#because tv and movies as a whole are just different now... many due to hollow cash grabbing

[the-chosen-half-of-one]

Honestly kind of surprised Warner Brothers hasn't tried to capitalize off of a live action Hex Girls spinoff movie or show or something yet, because they're both beloved but also very flexible in the lore behind them, so there's so much they could do with that and probably a decent audience out there for it, but I'm also afraid by even just saying that, the worst adaptation of them possible is probably manifesting into existence as we speak and we can't let that happen, or it's already being conceived as a tax write-off because no one's allowed to win in the creative world anymore *sighs wistfully thinking about the 2002 Scooby Doo masterpiece that just genuinely would never have happened at any other period in time*

[bravadoseries]

Probably weird and hard, so take you time to answer, but if Audrey was canon in the comics, what changes would be made when adapting her character into a MCU? I mean stuff like the fact that Tony built his in Afghanistan in the movie when in the comic he did it in Vietnam.

this was such a fun question thank you so much!  i’m gonna separate this into two parts: audrey’s comics storyline and how her mcu adaptation is different.  so sorry this is so long! 

audrey rogers (later audrey lange and audrey banner) was introduced in the 1950s after captain america’s popularity declined and the war ended.  her original aging thing was that she aged pretty fast and then like maxed out when she was physically 18 or 20 (like the baby from twilight).  she was originally supposed to speak to teenage girls and other women to encourage them to embrace patriotism and reject communism, and she’s mentored by her father (since peggy’s originally written in the comics as a pretty minor character).  audrey is given her batons by howard stark but in the comics they’re much more torchlike (really emphasizing the whole lady liberty moniker).  

throughout the 50s and 60s, she’s got a dual-identity thing going on.  she’s audrey lange (nee rogers), a teacher married to Joshua Lange, her high school sweetheart and a young, good-hearted, all-american politician.  nobody knows about her identity except for her father, howard stark, and howard’s son tony.  

during the 60s, lady liberty and black widow are often portrayed as character foils and enemies.  lady liberty is sweet as apple pie, she likes to kiss babies and shake hands with senators and say things like God Bless America while the black widow is seductive, brutal, and most importantly—communist.  the two are each other’s biggest rivals for the beginning of their respective comics’ histories (ok i just watched killing eve and i am obsessed with it but i think they are usually trying to track each other down similarly to eve and villanelle).  idk if you watch glow but it’s like the zoya/liberty belle characters. that’s what’s going on. 

in the comics, lady liberty is responsible for helping black widow defect from the red room and join the American cause.  their first enemy together is julian bardot, who is selling nuclear tech to the highest bidder, and both of them want to discourage their respective organizations from purchasing nuclear bombs as the comics began to go into more anti-war propaganda.  audrey teams up with tony at this point and their comics characters become friends.  

during the vietnam war, the whole american propaganda thing was declining in popularity so they sent audrey to vietnam as a spy, where she was known as the angel of mercy.  after realizing that the war was a corrupt cause, she abandoned the angel of mercy title and began working as a vigilante with civil rights activist and empire state engineering student lindsey dubois, caroline, a secretary heavily implied to be gay (living with her close female friend and unmarried) who would become the vigilante ace of spades, chinese refugee and nurse claudia liau, and delphine lamontagne, a french exchange student who came to the US looking to find a scientist to help her understand her powers.  They specifically target human traffickers.  

At this point, Josh Lange becomes mayor of New York City, and the strain of audrey’s vigilantism and her unwillingness to have children leads their marriage to crumble.  they divorce and it’s a big comics thing (later, backlash causes marvel to try to retcon their marriage at all and say they were just engaged)  

lady liberty is written into the avengers in the 1970s again because she realizes that the vigilantism was too dangerous or something (i feel like realistically it’s just that sales were low for a diverse group of female heroes but whatever).  her storylines are based around that for a few years, however, after the marvel comics watergate, captain america abandons his title and becomes nomad and audrey abandons superhero work in favor of working as a lawyer (? i think).  

in the 1980s, audrey is written as working as a law professor at culver, where she meets bruce banner.  i don’t know a ton about hulk comics but i think he was permanently hulked out for the 70s and started gaining control in the 80s? pretty sure.  anyway audrey’s never met bruce before but he’s got a dual identity thing going on and she’s like You Really Seem Familiar.  when she figures out his dual identity a) they become romantically involved and b) she tries to get into hero work again.  

there was a lack of interest in her character as more than a love interest, though, so from the late 80s to ’91, audrey is kidnapped and brainwashed by hydra.  she’s given powers through hydra experimentation but refuses to use them unless forced to because they cause her immense pain.  she is activated through trigger words and known by the name Red Scare.  During this period, she serves as one of Captain America’s primary antagonists, but he doesn’t realize that Audrey is his daughter, he just thinks she’s dead.  

When the Soviet Union falls in 1991, Audrey is returned to the united states and begins working as a shield agent because of the intelligence she’d collected while abroad.  Josh Lange, now running for president of the United States, proposes to her in the late 90s and they marry, but Audrey begins to secretly undermine his political agenda once he’s elected due to his staunch anti-gifted stance and preference for order, no matter the cost.  Audrey is portrayed as an unsatisfied First Lady until 2005, when Tony Stark starts the New Avengers to help defeat the mass breakout of the Raft, a prison holding many supervillains.  Knowing she cannot just stand by, she leaves Joshua and commits to becoming a hero full time.  

During the Civil War comics arc, Audrey opposes the mandatory federal registration of super-powered beings due to her experience with politicians.  However, many oppose her presence in the movement for that very reason.  She and Bruce Banner attempt another romantic relationship, but he favors the registration act and they soon break up.  When her father attempts to surrender in order to stop the violence, she does so instead, knowing that she will be less of a loss to the movement.  

At the same time, the United States launches Hulk into space (idk this was a real thing with the whole planet hulk arc) and Thor, wanting to help turn Hulk back into banner, breaks Audrey free from prison and brings her to Sakaar.  She helps him turn back into Bruce and the two actually begin a romantic relationship, with him seeing where the registration act got him (Launched Into Space).  When they return to Earth, Audrey and Bruce both decide to retire from hero work and open a school not for mutants but for other powered people which becomes a rival to charles xavier’s school.  

From there, it’s a bunch of sporadic storylines.  I think at some point she may become director of SHIELD when Steve is president?  Because I know that was like a thing in the 70s. audrey’s powers are connected to thanos in a way that’s spoilery so I won’t go too into detail but when he pops up with the infinity stones arc, she plays a part in that.  

anyway!

