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Wes and Steve discuss Guardians of the Galaxy, mattress surfing, and celebrate Robin Williams’ career during their Top 5 best Robin Williams’ Moments! Enjoy!
What are your favorite Robin Williams’ Moments? Let us know! E-mail us at fiveplaynet@gmail.com!
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With the release of the first trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the final film in The Hobbit Trilogy, one question has been asked repeatedly by viewers, critics and J.R.R Tolkien fanatics alike: Where is Bilbo Baggins? In a film series that features the word “Hobbit,” you’d think the actual Hobbit might be featured in the film most of the time.
Just so you know, he’s around three-feet tall, likes to wear yellow and green, and is desperately in need of his misplaced handkerchief. You might have spotted him occasionally in Peter Jackson’s newest trilogy of films based off of a book that’s only 300-pages long. Just to put everything in perspective, Battle of the Five Armies will cover the last 58 pages of the book. You can make a three hour movie out of 58 pages, right? Right?
Looking at the most recent trailer for the final act of the film series, it’s obvious at this point that Bilbo has been relegated to a second player of sorts. He’s only spotted a handful of times in the trailer and is given a brief voice-over narration. Despite what one might think, the distinct lack of Bilbo isn’t a new phenomena. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was heavily criticized for its lack of focus on the title character and its desire to cover things that weren’t even featured in the book.
Yes, you had the more iconic scenes from Tolkien’s original work. Bilbo’s battle with the spiders and his conversation with the seemingly all-powerful dragon, Smaug, were present, but how many hours were in between those two scenes? The film follows Gandalf as he goes to investigate the Necromancer, Thorin as he’s slowly overcome by his own desires and greed, Bard the Bowman, and Legolas’ love-life. All of the plots and sub-plots aren’t necessary to tell a story about a single person. This is Bilbo’s story, not the story of Evangeline Lily trying to get with a dwarf.
The reason why Jackson’s adaptations of The Lord of the Rings worked so well was because he knew he had to cut scenes and characters from the original source material. It was necessary in order to tell a more streamlined story. I don’t think anyone was crying over the loss of Tom Bombadil and his yellow boots. I certainly wasn’t.
With The Hobbit, Jackson is doing the complete opposite. Not only did he turn a relatively short book into three movies, but he purposely added things to pad out the running time. The length of The Hobbit films can be felt, unlike the previous running-time of The Lord of the Rings. By adding all these extra things like Gandalf’s investigation of the return of Sauron, and Thorin’s rivalry with the CGI orc, Azog, Bilbo’s role becomes smaller and smaller.
In Jackson’s efforts to forcefully connect The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings, he’s alienated the central character from the original novel. The Hobbit is Bilbo’s story from start to finish. It’s not about Thorin, Gandalf, Bard, or Legolas. The novel is about a person finding the bravery and selflessness that they didn’t know was inside them all along. Bilbo is learning to overcome his fear to become something much more, but Jackson and company are so busy trying to connect everything from the previous trilogy to these films that the point of Bilbo’s story is completely lost in the film adaptation.
Maybe I’m being too harsh. This last film might finally be able to give Bilbo his due, but with a three hour running time, forgive me for being skeptical.
What about you reader? What’s your opinion of Jackson’s adaptations of The Hobbit? Is Bilbo being neglected? Let us know in the comments below.
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Another week of Chris and Richard bashing out (and just plain bashing) the week’s home releases and WOO BOY do they have some solid targets. But for every Without Warning there’s an Assault on Arkham; for every Tarzan there’s a Muppets Most Wanted.
A spoonful of Richard ending his sentences by going up in intonation helps the crappy movie medicines go down. And Chris will follow him down. Through time. And wibbly wobbly stuff. Just like in our giveaway this week, I’ll Follow You Down.
Can’t miss this one. We’re angry folks.
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“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Robin Williams
I think it was a shock for everyone to learn yesterday that Robin Williams, the beloved comedian and Academy-Award winning actor, passed away at the age of 63.
The circumstances of his death have still not been completely revealed by his publicist and family, but I’m not writing this article to not talk about his death, and what may have caused it. I’m here to celebrate an American icon that provided audiences with dozens of jaw dropping performances in a career that spanned decades.
As many know, Williams first gained prominence in Mork and Mindy (1978). The show spent more time writing the lines for the other actors than Williams. An expert at stand-up and improv, Williams would never do the same thing twice while on set, and would offer a different line or take on scene after every single cut.
Even after Mork and Mindy’s cancellation in 1982, Williams’ career wasn’t slowing down. In 1987, the actor would receive not only praise from audiences, but critics as well for his performance in Good Morning Vietnam. His role as a wartime journalist frustrated by the censorship of the time gave Williams yet another chance to show off his abilities as a master of improvisational comedy. Much like in Mork and Mindy, Williams requested to do multiple takes on scenes, especially when filming the fictional broadcasts.
Williams would continue to earn critical acclaim for his work in films like Dead Poets Society (1989), where he plays an eccentric poetry professor, and Aladdin (1992), in which he lends his voice to the breakout character of the film, Genie.
