BACK UP FOR ORDER — Preorder Alert: Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel Legends Figures
Update: Apr 1, 2014 – 20:43 These figures are again in stock so place your order now!
Update: Apr 1, 2014 – 18:16 Amazon has changed the status of all the figures to “Currently Unavailable” meaning their original allocation is likely sold out. Please keep your eyes here and follow Marvelicious Toys on Facebook or on Twitter and we’ll let you know if/when these are again available!
Original text follows:
They are the Guardians of the Galaxy. Or they’re “a bunch of a-holes.” Either way, they’re making their way to a theater near you this August in the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe film! But in June the toys for the movie are scheduled to start hitting–and the pre-orders have now begun. Right now you can order all 6 Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel Legends figures from Amazon.com!
Already this summer Marvel movie fans and collectors have seen the crazy hunt for Legends figures. From Hasbro’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Legends line where Carnage and Toxin go for $30 and up to Captain America: The Winter Soldier toy line with Black Widow going for over $60, it’s been difficult to find these figures in stores at all. But now at Amazon you can get all six of these figures for the MSRP of $21.99, and free shipping of orders over $35 (or with Amazon Prime).
The figures that make up this Toy Line are:
From the Guardians of the Galaxy film:
Star-Lord
Rocket Raccoon
Gamora
Drax
From the Guardians of the Galaxy comic:
Plus buy all six and build Groot–the giant tree character voiced by Vin Diesel!
If the Captain America and Spider-Man Legends are any indication these will likely pre-sell out fast. Save yourself gas and time and get your order in now at Amazon.com!
The Mangler Reborn
You can’t keep a good laundry machine down! We may not have Robert Englund or Ted Levine but the titular, demonically possessed, homicidal clothes press is back for blood in The Mangler Reborn. When two thieves break into a house to rob the owner what they find inside is carnage and chaos. Does this film have any resemblance whatsoever to King’s original crisply-folded vision? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s review where it all comes out in the wash!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPMANGL03.mp3
Fight Club
The first rule of Fight Club is the one that’s most broken. Especially in 1999 when this film was new, fans had to share their thoughts and feelings about this anti-consumer culture, revolutionary, subversive, and thought-provoking story. Director David Fincher and screenwriter Jim Uhls took the story from Chuck Palahniuk’s novel and, with stars Brad Pitt and Ed Norton, captured the spirit of a decade. Now, as thanks to everyone who supported Marjorie’s participation in the American Lung Association “Fight for Air Climb” the hosts of Now Playing once again break Fight Club’s cardinal, redundant rule and break this film down in depth. Step in the ring with Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie now to listen!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPP039.mp3
Pre-Order Alert: Hot Toys Winter Soldier Movie Masterpiece Series Figure
Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are certainly hoping to build on the hype for next week’s release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier for I cannot recall another time when they released two new Hot Toys figures in two days. Yesterday’s Captain America Golden Age Movie Promo Edition sold out in under 24 hours (Wait List is Still Available), and now to stage that awesome fight from the movie comes The Winter Soldier Hot Toys one-sixth scale Movie Masterpiece Series figure.
Standing 12-inches tall this figure has 30 points of articulation and an amazing likeness of Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier with two new heads, one masked and one unmasked with movie-accurate make-up. You also get 4 pairs of interchangable palms (the left ones are gloved), and a ton of weapons including a machine gun, remote bomb launcher, submachine gun, spike with sheath, 2 daggers, and 3 pistols. Plus a pair of goggles and a figure stand with the Winter Soldier nameplate.
While this figure is certainly not going to sell out as fast as Cap, I have no doubt that with this movie’s expectation it will sell fast, so be sure to get your order in now at Sideshow Collectibles!
SOLD OUT: Hot Toys Captain America – Golden Age MOVIE PROMO VERSION from Winter Soldier film.
Yesterday we announced Sideshow Collectibles has offered the Captain America – Golden Age Suit Movie Promo Version of the figure. Today we have to announce that this figure sold out in less than 24 hours. The figure is now going for over $400 on eBay, versus the $209.99 retail price.
As mentioned in yesterday’s article, Hot Toys’ Movie Promo Versions of figures are highly limited, soar in price on the secondary market, and thus are snatched up by collectors and speculators alike. With Captain America selling out even faster than the previous Movie Promo Iron Man Mark VII this seems to be increasing.
But if you want this Captain America in his classic suit, needed if you want to recreate the climactic battle from The Winter Soldier film, all hope is not lost. Sideshow has opened the Wait List on this item. But do not hesitate–Wait List orders are filled first come first serve.
Sideshow’s Wait List allows collectors who missed out on a piece to hopefully score one due to cancelled orders, credit card declines, or unexpected stock increases. But the earlier you get on the Wait List the greater your chances of actually getting this piece at retail price and not having to scour eBay for it.
So do not delay. If you even think you want this figure, head to Sideshow now to get on the Wait List. And remember with future exclusive and Movie Promo Version Hot Toys–a preorder made is a hundred dollars saved.
The Mangler 2
In the last film The Mangler was a killer laundry press. But that film was made in the 20th Century so now, with The Mangler 2, we get a Mangler for a new generation: a killer computer virus downloaded into the security system at a prestigious prep school. Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s review to see if this diabolical digital demon is worth watching! And we promise, the Mangler virus is not embedded in the podcast MP3.
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPMANGL02.mp3
The Mangler
Workers keep dying at the Blue Ribbon Laundry Service, chewed up by The Mangler–a giant industrial laundry press. Is the machine broken, or is it possessed by a demon? Directed by Tobe Hooper and starring Robert Englund and Ted Levine, the film has horror icons on screen and behind the scenes. Can their combined talent make the Mangler loads of fun, or have King’s Night Shift adaptations pressed their luck too far? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPMANGL01.mp3
Deal Alert: Gentle Giant C6 Exclusive Clone Trooper Statue – 35% Off
Gentle Giant’s Star Wars statues are often in high demand with edition sizes over 1,000. And Clone Troopers from the Star Wars prequel films are fan-favorites–they’re like stormtroopers with big guns and good aim! So it makes no sense to me, no sense at all, that Gentle Giant’s Clone Trooper Lieutenant Statue, exclusive to Star Wars Celebration VI in 2012 and with an edition size of only 600, is not only still available but (today only) 35% off at Entertainment Earth.
This statue, showing the blue-accented clone in a kneeling position, stands 10 inches tall, and comes with the Gentle Giant signature black base, with a high-gloss top that reflects the bright white armor of the statue.
It’s Entertainment Earth’s daily deal, and I have to believe that quantities of this statue are dwindling. In years to come fans and collectors may well kick themselves for passing on this piece, so get yours today!
Pre-Order Alert! HOT TOYS Black Widow from Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The next film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, has fans very excited. With Steve Rogers fighting the metal-armed Winter Soldier, plus Marvel heroes Nick Fury, Black Widow, and The Falcon all along for the ride, fans are excited and the Hasbro toys are flying off the store shelves. Now Hong Kong based toy company Hot Toys has put up for pre-order their first release from this new film — Natasha Romanoff as the Black Widow.
Featuring a new likeness of actress Scarlet Johansson, updated for her appearance in Winter Soldier with movie-accurate facial expression, straight real fabric hair, and movie-accurate make-up. The body has over 28 points of articulation, and the outfit has buckles with boots, leather-like trims, and belts with holsters on the thighs.
More, this piece is loaded with accessories, including 9 interchangable cloved palms, two pistols, 2 sets of Widow’s Bite bracelets (with and without shock effect) , a mobile phone, and a Hot Toys Black Widow base.
The previous Hot Toys Black Widow figures have jumped in price on the secondary market, even the lower-detailed Iron Man 2 version. So don’t miss out on this new Hot Toys figure, order yours now from Sideshow Collectibles — the only authorized Hot Toys reseller in the United States!
Graveyard Shift
It’s hard to decide what’s worst about working at the Bachman Textile Plant. It could be the lack of air conditioning. It could be the boss who coerces female employees for sex. Actually the worst thing about the mill is probably the giant rat-bat creature that lives in the basement and feeds on the workers. Such is the plot of Graveyard Shift, the 1990 film based on Stephen King’s 1970 short story. Can a mischief of rats, a giant puppet beast, and Brad Dourif scare Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to death? Listen to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPNIGHTSHIFT03.mp3
Cat’s Eye
What do a man trying to quit smoking, a man running away with his lover, and a troll have in common? They’re all stories told in Cat’s Eye, the 1985 anthology film starring Drew Barrymore. The film has adaptations of two stories from Stephen King’s Night Shift collection, and a third newly written for the screen. Are the original tales scarier than the new one? Are these stories even intended to frighten the audience? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie’s review to find out! Arnie is also reviewing all the original King Night Shift short stories at the Books & Nachos podcast! Head there now to hear reviews of the short stories “Quitters Inc.” and “The Ledge” which were adapted in Cat’s Eye!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPNIGHTSHIFT02.mp3
Thor: The Dark World hits DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Today
Thor: The Dark World comes out on Blu-ray today.
Benefiting from the “Avengers bump”, coming 18 months after that 1.5 billion grossing hit, Thor: The Dark World has become the third highest grossing film in the Avengers series.
But with the home video release fans must make a choice. Continuing the unfortunate, but common, practice of splitting bonus features across multiple exclusive retailers fans have to choose which features are worth their dollars.
The Blu-ray is available in two editions, a single-disc 2-D version, or a multi-format 2 -disc version which includes the movie in 2-D, a 3-D Blu-ray copy of the film, and a code for a HD Digital download of the film through iTunes or UltraViolet.
Both Blu-ray releases have the same basic set of bonus features: Extended and Deleted scenes (including an extended celebration scene, more with the dark elves, and Jane learning about the aether), gag reel, the 30 minute featurette “A Brothers’ Journey: Thor & Loki”, and a look at “Scoring Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World” with composer Brian Tyler. Of most interest to Avengers film fans are likely the audio commentary with Director Alan Taylor, Producer Kevin Feige, and fan-favorite actor Tom Hiddleston, as well as an exclusive look at April’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Also of note is the film short called All Hail the King. Since the release of Captain America: The First Avenger on Blu-ray Marvel has included short features that help tie the Marvel cinematic universe together. With All Hail the King however Marvel has taken it to the next level, bringing back acclaimed, award-winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley to reprise his role as Trevor–the fake Mandarin from Iron Man 3. Given that character’s polarizing response among Marvel’s film fans this follow up should be of great interest to see how Feige caps off the story of this comic relief actor/villain from last May’s Iron Man film. The description of the short is: After the events of Marvel’s Iron Man 3, Trevor Slattery is an infamous icon. He’s also locked up in a high-security prison. Luckily, his newfound profile has brought him celebrity and protection on the inside – and the actor has gladly agreed to an in-depth profile with a documentary filmmaker
But then brick and mortar retailers Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all have exclusive versions of Thor on Blu-ray, and digital sites iTunes and Amazon have exclusive features as well.
Best Buy has the 3D film in a gorgeous steelbook case. The only difference here is packaging, but steelbook collectors will certainly want to check this version out.
Target has an exclusive Loki O-Sleeve over the Blu-ray. Again, there is no new content on the discs (in the past Target has often included an extra disc with bonus features), but you do also get one month exclusive access to Marvel Unlimited, allowing you to read digital comics for free on your computer, phone, or tablet.
Walmart is the only brick and mortar to have a version with exclusive bonus features. Through the VUDU service Walmart customers can view a bonus featurette “Loki: The God of Mischief.” This includes a look at Hiddelston’s 2013 appearance at San Diego Comic-Con International where he appeared on stage in the full Loki costume.
Amazon also has a digital exclusive through their Amazon Instant Video service. This bonus content looks at the visual effects work that went into making Thor: The Dark World.
Finally iTunes offers a bonus featurette looking at the comic book origins of the Dark Elves, Algrim the Kursed, and how these bad guys transitioned from the page to the big screen.
Fortunately if you want one of the physical discs you can likely get the iTunes bonus content as well. On Star Trek Into Darkness and other Blu-ray films with iTunes digital copies the exclusive iTunes bonus content is able to be viewed as well. I will update this article later with confirmation that this is still the case with Thor: The Dark World.
For those without a Blu-Ray player, a bare bones DVD release is also available. Disney did not include a DVD with the multi-format Blu-ray release forcing those without a Blu-ray player to buy either an additional version or a version with no bonus features. Cover variation collectors be aware – the DVD version has a red stripe down the spine, the Blu-Ray version has a blue stripe.
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You can hear our review of Thor: The Dark World as well as the other Avengers films at NowPlayingPodcast.com
The Night Shift Collection: The Woman in the Room, The Boogeyman, and Disciples of the Crow
Stephen King has over 50 feature films based on his writings. But beyond the feature films are hundreds of student-made short films based on King’s short stories, completely authorized by the author. In an attempt to help student filmmakers King sells non-exclusive rights for one dollar; he calls these films his “Dollar Babies.” As part of the contract these films can not be distributed or sold; however, in the 1980s three Dollar Babies were renegotiated and saw professional release. On a direct-to-VHS series called The Night Shift Collection student adaptations of King’s short stories “Children of the Corn” (title changed to Disciples of the Crow for film), “The Boogeyman”, and “The Woman in the Room” were distributed–the last title directed by Frank Darabont, who would go on to direct professional King adaptations The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist! So join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart as they go back to school and review The Night Shift Collection!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPNIGHTSHIFT01.mp3
Robocop (2014)
Robocop is back! After two theatrical sequels that quickly declined in quality, a syndicated TV series, and a series of TV movies, the cyborg cop is back in theaters with a totally new take on the tale of Alex Murphy. Gone is Verhoeven’s ultra-violence and satrical take on 80’s business, and instead Robocop is now a state of the art tactical killing machine, dressed in black. Does this new angle on the robot cop work, or should Murphy have stayed dead? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP08.mp3
Robocop: Prime Directives – Crash and Burn
It’s been a long road but we have reached the climax of the Robocop: Prime Directives series. Kaydick and Robocable have infiltrated OCP, planning to use their SAINT computer system to spread the human and machine killing Legion virus throughout Delta City. Only Robocop, his son James, and Kaydick’s former lover Anne can stop him. After three cheaply made films, is there anything in this final movie to redeem the series, or does it Crash and Burn? Listen to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP07.mp3
Robocop: Prime Directives – Resurrection
There is a new threat to Delta City, and his name is Kaydick. Having invented Legion, a virus that will destroy both technology and people, Kaydick is ready to annihilate all of humanity, and with RoboCable as his slave bodyguard it may just happen. Can Robocop avoid OCP’s Systems Support team, and his own son, long enough to save the city? And can this film give Prime Directives a much-needed Resurrection? Listen to our review of the third Robocop: Prime Directives films to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP06.mp3
Robocop: Prime Directives – Meltdown
Robocop has been feeling obsolete after a decade of paroling Delta City, but he’s not ready to be shut down yet! When he is framed for a series of destructive acts, actually done by his former police partner who has also been turned into a cyborg, Robocop must go on the run and hide from OCP and their lethal Systems Support Team. Does the addition of RoboCable double the pleasure of the second Robocop: Prime Directives films, or will the Now playing hosts have a Meltdown? Listen to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP05.mp3
Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys give Iron Man fans Whiplash!
One of Iron Man’s deadliest foes in the comics is Whiplash, and in Iron Man 2 that comic book baddie was brought to life by Mickey Rourke. An evil tech genius in his own right, Ivan Vanko used the Arc reactor technology to first create whips that almost defeated Iron Man in Monaco, then upgraded to a full suit of armor all his own. With this new suit Whiplash almost defeated both Iron Man and War Machine.
Now that armor can be yours, thanks to Hot Toys and their US distributor Sideshow Collectibles.
This character and outfit have been teased for a long time, images of the Whiplash Armor leaking from conventions across the globe, but now it is available for order. Standing 13 inches tall, this DIECAST figure has highly detailed metallic black body armor, 36 points of articulation–including fingers, and switch out chest armor for regular or battle damaged.
More, there is a removable magnetic mask that reveals an authentic Mickey Rourke likeness with the wrinkles, beard, and facial expression that made the character pop in the film.
And whips–oh yes there are whips, with flashes and LED light-up functions. The helmeted head has LED light-up eyes as well!
All of this can be displayed on a detailed diorama base.
As anticipated as this figure is, with all the accessories and light-up features, and at an attractive $399 price point (which is great for a diecast figure of this size) this is bound to move quickly, so get your preorder in now at Sideshow Collectibles!
