Richard and Chris bring you a marathon of titles this week covering the weird, wide, wild gamut. From crazy art sci-fi (LFO) to indie introspection (A Coffee in Berlin).
From box sets of classic horror (Vincent Price Collection 2) to being divided on direct-to-dvd horror sequels (See No Evil 2). From new genre classics (Snowpiercer) to old ones (My Darling Clementine). From…well, you get the idea. I could do this for another hour. For pity’s sake, just scroll down and look at all we’re bringing you this week on the most fun home release movie and TV podcast that exists!
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The horror genre is in trouble. Sure, it’s a genre that’s been suffering for some time now, but this year has been especially bad when you look at what has been released so far. With critical flops like Anabelle and Ouija still managing to do well at the box office, it can be pretty disheartening for a horror fan who just wants to see one good horror movie this year. Sadly, it seems like that’s not going to happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to go out and see a movie about an ugly doll and a haunted board game.
When thinking about the most iconic horror films, your mind tends to trail back to the 1970s and 1980s. It was during these decades that the horror genre was at its most experimental, and offered some of the most disturbing and well written horror movies of all time. The films of that time tended to have one thing in common, and that was the horror of your own body rebelling against you. Body-horror is a sub-genre that got under the skin of viewers because of how disturbing it could possibly get. There was no annoying shaky cam or ghosts randomly slamming doors. No, the genre relied on the paranoia and the horror of your body becoming something completely alien to you. So, in an effort to showcase the best of the body-horror sub-genre, you can find several films below that you might enjoy.
Alien (1979)
“I admire its purity.”
Easily one of the scariest films ever made, Alien is a cinematic achievement that was able to prove that the stuff of nightmares was nothing compared to the alien creature that stalked the crew of the Nostromo. Directed by Ridley Scott, Alien played on every person’s fear of body horror, including rape, sex and pregnancy. The creature itself was a horrific parody of sex and childbirth. When the crew of the Nostromo landed on LV-426, they found something they didn’t really understand, and after making a list minute decision, they unknowingly brought that something back with them.
Alien is filled with so many great moments, but the dinner scene in particular is as horrific as it is iconic. John Hurt’s “birthing” of the creature left everyone in shock, and the horror didn’t stop there. The Alien was always hidden in shadow, and blended in perfectly with the black, rusted walls of the Nostromo. Every time the creature arrived, it violently killed anything in its wake. The film was also put a new spin on haunted house movies. Instead of a group of dimwitted people seemingly unable to get of the house, the crew of the Nostromo had nowhere to go other than the unlivable environment of space. They were effectively trapped at the mercy of the Alien. if you need to watch one horror movie tonight, make Alien be that one. If you’re unable to, you have my sympathies.
The Brood (1979)
“Thirty seconds after you’re born you have a past, and sixty seconds after that you begin to lie to yourself about it.”
Be prepared to see David Cronenberg’s name on this list for the next few films, because he’s considered by many to be one of the few directors to popularize the sub-genre of body horror throughout the 70s and 80s. The Brood, one of Cronenberg’s most beloved films, at first seems to be dealing with a strange pack of dwarf-children committing acts of violence and murders. If you think that’s strange, it’s quickly revealed that these “children” are the “psychoplasmic” offspring of deranged woman fighting for custody of her daughter with her estranged husband. Of all the films, this one is perhaps the most shocking and outright disgusting. Let’s just say the mother is very adamant about cleaning her children when she first births them.
Videodrome (1983)
“Long live the new flesh.”
Definitely the weirdest in the bunch, Cronenberg’s Videodrome offer splenty of body horror, but it also spends the majority of its time criticizing the current state of the television media. Set in Toronto during the early 1980s, the film follows Max Ren (James Woods), the owner of a small television station who pirates a strange broadcast signal that features videos of extreme violence, sex and torture. Instantly popular among viewers, Renn begins to delve deeper into the possible origins of the strange broadcast, and begins to experience violent hallucinations where is body horrifically transforms. Acting as a critique of media in our culture, Videodrome doesn’t shy away from the scares. The film is especially grim, and in the end it presents a disturbing take on consumerism and the effect that violence has on our culture. Consider it the thinking man’s horror movie.