So there’s a lot of differences between the hypothetical movies and the hypothetical comics but i think obviously the biggest is Audrey’s backstory and aging.  Since she ages slowly and was without Steve’s guidance, she grew up isolated and protected from the rest of the world.  Audrey’s personality at the beginning is supposed to be reminiscent of her personality as the initial Lady Liberty—very sweet and positive and very much a character foil to Natasha, but instead of Audrey recruiting Natasha to SHIELD and helping her become a hero, it’s the other way around.  Obviously Peggy’s role is very different, too, as is Josh’s (he’s a much more minor character in the films than in the comics).  

The first Lady Liberty film adapts her transition from more of a hollow, symbolic hero to someone who is directly involved in the fight.  There’s also references to her Red Scare arc except it’s the 60s and not the 90s.  Here, we also have reference to Natasha and Audrey fighting Julian Bardot and his weapons, but removed from the Cold War context and instead shifted to the post-Chitauri circumstances.  Delphine is also introduced, though not as a vigilante at this point or as a student but as a capable DGSE agent.  The setup here is for her to have her own adventures eventually I think.  

A lot of the changes have to do with the order of things.  Because the MCU takes place over a decade and not like 50 years, things get switched around.  TWS and AOU are both more modern plotlines that got reinvented and brought into the MCU.  I think I’m probably gonna be changing the Civil War conflict to add more of the comics element to it as well.  

Audrey’s vigilante team storyline, though unpopular at the time of its original publication, works better now, so it’s brought back for the second Lady Liberty film, which is set after Civil War.  Audrey at this point is much more brutal and has lost faith in the system similarly to how she lost faith in the system because of Vietnam.  Audrey never becomes a lawyer, but she does have a reunion with Bruce post CW during the MCU equivalent of Planet Hulk because (though unlike the comics he went by choice) he got launched into space.  Audrey’s involvement in this storyline is much more accidental in the movies than in the comics.  

I think also unlike the comics, Audrey doesn’t use her powers more because she feels unnatural when she does and not because it physically hurts.  She also loses control.  The movies also more specifically detail how where her powers came from.  

The third Lady Liberty film, resurrection, is a movie that covers Audrey, Thanos, and more of her outer space adventures lol.  And the next gen TV series, which primarily just features guest appearances from the Avengers, adapts the idea of the Avengers Academy.  

thank you so much again for this ask sorry it got so long i had so much fun answering it !!!

[indie-struggle]

The Brass Tacks: 9 Billion Thoughts and Counting...

