Movie Review: Legion

This week I’ll be reviewing FX’s new show set in the X-Men universe, Legion. Based on the popular series of Marvel comics, Legion introduces audiences to David Haller, a troubled young man struggling with mental illness, his love life, and the fact that he may or may not be the most powerful mutant in the world. By the end of the pilot episode, that last bit has landed him in quite a lot of hot water, but the journey to get there is full of fun twists and spectacular visuals. Superhero fan or no, it won’t take the average viewer long to realize there’s nothing else like Legion on TV right now.

Right off the bat, we’re introduced to young David Haller, watching his face as he ages from precocious child to rowdy, troubled teen to genuinely disturbed adult. As his surroundings become more chaotic - over the course of the montage, David goes from being ridiculed by grade school classmates to causing mayhem in a convenience store parking lot and being shuffled into the back of a cop car - the smile slowly fades from his face. As mischievous childlike glee turns into world-weary melancholy, David grows more dejected, until finally he slips an electric cord around his neck and attempts to end it all. Barely two minutes in the audience already knows what it needs to know - David is troubled and he’s sick and tired of whatever’s causing it. The story catches up to David a little while after that. He’s been institutionalized after his effort to end his life, and an “incident” at the facility where he was being held has landed him in an interrogation room. His mild-mannered interrogator prods him to share more about his institutionalized life, and we get to learn more about David’s routine. How he used  to think he could make things happen with his mind, but he’s much better now, thanks. How his only friend in the asylum is an irreverent, musically-inclined chatterbox named Lenny. And how his group therapy sessions suddenly got much more bearable with the arrival of Sydney, a similarly troubled girl with an aversion to touch. As David apprehensively discusses his life, flashbacks show us his world. It’s clear that he struggles to differentiate between fantasy and reality. Is he imagining conversations with Sydney or blurting them out? Did he really levitate everything in his room or just hallucinate as he smashed things until the staff sedated him? It also soon becomes clear that the Interrogator is not completely reliable either. As their talk continues, it becomes apparent that the Interrogator and his staff are after something, and that David may be caught up in a war he didn’t even know was being fought. Downton Abbey alum Dan Stevens is electric as David, skillfully conveying his vulnerability and his (at time literally) explosive anger. Director and series creator Noah Hawley also shines, finding trippy visuals and interesting shots that show off David’s powers and his reality-blurring perspective. The episode clocks in at an hour and a half, but for this reviewer it passed in the blink of an eye. Legion is must-watch TV that will truly blow your mind.

Moonlight Star Uses Money to Fund Cancer Research

A good number of successful celebrities use their riches to acquire material things - fast cars, flashy clothes, access to exclusive events and venues - as is their right, but one young actor is putting his money toward more philanthropic ends. Alex R Hibbert, the actor who plays Young Chiron in last year’s excellent drama Moonlight, shared his noble future plans in a recent interview with HeyUGuys.com. When asked what he plans to do with his earnings, Hibbert said he plans to “take...some of [his] money, and build a lab...and take the best scientists to work on curing cancer and stuff like that.” At just 12 years young, Hibbert’s dream is well within reach, and there’s certainly a great demand for research dealing with “cancer and stuff like that.” More power to you, young brother!

James Cromwell Joins Jurassic World Sequel

Veteran actor James Cromwell has joined the cast for Universal’s sequel to Jurassic World. Cromwell, who made listeners of a certain age shed a sentimental tear as the sheep herder in Babe, is playing an as-yet-unannounced character. He will be joining returning cast members Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, as well as newcomer Justice Smith. The J.A. Bayona-directed sci fi thriller is due to begin shooting later this month with a June 22, 2018 release date. All I can say is: that’ll do, Rex; that’ll do.

Ghost in the Shell Releases Full Trailer

In trailer news, the live-action adaptation of cyberpunk anime Ghost in the Shell has gotten its first full-length trailer. The two-minute teaser included footage of the Major and her cohorts raiding an underground crime den, the other members of her elite cyborg police squad, and the first glimpse at the enigmatic villain. The trailer also hinted at some of the film’s major plot points. Apparently, the Major’s cyborg body is a recent development in this continuity, with the government replacing her physical body after a mission goes wrong. The Major herself only recalls “fragments” of her past, unsure of how she originally became part machine. If the trailer’s final shots are any indication, the villain appears to have the answer. “They did not save your life,” he tells her, “They stole it.” This is a significant departure from Mamoru Oshii’s source material. Originally, the Major had chosen a cybernetic body when she was a small child, considering it a part of what made her her. By making it the result of a fatal accident, this new tweak removes that agency from her and potentially puts her at odds with the government that employs her. This could all pan out in a very novel and interesting way when the film actually hits theaters, but nothing has been particularly encouraging about this project or other previous Hollywood attempts to adapt anime. Foul or fair, the Major shoots her way into theaters next month on March 31.

LucasFilm Trolls Everyone With Image of Empty Toy Box

LucasFilm has done the impossible and gotten an empty cardboard box to go viral. The pure stroke of marketing genius came earlier this week in the form of a press release announcing a new line of Star Wars toys. Accompanying the release was an image of an empty toy box, which still became newsworthy thanks to an image of the three main characters plastered across the top. Poe Dameron is decked out in his Resistance pilot gear. Finn is still wearing Poe’s jacket, spawning a million fan-fics on tumblr, I’m sure. And Rey has traded in her trademark buns for a new, longer hairdo. Speculation on the significance of the new style has already skyrocketed, with many a fanboy wondering if or how it will factor into her Jedi training under Luke. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi will force its way into theaters on December 15, 2017.