The Thing (1982)
“I don’t know who to trust.”
The 1980s were the height of the Cold War, and John Carpenter’s The Thing reflected that. Taking place at an American research station in Antarctica, the inhabitants of the station encounter an alien organism that is able to transform and absorb any organic matter it touches, including the humans living at the station. The body horror in The Thing is something out of nightmares. The multiple appearances the creature takes on seem to be an amalgamation of internal organs, tentacles and teeth. It’s truly disgusting, and the film’s practical effects hold up to this day. Even though the film is well over thirty years old, the monster effects look better than almost any CGI effects shown in most horror movies today.
Other than The Thing’s horrific body horror, the film plays up the paranoia of not knowing who the creature is. Since the Thing is capable of absorbing any organic matter, anyone can be the monster. The creature itself isn’t stupid either. It wants to survive, and it works hard to manipulate anyone around it to ensure its survival. Much like Alien, the cast of characters all have unique and relatable personalities. Kurt Russell’s MacReady is as flawed as any person can be, and he’s forced into a leadership position that tests his physical and psychological limits.
The Fly (1989)
“The dream is over, and the insect is awake.”
Probably the most tragic in tone, Cronenberg’s The Fly is typically the first film people tend to think of when discussing body horror. The film follows Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), a brilliant scientist who has developed a teleportation device, and his growing romantic relationship with Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis). In a moment of brief drunkenness, Brundle uses his teleportation machine to teleport himself to prove that his device can transport living subjects. Although it appears the experiment is successful, he unknowingly teleports with a common housefly. Over a period of months, his body slowly and painfully transforms into something monstrous. An amalgamation of human and fly, “Brundlefly” searches for a cure for his affliction while trying to maintain his quickly slipping sanity. Other than the amazing score, special effects and make-up, the film’s greatest accomplishment is how damn likeable Goldblum is in the movie. Combined with the obvious chemistry he has with Davis, his performance conveys all the pain and misery he’s clearly going through.
What about you reader? Any body-horror films that you think deserve to be on this list? Let us know in the comments below!
Happy Halloween, Everybody! Another All Hallow’s Eve is upon us, a time of year for candy, costumes and large scale consumption of booze… well, more so than any normal day of the year. Of course, with every Halloween comes the annual viewing of spooky things: John Carpenter’s Halloween, It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, or the eternal classic Ernest Scared Stupid. But don’t you want to watch something new? Something that hasn’t been etched into your mind? Well, I have a few recent suggestions here to recommend for everyone!
Now before you go commenting about stuff that’s missing (e.g. Trick R Treat, Cabin in the Woods, etc), don’t worry, those would also be considered new personal Halloween favorites. For this article, I just wanted to talk about more diverse and unconventional choices. So, in reverse alphabetical order (because it’s SPOOKIER that way!):
Toy Story of Terror
TV specials based on recent CG films aren’t that out of the ordinary these days. Dreamworks alone has made specials such as Merry Madagascar, Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space and Kung Fu Panda Holiday over the past several years. So, Pixar decided to step into the game with last year’s Toy Story of Terror, a Halloween special in which Jessie the Cowgirl gets herself lost at a motel while the toys are on a road trip with Bonnie, prompting the rest of them to find her before she gets lost forever.
Now, many might see further stories with these characters as unnecessary, given the note of finality that ended Toy Story 3, which I would agree with in terms of having another theatrical full length sequel. That being said, the theatrical shorts Pixar has done with their existing characters (including Toy Story) have been consistently fun and entertaining, especially since they usually get the very large vocal cast to come back for every one, including Terror. It’s also quite clear from the short that the animators love their horror movies, with explicit references to everything from Psycho to Predator. Speaking of Predator, did I mention the best part? CARL WEATHERS! Yes, Apollo Creed himself voices a GI Joe-esque action figure named Combat Carl whom befriends Jessie at the motel in the special, complete with a hand he lost to an iguana a la Happy Gilmore. Now if that isn’t a nice stew, I don’t know what is.
