#this is why I need gotham 2014 involved in the discussion

[imposterogers]

batman canon: canonically cursed gotham, pseudoscience, creatures in the sewers, freeze guns, twenty rogues running rampant, the most absurd villains imaginable including kiteman condiment man & eggman, campy/eccentric outfits & personalities, superpowers used for evil

batman live action (excluding adam west, michael keaton, and gotham 2014): ok but what if we make gotham a normal ultra realistic city…………with normal levels of crime……………with one villain per year…………..how about that

[martens-movie-reviews]

Release Date: August 1, 2016 Running Time: 2 hours 17 minutes

“Figuring they’re all expendable, a U.S. intelligence officer decides to assemble a team of dangerous, incarcerated supervillains for a top-secret mission. Now armed with government weapons, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Killer Croc and other despicable inmates must learn to work together. Dubbed Task Force X, the criminals unite to battle a mysterious and powerful entity, while the diabolical Joker launches an evil agenda of his own.”

Because of the anticipated release of Justice League on Friday November 17, I’ve decided to write reviews of all of the movies that make up the DC Extended Universe so far. There have been a lot of talks about how long this franchise will last, but as a comic book fan, and huge lover of movies, I never want movies to be bad. I’m hoping that it’ll be amazing. You can find the dates for when the reviews for the other DCEU movie will be released at the link here. I wrote the review for Wonder Woman around the time it came out, and it can be found here.

DC Extended Universe – Source: Warner Brothers Entertainment

Suicide Squad Trailer – Source: Warner Brothers Entertainment

Cast and Crew

The third movie in the DC Extended Universe – Suicide Squad was written and directed by David Ayer. Ayer’s previous work as a director includes 2012’s ‘End of Watch’ and 2014’s ‘Fury’. He’s since been attached to direct ‘Gotham City Sirens’ as well as directing the Netflix movie ‘Bright’ that will be coming out later this year. His work as a writer includes ‘The Fast and the Furious’ in 2001, 2003’s ‘S.W.A.T.’, as well as the two films he directed mentioned above – Fury and End of Watch.

From Left to Right: Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc, Karen Fukuhara as Katana, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg, Will Smith as Deadshot and Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang – Source: Warner Brothers Entertainment

The cast for Suicide Squad includes Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, David Harbour, Jared Leto, Common, Jai Courtney, Ezra Miller, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnaman, Adam Beach, Karen Fukuhara, Ben Affleck, Alain Chanoine and Ike Barinholtz.

Releasing Suicide Squad as the next DC movie after Batman v Superman was DC’s answer to Marvel’s surprise hit ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. It tried to put together a team of ragtag villains and make them save the world, and that’s where it failed to comprehend the magic that Guardians had managed to create. They didn’t focus on the characters enough, or the team as a whole, rather making the movie the Deadshot and Harley Quinn show.

To me, the first 45 minutes of the movie is really good, I thought they were doing a good job in setting up the ‘why’ they were put together, and gave brief glimpses to the characters themselves. I felt like this movie was going to be fun and a step in the right direction with the story, however the next 90 minutes destroyed that feeling, and in my opinion shat the bed hard. The quality of the movie went from a good 7/10 in the first 45 minutes to the next 90 minutes being a 3 or 4 out of 10.

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The casting of Will Smith as Deadshot was something that I both enjoyed a lot, while also wishing that he was never cast in the role. I love Will Smith as an actor ever since his Fresh Prince days, and I’ve never not enjoyed his performances. I’ve disliked a few of his movies, but it was never his fault as an actor. This movie is supposed to be an ensemble movie, like I mention above, and with the casting of an ‘A – List’ star, it shifts the focus away from the others, and that character becomes more demanding of attention, and that’s exactly what happened in this movie. I feel like they didn’t need a superstar in the role, but someone who would have the talent to play the character. I feel like the movie would have been better if there was no superstar in the role, or if he would have kept the mask on for the entire film, and show his face a couple of times, but because of the known star in the film, you have to show his face to appeal to general audiences, and Deadshot became Will Smith.

Casting Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn was an amazing decision because she played the character so well, but the problem was with how they used Harley Quinn, rather than the actress taking away from the character. The usage of Harley Quinn when she was insane and fun was part of what made the first part of the movie so entertaining, but then they got the Joker storyline involved, and had her fighting monsters, which is not somewhere that she belongs, but I understand why they chose to do that, I don’t agree with it however.