Laurence Fishburne Not Returning for Justice League

Rounding out our trio of DCEU stories is a soundbite from Laurence Fishburne, who appeared in Man of Steel and Dawn of Justice as Daily Planet Editor-in-Chief Perry White. Fishburne, who recently sat down to chat with the LA Times about his latest movie, John Wick 2, revealed that he is not coming back for Justice League. The veteran actor chalked it up to scheduling conflicts, but the next words out of his mouth had some people raising their eyebrows. While talking about how DC has handled portraying its greatest heroes on the silver screen, Fishburne didn’t mince words: “What were they doing over there? Marvel has been kicking their [butt]” He did not say butt, though. He would go on to defend Zack Snyder and swear that he loved Dawn of Justice’s most baffling moment, the infamous “Martha Scene,” but the damage had already been done. I can hear the blogs and message boards lighting up with comments now. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fishburne gets a cushy cameo in Avengers: Infinity War for his little commentary.

Mel Gibson Considered for Suicide Squad 2

We have sequel news for Raspberry Award darling Suicide Squad. In a recent article by The Hollywood Reporter, it was revealed that none other than Mel Gibson is in talks to helm the sequel to last year’s multi-million dollar trash fire. Gibson shared the news during a Q&A for his most recent film, the WWII drama starring Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge. Although he had struggled to repair his image following a string of drunken incidents over a decade ago, Gibson has seen a recent resurgence in popularity with the release of Hacksaw Ridge. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning $164 million to date and netting him six Oscar nominations. This is still an odd move for Warner Bros to make, especially considering the number of big name auteurs they already have in their wheelhouse. Gibson himself has acknowledged that he is no fan of comic books, admitting that he “is familiarizing himself with the material” before progressing any further, not to mention the fact that an Oscar-nominated director’s unique style may not match with the tone and look that the DCEU is going for. Other directors are in the mix as well, including Safe House’s Daniel Espinosa, Zombieland’s Ruben Fleischer, and Warm Bodies’ Jonathan Levine, but none are generating the same level of buzz. Case in point, listeners, if you want everyone to forget about the horrible things you’ve done and said, all you have to do is make one award-winning film.

Ben Affleck Wants Out of Batman (Allegedly)

In a recent appearance on Collider’s Movie Talk Youtube series, entertainment reporter John Campea shared that he had spoken to multiple sources connected to the film, all of whom confirmed that Ben Affleck was in talks to walk away from the role of the Caped Crusader. Apparently, these sources claim that Affleck is no longer satisfied with life under the cowl, and, if released from his contract, the Batman film would be his last appearance as the character. As with all rumors and hearsay, these claims should be taken with more than a grain of salt. All official communication from both Warner Bros and Affleck himself have been mostly positive, with the studio swearing up and down that they are happy with the latest rewrite of the script and Affleck assuring interviewers that he’s glad to play such a widely known character. But as anyone in Hollywood can tell you, the official word is fickle as all get out and can change at a moment’s notice. It would make sense for Affleck to be souring on the prospect of playing the Dark Knight a bit. Neither of the films he’s appeared in so far, Dawn of Justice or Suicide Squad, has been a huge hit with critics. To further complicate matters, his gangster flick pet project Live by Night floundered in theaters, only making back $20 million of its $65 million budget since its release. Throw in the fact that things have continued to go south in his home life as well, and it’s not hard to see why he would want to take a break from everything. No official word has been given, but we may be seeing a new face under the bat ears before too long.

Movie Review: Lego Batman

This week I’ll be reviewing Warner Bros’ follow-up to 2014’s hugely successful Lego Movie: the Lego Batman Movie. Set in the same universe made entirely of plastic bricks, the film follows its titular character, originally introduced in the first movie, as he embarks on an emotionally fulfilling journey of his own. Much like its predecessor the Lego Batman Movie is a whip-smart parody, brimming with tongue-in-cheek references to pop culture, clever fourth wall breaks, and a simple but emotionally resonant message that viewers of all ages will find satisfying.

Plus lobster thermidor. So much lobster thermidor.

The film opens in true comic book fashion, with our hero’s internal monologue setting the scene. Lego Gotham is under attack from the Joker, who has gathered a who’s-who of Batman villains - both familiar and impressively obscure - to bomb the city. The Caped Crusader appears on the scene and manages to single-handedly defeat every bad guy and briefly capture the Joker, only to realize that he still has to diffuse the bomb that would destroy the city. Joker mocks him for having no one to help him save the city, but Batman stubbornly asserts that he doesn’t need anybody, releasing Joker and stopping the bomb on his own.

Joker took it well.