South Park; “A Nightmare on Face Time”
In its 18 -season history, South Park has dabbled with the horror genre many times. Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny have all dealt with zombies, pirate ghosts and even Satanic woodland critters. Yet, in recent years, one of the more hilarious and memorable episodes of the last few seasons deals with a more horrific threat: a newly re-opened Blockbuster Video Store! Yes, in his infinite wisdom, Stan’s dad Randy decides to invest in re-opening the brick and mortar video store in hopes of getting rich, in a year where the chain had closed down 500 stores. It also doesn’t help that the store is haunted by the ancient ghosts of customers who couldn’t make the transition to Netflix. This leads to one of the more spot on parodies of The Shining since The Simpsons and some hilarious antics involving the boys attempting and failing to live up to their Avengers costumes. Despite a few grating then-current references (the Gangnam Style references are few and more funny than not), the episode manages to combine all the social commentary of South Park with a ridiculously fun premise that builds some Halloween themed laughs.
Regular Show;”Terror Tales of the Park” episodes
As I’ve previous made clear, I love Regular Show. It’s a show aimed at younger audiences that’s keenly aware of its older crossover audience. It plays to the strengths of both, which ends up making it all the more charming to see the adventures of the laid back blue jay Mordecai and hyperactive raccoon Rigby play out with modern humor tinges and familiar yet well integrated references to older works. No better example of that sense of fun from the show can be found in the annual “Terror Tales from the Park” episodes of the show.
Usually consisting of three horror themed segments that lack continuity with the show a la The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror” episodes, they allow for the writers to use the usual show formula of laid back schemes turning into out of control adventures and manage to truncate it just enough to where there’s always something bizarre and hysterical happening. Of the currently existing four entries in the annual tradition, I’d say that my favorite segment is “In the House” from the first, which takes the haunted house concept and gives it a face… in that Rigby is literally turned into a house after being cursed by a wizard. It’s unique enough to stand out from most other haunted house stories and plays on traditional horror tropes, even to the point of getting oddly gory for a show who’s main demographic is children.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia; “The Maureen Ponderosa Massacre”
I only recently went from being a casual to a full blown fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and its episodes like this horror themed gem from Season 8 that make me constantly wonder why I waited so long. At the start of the episode, Dennis, Charlie, Mac and Frank are being questioned by the police about a violent incident that took place at the wedding of Dennis’ ex-wife Maureen to one of the McPoyles, the sworn enemies of the series’ leads. The results of their testimony is an insane story of sex, lies and clearly inbred McPoyles. From its opening kinetic handheld shot of the Gang running in terror to Charlie Day’s face meltingly funny spin on the Indianapolis speech from Jaws, this has the full on insanity of your average Sunny episode with the unconventional juxtaposition of horror tropes that makes it perfect for the season. Plus, there’s even a Guillermo Del Toro cameo!
Hotel Transylvania
Yes, I know I’m recommending you an animated film starring Adam Sandler. That deserved bias against Sandler caused many to write this one off as the Halloween equivalent of Eight Crazy Nights. Yet, unlike that film, Hotel Transylvania doesn’t waste talented animators’ talents on a Happy Madison-style bore fest. Instead, we get modern animation legend Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, the 2D Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoon) to take this potentially bland story of Dracula owning a hotel for his iconic monster friends as a method of keeping them and his teenage daughter from the judging human public and turns it into a vibrant, creative and even heartfelt animated film. Every frame has the presence of Taratkovsky’s trademark style, with well defined comic poses, elaborate facial expressions and some very snappy physical comedy. He even manages to ring some solid vocal performances out of the entire cast, even from Cee-Lo Green and Kevin James. So, don’t let the cast rob you of this highly underrated and adorable romp for anyone who loves these classic creatures.
The Guest
Many a stranger will come to the door this Halloween, but you’re always sure to not let them in. That being said, I wouldn’t blame anyone for doing so the titular stranger in The Guest. As played by Downton Abbey‘s Dan Stevens, David is a soldier who comes to a small town to visit the parents of his fallen comrade. He initially plans on leaving, but his deceased friend’s parents are so charmed by David’s warm smile that they let him stay. This leads to what director Adam Wingard dubbed “Terminator meets Halloween“, as guns go a blazing. There’s so much gore left in this humble village, which is adorned with all sorts of atmospheric Halloween decorations throughout the film. The climax even takes place at the high school haunted house, which is perfectly claustrophobic and underlit for people to come around every corner. The Guest only came out a month or so ago in limited release, so there’s a good chance it could be in your local theater this Halloween. If so, I’d firmly recommend seeing it with your buds… but keep a track of the guests in your party!