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Jai Courtney was cast as George Harkness / Captain Boomerang, and it turns out that not putting him in a starring role was genius, as he was likeable and fun in small doses. being able to throw boomerangs around and hitting people with them as if they were clubs was fun, but once again, that character didn’t belong in that type of situation, fighting monsters’.

They cast Jay Hernandez as Diablo in this movie, and he was a pacifist for most of the film, and turned into a cool fire monster, that is most likely not dead at the end of the film, and I have to point out that he’s one of the only villains in this movie that is equipped to fight the endless waves of villains in an end of the world type situation.

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Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje played Killer Croc in this movie was mostly a joke and I didn’t find his characteristics interesting other than the self acceptance when he calls himself beautiful.

Joel Kinnaman was Rick Flagg in Suicide Squad and his role was to be the babysitter of the group and to be the one who was Amanda Waller’s puppet. His love interest in Dr. June Moone was something that made him fall under Waller’s spell, and I guess it worked in the movie, but I just didn’t enjoy the character.

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Karen Fukuhara played Katana in the movie, and the character is a very fascinating and detailed character with a cursed sword that traps the souls of the people that she kills with it, that was extremely underutilised and no more information given in the movie. I was really upset with how they treated the character, and I don’t even know why they would include her only to barely explain who she is and what she does, and to give her a reason for being in the movie.

The character of Slipknot was played by Adam Beach. The whole point of this character was to die. There’s no other defining trait, other than he being a Native American who could climb anything,  and hit a female office because ‘she had a mouth’. Sadly, there is really no other thing to say about how they used the character.

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The Enchantress / Dr. June Moone was played by Cara Delevingne and there’s not much to say about the character other than the first half made her interesting, and had a possible great backstory, but they did a horrible job at making her the villain. When Delevingne was playing the Dr., she did a good job, and showed potential to the character, however when she was playing Enchantress past the 45 minute mark, it was just a weird character that could dance and look at things weird. There was no enchanting quality about her, and she decides to enslave the humans and make them an endless stream of minions that didn’t add anything to the story other than fodder for the other villains to destroy.

The Enchantress’ brother Incubus, was played by Alain Chanoine and I felt like it was just another boss before the main boss for the characters to defeat, and even the villain looked more like a villain out of an anime rather than a blockbuster movie. I feel like the movie overall was just a mess, and the main antagonists didn’t help in elevating the movie’s quality.

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Casting Jared Leto as the Joker was something that a lot of people were skeptical about, especially when the first images were released about the character. They tried to do something new with the Joker, and they succeeded in doing that, but they failed at every single thing in regards to the character. The tattoos and the golden teeth is something that can be overlooked, because the character is not about how he looks but how he acts. The way that this Joker acts is wrong on too many levels in regards to who the character is. I don’t understand what Leto and the other filmmakers were thinking in regards to the character, and I can understand why they cut a lot of his scenes, but then you have to ask, why include him to begin with?

There’s already talks to distance themselves from Jared Leto’s Joker, and there’s also discussion about a Joker standalone movie which would be directed by Martin Scorsese.  This version of the Joker is the worst iteration of the character that I’ve ever seen or read.

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Viola Davis played Amanda Waller in a very cruel and manipulative role, who probably did the best job at playing the character straight from the comics. She was ruthless, cold and brutal in how she handled the Squad and her employees. I’m still wondering the same thing that Deadshot asked, ‘how the hell is she still alive?’

As you can tell, I really wanted to love these characters, and other than making them look similar to the comic book counterparts, most of the characters didn’t work out in this movie. I feel like the script was a mess, and the characters suffered for it. If the character was not played by an A – List star, or a rising Star, then there was no development whatsoever.

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The Batman cameos were interesting and just makes the fans want more Batman in this universe by Ben Affleck. He was the one who captured Harley Quinn after she and the Joker crashed into the river. He was also the one who captured Deadshot, and displaying some level of mercy telling him that he didn’t want to take him down in front of his daughter. I found that Batman has relearned some level of compassion after the death of Superman. I still think to this day that they should have not even bothered with this movie, and rather had done a solo Batman film after the events of Batman v Superman, or one that takes place before, like the story of Robin and the Joker.

There was also a fun little Flash cameo for the second straight DCEU movie, when he’s the one that captures Captain Boomerang at the bank vault. I found that Ezra Miller did a fun little cameo that added a bit of levity to his character after the mysterious appearance of his future self as well as Luthor’s clip of him in the corner store from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The soundtrack for this movie was done by Steven Price, and was something that I want to say I enjoyed, however it was more of a mess than anything else. The songs that they chose were great songs, and I enjoyed the scenes that they were in, however the songs kept cutting out, and having 2-3 songs for one scene was a little absurd and disjointed, and it disappointed me at the end.

