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dipulb3 · 4 years ago

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Analysis: White guilt, apologies and why Hollywood is a cauldron of race issues at the moment

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/analysis-white-guilt-apologies-and-why-hollywood-is-a-cauldron-of-race-issues-at-the-moment/

Analysis: White guilt, apologies and why Hollywood is a cauldron of race issues at the moment

Despite complaints about “cancel culture” and racist insistence that people who talk about these important issues are “playing the race card,” Hollywood can’t seem to get away from conversations about race and diversity.

And while hopefully those discussions can lead to progress, lately they have led to controversy for some.

Osbourne said she didn’t necessarily agree with Morgan’s comments, but defended his right to make them. She herself was accused of being less than respectful when she berated Underwood for appearing to get emotional and insisted that if anyone should be crying over the conversation, it should be Osbourne herself.

Her perceived “victimhood” not only didn’t go over well, but the incident led to both an apology from Osbourne and an investigation by CBS into happenings on the set of “The Talk.”

Chris Harrison: “The Bachelor” franchise and its issues with race have long been discussed.

From its lack of diversity to last year’s outrage over “Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown using a racial epithet while jamming to a song, it’s safe to say the reality show has generated some headlines on matters of race.

But things came to a head this season after the casting of the first Black “Bachelor,” Matt James.

Longtime franchise host Chris Harrison has had to step aside from his duties after controversial comments he made during an interview with Rachel Lindsay, the first Black “Bachelorette,” who has been working for the TV show “Extra.”

During the chat, Harrison appeared to defend contestant Rachael Kirkconnell for being photographed at an antebellum plantation-themed fraternity formal event in 2018.

Harrison apologized, and James ended up giving Kirkconnell the final rose but then broke up with her over the controversy.

Billie Eilish: This instance was not so much an apology aired but rather yet another time a White artist has felt compelled to acknowledge a Black artist when an institution — in this case, the Grammys — did not.

Last Sunday, Eilish took home the final award of the evening, the prestigious record of the year, and used her acceptance speech to explain why rapper Megan Thee Stallion, one of her fellow nominees, really deserved it.

“You are so beautiful, you are so talented,” Eilish said. “I root for you always. You deserve it, honestly.”

If the moment felt familiar, it was because we had seen it happen before.

Adele tearfully gushed about Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” album deserving to win album of the year in 2017, instead of her album “25.”

Three years before, White rapper Macklemore apologized to rapper Kendrick Lamar for winning rap album of the year instead of the Black artist.

Race and identity politics can be complicated, but what’s not hard to understand is that these incidents happen because disparities and a far-from-level playing field absolutely exist in this world and in Hollywood.

Until that changes, someone is going to end up feeling sorry for it, or at the very least need to acknowledge it publicly.

For your weekend

Three things to watch:

‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’

Calling all superhero geeks.

The time is now to finally see how the Justice League film fared in the hands of Zack Snyder, thanks to the release of this extended director’s cut. Joss Whedon had stepped in to complete the 2017 film after Snyder left the project due to personal tragedy.

“The result of this fresh take, strictly from a creative and filmmaking standpoint, is fascinating: How did two different directors — Whedon, who birthed the ‘Avengers’ franchise on screen; and Snyder, who tackled adapting the famously unadaptable ‘Watchmen’ — approach the same material?” is how my Appradab colleague Brian Lowry described the project.

The movie premieres Thursday on HBO Max (which is owned by Appradab’s parent company).

‘Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal’

Ripped from the headlines, as they say, this film uses re-enactments to tell the story of the college admissions scandal that landed several wealthy parents — including celebs Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman — in legal trouble.

The story dominated the news for months, and now you can relive it all by heading over to Netflix, where it’s currently streaming.

‘Minari’

Now that the Oscar nominations are out, you may want to check out some of the nominees.

“Minari” is up for six categories, including best picture. The drama draws on director Lee Issac Chung’s childhood to tell the tale of a Korean American family trying to survive in rural Arkansas in the 1980s.

The film is currently available to stream on several services including Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

Two things to listen to:

Justin Bieber recently told Billboard there is a message behind his new music.

“I just want to be somebody who can say, ‘Look, I did some things that I’m not too proud of, but I took a look in the mirror and decided to make some changes, and you can too,” he told the publication. “There was a time where I really did have my identity wrapped up in my career, but I really do have an overflow of feeling like my purpose is to use my music to inspire.”

His sixth studio album, “Justice,” drops Friday and is Bieber’s second album release in 13 months. (“Changes” came out on Valentine’s Day 2020.)

With marriage to model Hailey Bieber and more private time — thanks to quarantining and no cellphone to limit who can get a hold of him — the now 27-year-old former teen idol appears to be at a new stage in his life and career.

Last year, Lana Del Rey announced she would be delaying her new album, “Chemtrails Over the Country Club,” for a few months.

Now, we get to see if it was worth the wait.

The studio album from the singer is the much-anticipated follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2019 collection, “Norman F**king Rockwell,” and expectations are high that she will continue to deliver her special brand of artistry when it drops Friday.

One thing to talk about:

It’s not breaking news that award shows and their voters appear to be out of step with the general public.

But this year’s best supporting actor category for the Oscars is even more confounding.

That’s because the two stars of “Judas and the Black Messiah,” Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya, are both nominated in the category.

Which begs the question: “Which one is the actual star of the film if neither scored a best actor nod?”

I reached out to the Academy about this and a rep declined to comment. So we’ll just have to be content with the fact that the two won’t have to compete with the late Chadwick Boseman, a best actor nominee who is favored by many for what is believed to be his final on-screen performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Something to sip on

Looking for something to watch? We asked some of our friends around Appradab what they binge-watch to decompress.

Fredricka Whitfield, Appradab Newsroom anchor

Not at all uplifting, nor did they help me decompress, yet I indulged in “Killing Eve,” “The Undoing” and some “Lovecraft Country.”

Michael Smerconish, Smerconish anchor

“Call My Agent!” Who’d have thought I’d get hooked on a French TV show with subtitles — but I love it.

Kate Bolduan, At This Hour anchor

How can I limit it to just one?! Now, a year into Covid, here are some of the favorites that have gotten me through — “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Succession,” “Billions,” “The Spy,” “Kids Baking Championship (seasons 1-9),” “The Men Who Built America” and “The Mandalorian.”

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the-desolated-quill · 5 years ago

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Watchmen - Movie blog

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. if you haven’t seen this movie yet, you may want to before reading this review)

A movie adaptation of Watchmen had been in development in some form or another since the graphic novel was first published back in 1987. Over the course of its two decade development cycle, being passed from filmmaker to filmmaker who each had their own vision of what a Watchmen movie should be, fans objected to the idea of a movie adaptation, describing Watchmen as ‘unfilmmable.’ Alan Moore himself condemned the effort to adapt his work, saying that Watchmen does things that can only be done in a comic book. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and in 2009, Watchmen finally came to the big screen, directed by Zack Snyder.

I confess it took me a lot longer to write this review than I intended and that’s largely because I wasn’t sure how best to approach it. Snyder clearly has a lot of love and respect for the source material and tried his best to honour it as best he could. Snyder himself even said that he considers the film to be an advert for the book, hoping to get newcomers interested in the material. So how should I be looking at this film? As an adaptation or as an artistic tribute? More to the point, which of the three versions of the film should I be reviewing? The original theatrical cut, the director’s cut or the ultimate cut? Which best reflects Snyder’s artistic vision?

After much pondering, I decided to go with the director’s cut. The theatrical release was clearly done to make studio execs happy by keeping the runtime under three hours, but it comes at the cost of major plot points and character moments being chucked away. The ultimate cut however comes in at a whopping four hours and is arguably the most accurate to the source material as it also contains the animated Tales Of The Black Freighter scenes. However these scenes break the narrative flow of the film and were clearly not intended to be part of the final product, being inserted only to appease the fans. The director’s cut feels most like Snyder’s vision, clocking in at three and half hours and following the graphic novel fairly closely whilst leaving room for artistic licence.

Now as some of you may know, while I’m not exactly what you would call a fan of Zack Snyder’s work, I do have something of a begrudging respect for him due to his willingness to take creative risks and attempt to tell more complex, thought provoking narratives that don’t necessarily adhere to the blockbuster formula. Films like Watchmen and Batman Vs Superman prove to me that the man clearly has a lot of good ideas and a drive to really make an audience think about what they’re watching and question certain things about the characters. The problem is that he never seems to know how best to convey those ideas on screen. In my review of Batman Vs Superman, I likened him to a fire hose. Extremely powerful, but unless you’ve got someone holding onto the thing with both hands and pointing it in the right direction, it’s just going to go all over the place. I admire Snyder’s dedication and thought process, but I think the fact that his most successful film, Man Of Steel, also happens to be the one he had the least creative influence on speaks volumes. When he’s got someone to work with and bounce ideas off of, he can be a creative force to be reckoned with. Left to his own devices however, and his films tend to go off the rails very quickly.

Watchmen is very much Snyder’s passion project. You can tell a lot of care and effort went into this. The accuracy of the costumes, staging and set designs speak for themselves. However there is an underlying problem with Snyder trying to painstakingly recreate the graphic novel on film. While I don’t agree with the purists who say that Watchmen is ‘unfilmmable’, I do agree with Alan Moore’s statement that there are certain aspects of the graphic novel that can only work in a graphic novel. A key example of this is its structure. Watchmen has the luxury of telling its non-linear narrative over twelve issues in creative and unorthodox ways. A structure that’s incredibly hard to translate into any other medium. A twelve episode TV mini-series might come close, but a movie, even a three hour movie, is going to struggle due to the sheer density of the material and the unconventional structure. Whereas the structure of the graphic novel allowed Alan Moore to dedicate whole chapters to the origin stories of Doctor Manhattan and Rorschach and filling in the gaps of this alternate history, the structure of a movie doesn’t really allow for that. And yet Snyder tries really hard to follow the structure of the book even though it simply doesn’t work on film, which results in the movie coming to a screeching halt as the numerous flashbacks and origin stories disrupt the flow of the narrative, causing it to stop and start constantly at random intervals, like someone kangarooing in a rundown car.