Community: “Epidemiology”
“Prepare to meet the power of imagination!”
Community has had a history of Halloween episodes, whether they be more character driven (Season 1’s “Introduction to Statistics”), more psycho analytical (Season 3’s “Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps”) or kind of aimless (Season 4’s “Paranormal Parentage”). All of them have some merit (yes, even the Season 4 episode has a few bits that work), but none can quite compare to the tightly constructed and consistently hysterical “Epidemiology,” in which our intrepid study group finds themselves at the mercy of both their experimental government meat infected (re: zombie-like) fellow students and the greatest hits of ABBA, the Dean’s constantly looping soundtrack for the party. Filled with shout outs to everything from Aliens to Marmaduke, the episode has the usual charm of your average Community episode, but with an obvious horror bent to it. It helps that director Anthony Hemingway managed to give the whole episode this cinematic quality that sells the threat of the zombie-like student body, which makes that bickering and bottled up tension of the study group all the more fun. Shame Mr. Hemingway’s feature debut Red Tails managed to be less cinematic than this.
American Horror Story: Asylum
Ryan Murphy’s anthology series American Horror Story has had it’s ups and downs in terms of quality. The first season Murder House suffered from a slow start, the third season Coven couldn’t stop losing focus on it’s various characters as it trudged along and the still young fourth season Freak Show has had it’s fair share of awkward moments. No season has quite been able to shake off some of Ryan Murphy’s tendencies to shock just for the sake of it, change the rules of the show on a constant basis and leave certain story threads quite underdeveloped. Yet, out of all of them, the second season Asylum is the most cohesively sound.
Taking place an asylum run by nuns, the season dips into territory as diverse as Nazis, serial killers dressed as Santa Claus and even aliens, all while being so beautifully shot and weaving together a damn talented cast that includes the likes of Jessica Lange, James Cromwell and Ian McShane, who manage to add a solid amount of humanity to very over the top and brazen characters. As I said, it’s not completely consistent; some story aren’t too developed and certain characters are better than others. Yet, unlike some of the other seasons, the major leads actually have well constructed arcs that pay off and keep you invested even as the most bizarre and depraved spins on the horror genre come into play. Hell, they even to make Anne Frank fit into all this… and yes, I’m talking about *that* Anne Frank.
What are some of your contemporary Halloween TV specials and movies? Let us know what has become a perennial classic in your home in the comments!
Shades of Cinema invites you to see the world of movies and television through the eyes of the make up artist. Sometimes technical, sometimes glamorous, and but always nerdy, I strive to educate and entertain. I’ll cover the spectrum from the glittery lips of John Cameron Mitchell in Hedwig and the Angry Inch to the matte perfection of Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, and, of course, everything you can possibly think of in between. Take a look, have a read, and if you feel a little shiny, just yell. “MAKE UP!”
One of my favorite cartoon characters of all time is Doris Grossman, voiced by Doris Grau, from the animated television show, The Critic. Doris, you see, is a partied-out, chain-smoking professional make-up artist. As a failed actress who married and out-lived an up-and-coming actor in her youth, she spends her later years earning a living powdering up a television show host, the main character Jay Sherman voiced by Jon Lovitz. During her ashy make up sessions with Jay, she doubles as his personal confidante and spring board.
She is hilarious to me, and probably to the world, since this seems to be the
iconography we love to assign to the role of the make-up artist. The pop culture archetype for film or television make-up artist is kind of pathetic really. And while these stereotypes do exist in real life, (I’ve met them, they are scary!) it is a very sad albeit humorous way to depict one of the most subtly influential members of the production crew.
Even at our most rudimentary task of applying powder, or sometimes even removing that tell-tale white powder from under the actor’s nose (been there, done that too!), we are magicians! We, like the gaffers, are manipulators of light! Armed with our brushes, powders, sponges, creams, q-tips, goops and goos, we change, enhance, and/or diminish what the human eye can perceive through the lens. With a few well-placed strokes of a brush, an actor’s face can go from friendly to villainous. The artistry and impact of our craft goes even deeper than just the obvious talent of the actor. You can witness character development in the work of a good make-up artist. An example of this is the character Karl Bruner in the romantic dramedy, Ghost.