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Oscar for costume and makeup was something that absolutely surprised me. Even though the costumes were well done, they were nothing compared to almost every other comic book movie. I honestly still think that it was members of the academy all joking around and voting for it as a pity vote, but somehow managed to win.

The end of the world, with the endless minions and the big blue beam in the sky, was something that has been done way too many times before, and even Marvel is guilty of doing that in the first and second Avengers movies, however with this movie it was poorly executed and really felt like a copy of the other movies.

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Overall, I feel like this movie should have been given more time in development to be able to do the characters properly and not come up with a world ending problem that brought the gang together to save the world. This movie was supposed to be an ensemble movie felt more like another Will Smith and Margot Robbie movie, and that is something that while I enjoy their movies, this should have been something more. At the end of the day, the movie was an overall disappointment that had the potential to be something great, because of that, I will end up giving this movie a very generous 6/10.

What did you think of Suicide Squad? Tomorrow I’ll finally review Justice League. Are you excited for Justice League? Let me know in the comment section below!

Thanks for reading,

Alex Martens

  Suicide Squad Review Release Date: August 1, 2016 Running Time: 2 hours 17 minutes "Figuring they're all expendable, a U.S.

[aion-rsa]

INTERVIEW: Gotham Academy Creators Tease Olive’s ‘Final’ Fate

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for “Gotham Academy: Second Semester” #8, on sale now.

Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl were admittedly surprised that DC Entertainment greenlit their YA ongoing series, “Gotham Academy” three years ago. The fact that they were allowed to actually finish the story they had pitched was a pipedream but as “Gotham Academy: Second Semester” closes it current arc and embarks on its next one, that’s exactly where they are.

The downside to their success – if there is any – is that means things are going to go from bad to worst for their beloved main character Olive Sherlock over the next few months, and that’s saying something considering her current state.

In a spoiler-filled interview about “Gotham Academy: Second Semester” #8, (on sale now), we connected with the creative team behind the series and discussed Olive’s current state, as well as that of her mysterious roommate Amy, who also has some questions to answer.

Cloonan, Fletcher and Kerschl also shared their thoughts on keeping some storylines and plot points open to the readers’ interpretation, teased Olive’s final fate and revealed that Maps’ older brother Kyle, who is also the ex-boyfriend of Olive, is also going to finally ‘get some action’ in the next arc, which is ominously titled, “The Ballad of Olive Sherlock.”

CBR: While this issue was harrowing for a number of reasons, nothing filled my heart with more fear that the note on the final page: “NEXT: THE BALLAD OF OLIVE SHERLOCK PART ONE! GEAR UP FOR GOTHAM ACADEMY’S FINAL STORY ARC THAT WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF OLIVE AND HER FRIENDS!” Final story arc? Is “Gotham Academy” truly coming to an end?

Brenden Fletcher: No — but it is the end of the big Olive Sherlock story that we wanted to tell from the beginning. We’re going to close off the current series with this Olive story arc.

So, it’s not the end of “Gotham Academy.” It’s like “Glee.” It’s time for some students to graduate.

Becky Cloonan: Exactly. When we first pitched this book back in 2014 – it was a few years ago – this was basically the whole story that we pitched. And we’re coming close to the end and we’ve managed to hit all of the notes that we wanted to hit. The things that we talked about three years ago are all coming to fruition. It’s kind of crazy.

Karl Kerschl: [Laughs] It’s unreal that we were able to actually get to the end of this story. It’s been a wild ride and we’re very grateful to our editors and DC on the whole for letting us tell this story that is much different than the standard superhero fare. It’s been a gift to us.

If you read the forums and Reddit and follow along via social media, one of the questions readers have been debating since the launch of “Gotham Academy: Second Semester” is, who or what is Amy? Do you follow those types of online discussions and debates and worry that you might be giving away too much because, looking back, you certainly dropped some hints over the past eight issues that Amy may be wired a bit differently than the rest of us.

Fletcher: I think some people figured it out, but it’s a balancing game. We just do our best month-to-month to try and share little pieces of who Amy is and why she is there but at the same time, play it out narratively as a bit of a surprise. We knew who and what Amy was from the beginning! [Laughs] We just had to do our best to make it work for the story and hope that it did for everybody.