It looks long, but if you're a writer you should have no problem reading this. There are a lot of writers out there. A lot of writers out there. A lot. Think about how many writers you know and aspiring writers you come across and writers who are working on a script or even a novel, and then think about the fact you're only thinking in terms of your own country... maybe even just your state. Does the world need another fucking screenwriting book? No. There are both sides of the paradigm: McKee's Story, and O'Bannon's Guide to Screenplay structure. The only book on screenwriting that doesn't exist is the one that takes you from point A: as a complete amateur, and then helps you turn your script into a produced film for little to no budget at all, and finally to point B: a festival and distribution. Why doesn't this book exist? Because either they don't know how to do this or they're selfish and want to keep it to themselves. You think John Sayles or Jim Jarmusch wants everyone knowing point A-Z on how to go about doing what they do and get away with it? Actually, they'd probably be okay with it, but they'd never write a book. All the books out there are by hacks who never had anything produced, which is why they have the time and stamina to write them. Now back to the point. There are a fuck ton of writers out there. There are a fuck ton of filmmakers out there. Now I don't know if this is getting through yet, and I don't know if it all got more popular due to consumer product advancement and the internet, or it's always been this popular and I didn't know about it until the internet. Either way, there are way too many hacks. There is too much crap. Self-titled Youtube star: You've written 3 short scripts - not enough. You haven't put in the time it takes to understand wholly and completely the fantastically dreadful and agonizing world that writing is. You don't know shit yet. You need to put in your hours, your dues. You're not going to know enough by reading 5 screenplays and watching comic book movies over and over and over again. You're not - come to terms with that. What the hell do you have to draw from? It would be like a singer thinking they're ready to cut an album after 3 lessons, a show party, and an invite to a backstage orgy a of couple times. Here are my tips from a working, produced writer and director that has tried to help as many people as possible, but still can't seem to get it all through their thick fucking heads. And if you think I'm base or coarse, try working with James Cameron and you'll realize I'm the nicest fucking guy in the state of California - so here's 10 things: #1. Put in your hours. Like anything else, filmmaking: writing, directing, producing, budgeting, electric, gripping, etc, etc - even craft services must know how to cook the food you eat, they don't just flop the first thing they make onto a plate and say, "Well that looks edible. Good luck, everybody." But what does hours mean? It means writing, writing again, again and again and again. Taking breaks here and there, sure, thinking about story, figuring things out, reading, watching, being uncertain, and having zero to fall back on. I want to stress that last part. If you have something to fall back on you'll never get anywhere - you've already set your hindsight on a safety net so you'll never put your whole life and passion into your work. Put in the hours. Put in the years. Get film history and not just American films either - I've said this until I was blue in the face: every writer or filmmaker you idolize film history is soaked in foreign and American films dating to 1920 and possibly before. You’re not going to be like them without doing that. Period. Get to work. #2. You're going to be rejected. Say that to yourself. You... are going... to be... rejected. It is a fact of life. If there is one thing that Stephen King got right in his book to himself. It's that no matter where or who you are, or what you want to do, there will always be somebody who doesn't want you to do it. It's just a fact. Get over it, fuck them. Because if all it takes is someone to say, "I don't like it." to get you to fall to pieces, you never stood a chance to begin with. This is the only rule I know that's 100% true. You have to say fuck what anyone thinks, but still know where you lie, know your skill set, and know your place in the chain of command. #3. There is no how to do it book. If these motherfuckers like [removed] and [removed], [removed], [removed], [removed], and [removed], knew what they were talking about, they wouldn't be writing books or critiquing to make ends meet, they'd be working on the exact thing they're trying to give you advice on. Look at me for example. I've had over 5 feature films made - have I any desire to write a book about it? Do I want to write a book? Fucking no - why? It takes a staggering amount of arrogance to write a "Here’s the rules." book. Perhaps I'll do a seminar if I make it to 80, though. #4. Get offline. Leave, take a break from it. Disconnect. You need something to stimulate your mind. The internet does not stimulate your mind. This is why I hardly post, because I'm outside, doing shit, and stimulating my subconscious through conscious activities. Example: surfing, building puzzles, painting (poorly), walking around town and people watching, taking a class to learn something new, reading a novel and not falling asleep, trying to meet nice people, failing, etc. I was - and I'm going brag now - hugged by a woman who I told to get the fuck off facebook. Why? Because it's a poisonous environment. When you first wanted to do the things you did as a child - that great feeling and anticipation of doing it - did you check first to see what others might think? No, you just did it. People who spend their life on the internet, that's all they got, and it's all they'll ever have. Like assholes at the gym everyday. That's their life. And much like a book, there is no secrets that will plant you in the door to where you want to be out there that’s on the internet. You need to do the work that doesn't require anyone's opinion - especially not from a poisonous swamp. Disconnect. Trust me on this. No TV, no internet. No reading this. #5. No, you don't have a great idea for a TV show. Day after day after day I'm pitched TV show ideas, and they're all fucking terrible. "Well maybe Netflix will--" No, they won't. And if they do, great, fantastic, but what does that mean in the end? Netflix has an agenda. There are reasons you can't see things on there. Even 30 year comedians can't get specials released on there because they're too "risky" or "Dangerous" for this "climate" blah-blah-blah (Nick Di Paolo comes to mind). In the end you'll just be a stenographer pandering to smiling execs under a different logo, is that what you want? To be a tool for money? A whore? God, if my parents could only see me now. If you want to do that, then fine, have at it - but get out of my sandbox - because I bet you dollars to donuts, at the end of the day, you'll feel cheap, hollow, and empty inside if you have any insides left. Just because some random show got picked up, doesn't mean it has the weight or resilience to continue. You must know this. Even pros like David Milch have had shows ripped from his grasp by idiot studio executives that went to Brown and think they know what you want to see. It's bullshit. Netflix is even more brutal in cutting throats - they'll just stop the show, period. At least studios and production companies will say no beforehand, that's the only difference. What makes me so certain? I wrote for one of the shows on there, and I’ve worked with these people (if you can call it that). #6. You must realize that not every story is aimed at a Hollywood studio's idea of a universal audience. Just like not all music is aimed for Tower Records or EMI. Ambitions do not have to be at studio level production budgets. They don't. If that's what you like - making big action packed sci-fi what have you - then by all means have at it. But never (which is something I try never to say) judge someone else's work under a shallow pretense that it's written for the Hollywood studio system. Always keep an objective mind. And if you're not experienced enough to know what a certain story is aimed at, what budget it's written for, what audience it will appeal to (as if that's important), than ask or say nothing at all. Do not assume Sally's cute story about women and their troubles with men was aimed for a studio production, because it wasn't. And you pretending it was makes you look like an inexperienced ass. Avoid that. #7. Yes, no one owes you a read. But, just because someone read your work also doesn't entitle them to be a piece of shit for the sake of being a piece of shit. You're allowed to ignore. Personal preference is not the same as criticism. It's not - never has been. Didn’t I do an article on this? You must know how to dicern between the two. I'm on both sides of this. I've read a lot of crap, but I've read a lot of decent work as well. A lot of the crap was of stuff I liked and disliked, and same with the decent reads. It did not, however, effect my criticism - I set my personal preferences aside - and judged for what didn't work as a story. And you need to do this as well. Judge it for what it is, not what you want it to be, what you would like better, or what you think would sell to an audience - the writer doesn't give a shit anyway - so don't waste your breath on that, they want useful facts about what doesn’t work and why. You need to be explaining what you found that worked, and what you found that didn't work, or was confusing to you. This sets off light bulbs in the writer's head (one hopes), and your criticism becomes constructive. Think of it from another, power-structure perspective: you have little experience in cooking, you're an intern for a famous chef. You eat one of his meals and it's not so great, not your "cup of tea". So you decide to tell him what you would have done and what you think would be better. But, you're the intern - why should the chef give a shit? In fact, you're probably just seen as a fool giving advice to someone who knows what they're doing and instead of being helpful you’re a moron following a set of rules you picked up somewhere. Why? Because you’re not a chef yet. #8. No one is going to hold your hand through this. It's a tough, masochistic art, that sometimes isn't even art. Sometimes it's a slot machine with the idea of praying for a big winner. Fuck, I wish I could tell you it's not. I wish I could tell you that all your dreams are horrifically beautiful and fantastic and lovely and everyone cares about everyone else. But they don't. It's cold out here. You die at the end. You're going to get trampled on, spit at, kicked around, beaten and pushed until the only thing left of the person you used to be is ash with bad knees, a migraine, and a sore ego. That's the way it is. Have you ever wondered why people in the entertainment industry have astoundingly fragile egos? Why they constantly suck each other off? This is why. Things have always been separated between two things: good ones and bad ones. "I thought you were a good one.", "I was worried you were one of the bad ones." There is not enough space here to go into detail on what this means, and how it has effected and affected people just trying to live and make art since 1890, but it's awful and it's a disgrace (read Sidney Lumet’s book). In short, it's the business side. Frigid. Unless you can let things go, unless you have a great bullshit detector or can let it roll off your back. My advice to you is to be as solitary as possible, and work on what you want to work on. It may not pay, but damn it at least you'll be doing what you want to do, and you'll have no regrets in the end because it’s from the heart. #9. Everyone is different. Not everyone is into the same things as you. And not everyone sees orange as the same color you do. Only kids think this way. Doesn't matter what social media says, the media in general, or politically correct congregations. We're not all the same. The "fucks" in your dialogue will be taken by one person as anger or threatening, and another person as just normal speaking. Backgrounds are different, environments are different. Hair styles are different. White houses, or broken fences. Different. We are not homogeneous. Film is also not a soapbox, or podium for political causes and social agendas. If you want to push an agenda, make a documentary. Cinema is also not (regardless of what undeserving rich directors think) about money. Its lively hood and quality doesn't exist on whether or not a certain number of people bought a ticket. You have any idea how many geniuses over time died flat broke and are only now recognized for their feats? Anyone can feed peanuts to a hungry idiot if given the chance. They’ll gobble that shit up. But peanuts never stand the test of time.