After receiving the city’s thanks and flying home, however, it’s clear that the Joker had a point. Aside from Alfred, Batman lives alone in his hilltop mansion, microwaving lobster thermidor and watching sappy romantic comedies in his massive home theater. Alfred himself has noticed this and encourages his master to let someone into his life for a change, but his pleas fall on deaf pointy bat-ears. The Caped Crusader’s life is turned upside down nonetheless when he attends Commissioner Gordon’s retirement party as Bruce Wayne. He unknowingly adopts orphan Dick Grayson, distracted by the arrival of Gordon’s replacement - his daughter Barbara. To complicate matters further, Barbara introduces an initiative encouraging Batman to work with the police, and Joker shows up to...surrender, helpfully delivering all the city’s other villains as well. Suddenly, Batman has a young charge, no support from the people of Gotham, and no crime to fight.

Certain that his not-archenemy is up to something, the Dark Knight springs into action, ignoring Barbara’s requests to work together and dragging along his adopted son in a harebrained scheme to banish Joker to another dimension of criminals. I won’t spoil the plan here, but suffice to say it involves a trip to Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and a hilariously depressing cameo by the Justice League. When his strategy backfires, Batman finds himself in such pinch that even he will need a little help getting out of it. Clocking in at just over 100 minutes, the film never drags or feels boring. Much like its predecessor, there’s no shortage of silly jokes and product placement, but thanks to a heartfelt message of dealing with loss and opening up to other people, it never comes off as a cynical cash grab. If all movies based on popular children’s toy properties were this fun, I’d never leave the theater again.

Batman Film May Be Getting Rewritten...Again

Dude, same.

We have yet another update from the dystopian wasteland that is the DC Extended Universe of movies. Last we heard, Ben Affleck had promptly bowed out of directing the upcoming Batman solo feature film, ostensibly choosing to focus on his starring role and more likely avoiding more back-and-forth over the script he and Geoff Johns had turned in. Dawn of Justice scribe Chris Terrio had been brought in for a page one rewrite, and collective fanboy hearts had shattered at the prospect of yet another dark, overserious drudge-fest with a murky plot. But this week, Forbes brought up some interesting rumors about the fate of the project. Allegedly, Cloverfield and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves is at the front of the pack being considered to replace Affleck behind the camera. And, if chosen, Reeves would be doing yet another rewrite of the script before starting production on the feature. This is a mixed bag at best. I was not thrilled at the idea of Terrio taking another crack at the Caped Crusader when I still hadn’t washed the taste of his first attempt out of my mouth, but as a general rule less rewrites is better. Nonetheless, Reeves has proven his ability to shape a compelling narrative, and could turn out a satisfying draft if given the proper time and resources. Regardless of the outcome, there’s still plenty of time for Warner Bros to sort things out, since the whole project still doesn’t have an official release date.

Kate McKinnon Tapped for Magic School Bus Remake

SNL superstar Kate McKinnon has been tapped by Netflix to voice Ms. Frizzle in a revival of beloved children’s educational program The Magic School Bus. The remake, called The Magic School Bus Rides again, will focus on grade school teacher and possible Time Lord Ms. Frizzle as she takes her students on entertaining knowledge-building field trips with the help of a magical transforming school bus. Instead of 2D animation, the new show would feature 3D animation techniques. Ladies and Gentlemen, human language has failed me, as I cannot find words or terminology that can adequately explain my excitement for this show. Even before adding McKinnon, who is easily one of if not the funniest cast member on SNL, the original Magic School Bus was a huge part of my childhood. When I tell you that pretty much everything I know about science comes from this early-90s public television cartoon, I’m only half-joking. Carlos and those corny one-liners, Dorothy Ann and her research, and Arnold with his legitimate fears and rational reactions to the outrageous situations this woman put them in - they were instrumental in my early science education and made learning fun. There’s no word on a release date just yet, but I’m ready to see what McKinnon and Netflix have in store.

Extended Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Trailer Debuts

Not one to be outdone, Marvel Studios also capitalized on Super Bowl weekend with a new trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The one-minute ad introduced the new villain Ayesha, as well as our returning favorites Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Baby Groot. We also got looks at the trio of newcomers who will be joining them - Michael Rooker’s blue-skinned space redneck Yondu, Karen Gillan’s bald cyborg Nebula, and telepathic antennae-toting Mantis. There are shots of each character getting their moment to shine, in addition to a scene with all of them together. Yondu still has his floating whistle arrow thing, Gamora gets to fire a gun that’s bigger than her, and Drax takes on some giant intergalactic monster with nothing but his twin knives. Director James Gunn’s wacky, colorful visuals and off-beat humor were on full display as well, along with that rockin’ soundtrack that helped make the first film such a hit. There’s still no plot details, but the movie looks like it will be a lot of fun. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will hit theaters on May 5, 2017.

Stranger Things Season 2 Teaser Debuts During Super Bowl L1

This past weekend was the Super Bowl, which meant a lot of things to a lot of people. For Atlanta fans, it was a day that will live in infamy until the heat death of the universe. For Lady Gaga fans, it was the closest many of them will ever get to being able to afford seeing her perform live. For the rest of us, it was a prime opportunity to see some of the biggest commercials and movie trailers of the year. Chief among those was a roughly 30-second spot for Season 2 of Netflix’s runaway hit original series, Stranger Things. The show’s retro 80s aesthetic was on full display as footage from a vintage Eggo ad glitches and morphs into a shot of the main characters - Mike, Lucas, and Dustin - dressed up as Ghost Busters. We also get a few snatches of the boys riding around on their bikes, Sheriff Hopper doing some dirty work, and what appears to be more Department of Energy personnel before dropping a very appropriate release date.