Robocop: Prime Directives – Dark Justice
Robocop, the franchise, was considered obsolete, broken down, and forgotten in the early 21st century. So what better than to make four films in which Robocop, the character, is considered obsolete, broken down, and forgotten? Such is the premise of the Robocop – Prime Directives. Taking place 10 years after the death of Alex Murphy Robocop still patrols the streets of Delta City hunting the mass murderer Bone Machine. Does this R-rated made-for-TV movie bring back the sprit of the original Robocop? Listen to our review of the first Prime Directives film Dark Justice, to find out! Then join us this Friday for the next Prime Directives review, Meltdown!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP04.mp3
Robocop 3
Clarence Boddicker couldn’t kill Officer Alex Murphy–the policeman rose again as the unstoppable Robocop. But what Boddicker started director Fred Dekker finished with Robocop 3. With a new man in the robosuit, a robot ninja, and a jetpack, the third Robocop film was both a critical and box office failure that would end the original franchise, save for some television projects, and doom Murphy to 21 years of obsolescence. But can the film, written by comic cult icon Frank Miller, be as bad as its reputation? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP03.mp3
eFX Collectibles UNLEASHES Star Wars Incinerator Trooper Helmet Replica
Available now and coming out of the blue is eFX Collectibles’ latest prop replica — The Force Unleashed Incinerator Trooper Helmet.
This helmet is exclusive to CozmicToys.com and is limited to 501 pieces worldwide.
This PCR helmet is one of the lower detail “stunt” replicas made by eFX, but that also keeps the price very low at only $199.99 plus shipping. Having seen many of these PCR helmets in person they have a great displayability that far exceeds their cost.
So if you’re interested in this order yours now at Cozmic Toys!
Robocop 2
When Alex Murphy was killed in the line of duty OCP brought in their best scientists to rebuild him as the bigger, stronger Robocop. When Paul Verhoeven chose to make Total Recall instead of Robocop 2 Orion Pictures also turned to icons of the genre–the Irvin Kershner, director of The Empire Strikes Back, and Frank Miller, writer of the hit Batman comic The Dark Knight Returns. With these big names behind the camera, Peter Weller back in the Robosuit, and a much bigger budget, does Robocop 2 make the original obsolete? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP02.mp3
Sideshow Collectibles Preorder – Premium Format Captain America Winter Soldier Movie Version
Earlier this week Sideshow Collectibles teased new Premium Format Figure line tying into Captain America: The Winter Soldier! They immediately promised Captain America and The Winter Soldier 1/4 scale statues, and already the first–the Captain America Premium Format figure is up for order!
In a bit of an unusual move, Sideshow has no photos of this item available for the pre-order–not even the prototype. However the description promises “a stunning likeness of award-winning actor Chris Evans” and a “screen-accurate sculpted costume” and finally “switch-out classic and stealth shields.”
Honestly all of those sound really nice, but the question I have is if this is going to be Steve Rogers in the Captain America outfit, or if he’s in the new SHIELD blue outfit. I think it is the former, as the exclusive edition of this statue comes with a switch-out unmasked head (the regular edition comes only with the masked head).
At $398 this is one of the more expensive Premium Format Figures from Sideshow (not counting the larger figures like Hulk and Apocalypse). With no photos I am hesitant to order, however perhaps due to the lack of product photography you can now pre-order Cap with no non-refundable deposit. So there is really no risk if the photos are not to your liking.
If you are already a Cap fan you know you need that exclusive edition, so go and order now!
Sideshow Puts Hot Toys Thor: The Dark World Loki Figure Up For Preorder
I bring glad tidings….
When Thor: The Dark World was released in November, 2013 the Hot Toys tie-ins were notably quiet. For both The Avengers and Iron Man 3 Sideshow Collectibles had a large number of Hot Toys figures up for pre-order before the movies were even released, but Thor had only two: the regular Thor sixth-scale figure (still available for pre-order) and the Sideshow Exclusive Thor in Asgardian Light Armor (the pre-orders are sold out but there are spots available on Sideshow’s Wait List). But long rumored were other figures, and an obvious one was fan-favorite villain Loki.
Today that rumor became reality when Sidehow released for pre-order their new Thor: The Dark World Loki sixth scale figure.
Loki stands about 12-inches tall and comes with an incredibly detailed black, green, gold and red suit as ween in the film. A combination of materials gives this a leather-like sheen.
The facial likeness shows a menacing Tom Hiddleston. The facial expression is grim, and makes the face look a little less like the actor than the (long sold out) Avengers movie Loki, but this may also be the result of the pre-release photos of the prototype.
Loki comes with 6 interchangeable hands in a variety of poses, his trademark dagger, plus manacles for his wrists and ankles so you can recreate the scene in which he is sentenced for his treason.
Additionally there is an exclusive edition of this figure, available only through Sideshow Collectibles, that comes with the Aether Accessory from the movie!
All Hot Toys based on Marvel movies sell out in time, and with Loki being such a fan favorite I suspect he may sell out even before his brother, even though Thor had a 4 month head start! So don’t delay, flex pay is available, get your order in now at Sideshow’s site!
Review: Wolverine vs. Sabretooth Motion Comic
Review copy provided courtesy of Shout! Factory
Out today on DVD is Wolverine Versus Sabretooth — the latest Marvel Knights Motion Comic from Shout! Factory.
For those who have not yet watched a motion comic, it is a “splitting the difference” between a static comic on the page and a full-blown animated film. The images on the screen have a limited amount of motion; sometimes a character will move slightly like a paper cut-out, sometimes the camera zooms or pans over a comic panel. But while the visuals are semi-static, the audio provides a full-blown cinematic experience including professional voice actors and a robust film score.
Marvel superheroes have a long history of Motion Comics, with some of my favorites being the Joss Whedon Astonishing X-Men series and Spider-Woman: Agent of S.W.O.R.D. But (as described on a special feature on the DVD) Wolverine is one of Marvel’s most popular characters and certainly its most famous X-Man so there have been several Wolverine motion comics including Wolverine: Origins, Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk, and now Wolverine vs. Sabretooth.
These releases all adapt existing, popular stories told in the pages of Marvel comics and this newest release continues that pattern by adapting the controversial Wolverine: Evolution comic arc written by Jeph Loeb. After years of not knowing his own origin, Wolverine finally remembers his life before the Weapon X project, but with those memories come nightmares involving Roman gladiators and a mysterious character named Romulus. In this arc Wolverine will uncover secrets that reveal even more about his own origin, as well as his possible genetic connection to long-time nemesis Sabretooth. The new history for Wolverine put forth in this story caused a ripple of fan discontent, and has been mostly explained away in later comics, but however you feel about the revelations they are attention-grabbing.
As this motion comic is strictly an adaptation of the comics I won’t review the source material. Suffice it to say it has guest appearances from some of the other most popular characters in Marvel comics, as well as some more obscure ones. There is lots of action and globe-trotting, and as a viewer watching the story for the first time I was hooked by the tease of revelations the story provided, even if some of the suggestions were eyeroll inducing. However there is one shock for which I was completely unprepared, it’s this story’s “money shot”, and while I’m sure most X-fans know it already it really does give this story a weight that many do not.
However by adapting a single arc from an ongoing comic series, as this motion comic does, there are lingering questions to be answered. In some cases, such as the Astonishing X-Men series, the entire run is adapted to motion comics. However, more regularly, questions are asked in motion comics that require viewers to then go to comics (or Wikipedia) to find answers. That trend continues with Wolverine versus Sabretooth–while the story told is a complete arc with a satisfying resolution, there are many questions still left unresolved. But in comics the stories are never “done”, they always want you to buy the next issue, and this will feed that compulsion.
Aside from the story my real question with the motion comics is the presentation of the material. Comic readers have had 7 years to read this story in print, so what about the presentation will appeal to a non-comics reader? The answer is–lots.
With this latest release the quality of the Marvel motion comics continues to improve. The earliest of motion comic releases had poor voice acting, generic music, and very limited motion. But with Wolverine versus Sabretooth it’s impressive how these have improved. The voices for the main characters of Wolverine, Sabretooth, Storm, Black Panther, and others are equivalent to those that would be heard in any television animated series. Added with the sound effects and the music, director Carl Upsdell delivers an immersive aural experience that exceeds many of the best radio dramas I’ve heard.
The visuals are also some of the best that I’ve seen in a motion comic. I am a fan of Simone Bianchi’s art style, and motion comics are a tremendous showcase for great comic art. Projected on my home theater I’m able to see detail in the art that would never appear on a page. I’m also very impressed with the way the producers have separated the foreground characters from the background scenery, giving the scenes an almost 3-D feel. That said, the trademarks that separate a motion comic from an animated film exist from the wood-puppet mouth movements to the static nature of the images. I know many people who simply find the motion comic animation style to be dull, and I don’t see anything in Wolverine versus Sabretooth that will make converts of the disaffected.
The DVD sticks to the format of the original comic, presenting the story as 6 individual “episodes”. You can watch all six back-to-back, but each repeats the opening credits sequence, padding the overall runtime to just over an hour. The DVD has one special feature in which Loeb and Bianchi look back on this arc. There are no mea culpas and no apologies that may be desired by those who disliked these changes to Wolverine’s backstory, but Loeb does describe his thought process behind why this story was necessary and why it took so long to be fully told. The 23 minute featurette provides a discussion of the writing, the art, and the characters of Wolverine and Sabretooth.
Taking a motion comic for what it is, Wolverine versus Sabretooth is technically the best I’ve seen to date. If you haven’t read this Wolverine story arc, or if you have and want to revisit it in a new way, I can highly recommend this new 6-part feature, out on DVD today.
Robocop (1987)
Robocop has been the star of numerous comic books, TV series, cartoons, video games, and more. His legacy is even worthy of a cinematic remake, hitting theaters in February, 2014. It’s quite the achievement for a character that no director wanted to touch until Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven brought his ultra-violent, satirical aesthetic to the character. The film was originally given an X-rating for violence and decried for its gratuitous gore, but it was a box office success and became a cult hit. Now, in preparation for the new Robocop film, Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob look back at the original. Do the film’s sci-fi elements and cynical view of corporate America hold up today? Listen to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPROBOCOP01.mp3
Sideshow makes Star Wars collectors choose the color of Han Solo’s coat.
The color of Han Solo’s jacket on Hoth seems to endlessly be a bane for collectors. Depending on the lighting, the lens filter, and the shot, sometimes in The Empire Strikes Back Han’s coat looks decidely brown. In other shots, it’s blue. Collectors often seem to side towards blue, their memories influenced by Kenner’s Hoth Han Solo figure with its striking blue coat. But as the years have passed the question kept coming up, wiht some Hoth Han Solos using a blue/brown color to split the difference, and Hasbro even releasing variants of the same figure with two colored coats.
But now for high-end 1/6 scale figure collectors a choice must be made–indecision will be costly. Continuing their line of Hoth themed Star Wars figures, Sideshow has put up for order today Captain Han Solo in Hoth gear. But there are three versions of this figure being released!
The primary figure is Han Solo in Brown Hoth Coat. This is not currently listed on Sideshow’s site (presumably it will be available through Sideshow authorized resellers in the regular version), but from Sideshow comes this exclusive version which has a swap-out head giving you the choice to display Han with or without his headgear on. So that is two versions–Brown Coat regular edition, and Brown Coat Sideshow Exclusive Edition.
But, in the words of the infomercials, “Wait, there’s more!” There is also another version of the figure that is also exclusive to Sideshow Collectible–Hoth Han Solo with Blue Coat. This figure also has the same swap-out head as the Sideshow Exclusive Brown Coat figure, it’s the same figure in every way, save that the coat is now blue.
Both figures, Blue Coat or Brown, have
- Two heads – with and without Headgear
- Two cscarves
- Belt with blaster holster and droid caller
- Sculpted boots
- Binoculars accessory with fabric strap
- Life Scanner accessory with both retracted and extended antennae
- DL-44 Blaster (Han version)
- Four pairs of hands for swap-out
- Sculpted snow environment Base
At $199 per figure buying both is a costly option. So let us know in our forums, will you be buying the Blue Coat Han, the Brown Coat Han, or both?
The Wolf of Wall Street
While the frequency of their collaborations has slowed, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese are together again in 2013’s Oscar-bating docu-comedy The Wolf of Wall Street. DiCaprio plays real-life Wall Street criminal Jordan Belfort, who lived a sex, drug, and money fueled lifestyle before his short stint in prison. Does Scorsese’s style work when showcasing white-collar crime families? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPMARTY05.mp3
Press Release: Marvel to Publish Star Wars Comics & Graphic Novels
UPDATE 12:16PM CST: Dark Horse has released their own Press Release. It is printed below the Marvel Press Release.
Graphics added by Venganza Media; not part of original press releases.
Marvel Press Release:
DISNEY’S LUCASFILM AND MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT JOIN FORCES TO PUBLISH STAR WARS™ COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS
Jedi, Sith, and the rest of the Star Wars Universe Come to Marvel Comics in 2015
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 3, 2014) – The Walt Disney Company’s Lucasfilm Ltd. and Marvel Entertainment are joining forces to bring new Star Wars adventures to readers across the galaxy, with Marvel granted exclusive rights to create and publish Star Wars comics and graphic novels beginning in 2015.
The agreement marks a homecoming for the Star Wars comic books. Marvel Comics published the first Star Wars comic book, Star Wars #1, in March 1977, which went on to sell more than 1 million copies. Marvel Comics published its Star Wars series for nine years. In 1991, Dark Horse Comics took over the license, publishing fan-favorite titles like Dark Empire and Star Wars: Legacy. Last year, Dark Horse released The Star Wars #1, an adaptation of George Lucas’ original rough-draft screenplay for the film, garnering rave reviews and national media attention and ranking among the top-selling Star Wars comics of all time.
“Dark Horse Comics published exceptional Star Wars comics for over 20 years, and we will always be grateful for their enormous contributions to the mythos, and the terrific partnership that we had,” said Carol Roeder, director of Lucasfilm franchise publishing, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “In 2015, the cosmic adventures of Luke, Han, Leia and Chewbacca will make the lightspeed jump back to Marvel, to begin a new age of adventures within the Star Wars universe.”
“We here at Marvel could not be more excited to continue the publication of Star Wars comic books and graphic novels,” said Marvel Worldwide Publisher and President, Dan Buckley. “The perennial brand of Star Wars is one of the most iconic in entertainment history and we are honored to have the opportunity to bring our creative talent pool to continue, and expand Star Wars into galaxies far, far away.”
“We’re incredibly excited by this next chapter in the Star Wars saga,” said Andrew B. Sugerman, executive vice president of Disney Publishing Worldwide. “Bringing together the iconic Lucasfilm and Marvel brands to tell new stories will allow us to continue to thrill lovers of the original Star Wars comic books and entertain generations to come.”
Marvel has continued to push comic book publishing forward with innovations and experiments like motion comics and digital-only releases, in addition to its deep, ongoing catalog of monthly series and graphic novels created by some of the industry’s most gifted artists and writers.
STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © 2013 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
About Marvel Entertainment, LLC
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information, visit marvel.com.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company’s activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.
STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM 2013 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world’s largest publisher of children’s books and magazines with over 700 million products sold each year. DPW consists of an extensive worldwide licensing structure as well as vertically integrated publishing imprints, including Disney Book Group in the U.S. and Disney Libri in Italy. DPW publishes a range of children’s magazines globally, as well as Disney kids magazines in the U.S. Disney English is DPW’s English language learning business, which includes Disney English learning centers in China and a worldwide retail-licensing program. DPW’s digital products include bestselling eBook titles as well as original apps. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines, and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information visit www.disneypublishing.com.
Dark Horse Press Release:
The End of an Era
All things come to pass. So too, do all licensed deals. I am sad to report that Disney, the new owner of Lucasfilm, has notified us here at Dark Horse of their intention to move the Star Wars publishing license to another of their recent acquisitions, Marvel Comics, beginning in 2015. This will end a partnership that has lasted more than two decades.
For those who are new to the industry, Dark Horse revolutionized the treatment of comics based on films. After a history of movie properties being poorly handled with little regard for execution and continuity, Dark Horse took a new approach, carefully choosing licenses and approaching them with excitement and creative energy. Our goal was to create sequels and prequels to the films we loved, paying careful attention to quality and detail, essentially treating those films as though they were our own. Star Wars has been the crown jewel of this approach. We began chasing the title as far back as 1989, and with the launch of Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy’s Dark Empire, a new era in comics was born. I’m not ashamed to admit that we were Star Wars geeks, and we have been determined to spare neither effort nor expense in the pursuit of excellence.
It is ironic that this announcement comes at a time when Dark Horse is experiencing its most successful year ever. For obvious reasons, we have prepared for this eventuality by finding new and exciting projects to place on our schedule for 2015 and beyond. Will they take the place of Star Wars? That’s a tall order, but we will do our best to make that happen. In the meantime, 2014 may be our last year at the helm of the Star Wars comics franchise, but we plan to make it a memorable one. We know that fans of the franchise will expect no less. The Force is with us still.
Mike Richardson
About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Geof Darrow, Guillermo Del Toro and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties such as The Mask, Ghost, Captain Midnight, and X. Its successful line of comics, books, and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Halo, Serenity, The Legend of Zelda, Game of Thronesand Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.