“Nobody knows what the hell they’re doing“ - William Goldman

What cinema is about is simple: broadening minds, culturing people about things they've never seen through places they've never been, and reflecting human emotions. Real human emotions, not sentimentality. Fantasy is fun, and has its place, but nothing but fantasy is disillusionment. Ultimately, if you have nothing to say in the former regard, who or what are you doing it for? The money? The pain? Why? Cinema is not just about entertainment. That's what the circus is for - not film. If you're not trying to make an objective moral point, or reflect human nature as how it's seen in a way most can't see it, then what are you doing? What part of this is you? The money? These are the things that you will be asked by a producer or executive. #10. You're struggling, you don't know if you have it, you don't know if you've lost it. You're confused, puzzled, irritated, aggravated, disappointed, hate filled, self-loathing but polite to strangers for some reason... there is no path you can see through the forest. That’s because there isn’t one. But every creative person goes through this, you are not alone. You are not alone. I know it doesn’t help with the pain, but at least there’s that. Whether or not you keep going separates you from those who quit - as cliche as that sounds - it's goddamn true. Find your pace, and just keep going. You’ll know sooner or later if it’s in your blood. If that wasn't enough to motivate you, let me tell you a brief story: When I was a boy, I had one parent, I was emotionally abused on a daily basis by her because I looked like the man who left. My father was somewhere. I was abused by my classmates. Betrayed by so called friends. Chased by the police. Oppressed by my teachers. Sought after by gang members, beaten up daily, fought back daily. I wasn't liked. No idea why, confused. And this was all while dealing with just the growing up part, and puberty to boot. But, I escaped into a world that thankfully wasn't drugs, yet every analyst I've ever seen has told me that it normally should have been. But it wasn't. A lot of bad shit has happened to me, and I've met a lot of people. This is my personal well I draw from. If you don't have one, you usually make one just by living: being a player and not a spectator. I've lived a lot - too much, too soon. But the point I'm trying to make is that somehow I'm still alive. I am alive. I never thought I'd make it to 20. You hear that a lot, but I really didn't. I had 3 close friends, and 2 of them did not. The 3rd moved away, or ran, it doesn't matter - he forgot me, so I try hard to forget him. I had no college education, I had no picket sign with any anti-something on it. I had, and still have, whatever my pocket gives me. That's it. That’s all. And I'm damn happy to have it. Now, I'm long, long past 20. I can’t even remember it. And if someone like me who has been through the things that he's been through can heal from bruises, try to sew up wounds... then you can sit your fucking ass down and finish your goddamn script. I've finished plenty of mine. So knock off the bullshit and just do it. What are you worried about, failing? So what, get back on the bike.

[hoogiehowser]

MEDIA DIARY JANUARY

:::::::::: MOVIES ::::::::::

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) I liked this so much I ended up seeing it twice. The animation is on a whole different level from everything else in theaters I just can’t believe it. Nothing has immediately endeared me to a character more that when Miles gets to the place where he’s going to put up graffiti and yells “BROOKLYN!” to get the echo. Absolutely perfect. 

Happy Death Day (2017) The trailer looked good but the trailer for the sequel looked even better. Good time repeating movie. Way better than Blood Punch. I’m excited to see more of this.

Alien: Covenant (2017) Had no clue what to expect going in but I actually dug it. It’s just Alien again like every Alien movie but what they do with David from Prometheus makes it really interesting. There’s also some straight up slasher movie sleaze that definitely appeals to me.

MacGruber (2010) It’s just a bunch of dick jokes while a bad action movie happens. There’s no clever spin to it.

Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) Wanted to watch this due to the Fast & Furious connection. It’s a great movie about overachievers and getting away with shit. I think Justin Lin is a great director and his unique voice benefits every movie he does.

Collateral (2004) I didn’t realize until the credits that this was a Michael Mann movie but it was so obvious in hindsight. The premise is simple, Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx are great, and everything comes together in a genuinely cool film.

Wilson (2017) Based on a comic I don’t particularly like from Dan Clowes’ grumpy old man phase. The cool thing about the comic is that each page works on its own and has a different art style. The movie can’t do that. But it’s still faithful to the book which means it feels like a series of one page gags strung together until it finishes. Woody and Laura Dern are great though and it is pretty funny at times.

Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare (2018) There was another truth or dare based horror movie a year before that was a Syfy original. The Syfy one is better. The problem with them both is the supernatural contrivances that make people play truth or dare against their will. It’s such a strained premise.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) Guy Ritchie made a King Arthur movie and it feels exactly like you’d expect. 

Thoroughbreds (2017) Girl who can’t feel emotions befriends girl who is very politely hiding her extreme emotions. Things get bad when they start to think about murder. Anton Yelchin plays a druggie scumbag loser. It’s such a good movie. 100% my kind of thing.

:::::::::: TV ::::::::::

The Great British Baking Show (Beginnings, Collections 1-4) Got addicted to this one. I love cooking competitions shows and pleasant ones are usually the best. I like seeing competitors that like each other. I like Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry not trying to tear people down. I love Mel and Sue. It’s just a nice show for the nice people.

Toei Spider-Man (Episodes 1-5) I’m not a big toku guy but Spider-Verse got me curious about various Spider-Men. Takuya Yamashiro wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider, he was injected with blood from the last survivor of Planet Spider and carries out a mission against Professor Monster’s Iron Cross Army to avenge Planet Spider and his own father. Next to nothing present from the classic Lee/Ditko Spider-Man and that’s totally alright. I’m going to try to watch more because the episode where Spider-Man has to donate his blood to hurt child has some serious heart.

The Prisoner (Episodes 7-17) I started watching this a while ago but only now got around to finishing. Mostly super clever plots and the atmosphere is always great. Patrick McGoohan sells it every single time. Some of the later episodes go really off the rails though. There’s an entire wild west episode. Nothing in this stretch tops my favorite episode, The Schizoid Man, where Number Two brainwashes Number Six to act differently and then forces Number Six to pretend to be Number Six while a different man is already pretending to be Number Six. The ending is solid though and carries a really good tv series to a confusing, surreal end.

Cutthroat Kitchen (Season 7, Episodes 1-7) Polar opposite of The Great British Baking Show. It’s the Mario Kart of cooking competition shows. Everyone tries to fuck each other over and Alton laughs at them the entire time. It’s brilliant.

:::::::::: PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING ::::::::::

TJPW Tokyo Joshi Pro ‘19 (January 4) I don’t follow TJPW and don’t know any of their wrestlers besides Meiko Satomura but I watched this because it was on before Wrestle Kingdom. Meiko vs Reika Saiki definitely made the show worth watching and the rest was pretty alright. Lots of fun, new personalities that I like.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13 (January 4) Probably the most I’ve looked forward to a show and it absolutely delivered. For the past few years I’d watch WK and recommended matches but in in July I started following everything NJPW. That added investment made this WK special. Ibushi/Ospreay tore it up and I really hope Ibushi recovers soon. Jay White/Okada shocked me. Naito/Jericho was fucking brutal. And Kenny Omega vs Hiroshi Tanahashi was a match I was so invested in that I thought I was going to cry. If you haven’t checked out New Japan yet this show would make an excellent start. GO ACE!