Hint: It's the only time of year this is appropriate school dress.

If anything’s clear from the bits and pieces I’ve seen so far, it’s that Eleven is still nowhere to be found, the rift to the Upside Down is still open, and things are still coming through. One of the final shots of the teaser shows a many-legged creature, several stories tall, towering over the suburbs of Hawkins. Whatever it is, it makes the Demogorgon from Season 1 look like an action figure by comparison.

We're gonna need a bigger slingshot...

Some more plot details about the second season also came out in Entertainment Weekly later in the week. Some choice tidbits: as hinted at the end of Season 1, Will Byers is still seeing visions of the Upside Down. Whether this is real or all in his head remains to be seen, but my money’s on the former. His mother Joyce, to cope with the events of the last year and give her sons some sense of normalcy, is dating an old high school classmate, Bob, played by Sean Astin of Goonies and Lord of the Rings fame. Sheriff Hopper is also struggling to adjust, tasking himself with trying to cover up all the weird things that happened. But the characters carrying the most baggage from the first season are going to be Mike and Nancy Wheeler, who both lost someone to the Upside Down. There will also be some new additions to the cast. Brother-sister duo Billy and Max move into town, and while Max is immediately friendly with the group - possibly sparking a love triangle between her, Lucas, and Dustin - her brother is decidedly more antagonistic. A non-human addition is in the mix as well, with Dustin forming a bond with some presumably cute extra-dimensional critter. This still leaves plenty of questions. What’s up with the new guy running the lab? What is the spindly-legged creature? Where the heck is Eleven? All those answers, and probably some new questions, will arrive when Season 2 hits Netflix on Halloween.

Movie Review: Imperial Dreams

This week I’ll be reviewing the Netflix Original film Imperial Dreams. Starring John Boyega, the story follows an ex-con turned aspiring writer who attempts to secure a better life for his son after being released from prison. Ghosts from his past and bureaucratic obstacles in his present conspire against him as he tries to break out of an endless cycle of poverty and violence in LA’s notorious Watts projects. Although it initially debuted to strong reviews at Sundance in 2014, the film is just now receiving a wide release on Netflix. The three year delay does nothing to diminish the film’s emotional power or its social relevance. In under 90 minutes, Imperial Dreams manages to touch on income inequality, police harassment and recidivism, all filtered through the lens of a father’s love for his son.

In its opening moments, we are introduced to Bambi Jones, a 21-year-old ex-con returning to his old stomping grounds after being granted parole. As he shuffles along the sidewalk, belongings in a bag, retrieves his keys from the bumper of his beat-up sedan, and reunites with a son who was barely an infant when he left, Bambi’s internal monologue narrates, reading from the pages of his journal. “You can’t splash back into the hood...you have to slide back in.” Bambi’s efforts not to make waves are short-lived, however, as he finds himself surrounded by people and situations that tempt him to return to the life of violence he once knew. There’s the amoral figure of Uncle Shrimp, a drug dealing slum lord and the only father figure Bambi’s ever known, who offers to let Bambi and his son stay in his house, but expects his former protege to contribute to his operation. Detectives Gill and Hernandez, the cops who landed Bambi in prison and are more than willing to send him back if he doesn’t stay out of trouble. Wayne, Bambi’s half-brother who has landed a partial scholarship to Howard, but still needs some funds to make up the difference and is increasingly drawn to Shrimps’ line of work. Not to mention the catch-22 of needing a license to get a job but also needing money to pay for said license, and a million similar pitfalls that the system sends his way. Through it all, Bambi must try to hold onto his dream of making it as a writer and providing a safe environment for his son.

This movie is no cake walk.

Boyega is electric as Bambi. Although he is still a year or so removed from his introduction to wider audiences in a galaxy far, far away, his talent and charisma already shine through in every scene. You feel his tenderness when he cradles his son to his chest, his delight when he is able to provide for him, and his rage when their chaotic surroundings threaten to tear them apart. Matching him scene for scene is Glen Plummer as Uncle Shrimp. Unlike Bambi, Shrimp is more than comfortable with his lot in life, and openly contemptuous of his surrogate son’s attempts to leave. He is toxic relationships personified, just as likely to shoot you as hug you. The rest of the ensemble turns in solid performances as well, including a turn from Anika Noni Rose as a no-nonsense social worker and an appearance by Kellita Smith as Bambi’s alcoholic mother Tanya that will be extremely jarring for anyone who remembers her from The Bernie Mac Show. During your short time with them, it’s almost impossible not to feel for these characters and become invested in their well-being. From its quiet beginning to its heartbreaking but hopeful conclusion, Imperial Dreams is a deeply affecting and emotionally rewarding journey. You can catch Imperial Dreams streaming on Netflix.