Just as Watchmen the graphic novel played around with the common tropes and framing devices of comics, Watchmen the movie needed to play around with the common tropes and framing devices of comic book movies. To Snyder’s credit, there are moments where he does do that. The most notable being the first five minutes where we see the entire history of the world of Watchmen during the opening credits while ‘The Times They Are A-Changing’ is played in the background. This is legitimately good. It depicts the rise and fall of the superhero in a way only a movie can. I wish Snyder did more stuff like this rather than restricting himself to just recreating panels from the graphic novel.

Which is not to say I think the film is bad. On the contrary, I think it’s pretty damn good. There’s a lot of things to like about this movie. The biggest, shiniest gold star has to go to Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. While the movie itself was divisive at the time, Haley’s portrayal of Rorschach was universally praised as he did an excellent job bringing this extreme right wing bigot to life. He has become to Rorschach what Ryan Reynolds is to Deadpool or what Mark Hamill is to the Joker. He is the character (rather tragically. LOL). To the point where it’s actually scary how similar Haley looks to Walter Kovacs from the graphic novel. The resemblance is uncanny.

Another standout performance is Jeffery Dean Morgan as the Comedian. Just as depraved and unsavoury as the comic version, but Morgan is also able to inject some real charm and pathos into the character. You believe that Sally Jupiter would have consensual sex with him despite everything he did to her before. But his best scene I think was his scene with Moloch (played by Matt Frewer) where the Comedian expresses regret for all the terrible things he did. It’s a genuinely emotional and impactful scene and Morgan manages to wring some sympathy out of the audience even though the character doesn’t really deserve it. But that’s what makes Rorschach and the Comedian such great characters. Yes they’re both depraved individuals, but they’re also fully realised and three dimensional. They feel like real people, which is what makes their actions and morals all the more shocking.

Then there’s Doctor Manhattan, who in my opinion stands as a unique technical achievement in film. The number of departments that had to work together to bring him to life is staggering. Visual effects, a body double, lighting, sound, it’s a truly impressive collaborative effort, all tied together by Billy Crudup’s exceptional performance. He arguably had the hardest job out of the whole cast. How do you portray an all powerful, emotionless, quantum entity without him coming across as a robot? Crudup manages this by portraying Manhattan as being less emotionless and more emotionally numb, which makes his rare displays of emotion, such as his shock and anger during the TV interview, stand out all the more. It’s a great depiction that I don’t think is given the credit it so richly deserves.

Which leads into something else about the movie, which will no doubt be extremely controversial, but I’m going to say it anyway. I much prefer the ending in the film to the ending in the book.

Hear me out.

In my review of the final issue of Watchmen, I said I didn’t like the squid because of its utter randomness. The plot of the movie however works so much better both from a narrative and thematic perspective. Ozymandias framing Doctor Manhattan makes a hell of a lot more sense than the squid. For one thing, it doesn’t dump a massive amount of new info on us all at once. It’s merely an extension of previously known facts. We know Ozymandias framed Manhattan for giving people cancer to get him off world. It’s not much of a stretch to imagine the world could also buy that Manhattan would retaliate after being ostracised. We also see Adrian and Manhattan working together to create perpetual energy generators, which turn out to be bombs. It marries up perfectly with the history of Watchmen as well as providing an explanation for why there’s an intrinsic field generator in Adrian’s Antarctic base. It also provides a better explanation for why Manhattan leaves Earth at the end despite gaining a newfound respect for humanity. But what I love most of all is how it links to Watchmen’s central themes.

Thanks to the existence of Doctor Manhattan, America has become the most powerful nation in the world to the point where its disrupted the global balance of power. This has led to the escalation of the Cold War with Russia as well as other countries like Vietnam being at the mercy of the United States. It also allowed Nixon to stay in office long after his two terms had expired. The reason the squid from the book is so unsatisfying as a conclusion is because you don’t buy that anyone would be willing to help America after the New York attack. In fact it would be more likely that Russia and other countries might take advantage of America’s vulnerability. Manhattan’s global attack however not only gives the whole world motivation to work together, it also puts America in a position where they have no choice but to ask for help because it was they that effectively created this mess in the first place. So seeing President Nixon pleading for a global alliance feels incredibly satisfying because we’re seeing a corrupt individual hoist by his own petard and trying to save his own skin, even if it comes at the cost of his power. America is now like a wounded animal, and while world peace is ultimately achieved, the US is now a shadow of its former self. It fits in so perfectly with the overall story of Watchmen, frankly I’m amazed Alan Moore didn’t come up with this himself.

It’s not perfect however. Since the whole genetic engineering stuff no longer exists, it makes the existence of Adrian’s pet lynx Bubastis rather perplexing. Also the whole tachyons screwing with Doctor Manhattan’s omniscience thing still doesn’t make a pixel of sense. But the biggest flaw is in Adrian Veidt’s characterisation. For one thing, Matthew Goode’s performance isn’t remotely subtle. He practically screams ‘bad guy’ the moment he appears on screen. He has none of the charm or charisma that the source material’s Ozymandias had. But it’s worse than that because Snyder seems to be going out of his way to uncomplicate and de-politicise the story and characters. There’s no mention of Adrian’s liberalism or his disdain for Nixon and right wing politics. The film never explores his obsession with displaying his own power and superiority over right wing superheroes like Rorschach and the Comedian. He’s just the generic bad guy. And I do mean bad guy. Whereas the graphic novel left everything up to the reader to decide who was morally in the right, the film takes a very firm stance on who the audience should be siding with. Don’t believe me? Just look at how Rorschach’s death is presented to us.

It’s very clear while watching the film that Zack Snyder is a big Rorschach fan. He gets the most screen time and there’s a lot of effort dedicated to his portrayal and depiction. And that’s fine. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that. As I’ve mentioned before in previous blogs, Rorschach is my favourite character too. However it’s important not to lose sight of who the character is and what he’s supposed to represent, otherwise you run the risk of romanticising him, which is exactly what the film ends up doing. Rorschach’s death in the graphic novel wasn’t some heroic sacrifice. It was a realisation that he has no place in the world that Ozymandias has created, as well as revealing the hypocrisy of the character. In the extra material provided in The Abyss Gazes Also, we learn that, as a child, Walter supported President Truman’s use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and yet, in his adult life, he opposes Adrian’s plan. Why? What’s the difference? Well the people who died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki weren’t American. They were Japanese. The enemy. In Rorschach’s mind, they deserved to die, whereas the people in New York didn’t. It signifies the flawed nature of Rorschach’s black and white view of the world as well as displaying the racist double standards of the character. Without the context of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Rorschach’s death becomes skewed. This is what ends up happening in the movie. Rorschach removes his mask and makes a bold declaration to Doctor Manhattan, the music swells as he is disintegrated, defiant to the last, and his best friend Nite Owl screams in anguish and despair.

In fact the film takes it one step further by having Nite Owl punch Adrian repeatedly in the face and accuse him of deforming humanity, which completely contradicts the point of Dan Dreiberg as a character. He’s no longer the pathetic centrist who requires a superhero identity to feel any sort of power or validation. He’s now the everyman representing the views of the audience, which just feels utterly wrong.

This links in with arguably the film’s biggest problem of all. The way it portrays superheroes in general. The use of slow motion, cinematography and fight choreography frames the superheroes and vigilantes of Watchmen as being powerful, impressive individuals, when really the exact opposite should be conveyed. The costumes give the characters a feeling of power, but that power is an illusion. Nite Owl is really an impotent failure. Rorschach is an angry bigot lashing out at the world. The Comedian is a depraved old man who has let his morals fall by the way side so he can indulge in his own perverse fantasies. They’re not people to be idealised. They’re to be at pitied at best and reviled at worst. So seeing them jump through windows and beating up several thugs single handed through various forms of martial arts ultimately confuses the message, as does the use of gratuitous gore and violence. Are we supposed to be shocked by these individuals or in awe?

Costumes too have a similar problem. Nite Owl and Ozymandias’ costumes have been updated so they look more imposing, which kind of defeats the purpose of them. The point is they look silly to us, the outside observers, but they make the characters feel powerful. That juxtaposition is lost in the film. And then there’s the Silk Spectre. In the graphic novel, both Sally and Laurie represent the changing attitudes of women in comics and in society. Both Silk Spectres are sexually objectified, but whereas Sally accepts it as part of the reality of being a woman, Laurie resists it, seeing it as demeaning. The only reason she wore her revealing costume in A Brother To Dragons was because she knew that Dan found it sexually attractive and she wanted to indulge his power fantasy. None of this is touched upon in the film, other than one passing mention of the Silk Spectre porn magazine near the beginning of the film. There’s not even any mention of how impractical her costume is, like the graphic novel does. Yes the film changes her look drastically, but it’s still just as impractical and could have been used to make a point on how women are perceived in comic book films, but it never seems to hinder her in anyway. It’s never even brought up, which is ridiculous. Zack Snyder’s reinterpretation of Silk Spectre is clearly meant to inject some form of girl power into the proceedings, as she’s presented as being just as impressive and kick-ass as the others, when the whole point of her character was to expose the misogyny of the comics industry at the time and how they cater to the male gaze. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the graphic novel did it perfectly, but it did it a hell of a lot better than this.