Kerschl: Dealing with Amy was a lot like dealing with everything else in “Gotham Academy” in that there are themes and plot points that might be familiar to older readers who have experienced a lot of stories over their lives and to take those things and make them surprising for all ages was, I think, the thing that we were most interested in doing. And I think it worked out that way.

Cloonan: When you’re dealing with a mystery, you don’t want to be too obscure or not leave enough hints – even if people are guessing along the way – but you also don’t want to hit them over the head with what’s coming because you would destroy the surprise. I like the idea that some people are able to guess and figure it out.

Watching the actions of Amy and Olive, especially these past few issues, I was thinking a lot about Two-Face and then Maps actually has a line about Harvey Dent’s darker self that makes me think I might have been off. She says, “If she [Olive] was like, Harvey “Two-Face” Dent or somebody, I’d just be like, BAP POW SMACK, but… but… she’s my Olive.” But isn’t Olive like Harvey Dent in that while she can’t be totally responsible for Amy’s actions at the end of day, it’s she that will pay the price just like Harvey Dent always ends up in Arkham Asylum after Two-Face has committed crimes against Gotham?

Fletcher: That’s one of the questions that we are going to address in this next arc. It’s part of the mystery and it’s part of what the rest of the Detective Club needs to unravel. Have they lost their friend? Is their friend under the control of someone else or is she really doing this? And what does this all mean for the history of the Silverlocks, who seemingly have suffered similar fates over the years? What Olive is going through is very similar to what her mother was going through, which is something that Batman battled her over and put her away for. It’s a very sensitive subject that the kids are going to have to wrestle with over the next few issues.

Kerschl: Not just the kids, but Batman, too. He has a bit of struggle over his actions the past few years.

Okay, because I have to ask you — when Olive/Amy shoves Eric over the edge does she/they know that he is going to be saved by Tristan? Because if they didn’t, that certainly makes Olive and Amy far darker characters.

Fletcher: I think it’s a matter of Olive maybe not being fully in control and perhaps Olive wasn’t the one making the decisions. There is a subjective or ambiguous way that part of the story is told in terms of whom is actually making the calls for Olive at that time. [Pauses] But I agree, I think it’s a dark moment.

Cloonan: I think moments like this especially are best left being ambiguous – that’s really important – because I think it says a lot about you as a reader and what you think. I hesitate to answer your question because how you answer these questions as a reader says a lot about yourself and how you feel about the characters. Some questions like that, I prefer to keep ambiguous.

Kerschl: We definitely have ideas in our heads. [Laughs] The way that Eric was treated was not dissimilar to how Hugo Strange was treated at the end of the first arc. And we’re ambiguous about that, too, but Amy is probably not.

Cloonan: [Laughs]

We’ve talked about Batman’s role in this book before. He’s always there, even in issues that he doesn’t appear. He obviously heightens the situation for everyone involved, but does he also ground the series, too, as we always know that this is a superhero universe and these are not your typical teenage kids have typical teenage problems?

Fletcher: You’re right. It does heighten things, but it also provides context not only for where the kids are, but where and how things are talking place. This is serious stuff that can affect all of Gotham. Batman doesn’t just get involved for any small mystery at Gotham Academy. And yes, it does also heighten the drama.

Kerschl: We are telling a story about kids, and we do see their parents once in a while, but for me, Batman and Bruce, who is also peripherally around the story, plays the role of the ultimate parental figure. He is this omnipresent figure of authority and he is also very connected to Olive. She’s not exactly his ward but nearly as Batman is responsible for placing her at the school.

Cloonan: Olive is at Gotham Academy on a Wayne scholarship. It’s almost this Batman trickle-down effect. Not only does he affect the story through Wayne Enterprises, but just even day-to-day, by being Batman, because that affects everyone living in Gotham.

In “Gotham Academy: Second Semester” #8, we see Olive’s placement at Gotham Academy actually being questioned by just about everybody. Has Bruce/Batman made a mistake and put others in jeopardy?

Cloonan: That’s something we will continue to explore.

While so much of this series has been focused on the relationship between Olive and Maps, the solicitations for this next arc tease a larger role for Kyle Mizoguchi – Maps’ older brother and Olive’s ex-boyfriend. And that I am sure will make many readers very pleased.

Fletcher: That’s right. Kyle’s finally going to see some action. [Laughs]

Cloonan: He’s waited along time for his day in the sun.

Fletcher: Before we go, we just wanted to add that it’s been such a pleasure to do a YA book in the DC Universe and we are wrapping up this storyline but these characters have a lot more stories to be told. And I think that we can expect to see something in the future. There is definitely a need for my YA books in multiple formats in the market and we really look forward to seeing what comes next.

