#herman rosse

[sesiondemadrugada]

Dracula (Tod Browning, 1931).

[toddjurgess]

Herman Rosse concept art for Frankenstein

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Characters, book, and author names under the cut

Jack Alston/Alan Ross - A Power Unbound by Freya Marske

Aristotle (“Ari”) Mendoza/Dante Quintana - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (sorry hit the character limit, so it got cut off in the poll)

Robin Blyth/Edwin Courcey - A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Alistair Lowe/Gavin Grieves - All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

[countesspetofi]

RKO 281 (1999) dir. Benjamin Ross

Liev Schreiber as Orson Welles James Cromwell as William Randolph Hearst John Malkovich as Herman Mankiewicz Roy Scheider as George Schaefer Melanie Griffith as Marion Davies

I know Welles identified with Mercury, but in retrospect it's hard not to see him as an Icarus figure, flying too high on his early talent and never quite recovering from a case of singed wings. When I was a kid, he was a messy old man, a figure of fun shambling drunkenly through commercials and talk shows that paid the bills while his independent projects languished in limbo. But, raised as I was on old movies, I always felt for the ambitious and disappointed young man on the inside.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the possible new cut of his Don Quixote. I've seen just enough of the Jess Franco cut to be disappointed in it, but Jess Franco is… Jess Franco, and in my mind that's kind of a synonym for uneven. I've loved some of his movies and found others unwatchable.

I guess we'll wait and see!

[howardhawkshollywoodmusic]

We are halfway through the countdown, with 1,000 big hits highlighting the top 100 hits each year 1964-73. It comes as no surprise that The Beatles had the most entries, by far. What is most surprising is that the second, third, fourth, and fifth places are all held by Motown.

Each single pictured here spent the most weeks at number one for each artist, with total points as a tiebreaker.

After the second half when the top 100 hits each year 1974-83 are revealed, honorable mentions will then be presented. First up, chronologically, will be all the other notable hits that made the top 40. For example, Imagine by John Lennon peaked at number three but only charted for nine weeks, failing to accumulate enough points to make the top 100 of 1971. Finally, other notable songs that charted but failed to make the top 40 will include Truckin by The Grateful Dead and River Deep Mountain High by Ike and Tina Turner.

Hey Jude by The Beatles debuted Sep 68 and was number one for nine weeks. They have 26 big hits.

Baby Love by The Supremes debuted Oct 64 and was number one for four weeks. They have 16 big hits.

Can't Get Next to You by The Temptations debuted Aug 69 and was number one for two weeks. They have 14 big hits.

I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye debuted Nov 68 and was number one for seven weeks. He has 12 big hits.

You Are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder debuted Mar 73 and was number one for one week. He has 11 big hits.

Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones debuted Jul 69 and was number one for four weeks. They have 10 big hits.

Joy to the World by Three Dog Night debuted Mar 71 and was number one for six weeks. They have 10 big hits.

(They Long to Be) Close to You by Carpenters debuted Jun 70 and was number one for four weeks. They have nine big hits.

I Get Around by The Beach Boys debuted Mar 64 and was number one for two weeks. They have eight big hits.

Mrs Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter by Hermans Hermits debuted Apr 65 and was number one for three weeks. They have eight big hits.

Tied with seven entries each are Chicago, The Dave Clark 5, The 5th Dimension, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and Dionne Warwick.

The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye also had big hits in 1963. The Beach Boys had the number 13 hit of 1963, Surfin USA, the number 44 hit, Surfer Girl, and the number 98 hit, Be True to Your School. They also had the number 53 hit of 1962 - Surfin Safari. Stevie had the number seven hit of 1963, Fingertips (Part 2), and Marvin had the number 76 hit, Can I Get a Witness, and the number 81 hit, Pride and Joy.

[aleppothemushroom]

Shazam 2 was a little too complicated at times and didn't have a tight as a plot as the first one, but it still had the charm, awkwardness, and the "edge" of the first one. If you liked the first one, you'll probably like this one.