Runaways Cast Revealed

In TV news, the cast of Hulu’s adaptation of Marvel’s Runaways has finally been revealed. Fans of Brian K. Vaughn’s graphic novel series about a group of teenagers who find out their parents are supervillains, myself included, were driven into a frenzy by news that the property was finally making its way to the screen. Production is set to begin this month, and Hulu has finally lifted the veil on the group of young actors and actresses set to play the titular team of heroes. Rhenzy Felix will play Alex Wilder, a strategic genius and the team’s leader. Lyrica Okano will play Nico Minoru, a goth girl whose parents turn out to be evil sorcerers. Virginia Gardner will play Karolina Dean, a girl whose actor parents are revealed to be alien invaders. Ariela Barer will play Gertrude Yorkes, the daughter of time traveling criminals from the future. Gregg Sulkin will play Chase Stein, a jock whose parents turn out to be mad scientist inventors. Allegra Acosta will play Molly Hernandez, the youngest of the group and a child of mutants with psychic powers. Just as with the original comic book characters it is based on, I appreciate the diversity of this show’s cast. I’m excited to see what Hulu and creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage have in store for audiences when the show hits our watchlists sometime in the future.

Antoine Fuqua Leaves Scarface Reboot, Diego Luna Set as Lead

In development news, Antoine Fuqua has stepped down as director of Universal Studios’ upcoming Scarface remake. Fuqua had been attached to the project since last year, but was forced to leave due to scheduling conflicts. A sequel to his 2014 thriller The Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington, has been moved up the slate at Sony Pictures, forcing him to choose between the two. Now that he has opted for the latter, Universal is on the hunt for a replacement so that they can begin pre-production immediately. While it has lost a director, the project shouldn’t bleed too much momentum after announcing Rogue One’s Diego Luna will star in the lead role. This will mark the third rendition of the original 1932 immigrant tale chronicling the rise and fall of a gangster trying to make it in America. The original followed Italian-American Tony Camonte, while Brian De Palma’s 1983 remake gave us Al Pacino at his scenery-chewing “Say Hello to my little friend” best as the Cuban-American Tony Montana. This time around the story will follow a Mexican-American immigrant trying to wheel and deal his way to the top of the organized crime world, but there’s no word on which Tony Diego Luna will be playing.

Aquaman Casts Its Black Manta

Work is getting underway on Aquaman’s solo film. The movie about nobody’s favorite Justice League member has just cast its villain. The Get Down’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen is set to play Black Manta, Aquaman’s archnemesis.

Leaked footage of the climactic dance battle for Atlantis.

The casting comes only a month or two after news that Patrick Wilson had been cast as Orm, Aquaman’s half-brother who takes up the mantle Ocean Master and fights him for control of Atlantis. Having two adversaries could make for an overstuffed debut film, but I think I know I know how Warner Bros is going to play this. Much like a certain Asgardian and his brother in the Marvel universe, I think Aquaman and Orm will start out as allies fighting against Abdul-Mateen’s Black Manta before turning against each other. No story details on the James Wan-directed project have leaked yet, so this is pure speculation, but it would make for a compelling twist. Aquaman is slated to hit theaters on Oct 5, 2018.

Ben Affleck No Longer Directing Batman, Script Being Rewritten by Chris Terrio, Everythin Awful

Sad Affleck is sad

This week in the DC Extended Universe being a hot mess, Variety is reporting that Ben Affleck will no longer direct the upcoming solo Batman film. The announcement comes after a series of soundbites from Affleck where he appeared uncertain that the project would come together. The latest development came earlier this week, with Warner Bros announcing that Affleck would step aside and focus on starring in the lead role, while an as-yet-undecided replacement takes over directing duties. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves is allegedly at the top of that list. Deadline has also reported that Batman v Superman scribe Chris Terrio has already turned in a rewrite of the script Affleck and DCEU Creative Director Geoff Johns had originally written. It’s no secret that I am often left scratching my head when it comes to DC movies and how they are being made, but this one has actually caused me to throw up my hands. Fans and critics have been split on the look and tone of these films, but nobody but nobody has had anything nice to say about the story in any of them. As I watched Batman and Superman growl and grimace their way through Dawn of Justice’s two and a half-hour runtime, I had little to no idea why they were doing so. Suicide Squad subjected audiences to around 20 minutes of character introductions before convincing them to care about maybe the most fleshed out of the two. So when I first heard the Batman solo film was having troubles getting started, I suspected narrative issues were to blame. In an interview with the Guardian, which I quoted a few weeks ago, Affleck said verbatim “...there’s no script. If it doesn’t come together in a way I think is really great I’m not going to do it,” all but confirming my suspicions. And now this week, lo and behold, he’s not doing it. This is not to say Chris Terrio is a bad writer; I don’t think you can win an Oscar for anything, especially writing Argo, and be considered bad at that thing. But I don’t think it’s a stretch to say he’s good at writing a particular genre of film; his track record with superhero films is short and spotty. I’d trust Quentin Tarantino to write a hyperviolent crime drama, but I’m not going to have him write a children’s book (although that would be interesting). I could be wrong. The film has yet to even receive a title, let alone a release date. But given the brief, turbulent history of this cinematic universe, I’m not filled with an abundance of hope. Is Wonder Woman here yet?