Impact Homecoming (January 6) Impact has gotten pretty good. I’ve only seen a few of their most recent ppvs but it’s obvious that they have a wealth of talent and they’re willing to tell the kind of dumb stories that I really like. Since Homecoming was in Nashville I went and it was one of the best shows I’ve been to. The energy was insane all night and LAX vs Lucha Bros has to be the best match I’ve seen live. Now that they air on Twitch I’ve been following the weekly show and enjoying it quite a bit.

WWE Royal Rumble (January 27) I always love the rumble but the rumble was weird. Both rumble matches were okay but filled with dumb stuff and way too many recovery spots that were immediately deflated by the person getting eliminated. I like the winners. AJ/Daniel didn’t deliver like I wanted. Sasha and Ronda had a good match. I loved how Finn Balor worked Brock Lesnar’s diverticulitis. Fun show.

NXT UK Takeover Blackpool (January 12) NXT UK doesn’t really grip me aside from the women’s division. I liked this well enough but nothing really changed my mind. Finn Balor made a surprise appearance and he looked like such a star compared to everyone else. Excited to see what WALTER can do here though.

GCW 400 Degreez (January 12) GCW’s brand of hardcore indie nonsense is my absolute favorite. 400 Degreez isn’t the best they’ve done but it was full of disgusting beautiful deathmatch bullshit. Markus Crane vs Nate Webb especially.

NXT Takeover Phoenix (January 26) Takeover always delivers. Johnny Gargano vs Ricochet was definitely the match of the night. I don’t dig the War Raiders schtick but their match was great. Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler also killed it.

:::::::::: COMICS ::::::::::

One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (Volumes 1-10) I wanted something long to start reading so why not One Piece? Enjoying it so far. I like getting the crew together and Usopp’s story in particular is great. Oda is a master cartoonist. I love every time we get reaction faces.

Spider-Man: Fever by Brendan McCarthy Spider-Man fever got me wanting to revisit Spider-Man: Fever because I remember liking it. I still like it. Doctor Strange accidentally opens a doorway into a spider dimension and Spider-Man gets caught in Doctor Strange’s bathtub and the alternate dimension spiders take him. All this and McCarthy’s art make Fever pretty far out. 

Spider-Man 2099 by Peter David, Kelley Jones, and Rick Leonardi (1-15) Miguel O’Hara wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider, he had Peter Parker’s DNA put into him by weird future DNA machine and he wages war against the gigantic corporations that control everything. I like Spider-Man 2099. Miguel is so different from the Peter Parker archetype and he’s got claws and fangs. He’s brutal. It’s got a neat post-hero future kind of like Batman Beyond. I stopped reading because the next part is a crossover with Punisher 2099, Ravage 2099, Doom 2099, and X-Men 2099. I’ll hopefully pick it back up because I want to know what happens with the hologram that’s in love with Miguel. 

Spider-Man by Kazumasa Hirai & Ryoichi Ikegami Yu Komori was bitten by a radioactive spider and he definitely wishes he wasn’t. It starts off a lot like our usual Spider-Man but the villains are so much more tragic and Yu deals with some heavy shit. Ikegami’s art evolves from cartoony to serious as the tone of the book changes. He’s a really incredible artist who is consistently pulling neat tricks and trying new things. I really liked this and it may top my favorite Spider-Man comics. It’s just so bleak and unforgiving to poor Yu. By the way, the final plotline is exactly the same as the Sonny Chiba movie Wolf Guy. Turns out the comic that movie was based on was written by the same guy that write Spider-Man. An odd find.

:::::::::: VIDEOGAMES ::::::::::

Axiom Verge Had my eye on this for a long time and finally picked it up on sale on my Switch. It’s okay. There are a lot of clever ideas here that I don’t think work for me. But I do like the decorrupter and the teleport. Some of the movement feels great but some stuff like the grappling hook feels awful. I hate the story. Completely incoherent sci-fi nonsense. But it’s a fun game and I enjoyed my time with it.

Hollow Knight I’ve spent about 30 hours on this game and I feel like I’m close to the end of the story. I absolutely love it. The movement, the combat, and the exploration all feel excellent. I’ve played over ten metroidvanias in the past year (I really like them) and this might be the best. My favorite part about them is how you’re almost never wasting time because there are new secrets to discover all across the map and Hollow Knight does such a good job with that.

[letalerp]

ＡＬＩＡＳ: AGENT 11 ＣＩＶＩＬＩＡＮ ＮＡＭＥ: VIVIAN HAYES ＢＩＲＴＨＰＬＡＣＥ: DUBLIN, IRELAND   Ｄ．Ｏ．Ｂ ／ ＡＧＥ: AUGUST 29TH, 1977  / FORTY

❝ All you ever needed was a camera and microphone, from the plastic toys to the real deal. Your family forced to watch through horrendous clips and attempts to movies but you were only a child and it took you awhile to grow into your abilities. Once you knew your audience, how to work your multiple cameras and the editing programs, you were unstoppable. Life didn’t exist if it wasn’t through a lens and people weren’t worth talking to unless they agreed to participate in your many antics. None of it was ever in vain and eventually those who had doubted you could see you on their TV screens, travelling the world and interviewing anyone who crossed your path. You became known for your fierce style and skills to coax anything out of anyone, so full of potential and ego that you couldn’t have predicted your own downfall. You might have been able to always find the truth but the truth isn’t always pretty, is it? Drug cartels don’t take exposure lightly and all it took was one little secret for your entire life to implode. But much like a phoenix, you were given the chance to rise from the ashes. You’ve been able to relight the fire, now it’s time to decide whether to keep it burning or snuff it out. ❞ 

ＳＰＥＣＩＡＬＩＴＹ: INTERROGATION

↳  Research, languages.

ＧＥＮＤＥＲ: FEMALE (SHE/HER)

THIS CHARACTER IS CURRENTLY CLOSED AND IS PORTRAYED BY JESSICA CHASTAIN.

Tell us a bit about your past. Do you have a family? Where did you grow up?