Karl, played beautifully by Tony Goldwyn is introduced to us in the opening credits as he is helping his best friend, Sam, (the hunky and late Patrick Swayze) and Sam’s girlfriend Molly, (the iconic Demi Moore), knock down a wall in a deliciously shirtless sledgehammer fashion. Karl’s overall look is healthy, friendly, and boy-next-door sexy. His skin tone is good and his coloring is even. In the latter scenes of the movie, when its revealed that Karl is indeed the bad guy, his facial features take on a decidedly different look. As he becomes more entangled with his own machinations, Karl becomes the most dangerous of animals, one that is trapped by his own crimes with murder as the only way out. The circles around his eyes darken, his features seem more angular, and as the pressure mounts against Karl, he is in a state of constant perspiration.
With just a glance the audience knows without a doubt, that all chances of his redemption are gone and that Karl has fallen into the deep end. Three simple techniques convey this effect to the audience: dark shadow applied around the eyes, stronger contouring with foundation to make his bone structure pop, and a light-weight oil application to the reflective surfaces of the face to give the appearance of a sweat. It’s simple, and easily overlooked when taking in these scenes as a whole, but it’s those small details that add weight to effective story telling.
Consider how contradicting the feel would be if Karl looked super healthy and glowing with vitality as he tries to salvage his evil schemes. The audience wouldn’t necessarily feel the threat of his character, and the emotional impact of Sam’s best friend being his ultimate betrayer would be lost. This same technique when reversed can be used to fool the audience if the plot calls for a twist ending. It can also help if the film makers want to create doubt in a whodunit storyline. All of this is part of the make-up teams’ contribution, and very little credit is ever given.
By the way, if you haven’t seen Ghost, you really need to! Not only is it a guaranteed “get laid” movie for third dates (Thank you, Righteous Brothers and a little naughty play with a pottery wheel!), but it also has an amazing Oscar-winning performance by the infamous Whoopi Goldberg. And for you dudes who don’t like romantic films, Demi Moore is stupid, smoking hot in Ghost and worth searing into your brain for whackathon material.
One specialty where make-up artists do get a lot of fame and even Academy Award recognition is, of course, in special effects. We love to see hideous injuries, rotting faces, and monstrous facial creations. I mean, who doesn’t love how gag-worthy Christopher Meloni is in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle! That seeping zit is awesome!
Entire transformations can be accredited to the make-up team. Some of my favorite examples are Jeff Goldblum, as he slowly turns into the “Brundle-fly” in David Cronenberg’s The Fly. Or Sharlto Copley’s Wikus, who gets a little “prawny” as the story unfolds in Neill Blomkamp’s Best Picture nominated masterpiece District 9. Special effects make-up is quite an artistic endeavor and it requires skill in sculpting and color theory. And it may also call for weeks of prep work, and appropriate budgeting. Since many of the materials used in creating some of the more advanced facial prosthetics call for chemical-based materials, a make-up studio with specialized ventilation systems might be required.
None of this is cheap, and that’s why many independent films may resort to surprisingly creative techniques to pull off a difficult look. I love it when micro-budget movies convey fantastic effects using basic household items (usually food-based), and I tip my hat to all of you underpaid and overworked make-up artists who spin such fabulous magic.
So, before you watch your next film, remind yourself to notice the look of each character. Somebody worked hard to make them look the way they do. That somebody interprets the relationship of light and shadows, and knows how to manipulate those factors to grow the story. Because in the end, it’s all about conveying, a damned good story. And a talented make-up artist is a shining feather in the cap for phenomenal story-telling.
As we draw nearer and nearer to Halloween, it seems appropriate that we would be introduced to one of our favorite movie monsters this year…Jake Gyllenhaal? I know, we’re as surprised as you are.
In this Highly Suspect Review, we ride along with Louis Bloom (Gyllenhaal) as he delves deeper and deeper into the world of late-night, run-and-gun crime scene journalism. These guys descend upon car crashes, murders, and house fires to capture the moment and turn a profit off the misery of others. This proves to be the perfect venture for Bloom, who was born bereft of conscience.