Movie Review: iBoy

This week I’ll be reviewing a Netflix Original movie about a boy who finds himself gaining special abilities after an accident. Based on the novel by Kevin Brooks, iBoy follows the exploits of Tom, a mild-mannered high schooler who gains control over electronics after a bullet lodges fragments of a cell phone in his brain. The movie embraces its identity as a lighter science fiction and runs with it, finding flashy (if not a tad bit unbelievable) ways to show off Tom using his powers. iBoy is somewhere between a serviceable superhero origin story and a gritty British crime thriller, mixing elements of both genres with varying success. The story follows a fairly predictable course, but the creative visuals and slick presentation should keep audiences from getting bored during its 90-minute runtime.

The film opens by introducing us to Tom Harvey, a teenager living in the projects of East London. Tom’s life is simple. He lives with his grandmother who writes bargain bin romance novels, hangs out with his morally flexible friend, a dropout-turned-street hustler named Danny, and pines after his classmate and neighbor, Lucy. Tom’s simple life comes to an end, however, when he stops by Lucy’s flat for a study date and walks in on a home invasion. The masked intruders pursue Tom out the door, shooting him in the head as he frantically calls for help on his cell phone.

Instead of dying, Tom wakes up in hospital 10 days later. The doctor informs him that he is fine, save for a few fragments of the phone that are still buried in his cranium. It’s not long before Tom notices his world is a lot noisier than before. He can hear people’s phone calls when he’s standing nowhere near them, surf the internet without a computer, even overload electronics, causing them to short out and shower their surroundings in sparks. After getting a grip on his newfound powers, Tom sets out to identify Lucy’s attackers and seek revenge. He adopts the pseudonym iBoy and gets to work ridding his neighborhood of crime. However, Tom’s crusade to run off the local thugs begins to attract the attention of bigger fish.

"Must...not...fap..."

Up-and-comer Bill Milner does a solid job as Tom, playing the wonder at his new powers and the righteous anger at criminals with a contained energy. Even more impressive is how he keeps up playing opposite heavy hitters like Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams as Lucy and Rory Kinnear. Likewise, relative newcomer director Adam Randall makes the most of what must have been a modest budget to showcase Tom using his powers to hunt down ne’er-do-wells. With such talented people in the mix, it’s a shame that the story itself doesn’t do more. Writer Joe Barton’s script would be a straight line if you mapped it out. Boy gains powers, boy hunts down criminals, criminals farther up the pecking order take notice, rinse and repeat. And the final confrontation between Tom and Rory Kinnear’s crime boss is downright baffling. I’m not sure which character makes the sillier choice, but neither of them ends the confrontation as quickly or efficiently as they could have. iBoy certainly won’t break any new ground, but if you can’t get enough of light sci-fi and have an afternoon to kill, it makes for an entertaining enough watch. Just be sure to turn off your phones beforehand.

The Flash Movie Picks Up Third (!) Writer

Eza Miller thinking this may not have been such a good idea.

Warner Bros has just hired a third writer to work on its upcoming solo movie for The Flash. As I have previously reported, the studio has had some trouble finding a creative direction for DC’s fastest hero. Originally, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies scribe Seth Grahame-Smith was attached to write and direct, but he left citing that old classic “creative differences.” His replacement, Dope director Rick Famuyiwa, would also depart after his rewrite didn’t land with executives. Now, for the third and hopefully last time, a writer, one Joby Harold, has been tapped to do a page one rewrite of the film. Harold’s star appears to be on the rise recently. Another one of his scripts has been adapted Guy Ritchie’s action-packed retelling of King Arthur, due out later this year, and he also served as executive producer on the criminally underrated 2014 sci-fi thriller Edge of Tomorrow. I want to be hopeful that this will turn out well, but the DC Extended Universe hasn’t endowed me with an abundance of confidence to date. Let’s just hope they give Harold more than six weeks to write this one. In the meantime Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League are both due out later this year.