Die hard fans have described the film over the years as shallow and ‘style over substance.’ I don’t think that’s entirely fair. It’s clear that Zack Snyder has a huge respect for the graphic novel and wanted to do it justice. Overall the film has a lot of good ideas and is generally well made. However, as much as Snyder seems to love Watchmen, it does seem like he only has a surface level understanding of it, hence why the attention and effort seems to be going into the visuals and the faithfulness to Alan Moore’s attention to detail rather than the Watchmen’s story and themes. While the film at times makes some good points about power, corruption and morality, it doesn’t go nearly as far as the source material does and seems to shy away from really getting into the meat of any particular topic. Part of that I suspect is to do with marketability, not wanting to alienate casual viewers, but I think a lot of it is to do with it simply being in the wrong medium. I personally don’t think you can really do a story as complex and intricate as Watchmen’s justice in a Hollywood film. In my opinion, this really should have been a TV mini-series or something.

So on the whole, while I appreciate Snyder’s attempt at bringing the story of Watchmen to life and can see that he has the best intentions in mind, I don’t think this film holds a candle to the original source material.

#watchmen #dc #warner bros #zack snyder #review #spoilers

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sundaynightbombers-blog · 5 years ago

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TONIGHT WE DINE IN THE BASEMENT; OR, IF A CGI WOLF IS KILLED WITH A REAL SPEAR, IS IT MURDER?

Have you ever watched/read/listened to something you knew was bad, but did so purely because of how popular it is or was at some point? Ever gone on a disco bender to try and travel back to the seventies, mostly because you can afford only used records and not cocaine? Hosted a French new wave marathon because you keep hearing how wonderful Jean-Luc Godard is, despite him only having maybe three good movies? Gone to one of those hip small art galleries to see what’s new in modern art, except you don’t why that woman is birthing raw eggs?

In this article, I’d like to detail my findings from a recent excursion into a cultural phenomenon years after the fact: I watched Zack Snyder’s 300.

Background: 300 is based on a 1998 graphic novel by controversial-and-not-in-a-fun-way cartoonist Frank Miller (see Sin City and The Dark Knight Returns). The film, released in 2006, directed by Snyder, and starring Gerard Butler (who is not a terrible actor, let’s be real here), was in fact stupidly successful at the box office with an international gross of $456 million against its $60 million budget. However, critics were completely divided, and this days the film is considered not very good.

Total disclosure, it is a bloated, tan-coloured, man sweat-flavoured lemon of a movie.

But why was it such a big deal? Well, I think we can blame the 80s. Specifically, 1982’s Conan the Barbarian. See, Conan was also a massive success upon release, especially among young adult males, similar to 300. Both films were adaptations of successful works within geek culture at their respective times, both made by well-regarded creators, and the fan hype machine obviously had a role in both films being hits. But I think there might be something else, something more… sociological, going on.

Consider: Both films feature a main character who embodies absolute masculinity. They both contain things like honour and respect, all amongst manly men, as emotional cores for the audience. These are films that explicitly tell male-orientated stories, something I’d argue rarely happens. A lot of films that’re made for male audiences are less blatant about it; there’ll sometimes be female love interests, themes and ideas that aren’t absolute in how they addressed from a men’s perspective, and are typically trying to appeal to wider audiences (usually). Movies are about making money at the end of the day, so they need to throw a wide net. These movies? Their net is shaped like a scrotum and carries enough testosterone to power a brigade of Interceptors down a highway.

Now, it’s extremely easy to say that most films cater to male audiences, and I will not deny that. There is truth to it, but in the case of Conan the Barbarian and 300, these films are so grossly direct in who they’re trying to get to see them, it’s kind of amazing. Neither film came out at a time when their genre- swords and sandals- was popular, they were not Oscar bait or major blockbusters, and frankly should’ve seen minor success, let alone become flops. But no, these films soldiered on (literally) and ended up being cultural touchstones for their respective generations of men. They presented male-oriented stories in a way that appealed directly to them. They gave them characters that personified a sense of masculinity that, I would argue, young males secretly desired. They wanted father figures that, in their mind, could treat them like a real man treats his son. It gave them something they didn’t get.

But is any of this a good thing? I dunno. I know some will say it isn’t, some will say (not quite as loudly) that it does, but frankly, I don’t think it really matters. Check it, Conan is now a mere cult film that only appeals to fans of Robert E. Howard or Arnold Schwarzenegger. 300 is basically a joke these days. A too-little-too-late sequel in 2014 confirmed that it had absolutely no staying power, Snyder’s career has gone on to achieve rather abysmal depths (side note: I feel Justice League is somewhat forgivable; he understandably and rightfully left due to a personal tragedy, and I think the film was doomed regardless of his involvement or not), and Frank Miller is seen as a senile old man who had a pretty racist/batshit-insane phase in the 2000s that completely ruined his winning streak. Hell, the graphic novel 300 has become his last masterwork. All that is left in the film’s wake are countless hours of ‘this is Sparta’ memes buried deep in the recesses of the internet, as well as a mediocre and forgotten PlayStation Portable beat-em-up.

I want to end on a few small notes. Firstly, as much as I disliked 300 (no, really, it’s pretty godawful), I did get sucked into it at the end. When the 300 Spartans are dying on the battlefield, and Michael Fassbender grabs Gerard Butler’s hand, and they have an exchange expressing their mutual respect for each other, it kinda got me. The climax is effective, not gonna lie. Also, the blue screen work is sooooo fucking bad, it’s actually distracting.

Finally, what about the book 300? Well, it’s not bad. I kinda dig it. The real kicker is that, Snyder recreated the graphic novel shot-for-shot, and in the process diminished the effectiveness of those scenes. You also see Frank Miller do what he does best one last time, which is made more sad as it makes you remember why Miller was so highly-regarded as an artist; 300 came right before the abysmal The Dark Knight Strikes Back, but it wouldn’t be until the immensely offensive Holy Terror that his reign would ultimately end. Basically, everything after this has never reached those heights in the 80s and 90s. This is his last masterwork, and it’s kind of a fitting one to end on. Didn’t give me much insight, but as a fan of comics it was not without merit.

Too bad we got a shit movie out of it.

~M.C.

#300 #frank miller #zack snyder #notes of a dungeon dweller #bad movies #conan the barbarian #80s movies #Arnold Schwarzenegger #Gerard Butler #film criticism?#masculinity

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haroldgross · 4 years ago

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New Post has been published on Harold Gross: The 5a.m. Critic

New Post has been published on http://literaryends.com/hgblog/zack-snyders-justice-league/

Zack Snyder's Justice League

[3.5 stars]

Films are the realization of a vision. Usually collaborative, occasionally unique to the filmmaker. When Zack Snyder had to exit Justice League, his work got passed to a different artist and, from the results of this epic recut, one that really didn’t understand the intent. And I love Joss Whedon (the director…struggling these days with the man, like many are).

To be clear, I don’t have a lot of respect for Snyder’s previous work, like Batman v Superman which leads into this film. He’s always been too much in his own head and too precious and serious with his plots. But in this expansive version of Justice League, the format changes the entire experience. It is literally operatic for its first half hour or more. At over 4 hours, it has room to ruminate without feeling like it’s out of place. It has room to expand on stories that got little or no shrift in the original release. It allows characters (and god knows their are many of them in this) to become something more than ink and paper. He even manages a few origin stories within the framework of it all.

In other words, it tries to do too much in a single film. But I have to admit, this 4 hour version… a version that would never see the light of the big screen… is actually better than the released version. It makes more sense and has a more cohesive plot and arc for its characters. It also refocuses the entire tale differently than the original release. The result is still a little too serious and the small attempts at humor to buoy it tend to be a little lost and flat. And, in the end, it falls apart in focus while setting up the next, and never made (at least to date), story. But it is at least all within the same framework.

Other than Blade Runner, I can’t recall a director recutting a film in a way that so fundamentally changed the original result. But in this case, I have to admit Snyder succeeded in making it better. Great? No. But certainly better. Despite the long running time, I never got bored. Only one aspect left me confused…and after the epilogue and some research, it was quickly cleared up. I don’t know that we needed this version, but it will certainly be remembered and discussed in film classes and amongst DC fans for years to come.

So if you’re at all curious, stock up some food and settle in for an unexpected treat. And know that it is broken into parts that allow for some bio-breaks along the way.