“Gotham Academy: Second Semester” #8, written by Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl and illustrated by Adam Archer and Msassyk is available now.

The post INTERVIEW: Gotham Academy Creators Tease Olive’s ‘Final’ Fate appeared first on CBR.

http://ift.tt/2ozyEVs

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Crunchyroll Favorites 2016, Part Three: Everything Else!

Superhero friendships ended, the Death Star plans were stolen, we experienced more reboots than you could possibly imagine (although really, that's every year), and Emily cooked a lot of food. After looking at our favorite anime and manga in Part One, and our favorite games in Part Two, we're gonna close up Crunchyroll Favorites 2016 with our favorite EVERYTHING ELSE--movies, books, comics, and more! Let's get started!

  NATE MING (@NateMing)

Voltron: Legendary Defender- I think it's safe to say that Voltron--the US edit of Beast King GoLion--was what got me into anime in the first place, so I was pretty skeptical of this new take on the story by the creators of The Legend of Korra. Thankfully, I had absolutely nothing to worry about, as this is a really fun reboot that not only keeps the high-energy feel of the original, but also pays homage to both Voltron and GoLion. I can't wait for the next season (also, Shiro's totally gonna die).

    Ip Man 3- The first Ip Man was a cool quasi-historical beat-em-up with some great setpieces, but the second was only okay despite bringing in the legendary Sammo Hung. We're back to the good stuff with the third go-around--the Donnie Yen vs. Mike Tyson headliner is pretty awesome, but the real star is a rival Wing Chun instructor, played by Max Zhang.

    Star Trek Beyond- I've always liked Star Trek more than Star Wars, and while Rogue One was great, the real surprise for me was Star Trek Beyond--co-written by Simon Pegg--going back to the series' optimistic roots and giving every character a chance to shine. Justin Lin already has experience delivering with ensemble actioners, and the Enterprise herself has never looked cooler. Just goes to show you can't always judge a movie by its trailer.

    Shin Godzilla- This isn't the alpha predator from the 2014 US reboot--the King of the Monsters and reluctant, almost accidental protector of humanity. Hideaki Anno's Godzilla is a ruthless force of nature, death personified that leaves a trail of destruction and levels the heart of Tokyo in mere moments when pushed. Bureaucracy is the real enemy here, as the film constantly switches from meeting to meeting to planning session and back to another meeting to discuss the results of that planning session--sure, Godzilla's blowing stuff up, but nobody wants to take responsibility and act. I hope Anno gets another shot at the King, because this was fantastic.

    The VVitch- Low-key, creeping horror can be very hit or miss, but The VVitch wins by never letting you settle down or feel safe. Spot-on period presentation brings us into an American colonial family banished to the frontier for being too religious for settlement life, and how their fanaticism is just as destructive as the dark forces that are literally at their doorstep.

    Baskin- On the other hand, Baskin just goes all-out in its ferocity and surreal visuals, where five overly-macho cops investigate a cult and all hell breaks loose. Baskin is horror purity, almost like watching David Lynch join forces with Gareth Huw Evans--hold on tight, this one is absolutely not for the faint of heart.

    Batman vol. 2 (The New 52)- Western comics rarely end, or at least they very rarely have good stopping points, which is why I was so satisfied with Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's New 52 run on Batman. From introducing new villains to really focusing on Batman's relationships with Alfred and Jim Gordon, this 50-issue run came to a close this year with an awesome, gigantic kaiju battle in the middle of Gotham. What's best, you barely need any background character knowledge to get started--just pick up Court of Owls and read all the way through to Superheavy. It's so damn good.

    Monstress- Gorgeous, mysterious, and part of an intricate and sometimes terrifying world, Monstress has me hooked. Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda have crafted something that I try and show off every chance I get, something I want everyone to be a part of--a fantasy-horror story of revenge and intrigue set in an Asian-mythology-inspired world is just too good to pass up, especially when it looks this good.

  by 多無

  Fanart Friday comes to an end- After five years, I decided to close down my signature Crunchyroll column so I could focus on other projects. Fanart Friday - The Final Edition came on September 23, 2016, the exact fifth birthday of Fanart Friday, and it was great to say goodbye to the audience that was there every Friday for a half a decade. What's coming up next? Shaw City Strikers, a martial arts comic (and homage to shonen manga) I'm working on with some friends, and my new column BETTER NATE THAN NEVER. Stay tuned!