Aladdin is a personal favorite of mine since I was a child of the 1990s. As any parent knows, kids love to re-watch movies over and over again. Aladdin was one of those films for me. I must have watched that movie at least once a week every Friday. Williams’ vocal work as Genie probably contributed to the films infinite re-watchability.
Even with all of these numerous successes and critical recognition, nothing could prepare audiences for one of Williams’ most beloved roles of all time, Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). Mrs. Doubtfire is not only considered a classic, but one of the greatest family-films of all time. The story of a recently divorced father trying to spend time with his children is both hilarious and poignant. Disguising himself as a Scottish nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire, Williams’ cross dressing Daniel Hillard made great efforts to be with his children. As creepy as the premise may sound, the film is nothing short of endearing and heartfelt.
Yes, Williams typically liked to star in comedies and family films, but his choice to do more dramatic work truly showcased his dedication to deliver a complicated and flawed character to filmgoers.
With films like Awakenings (1990), Insomnia (2000) and One Hour Photo (2001), Williams was allowed to show his range as a performer and give audiences a chance to see him in a new light. Gone were the more wild antics commonly seen in many of his comedic characters. In the place of his comedic style was an often soft spoken and thoughtful person, who had a desire to connect with those around them. This was shown in spades in his supporting role in Good Will Hunting (1997). While not the leading man, Williams still delivered the powerhouse performance of the movie. Playing a grieving psychiatrist mourning the death of his wife, Williams’ Dr. Sean Maguire worked tirelessly to help a troubled youth played by Matt Damon. His role in the film is still looked at as one of the actor’s best.
Like so many people who watched him, I was moved by Robin Williams’ characters. He was able to capture so much emotion in the roles he inhabited. He could make you laugh, cry and stop and think about what was truly important in your life. It’s these three things that I hope people remember about him. His dedication to entertain people will not be forgotten, and he will live on forever in the minds of those that watched him work his craft.
What about you reader? What’s your favorite Robin Williams movie? Let us know in the comments below.
Today many of us are waking to the sad news that Robin Williams has passed away in a suspected suicide. Like you, we are in a state of grieving and you can expect a number of articles that celebrate his life and his work. for now, I just want to take a moment to remember the man that was Robin Williams.
Also, his wife released the following statement;
This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief… As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.
It’s a stark reminder that depression is very real and can hit any of us. Don’t ever be ashamed if you even suspect you may be at risk. Seek help immediately, don’t ever ever face it alone. Because you are not.
Spare a thought for everyone affected by depression and the long battles people face. Robin Williams will always be remembered fondly and here at OneOfUs we’ll be celebrating him in the coming days.
Source: Telegraph
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The Most Disgusting Visuals! Diaries of the Past! Beliefs Under Scrutiny! The truth is out there – and specifically, it’s on the Public Axis podcast with guests Dino Foxx and Byran Ortiz!
Recorded at the Blind Tiger Comedy Club on August 7th, 2014.
00:00 Welcome to the Blind Tiger! This week, we’re located in the super secret basement comedy spot, The Blind Tiger Comedy Club and we’re pleased as punch to welcome back the very fabulous Dino Foxx, burlesque entertainer/writer extraordinaire. Also, filling in for Regan while he’s adventuring out in Sydney, Australia is our super-pal and fantastic filmmaker Bryan Ortiz.
17:51 Yeah, Aight Den! Topic #1: What is the grossest thing you have ever seen in your entire life? (Inspired by the children’s book series and museum exhibit, Grossology.)
54:34 Dad’s Corner(ed)! Topic #2: Did you ever have a journal or diary when you were a kid? And if so, share an excerpt! (Very exploratory stuff here, folks!)
1:34:13 Hey, That’s Not Funny! Topic #3: What is something you believe in that most people don’t believe in? (Inspired by an article on phenomena that science hasn’t been able to fully explain.)
1:55:37 What Did We Come to Know? Public Axis is an educational program and at the end, we always ask our guests and listeners, “What did you come to know?” Enlighten yourself.
Again, thanks for listening! As always, be sure to check out BLOOD COUSINS, our first feature film! It is waiting for you at bloodcousinsmovie.com! A movie of comedy, terror and revenge – a MUST SEE for fans of this show! Use the promo code FIESTATUBE and score it for $5!
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With the recent news that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice moved its May 6, 2016 release date to March 25 in order to avoid Marvel’s Captain America 3, the interwebs are ablaze with speculation as to why. Is Warner Bros. scared of Marvel’s Cinematic Juggernaut? Is there a lack of confidence in BvS?
With so many rumors being spread across numerous sites, it felt appropriate to list and evaluate the most popular theories for Batman v Superman’s change of release date.