#3stars #Action #adaptation #craft #Director #Fantasy #grrrls #popcorn #Science Fiction #SeeIt #Movie Review

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geek-gem · 7 years ago

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FNAF Movie News I Seriously Missed

12:12 am weird shit to say went to photo by mistake one time and time out and in of submit thing. Yet just saying I was looking for a link and I'm typing on my phone. I actually missed this and found out on the Wikipedia page for the FNAF franchise after watching Dawko's audio reading of chapter 1 of FNAF The Silver Eyes. Their was littertly a sad quiet just I gas just now or some shit. But in the words of Lori Loud littertly I actually littertly went oh my God in a sad toned voice. The news of Gil Kenan the man who was the original director for the film was not the director anymore when the FNAF movie rights went to Blumhouse Productions. I even looked at his Twitter and this one Tweet. So I looked online and here's a post talking not just about that yet even more. https://www.google.com/amp/www.player.one/five-nights-freddys-movie-director-confirm-five-nights-freddys-4-94977%3famp=1 Let me tell you this and I'm gonna sit down again and turn off my light in case think my dad is showering so okay got that shit done. I wanna talk about the part with Gil and think I've got his name wrong just wait. Looked on Google screen no I got his last name right. Looked at last time I spelt his name yeah the a is there. Honestly this news saddened me a bit. Because I didn't know about this and I talked about it in my live action fan casting for the franchise. Including what is sad during the day which was yesterday it's Tuesday now. My mom, her sister, my cousin T's baby girl, forgot if bro was there. Monster House was on and Gil directed that. It was honestly my biggest hope and well reasons to get hype well it was one of them. Along with Scott being on board. Had to fix the bro thing but okay just..... Really I was quite sad I didn't know about this said in my head it sucks and oh random shit. Because I remember when I first heard about the news he would direct he was teasing the inspirations for the animatronics and other stuff. Okay I don't wanna sound rude yet I wanna be honest. I was also worried because after Monster House okay not Loud House oh head his films seems like they were getting worse. I don't wanna sound stupid. Mainly it's the Rotten Tomatos score for the other films he's made. Such as City Of Amber and the Poltergeist remake with rotten scores. Honestly I make my own opinions these days I do think Rotten Tomatos is a okay site. I just disagree with certain stuff it's just the power all of a sudden it has now on films. Including it's just a site where they collect scores I'm not gonna explain it. Rotten Tomatos is a different site. Seriously I liked how he seemed to have passion for the project and wanting to work with Scott. But it's nice he still likes FNAF and he hopes for a great movie. Also honestly I was thinking when I saw this news. I'm gonna sound stupid. I do feel no not out of the way Gil I really liked Monster House sorry your not part of it anymore. But to be honest I'm kind of glad we will get another director. Including with my mindset on some FNAF stuff. I do feel it's also a nice thing to search for a director with some more experience and their reception in Hollywood. Really a pick I thought of is James Wan. The only film I've seen from him is Furious 7 and I liked that film. Also it's mainly his work on The Conjuring franchise. I'll be honest and only told someone on here. Ever since seeing Annabelle Creation and how I was honestly impressed and my first real exposure to the franchise. But James Wan didn't direct that I think he produced it. Gonna look it up. So yeah he produced it. Still liked what the director did with that movie. Even at times from what I hear producers at times have a big or little impact on films. From what I've heard and seen what people think of the main films The Conjuring 1 and 2 and right now rewrote and typed the latest film in the franchise name itself. Yet I've even looked on Tumblr just random shit I'm mentioning. Including James Wan loves practical effects a lot. Almost put including again sorry but Gil was talking about of making the animatronics real and teasing inspiration for them. That's a good thing. Also he seems to be a very good director. He's mainly my top pick and I hope he understands the franchise. No offense I kind of want someone who has had more experience with horror mainly in modern times right now. Including if he was chosen hope he would work with Scott well. Seriously The Conjuring franchise I'm very interested in it. Thinking this Halloween might just watch some stuff just...I'm thinking okay. Yet as of now James Wan is filming Aquaman. Including he seems to be heavily involved with The Conjuring franchise. Along with The Conjuring 3 might be in production soon when ready because they've talked about it. Also the other cool things he's involved with the Mortal Kombat reboot mainly producer if I'm right and a reboot to the Resident Evil franchise. I'll just link you to Wikipedia despite it's not the best source for stuff. Because I wanna check it out a bit. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wan So I looked at mainly filmography, career, and future projects. Seriously he has a lot of experience with horror. Yeah it's decided he's my top choice and I need to see the first two Conjuring films. Another director that I honestly like it a fan choice. Including just over time mainly this year I'm a fan of his work you might hate me Zack Snyder. He made the Dawn Of The Dead remake which was good said awesome in my head. Okay I'm not the biggest fan but it was brutal and it was good kick ass said in my head stop. Including have seen lots or bits almost left buts and but ha sorry. Yet seen lots and bits of films like 300, Watchmen, and I've talked about these films Man Of Steel, Batman V Superman Dawn Of Justice the ultimate edition I like those films. I can't wait for Justice League this year. Yes the jokes symbolism and the visuals are beautiful. If it almost left toes just if it goes like that. Really honestly with the right script we could be pretty okay and I think he might be okay with working with Scott. Yet with the shit that happened this year and the DCEU. Really I don't wanna stress him out. Also I love James Wan just I like that choice much more. No offense Zack and hey their both in the DCEU too. I just also wanna talk about the other stuff such let me look. Went to the link and forgot to link to James Wan's Wikipedia page. But Jason Blum has talked in here. Also random shit Gil likes the FNAF community which is nice farewell just oh head. Yet Jason Blum talks about the series has a rabid fanbase and without Scott it wouldn't be a good movie. Also just exit out other tab that was James Wan's Wikipedia page. But Jason Blum says Scott has a clear idea of what he wants the movie to be and I like that a shit ton. Including Jason says and I looked and just looked again using the same creator of the game he thinks it will be a great movie. That's really cool and this year with Get Out doing very well and seeming like a great movie. Also Split doing well not just in box office like Get Out yet also critical even in the 70's percentage on Rotten Tomatos. Yet seriously I feel even as a Autistic person I didn't go see the film and haven't seen it yet due to people not liking it because of how the movie portrays split personalities. Yet it's nice it got some fresh score and M Night making better movies now which is also great. From what I remember think it was let me look so checked yes The Visit. So M Night is making better films again. Yeah I got off the link screw it I'll check it just on Midnight's Edge's channel like usual. So checked it it also says Jason Blum feels secure about the film. Checked again and says Scott will be heavily involved since day one. That is really sweet and for some reason hearing Jaeroar's voice. Also I'm gonna be honest about me talking about directors. These were my choices and I really like James Wan to be involved. Because just I feel it fits. Including just I'm feeling and thinking good things of The Conjuring franchise. Yet it's Scott choice and I keep thinking. Because I think he personally chose Gil when looking for a director. Including since Scott being heavily involved in day one. I feel like Jason Blum and anyone with Scott will want to understand and listen what Scott thinks which director and who else fits to direct the film. It's what I said in the post about the live action fan casting and other stuff mentioned in that. I will respect if Scott wants to chose another director I don't know if they are doing that right now. Even if I think James Wan and Scott Cawthon would work perfectly for a great FNAF movie. If Scott wants someone else I'll respect that even the other idea Zack Snyder and Scott Cawthon weird combination of talent yet it was on my mind. Because really I'm gonna say FNAF is not perfect and Scott isn't perfect. Yet the respect I have for Scott as a person and someone who makes games including when I was more obsessed with the franchise. Such as understanding his reasons to make the novels sperate from the games. Really I thought of a funny thing. It's like the In Snyder We Trust quote but here's this quote. In Cawthon We Trust. Now just thinking of David The Film Junkee love his videos of the easter egg video spoiler of him praying to a pic of Zack Snyder.....I put Scott and I was gonna put Snyder holy shit. Sorry about this yet I wanted to share this. So I hoped your not bothered by this. Including looked below comments below Dawko's videos of him talking about FNAF The Twisted Ones and the comments below reading the first chapter of that novel. Read some spoilers a bit hoping it's not much I've only heard one main opinion from someone I know I mentioned her in the last FNAF post fine. @vanessa-the-traditional-artist sorry. Got tags done and sorry to disturb wanted to share 1:13 am

#five nights at freddy's #fnaf #fnaf movie

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moosterrecords · 7 years ago

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King Kong

To Open on Broadway in Fall 2018

At the Broadway Theatre

Written by

Jack Thorne

Score Composed and Produced by Marius de Vries

With Songs by Eddie Perfect

Direction & Choreography by

Drew McOnie

Producers Global Creatures (CEO Carmen Pavlovic) and Roy Furman are pleased to announce that King Kong, will arrive on Broadway in the fall of 2018 at the Shubert Organization’s Broadway Theatre.