Gremlins 2
It may only take a drop of water to make a new gremlin, but it took six years and a slew of writers, directors, and concepts to make a new Gremlins film. Finally original director Joe Dante returned in 1990 to give us Gremlins 2: The New Batch. With a gang of genetically modified gremlins taking a bite out of the Big Apple this film opted for more comedy than horror. Did that work for our hosts? Listen to this final Now Playing of 2013 to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPGREM02.mp3
Gremlins
In the mid 1980s there was no bigger name in film than Steven Spielberg. As a director he had a string of major hits, including E.T. which became the top grossing film of all time. Even films he didn’t direct but only produced, such as Poltergeist and The Goonies, benefited from having his name high on the title. Also in this category was Gremlins, the 1984 film about a small town overrun by small, evil creatures. Directed by The Howling’s Joe Dante, this film provided a combination of horror, comedy, and Christmas. Now join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob as they review this film, from the cuddly Mogwai to the creepy Gremlins to that lingering smell that makes Kate hate Christmas.
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPGREM01.mp3
Sideshow has two Premium Pre-Orders for the Marvel fans!
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Quite an expensive day to be a fan of Marvel statues as Sideshow has not one but TWO pre-orders today.
First, for the Captain America comics fan, is the Premium Format Red Skull statue. A perfect companion piece to the Captain America (put up for pre-order Nov 7, exclusive edition still available) this Red Skull stands with his gun cocked and ready. He has an incredibly detailed suit and leather coat that is an awesome blend of comic-style with real-world fashion. It has a flair of Axis World War II military outfits, tying the Red Skull statue very closely with his WWII origins.
More, if you order the Exclusive Edition of the Red Skull you get a swap-out head showing a more classic comic Red Skull portrait with the full eyebrows! Truthfully the exclusive edition is a must-have for this piece and will make many fans order early, so if you want yours get it now–swap-out heads often double in price on eBay.
This Red Skull stands 21-inches tall and is scheduled to ship in September, 2014.
Also available today is the first statue in Sideshow’s 1/4 scale Iron Man movie line. These maquettes are the same scale as Sideshow’s Premium Format figures to display well together, and the new Iron Man pieces will assemble perfectly with any other Sideshow Avengers statues you may own. It’s unclear how deep this line of statues will go (if they do the entire House Party Protocol the price could exceed that of many small cars) but their first offering is up and it’s The Iron Patriot armor from Iron Man 3.
Iron Patriot stands 22-inches tall, a high gloss paint application, and a switch-out head with a realistic Don Cheadle face. It’s truly a collectible worth saluting, and ships next December (yes, in 2014)
Are you ordering just one, both, or neither? Let us know in the comments below!
The Shining (1997)
Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is considered a horror classic, but original Shining author Stephen King never felt it lived up to his original vision. So in 1997, for the novel’s 20th anniversary, King and longtime collaborator Mick Garris reunited to bring The Shining to audiences as an ABC mini-series. While time has not granted this series the iconic status of Kubrick’s film, is King’s vision one worth seeing? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPSHINING02.mp3
The Shining (1980)
Stephen King is a best selling, award winning horror author. Stanley Kubrick is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. When these two came together a horror classic was born — The Shining. It has scared audiences for over thirty years, and now Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob are reviewing it as the next film in the Stephen King Movie Retrospective Series. But King famously dislikes the movie. Will any of our hosts agree? Listen to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPSHINING01.mp3
‘Salem’s Lot (2004)
When the first TV miniseries based on ‘Salems Lot came out in 1979 Stephen King was an up-and-coming author. His novels had become bestsellers based of popularity of Brian DePalma’s film Carrie, but he was not the brand name that he would become. As such the TV version of Salem’s Lot ended with middling ratings. But by 2004 the author had not only been crowned the King of horror, he was also the monarch of miniseries, with The Stand, It, and others giving big ratings to networks. As such, as the 30th anniversary of ‘Salem’s Lot’s publication approached, another miniseries was made. Starring The Stand’s Rob Lowe, as well as Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer, does this adaptation provide more frights than the original? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPSL03.mp3
A Return to Salem’s Lot
A Return to Salem’s Lot has a town called Salem’s Lot and vampires. Beyond that, this direct-to-video release has no ties to Tobe Hooper’s 1979 TV mini-series or Stephen King’s original novel. But helmed by the director of The Stuff and It’s Alive, is this 80s film a fun time? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPSL02.mp3
Sideshow Exclusive: Hot Toys Chitauri Footsoldier and Commander Duo
You have assembled your Hot Toys Avengers figures, but they need someone to fight, right? Never fear, now up for pre-order are the Hot Toys Chitauri Footsoldier and Chitauri Commander figures!
The Chitauri Footsoldier has 22 points of articulation, 2 pairs of interchangable hands (clenched fists and relaxed), a removable mask, headgear, body armor, and a Chitauri Arm Cannon. It scomes with a city rubble diorama “stage” base.
The Chitauri Commander has 22 points of articulation and 2 pairs of hands, but more armor. It comes with the Chitauri arm cannon and a grenade, and stands on a city rubble “stage” base also.
You can buy each individually, but only from Sideshow can you get the exclusive pair! It’s $5 cheaper than buying the two alone, AND you get an exclusive Chitauri Rifle, and a special Left palm to hold it!
Army build or just buy one set, but order now because these guys may disappear as fast as they did in the battle of New York.
Salem’s Lot (1979)
When Carrie came out in 1976 Stephen King was an unknown author, but after the success of Brian DePalma’s film the author was put in the spotlight. His older books became paperback bestsellers, and his new books topped the charts in hardcover. So expectations were high in 1979 when ‘Salem’s Lot, the second adaptation of King’s work, hit screens. But rather than being in movie theaters, King’s 1976 vampire novel was produced as a television mini-series. With horror master Tobe Hooper directing could this small-screen film live up to the quality of big-screen King horror? Listen to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPSL01.mp3
Thor: The Dark World
It will be 2015 before the Avengers assemble on the big screen again, but Disney and Marvel will fill that time with films focusing on individual Avengers and their disassembled heroics. Earlier this year we had Iron Man 3, and now Disney hopes to catch lightning in a bottle again with the help of a thunder god in Thor: The Dark World. The mighty Avenger must once again fighting an ancient enemy of Asgard, continue arguing with Odin over how best to rule the kingdom, and all the while try to romance his human love interest Jane Foster. Are the Now Playing hosts excited for Thor’s return, or just glad to have Loki back on screen? Listen to our review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPAVENGERS08.mp3
The Return of Swamp Thing
In 1982 DC’s Swamp Thing seemed ready for the big time with a major motion picture. But with that original film failing to grow on audiences, it would actually be in 1983 that Swamp Thing blossomed–as new writer Alan Moore took over and revamped the character. With the newfound popularity for the man-plant hybrid a new, low budget film was commissioned and released in 1989. Does The Return of Swamp Thing bear fruit, or is it another rotten comic adaptation? Listen to the Now Playing review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPSWAMPTHING02.mp3
Fright Night 2: New Blood
Charlie Brewster is a teenager with nothing on his mind but his girlfriend Amy. But one night out his bedroom window Charlie sees a woman bitten by a vampire. No one believes Charlie’s story, not even his friend Ed, but perhaps monster expert Peter Vincent can be the one to save the day! Have you seen this plot before? In addition to being the story for the original Fright Night film and the 2011 remake, it’s told yet again now in the Direct-to-Home-Video release Fright Night 2: New Blood. It’s the same basic story…but this time in Romania! Does this third retelling of Tom Holland’s vampire tale have fangs, or does it just bite? Listen to this special bonus Halloween review from Now Playing Podcast to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPFN04.mp3
Swamp Thing
By 1980 Superman had proven audiences of all ages could watch in wonder as comic books came to life on the big screen. But the next DC hero on the big screen wasn’t Batman, Green Lantern, or even Aquaman, it was Swamp Thing. The film was directed by Wes Craven and starred James Bond baddie Louis Jordan and scream queen Adrienne Barbeau. It did not find box office success but did lead to a sequel, a TV series, and a cult following. Did the film just need time to bloom, or did it wither on the vine? Listen to Now Playing’s latest DC Comic movie review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPSWAMPTHING01.mp3
Carrie (2013)
The posters declare “You Will Know Her Name” but for fans of horror, Brian DePalma, or Stephen King you already know her name–Carrie, the outcast girl whose telekinetic powers will be both her salvation and her damnation. When it was announced this film was being adapted to screen for a third time even original author King said “Why, when the original was so good?”. But now the new adaptation is in theaters to tell a younger generation of movie lovers why they should know her name. Was King right and this film unnecessary, or can this film still shine in the shadow of the 1976 original? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPCARRIE04.mp3
Carrie (2002)
Everyone is anxiously awaiting Carrie, the 2013 adaptation of Stephen King’s story starring Chloë Grace Moretz–in theaters this Friday! But Carrie has already been retold in the 21st century–in 2002’s made-for-television movie Carrie. Starring Agnela Bettis (May), written by Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me, Pushing Daisies, and TV’s Hannibal), and directed by David Carsons (Star Trek: Generations) the film has strong genre talent, but has been mostly forgotten. Does this remake deserve a second look? And can any insight into Friday’s release be gleaned by this 11-year-old version? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s third Carrie review to find out!
Arnie C: http://traffic.libsyn.com/nowplayingpodcast/NPPCARRIE03.mp3
The Marvel Shop Returns at NYCC
For Marvel statue and toy collectors attending San Diego Comic Con in July, 2013 the first stop was The Marvel Shop. Now at New York Comic Con in October 2013 The Marvel Shop returns. With some exclusives from SDCC making their return as well as brand new NYCC exclusive items, Marvel collectors have more comics, plushies, statues, and more to try and collect!
Images and press release follow:
The Marvel Shop Makes Its East Coast Debut At New York Comic Con With Loads Of Limited Edition Items!
The Marvel booth at New York Comic Con is back! (Booth #1354) Marvel will be taking the event by storm and aims to make this year one to remember! Along with all of the great on-stage panels, creator signings, and special events, Marvel is offering some fantastic new and exclusive merchandise that will be for sale at the booth (while supplies last), including T-shirts, glass tumblers, statues, Blu-ray DVDs and more! Be sure to stop by and check the booth out, as supplies will be limited.
Here is a list of items that will be for sale:
- Rocket Raccoon Plush by Just Play with Limited Edition Skottie Young Lithograph – Take home your very own cuddly, plush Guardian of the Galaxy. Just don’t call him cuddly to his face. Each awesome plush also includes a limited edition lithograph illustrated by Skottie Young! (Limited to 1000 pieces): $34.99
- Glass Tumblers – Enjoy your beverages with these awesome character themed tumblers made exclusively for New York Comic Con. There will be seven different unique designs available. Additionally, each Glass Tumbler will come with a certificate of authenticity. (Limited to 200 pieces for each design) Price: $15.99 each
- Deadpool by Skottie Young
- Spider-Man by Skottie Young
- Thor and Jane Foster from Thor: The Dark World
- Angela by Sarah Pichelli
- Superior Spider-Man by Ryan Stegman
- Hawkeye by David Aja
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Scarlet Witch by Adi Granov
- Zombie Magneto Bust by Gentle Giant – What’s more terrifying than the Master of Magnetism? A Master of Magnetism who feasts on brains! Decorate your home or workspace with this highly detailed zombified Magneto bust designed by Gentle Giant. (Only 300 pieces on hand) Price: $99.00
- Marvel Unlimited Plus Subscription with access to exclusive Plus Member Only Event – Become a Marvel Unlimited Plus member ($99.99 for one year) and gain access to over 13,000 digital comics, receive an exclusive Age of Ultron Collectible Kit, members only discounts on Marvel merchandise & comics, & more! All comics can be read digitally on the web or via the Marvel Unlimited app (for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch® & Android™ devices). The exclusive Age of Ultron Collectible Kit features a limited edition Marvel Legends Ultron AU variant action figure, Age of Ultron #10 variant, (both not available anywhere else) AND your very own membership card and welcome letter.
Marvel Unlimited Plus Members also have the opportunity to attend a Plus members-only event where Plus members can receive an exclusive Captain America: Living Legend variant by John Cassaday and Steve McNiven Inhumanity lithograph! MU Plus members will even be given a 10% discount on all Marvel merchandise purchases from the Marvel booth during New York Comic Con.
- Marvel Unlimited Plus event open to Marvel Unlimited Plus members only. Must have event pass and valid 3-day, 4-day or Sunday New York Comic Con pass for entry. Event badges do not guarantee access to Plus Member event. John Cassaday variant and Steve McNiven lithograph available while supplies last.
- 10% offer valid only from 10/10/13 – 10/13/13. MU Plus members must provide membership card and valid photo I.D at the merchandise booth to receive 10% off of their entire Marvel merchandise purchase.
- Mighty Avengers #2 Cosplay Variant by J. Scott Campbell – Superstar artist J. Scott Campbell brings you some of your favorite female Avengers characters as they get ready to cosplay at NYCC! (Only 2,000 copies printed) Price: $10.00
- Superior Foes of Spider-Man #4 Variant by Gurihuru – Gurihuru puts the Spider-Man up against his worst enemies – or rather ponies dressed as his worst enemies! This is a must own for any Spider-Man fan! (Only 2,000 copies printed) Price: $10.00
- Phase 1 Marvel Cinematic Universe Blu-Ray Collector’s Set w/ limited-edition 24 x 36 Marvel’s The Avengers theatrical homage poster by Skottie Young. – Bring home a piece of cinema history with Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Blu-Ray! This collector’s set includes all six Avenger’s films from Phase One and other amazing collectibles. But wait, there’s more. We are also including a limited edition theatrical homage poster as a special gift with purchase for anyone who buys the Box Set at the Marvel booth. This limited edition poster is illustrated by Skottie Young and is hand-numbered. (Only 150 sets on-hand) Price: $150.00
- Iron Man Statues by Beast Kingdom – Celebrate the unprecedented success of the Iron Man trilogy and decorate your home or office space with these unique Iron Man statues from Beast Kingdom! Limited quantities of each will be available at the convention. This marks one of the first times these statues are for sale by Marvel in the United States! Price: $80.00 each. There will be four Marks available:
- Iron Man Mark V (20 statues on-hand)
- War Machine (63 statues on-hand)
- Iron Man Mark VI (75 statues on-hand)
- Iron Man Mark 42 (75 statues on-hand)
- Marvel Logo Cap by New Era – Show your love of all things Marvel with this exclusive 59FIFTY fitted cap from New Era featuring the Marvel logo. (Only 250 pieces available) Price: $29.99
- Thor: The Dark World Cast & Crew Tee Exclusive Loki Fan Variant – Celebrate the release of Marvel Studios’ next blockbuster Thor: The Dark World with this exclusive cast & crew variant tee available only at NYCC! The unique periodic table design spotlights major characters from the film, including everyone’s favorite God of Mischief – Loki! Don’t miss your chance to take home a your own piece of Thor: The Dark World. (Limited to 399 pieces total. Available in men & women’s sized) Price: $34.99
- Lucky’s On the Case T-Shirt by David Aja – Straight from the pages of Hawkeye comes everyone’s favorite crime solving, pizza loving canine. Don’t miss your chance to own this exclusive design available only at New York Comic-Con! (Limited to 400 pieces total. Available in men & women’s sizes) Price: $19.99
- Rocket Raccoon & Groot T-Shirt by Skottie Young – Get ready for the release of next summer’s Marvel Studios’ blockbuster film Guardians of the Galaxy, with this limited-edition Rocket & Groot t-shirt featuring art by fan-favorite artist Skottie Young! (Limited to 500 pieces total. Available in men & women’s sizes) Price: $19.99
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D ‘Coulson Lives!’ T-Shirt – Coulson Lives! Support everyone’s favorite agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a brand new t-shirt from Marvel Television’s first live action show airing Tuesday nights on the ABC network! (Limited to 550 pieces total. Available in men & women’s sizes) Price: $19.99
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “Bus” Blueprint – You may not be able to own the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s flying headquarters known as “the Bus”, but you can own this limited-edition, hand numbered blueprint. Learn the ins and outs of the Agent’s mobile command center and bring home your own piece of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Only 300 copies printed) Price: $12.99
- Captain America Hooded Scarf – Stay warm this winter and dress like you’re the Sentinel of Liberty himself with a hooded scarf designed to look like your favorite Avenger. Each scarf comes emblazoned with Captain America’s iconic “A” and wings so you can battle the Red Skull…or frostbite. (Limited to 100 units) Price: $24.99
New Podcast: Carrie (1976)
It’s hard to imagine a time when Stephen King wasn’t the king of horror fiction. It’s hard to imagine a world without such influential stories including The Shining, The Stand, Christine, and King’s first novel, Carrie. Yet before November, 1976 King was just another author with two modest-selling novels. But when Brian De Palma decides to adapt Carrie for the big screen he created an iconic horror movie staple, and from that King’s book sold millions of copies and his career was minted. Now, in anticipation of the upcoming third adaptation of Carrie starring Chloë Grace Moretz the Now Playing hosts go back to watch and review De Palma’s original. It’s the start of Now Playing’s massive Stephen King retrospective series, looking at all the movies based on King’s writings, starting with Carrie. Does De Palma’s blood soaked tale of a teen outcast still hold up over 35 years later? Listen to find out! Then join Arnie at booksandnachos.com for his review of the original novel!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPCARRIE01.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: The Lords of Salem
The Lords of Salem — are they an up and coming rock band? Or are they a coven of reincarnated witches who plan to bring the son of Satan to Earth? In Rob Zombie’s latest feature film it’s both. With Zombie’s muse and wife Sheri Moon-Zombie starring as Heidi, a radio DJ who also may be mother to the Antichrist, does this film cement Zombie as the new Lord of horror? Listen to this BONUS REVIEW to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPP040.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Halloween 35th Anniversary Blu-Ray: The Night HE Looks Better Than Ever!