[marvelousmrm]

Amazing Spider-Man #151 (Wein/Andru, Dec 1975). In a grim epilogue to the first Clone Saga, Pete tosses his clone’s corpse into an incinerator — so there’s no possible way this character could ever return… Speaking of returns, Ned’s and Betty’s engagement party is interrupted by the Shocker’s latest power grab.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

There is a sense of balance that has been missing in the big blockbuster films these days. The balance between telling a story that has a theme that resonates with throughout the story and then the big CGI spectacle of the opening, mid and finale that acts as a button to the story more often. More films focus on the spectacle and even though it may be visually pleasing, it often just pads out the film without any of the visuals telling a story or even affecting it. This film didn't waste any of its time doing that, but the spectacle was informed by the plot and did affect the characters within it. What I truly loved about this film is that it kept that same since of wonder and darkness the first film started and it stayed in its lane. It connects to the soon to be rebooted DCEU, but it stands strong enough on it own to be a soft disconnect. The themes of growing up, responsibilities, acceptance and family were refreshing to see handled in such a skilled way. This film reminded me of the late 80's and mid 90's kid and teen films where they weren't afraid to address the humanity of the heroes. Growing up can be scary because you don't want to let go of the fun times where the world seemed so open and free before stepping into adulthood. This film tackles that subject through the eyes of the leads while still giving us a surprisingly fun family action film that has a horror edge to it.

Asher Angel and Zachary Levi return as Billy Batson / Shazam and they're still magnetic and fun. Billy now has to balance being a leader and teenager growing into an adult and that was great to see handled. Asher does this wonderfully and actual gets to shine  in the more emotional segments. Zachary Levi takes on the majority of the weight this time as the adult version of Billy and through him, you see Billy's naivtey really become his weakness in so many ways. Zachary's comedic timing and joyful take on the character was spot on and he nails what its like to be a teen in an adult's body. Billy's journey from child to adult was hilarious and also heartfelt. Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody couldn't be more of a perfect pair as the teen and adult version of Freddy Freeman. Jack truly steals the film with his amazing wit, charm and hilarious sarcasm. His energy is so infectious and I loved that he is the center of the story this time around. He truly delivers a show stopping performance and Adam Brody amplifies that as his adult persona. Adam shows the more cocky nature of Freddy when he's "super" which was so much fun. Grace Caroline Currey was wonderful and wise as Mary Bromfield. She is the oldest in the family and I loved seeing her embrace the real world while still having fun as a superhero. She is that reminder that we all have to grow up at some point and contribute to a household and the world in some way. Ross Butler and Ian Chen were fun yet again as the young version and the adult version of Eugene Choi. They both show off his intelligent and exploratory nature within their lair. D. J. Cotrona and Jovan Armand were fantastic yet again as Pedro Peña. The way he handles his coming out to the family was handled very well and builds to a moment of true acceptance and I loved that it was natural and not forced. Meagan Good and Faithe Herman were the heart of the film as the adult and child version of Darla Dudley. The innocence of the character was so much fun and beautifully showcased by both actresses. I couldn't get enough them together or even separately. Marta Milans and Cooper Andrews return as their foster parents Rosa and Victor Vásquez and they both get so many great moments to shine and really bring the family together in a touching scene.

The score by Christophe Beck was awesome and epic in all the right ways as the action in the film really ramps up. When the screen isn't filled with action, he nails the more emotional moments. Visually the film was stunning to look at and I loved that the colors popped. The creatures in the film were yet again another standout and ranged from terrifying to badass. Its been a long time since anyone has brought to life any of the iconic monsters of the Greek mythos and I loved every bit of their strong and sometimes violent nature. Where the film has problems is the last half of the film. It tends to feel bloated in the last 30 minutes as the same amount of destruction keeps happening that makes the film drag on. There are moments that could've trimmed or cut to tighten up the finale. Director David S. Sandberg directed the first film that was a fun Christmas themed family film that tackled some heavy themes and wasn't afraid to touch on the darkness of the villains. He continues that here and has made another fun family film that adults can enjoy as well. Even with the bloated third act, this was an action packed and hefty 2 hour epic that should not be missed. Do stick around for the 2 great credit scenes. I don't know where this franchise will go once the DCEU is rebooted, but I hope we see a payoff to the story crumbs leftover from these 2 scenes. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[geekcavepodcast]

Shazam! Fury of the Gods Trailer 2

The daughters of Atlas have come for their father’s powers.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods stars Zachary Levi (Shazam), Asher Angel (Billy Batson), Jack Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman), Adam Brody (Super Hero Freddy), Ian Chen (Eugene Choi), Ross Butler (Super Hero Eugene), Faithe Herman (Darla Dudley), Meagan Good (Super Hero Darla), Jovan Armand (Pedro Pena), D.J. Cotrona (Super Hero Pedro), Grace Caroline Currey (Mary Bromfield / Super Hero Mary), Marta Milans (Rosa Vasquez), Cooper Andrews (Victor Vasquez), Djimon Hounsou (Wizard), Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu (Kalypso), and Helen Mirren (Hespera). David F. Sandberg directs from a screenplay by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods hits theaters on March 17, 2023.