The question irritates her. It’s far too broad, but she knows it’s necessary. It’s not the agent’s fault. They were probably given a list of necessary questions, but Vivian can’t help the way the irritation coils around the base of her spine and climbs up vertebrae by vertebrae. It’s not how she would conduct an interview, or was this a psych eval. She had already forgotten. She plasters a smile, the illusion of happiness puts people at ease more readily than the constant scowl that feels natural to her. It’s the only reason she’s survived all these years – adaptable. Tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, she shrugs with a small laugh. It sounds hollow in the stark white room, but she pushes it aside. “Don’t we all have a family, regardless of how we feel about them.” Her jaw tightens ever so slightly at the mention of them. Because she does have a family, yes, but she hasn’t seen them in years. Not since the entire fucking cartel debacle and joining UMBRA. It was better this way – or that’s the lie she tells herself over and over until she believes it. It was her own doing. Better to leave her family out of her antics, it would only end up getting them hurt. “If you can’t tell by the accent or the file in front of you, we have a problem.” Her smile grows at her own sarcasm. Maybe it would tack down some extra points to keep a closer eye on her, but every agent had their own way to cope – this was hers. “Dublin, Ireland.” Memories of her childhood rush through her head. Day trips to the countryside just a few hours outside Dublin. Her mother and father both in tow, one holding a cooler filled with food and the other a blanket comically large. Not every memory was so shiny and bright, but her parents did their best. They made her feel loved – always encouraged her to follow her dreams. Every pay check a little money put aside to buy Vivian the latest gadget. They spent hours sprawled on the carpet in front of the TV watching various ‘movies’ Viv had put together. None of it was good, but it was a beginning – the foundation to the rest of her life. Pulling herself out of her memories, she shifts slightly in her chair. “I was a happy kid. I had far too much time on my hands with a wild imagination. Imagine the type of trouble a girl like me could get up to in beautiful Ireland.” Leaning forward with a wistful smile now adorning her features, she whispered. “Then double it. My family never asked me to tone it down and they got left with this.”

What were you doing in your life before UMBRA reached out to you?

The nicotine craving hits her like a freight train. She knows she can’t ask for a break – a pack of cigarettes lays tauntingly on the table. She could ask, they were probably left there so that anyone being questioned would. But a part of her doesn’t want to give into temptation. It’s a game Vivian plays with herself – hold out as long as she can. Licking her lips, she forces herself to look away from the pack and back to the interrogator. “A little of this and that. Mostly trying to stay alive.” A bitter laugh escapes her lips as she leans back in the uncomfortable chair. She stops herself from shifting. She knows the game. It’s usually her on the other side of the table – packet of cigarettes, the promises of a sugary cold soda, and a little rest if her subject would just answer a few more questions. She doubts if anything UMBRA does isn’t designed perfectly to try and manipulate its agents – especially after what happened to the Vice-Director. “A drug cartel doesn’t take kindly to being exposed. Who knew?” Another bitter laugh, this one hurting her own ears. It’s been years and still the thought makes her blood boil. What the fuck had she been thinking? “I knew, I just didn’t care.” She rubs at her jaw; it’s begun to ache something fierce. The pain akin to the months after her last big news piece and how when she slept, she only woke to find she had been grinding her teeth the whole time. “Honestly, I was trying to piece my life back together. In the end, it didn’t seem like it amounted to much to anyone but me.” The story, the lie, the secret. The irritation encompasses the base of her spine again and she’s afraid, just for a moment, that it might never leave. The months after her story ran made up entirely of complete paranoia. How Vivian managed to survive made absolutely no sense. She knew that cartels killed for far less than she did. A part of her knew she was only alive because of the affair with her – one of the cartel higher ups. It hadn’t been on purpose – another lie Viv forced herself to believe. It was easier to believe that they had tumbled into bed in a completely innocent sort of way – that her idea for her next big exposé came from pillow talk. But that was bullshit. Everything Viv did was calculated, even who she fucked. Finally giving in, she shifts in the metal chair – the legs loudly scraping across the tile. “I was…” Her voice trails off as her eyes hit the cigarettes again. “Paranoid. I saw danger lurking behind every corner. I wasn’t sure who to trust, so in all honesty, ma’am, I was merely surviving. It wasn’t much of an existence.”

What was the worst phase in your life? And if you were able to change the past, would you?

Vivian stops herself from slamming a fist on the table. The questions are annoying her now. She believes it’s absolutely by design and maybe this senior agent isn’t just the person who picked the short straw. They’re probably just as complicit as whoever designed the questions. Logically, she knows her anger isn’t towards the questions or the proctor. Not really. It’s at herself for her past. Years and the rage still burns bright inside of her. “My last story.” The words come out soft, but she has no doubt the other agent hears her perfectly. She knows they won’t ask her to speak up and risk ruining this perfectly orchestrated moment. The game she’s been playing with herself ends. It makes no difference how long she holds out. In the end, she was never going to win this evaluation. “Can I have one of those?” Her eyes burn a hole into the cigarettes and she feels the coil loosen slightly as the agent slides them towards her, lighter in tow. Fingers shaking slightly, she lights a cigarette and holds the smoke inside her lungs until it starts to burn. The need for oxygen too great and she exhales towards the ceiling. “Maybe you saw it. I exposed a drug cartel. I got my own 20/20 special. Can you fucking believe that?” This time, the laughter than bubbles up is genuine. The memory of that phone call still one of the better things that’s every happened in her life. Vivian never cared much for fame. It was all about the story. She wanted to know what made the world tick, what made people tick. She traveled the world with a video camera. Her crew always small because too many people could ruin something. Which looking back was hilarious because all it took was one person – herself. “I was on top of the world. I was going to make a difference. I knew it wouldn’t shut down right away, but it was a beginning. The cartel would have to be more careful, maybe even go underground. I was naive.” She shifts again in the chair followed by another deep drag. The nicotine hit her system twenty seconds after the first inhale, but her fingers only begin to steady now. “I fucked up along the way. I made… some mistakes.” Her statement was putting it mildly. Vivian’s honestly amazed she’s even alive. Maybe it was due in part to UMBRA. She had a rising suspicion that the organization had a hand in her still walking in the earth. Purely for selfish reasons, she didn’t believe UMBRA had truly altruistic reasons for anything they did. Fucking Ariana had been the biggest mistake Vivian had ever made in her forty years of life. But it was easier to tell people it was the drug cartel story. Not that the follow up to running that story had been her own personal fall from grace. She compromised her ethics to get a story. She had slept with the enemy and liked it – almost loved it on the days when she felt like being brutally honest with herself. It was dangerous, Viv knew that from the get go. It somehow only made the story even better. The insect part of her brain knew that it would backfire – that fucking her source would blow up in her face. And yet, she never stopped it. Not even while she sat in her dimly lit hotel room editing together footage. She didn’t even want to stop when the story was shopped around. It only stopped because Ariana pressed a gun to the base of her skull and yelled at her to get the fuck out and never show her face again or it would be the last time Vivian ever did anything.