Review copy provided courtesy of Anchor Bay
If Psycho is the granddaddy of the slasher film, Halloween is the father of modern horror. While the 1970s had its fair share of horror films, including The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Black Christmas in ‘74, Carrie in ‘76, Dawn of the Dead in ‘78 and so many more, it was Halloween’s critical and box office success that put a new spotlight on horror cinema.
For many the Halloween season is a time to rewatch Halloween the film, and this year you can watch John Carpenter’s classic like never before. On Tuesday, September 24th, Anchor Bay releases the 35th Anniversary Edition of Halloween on Blu-ray.
Halloween has been released to home video many times. I personally have bought DVDs of the original cut, the longer cut with the TV footage added, the 25th Anniversary Edition DVD, and the original 2007 Blu-ray release. Given that I’ve spent so much money on Halloween, and that I already owned it on Blu-ray, I was skeptical that another release would be worth the purchase. It felt like another “double dip” Blu-ray release.
I quickly learned how wrong I was when I looked at the disc in person. Bound in a gorgeous, gold embossed DVD case, the video boasts an all new commentary with Carpenter and star Jamie Lee Curtis. There is also a new documentary following Curtis as she makes a rare appearance at a fan convention. These are great new bonus features for fans of the film. Additionally, as bonus features, you get an older featurette and the extra footage shot for the TV release.
I rarely find bonus features worth the repurchase of an entire movie, so despite the quality of these new additions I was still unmoved that a new copy was worth a buy. Special features, commentaries, these are items I watch once at most; it’s the film itself that gets played time and again in my home theater and which motivates my purchases. So could this new release impress me enough, especially since I already own a copy of Halloween in 1080p?
The answer is an unequivocal “YES!” With the 35th Anniversary Blu-ray you can see this horror classic at home like never before. I have seen Halloween in theaters at conventions and in the above listed DVDs and Blu-rays. With all of those in mind, I say without a doubt it has never looked better to me than it does on this video release. The picture is crisp and the motion smooth, as I have come to expect from high-grade Blu-rays. But often on even quality Blu-ray releases I’ve noticed colors that are too saturated or a picture that has had too much grain removed, giving the entire film a blurry quality. None of those earmarks of Blu-ray audience pandering are on this disc. This Blu-ray contains a brand new transfer of the film overseen by Dean Cundy, the movie’s original Director of Photography. You are now, for the first time, able to see this movie the way Cundy envisioned it as it was shot, and the difference is marked. The colors are more muted than I’ve come to expect, and the result fits both that 70s vibe as well as the film’s atmospherem. The color timing was a point of contention for many with the original Halloween Blu-ray release, and Anchor Bay has certainly corrected it here. Anchor Bay did this film a great service in hiring Cundy to oversee the video.
Additionally the audio is perfect, with a mono score for the purists, as well as a 7.1 TrueHD lossless soundtrack. Carpenter’s haunting piano and synth score has never sounded as good as it does here, and the movie audio is rich and immersing. The effects are a bit center-channel heavy, which is common for upmixes of older films, but it’s a great effort for those of us who prefer multi-channel audio.
All that said, there are a few areas where I wish this release was beefed up. There are many bonus features that were released previously, including older commentaries and documentaries, that are not included here. As such, for bonus feature collectors, this release is not a one-stop shop. Additionally, the bonus made-for-TV footage is presented in an ugly DVD resolution with colors much more saturated than the actual film. I would have liked to see the TV footage given the same treatment as the movie and a branching option available to watch both the movie’s extended cut, with those scenes reintegrated, as well as the original theatrical cut. But while these are features that would have been nice to have, they are not requirements. As I’m certain this is not the last time HE will come home on video, perhaps these bonuses are being held back for a future release.
But as stated, the true value of this disc, the “feature” I’ll revisit again and again, is the movie, and now owning this disc this is the only version of Halloween I will ever rewatch. The transfer, the audio, the overall production values, are exceptions. So Trick-or-Treat yourself to this movie, available today.
As for the movie itself, you can hear Stuart, Arnie, and Brock review Carpenter’s original Halloween as well as all the sequels, remakes, and sequels to remakes in the franchise, in the archives at NowPlayingPodcast.com
New Podcast: Insidious: Chapter 2
Insidious Chapter 2 scared more than audiences, it scared up a huge box office return showing that audiences are still hungry for spooky scares and ghost movies! Picking up mere seconds after the first film ended, director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell answered all the lingering questions and finally revealed the fate of the Lambert family. Were the reveals satisfying, and what may be in store for Insidious Part 3? Listen to Stuart, Marjorie, and Arnie’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPINSID02.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Insidious
James Wan’s first film, Saw, redefined horror for the 2000s. By 2011 the Saw films had run their course, and audiences turned their attention to more ghostly horror in the form of the Paranormal Activity series. So is it any wonder that when the writer and director behind Saw teamed up with the Paranormal Activity studio a new horror franchise? With Insidious 2 taking top spot at the US box office last weekend, the Now Playing crew go back to watch and review the original. Does this film scare the hosts? Listen to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPINSID01.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Review: Lou Ferrigno – Liberator Issue 1
Lou Ferrigno has come full circle. He achieved international fame playing TV’s Incredible Hulk, based on the green, raging Marvel Comics character. Now there is a comic based on a character Ferrigno played on screen–Lou Ferrigno: Liberator. It is a 2-shot comic, of which I have read part 1.
Now, full confession, I had never heard of Liberator, the short film on which this Bluewater Comics title is based. I received a solicit from Bluewater requesting we review the title, and was provided this first issue.
From the title, with Ferrigno’s name prominent and his face drawn on the cover, I expected an End of the World type story telling of a “real world” Ferrigno becoming a superhero. The rock band Kiss had such stories told, as did Mr. T and pro wrestler The Undertaker. So I was surprised to see that despite his name in the title Ferrigno is neither a character in this book, nor credited as part of the comic’s creative team.
Research then led me to realize that this comic is an adaptation of an 18-minute film starring Ferrigno, Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, and Star Trek’s Michael Dorn. Both the film and comic focus on Ed Migliocetti (Ferrigno), pro footballer-cum soldier-cum superhero named Liberator. A decade earlier Ed was assigned to kill someone, but rather than be a whistle-blower he took a fall that landed him in prison. separating him from his wife and daughter. Now Ed wants redemption and is writing a tell-all book. Of course, shadowy figures don’t want the truth coming out, and the first issue ends on a cliffhanger.
This comic is a very short read. With more of an emphasis on art rather than dialogue, the book feels very anemic for a first issue. It is an introduction issue and little more, with the characters and movie events recapped for those who have not seen the film. While the story has a good hook, there is nothing in this first issue to make me crave Issue 2.
But the research did take me to YouTube where I saw a trailer and a clip for the film Liberator and despite the cast being a list of comic-con autograph hall staples, the production values have me very interested. Unfortunately there is no online or video release of Liberator, the film. It is currently touring.
The film looks really good, but the comic only works for me as a teaser for the film itself. It’s a pretty book, but the story is average. So I will give it a pretty average rating of 2.5 stars.
New Podcast: Riddick
Riddick is a hard man to kill, but Universal Studios and the poor reception of Chronicles of Riddick almost did the job. Through the tenacity of writer/director David Twohy and star/producer Vin Diesel the antihero was able to again overcome the odds and return to the big screen. With a story that comes off more as Pitch Black: Part 2 than a follow-up to Chronicles of Riddick, does the back-to-basics approach work? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Brock’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPRIDDICK03.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: The Chronicles of Riddick
In Pitch Black Riddick was part of a small group of humans who had to survive one long night. Now Riddick is a warrior going to battle against a Necromonger army to save all of civilization! It’s quite a turn for the former convict, and for the film series as it expands in scope with this sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick. Is this change of concept a welcome enlarging of Riddick’s universe? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Brock’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPRIDDICK02.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Pitch Black
A group of space travelers crash land on a deserted planet populated with carnivorous alien monsters. But perhaps even more dangerous to the survivors is Richard B. Riddick – an escaped convict with a high body count in his history. Riddick was actor Vin Diesel’s star-making role, but does Pitch Black stand up to the Now Playing reviewers’ spotlight? Listen to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPRIDDICK01.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Kick-Ass 2
At the end of the first Kick-Ass film Red Mist plotted his revenge while Kick-Ass enjoyed high school with girlfriend Katie and Hit Girl, orphaned with the death of Big Daddy, had to adjust to normal high school life under the watch of new guardian Marcus. It was an ending that begged a sequel, and now it has one! With a city full of costumed heroes, including Jim Carey joining the cast as new hero Col. Stars and Stripes, can Kick-Ass still kick ass? Listen to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPMM04.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: The Wolverine
Wolverine cannot be killed, and it seems neither can his film franchise. Despite tepid fan response to X-Men Origins: Wolverine a second solo film featuring Hugh Jackman was quickly put into production. With creative changes behind-the-scenes and a change to make The Wolverine a sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand, it was released with the promise of being “The Wolverine film you’ve been waiting for.” Does it live up to that hype? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s latest X-Men movie review to find out as we bide our time until 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPXMEN07.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: RED 2
Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and all their surviving operatives get a sequel in their sixties with RED 2. Do newcomers Anthony Hopkins and Catherine-Zeta Jones inject fresh blood into this franchise, or has the joke gotten too old even for this crew? Listen and find out.
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPDCHIT06.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: RED
80s action star Bruce Willis may have gotten older, but he’s still considered RED – retired and extremely dangerous. Do Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie have a laugh watching senior citizens strap on pistols to blow holes in the CIA’s rep, or is this AARP action-comedy D.O.A.? Listen and find out.
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPDCHIT05.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Movie Review: Kate & Leopold
This was released on Christmas Day…I’d have preferred the lump of coal.
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| Kate & Leopold | |
| Starring | Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Breckin Meyer, Natasha Lyonne |
| Director: | James Mangold |
| Writer: | James Mangold, Steven Rogers |
| Studio: | Miramax Films |
| Release Date: | December 25, 2001 |
Today The Wolverine opens in US theaters. Excited for this next film in the X-Men saga I watched Kate & Leopold, a 2001 romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman.
No, I wasn’t just going to watch any Jackman film; Kate & Leopold is directed by James Mangold, and based off their working relationship in this film Jackman tapped Mangold to direct The Wolverine when first choice Darren Aronofsky dropped out. Jackman has said in interviews this decision was based largely off their relationship founded during Kate & Leopold.
While Mangold has done many other respected films, including award-winning Walk the Line, Girl, Interrupted and 3:10 to Yuma, plus the Tom Cruise action/comedy Knight and Day, I wanted to see this Jackman-Mangold time-travel rom-com collaboration to set my expectations for The Wolverine. Would I see something in Kate & Leopold, a spark of creativity, a visual flare, that would show Mangold a good fit for a high-octane comic book film? Would Jackman’s performance be one no other director had been able to get from the actor? Would I see anything in this film to indicate through style or sensibility that Mangold was the man to give fans, as the TV ads state, “the Wolverine film you’ve been waiting for”?
Having now seen Kate & Leopold I certainly hope not.
Jackman stars as Leopold, a 19th century Duke and future inventor of the elevator (which, the credits admit, is not historically accurate). With his family fortune dwindling Leopold is forced to take a wealthy wife, though Leopold has never loved anyone. But at the party where his engagement will be announced Leopold spots Stuart (Liev Screiber)–a strange, shifty man carrying a miniature camera.
Stuart is actually Leopold’s great-great-grandson from present day New York City. Through the laziest time travel explanation ever (he just jumped off a bridge), Stuart came back in time to see his ancestor. But Leopold gives chase and both he and Stuart arrive in 21st Century Manhattan. There, Leopold meets Stuart’s ex-girlfriend Kate (Ryan), a cynical, bitter, career-minded woman, working in market research. Eventually Kate’s resistance melts and she falls in love with the Duke, but Leopold must return to his own time lest a paradox remove all elevators from modern life.
From the trailers and description, I expected Kate & Leopold to be a version of Back to the Future. Jackman plays a man unfamiliar with modern technology and customs, so the obvious plot would be that his focus is to return home while also falling in love. Plus the ancient-man-in-modern-times concept has many opportunities for hilarity, as seen in Jean Renot’s The Visitors.
But under Mangold’s direction Kate & Leopold eschew most all attempts at comedy or realism. The film is a banal romantic fantasy tailored for aging, lonely women. As Leopold, Jackman is polite, charming, and handsome. More, his every attention is given only to Kate–he has no job, no friends, nothing else to occupy his time; Kate is the center of his world. He makes her breakfast in the morning, does her dishes in the evening, and stands up when a lady leaves the table. Leopold doesn’t even seem to want to return to his own time, he’s happy to just stay in the future, living in Stuart’s apartment and romancing Kate.
In Ryan’s introductory scene she is doing market research on a rote rom-com which isn’t working. The researchers think the female lead is unlikeable, and the film’s director exclaims that marketers are sucking the soul from the art of film. That is certainly true of Kate & Leopold. The entire film is so obvious it is set to play to a test audience of the least sophisticated of Americans. An audience with expectations set so low as to simply find comfort in the familiar.
And a romantic comedy with Meg Ryan as the female lead is nothing if not familiar. Here, in the waning years of her popularity, her face taut and lips inflated by the work of a plastic surgeon, Ryan is breaking no new ground. Her character Kate observes a neighbor who plays the soundtrack for Breakfast at Tiffany’s every night, and the same can be said for much of Ryan’s career, stuck in an endless loop of interchangeable roles as a romantic lead. Certainly she does nothing here to broaden the range of her characters.
I am a fan of escapist fantasy, but Kate & Leopold is too obvious in its pandering, and painful to watch in that it ignores its own ironies. Kate broke up with Stuart because he was an unemployed dreamer, yet she falls in love with his ancestor who is just a more romantic version of that same persona. More, as Kate eventually travels back in time to marry Leopold, the film glosses over the icky fact that for four years Kate was sleeping with Stuart, her great-great-grandson!
The film does have several chase scenes, such as Leopold running down a mugger in Central Park and Kate having to rush to travel back in time before the portal closes. Under Mangold’s direction these scenes have no spark to them. They feel obligatory, not exciting. Kate and Leopold stole the plot from Back to the Future’s climax, but got none of its excitement.
This film is not recommended for any but the loneliest of spinsters who want to dream of finding love before their lady parts dry up.
And Kate and Leopold has given me a feeling of trepidation as I prepare to see The Wolverine. There is no doubt Jackman made friends while hanging out on sets leftover from Gangs of New York–Schreiber would play his “brother” Sabertooth in the first Wolverine film; Mangold would direct the second. But in a film this unoriginal I see nothing that makes me think Mangold is a fit for The Wolverine.
But we will find out! You can hear Now Playing’s review of The Wolverine on August 13th at NowPlayingPodcast.com
New Podcast: The Losers
Comic book vets Chris Evans and Idris Elba have joined THE LOSERS – a ragtag band of mercenaries out to punish CIA baddie Jason Patric for a failed Bolivian mission. Should Avatar babe Zoe Saldana trust these C-stringers to get the job done, or should she just call the A-Team? Listen and find out.
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPDCHIT04.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Pacific Rim
What is a Pacific Rim? It’s a movie pitting giant robots against giant monsters! Transformers versus Godzilla; the Cloverfield monster versus Robot Jox. The concept is not high art. But behind the lens is visionary director Guillermo del Toro, who has crafted fantastical worlds in many of his films including Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth. So listen to Jerry, Stuart, and Arnie’s review to find out if this film packs a mean punch!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPP039.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Film Fans of All Types Can Enjoy Days of the Dead
Nightmare on Elm Street star Wilcox poses with the man of her dreams. (Photo by Jeff Flynn)
To someone who’s never been to a horror convention the thought could be as frightening as the blood-soaked splatter fests that appear on screen. One could imagine pale, pierced social misfits and psychopaths standing in line to meet their favorite serial killer. Many may feel if they aren’t into the gory or the grotesque then a horror convention is not for them.