King Kong’s first preview, press opening, and on-sale dates will be announced in the coming months. King Kong will play the Broadway Theatre following the limited engagement of Miss Saigon which as previously announced will begin its North American tour in September 2018. King Kong is written by Jack Thorne, who received the 2017 Olivier Award and the Evening Standard Award for Best Play for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and wrote the critically acclaimed play Let the Right One In. The show will be directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie, an Olivier Award winner for the London production of In the Heights and an Olivier Award nominee this year for Jesus Christ Superstar. McOnie directed the U.K. premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical, and the recent London productions of The Wild Party and On the Town. The score for King Kong is composed by four-time Grammy nominee Marius de Vries (the films La La Land, Moulin Rouge, and Romeo + Juliet) with songs by Helpmann Award winner Eddie Perfect, composer and lyricist of the Broadway-bound Beetlejuice, Strictly Ballroom The Musical and Shane Warne The Musical. Pioneering creature designer Sonny Tilders developed Kong for the show, bringing together the worlds of animatronics and puppetry that has never been seen on stage before. Tilders was honored by the Helpmann Awards, Australia’s highest theatrical honor, for Outstanding Theatrical Achievement. Carmen Pavlovic said, “I’m thrilled that King Kong will be coming to Broadway next season led by Drew McOnie and Jack Thorne, who will bring a new dimension to the telling of Kong’s story. Drew’s physical world will allow Kong to live in ways we never thought possible, propelled by Jack’s text and the score and songs written by Marius de Vries and Eddie Perfect.” Producer Roy Furman said, “King Kong is a quintessential New York story and I’m proud to be involved in this historic production. Our team is creating a theatrical experience that we hope will astound audiences, while delighting them with its heartfelt storytelling." Based on the novel of the original 1933 screenplay, the stage show of King Kong is a contemporary take on the classic tale of beauty and the beast. King Kong’s design team for Broadway will include Peter England (Set Design), Sonny Tilders (Creature Design), Roger Kirk (Costume Design), Peter Mumford (Lighting Design), Peter Hylenski (Sound Design), Gavin Robins (Aerial and King Kong Movement Director), King Kong is authorized by the Merian C. Cooper Estate. Casting, additional members of the creative team, and ticketing details for King Kong will be announced at a later date. BIOGRAPHIES JACK THORNE (Text) writes for theatre, film, television, and radio. His theatre credits include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hope, and Let The Right One In, all directed by John Tiffany; Junkyard, a Headlong, Rose Theatre Kingston, Bristol Old Vic and Theatr Clwyd co-production; The Solid Life of Sugarwater for Graeae Theatre Company and the National Theatre; Bunny for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; Stacy for the Trafalgar Studios; 2nd May 1997 and When You Cure Me for the Bush Theatre. His adaptations include Woyzeck, Old Vic; The Physicists for the Donmar Warehouse and Stuart: A Life Backwards for Hightide. On film his credits include Wonder, War Book, A Long Way Down, and The Scouting Book for Boys. For television his credits include “National Treasure” (2017 BAFTA winner), “The Last Panthers,” “Don’t Take My Baby,” “This Is England,” “The Fades,” “Glue,” and “Cast-Offs.” He won 2016 BAFTAs for Best Mini-Series (“This Is England ’90”) and Best Single Drama (“Don’t Take My Baby”), and in 2012 won Best Series (“The Fades”) and Best Serial (“This Is England ’88”). DREW McONIE (Director, Choreographer) is one of Britain's most sought-after emerging directors and choreographers. He is the Artistic Director of The McOnie Company and a proud Associate Artist at The Old Vic theatre. Drew won the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreography for In the Heights in 2016 and he was nominated for the same award in 2017 for the ground-breaking production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Theatre credits as director/choreographer include: On the Town (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Wild Party (The Other Palace); Strictly Ballroom (Toronto/West Yorkshire Playhouse). Theatre credits as a choreographer include: Jesus Christ Superstar (Olivier Award Nomination for Best Theatre Choreography 2017 – Regents Park), Kinky Boots (Malmo Opera), In the Heights (Olivier Award Winner for Best Theatre Choreography, WhatsOnStage Award Nomination for Best Choreography, Winner of the Off West End Theatre Award for Best Choreography – Southwark Playhouse and Kings Cross Theatre), The Lorax (Old Vic), Hairspray (BroadwayWorld Award Winner for Best Choreography – U.K. national tour), Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith), Oklahoma! (U.K. national tour), The Sound of Music (Curve Theatre Leicester), Little Red Riding Hood (NYB), Chicago (Curve Theatre Leicester), West Side Story (NYMT), British Style (collaboration with Matthew Bourne at Buckingham Palace – BBC), Laurel and Hardy (The Watermill), James and the Giant Peach (U.K. national tour), 13 (directed by Jason Robert Brown – West End), Tommy (European tour), Spring Awakening (German premiere – Frankfurt), The Full Monty (German premiere – Frankfurt), Kes (Liverpool Playhouse & U.K. national tour). For The McOnie Company: Jekyll and Hyde (BroadwayWorld Award Winner for Outstanding Achievement in Dance – Old Vic Theatre), DRUNK! (Curve Theatre Leicester/ The Bridewell Theatre London) which lead to him being nominated for the Emerging Artist Award at the National Dance Awards, Making Midnight (Jermyn Street Theatre/ Latitude Festival) Slaughter (Audience Choice Award Winner – The Place Prize), and Be Mine! (Robin Howard Theatre). Film credits include: Me BeforeYou (directed by Thea Sharrock) and Recordare: Days of Remembrance (pre-selected for the Cannes & Berlin Film Festivals). Upcoming projects include: choreographer of Stephen Sondheim’s Company (directed by Marianne Elliott for the new Elliott Harper Theatre Company in the West End). MARIUS DE VRIES (Composer) has won two BAFTAs, an Ivor Novello award, and four Grammy nominations. He is best known recently for his music direction and production on the multi-award-winning musical La La Land, which won 2017 Academy and Golden Globe Awards. Beginning his career playing keyboards for The Blow Monkeys, he has worked with artists such as Madonna, Bjork, David Bowie, Rufus Wainwright, Chrissie Hynde, Neil Finn, Annie Lennox, Bebel Gilberto, David Gray, P.J. Harvey, U2, Massive Attack, Elbow, Perry Farrell, Josh Groban, and many others. In the film and theatre world, he has collaborated with Baz Luhrmann, George Lucas, Andrew Lloyd Webber, A.R. Rahman, Zack Snyder, Daniel Kramer, and Stephan Elliott. De Vries' long collaborative relationship with Nellee Hooper was responsible for landmark recordings with Massive Attack, Björk, Madonna, The Sneaker Pimps, Tina Turner, and U2, and ultimately the soundtrack and score for Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet and the groundbreaking Moulin Rouge. Marius composed the score for Stephan Elliot’s The Eye of the Beholder and Easy Virtue. In musical theatre, Marius has worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber on Bombay Dreams and the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera: Love Never Dies. He also produced the cast album for Jerry Springer The Opera. In 2010, Marius contributed score and song productions to Kick-Ass and Sucker Punch, as well as co-producing an LP with Robbie Robertson. Another collaboration with Rufus Wainwright arrived in early 2016, an album of musical settings of nine Shakespearean sonnets, released to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, entitled Take all My Loves. Marius worked on George Lucas' animated fairytale musical, Strange Magic. He is now attached to Teen Spirit, starring Elle Fanning, directed by Max Minghella, and earlier this year he signed an agreement with the English National Opera to develop new and adventurous opera-related projects. He is also completing an album with The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde. EDDIE PERFECT (Songwriter) is one of Australia’s most diverse, respected and prolific writer/composer/performers, having made his mark in the fields of comedy, music theatre composition, playwriting, screenwriting, classical music, jazz and acting for stage and screen. Perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mick Holland on Ten’s Offspring, a judge on Australia's Got Talent, and as the new host of Play School, Eddie has won multiple awards for his work both as a performer and a writer. His stage credits include Baz Lurhmann and Global Creatures’ Strictly Ballroom, Malthouse Theatre Company (Babes InThe Wood, Drink Pepsi Bitch, The Big Con), Shane Warne The Musical, Keating! The Musical, Songs From The Middle in collaboration with ANAM, Iain Grandage and the UK’s Brodsky Quartet, Opera Victoria’s The Threepenny Opera and Opera Australia’s South Pacific. His solo music comedy shows (Angry Eddie, Drink Pepsi Bitch, Misanthropology) have received Helpmann and Green Room Awards, touring Australia, New Zealand, Edinburgh and London. His first play The Beast (for Melbourne Theatre Company) was a commercial and critical hit, before touring Australia with Ambassador Theatre Group in 2016. Eddie is currently writing a new play (Vivid White) for Melbourne Theatre Company, a musical adaptation of Beetlejuice for Warner Bros. Theatricals in New York, and is co-Artistic Director of Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

#IFTTT #Blogger #Moosterrecords #punkrock #punk

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furederiko · 8 years ago

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Tis the Ides of March, and thus a Random-News-Digest is on hand...

Disney Live Action

To be frank, the idea of Tim Burton doing a "Dumbo" live action adaptation, is enough to make people scratch their heads and well, probably question their sanity. But it gets even more weirder. Thanks to the first two actors who are being courted for the movie.

Ever since he put a pause in his partnership with Johnny Depp and ex-wife Helena Bonham-Carter, there is one actress that Burtons continuously runs to. Eva Green! Yep, after their collaborations in "Dark Shadows", and "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children", Burton wants Green for "Dumbo". She is currently in talks to play Colette, a French trapeze artist who works for Vandemere. Who is Vandemere? Was he in the original animated movie too? I believe said character hasn't been cast yet. But apparently, he's an evil big top circus villain, who loves to take over smaller circus. One of said 'smaller circus' owner is Medici. And guess who's being approached to play Medici? Burton's previous collaborator in "Batman Returns", the iconic Penguin himself, Danny DeVito.

As I said, the thought of Burton doing "Dumbo" alone already sounds surreal. I can't even imagine how it would look, considering the director has penchants for the weird and whimsical. And now it will have "Penny Dreadful" very own Vanessa Ives and a former Batman villain as the possible leads. Do let those sink slowly into your brains...

DC Films

With negative rumors swirling around the movie's post production, and the bad press already looming on it thanks to its two previous titles, it's safe to say the concerns for "Wonder Woman" aren't so baseless. It seems Warner Bros might have realized this as well, as they have taken a different approach to ensure that this movie will not repeat the same mistake(s). That's probably (yes, subjectively speaking) the reason why they have invited several members of the press to check out some parts of the movie beforehand.

According to Birth.Movies.Death, they were given accomodations and privilege to see around 20 minutes of the movie in London. The footage that were shown were not continuous, and were taken from various moments of the movies itself. Director Patty Jenkins was also present to share her thoughts on the matter. You can read detailed description of all three scenes on B.M.D, but I have to warn you that it might be a little spoilery. So read it on your own risk. This friendly warning goes for the site's follow-up editorial as well, that talked about the overall plot and movie's antagonist. But of course... if you're perfectly fine with being a little or completely spoiled, then do go ahead and enjoy the fun read.

The important thing about the viewing was, Jenkins managed to assure the press that her Wonder Woman would be... simply speaking, 'special'. She will HAVE personalities, unlike the blank one that everyone oddly praised on "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice". She will have chemistry with Chris Pine's Steve Trevor, so not just a random eyecandy moving around from one place to another, like the one on... yes "Bvs", a.k.a this year's Razzie Awards winner (for "Worst Sequel", "Screenplay", and "Screen Combo"). But more importantly, "She CAN’T be dark and nasty", Jenkins promised. Why? Because Gal Gadot's Diana Prince will be "the HERO the world’s been waiting for". Of course, she didn't say them with CAP-SLOCK on, that's just my way of emphasizing the context. But seriously, if you ask me, those words alone are enough to serve as a harsh wake-up slap towards fellow DC Films directors who have only painted the DC heroes in a truly bad light. Dark and gritty, my as*! LOL.