[rookie-critic]

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023, dir. David F. Sandberg) - review by Rookie-Critic

The first Shazam! was a very funny, if not a little messy and tonally inconsistent, take on a superhero film. It wanted to be a goofy comedy, but still felt like it needed to adhere to a trappings of the genre and being a part of a larger connected universe. Fury of the Gods is basically just a lesser version of the original, with everything about the first film dialed up, which has its pros and cons. The pros are that everything that was funny in the first film is still funny here and the theme of found family still rings very true. On the former, Zachary Levi brings a ton of charm to the screen, and the whole "child in a super powered adult's body" shtick is mostly endearing. We're also getting a ton of that style from the other family members this go around, as the end of the last film (spoilers for the first Shazam! here, but if you've seen any promotional material for this one this shouldn't come as a surprise) saw all the children in the foster family receiving Shazam powers. Adam Brody, Meagan Good, Ross Butler, and D. J. Cotrona are all very funny as the aged-up versions of their respective characters, and Grace Caroline Currey, who plays Mary, the eldest of the foster kids, gets the unique privilege of playing both her regular self as well as the Shazam-ified version of her character, and does a pretty great job at both. However, the real superstar of both this and the original film is easily Jack Dylan Grazer, who is a bonafide scene stealer in everything I've seen him in. For all of this film's faults, and there are a decent number of them, I really didn't care as long as Grazer was on screen being hilarious.

Now, the film's biggest pro is also its greatest fault, and that humor that made the first film stand out has a large tendency to feel quite forced in this one. Some of the lines feel thrown in out of left field, existing for no other purpose than to attempt at a laugh, and it makes those moments feel more awkward than anything else. Also, I feel as though the filmmakers were very aware that people liked the duo and chemistry between Grazer and Levi in the first film, and sought to capitalize on that, regardless of how much time it sacrificed for both actors' counterparts. Asher Angel, who plays the un-Shazam'd Billy Batson, gets what amounts to maybe 5 minutes of screen time, and the same can be said, albeit less so, for Adam Brody, who plays Grazer's character Freddy Freeman's Shazam-form. There are times in the film where you absolutely would not be blamed for forgetting that Zachary Levi/Billy Batson even is actually a child, because he seems to hardly ever switch back, which hurts the aspect of the film that makes the comedy work: watching Levi act like a child in the body of an adult superhero.

The film also has the same problem as the first in that, for what is by all accounts a comedy, Fury of the Gods takes itself very seriously in bursts, I would say even more so than the first. There are a few moments that are outright dark, and while I'm not one to generally turn my nose up at clashing tones in movies, it is so stark of a difference between the comedic and the dramatic that it was hard not to just be confused. I found myself asking who they thought their target audience was multiple times. A lot of the drama surrounds the film's antagonists, played by Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, and while they are both amazing actresses who are clearly outclassing everyone else in the room with them, they sometimes feel like they're from a different movie, much like Mark Strong's villain from the first Shazam!, albeit less so. Taking the good with the bad, though, I didn't hate it. The Shazam! films ask you to check your brain at the door, and I did, and because I did, I found Fury of the Gods to be a harmlessly good time. I can see this one being divisive, but if you enjoyed the first one, I think there is enough similarity between the two to keep you interested.

Score: 6/10

Currently only in theaters.

[creativedifferencespodcast]

Leave it to Dallas and Gaby to be watching Shazam and still somehow bring the conversation around to the “heroes don’t do that” controversy. If you don’t know what that refers to, watch episode 238 to find out!

[sesiondemadrugada]

Dracula (Tod Browning, 1931).

[cinemedios]

Reseña | '¡Shazam! La Furia de los Dioses' (Shazam! Fury of the Gods)

'¡Shazam! La Furia de los Dioses' es otra prueba de que más no siempre es igual a mejor.

Otorgados con los poderes de los dioses, Billy Batson y sus hermanos adoptivos todavía están aprendiendo cómo mezclar su vida de adolescentes y tener alter-egos de superhéroes adultos. Cuando las Hijas de Atlas, un trío vengativo de dioses antiguos, llegan a la Tierra en busca de la magia que les robaron hace mucho tiempo, Billy, conocido como Shazam, y su familia se ven envueltos en una batalla…

[jmunneytumbler]

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Did Not Make Me Furious, At the Very Least

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Did Not Make Me Furious, At the Very Least

Look at how furious Shazam is! (CREDIT:Warner Bros. Pictures/Screenshot) Starring: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Rachel Zegler, Ross Butler, Ian Chen, D.J. Cotrona, Jovan Armand, Grace Caroline Currey, Meagan Good, Faithe Herman, Djimon Hounsou, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews Director: David F. Sandberg Running Time: 130 Minutes Rating:…

[kermodefan94-blog]

Shazam. Fury of the Gods. Review.