That impression is totally false as shown last weekend at the Days of the Dead horror convention in Indianapolis. Of course it was a blast for those into fright films, but it also had entertainment to offer any movie lover!
One of the big draws of the convention were the large number of celebrity guests in attendance. The stereotype of a celebrity on the autograph circuit is an actor with his career on the decline, clinging to former fame. Days of the Dead proved that image wrong by bringing in several A-list celebrities promoting current films. Some of the headlining guests have big movies out soon included Danny Trejo (Machete Kills in October), Keith David (recently in Cloud Atlas and a dozen more films in production), and Academy Award Nominee Gary Busey (Behaving Badly due out this year). This is an amazing roster for a con only in its third year, besting some of the other national companies who host conventions in the Midwest.
Access to the celebrities was incredibly easy. At many conventions fans have to wait in line for four hours or more to meet their idols. At Days of the Dead my wait time to see Trejo was 10 minutes, and only 15 minutes for Busey.
More, the prices were very reasonable. At conventions such as Dragon*Con or San Diego Comic-Con I’ve paid over $100 for signatures from actors who have not worked in several decades. At Days of the Dead the majority of autographs were $20 and headliners Busey and Trejo were just $40. Trejo would take a picture free with an autograph, while Busey charged only $10 additional for a photo; at some conventions photo opportunities start at $20 and can be as high as $150.
While all of the celebrities have horror films on their resumes, Trejo would sign a copy of the comedy Bubble Boy as rapidly as the vampire film From Dusk ‘Til Dawn, and Busey had available photographs of his roles in Lethal Weapon and Point Break. I did not see anyone asking Keith David to sign their copy of Requiem for a Dream but I doubt he’d have declined.
All the guests were not just polite but completely engaged with the fans, having short conversations and truly making the con attendee feel appreciated. This is far better than the assembly-line like atmosphere found by some guests at Wizard World or New York Comic Con. In fact, the longest line to see a celebrity seemed to be A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 star Lisa Wilcox who would spend up to 5 minutes talking with her fans while signing their items. (Unfortunately for Wilcox one of those fans I observed was a socially awkward male in his twenties regaling her with a story about a specially lit photo he had of Wilcox in his bedroom…so while some of the stereotypes were present at the con most of the attendees were overwhelmingly normal).
Even the guests whose primary work was in horror had non-horror items available. For example, Wilcox is best known for starring in A Nightmare on Elm Street but the actress also had available a wide selection of photos from her single-episode guest-starring role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. As she rarely appears in the Midwest, Wilcox was a draw for Trekkers and horror fans alike. Original Nightmare on Elm Street star Heather Langenkamp also had a minor role in this summer’s Star Trek: Into Darkness.
Of course, the horror fan had much to celebrate. Icons of the genre including Tony Todd (Final Destination, Candyman, Wishmaster), Derek Mears (the Friday the 13th reboot, 2007’s The Hills Have Eyes II), Tyler Mane (Michael Myers in both Rob Zombie’s Halloween films), Leslie Easterbrook (Zombie’s Halloween and The Devil’s Rejects), several stars of Cabin Fever, and over a dozen more horror film character actors were also there.
The vendor areas of the convention were a shopper’s delight. While the non-horror fan would find less that appeals to them in the vendor booths, there were plenty of superhero toys and Star Wars collectibles to choose from. I bought an original painting based on the Howard the Duck movie!
Many booths catered to all children of the 80’s, including Don’t Eat the Gum – a company that sells trading cards from the 1980s and 1990s (and my wife should have listened to the company name as she almost broke her tooth on a stick of gum from Howard the Duck trading cards…the gum was made in 1986). Also there was Adjust Your Tracking selling movies on VHS that were never officially available on DVD.
Of course, being a horror convention, slasher-film fans could buy items not found anywhere else. Many booths offered DVDs of horror movies, including bootlegs of some incredibly rare films like Fright Night 2 and Silent Night, Deadly Night: Initiation.
“They’re coming to get you, Leia!” – a custom zombie stormtrooper by vendor Curious Goods
There were also custom T-Shirts, paintings, and other original expressions of creative horror. At one booth Curious Goods offered custom action figures, including Rob Zombie, and Deathtroopers–Star Wars Stormtroopers turned zombies.
The exhibit floor was split into two small ballrooms, a sign that Days of the Dead is quickly outgrowing the space offered by the Wyndham Indianapolis West hotel. Having Days of the Dead split among several walled-off areas did make the convention feel smaller than it was. While it were ever too crowded, as is often found at larger conventions, the lines often crossed and merged, making celebrity areas hard to navigate. This is likely the product of becoming incredibly popular in only three years, and something I’m sure will be corrected at future conventions.
Overall Days of the Dead Indianapolis was an incredible experience, and I will certainly be attending their Chicago convention this November. While the only guests announced thus far are stars of the Return of the Living Dead and The Blair Witch Project it’s sure to be fun!
When not attending conventions across the globe Arnie can be found hosting the movie review podcast Now Playing, which has reviewed hundreds of movies of all genres, as well as the toy collecting podcasts Star Wars Action News and Marvelicious Toys. He also reviews books on the Books & Nachos podcast.
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- The author poses with Machete and Desperado star Danny Trejo
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- Nightmare on Elm Street star Wilcox poses with the man of her dreams. (Photo by Jeff Flynn)
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- “They’re coming to get you, Leia!” – a custom zombie stormtrooper by vendor Curious Goods
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- Point Break and Celebrity Apprentice star Busey poses with an adoring fan
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- Gnomes protect your flowers…by eating the babies that crawl by! Another gory custom from Curious Goods.
New Podcast: V For Vendetta
Has sweet little Natalie Portman been palling around with terrorists? A masked swashbuckler known only as V For Vendetta hopes she’ll help him rescue future London from dictators, but has Wachowski script tinkering disfigured this classic Alan Moore comic book as well? Listen and find out.
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPDCHIT03.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Movie Review: Despicable Me
Despicable Me is not a Pixar film. It is not Toy Story where adults and children alike can be swept away into a colorful computer-animated world, both generations equally entertained by the multi-layered storytelling.
Despicable Me is also not a DreamWorks Animation film. It is not Shrek where kids laugh at the toilet humor while adults are mildly entertained by the endless barrage of modern pop-culture references.
No, Despicable Me is the first film from Illumination Entertainment, Universal Studios’ attempt to cash in on the computer-animated film market. This studio also released the forgettable Hop and The Lorax (do you even recall either in theaters? I remember The Lorax more from the “turn off your cell phone” ads than the film itself).
Like Illumination’s other two titles, Despicable Me focuses its energy entirely on the youngest segment of the audience. Adults, and even older children, will be familiar with the tropes of the story in which a super villain named Gru adopts three lovable little girls to use as pawns in the crime of the century. Nevertheless, while entertaining the children with bedtime stories and trips to amusement parks Gru finds his nefarious plot mattering less and less while these children become more and more important. The climax of the film is will Gru steal the moon, or will he give up that lifelong dream and attend the children’s Swan Lake ballet.
Gru’s crimes are so soft-core that never is a person hurt, his primary crimes seem to be using a freeze ray to cut in line at the coffee shop while driving an obnoxiously large vehicle. He is more a comment on Hummer-driving, Starbucks swilling suburbanites than criminals.
Given this, I found myself relating very much to Gru in a scene where he is forced to read the three children a bedtime story. “This is literature?” Gru exclaims in disgust, “A two year old could have written this!” Indeed, Gru could be speaking about his own film.
More, an A-list voice cast is wasted. Every role feels written for a different, less famous actor. In the lead role of Gru is Steve Carell. Gru does not speak in the oddly-inflected stammer that is Carell’s trademark in films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Anchorman, and Dinner for Schmucks. Instead, Carell adopts his worst brogue accent. In voice and in inflection he comes across as a poor man’s Mike Myers. Jason Segel is unrecognizable voicing Gru’s nemesis Vector–twisting his windpipes into a lame Andy Dick impersonation. Even astute audience members will only be able to discern Russell Brand as he voices the one character with an English accent, his voice affected (or digitally altered) to the point of sounding like any generic Cockney.
But despite breaking no ground in storytelling, Despicable Me is not without its charm. While the primary plot and the characters of Gru and the children are all adequate, the film’s spark of originality come from Gru’s minions–a drove of mostly indistinguishable short, yellow creatures that aid Gru in his plots. They speak in unintelligible babble, but their giant eyes, wide smiles, and good nature light up the screen (sometimes literally). They engage in wacky slapstick, dressing up in human clothes to go shopping, and engaging in Gru’s wild experiments. It is physical, silent comedy in the tradition of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Their jokes come in a rat-a-tat manner while also including wonderful callbacks. The creatures also have a blind adoration of their master, which makes them lovable like pets. I was far more satisfied at the end of the film by the minions finding their place in Gru’s heart than the three generic children.
It is no wonder that the ads for Despicable Me 2 focus so much on the Minions while the three little girls are nowhere to be seen.
For all its hackneyed, recycled plot devices, Despicable Me is far from despicable. Young children ignorant of common story tropes will undoubtedly be entertained. Adults will find enough here to pass the time, if not hold their full interest. I give this film a mild recommend for adults, and while I will be skipping Despicable Me 2 I anxiously look forward to next year’s Minions film.
When not gushing over the cuteness of Minion bobble-heads Arnie is co-host of the movie review podcast Now Playing.
New Podcast: A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen looks like an unassuming small town diner owner, but to a crew of Philly hoods he’s a thug with A History of Violence. Does director David Cronenberg split opinion in his radical reworking of the graphic novel? Listen and find out.
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPDCHIT02.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Marvel Store to Debut at SDCC, Old Man Logan Figure Available
If you’ve attended San Diego Comic-Con International you know Marvel’s booth is a must-see. From a large Avengers stage to a life-sized Iron Man 3 Hall of Armor, the visual spectacle is awe-inspiring. In addition to the superstar comic creators that sign at the booth, celebrities like Stan Lee and Chris Evans have made appearances. And collectibles abound from free iPhone cases to limited posters, comics, pins, and more.
In 2013 Marvel is expanding their booth presence further with The Marvel Shop. The shop will have limited edition collectibles for sale, as well as a highly sought Hasbro Marvel Universe figure–Old Man Logan. First revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2012 the figure was expected to be released at New York Comic-Con, and Hasbro gave samples out to press covering their New York Comic-Con event. However Marvel did not have the figure at the convention and, short of spending over $200 for one on eBay, the figure has remained a mystery.
Marvel has now revealed at at The Marvel Shop if you subscribe to Marvel Unlimited, the Marvel Comics digital comics subscription service, you will get the Old Man Logan figure for free. More, Old Man Logan is the first Marvel Universe figure to have an announced edition size–only 3,000 of this figure will be made.
Marvel’s full press release reads:
The Marvel Shop Debuts At Comic Con International 2013 With Loads Of Limited Edition Items!
The Marvel booth at San Diego Comic Con International is back! (Booth #2329) Marvel will be taking the event by storm and aims to make this year one to remember! Along with all of the great on-stage panels, creator signings, and special events, Marvel is offering some fantastic new and exclusive merchandise that will be for sale at the booth (while supplies last), including T-shirts, glass tumblers, Blu-ray DVDs and more! Be sure to stop by and check the booth out, as supplies will be limited.
Here is a list of items that will be for sale:
- Glass Tumblers – Enjoy your beverages with these awesome character themed tumblers made especially for San Diego Comic Con. There will be seven different unique designs available. Additionally, each Glass Tumbler will come with a certificate of authenticity. (Limited to 200 pieces for each design) Price: $15.99
- Spider-Man by Joe Quesada
- Thor by Olivier Coipel
- Captain Marvel by Terry Dodson
- Infinity by Marko Djurdjevic
- Uncanny Avengers by John Cassaday
- Avengers by Skottie Young
- Marvel’s Iron Man 3
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D T-Shirt – Coulson Lives! Support everyone’s favorite agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a brand new t-shirts from Marvel Television’s first live action show hitting screens everywhere this Fall on ABC! (Limited to 500 in men’s sizes & 100 in women’s) Price: $19.99
- iPhone Cases – Protect your iPhone with these sleek new iPhone cases for both models (4S & 5). There will be two designs available. Spider-Man by Skottie Young and Rocket Raccoon by Joe Quesada! (Limited to 250 pieces for each design) Price: $14.99
- Marvel Unlimited Subscription with Old Man Logan Action Figure – Become a member of Marvel Unlimited and gain access to thousands of Marvel titles! The titles can be read digitally on a desktop or via the Marvel Unlimited app (for iPhone®, iPad®, iPad Touch® & Android devices). Included with the subscription is a Marvel exclusive Old Man Logan Action Figure from Hasbro Toys! (Only 3000 pieces produced) Price: $19.99 for one month or $55.20 for one year. Terms & conditions apply, offer valid only in person at the booth at Comic Con International Only.
- Uncanny X-Men #8 San Diego Cosplay Variant by J. Scott Campbell – Superstar artist J. Scott Campbell brings you some of your favorite female X-characters as they get ready to cosplay at SDCC! (Only 1,500 copies printed) Price: $10.00
- Deadpool Kills Deadpool #1 San Diego Variant by Gurihuru – Gurihuru puts Deadpool in a nightmare situation – surrounded by ponies, dressed as and featuring the powers of Marvel super heroes! This is a must own cover for any Deadpool fan! (Only 1,500 copies printed) Price: $10.00
- Phase 1 Marvel Cinematic Universe Blu-Ray Collector’s Set w/ limited-edition 24 x 36 Marvel’s The Avengers theatrical homage poster by Skottie Young. – Bring home a piece of cinema history with Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Blu-Ray! This collector’s set includes all six Avenger’s films from Phase One and other amazing collectibles. But wait, there’s more. As a special exclusive ONLY AVAILABLE at the San Diego convention, we are also including a limited edition theatrical homage poster as a special gift with purchase for anyone who buys the Box Set at the Marvel booth. This limited-run poster (production run of 350 posters), is illustrated by Skottie Young and hand-numbered. Not only that, but Skottie Young is scheduled to appear during preview night to sign these super rare posters in person! Price: $150.00
- Iron Man Statue by Beast Kingdom – Celebrating the unprecedented success of the Iron Man trilogy, decorate your home or office space with these Iron Man statues from Beast Kingdom! There are three Marks available: Iron Man 2 Mark V, Iron Man 2 Mark VI, and Iron Man 2 War Machine. SDCC marks the first time that these statues are for sale by Marvel in the United states! (100 units of each statue available) Price: $80.00
- Rocket Raccoon Mug – Get ready for the release of next summer’s Marvel Studios’ blockbuster film Guardians of the Galaxy, with this exclusive Rocket Raccoon Mug featuring art by Joe Quesada! (Only 350 units will be made available) Price: $14.99
- Avengers T-Shirts– Are you an Avengers fan? Show your support for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with these special Avengers T-shirts! Two different T-shirt designs will be available, the Avengers Album mock cover by Joey Spiotto and Survival by Matt Ferguson. Price: $19.99
New Podcast: Road to Perdition
Tom Hanks is a cold blooded killer heading down the Road to Perdition, hoping to deliver his son from Irish mobsters he once considered family. Has director Sam Mendes made a comic book Godfather, or is this an offer that Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie easily refuse. Listen and find out.
