguish, attachment and dependency issues, and rage Harley has within her. While not particularly pivotal to the story itself, it is a refreshing look that is in direct opposition to the tilted glee frequently seen with the character. Batman:White Knight and Harleen have very similar depictions of the character, but further apart in their stories. White Knight shows the dichotomous nature of her character perfectly by bringing both depictions out as unique characters. One we see more often on the screen, shown as childish and prone to tantrums of rage. The other is seen as lovelorn, intelligent, and capable. The latter has much more in common with the Harleen Quinzell seen here in Harleen, just perhaps a little more dour. Each iteration adds something unique to the character and all are worth experiencing.  As for the specifics of Harleen there were two scenes I found to be strikingly effective. The first scene takes place in Harleen #1. Not yet having met the Joker, Harleen Quinzell is walking in Gotham when she is caught up in the most recent of Joker’s schemes. She comes face to face with the Joker for the first time. While this scene itself is enjoyable for its future implications, it is the ensuing battle between Batman and Joker that truly captured my attention. Caught up in a tactical smoke grenade Harleen is consumed by panic and fear watching the battle unfold. This scene shows a typical Bats showdown from the outside all while maintaining a noteworthy sense of tension. It is as enjoyable to watch unfold as if we were viewing the drama from the caped crusader’s perspective. The fantastic scene setup was worth spending time admiring even through my subsequent readings. The second scene that I found particularly gripping was the climax of Harleen #3. Two-Face has broken into Arkham Asylum, the romantic tryst between Harleen and Joker has been sealed (with blood among other things), and Harleen is rushing to find Joker in the chaos of a breakout. After finally catching up with him, Harleen saves him from a revenge seeking guard who has been her only friend during her tenure at the Asylum. She does this by point blank shooting him in the head. Harleen as a narrator claims this to be an accident, but the trauma was inflicted and the line was crossed. While what stood out to me was the visual representation of her psyche shattering with the pull of the trigger, the aftermath has an eerie finality that ties the entire series together exceedingly well. Finally relinquishing her control of her own mind, she immediately latches onto the Joker’s near kind words. With that final fracture, the rest of the story is history.  While memorable for most every aspect of it, the gripping cover art for each issue is worth mentioning as well. Each cover showed a sense of emotion mixed with just enough madness to give me hope for the story I have wanted for her for the longest time. I knew from the moment I opened the hardcover graphic novel to the moment I closed it, that that hope was well founded. Stjepan Sejic delivered the story that Harley Quinn deserved and has deserved for a long time. Read the full article