But as Brian, Chris, and Michael will tell you, Nightcrawler isn’t just some heavy-handed indictment of the media. It is both more complex with its themes and wildly entertaining to boot.
Give a listen to the review, it won’t kill you. And hey, if it does, creepy Jake Gyllenhaal will be there to film your demise!
For those of you who have been living under a Hulk-sized rock, Marvel announced their Phase 3 film plans in Los Angeles’ El Capitan Theatre on Tuesday. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige unveiled an impressive lineup of nine movies set to be released until 2019. If you were expecting a repeat of similar movies from Phase 2, then you’re in for a number of exciting surprises, true believer!
The Phase 3 films currently include Captain America: Civil War (2016), Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Black Panther (2017), Avengers: Infinity War-Part 1 (2018), Captain Marvel (2018), Inhumans (2018) and Avengers: Infinity War Part-2 (2019).
It’s reasonable to guess that Marvel’s recent reveals are in response to DC/Warner Bros. own superhero film announcements. With DC receiving praises for their Wonder Woman and Cyborg announcements, Marvel may have had to play their hand early in response to the steadily growing criticism they’ve received for not having a film led by female superhero or person of color. In any case, it’s nice to see that Captain Marvel and Black Panther are finally getting their own movies.
Although no one has yet been cast as Captain Marvel, the film itself has been rumored for quite some time. The character has endured a ridiculously complicated history, but Carol Danvers has enjoyed immense popularity among die hard Avenges fans. It will be great to see a female hero led superhero film, and it will be the first since the critical and commercial flop, Elektra (2005).
Like Captain Marvel, Black Panther has supposedly been in development for a while. With Chadwick Boseman’s casting as the hero, fans of the T’Challa can rest easy knowing the King of Wakanda’s first solo film adventure is coming very soon. Although, people will get to know Black Panther a little earlier in Captain America: Civil War, where the Wakandian will supposedly fight alongside either Captain America or Iron Man.
Speaking of wars, the announcement of Captain America: Civil War has certainly drummed up excitement since it was officially announced. Said to be loosely based off of Mark Millar’s 2006 storyline, Captain America: Civil War will pit Captain America and Iron Man against one another. There fight will be a battle of opposing ideologies, with the fate of the superhero community hanging in the balance. For those unfamiliar with the plot, Civil War deals with the Super Human Registration Act, and the federal government mandating that all superheroes reveal their secret identities and register with the government. Effectively making heroes soldiers for the government, Iron Man is in support of the law, while Captain America is opposed to it, believing that it violates civil liberties.
I’ve made my feelings quite clear regarding Millar’s original comic event. However, Marvel Studios has shown that they never really tell strict adaptions of their most popular storylines. If they can introduce the Superhuman Registration Act in an organic way, then I’ll be less concerned about the plot of the film. The large cast is another problem however. As great as it will be to see Iron Man and Cap leading opposing sides, there could be an issue of fighting for screen time. Downey tended to have the most screen time over his fellow heroes in Avengers. Let’s just hope they don’t turn Captain America 3 into Iron Man 4.
Dr. Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy 2, two films that everyone knew were in active development, were also announced . While Doctor Strange has struggled to get off the ground, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 seems to be moving ahead with no foreseeable problems. I’m hopeful that whatever problems currently plaguing Doctor Strange are cured. With so many casting rumors about the Sorcerer Supreme online, it’s generating more than a little worry among fans that Marvel is rushing to get the production going as fast as possible. With Ewan McGregor and Benedict Cumberbatch the most recent actors to be rumored for the part, Dr. Strange is looking to be Marvel’s most difficult character to cast. Hopefully, this is resolved relatively quickly.
Thor: Ragnarok, the third film in the Thor series, generated some substantial excitement when it was first announced. For anyone not familiar with Ragnarok, it’s basically the end of all things Thor. It’s the complete annihilation of Thor, Odin, Asgard and as much as it pains me to say it, Loki. After Thor: The Dark World, many Marvel fans were left feeling cold about the God of Thunder’s solo adventures. Suffering from a weak villain and an overabundance of humor, the film is hardly highly regarded like Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier or Guardians of the Galaxy. Thor: Ragnarok will be Marvel’s chance to redeem the stumble they with The Dark World. If you’re not excited enough for Thor: Ragnarok already, it’s said to be the film to set-up the Infinity War Saga in 2018 and 2019. I have to admit, as disappointed as I was in Thor: The Dark World, I’m really interested in Ragnarok. Plus, if I get to see Tom Hiddleston’s Loki again, I’ll be there during the first midnight screening.