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPDCHIT01.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Man of Steel
With Christopher Nolan’s Batman films Warner Bros. set the gold standard for superhero films. The Dark Knight was a box office hit, a fan favorite, and even won an Academy Award for acting. Yet the year after Batman Begins the other World’s Finest superhero, Superman, failed to take flight. So when Dark Knight writer David Goyer pitched a new, bold take on Superman Warner Bros. agreed. Watchmen director Zack Snyder was brought in to direct, and the result was Man of Steel. Its opening weekend broke records, but both critics and fans are sharply divided over the quality of the film. Now Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob bring their Superman retrospective series to a close with their review of Man of Steel. Can Man of Steel leap tall buildings in a single bound, or should it be stopped with a speeding bullet? Listen to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES09.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Superman Returns
SFor 20 years it seemed Nuclear Man and Lex Luthor really had killed Superman. Every attempt to bring the man of steel back to theaters had fallen through. While fellow DC superhero Batman had a major franchise launch, fail, and reboot, Superman seemed relegated to the small screen with Lois and Clark and Smallville. But director Bryan Singer was flying high after two successful X-Men films, and rather than return for X-Men he had Superman Returns. A continuation of the original two films, Superman Returns has the Kryptonian hero facing off again with nemesis Lex Luthor. Fans did not embrace Singer’s vision and planned sequels were scrapped in favor of a complete reboot — Man of Steel opening this week in theaters! But does Superman Returns deserve its bad reputation? Listen to Now Playing and find out! Then join us next week as we review the brand new Superman film Man of Steel!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES08.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Steel
Steel may not seem like a Superman movie, but in the 1990s it was as close as Warner Bros could muster. With Batman ushering in a new age of comic book movies there were many attempts to revive the red caped DC hero. Such names as JJ Abrams, Nicholas Cage, Kevin Smith, McG, and Tim Burton all worked on Superman projects, and all failed to come together. As unlikely as it seemed, the only man of steel we would see in theaters between 1987 and 2006 was Shaquille O’Neil in Steel. Based on a character born from the Death of Superman comic story, Steel is a disillusioned weapons maker who dons a high-tech suit to fight crime. The film was no slam dunk but does it deserve a second chance? Listen to Now Playing’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES07.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Richard Donner, Christopher Reeve, even Richard Lester and the Salkinds, all had declared they were done with Superman. After a disappointing Superman 3 and a disastrous Supergirl the franchise seemed more toxic than kryptonite and the rights were sold off to cheapo genre film company Cannon Films. But despite star Reeves’ earlier comments distancing himself from the character, Reeve again returned in exchange for both control over the story and a guarantee his pet project Street Smart would be made. The film ended up a notorious Nuclear Man sized bomb, but is it as bad as is thought? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES06.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Star Trek Into Darkness
It’s been four years since J.J. Abrams beamed aboard as new commander of Star Trek promising fast-tracked movies and TV series. But none of that came to fruition and even before Star Trek Into Darkness would reach theaters news spread far and wide that Abrams was moving on to another franchise, Star Wars, leaving questions as to what involvement he’ll have with future Star Trek films and stealing some of Trek’s pre-release thunder. Finally Star Trek Into Darkness opened this weekend. Was it worth the wait? Listen to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPST12.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Punk Movie Review: SLC Punk
Dust of your steel toe boots and dye your mohawk blue, once a month I’ll be talking about a different punk movie here on the Gazette…
SLC Punk
Director: James Merendino
Writer: James Merendino
Starring: Matthew Lillard, Michael A. Goorjian, Jason Segel, Annabeth Gish, Til Schweiger, Christopher McDonald
Studio: Beyond Films, Blue Tulip Productions
Release Date: April 16, 1999
This month I move from the polluted streets of Los Angeles in Repo Man to the conservatively clean landscape of Salt Lake City in SLC Punk. The opening credits are framed as homage to classic punk album covers. It could be a foreboding omen that this film just isn’t for those who stick to Top 40 hits. Yet, instead of leaving the viewer alienated, the film is giddy with wanting to explain the punk aesthetic and show what it is so beloved by those who grasp to punk rock. While the film is overstuffed with exposition about the underground subculture, it twists its quirky adventures around a relatable plot about coming to terms with youthful ideology.
Blue-haired Stevo (Lillard) has graduated college despite his best intentions to only get a 4.0 GPA in damage. His father (McDonald) wants him to attend law school at Harvard, but Stevo is determined to waste his education by partying and living an anarchist lifestyle. However, as his friends begin to move away, go homeless, and die, Stevo wonders if his anarchist lifestyle is really the best choice.
The film is a course in Punk 101 that is humorous and entertaining. Stevo guides the uninitiated. He continually breaks the fourth wall while teaching about the idiosyncrasies of the punk lifestyle like a sociologist. He provides a slide show to explain the pecking order of rednecks, punks, mods, skinheads, and so on in the middle of a brawl. Even if one doesn’t understand the rivalry between the Sex Pistols and the Ramones when it comes to the origins of punk, Stevo explains it as he walks through a mall attacking those he deems poseurs. Lillard’s performance explodes with a contagious excitement that easily draws the viewer into the lifestyle.
The biggest missed opportunity with SLC Punk is, while providing plenty of cinematography of the city, it never convincingly declares much about Salt Lake City. The geography provides prime material to explore an anti-authoritarian culture clashing against a one with a heavy reverence for religious authority through the Mormons that settled the valley. While the characters make grandiose statements about the connection of Mormon occupation and oppression, there are no real demonstrations of the punks’ plight being caused by the religious makeup of the region. The only scene that feels specific to the geography is when Stevo and friends travel to Wyoming after explaining the strict liquor laws in Utah. Without that, this could have been passed off as Boise or Omaha Punk.
Many punks may not like Stevo’s final decision about where he stands with being marginalized by society. However, it is a crisis many who dawn mohawks wrestle with at some point. Can more be done on the outside of society or inside the system to produce change? SLC Punk provides a generalization of this struggle with manic energy grabs the viewer’s attention. While punks often want to keep their scene underground and hidden from the mainstream, SLC Punk delivers an accessible view without much compromise to the experience many punks share.
Recommend
New Podcast: Supergirl
With Christopher Reeve growing tired of wearing tights Warner Bros and the Salkinds attempted to recreate the magic with Supergirl. In her first starring role Helen Slater plays Superman’s cousin who has come to Earth to recover the power supply to her dying city. With a witch as Supergirl’s nemesis, does this film capture the excitement of Richard Donner’s original? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES05.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: Iron Man 3
The Avengers broke box office records taking in more at the US box office in the opening weekend than any other film. With such popularity the world was primed for a follow-up. Now, almost one year to the day later, Marvel Studios’ next film Iron Man 3 has been delivered, and came in second only to The Avengers in its opening weekend. The new film features a Tony Stark solo mission against his comic book nemesis The Mandarin in a storyline taken from the Warren Ellis Extremis comic arc. But without Jon Favreau directing and without a Hulk can the armored Avenger still shine? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPAVENGERS07.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Movie Review: The Place Beyond The Pines
The Place Beyond The Pines
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Writers: Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, Darius Marder
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Ray Liotta
Studio: Hunting Lane Films
Release Date: March 29, 2013
The Place Beyond The Pines is a multigenerational saga like the Godfather. Characters will die. Others will rise to power. Some will fall from grace. However, unlike the Godfather saga, these characters are working class. Ordinary cops and bank robbers replace the glamorized mafia and FBI stings. Despite the lack of gangster fantasies, the film provides grounded, well developed characters that make for an emotional drama.
Luke (Gosling) quits his job as a stunt motorcyclist for a traveling carnival when he discovers he has a son in one of the towns his work brings him to annually. He turns to robbing banks when he is unable to find steady work to support his child. As he is pursued by police, a brief encounter with rookie cop Avery (Cooper) will change the course of Luke’s, Avery’s, and both of their sons’ lives.
Luke may seem threatening with his body covered in crude tattoos and his love for high speed motorcycling but Gosling is convincing that his character is kinder than he appears. There is a touching moment when Luke tells the mother of his child, Romina (Mendes), that he wants to be the first to feed their son ice cream to lessen the pain of being an absent father. The hurt and despair Luke feels for not being able to provide for his son is heartbreaking and lets the viewer sympathize with the character. When Luke turns violent and resorts to robbing banks to give his son a future, the tendency is to mourn rather than to harshly condemn his decision.
The film becomes a tense police drama as Avery’s path crosses with Luke in a high speed chase after Luke robs a bank. Cooper convinces us that Avery may have the book smarts to enforce justice, but not the street smarts to stay clean of corruption. The sleazy police workings are felt immediately as Liotta, playing corrupt cop Deluca, is introduced. His reassuring words and smile only heighten his threatening presence.
The movie loses some focus as it turns to examine the sons of Avery and Luke. Their fathers are more interesting, complex characters. These sons are forced into a rote tale of peer pressure. Two-thirds of the film I was engaged in examining characters that were well rounded and storytelling filled with emotion and tension. The third act is underwhelming as tough questions stop being asked and the film becomes an after school special.
Like the Godfather trilogy, The Place Beyond The Pines is hampered by a weak final third. The first two acts are filled with sorrow and tension that grip the viewer. The story may be multigenerational, but the children are never allowed to mature like the adult characters that held the viewer’s attention for most of the running time; making this film a mild recommend.
New Podcast: Superman III
1983 was a banner year for computing. Microsoft Windows was announced, Lotus spreadsheets were released and the first IBM clone PC was sold by Compaq. And Gus Gorman builds a supercomputer that becomes self-aware, turns humans into cyborg slaves, and tries to kill Superman! This third installment in the Superman film series, this one directed entirely by Richard Lester, relied more on laughs than action, with comedian Richard Pryor taking a co-starring role. How does the mix of comedy, action, and inner conflict work in this Superman film? Listen to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES04.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
DOUBLE FEATURES: Silent Running & Oblivion
Welcome to Double Features, my monthly column dedicated to reviewing a current theatrical release in tandem with a similar classic movie available on DVD. April finds me wondering if Oblivion, Tom Cruise’s new sci-fi effort, shares some DNA with Silent Running, a 1972 cult item that also features a lone astronaut going rogue to protect Earth’s diminishing natural resources from a destructive enemy.
Don’t let the G rating, Joan Baez folk songs, or soft-focus opening shots of bunnies and flowers mislead you. Silent Running – the directorial debut of special effects wiz Douglas Trumbull (2001: A Space Odyssey) – is a somber, adult look at future environmental crisis set entirely aboard a greenhouse space station orbiting a deforested Earth. Bruce Dern goes from docile hippie to psychotic eco-warrior when soulless corporate bosses order him to nuke the last living plant and animal specimens and return to a barren planet sustained by their synthetic amenities. We should be on the oppressed gardener’s side, but his insurrection grows too bloody and paranoid for even the most militant animal activist or macrobiotic foodie to endorse.
Perhaps the only empathetic “characters” in Silent Running are a trio of service robots nicknamed Huey, Dewey, and Louie – reprogrammed to be green-thumbed companions after Dern offs his snide human co-workers. Trumbell’s ingenious miniature droid suits are customized to fit double-amputee actors, who bring a humanizing motion to the walking appliances that’s cute even when they’re digging graves. This is the rare environmental message movie that actually celebrates the machine as nature’s ultimate salvation – a techie’s vision of utopia. It remains progressive today, even if much of the rest of Silent Running suffers from outdated concepts and a meandering plot.
Tom Cruise might hold Bruce Dern’s same custodial occupation on the wasteland of Oblivion, but he’s not going to settle for socializing with a bunch of spherical drones – he wants a hot wife! And not that redheaded nag from his arranged marriage (Andrea Riseborough)… anyone who’s seen Total Recall knows she has ulterior motives for pressing him to spurn Earth for a Saturn moon. No, Cruise dreams of Olga Kurylenko – an enigmatic woman who beckons from repressed memories long before they’re reunited at his secret log cabin tucked inside the last green valley.
The starkest contrast between Silent Running and Oblivion is that Cruise is less preoccupied with rescuing the planet’s ravaged flora and fauna than piecing together his former identity. It’s a self-obsessed journey told largely in cryptic exchanges with coy characters like Morgan Freeman. The mystery unfolds in your head, but never your heart. And once this stooge has finally figured out he’s supposed to be acting like Tom Cruise in a big-budget Hollywood fantasy, many will have grown impatient for some explosions and requisite action.
At best, Silent Running and Oblivion are gentle genre exercises I can only MILDLY RECOMMEND to hardcore science fiction fans thirsting for simple, self-contained stories. Their appeal lies primarily in their visuals. This is a Double Feature that’s easily wiped from the mind, clones of more iconic movies.
New Podcast: Drag Me to Hell
After a series of blockbuster, large-scale films director Sam Raimi returned to his horror roots with Drag Me to Hell. While there is no cabin, no necronomicon, and no deadites, this film feels very much like an Evil Dead movie with geysers of blood and a main character put through physical and psychological torment. Now as a bonus review, Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are dragged to hell to face the Lamia. Does this film have the impact of Raimi’s earlier, more raw horror films? Listen to find out, then DONATE to Now Playing before June 30, 2013 to hear our Spring Donation Drive bonus reviews of all the Evil Dead films as well!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPP038.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Bryan Singer Confirms Several New Mutants in X-Men: Days of Future Past
If you’re excited about 2014’s X-Men film X-Men: Days of Future Past then you should follow Bryan Singer on Twitter. With his Twitter feed @BryanSinger the returning X-Men director has tricked out early casting announcements and photos from the set. But this morning Singer may have given our biggest piece of information yet–a list of several new mutant heroes appearing in the upcoming film.
With a tweet titled “Every mutant needs a place to sit” Singer posted a rapid-fire video of chairs on the set, the backs silk-screened with the name of a film character.
Do not read any further if you wish to avoid spoilers
The Marvel Comics characters shown on the chair backs are:
- Logan (aka Wolverine)
- Xavier (Professor X)
- Magneto
- Storm
- Bishop
- Kitty Pryde
- Bobby “Iceman” Drake
- Peter “Colossus” Rasputin
- Blink
- James “Warpath” Proudstar
While Colossus had brief scenes in the second and third X-Men films, this is the first cinematic appearance of Blink, Warpath, and Bishop.
The full video can be seen on vine.co
You can hear Now Playing Podcast’s reviews of Singer’s previous X-Men films in the archives section of NowPlayingPodcast.com and join us later this summer as we review the next X-Men film–The Wolverine!
You can also hear us in a few weeks as we review Singer’s last superhero movie, 2006’s Superman Returns as part of the NowPlayingPodcast.com Superman retrospective series
And for all things Marvel Comics, Marvel Movies, and Marvel collecting join us every Wednesday on the Marvelicious Toys podcast.
New Podcast: Superman II
How much would you give up for the woman you love? For Superman the cost of love is his every power as he chooses to relinquish all that makes him super to live a mortal life with Lois Lane. But without Superman what can stop the three Kryptonian criminals Non, Ursa, and their leader General Zod from ruling the Earth? All of this, plus Lex Luthor, is in 1980’s Superman II. But do Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob kneel before Zod? Listen to Now Playing to find out as we review both the Richard Donner and Richard Lester cuts of Superman II!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES03.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
TV REVIEW: Hannibal
Hannibal
Creator: Brian Fuller
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Hugh Dancy, Laurence Fishburne, Caroline Dhavernas, Lara Jean Chorostecki
Network: NBC
Airs: Thursdays, 10pm Eastern /9pm Central
Cinema’s most notorious cannibal has returned to public life as the unlikely star of a one hour NBC crime drama. Hannibal, set before the events of Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs, finds a middle-aged Lecter assisting the FBI on grisly manhunts while masquerading as a Baltimore psychiatrist with a fridge full of secrets. Any movie fan would naturally be concerned that TV censorship and commercial interruptions inhibit Hannibal even more than his signature straitjacket and facial restraints. Yet the horror icon remains menacing and seductive in his new serialized incarnation, bringing a potent flavor to introductory episodes “Aperitif” and “Amuse Bouche” that masks the blandness of formulaic forensic shows.
If nothing else, series creator Bryan Fuller (Heroes) has found the perfect actor for the pivotal title role. Dane Mads Mikkelson avoids Anthony Hopkins comparisons by drawing more on the sinister minimalism of his James Bond villain from Casino Royale. This Hannibal is trying to pass himself off as a boring suit, so he can’t risk the theatricality of those purring taunts and unblinking stares that caged Hannibal used to intimidate his interrogators. Lecter lives out his double life wearing an unwavering poker face, but subtle gestures and asides help Mikkelson retain the dark humor and refinement that has always made this beast relatable. A dinner of exquisite looking mystery meat, or a courtesy call placed to a fellow serial killer, play like private jokes between the viewer and this strangely admirable enigma.
Dr. Lecter hungers for an equal to sniff out his true nature, which makes his relationship with tortured FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) the crux of the show. Graham’s heightened intuition helps him process crime scene clues through the eyes of the most depraved psychopaths – he’s a great investigator but an unstable lawman. Lecter is brought in to help Will develop coping skills and process his recent first kill, but the shrink uses the sessions instead to insinuate his macabre world view inside Will’s fevered brain. Dancy’s jittery performance is a nice contrast with Mikkelson’s calculating stoicism, even when the storylines push Graham’s emotional state to campy extremes.
Fans of Red Dragon and Manhunter recognize Will Graham as Lector’s eventual captor, but Hannibal has changed enough about the set-up to make that future uncertain. Like JJ Abrams’ Star Trek or A&E’s Bates Motel, the project isn’t a slave to the source material and many canonical elements have been tweaked successfully. Will Graham looks more damaged and socially awkward here than in the movies because he has a house full of stray dogs rather than a stabilizing wife and son. Turning sleazy male reporter Freddie Lounds into a scheming female blogger not only contemporizes the character, it gives Lector a tempting new target. As long as the show runners respect the source material, I think defying expectations is a great way of keeping fans interested. Right now I don’t care if this Lecter ever ends up behind bars.
Still, not everything about Hannibal feels like a fresh reinvention. Laurence Fishburne makes for a credible Jack Crawford, but he leads a stock crime fighting unit transplanted from a lesser procedural (annoying Asian scientist, dour bearded white dude, sexy lady shrink, etc.). And the overwrought cases, which include a deer hunter skewering women on a wall of antlers and a pharmacist growing a mushroom garden out of comatose diabetics, create the bogus impression that every murderer on the East Coast is some aspiring performance artist using cannibalism to redress childhood hurt. If this is what we’re going to get week after week, it’s going to diminishes Lecter’s reputation as a unique monster.