Oscar Nominees Announced

In awards season news, the academy of motion picture arts and sciences announced the nominees for the 89th Academy Awards earlier this week. La La Land once again leads the nominations with a whopping 14, tying Titanic and All About Eve for most of all time. This is also a historically diverse batch of nominees, with black actors nominated in every acting category for the the first time in Oscars history. A black director is making history too, with writer-director Barry Jenkins becoming the first African-American to be nominated in all three major categories (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay) for Moonlight. It’s not all good news, though. This reviewer was disappointed to learn that both Deadpool and anime film Your Name were left out of this year’s nominations while nobody’s favorite summer blockbuster, Suicide Squad, walked away with a nomination for Best Makeup. The offbeat superhero comedy and the Japanese animated feature were among my favorite films of 2016, and it’s disheartening to see that the academy is still not giving comic book movies and non-Studio Ghibli anime their proper due. Oh well, it only took nearly a century for #OscarssoWhite to have an effect, so maybe they’ll eventually have their day. Baby steps, I guess. You can find the full list of nominees below:
BEST PICTURE Arrival Fences Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water Hidden Figures La La Land Lion Manchester by the Sea Moonlight BEST DIRECTOR Denis Villeneuve, Arrival Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge Damien Chazelle, La La Land Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea Barry Jenkins, Moonlight BEST ACTOR Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Ryan Gosling, La La Land Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic Denzel Washington, Fences BEST ACTRESS Isabelle Huppert, Elle Ruth Negga, Loving Natalie Portman, Jackie Emma Stone, La La Land Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea Dev Patel, Lion Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Viola Davis, Fences Naomie Harris, Moonlight Nicole Kidman, Lion Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Hell or High Water La La Land The Lobster Manchester by the Sea 20th Century Women BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Arrival Fences Hidden Figures Lion Moonlight BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Arrival La La Land Lion Moonlight Silence BEST FILM EDITING Arrival Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water La La Land Moonlight BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Deepwater Horizon Doctor Strange The Jungle Book Kubo and the Two Strings Rogue One: A Star Wars Story BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Arrival Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Hail, Caesar! La La Land Passengers BEST COSTUME DESIGN Allied Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Florence Foster Jenkins Jackie La La Land BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING A Man Called Ove Star Trek Beyond Suicide Squad BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Jackie La La Land Lion Moonlight Passengers BEST ORIGINAL SONG “Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” La La Land “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Trolls “City of Stars,” La La Land “The Empty Chair,” Jim: The James Foley Story “How Far I’ll Go,” Moana BEST SOUND EDITING Arrival Deepwater Horizon Hacksaw Ridge La La Land Sully BEST SOUND MIXING Arrival Hacksaw Ridge La La Land Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Kubo and the Two Strings Moana My Life as a Zucchini The Red Turtle Zootopia BEST DOCUMENTARY Fire at Sea I Am Not Your Negro Life, Animated O.J.: Made in America 13th BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Land of Mine A Man Called Ove The Salesman Tanna Toni Erdmann BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Extremis 4.1 Miles Joe's Violin Watani: My Homeland The White Helmets BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT Ennemis Entreniers La Femme et le TGV Silent Nights Sing Timecode BEST ANIMATED SHORT Blind Vaysha Borrowed Time Pear Cider and Cigarettes Pearl Piper

James Cameron Coming Back to Terminator Franchise

He'll be back.

There’s been a major shakeup in the Terminator movie universe. James Cameron, who wrote and directed the 1984 Schwarzenegger classic and its 1992 sequel, is supposedly in talks to return to the series that launched his career. 2019 will mark the year Cameron regains the rights to the Terminator property, having stepped away from the franchise after Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Deadpool director Tim Miller is reportedly attached to direct the next and possibly final installment in the Terminator universe, with Cameron serving as producer and offering creative feedback. The current holder of the rights, Skydance’s David Ellison, is financing a think tank of the top science fiction writers to “find the movie creatively”. If this is code for “making sure the plot actually makes a lick of sense,” then this is a smart move. I did not see Terminator Genisys, but if domestic box office and Honest Trailers’ takedown are any indication, story has been one area where the franchise continues to struggle since Cameron’s departure. After three different attempts at a sequel and three strikeouts in theaters, going back to the source seems like a good idea.

Jurassic World Adds Female Lead (Hopefully Will Wear Sensible Shoes)

The follow-up to 2015’s Jurassic World has just added a new female lead. Up-and-coming actress Daniella Pineda will be joining returning cast members Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard as well as The Get Down’s Justice Smith, who recently joined the project. No plot details are out on the J.A. Bayona-directed sci-fi action thriller, but here’s hoping Pineda’s character will have some more sensible footwear when it’s time to run from cloned dinosaurs.

Square Enix and Marvel Team Up

In video game news, it looks like Marvel is stepping into the arena of interactive entertainment. Yesterday, a trailer for an unnamed video game, temporarily dubbed “The Avengers Project” was released by Square Enix. The brief teaser shows a series of images of the tools of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (Cap’s shield, Thor’s hammer, Iron Man’s repulsors), sitting abandoned in wreckage. A woman’s voice speaks over the footage, saying that the Avengers must be reassembled. There’s no word of when the game will be released or on which platforms, but Development studios Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal are set to work on what will apparently be a multi-game series set in the Marvel Universe. I never really got into Marvel’s mobile games, but Hulk: Total Destruction was some of the best fun I had on the original Xbox. Square Enix has proven they know how to revitalize a classic property with their revamped Tomb Raider games, so I’m excited to see what they’ll do with this.

Samurai Jack Season 5 Release Date Confirmed

Mark your calendars!

Adult Swim has confirmed that the long-awaited fifth season of Samurai Jack will premier on Saturday, March 11 at 11:30 PM EST. A leaked Adult Swim bumper was posted to Twitter, revealing the date to thousands of googly-eyed fans. I am among those salivating eagerly in anticipation. Genndy Tartakovsky was already a legend for Dexter’s Lab and the Powerpuff Girls, but Samurai Jack ranks at the top of my list when it comes to his creations. The beginning of the end of Jack’s journey to return to the past will grace your screens in just six short weeks; mark your calendars!

Star Wars Episode VIII Title Revealed

Read it and weep tears of joy.

This week, Disney/Lucasfilm has revealed the title of the next installment in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. This December, everyone and their momma is going to see Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Approximately five microseconds after images of the title hit the internet, the rumor mills were already up and running, speculating on the meaning of the title. Who is this titular “Last Jedi”? Luke Skywalker, or Rey? If it is one of them, does that mean the other will die, or worse, fall to the Dark Side? Will they throw us a curveball and let Finn swing around a lightsaber this time (please, after Mace, I just really want a black Jedi again)? Some astute fans on the internet have already pointed out that Jedi can be singular or plural, in which case this may refer to more than one force-wielder, but the fact remains that this sets an ominous tone for the sequel. The answers to all these burning questions are still a few months off; Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi hyperdrives into theaters December 15, 2017.