Her chest tightens at the last memory. Her eyes burning as she takes another drag from the cigarette. If anyone asks, she’d blame the smoke. Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she ashes the cigarette into a tray. “No. I wouldn’t change it. It was a learning experience.” Another lie, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is the smoke filling her lungs and the promise of alcohol when this entire fucking interview was over.

Do you perceive your work here with us important? if so, explain why. if not, explain why.

“Yes. If I didn’t find something important, I wouldn’t do it.” It is the most honest thing to come out of her mouth in the entire afternoon. Not that anything has been a lie. The cigarette is half gone now – tendrils of smoke escaping from her fingers. Vivian has never been one to waste her time. Even this evaluation is necessary, no matter how tiresome she finds it. The idea of answering just a few more questions and then she’ll be free is all that keeps her going. “I admire the fact that everything is shrouded in secrecy. UMBRA doesn’t ask for credit and doesn’t take credit. We just… do things. Things the public doesn’t want to know, but they would be helpless without us.” Her ego takes over as she answers. When she first arrived, Vivian only cared about her survival. It’s still a matter of that. She’s not sure that even UMBRA can protect her from what awaits her outside these walls. But for now, it’s a distant memory that doesn’t have to be dealt with. At least not yet. She has time and for someone who always figuring they were living on borrowed time, it’s a blessing in disguise. A part of her wants to investigate this organization. It’s just what Vivian does. She finds something interesting and finds out what makes it tick. The image of the Vice-Director shot flashes through her mind. It’s better to keep her head down for the time being. No need to put her life at risk for something so soon. “I think every agent plays an important part in this agency. We couldn’t thrive without the other. If you didn’t have me, you wouldn’t get all the answers. But I wouldn’t be able to provide them if someone didn’t bring me a person to interrogate. I have a big ego, but I can recognize that UMBRA is a well oiled machine. Without each part, it would collapse.” She snubs out the cigarette and leans back in the chair. It pokes at her spine and she wants to scream. Her answer is honest. Every time someone answers her truthfully, she feels accomplished. It’s almost the same feeling she got when editing together a particularly delicious video clip. Almost. She gets to rely on her instincts again and gets praised for her work. It’s better than skulking in the shadows waiting for death to arrive.

Is there anything that you believe we can do differently and why?

Vivian shrugs. Her patience is wearing thin. Not that it had ever been great to begin with. It still feels unnatural that she’s on the other side of the table. Fielding questions was never her forte. She preferred being behind the lens, or in this case, behind the clipboard. “What do I know? I’m only an interrogator. I’m sure things can be done differently or we wouldn’t be having this sit down, right?” She scrapes the chair loudly against the floor. The petty part of her hopes that it leaves scratches. A small reminder that she was in this room and annoyed. She leans her elbows on the table – something her mother would slap her for – and smirks. “You can tell the boss if they want me to do a little investigating, I can put something together. Maybe tell you guys where you need improvement. The best part would be, no one would even know what I was doing. Except us.” She gestures a little wildly between her and the interrogator. She can’t help herself. She doubts anything will come of her offer, but at least it’s floated.

What is the one thing that you will never do, or at least, will refuse to do?

Weariness is setting in. Enough to make her shift in her chair once again. It’s uncomfortable to the point of frustration. All she wants to do is slam her fists on the table and scream. It wouldn’t do much for the psych eval, but it would relieve whatever’s been coiling around the base of her spine. At this point, she’s not sure if it’s irritation or something else entirely. What she does know is that getting out of this room would release some of the pressure. Her eyes glance at the pack of cigarettes and she toys with the idea of lighting another as she ponders the question. There’s a lot of things Vivian wouldn’t do, but when it comes to UMBRA she’s not entirely sure. Not right off the bat. Interrogation doesn’t get her outside these four walls very often.

Tapping her fingers against the metal table, she offers a shrug. “Murder. Or killing. I’d really prefer not to dabble into that sort of thing. I’ve seen the worst of humanity, but I’m not ready to dip my toes in that water.” A cold stab of dread hits her right in her belly and she feels dizzy. She briefly wonders if the cigarettes are laced with something. She wouldn’t put it past UMBRA to try and dose someone during an interrogation. In fact, it would be brilliant. She had asked for one, it had never been offered. She realizes that maybe that answer isn’t entirely true. She’s not necessarily cold-blooded, but she’ll do anything to survive. The last few months have proved that. Dropping her hands to her lap, she absentmindedly pushes against her knuckles. Knuckles that are still bruised from her last interrogation. UMBRA isn’t like the outside. Answers aren’t only provided with a clever tongue and well timed questions. Inside these four walls, Vivian uses whatever means necessary to extract information. Torture is never conducive to producing real results, but she’s found a few hits here and there loosen the tongue rather nicely. Worst of all, she likes it.

Last but not least, who do you think killed the Vice-Director?

Last but not least. Sweet release is right around the corner. It’s the only thing Vivian can focus on. Her back now sore from the stiff, unrelenting chair. The question makes sense given the circumstances, but still throws her off-guard. She understands that was probably the point. Ask a big question and see how the person reacts. Shifty eyes and perspiration on their forehead and digging a little deeper might be the right course of action. Grabbing the lighter and cigarettes, Vivian pushes herself up from the seat and the table. Her body screams in pain for just a second before she catches herself. “How the hell should I know? He wasn’t the primary target, so I’d look for anyone who had a real beef with the director.” She rams the items into her pockets as she takes a few steps towards the door. The interrogator hasn’t moved from their position and that seems like a good thing. She hopes there isn’t some sort of guard outside the door who will stop her and haul her back into the uncomfortable chair.

Hand outstretched for the doorknob, she turns in her heels and studies the older agent. “You’d be better suited for some sort of position. Interrogation isn’t your strong suit. No offense.” The words drip from her mouth from honey. She knows she should have just kept walking. But it’s just not how Vivian operates. She can’t help herself from a little bit of needling – a way to assert her dominance short of pissing all over the room like a dog. Smile plastered on her lips, she pushes the door open and heads into the hallway. No guard. Maybe someone would reprimand her later, but she doesn’t care. All that matters is that the interview is over and she doesn’t have to think anymore. At least for a little while.