    That one tweet- It's nice to see this tweet still making the rounds. The initial explosion was a sight to behold--it just goes to show that 1) being in the right place at the right time is a real thing and 2) you know you've made good content when people brazenly steal it and claim it as their own. Also, 3) you know you did a good thing when it makes actual Nazis mad.

  PETER FOBIAN (@PeterFobian)

  Crunchyroll x Funimation- My personal favorite anime couple of 2016. The partnership between Crunchyroll and Funimation may just be the biggest news for western anime fans since Crunchyroll itself appeared. It’s one of those “everyone wins” situations that’s almost unbelievable. More free streaming anime, subbed and dubbed, for everyone.

    Westworld- I’m a die-hard Anthony Hopkins fan, love westerns, and love love love psychological thrillers with existential implications, so basically Westworld was made specifically for me and me alone. I’m extremely concerned with the direction the story is taking with the finale, but everything this season has been tremendous. Their use of a hybrid maintenance process/psychological evaluation to drive story is inspired.

    Monstress- I have a love/hate relationship with American comics, and often take refuge in independent works. Monstress has me more excited about a Western comic than I have been since I started reading Powers. The world, designs, and style alone are so gorgeous I feel like I bought an art book, and the story holds a lot of promise with a supernatural revenge mystery with a predominantly female cast and divine implications.

    Netflix Horror Serials: Stranger Things, Penny Dreadful, Hemlock Grove, Black Mirror- I’m not exactly a horror junky, but I’ve definitely spent a lot of time with the genre and couldn’t be happier about Netflix Originals diving in. After years of sitcoms, procedurals, and conspiracy shows dominating the environment it’s great to see some new blood (usually a lot of it) making its way out of cinema and into more available media. Not all of them are revolutionary works of art but they’re bringing in new ideas.

    Captain America: Civil War- Like almost everyone, I’m a fan of the Marvel movies and feel like the Avengers movies turned over a new leaf with Civil War. Where previously they were the campier, less-directed collaborations of the more interesting personal narratives of the heroes solo adventures, Civil War was just right, reigning in the theatrics of Age of Ultron with a much tighter, character-driven story. I’m eager to see what the Russo brothers do with the MCU.

  KARA DENNISON (@RubyCosmos)

  Working in the Crunchyroll Newsroom!- I've worked as a subtitle editor/QCer for Crunchyroll's anime side for a while now, but this year I made the switch to the newsroom and it's some of the most fun I've had in ages. The people I'm working with are awesome (and a couple are old friends) and our chats throughout the day are both informative and hilarious. And hey, I can put on my resume that I've written about Tezuka's mouse porn.

    (Re)Generation Who- This was my second year working with this awesome Doctor Who convention, and I was so pleased to be back with them again in Baltimore. I got to meet Peter Davison, Anneke Wills, Michael Troughton, and so many others who made the weekend amazing (not to mention re-meeting Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, and even more). Hanging out with them -- whether during an interview or at the bar -- is a delight and a privilege, and I can't wait to see what year 3 will be like!

    SPACE.- Curiosity's 360 view of Mars posted as an interactive Facebook video. Watching the Pegasus XL rocket launch live. And the fact that the rest of the world is enthusiastic about it. I'm a big space geek and I always love finding more big space geeks. The fact that the majority of the people I encounter are just as ready to freak out about how awesome space is as I am is... well, AWESOME.

  EVAN MINTO (@VamptVo)

  Chapo Trap House- In the US, politics defined 2016, for obvious reasons. And for many like me on the left side of the spectrum, the political comedy podcast Chapo Trap House has served as an unexpected but welcome guide through the past year. But don’t let me get TOO sincere on you; the hosts have got a penchant for the ironic and absurd, as you might expect from a podcast named after a drug cartel that started off with analysis of pundits’ sexual pathologies and satirical praise for the Turkish deep state. Then again, between the brilliant comedy, they’ve inspired a lot of listeners like myself to get more involved in local politics, a feat that’s likely as baffling to them as it is to the political establishment they love to hate.

    Zootopia- Who would have thought a talking animal Disney movie would steal the hearts of jaded adults like me in 2016? On charm alone, Zootopia is one of my favorite American animated movies of recent years, with its carefully observed and animated animal behavior. The diverse cast of animals allows the animators to portray a similarly diverse range of exaggerated personalities — the tiny, timid rabbit, the brawny, surly bison—and the breezy script puts them all to brilliant comedic effect. But what really impressed me was Zootopia’s social commentary, which uses a mess of stereotypes of both predators and prey to shine a surprisingly stark light on real-world issues of race relations and criminal justice. It’s classic Disney meets contemporary Disney!