Hannibal has impressive production values, and its queasy corpse imagery and violent standoffs don’t feel compromised by broadcast television standards. Yet I can’t help feeling like the show would play better on a network that doesn’t require it to make room for 17 minutes of commercials. Graham resembles a psychic more than a cop when ads don’t give us enough time to covet the clues, and he has to make improbable deductions to compress the plot.
Despite its flaws, Hannibal promises to be a worthy new chapter for the serial killer if it can maintain the Lecter/Graham dialectic. I’m just afraid the show will get lost in America’s overcrowded DVR and wind up cancelled before its audience can find it. I definitely RECOMMEND streaming both episodes over at NBC.com sooner than later, and look forward to tasting the remaining 11 courses of Season One.
New Podcast: Superman
In 1978 director Richard Donner and a team of cutting-edge optical effects artists made audiences believe a man could fly. Perhaps even more impressive, though, is that stars Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, and Marlon Brando were able to bring such performances that adults and children watched a man convincingly and unironically wear a blue spandex unitard. But when Superman took to the screen there was no unintentional laughter, just a generation held in thrall as they watched the first big-budget superhero film–a movie to which all superhero films to this day are still compared. Do Now Playing movie reviews Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart still believe the film flies as high? Listen to this week’s podcast to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES02.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
The Collection Movie Review
The Collection
Director: Marcus Dunstan
Writer: Marcus Dunstan, Patrick Melton
Starring: Josh Stewart, Emma Fitzpatrick Christopher McDonald, Lee Tergesen, Randall Archer
Studio: Fortress Features Features
Release Date: September 21, 2012
Elaborate, fatal traps? Squirm inducing injuries? Copious blood? Combine these features with a sadistic and mysterious killer and you’ve got The Collection, a sequel to The Collector. The Collector was initially written as a prequel to Saw. When it was rejected, it became its own movie outright, spawning this franchise.
Arkin, having escaped from The Collector, is tapped by a private security team to tell them where he was held captive so that they can rescue Elena, the latest victim. He’s forced at gunpoint to enter the abandoned hotel that is the villain’s lair, in order to make sure that they get their target. As the team is picked off by the deadly concealed ambushes, they are astounded by the grotesque acts The Collector has committed to his victims.
The Collector likes to kill his victims using fancy mouse (human?) traps. Try to escape through a window and you’re likely to have your hand sliced off when you open it. Step on a certain spot on the floor and large spears will impale you. There’s a dotted line in the horror movie family tree from Jigsaw to The Collector. They seem fairly similar in operations. But The Collector lacks a motive. The novelty of Jigsaw was that he offered his victims a chance at redemption. Freeing oneself from the contraption was also freeing yourself from your past. There is nothing hidden here, these exist solely to kill. There is no redemption for any of the victims. The contraptions are not elaborate as they were in the Saw series. These try but they come off more as a deadly Home Alone movie.
The one thing this film does both very well is the character of The Collector. He is incredibly menacing as we have never seen his face nor has he ever spoken. He lurks, stalks and grabs with the precision of Michael Myers. He’s very mysterious with his lucha libre like mask and insect collection. The potential for a great serial killer is there with all of this covertness, but he is too unknown. There just aren’t enough character details to make him a great antagonist. Other than he collects one person to keep from every killing spree, we don’t know anything else about him. He’s portrayed as cryptic for cryptic sake but for no good reason. It was unfulfilling to know so little.
Instead of paying homage to the granddaddy of torture porn, The Collection comes off like a made for TV copycat movie. It’s similar enough to remind the viewer of its roots but it has just enough differences to escape plagiarism. There wasn’t enough originality to make this work and let’s be honest, if you’re going to emulate another franchise, do it bigger, badder and better. Although the murderer has potential, his details aren’t revealed enough to make him add anything more than a frustration. Even with razor blades held to my face, I wouldn’t recommend this movie.
New Podcast: Superman and the Mole Men
Superman. In the 1930s the DC character was a breakout success creating a template for superheroes that would be copied for the next century. In the 1970s he made moviegoers believe a man could fly in the first blockbuster superhero film. But long before Christopher Reeve would embody the iconic Kryptonian there was another Superman movie–Superman and the Mole Men. Created as part of the television series The Adventures of Superman, Superman and the Mole Men starred George Reeves as the man of steel dealing with a race of beings who have escaped their home miles below ground. Reeves would go on to play Superman on television from 1952 to 1958 becoming the face of Superman for the baby boomer generation. Now, as Now Playing hosts Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob begin their Superman retrospective series leading up to this summer’s Man of Steel film they look back at this forgotten 1951 feature. Is this a Superman adventure worth unearthing or should it have stayed buried deep? Listen to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPSUPES01.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
New Podcast: G.I. Joe: Retaliation
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra left many audience members cold, but the box office proved there was a hunger for G.I. Joe movies. A sequel was started, but to give the series a boost of star power the original cast was almost entirely replaced with The Rock and Bruce Willis featured in the hopes of pleasing a larger audience. After a 9 month delay for a post 3-D conversion, did this sequel fix the flaws of the previous live-action film? Listen to Jerry, Jakob, and Arnie’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPGIJOE03.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Punk Movie Review: Repo Man
Dust of your steel toe boots and dye your mohawk blue, once a month I’ll be talking about a different punk movie here on the Gazette…
Repo Man
Director: Alex Cox
Writer: Alex Cox
Starring: Harry Dean Stanton, Emilio Estevez, Tracey Walter
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: March 2, 1984
Repo Man stars Emilio Estevez as loser punk Otto a year before he’d played the jock picking on the losers in The Breakfast Club. Otto spends his days stocking the shelves at a grocery store until he quits after being continually scolded by his boss. However, Otto finds a new job more in line with his punk ethics—stealing cars from yuppies as a repo man. He learns the life of a repo man is always intense. The film maintains the intensity with a plot that grows ever stranger; changing lanes from scathing criticism on materialism to Cold War era fears to a B-movie alien flick.
Harry Dean Stanton plays repo man Bud, who recruits Otto to the profession. He teaches Otto the Repo Code. A repo man shall never damage an automobile he repossesses. Neither commie nor Christian shall ride in their car. The rich will always be the first to default on their loans. These men living on the outskirts of society are the perfect vehicle for the film’s contemptuous humor. They are more philosophers than struggling proletariat. The comedy is in their zen-like attitude as they snort cocaine to stay awake during the early morning hours and firing bullets to scare off deadbeat car owners.
Los Angeles is the ideal backdrop for the story. It’s a city built for driving, with vast stretches of cold pale concrete highways. However, this L.A. is in shambles with abandoned roads where the few roaming the streets are able to swerve from lane to lane. The fear of Cold War nuclear holocaust takes on a sense of normality as characters casually discuss the neutron bomb and the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos. If L.A. is yet to be annihilated by the bomb, the city is already conquered by a material emptiness where its residents are so weary of existence they are willing to consume jars of sustenance merely labeled as “food” and “drink.”
Meanwhile, a lobotomized scientist roams the streets of L.A. in a 1964 Chevy Malibu with the stolen bodies of four dead aliens in the trunk. A shadowy government agency puts a $20,000 bounty on the car; resulting in a clash between rival repo men and UFO enthusiasts. Miller (Walter), a repo man who refuses to drive a car, theorizes these aliens had been transporting people back in time to populate the once empty earth. Steven Spielberg had introduced an alien savior that could heal with his touch in E.T. Writer and director Alex Cox further mashes aliens and the Bible with a sci-fi creation story, though with a farcical edge. Cox’s take is a throwback to the B-movies of the 50s, hinting that modern society is more a product of the entertainment industry than traditional religion.
Repo Man is like a fast-paced riff from one of the soundtrack’s many hardcore punk songs. The social commentary must uphold a blistering intensity. As ideas on modern materialism, Los Angeles’s identity, marginalized subcultures, and science fiction B-movies all slam together, there is the threat that at any moment the film can lose its energy and fray into a giant wall of sloppy, distorted noise. Surprisingly, it doesn’t. The film maintains a steady beat of sharp-tongued criticism and brash humor until the end; making it a constant on the set list of must-see cinema.
Recommend
Repo Man will be released on DVD and Blu-ray with a new high-definition restored transfer on April 16, 2013.
Movie Review: Spring Breakers
Spring Breakers
Director: Harmony Korine
Writer: Harmony Korine
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, and James Franco
Studio: Muse Productions
Release Date: March 22, 2013
Harmony Korine, a provocateur with a long rap sheet of films about juvenile delinquency, isn’t the most obvious candidate for directing a teen party movie set on the beaches of St. Petersberg. His previous youth culture explorations have shunned Disney princesses in florescent bikinis in favor of more extreme subjects – a serial rapist spreading AIDS (Kids), a drooling schizophrenic (Julien Donkey-Boy), cat killers on ten speed bikes (Gummo), and fetishists grinding their pelvises against canisters of garbage (Trash Humpers – his most literal celebration of depravity).
Yet the four curvaceous coeds at the center of Korine’s new opus Spring Breakers share a commonality with all the other freaks in his menagerie: they’re poor, horny and bored… and that makes them dangerous. Desperate to escape the crushing sameness of their deserted dorm, Candy (Hudgens), Brit (Benson), and Cotty (Rachel Korine, Harmony’s wife) use squirt guns and harsh language to intimidate patrons at an all-night diner into funding their hedonistic vacation. Faith (Gomez) knows she’s courting sin by abandoning her Bible study group for beach time with these hellions, but the utopian promise of Florida’s flesh parade proves equally irresistible to her repressed soul. These girls are sick, and fun is the only cure for what ails them.
Ironically, those most primed for the sun-burnt decadence of a Girls Gone Wild video, or crass Hollywood comedy like Project X, will probably be Spring Breakers’ most disappointed audience members. Korine has never cultivated a taste for commercial storytelling or traditional beauty, and remains fixated on unflattering details as he reduces the foursome’s exploits to a disjointed montage of scooter rides and repetitious drunk talk. Boredom hasn’t been conquered, merely transformed into something more frenzied and sad.
The fun doesn’t begin for viewers until our heroines are jailed and forced to take bail money from Alien, a drug smuggler with delusions of rap superstardom. One look at James Franco’s gold-toothed leer as he leads the ladies from the courthouse into a spaceship-shaped bed blanketed in $100 bills tells you Korine has finally found the proof he needs to convict the American Dream. “Look at my sheeyit! This ain’t nuttin’, I got ROOMS of this shit,” the narcissist boasts as he produces everything from Kool-Aid to Calvin Klein cologne in an effort to impress his guests. It’s Alien who completes Candy and Brit’s transformation into gangsta bitches now packing real firepower, and the trio sail off into a day-glo finale filled with Britney Spears sing-a-longs and drive-by shootings.
Many will call Spring Breakers an empty exercise full of callow behavior, and I’ll not dispute them. Still, I Recommend the movie to anyone able to appreciate the singular way Korine and cinematographer Benoit Debie (Enter The Void) render depravity as its own special kind of beauty. The paradox of their painterly images, married with Franco’s gonzo-yet-human performance, creates empathy for these shallow party girls when their words and deeds might otherwise draw contempt. Korine might not be an artist, but I refuse to label him an exploiter. Perhaps we’ll agree he’s that nose picker that sits in the back of the classroom making sculpture out of his boogers. Certainly Spring Breakers is a gross and glorious mess not soon forgotten.
New Podcast: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
With Michael Bay’s film Transformers Hasbro proved that its toy lines could be turned into profitable movie franchises and Hasbro also had another major toy line in reserve–G.I. Joe! Like Transformers, this film could appeal both to young moviegoers as well as their parents who watched the 80’s cartoon. But in 2009 the second Transformers film made over $400 million while G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra floundered at $150 million, failing in US theaters to make back the production costs. G.I. Joe returns in theaters this week in a semi-rebooted form, but is G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra a blight on Joe’s history, or an overlooked gem released in a very busy summer? Listen to Jakob, Jerry, and Arnie’s review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPGIJOE02.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Double Features: Stoker & Shadow Of A Doubt
Welcome to Double Features, my ongoing column devoted to pairing a new theatrical release with a complimentary older title available on home viewing formats.
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| Shadow of a Doubt | Stoker |
For March I’m fixing up stylish new thriller Stoker with 70-year-old Alfred Hitchcock classic Shadow of a Doubt for a double date that explicitly reminds audiences why it’s never a good idea for a girl to lust after her uncle.
Hitchcock movies pack a subversive punch because the director was so clever at sneaking taboo subject matter past his censors. Audiences in 1943 would merely have understood Shadow of A Doubt as the story of a gushing teenager (Teresa Wright) horrified to learn her visiting uncle (Joseph Cotton) is The Merry Widow Murderer. But savvier contemporary viewers will likely be creeped out by the closeness of their familial bond long before Uncle Charlie’s homicidal habits come to light. The nubile niece, also named Charlie, characterizes their connection as “telepathic”, but I’m closer to calling it out as incest.
Shadow of A Doubt isn’t one of Hitchcock’s more suspenseful or technically innovative pictures. The audience spends most of the run time waiting for its naïve star to deduce what they’ve known since the opening scene. But I suspect Hitch called it the favorite work of his career because it does such an expert job satirizing America and traditional Hollywood depictions of wholesomeness. Not only does a niece’s unbridled desire for her uncle go unnoticed in this seemingly upstanding small town, but common folk commiserate over speculation on how they might kill one another, banks profit from blood money, and perversion can be seen beneath the chipped paint of civility in every scene. The one false note of the picture comes when an FBI agent tries to assure the disillusioned young Charlie that people are basically decent and criminals like her uncle are the anomaly.
Stoker clearly invites comparisons to Shadow of A Doubt as it also introduces a homicidal Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) into the home of a blossoming schoolgirl (Mia Wasikowska), but takes the scenario one step further by suggesting the two share an inherited proclivity to kill. Dour young India certainly knows her way around a hunting rifle, and thinks nothing of silencing randy classmates with the sharp end of a pencil. But she’s a virgin when it comes to the ways of sex and murder, and spends most of the movie warming up to the idea that her father’s brother (and possible killer) has a lot he could teach her in these areas.
Stoker marks the Hollywood debut of acclaimed director Chan Wook-Park (Oldboy). Like Hitchcock, he’s come to America with a healthy dose of cynicism and an eye for subversive detail. Almost every shot in the picture simmers with Freudian possibilities – from the snaky removal of a belt used to strangle a man during intercourse to a spider crawling up the girl’s thigh as she plays a love song on the piano. These searing images perfectly capture the balance between suppressed desire and sociopathic bloodlust that hangs over our not-so-naïve star’s coming-of-age.
Hitchcock used the incest taboo to tease audiences about presumptions of innocence, but stops far short of nihilism and always delivers crowd-pleasing thrills. Stoker, by contrast, corrupts audiences by asking them to fully explore the darkly erotic possibilities of the uncle-niece union and resists reassurances of societal norms. I RECOMMEND both movies, and suspect viewers will get even more out of seeing them together. But you may not want to invite the family to watch along with you.
The American Movie Review
The American
Director: Anton Corbijn
Writer: Rowan Joffé
Starring: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli, Irina Björklund
Studio: Focus Features
Release Date: September 1, 2010
The American is a taut thriller. Every actor delivers an authentic performance that makes their character feel real. Every shot in the film is gorgeous and feels like each frame could be a postcard. The American may just be the best film I cannot possibly recommend.
Clooney plays Jack, a gunsmith and hit man on the run from relentless Swede assassins. In most movies with this type of set-up we would see Jack investigate his attackers, eventually uncovering their boss in an action-filled climax, but The American provides a refreshing, seemingly more realistic take. Instead of going on the offensive, Jack goes into hiding in the Rome countryside, counting on his employer Pavel to keep him safe. More, this attack has frightened Jack, making him want out of his lethal lifestyle.
It’s a very low-key, suspenseful take on a story about hit-men, and that is The American’s greatest strength. Even when Jack’s serenity is interrupted by a Swede attack, the action scenes are bloody and short, the exact opposite of the glossy, adrenaline-filled fights in action films like The Bourne Identity. The scenes are not here to thrill, but to remind Jack, and the audience, that death surrounds him and his quiet respite could come to a bloody end at any moment. This is driven home to great effect.
Indeed, The American treats the Swedes as a subplot, with the main focus being Jack’s relationship with local prostitute Clara. What starts as a purely professional relationship ends in a true romance as Jack connects with Clara, despite not ever truly trusting her intentions. Clara could be a plant, and we’ve already seen Jack kill one girlfriend. As such, Jack and Clara’s scenes together are always bittersweet as the audience knows at any moment one of these lovers could kill the other.