[movietvtechgeeks]

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Tom Hiddleston gets outacted by a gorilla in 'Kong' review

Kong: Skull Island Review

Let’s face it. I’m not a fan of King Kong, but I do like a good monster movie. I’ve seen the 70’s version which was good, and later King Kong Lives, which was bad and the Peter Jackson remake which was great. I only saw these on TV and cable. Like I said, not much of a fan but with Kong: Skull Island, after seeing the trailer, being a Godzilla fan and knowing what Legendary Pictures is up to, I decided to see it, and all I can say is—It’s awesome! The Film This little review won’t give away too many spoilers, but I’m still inclined to give the obligatory spoiler alert because you deserve to see and enjoy this film. One good thing about this film is that there’s hardly a dull moment. At the start of the film, set in World War II where an American and Japanese pilot crash on the island, they are greeted by the titular character in his gigantic glory. Hey, you’ve seen him in the trailers anyway, why hide the big guy? It’s unlike Godzilla 2014 where we only see his dorsal fins during the opening sequence when the world superpowers were trying to kill him with ‘nuclear tests.' One major criticism for Godzilla was that the titular monster was mostly hidden from the audience. Audiences won’t be disappointed with this one. The characters’ back stories are quickly set up at the beginning which is good. Unlike other Kong films, this one was set in the 70s during the Vietnam War as can be seen by the helicopters used in the trailer. Watching this film, you could say that it’s a mix of Apocalypse Now and Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid. Again, the action won’t disappoint. Less than 30 minutes into the film, old Kong gives it to them, and the whole plot is set up where we join the cast on their journey off Skull Island. Also, unlike other Kong films, the great ape stays on the island. The film again is not much of a remake but a re-imagining and more of a set-up for what’s to come. And boy, there will be much to come. The Cast Since I wasn’t a big fan of Kong, I never did any research on who the cast was. The only thing I was aware of was Tom Hiddleston, much known for playing Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be leading the cast. Him and John Goodman who plays the role as William Randa, leader of the expedition. It was a surprise to see the names of Samuel L. Jackson, Hiddleston’s co-alum in the MCU and lastly, future MCU member Brie Larson, who will be playing Carol Danvers or Captain Marvel, in Marvel’s own female led superhero film. Tom Hiddleston plays James Conrad, the British mercenary who will be acting as their guide in the uncharted territory. We’ve mentioned what Goodman’s role is while Samuel L. Jackson plays Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard, the leader of the expedition’s military escort and requisite human asshat who wants to capture or kill the great ape. The Vietnam War setting comes into play regarding Jackson’s role, and though most of the time he’s unreasonable, you’ll piece together where he’s coming from. Brie Larson plays Mason Weaver the mission’s photojournalist, to cover or chronicle to the mission and basically plays Kong’s girl. Her relationship with Kong in this film is one of the aspects where the film departs from its predecessors. Then there’s Chinese actress Jing Tin in the role of San Lin, the expedition’s biologist. God, is she pretty. Unfortunately, she’s as pretty as she is useless and more likely, a token Chinese character due to Legendary’s collaboration with Tencent Pictures. But boy, is she pretty, and since Kong is set in the 70s pretty much like a prequel to Godzilla, we may not see her again. Did I mention she’s pretty? Lastly, John C. Reilly plays the American pilot trapped on the island since 1944. The Japanese pilot who has since become his friend died years earlier. He’s the comic relief, the voice of reason and the voice of knowledge in the film. The Easter Eggs There are plenty of Easter eggs scattered in the film. Randa’s organization, Monarch was present in Godzilla 2014 quickly confirming the two films’ shared universe. Goodman even mentions the purpose of the nuclear testing in Bikini Atoll. The film also discusses the Hollow Earth Theory that is upheld by Monarch, where Earth’s monsters like Godzilla and the MUTOs originate. This is an homage to the theory of a large habitat within the Earth which goes way back to the original 1954 Godzilla film. It’s also kind of similar to the premise of Pacific Rim or Journey to the Center of the Earth. The best Easter egg of all within the film, if you are a Godzilla fan comes somewhere within the credits themselves and then later at the post-credit scene. The Monsters The premise where King Kong fights Godzilla is totally cheesy for this writer, but it happened way back in 1962. The thing about Godzilla is that there are many different versions, of varying heights and minor changes in appearance but one thing that’s always contested is the size ratio between the two monsters. Well, in the 1962 film, King Kong’s was upsized for battle, and that is the same thing they did here. They greatly upsized Kong to perhaps times four. But still, Godzilla 2014 still outsizes Kong. They did say in the film that Kong is still growing though it’s kind of hard to imagine given the size of the skulls of Kong’s parents. How far can Kong grow in 50 years in order to be a match for the giant lizard? Anyway, if you set those thoughts aside and see the film for what it is, you’ll be sure to enjoy yourselves. The island is home to plenty of oversized monsters such as the unfortunately unseen giant ants, harmless giant bisons, prehistoric-looking birds, a giant long-legged spider, a giant squid for an ape who likes sushi and the main antagonists aside from Jackson’s Packard, the gigantic Skullcrawlers. Kong protects the island’s human population against these exoskeletal reptilian monsters that come from underground vents which proves Randa’s theory of a hollow Earth.  Like in previous Kong films, the humans have a giant wall, but unlike previous Kong films, the wall isn’t to keep Kong out but to keep the Skullcrawlers crawling in. Expect great human vs. monster and monster vs. monster battles in this film. And lastly, about that awesome Easter egg, I read something awesome like this as the credits rolled up. “Characters Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah are property of Toho Inc.” That was a WTF moment for this author. Were they really planning to use these monsters in future films? Are we to expect an appearance of Rodan or Mothra in future films? If I’m not mistaken, the giant spider in the film is a reference to the monster Kumonga. The awesome end-credits scene will tell it all. The screen will remain dark, and the first sentence will seem to mock you for staying. Keep to your seat. If you’re a Godzilla fan, you won’t regret it. Too bad everyone else in the theater left before I did. Yes, everyone missed out but this geek trained by Marvel to stay after credits. Guess everyone knows by now that this technique is to honor everyone involved in making the film so the audience can have a fleeting glance of a name or two and their respective roles in making the film. The Verdict Though some critics liken Kong to a B monster movie, it didn’t feel like it at all. Perhaps in the future if there are further cinematic improvements it might be. The film was action-packed and entertaining. It’s a definite departure from previous Kong films considering the film is actually an entertaining elaborate setup. I might get flamed for saying that the only sour note here is probably Tom Hiddleston’s performance. He got ripped in this film, that’s for sure. Better for him once he returns as Loki in Thor Ragnarok but I found his performance a bit lacking or perhaps his character just didn’t have much to do really. But he was awesome in his hack and slash scene in the middle of the film. John C. Reilly’s performance was a standout. Jackson, as always was great but sometimes felt mechanical. Jing Tian was pretty. And Kong himself? Even though he’s pretty much CGI, Kong was awesome. Kong is King!

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