    Captain America: Civil War- I’ve got a bad case of Marvel fatigue (you’ll notice Doctor Strange didn’t make my list), but sometimes the Marvel Cinematic Universe still surprises me. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo, back after the previous high point of the film series, The Winter Soldier, deliver a similarly gray portrait of the Avengers, with the character flaws of the famed superheroes laid bare. It’s not as political as I would have liked, but Civil War is a surprisingly personal film with a deliberately unsatisfying, morally ambiguous finale. And yes, though he feels like a bit of an afterthought, the movie also has the greatest on-screen Spider-Man yet. Homecoming couldn’t come any sooner.

    Rogue One: A Star Wars Story- We’re just one year into the new annual schedule of Star Wars movies, so I can still muster some excitement about Disney’s reimagining of one of my all-time favorite franchises. Rogue One stumbles a bit at the beginning, introducing too many characters and planets without justifying their presence, but once the team comes together and heads off to steal the Death Star plans, the movie really kicks into gear. Seeing a classic Return of the Jedi-style space battle is enough to awaken some strong nostalgia even from me, but it’s the thematic resonance with the later films that really makes it all work — the forgotten art of the force, the Rebels’ desperation in the face of the Empire, and of course, the sheer terror of facing Darth Vader.

  SAM WOLFE (@_Samtaro)

  Rogue One: A Star Wars Story- Despite the release of The Force Awakens last year, Disney has already released a new Star Wars movie this year, and it’s a breed apart from what we’re traditionally used to. Rogue One took risks, and while some die-hard fans may have left the theater conflicted, the movie succeeded in exploring a side of the Star Wars universe never before seen on the big screen. This is the first time in history that two Star Wars movies have been released theatrically in two years consecutively, and although some fear that the brand might suffer from overexposure, it certainly hasn’t gotten stale yet.

    Chris Niosi- A smaller story, but one that deserves recognition. Artist Chris Niosi, better known as “Kirbopher”, landed the role of Arataka Reigen in the English dub of Mob Psycho 100 this year. Niosi is known for numerous projects, including animation work on Skullgirls, lending his voice to several shows, and creating the web series TOME, a love letter to anime. This role, in my opinion, is significant because it cements Chris as an anime fan who made his dream of being an anime voice actor. Way to go, Chris.

    A Personal Note- Look, 2016 was a rough year for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. Without trying to sound too preachy, as we move into 2017, remember to be kind to one another. It’s very easy, and dare I say it, trendy, to be cynical and apathetic when the chips are down. Take time to recognize what you have to be happy about, and how you can make a positive difference in peoples’ lives around you. If anime has taught us anything, it’s that when somebody knocks you down, you stand right back up and look ‘em in the eyes. I hope everybody has a good 2017!

  NICK CREAMER (@B0bduh)

  Italy- I took a family trip to Italy this past spring, and visions of Venice’s nestled alleyways and Tuscany’s rolling hills have been dancing through my head ever since. The rural European aesthetic of shows like Kino’s Journey and Haibane Renmei has always been one of my favorite settings, and actually walking through cities that realized those majestic worlds felt like wandering through a dream. It was an inspiring trip, and I hope to one day return.

    Westworld- I haven’t really been making enough time for the big western TV dramas, but I was able to catch this year’s Westworld, and I’m glad I did. Though I found the show’s focus on mysteries at the expense of all else a little draining, the fundamental world it established was a fascinating place, and the show built up to some remarkable dramatic high points. It’s the kind of messy but ambitious narrative I always tend to root for, and the fact that it was populated by icons like Anthony Hopkins and Ed Harris certainly didn’t hurt, either.

    The VVitch- I’d actually almost forgotten The VVitch came out this year, but it was likely the most gripping new film I’ve seen. In lieu of jump scares or gross-out violence, The VVitch constructed a breathing world that promised danger around every turn, where the fear and distrust of its human characters was every bit as terrifying as its supernatural predators. There’s something fundamentally ominous about the New England countryside - a sense of old secrets and old grudges, a place where humans are not meant to tread. By emphasizing the alien danger of the natural world and tethering it to a precise and claustrophobic moment in history, The VVitch stands as one of the most powerful horror films in years.