Was quite looking forward to this until the final trailer used the vocal track from Drakes Started From The Bottom in the corniest way possible. Having seen it.. not the worst thing ever but pretty far from good/

To the extent, a DC theatrical superhero offering can be this viewer has always considered the first Shazam rather underrated. It’s a very effective superhero origin movie that both plays up the silliness of the character’s powerset but gives itself a level of grounding within the execution of the found family trope to be solidly effective on all fronts. On paper, the prospect of a sequel…

[princesssarisa]

"Faerie Tale Theatre" Role Association: Seasons 1 through 3

To honor Shelley Duvall in a silly yet fun way, I decided to finally do what I've been meaning to for some time: play a complete game of Role Association for the characters of Faerie Tale Theatre.

That is, describing the story using the names of the actors' more famous characters. @thealmightyemprex and I once did this together, long ago. I thought I would try doing it myself now, starting with the show's first few seasons.

The Tale of the Frog Prince

The Genie is turned into a frog, and only a kiss from Inga can break the spell. Odo is Inga’s father, while Debbie Dunham and Kramer are Genie’s parents. Brave Sir Robin narrates.

Rumpelstiltskin

Wendy Torrence is ordered to spin straw into gold for Lots-O’-Huggin Bear after her father Sarge lies that she can. Tattoo agrees to spin it for her, but at a price.

Rapunzel

Olive Oyle is hidden away in a tower by her abusive foster mother Gloria Swenson, until she meets and falls in love with Prince Lir. Cornelius narrates.

The Nightingale

Ned Kelly is the Emperor of China, who learns the value of friendship from Hillary Whitney and a bird with the voice of Wendy Torrence. Commander Adama is the Prime Minister, while Harold, Iroh, and Mr. Wing are other members of the court.

Sleeping Beauty

Rita the Cat is cursed to die by Ellen Griswold, but Grandmama Addams softens the curse to a 100-year sleep, from which Superman’s kiss will wake her. Father Mulcahy and “Hot Lips” Houlihan are Rita’s parents.

Jack and the Beanstalk

Dave Stohler lives in poverty with his mother Jessica Tate, until Blinkin gives him magic beans that grow into a beanstalk, which leads him to the castle of gigantic couple Ted and Edith.

Little Red Riding Hood

Emily Hobbs goes into the forest to visit Grandma Gilmore and encounters Alex DeLarge, who sets out to prey on them both. The Mayor of San Francisco and Ida Sessions are Emily’s parents.

Hansel and Gretel

T.J. and Savannah are the children of poor woodcutter Wimpy, who get lost in the woods and are nearly cooked and eaten by Mrs. Potiphar.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Addie Loggins intrudes into the house of papa Mongo, mama Alma Cox, and their son Paco. Dick Solomon and Rosie are Addie’s parents and Randall Peltzer is a forest ranger.

The Princess and the Pea

Stephen Waltham falls in love with Sally Bowles, but to test her worthiness, his mother Dr. Lesh has her sleep on twenty mattresses with a pea beneath them. Dr. Jack Bardofsky is a court jester and Chris Hargensen is a mean-girl princess.

Pinocchio

Pee-Wee Herman is a puppet carved by Saul Bloom and brought to life by Maria Portokalos. Kramer and Rocko are two con artists who lead him astray, and Waternoose turns him into a donkey.

Thumbelina

Two-inch tall Princess Leia is stolen from her mother Berta and nearly forced to marry first Castor Oyle, then the Penguin, before finding true love with Tommy Ross.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Cora Crawley is taken in by seven dwarfs after fleeing from Julia, who wants to kill her because Nicholas Medina claims that Cora is more beautiful than she is. Eventually Julia poisons her, but in the end, she revives and marries Frederic.

Beauty and the Beast

Janet Weiss becomes the prisoner of Count Dracula and eventually learns to love him. Chief Hubbard is her father, while Morticia Addams and Helen Henny are her sisters.

The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers

John Cage isn’t afraid of anything, so he spends three nights in Count Dooku’s haunted castle with the promise of marriage to Dooku’s daughter Max. Bob Cratchit is an innkeeper, Stu Pickles is a clergyman, and Frank Zappa is a hunchbacked servant.