New Trailer for Power Rangers Actually Looks Kind of Fun

Saban Entertainment and Lionsgate have released another trailer for the upcoming reboot of Power Rangers. Set in fictional Angel Grove, California, the popular children’s series follows a group of teenagers who encounter the ancient being Zordon and are given powers to defend the earth from alien threats. The movie’s first trailer debuted to mixed reactions, as it seemed to be falling into the usual “gritty-reboot” tropes of muted color schemes and over-serious gravitas. Old school fans were also less than impressed with some of the redesigns of the characters and Megazords from the original series. I still don’t know anyone who thinks Alpha’s new look is a good idea. But latest trailer looks to address some of those concerns, really playing up the more campy and fun elements that first made the show such a hit (and some Mid-career Kanye). We get to see the rangers joke around with one another, some sassy one-liners from Alpha, and we even hear the Red Ranger Jason get to say the trademark “It’s Morphin’ Time!” phrase. It’s not a perfect fix (I’m still not sold on the Zords' new designs), but the film is starting to look more like a traditional Power Ranger property. Here’s hoping they stick that landing.

Final Trailer for Logan Shows Off X-23

Fox has dropped the final trailer for Logan ahead of its early March release date. In what is widely considered to be Hugh Jackman’s final role as everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed Canadian mutant, Logan finds the character several years after  the previous X-Men films, when mutants seem to have all but disappeared from the world. Gradually losing his healing factor and saddled with taking care of an increasingly senile Professor Xavier, Wolverine’s world is turned upside down one more time when he encounters a young girl with similar powers to his own. The girl, played by newcomer Dafne Keen, appeared briefly in a previous trailer, sparking rumors that she was X-23, the female clone of Wolverine introduced in the comics back in 2004. Those rumors have been all but confirmed with this latest teaser, as we actually see snippets of her unsheathing claws and ripping through an entire team of heavily armed gunmen. There’s still a lot of the movie we haven’t seen, and Fox still hasn’t gotten Wolverine quite right in his two previous solo outings, but this is shaping up to be a fitting goodbye to the character that Jackman has inhabited for more than 15 years. I for one, cannot wait to see what Logan has in store when it hits theaters on March 3, 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH3OxVFvTeg

Miles Morales Will Head Animated Spider-Man Feature

In movie news, Sony Pictures has revealed the main character in its upcoming Spider-Man film, and this time it’s not Peter Parker. Now relax, we will be seeing the original webslinging teenager in Spider-Man Homecoming this summer, but, in addition to this year’s live action film, Sony also announced an animated feature. In the still untitled animated adventure, the one strapping on wrist-mounted web shooters will be none other than Miles Morales. Created by comics writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sarah Pichelli, Morales is a biracial, Black and Latino teenager who also gets bitten by a radioactive spider and develops powers. It’s not the same spider, so the abilities he develops are a bit different, but after he begins to swing around the city fighting crime just like his predecessor, the Spider-Man moniker begins to stick to him as well. The film is being written by Phil Lord who, along with his frequent collaborator Chris Miller, is also serving as executive producer. Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey are set to co-direct the feature. No word yet on who will be voicing the multiracial hero, but this show’s favorite celebrity Donald Glover has previously voiced Morales on an episode of the popular Disney XD show Ultimate Spider-Man. I think you know who has my vote.

Hint, hint.

Andy Weir Pilot Gets Greenlight

CBS has ordered a pilot for a drama series from science fiction author turned screenwriter Andy Weir. Weir, whose self-published novel The Martian was adapted into a commercially and critically successful movie in 2015, is teaming with producer Simon Kinberg and Dexter showrunner Charles Eglee. Dubbed Mission Control, the drama will focus on a future generation of NASA scientists and space explorers as they work their way through a crucial, high-stakes mission. Since it is just a pilot order at this point, we may not be seeing an astronaut show just yet. But if CBS likes the pilot episode enough, they may give the show a full series order. I personally enjoyed The Martian’s methodical pacing and Andy Weir’s theme of using brainpower to tackle problems that may seem impossible. Here’s hoping they’ll bring him to the small screen.

Vine Closes Up Shop

January 17th marks a pivotal moment in history. It is the birthdate of several pivotal figures, including the late great Muhammad Ali, American treasure Betty White, and the outgoing (and best dancing) First Lady Michelle Obama. It’s also my dear mother’s birthday💗. But this particular week, it also marked the last day of operation for Vine. The short-lived platform for looping six-second videos debuted in 2012 to a mixture of disbelief, confusion, and outright ridicule. What could creators possibly make that would dazzle audiences in such a short timeframe? Within a few years, however the platform had morphed into its own beast, a quickfire arena for a diverse range of musicians, visual effects wizards and comedians. At its best, Vine would anoint a new generation of new media celebrities and become a coveted acquisition for Twitter. Of course, as with all new things, the luster eventually faded, with loops dwindling as many of the top Vine stars jumped ship to Instagram and YouTube. Nevertheless, for four short years Vine burned bright, turning high schoolers into household names, confounding old people, and providing hours of mind-numbing entertainment, all six seconds at a time.