So much is riding on Jenkins' shoulder, to be honest. This will be WB's first female-led superhero movie. Not to mention, one that comes after a long period of absence due to really bad ones in form of WB's own "Catwoman" or FOX's "Elektra". This movie is directed by a female director, whose presence in Hollywood is still being looked down and can even be counted with human fingers. And unlike the well-oiled-machine that is Marvel Studios, DC Films hasn't had a 'great' movie so far. All divisive, and disappointing in their own ways. Thus everyone, especially real DC Fans are counting on this one to be at least 'good', making up for the disasters that came before it. The good news is, Jenkins showed the exact enthusiasm, confidence, and respect for her character that both critics and audience are seeking. The positive side effect is already shown, as many of the press members invited have already begun comparing her movie to Richard Donner's iconic "Superman". You know, the one that doesn't turn Clark Kent into a mopey bastard? So yeah, looks like WB might FINALLY have a DC Film title that is worth-watching for after all! At least until Zack Snyder and his "Justice League" arrive to ruin it all over again, right? I'm kidding! Ahahaha. Or am I? Hmmmm... *sigh*.

Admittedly, I'm personally NOT feeling any of the movie's trailers so far. And that includes the latest one that debuted on this year's Kids Choice Awards. It's unclear whether that's because it's exactly a mirror reflection of what to expect from the movie, or simply because the marketing department has seriously been failing me so far. The chance of me seeing this directly on theatre is very slim. Close to zero, in fact! Not even that new poster that everyone seems to be praising for is able to convince me otherwise (really, I think it's just 'okay'). After all, WB might always release an Extended/Ultimate version for the home video, right? They did exactly that not once, but TWICE already with their previous releases. So why even bother seeing this on the theatre when you can spend a bit more dollars to get the FULL and generally better version?

Regardless of that, it would be a shameful crime for me to shun and curse the movie, hoping it will fail miserably. Please don't ever associate me with those so-called 'devoted DC fans' who continue to wish Marvel movies to fail, with a stupid 'just because' as its foundation. Yes, there was a time when Jenkins praised "Suicide Squad" by calling that movie 'GREAT' (wait, seriously?!), eventhough that's hardly the case. Making many including yours truly questions her ability to deliver something that would be A LOT better. But let's not let that cloud our judgement, shall we? Let's pay attention towards the bigger picture. As I've said before, the success of "Wonder Woman" will have consequences and after effects for others that follow. Not just for WB itself, but for other studios, and the specific genre in particular. In that regards, I obviously want it to at least be good, pleasing both critically and financially, but also enjoyable enough to please its fans and general audience. I'm not and never will be a fan to Wonder Woman, but I would love to see other studios getting their confidence to create a female-led superhero movies thanks to this. That's the long-term target I'm counting on this movie to live up to.

And seriously, the future is not set in stone. "Wonder Woman" can end up becoming a much better origin story than "Man of Steel". Hmm... what did you say? That Superman movie was already okay? Well, I totally beg to differ. I mean, even WB seems to think they've made a mistake with it. If not, why on earth would they bother themselves to approach Matthew Vaughn to reboot the character? Yes, that's the recent development buzzing around the planned sequel right now. Although, it's not even clear if he'll take the offer or not. But before you argue that Vaughn's work so far has been bloody R-rated movies, do remember one solid fact. Despite being very gruesome in nature, both "Kick-Ass" and "Kingsman" had very likeable and charming lead characters (played by the equally charming Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Taron Egerton respectively). Characters that actually felt like real people, not some cold-blooded killers disguised under the mantle of superheroes. Vaughn seems to have the correct point of view about Superman too! So at the very least, I'm sure his version won't be worse than Snyder's angsty sociopath mother-complex alien...

X-Men Universe

Yes, "Logan" is still going strong despite the rampage of an overperforming "Kong: Skull Island", making it the highest grossing movie of the year so far. But should we even be surprised, when critics are loving it, and giving glowing reviews? If you ask me, it's the other X-Men movie that's making the bigger news.

Via his personal Twitter account, Ryan Reynolds himself has unveiled the actress who would be playing the mutant mercenary Domino in the tentatively titled "Deadpool 2". This began when he tweeted a rather cryptic image of domino cards that immediately made the internet buzzing. Why? Because it didn't take long before keen-eyed fans noticed that the dots were forming a particular name: Zazie Beets. Beets is an actress who gains popularity thanks to being a breakout in Donald Glover's critically acclaimed hit comedy series "Atlanta". Mind you, I haven't seen it yet (don't even ask me the reason why), so I can't really say I'm familiar with her. Nor whether she's the right actress for the role, since I'm not even that much familiar with the character Domino. But people seems to be singing praises for this casting decision, including Deadpool's creator himself. So that's like a solid seal of approval, right?

Considering Beets is African-American, that means we will be getting a racebent Domino, because as far as I recall, she's a white caucassian female in the comics. Apparently, FOX were consciously testing for Black or Latina actress for the role. Looks like the studio is joining the 'racebending bandwagon' with this, after Marvel Studios and DC Films did the same with Valkyrie and Iris West. Not that it really matters though. What's more important is ghzg she's the right actress for the role, am I right?

Jurassic Park

Sequel to the successful bombastic abomination "Jurassic World" has begun production since February 23rd, 2017. The tentatively called "Jurassic World 2" (perhaps it's going to be renamed into "Jurassic Universe"? LOL) has moved forward with J.A. Bayona to direct. Universal had set a release date for it on June 22nd, 2018. Lead actors Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, alongside B.D. Wong are returning, while the new cast consists of Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Ted Levine, James Cromwell, and Geraldine Chapline. But it's producer Frank Marshall that gave us the first taste of the sequel, confirming that it IS in production. Yes, he did so via an unexpected tweet last week. But did that tweet confirmed which new species we might see on the sequel? Because frankly, aside from the kid, those are just fossils and not actual dinosaurs! Oh well, I'm sure we'll hear more about this movie pretty soon...

Marvel Studios

I almost always have this category in every R-N-D. Yet there are two future titles that are often absent: "Ant-Man and the Wasp" and "Captain Marvel". That shouldn't be a surprise, considering they won't come out until at least July 2018. And my attention is pretty occupied with the 2017 to early 2018 releases instead, especially the massive title that is "Avengers: Infinity War". You know what it is, right? The highly anticipated movie that might have Terry Notary confirmed as a mysterious new character, and might be filming on a 1000 years old landmark in Durham, England.

So let's talk briefly about them now. And why is that? Because Production Weekly (via MCU Exchange) has revealed that the sequel to "Ant-Man" will begin pre-production this very month in Atlanta. Official photography itself will then commence on July 6, which is precisely a year prior to its release on July 6th, 2018. All three of the main cast, Paul Rudd's Scott Lang, Evangeline Lilly's Hope van Dyne, and Michael Douglas' Hank Pym, have all been confirmed to return. Michael Pena's scene-stealing Luis will be in it too. The other cast has yet to be confirmed for the time being, but I'm sure we'll know about that in the coming months.

The working title for the movie is called "Cherry Blue", which might or might not works as a nod to a particular story arc. It's currently unclear what the story this sequel will have, aside from the confirmation from director Peyton Reed that it will be stand-alone, just like the first one. Perhaps it will focus on Hank's attempt to locate his missing wife Janet van Dyne in the Quantum Realm? That's certainly the highest possibility so far. The biggest question on my head about it though, is HOW Scott will be able to freely operate as Ant-Man, considering his fate at the end of "Captain America: Civil War". Lest we forget, this sequel arrives just 2 months after "Infinity War". Surely that movie will have additional ripple effects for Scott. Could he still be serving as a rogue vigilante when the time comes? And how will Hank and Hope even respond to said development. Could Hope take the mantle of the Wasp, in order to take over his place, then? So many questions, so little answers. But one thing for sure, we won't be seeing the Pym Tech Building anymore.

"Captain Marvel" will then arrive following a looong 8 months gap after that. According to My Entertainment World (via MCU Exchange as well), the current plan is for the production to begin in January 2018. With a release date of March 8th, 2019, that frankly makes a whole lot of sense, since most Marvel Studios' production took around 1 year to produce (similar case to "Ant-Man and the Wasp"). As of writing, only lead actress Brie Larson is confirmed for the movie. Marvel Studios has yet to announce the director for the job (although I suspect they already have one. Perhaps Niki Caro after she completes "Mulan"?), and casting for supporting characters will not take place until close to production. So apart from an official concept art (costumed action pose!) shown on Disney's regular shareholder meeting, which we might not see until this year's San Diego Comic Con or Disney's D23, this is the best news we get for the Studios' first completely female-led movie. Still crossing my fingers that the movie will include several other superheroines though! Perhaps, Monica Rambeau, or even better, Jessica Drew's Spider Woman. After all, the movie needs some diversity, right?

Now let's get back to 2017, with a title only months away from release! Entertainment Weekly debuted official images from "Thor: Ragnarok" last week, and obviously, it easily took the world by storm. Aside from spotlighting the Son of Odin himself to grace the upcoming edition's cover, we got to see the first official and also closeup looks for Cate Blanchett's Hela, Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, Mark Ruffalo's returning character Bruce Banner, and more importantly Jeff Goldblum's The Grandmaster. Karl Urban's Skurge is the only new character absent on it.