Probably the most unusual announcement was Inhumans. Based off of the comic of the same name, the Inhumans are a race of hyper-advanced humans who were initially experimented on by the Kree Empire. Eventually becoming a powerful race in their own right, the Inhumans had an advanced civilization established even during the Stone Age. Thousands of years later, the Inhumans are led by their king, Black Bolt, and the rest of his Royal family, which includes Medusa, Gorgon, Maximus the Mad, Crystal, Triton and their pet, Lockjaw. Inhumans is certainly out there as a concept, but the same was said about Guardians of the Galaxy, and we all know how amazing that film turned out to be.
The biggest bombshell of the movie announcements was easily Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 & 2. Though named the Infinity War, it’s fairly reasonable to guess that these two Avengers movies will adapt the beloved Infinity Gauntlet storyline, which has every Marvel character alive coming together to stop Thanos in his bid to control the entire universe with the Infinity Stones/Gems. It’s going to be Marvel’s biggest films yet, and like the comic, it will most likely attempt to bring together every major hero they put on screen since 2008’s Iron Man. Personally, that’s when I start to grow a little concerned. I am in no way trying to cover up my excitement for Avengers: Infinity War, but I am questioning the monumental moves Marvel is going to try to make to bring this two-part saga together. Bringing together most, if not all of Marvel’s cinematic characters into these two films is going to be one hell of undertaking. More importantly, would having so many characters help the film?
As many comic fans know, more characters competing for screen time in a film doesn’t always equal quality. Just look at this year’s TheAmazing Spider-Man 2 and the number of characters they tried to cram into that sequel. Sure, Sony isn’t Marvel Studios, but it’s a problem that can befall any film wanting to include as many characters as they possibly can. Seeing the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Dr. Strange, Black Panther, Captain Marvel and many of Marvel’s other characters all on screen together would be really cool, but there’s a huge risk that the films could lose their narrative structure in the process of doing so. Typically, less always seems to equal more in regards to the amount of characters in superhero movies.
What do you think reader? Impressed by Marvel’s slate of films? Any feelings of apprehension? Any films you wished were announced? Let us know in the comments below!
Your favorite locker denizens are breaking their sporting event radio silence with a live commentary of the first official game of the 2014 NBA season…that they’ll be watching.
Tonight tonight tonight TONIGHT!!!
Cavs vs. Knicks. 7pm CST.
Join Brian, J.C., Elliott, and Adam as they not only break down the finer points of the game, but also make terribly offensive jokes and play some very Halloween-appropriate trivia games.
The commentary can be listened to by coming back to this post tonight and clicking on the UStream window below. After that, the cached audio will be made available to subscribers in our forums.
If you don’t stay and listen to the whole game, how about just the tip?
Marc and Dustin jump into the tour vehicle, strap on the night vision goggles, and prepare to tangle with some dinosaurs in 1993’s Jurassic Park video game.
Does Sega’s tie-in warm the guy’s hearts with nostalgia? Will Dr. Grant electrocuting and tranquilizing dinosaurs all willy-nilly make them uncomfortable? Should Marc find and punch out fellow countryman Sam Neil for his sprite’s transgressions?
Episode XII – A rather subdued podcast as Kia and Duke recover from two weekends of comics cons.
They talk about the awesome looking Death Of Superman Lives documentary which will pull back on the often mocked Tim Burton adaption of the Man Of Steel from the late 1990s.
Duke and Kia celebrate that Needtoconsume.com is going have one of their reviews used as a snippet on the back of a comic book (And Then Emily Was Gone – go check it out).
Kia shares her frustration with UK comic book shops who all conspired against her to stock a certain volume of a comic she has started reading
Duke and Kia share their wager for this week’s Fantasy Football in which they are playing each other.
The Brits are still very happy to answer any questions or discuss anything relationship related so if you want to email them, it’s hello@needtoconsume.com