  EMILY BUSHMAN (@yumpenguinsnack)

  Personal Favorite Anime Food of 2016: Mushroom and Cheese Gyoza from Food Wars- This dish never made an anime appearance in this season of Food Wars! but, having read the manga, I really wanted to try this dish out. Soma teaches the gyoza folding method to a class of kids he's teaching, and he lets them fill the gyoza with whatever they want. One kid picked mushrooms and cheese, which at first seemed weird but in hindsight obviously worked out well. Chop the cheese and mushrooms finely and toss with some sauteed onion. Mix with salt and pepper. And simply wrap in gyoza wrappers. It's simple, it's fun to make with friends or on your own, and holy cow, is it amazing! Best of all, the ingredients are easily interchangeable with your own personal favorites, so it's a great recipe to experiment with. I told my housemates that they could eat all the extras I'd made...and sadly had nothing to show after an hour in the kitchen. I'd eaten them all.

    Fan-favorite Anime Food of 2016: Katsu Pirohzki from Yuri!! On ICE- This was a big surprise for me. First of all, it's not the easiest thing to make at all. It requires a lot of focus, lots of parts working together, and an ability to handle sticky dough, in excess. Second, it wasn't actually all that amazing tasting. It's an extremely hearty dish, like a lot of Russian foods, and left me feeling over-full after eating one. I also found that I had to dip it in a sauce to heighten the flavor pay-off. For a recipe designer, the ideal is to have a perfectly seasoned, delicious dish, which isn't exactly what happened. But the story behind the dish makes it all worth it, in my opinion. Who would have guessed that this show would be so popular? I love the character dynamics, and the plot was just charming. Best of all, it inspired lots of people to try making this dish, to recreate the magic for themselves. I got more hits on this recipe than anything else this year on Crunchyroll, which is why I designated it the fan-favorite dish of the year.

    Magical Roommate Favorite Anime Food of 2016: Sukiyaki from Princess Jellyfish- My roommate, Sarah, is my savior in times of crisis. When I have too much food, she always helps me eat it without a single complaint. So, I felt it was only right to give her a chance to choose her favorite recipe of the year. Princess Jellyfish is by no means a 2016 original, but I came across the recipe for this dish late 2016, and made it for my friends. We all love this show, and had all watched it together when it aired a few years ago. So, I had a hunch they'd enjoy a recipe from the anime, and I was right. It was an instant hit! My darling roommate, who I depend on to eat basically everything I make, elected this as her favorite dish of the year. According to her: "I like it cuz it was just as good as the one we had in Japan and I liked how interactive it was with not only the food but with our friends. I loved the veggies just as much as the meat and the sauce was to die for. It was super fun to eat with everyone and compete for the food with our friends."

    A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab- A brilliant sequel to a fantastic first book. The story focuses on a guy named Kell, one of the few remaining members of his kind of magic wielders, and his struggle to protect his adopted family from harm while also living free of their over-bearing protection. Along the way he makes friends with a cut throat thief who keeps him alive, mostly to suit her own desires, a prince who's too good at heart for his own good, and a dashingly dangerous ship's captain who's in the business for the keeping and collection of the deepest and darkest of secrets. I was startled to find that this book not only added onto the world building of the first novel, but did so in a way that skillfully integrated the events of the first book into the second. A heart-wrenching and gut-clasping read the entire way through. The first book in the series is called A Darker Shade of Magic. Not 100% necessary to enjoy the sequel, but it would definitely help.

    Morning Star by Pierce Brown- A great cap to a fantastic space opera-y series. This story follows the life of one man, Darrow, and his quest to overthrow a government that takes care of the best of society at the expense of a those considered the lowest. Racism at its worst. What else is new in a sci-fi novel? It's a familiar plot carried out with the elegance and grace of a particularly dangerous chess game. This book takes no prisoners, cuts your throat, and leaves you to die. And while you're busy trying to return from the dead, it carries on carving a savage path of friends loved and lost, lives risked and gambled away, dirty, secret games played in the dark, and an ending that eviscerates you, heart and soul. The first in the series is called Red Rising. I recommend you start there, unless you like working your way backwards.

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And that's a wrap for our three-part series! Be sure to check out Part One and Part Two if you missed them! If you're still in the mood for past CR Favorites, check out the previous years' features here:

  Crunchyroll Favorites 2015 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2014 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2013 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2012 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll News' Best of 2011 Part One Part Two

  What were your favorite "everything elses" of 2016? Remember, this is a FAVORITES list, not a BEST OF list, so there's no wrong answers--sound off in the comments and share your favorites with us!

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Nate Ming is the Features and Reviews Editor for Crunchyroll News, creator of the long-running Fanart Friday column, and the Customer Support Lead for Crunchyroll. You can follow him on Twitter at @NateMing.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com