Thor has a haircut as rumored!!! Which might, or might not be inspired by the character's particular story arc in the comics. Lead actor Chris Hemsworth felt more comfortable with this change, as it didn't require him to sit on the makeup chair before filming now. If you're a fan of the punching chemistry between Hulk and Thor in "The Avengers", then that reunion image between Thor and Ruffalo's Banner would make one grins with joy. After all, Banner was missing in action following the aftermath of "Avengers: Age of Ultron", so it's great seeing him in good shape. And rather well-groomed! Meanwhile, The Grandmaster's appearance seems to be inline with Benicio del Toro's The Collector. Which makes a lot of sense since he has been depicted as Taneleer Tivan's older brother in recent Marvel animated shows. He looks original, but still rocking all the familiar signatures of his comic book counterpart (the gray weird-shaped hair, color-tone of his costume). Also worth noted, is the exciting bright and vibrant COLORS that easily stand out in those images. It's as if, we're seeing another "Guardians of the Galaxy" of the year. Who knows, perhaps that IS indeed the case.

Some plot points were also openly shared by the cast and creators to the magazine. Blanchett revealed that there's a valid reason why her Hela hasn't shown up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "She’s been locked away for millennia getting more and more cross, and then, with a mistake, she gets unleashed and she ain’t getting back in that box", she said. This is all made possible due to the careless reign of Tom Hiddleston's Loki, who has been spoofing as Anthony Hopkins' Odin since the ending of "Thor: The Dark World". Thanks to this grudge, Thor will get to see Hela's bad side, and well, gets sent away without his powers to a galactic wasteland, which is the Planet Sakaar. But that's where he will meet Valkyrie, who is an elite warrior in the Grandmaster's world. Confirming that she will have a reimagined backstory in the MCU. It seems this new character might be poised to take over Jane Foster's position as romantic interest (since Natalie Portman isn't involved in the movie), but even that's still everyone's question. Not just Valkyrie, Thor will also encounter 'old friend' Hulk once again, who for some unknown reason has ended up in the planet as a Gladiator. This will set off the two Avengers on a cosmic road-trip, as has been promised in the synopsis. Meaning, probably not so much of Stephen Strange despite fans' speculations.

Despite the rather serious Asgardian 'doomsday' storyline (that might play a heavylifting role towards "Infinity War") however, the appointing of Taika Waititi as the director also brought many questions to practically everyone. Considering he's a director best known for comedic chops, as proven by the irresistibly charming but also powerfully endearing "Hunt for the Wilderpeople". In form of Marvel-style, that mockumentary "Team THOR" that could be seen online and as part of the "Doctor Strange" Bluray is an easy example to 'his style'. Hemsworth revealed, that with Waititi as the lead, "all the characters and the tone of the whole story to head in a new direction". As in, having more FUN that they should have, properly utilizing Hemsworth's natural talent for comedy. Even Hiddleston has confirmed that the director WILL leave his signature fingerprints on it, with Blanchett supporting the same idea. If you're already taken aback by the amount of comedy in the second movie, then you might want to be worried to hear this. But if you're like me, who never saw that as a problem, then you'll rest assured that it will be vastly entertaining. Even Waititi himself added with confidence, "We want people to care what happens and care that the hero succeeds. I think tonally it’s like a slight shift. I don’t feel nervous — I feel good about it". Fair point! Once again, his "Hunt of the Wilderpeople" is a solid proof of his talent to balance heart, comedy, and action just fine. Mark your date, "Hunt of the Wilder-Avengers" is definitely going to be an intriguing title when it opens on November 3rd, 2017.

With "Spider-Man: Homecoming" going on regular official reshoot, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" releasing new trailer while tracking to a massive opening weekend, and "Infinity War" expanding its antagonistic cast, things are moving along smoothly for Disney's Marvel properties. Fans of Marvel Studios and the MCU in general can rest at ease that their favorite Cinematic Universe isn't going anywhere soon. At least, not until 2019...

Netflix

Unfortunately, things aren't shining bright in the other medium. Critics have been given the opportunity to screen the first 6 episodes of Marvel's "Iron Fist", and they have begun posting their thoughts online. How did it go? It pains me a bit to say this, because I've been looking forward to it the most, but the response... is mostly NOT good. Although critics' opinions obviously don't necessarily reflect audience's reception when it comes out (with Marvel's "Luke Cage" being a good example), this is a bit disheartening to hear (and/or read). Many of what have been said as the show's problems, are surprisingly in sync with the concerns lingering on my head for a good while now. Especially after showrunner Scott Buck's discouraging statement regarding the lack of costume for the titular character. Looks like the Marvel-Netflix 'grounded' approach has taken its toll this time, because many are saying that "Iron Fist" feels more like repeating previous series, something 'more of the same'. But unfortunately, in a relatively lower value, which simply means... NOT in a good way.

Allow me to use the first two reviews I read as the example. Mind you, neither are talking about how Iron Fist should be played by Asian actor, so they aren't giving bad rep because of said issue. CNET called this a 'misstep' because it focuses more on corporate intrigue, rather than martial arts. While Finn Jones does show a naive swagger, he shows 'awkwardness' in physical movements which shouldn't be the case for a kung fu master. In fact, it's easily Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing who's stealing the show during this first half. The site did however, point out that things are moving in the right direction toward the end. As in probably a better second half, even if they likened the show to be taking the story "a little too seriously". FanBoy Nation called this the weakest collaboration between Marvel and Netflix so far. Even called it "a bland rehash of the weakest parts of Daredevil", and "a show without its own identity". The site pointed out that the Marvel-Netflix series pacing issue, have reached a breaking point here. But the important thing I quickly noticed in their review, is the bland and weak characterization and writing. Eventhough the actors tried their best to give more despite the weak material, it's still apparent. THAT sounds seriously concerning, because that means the fault comes from the creators, and NOT the choice of actors.

So yeah. The general consensus is that this show (for the first 6 episodes, at least) just couldn't live up to the 'greatness' of previous shows, whether in story nor action sequences. So far, it feels like a 'Been There Done That' situation. How it falls victim to the Marvel-Netflix formula of taking itself too seriously, thus losing all the wuxia fantasy and mysticism that should've naturally come with the package. Heck, when it can't even compare to "Doctor Strange" that embraced its weirdness effectively while still kicking plenty of mystic fanatics' behind in a thrilling way... that's saying much. Not to mention, it once again repeats, or worse, enhances the major issue that the Netflix shows had often been called out before: awkward pacing. Yes, arguably speaking, 13 episodes have been proven to be too long for these shows. And such negative sentiment seems even more visible in this one. It falls victim to excessive running time and episode obligations, that it's hard for it to not resort to obvious filler plots. A complete opposite to Marvel TV's claim, that this show will have more episodical villains. Is it probable, that Marvel TV might have rushed this just to clear the way for Marvel's "The Defenders", hence the trepid receptions? Fulfilling obligations for its promised fourth member? That COULD be the case, although it's pure speculatory from my part.

I can't help but wonder if having a flashy suit instead of delaying one for 13 episodes, would've given the show a better boost? Hmmm... Or perhaps, we're going to get some surprise in the later episodes after all? Yep, speaking of that, I can't help but also wonder if Marvel TV is deliberately saving all the good parts for the second half. I mean, if we pay attention to previous series, this does seem to be the likeliest scenario. "Luke Cage" and the second season of Marvel's "Daredevil" are the quick examples I can point out, because they seem to have a dual arc that is separated halfway through. Cage was initially focused on Cottonmouth, but in the second half, changed shift towards a more personal-intentioned Diamondback. While Daredevil spent the first half with The Punisher, and migrated towards The Hand in the latter half. Will "Iron Fist" be treated the same way? Personally, I don't think 'saving the best for last' is a WISE decision when it comes to TV shows. Because forcing anyone to sit through 6 hours of 'intro' to get to the good part, is like one really bad marketing strategy. Sure, it's still better than having the show fizzles out halfway through its run (like "Luke Cage"?). But really, who can even assure the creators that audience would NOT drop the show early on out of boredom? Which was precisely the problem with Netflix's own "Sense8", by the way. Yes, slow-burn storytelling style have often works, but that format teases great things from the very beginning. Not filling them with fillers!

Personal ranting aside, if we take Jones and Henwick's interview with Yahoo UK as any indications, then YES, the real story for their show might at least get more interesting (if not stronger) from episode 7 onwards. Why? According to them, "There are two characters who come into the second half of Iron Fist season one who hasn't been announced yet". TWO? I wonder who it is, and could it be, the mysterious character that Ramon Rodriguez is playing? What about David Sakurai? His character has been mysteriously noted 'to-be-confirmed' as well. Popular opinion easily points towards two particular characters: Davos the Steel Serpent, and Shang-Chi the Master of Kung Fu. We know that Davos' symbol has been hinted since the first "Daredevil", so he's the surest bet. Shang-Chi? He has been reported as a rumor by several sites before, eventhough Jeph Loeb seemed to have shot that down. This character could be whom Henwick was referring to as "a comic book character who’s not been seen before and at the end of Iron Fist they set him up in a really interesting way".

It's unclear which actor will portray who. IMO, Sakurai would be a perfect actor for Davos, even if Rodriguez is currently the one being speculated as one. But what if, and this is just another fan speculation, that the second character is instead Hector Ayala the White Tiger, and not Shang-Chi? Some fans have brought up his name, and well, it does ring a bell. It would make a lot of sense for Rodriguez to play him, since he's a Latino. Not to mention, his niece Angela del Toro has been namedropped in Marvel's "Jessica Jones" before, and Netfix had indeed expressed interest for a series with Mexican/Hispanic lead. That can't be a coincidence, right? For the Marvel uninformed, White Tiger is also a superpowered character that gained his power thanks to mysticism. And one related to Iron Fist! This is definitely an intriguing possiblity. One that leaves us to a more important question: Could this two characters shake up the show and change critics' current perception of the series? Hmmmmmm...