But despite all that is done right, The American fails in many respects. Jack is a laconic cipher We have endless scenes with him drinking coffee, or expertly machining a rifle, but Cloony’s performance always leaves us disconnected from the assassin. Jack’s lies are told so often and so easily that we never know what to believe. We don’t trust Jack and Jack trusts no one, leaving the viewer with no character with whom they can relate. Do we want this agent of death to find love and salvation, or do we want the Swedes to deliver swift justice?
The film’s final fall is in its finale. As we are kept emotionally distant from our main character, his fate becomes ultimately unimportant. The suspense of the eventual double-cross reaches its climax, but in an unfulfilling, perfunctory way.
The American is like one of Jack’s guns–lovingly crafted, expertly made, but ultimately cold and mechanical. Not recommend
New Podcast: G.I. Joe: The Movie
Yo Joe! For almost 50 years G.I. Joe action figures have excited and enthralled children, but it was in the 1980s with the Star Wars inspired comic book, toy line, and cartoon that the G.I. Joe identity would be galvanized. A culturally diverse army of specialists, the G.I. Joes would battle endlessly to keep the evil forces of Cobra at bay. Their skirmishes would be told in a syndicated cartoon series that ran from 1985 to 1986, and as the show prepared for a fourth season Hasbro decided to take the Joes to the big screen with the animated G.I. Joe: The Movie! The failure of Transformers: The Movie would cause G.I. Joe: The Movie to have major plot changes, delays, and an eventual video release long after the series had ended. Was that fate deserved, or does G.I. Joe: The Movie succeed where the Transformer movie failed? Listen to find our review to find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPGIJOE01.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Movie Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
A mostly expected journey…
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| The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | |
| Director: | Peter Jackson |
| Writer: | Fran Walsh, Philipa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro |
| Starring: | Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis |
| Studio: | New Line Cinema |
| Release Date: | December 14, 2012 |
Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows in the tradition of his Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is a delicious fantasy stuffed full of dwarves, wizards, trolls, goblins, and a gold-loving dragon. The CGI effectively gives life and scale to each unique race. As a prequel to LOTR, the script is bursting with backstory; showing evil slowly creeping towards Mordor for the eventual war for Middle Earth. The film is also gluttonous. Jackson gives every obscure character with a passing mention in the novel, like a brown wizard or shadowy necromancer, needlessly extended scenes in this near three-hour exercise in patience. The story is stretched thin to somehow turn this children’s book into a three-parter as a desperate Hollywood attempt to secure consistent ticket sales.
In short, audiences will feel the same about The Hobbit as they did with Jackson’s LOTR trilogy. It does nothing to address previous criticisms and gives more of what made LOTR a blockbuster franchise.
The plot sticks to that of the novel, though certain liberties are taken to conform to conventional Hollywood storytelling. Thirteen dwarves aim to take their city and gold back from the dragon Smaug. The wizard Gandalf (McKellen) recruits hobbit Bilbo (Freeman) to assist in the adventure. All the while, Bilbo must convince Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage), the dwarves’ leader, of his commitment to the journey.
Of course there isn’t a complete story provided as the plot has been split into three films. Smaug is hardly seen, much less defeated. Unexpectedly, the script does carry one of its many subplots to completion; providing a sense of closure for this first installment. Bilbo is homesick. He can return home at any point while the dwarves are outcasts and homeless. Thorin grows weary of Bilbo’s seemingly lack of loyalty. This subplot plays throughout the film until its resolution, providing purpose and heroic moments to a climax that would otherwise feel like just another battle.
The film is long but never feels unbearable. Action scenes take place at the appropriate moments to kick up the pace after scene of melodramatic debate. The battles never do capture the grandness and danger of what we’ve seen before. Even the return of Serkis’s Golem doesn’t demand the same awe. I must recognize this dismissive attitude exists because Jackson already has tackled larger foes and greater battles. However, during The Hobbit’s most exciting scenes, such as the dwarves slashing their way through the never-ending caverns of Goblin Town, the viewer is reminded how comfortable it is to spend a few hours of escape in this fantasy world.
I put off seeing the film originally once it was announced The Hobbit would be three films instead of two. I didn’t think I had the energy for anymore of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world after having read the books, watched the animated features, attended each LOTR installment on during their opening weekends, and then sitting through the extended cuts. I was wrong. For those fans sitting on the fence, like I was, you’ll find this RECOMMENDED film will enliven you with plenty of vigor for the journey.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and other formats March 19, 2013.
Now Playing’s St. Paddy’s Day Movie Marathon… Or Why Irish Cinema Totally Sucks
St. Patrick’s Day is a time for partaking in many great traditions – pinching those that forget their green apparel, washing corned beef and cabbage down with a Shamrock Shake, or maybe dancing a jig at the local pub. Movie-going, however, never seems to play a big part of the holiday. That’s because Irish movies are fookin’ shite!
Look, I’m from Irish stock myself. It gives me no pleasure to reach this conclusion about the state of Celtic cinema. And it’s frustrating when you consider how many great Irish actors (Daniel Day-Lewis, Liam Neeson), actresses (Saoirse Ronan, Maureen O’Hara), and writers (Oscar Wilde, Martin McDonagh) have brought iconic stories to the movies. But I find it impossible to name five Irish films I love.
Hollywood has been the worst perpetuator of Emerald Isle clichés – Sean Connery singing with Darby O’Gill And The Little People, Tom Cruise boxing to Enya in Far And Away, and Tommy Lee Jones channeling a box of Lucky Charms as Blown Away’s psycho IRA bomber. I’m a staunch defender of Titanic, but even I wouldn’t hold it up as a great depiction of my peeps.
The trouble is productions from native filmmakers are no better. I’ve endured soggy history lessons (Michael Collins, In The Name Of The Father), tortured biopics (Angela’s Ashes, The General), cloying romances (Once, The Playboys), and insufferably cute comedies (Waking Ned Devine, Hear My Song… so off tune I walked out on it). I know I’ve omitted some beloved Irish “classics”, but show me one that isn’t about starvation, drunkenness, or political oppression – that unavoidable trifecta of Ireland’s miserablist existence.
St. Paddy’s Day is supposed to be about having fun. So I’m forced to get a little creative in order to present a movie marathon that compliments the occasion. None of these five flicks are “Irish” in any traditional way, but they’re a hell of a lot more enjoyable than My Left Foot.
Images (1971)
Arty thriller has children’s author Susannah York descending into madness on holiday in the Irish countryside. This atypical effort for director Robert Altman and composer John Williams plays like a Celtic prequel to The Shining.
Jekyll (2007)
Sure you could watch Irish actor James Nesbitt make his country proud in Paul Greengrass’ 2002 Bloody Sunday re-creation, but I enjoy him so much more as the definitive screen version of Robert Lewis Stevenson’s split personality in this addictive six hour BBC mini-series.
Miller’s Crossing (1990)
Long before Boondock Saints made Irish gangsters trendy, the Coen Brothers shot up the screen with a mob movie that’s got dialogue and camerawork as rapid fire as a Tommy gun.
Snakes On A Plane (2006)
What better way to honor the legend of St. Patrick driving serpents from Ireland than watching MF Sam Jackson do the same for a doomed Hawaiian flight?
Withnail & I (1987)
Richard E Grant goes on the ultimate bender in 60s London starring in the cult movie that made his career. True he’s not Irish, but if this holiday is just an excuse to get drunk then think of Withnail as the St. Paddy’s Day version of It’s A Wonderful Life.
And if you opt for Gangs Of New York or The Departed, head over to nowplayingpodcast.com afterwards to listen to my thoughts. Both movies are available as podcasts in a Martin Scorsese/Leonardo DiCaprio Retrospective (which will be picking back up this fall with the release of The Wolf Of Wall Street incidentally).
Would You Rather Movie Review
Would You Rather
Starring: Brittany Snow. Sasha Grey, Jeffrey Combs, John Heard
Directed by: David Guy Levy
Once you RSVP, it’s too late…
Would You Rather takes an innocent slumber party game and twists it, replacing kissing the school dweeb with self mutilation. Reminiscent of the Saw franchise, this is torture porn with reduced gore. The concept of this movie is grotesque but it’s a safer, gentler release with less in your face graphic violence, all while maintaining an interesting and unique story.
Iris is dead broke after the death of her parents and desperately needs money. She accepts a mysterious invitation to a dinner party that promises the chance to win enough money to solve her problems. The party is hosted by Shep Lambrick (Jeffrey Combs), with the promise of one attendee winning money via an contest. The game is revealed to be “Would You Rather”, the party game that forces you to choose between two choices. Instead of choosing to kiss the their friend Martha or their friend Bob, the guests are astounded to learn that their choices are self mutilation or mutilating someone else. As each round progresses with a new painful challenge, guests are eliminated either by fatal injury or killed during an escape attempt leaving Iris and one other as the finalists.
Refreshing a stale genre, Would You Rather presents a new twist that is both unique and original. The writers rely on implied gore to create the suspense.
The mutilating challenges all sound horrible and conjure graphic images but it’s a stark contrast to what is shown. Lucas’s challenge is to slice open his eye. We hear his resistance, see his panic at the thought but when he actually does it, it is so quick and shot at such an angle that there is no blood. Peter’s challenge is to blow up a firecracker in his hand. It sounds simple enough until it’s revealed to be a quarter stick of dynamite and that it is duct taped thoroughly to his hand. When it explodes, the carnage is poorly lit so it’s impact is minimal and the focus is on Peter having a heart attack. Anything imagined is much worse than what is shown causing a much more intense movie.
Combs is delightful in his role as philanthropist turned sadist Shep Lambrick. Known for his stoic portrayal of Dr. Herbert West in Reanimator, he is wonderfully chipper and animated in Would You Rather. His delight and mockery at the moral dilemmas facing his dinner guests is fun to watch. He munches on snacks while they decide who they are stabbing, shocking or whipping. Combs doesn’t portray Lambrick as a maniac, he’s mostly a madman but with social skills. Combs has such a delightful giggle when he is enjoying tormenting his guests. It’s nice to see him break out and have some fun, even if it is at the expense of others.
Would You Rather is a nice twist on the overdone torture porn genre. It had become graphic for graphic sake (Saw) by replacing shock with copious amounts of blood. By relying on good old suspense and implied violence, Would You Rather takes it to a new level and keeps the audience entertained all the way to the surprise ending.
New Podcast: Jonah Hex
When a terrorist plans to destroy Washington D.C. the only hope for the United States is a confederate soldier with a scar on his face and a chip on his shoulder–Jonah Hex. A strange steampunk western based on the DC Comics character, Jonah Hex failed to find an audience despite A-list stars Josh Brolin and John Malkovich. Is this possibly an overlooked gem, or could it really be as bad as world-of-mouth indicates? Listen to Now Playing and find out!
Listen Now: http://www.nowplayingpodcast.com/Podcasts/NPPDCHERO03.MP3
Category: Movies & Film
Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful
Oz the alright, but there are some things that are pretty great…
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| Oz the Great and Powerful | |
| Director: | Sam Raimi |
| Writer: | David Lindsay-Abaire, Mitchel Kapner |
| Starring: | James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Release Date: | March 8, 2013 |
The 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz is a visual feast. The Technicolor landscape—rich with yellow bricks, blue flying monkeys, and red ruby slippers—fascinated me as a child. Oz the Great and Powerful takes the audience back to this fantasy of saturated color pallets and dreamlike characters. The film will mesmerize children and make the discerning adults wish they could see this film through those young ones’ eyes. Its vision is bold and courageous, while lacking some heart and brains.
James Franco is the small-time circus magician Oscar, better known as Oz. To avoid the consequences of his womanizing, he flees in a hot air balloon. A tornado takes hold of the balloon and Oz awakes in a magical land. He is believed to be the prophesized wizard that will unite the Emerald City, which is under the control of three feuding witch sisters. Oz must decide if he will continue as a sham trickster or take up the mantle of the wizard to bring peace.
If Dorothy’s adventure was a journey of discovery, Oz’s is one of redemption. However, Oz never fully changes, but merely finds a way to better exploit his cons. Franco is able to convince the audience of Oz as a grifter. The role doesn’t fall far from the actor’s laid back reputation. Glinda the Good Witch (Williams) will eventually declare Oz to be a good man, but that remains in question. If her sisters, Theodora (Kunis) and Evanora (Weisz), had stayed attractive instead of turning hideously ugly, would Oz be so steadfastly in love with just Glinda? Franco’s constant smirk always gives suspicion to his intents, even at the end when he should be trustworthy.
Part of the problem is in the nature of a prequel. We know Oz is still a bumbling conman when Dorothy eventually arrives. True character development is hindered by needing to sync up with the original. This is a barrier for those in the know to truly invest themselves in the title character. However, there are plenty of set-ups to satisfy long time fans of Oz, though not everything is revealed. Despite not caring much for the future wizard, I did find myself caught up in the film’s backdrop and wondering how certain things will play out to bridge this story to Dorothy’s adventure.
Thankfully, the film finds reasons to focus on non-established characters. There is a town made of china smashed to bits by flying baboons. Here is where the most entertaining character is introduced, a living china doll. She brings sadness, spunk, and laughs. While cute, there is also a creepiness to her fractured skin and stiff movements.
The feuding witches are given a new dimension by fleshing out Evanora, who Dorothy will eventually land a house on. The most interesting of the three sisters, her story carries a tragedy similar to Victor Frankenstein. The audience is told she is wicked, but there is a sadness to her as she comes to terms with the monster she creates; making her a sympathetic villain.
I’m still not convinced there is anything great, powerful, or wonderful about this Oz character, but this land is worth revisiting for its other inhabitants and landscapes. This new vision is twisted like Alice’s Wonderland. The scenery continually spirals from sparkling flowers made of gems to rivers filled with translucent fairies bearing piranha-like jaws. The audience knows what levers are being pulled behind the green screen, but this mildly recommendable movie still manages to create some impressive illusions.
Movie Review: Red Dawn
What’s the capitalist term I’m trying to think of…lazy-faire?
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| Red Dawn | |
| Director: | Don Bradley |
| Writer: | Carl Ellsworth, Jeremy Passmore |
| Starring: | Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Will Yun Lee |
| Studio: | Contrafilm |
| Release Date: | November 21, 2012 |
1984’s Red Dawn was an extreme right-wing fantasy. Set during the Cold War, teenagers flexed their Second Amendment rights and blasted away the commies invading the United States. However, this toothless remake begs for relevancy. It sat on the shelf for two years and finally found release during the 2012 election season; perhaps to capitalize on the polarizing politic discourse. However, it is unlikely anyone on either side of the political spectrum would give this new Red Dawn a favorable vote.
The plot is familiar. Communists, from North Korea this time, attack the United States. Brothers Jed (Hemsworth) and Matt (Peck) train a group of teens in the Spokane, Washington to fight back. Known as the Wolverines, the small militia plays a pivotal role in taking their country back.
Of course, the audience never is sure what the country is being taken back from. The villains are so generic, they were easily changed by CGI’ing over some flags and redubbing their native language. The commies were originally filmed as Chinese. The studio then changed them to North Korean in post production because it’s bad marketing to upset over a billion potential ticket buyers. At least the fear of grinding away in sweatshops while manufacturing cheap knick-knacks for Walmart would be a legitimate fear if China took over. Instead, the only reason given to be afraid of North Korea is because communism was scary thirty years ago.
The Russians are also involved with the occupation, just in case North Korea wasn’t frightening enough. If you’re too young to know the Russians were once the U.S.’s real life communist nemesis, there is a big neo-Soviet, easily identified by his blue hat, who stabs teenagers. There, now do you see how nasty that democratic nation secretly is?
As to why so many resources are used to invade a small northwestern town is never explained, which further complicates any attempt at understanding the invasion. A reeducation camp is built, just like in the original. However, it isn’t filled with the Wolverine’s fathers. Rather, the North Koreans take over an entire country to lock up its cheerleaders. Communism must be pretty awful if it jails the hot blondes.
The communists have one weakness though, besides not being able to kill a handful of teenage soldiers. The Wolverines can turn the war around by stealing a radio. To be fair, it’s a magic radio. It’s immune to the electronic magnetic pulse machine the North Koreans used to knock out the American’s power. Maybe the Wolverines would have done better stealing the device that could actually shut down the North Korea’s machinery, rather than the one used for listening to them. Presumably, the same number of explosions could have been produced in a plot that attempted to make more sense.
The writers may not understand how to construct decent plot or motivations, but they also manage to include unsatisfying character arcs too. Matt has a character flaw. He always puts himself before others. A Wolverine needlessly dies because Matt goes off mission to selfishly save his cheerleader girlfriend. Obviously, Matt will need to make a team decision requiring him to sacrifice his needs to show he’s learned there is no I in team. At least it should be obvious. However, the film can’t even adequately execute an elementary school level morality tale.
Red Dawn is an exploitation film that never exploits. It doesn’t play on the fears of even the most delusional paranoid shut in. There’s no need to rush out and arm yourself, this film is easy to resist.
Red Dawn is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and other formats beginning March 5, 2013.
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