Of course, the bigger problem is... the building concern for "Iron Fist" doesn't stays on one spot, because it leads towards another big one. Buck, is also serving as the showrunner of Marvel's "The Inhumans"! Which is the reason why I'm putting the Marvel TV category below this one, rather than the opposite like I always do. "Iron Fist" is just a few days away from release, and it is then that we can finally judge with our very own eyes, whether it is as bad as the critics' said, or becomes a truly powerful dragon-conqueror in the second half as many expected. But really, if Buck couldn't even do justice with Iron Fist, a character that should have been practically easy and outlandish enough to explore, CAN he do better with Inhumans? I honestly doubt it.

Marvel TV

Eventhough my hype for Marvel's "The Inhumans" is still high, I really can't ignore the concern of having Scott Buck as the showrunner. Seriously, I wonder why or how Marvel TV was able to trust him for two projects at the same time? It's a different scenario with "The Defenders" showrunners. Because not only they were involved with the first season, they were appointed to do "The Defenders" AFTER the positive response of "Daredevil" Season 2. So it's speaking out of success, right?

But the show must go on, and that's precisely what's happening. Filming continues in Hawaii, and every public sighting is continuously reported by Reel News Hawaii via Twitter. One of their early report, confirmed that the production took place in Diamond Head crater. Since I haven't been fortunate enough to visit Hawaii, I have no clue what place that is. Apparently, it's a volcanic crater with tunnels, and a pretty massive one too in terms of scale. Could it represent the halls of Attilan then? Hmmm.

More intriguingly, the filming takes place in city area that literally has "Oahu Service" on its taxi. Does this mean Attilan will be located on Earth, in Hawaii, rather than on the Moon? In the comics, there were stories that depicted the Inhuman City to take place in the Himalayan, and even the Atlantic Ocean. But my issue is, shouldn't this be a problem, then? I mean, those who are watching Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." should be aware by now that they are tracking down Inhumans, and registrating them with the Sokovia Accords. How could a city this massive in scale escape the knowledge of governments around the world, then? It could easily be visible through satelitte's tracking, and all. It's enough that people are questioning why the Avengers never appear in the show, and vice versa. Doesn't having Attilan and the Royal Family on Earth only makes it a more strenuous affair?

This is where it gets more interesting. MCU Exchange reached out to Reel News Hawaii about the scene that featured Anson Mount's Black Bolt and Lockjaw. Turns out, it was filmed as some sort of "grand entrance for Black Bolt to the public eye". Apparently, Bolt's arrival caused a commotion, as local Honolulu (confirming it DOES take place in actual Hawaii) enforcement arrive on the scene, and public begins taking photos with their smartphones. Once again, cue the S.H.I.E.L.D. connection concern, because a huge event like this would be too big NOT to be noticed by governments. As for why Bolt is on Earth, the site speculated that the Inhuman King is having an urgent matter, forcing him to visit Earth for the first time (noted by his poor knowledge of technology).

Rest assured though, Reel News Hawaii also revealed that Attilan itself will consist of non-human looking citizens. Which is the way it should be, since unlike mutants, Inhumans come in different size, shapes, and forms. In addition to that, the Statue of Saint Damien of Molokai at the Hawaii State Capitol, has been replaced by a giant black-colored Monolith. Fans of "AoS" should be very familiar with this, as it was the exact macguffin that became the focus in Season 2. I could've sworn it has a different symbols compared to the ones messing around with Phil Coulson's head though. Which might be intentional, because that was in fact the symbol to a deserted ancient Inhumans city that accidentally caused Daisy Johnson to gain her natural power. Spotted on the same location, was actress Isabelle Cornish in costume as Crystal. Complete with her signature comic book style. Does this mean, the State Capitol is being used as the Inhumans Palace? Thus far, we have seen how Black Bolt, and Crystal look. I wonder how soon we'll see the rest of the cast too? Hmmm...

Kamen Rider

TOEI has officially released the trailer for the much anticipated 2nd season of "Kamen Rider Amazons". This successful web-series took the tokusatsu fanbase by storm when it was released last year. Eventhough I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else, I'm still curious to see what they are going to pull off with the new season. Which by the way, will begin streaming on April 7th, 2017, ONLY via Amazon Prime Video. Turns out, and much to the surprise of many, the season will star a new Protagonist! Well... not really a shocking thing when you see it storytelling-wise, due to how the first season ended. After all, Tom Fujita's Haruka Misuzawa (Amazon Omega), and Masashi Taniguchi's Jin Takayama (Amazon Alpha) were left in rather... conclusive condition/situation.

Fear not though, those two characters, alongside many others (whom you could see flashing here and there in the trailer) have been confirmed to return. They will cannonically be involved in the drama between You Maejima's Chihiro, and Ayana Shiramoto's Iyu. Chihiro is our new protagonist, who will transform into Kamen Rider Amazon Neo (using the new Driver, Neo Amazons Driver), while Iyu is the Crow Amazon, who has been killed by the Amazons. Why the focus on this pair? Because the theme of this season is rather startling! This time, it's going to be about 'boys and girls'. HUH? Yeah, try to digest that new information slowly, okay!

Persona

Wow, it has been a while since I talk about "Persona 5", huh? Admittedly, my enthusiasm for the game has dropped as soon as the Japan version was released. That, alongside the repetitive delay for the English-language version, had basically made me forget about it. No kidding, life happens.

Anyways, the English version will be released very soon, precisely on April 4th, 2017. Pre-orders will include additional bonus materials, such as DLCs, themes, and avatars. In an attempt to remind fans that they aren't delaying this game any futher (Duh? The video is titled "The Phantom Thieves Are Ready to Roll on April 4"!), Atlus US has released a new 'Sizzle Reel Trailer' that showcased characters, gameplays, and a general plot of the game. If you prefer a more Velvet-y Room one, you could also see the introduction video for Caroline and Justine.

The King of Fighters

The first out of three (yeah, looks like there's only three characters instead of four) new paid DLC characters for "The King of Fighters XIV" has been announced. And it's not members of the Orochi clan as I predicted. This one's even better though, because it's Whip! Her inclusion as DLC didn't completely feel like a surprise, considering she does appear in the Team Endings for "Team K'" and "Team IKARI". Doing what she's good at too, bickering with Ralf Jones! LOL. Whoops? Is that, spoiler alert? Then again, even I had been wondering why she was left out from the original roster. I mean, with her unique fighting style and that famous whip attacks, she'd make a fine character that would stand out on her own. Look no more for the proof, but her official reveal trailer.

Of course, the big question now is, whether these 3 new characters form a Team, instead of being individual fighters. Speculation gets a little, difficult if they are. After all, in the past, Whip has been associated with the two major teams I've mentioned above. So the other possible character who might pair up with him would logically be Heidern, who is Leona's father / Commander and only showed up in "The King of Fighters 94". Problem is, the other silhouettes (since Whip is the one crouching on the left) don't look like Heidern. The middle one looks like a person wearing jacket, or a cape. Perhaps it is Adelheid Bernstein, who debuted on "The King of Fighter 2003"? Or Ash Crimson, judging from the hairstyle. But it could also be Blue Mary, who shows up in the ending for "Team Women Fighters". The right one, looks like a tall guy hunching, so obviously he reminds me of... Ryuji Yamazaki. This is just speculation though, because any of the others could simply be a totally new character.

Wait a sec! This is probably just me, but I'm STILL seeing 4 people in the silhouette. If you simply count the number of legs, ignoring the crouching Whip, then there are 5 feet visible! Have these reports that boldly state 'Three Characters' been mistaken, then? Or I'm just getting caught by optical illusion? Whip will be released on April 5th, 2017 for $4.99. That's pretty soon, so I guess we only need to wait a little longer to see how this turns out...

Final Fantasy

Lastly, or should I say, finally... we have brief news for "Final Fantasy XV". Official trailer for the first DLC episode has been released, and a release date has been announced as well. "Episode Gladiolus" is set to be released on March 28th, 2017, and will reported take two or three hours to complete. Under the guidance of Cor Leonis, looks like Gladioulus Amicitia will need to deal with Gilgamesh in order to gain stronger. That's the climax, I guess. For now, you can watch a gameplay video of the first 11 minutes, courtesy of Famitsu.

I happen to catch the full story cutscenes for the game over the weekend (thanks to a Youtube user, who else?), and I just realized that it had a rather... shall I say, somber conclusion. Which apparently is confusing if not disappointing many fans? Well, I thought that despite being super poignant, it was quite well done. Beside, this IS a "Final Fantasy" game, so why should one even expect a completely 'happy ending'? I just hope Square Enix won't disrupt this melancholic ending with unnecessary sequels. You know, like what they did with "Final Fantasy XIII"? Anyway, having seen the cutscenes, I now have a strong hint on when these DLCs will take place. My common sense is, they will take place during the 10 years gap/time jump, precisely between Chapter 13 - "Redemption", and 14 - "Homecoming". That means right before Noctis' long awaited return (as a Jesus Christ-esque figure?) to reclaim the throne in the final battle.

Since I haven't played the game myself, I'm curious if this is the Chapter 13 that many people have been complaining about. Also, I wonder if these DLCs are initially meant to be part of the game, but was scrapped to focus on Noctis' adventure? Hmmmm. Nevertheless, fans of Gladio will have the opportunity to play him as a main character, and not just an arguably passive support. Episodes that will feature Ignis Scientia and Prompto Argentum will then arrive one by one after this. So far both don't have a fixed release date, but we can expect them to arrive this year.

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