The Four Year Long Wait
Fans last saw Superman in 2012’s Man of Steel, and are waiting four years to see him again alongside a cowl-covered Ben Affleck. Filmgoers can lose interest fast, and Warner Brothers’ choice to play the long game may have them questioning whether they could have matched a hero like Cap who had already been featured in three films. The Star-Spangled Avenger will be seen again in 2015 in Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Audiences will have already been able to experience another Marvel adventure with Cap before BvS hits theatres in 2016. Not only will viewers be more intimately familiar with Steve Rogers and his place in the Marvel Universe, it is possible that they would be more willing to see what he does next.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Chris Evans really came into his own playing Captain America in The Winter Soldier. He didn’t have to play second fiddle to Robert Downey Jr., who can chew scenery to a fault in films like The Avengers. It was his movie, and he showed that playing a hero with absolute altruism could be just as endearing as a hero who liked to crack snarky jokes. Audiences embraced Winter Soldier, and it’s considered to be one of the most commercially and critically successful films of 2014. With all the positive buzz surrounding Cap, DC probably took note of that and considered what it could mean to face off against its sequel.
Man of Steel
Man of Steel was a commercially successful film with a large number of supporters, but the film did receive a fair amount of criticism for its take on the Last Son of Krypton. The often talked about final act of the film, in which Superman and Zod destroy entire blocks of Metropolis, depicted a Superman that filmgoers and comic readers didn’t expect to see. This Superman was a being that may have talked about hope and peace, but didn’t often show much remorse when contributing to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians when battling across his native city. It turned a lot of people off, and turned even more people against director Zack Snyder’s take on the Man of Tomorrow.
The mixed reaction to Man of Steel could be a contributing factor as to why Warner Bros. opted to avoid pitting their team-up sequel against a hero like Cap, who has often put the lives of others above himself.
The Marvel Machine
No one can deny that Marvel’s cinematic universe has been successful. Sure, you have some pretty big missteps like Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World, but you have some wonderful cinematic achievements like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Everyone questioned whether Marvel could actually bring together their heroes into one cohesive universe. Not only did they do that, but they made sure that several sequels and numerous films featuring little known heroes like Ant-Man were already in the works.
Audiences who aren’t even familiar with most Marvel properties can recognize that Marvel Studios regularly puts out cinematic content that is pretty good. While you may not always receive gems like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel movies can at least provide 2 hours of escapist entertainment. It is possible that Warner Bros. blinked in the face of the Marvel Machine.
The Box Office
When it comes right down to the nitty gritty, both Disney and Warner Bros. want to make money. There is no question about that. Had Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America 3 gone head-to-head, the financial loss would have been catastrophic for both films. One of them balking first because of this fact isn’t that surprising.
If they had gone head-to-head on that May weekend, who would have come out on top? I’d probably have to give it to BvS on account of the fact that no one has ever seen a theatrical live-action appearance of both Batman and Superman on the silver screen together. The idea of DC’s most iconic heroes fighting for supremacy might attract the larger audience, an audience that has already seen Cap in four Marvel films to that date. Again, this is pure speculation on my part. Regardless, both films are more likely to do better financially now that they are separated than they would’ve on that weekend together.
What about you reader? Any ideas why Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice changed its release date? What you have done the same if you were making that decision? Let us know in the comments below!
Here at the Most Glorious Website of One Of Us, we like to think we run a tight ship and put out only the finest in web content. We do all of this all in service to you, the internet public, and to Brian and Chris, our supreme leaders born of heaven. Below, you’ll find a letter written by a member of the INTERN-Net that provides some insight into the great experience that is working with us.
Dear Internet (No pun intended I SWEAR),
I hope that you guys can relate to everyday work problems, because gosh damn it, One of Us can be an awesome work place. However, sometimes people make mistakes, and I want you to keep that in mind for the duration of my punishment.
Today, Master Salisbury Steak was very angry during the Ninja Turtles Review. So then he yelled down to the Dungeon of interns, “Somebody get me some pizza… AND SOME COFFEE WHILE YOU’RE AT IT!”
After that, we partook in an ancient ritual of ‘rock, paper, spock’. It was indeed a valiant battle, but I emerged victorious! Laughing condescendingly, I crawled out of the Dungeon, and hopped on my skateboard. On my way back… well, this reenactment can explain it better:
Master Salisbury was furious. So now he wants me to publish this article as punishment by humiliation. On the bright side, he said that we were getting fresh clean steel chains next week! It’s a good thing too, because these rusty ones were giving me tetanus. All hail the lords of One of Us! (I hope I get an extra penny in my non existent paycheck!)
But enough about we, let’s talk about Us! Few things beat a job that is full of terrible work, grating customers, hellish management, and absurd hours. However, it can be a blast recounting some horror stories from the job and commiserating with others. Are there any crappy days at the work place that you think is entertaining? The really good ones (real or fake) gets a high-five from the INTERN-net. So use those keyboards and discuss, and perhaps you’ll be ONE OF US!
Firstly, I’d like to apologize for the hiatus. The past several weeks have seen big changes, so I’ve been spread pretty thin. I’d like to give thanks to the good people at Oneofus.net and to you, the readers, for your continued support.
This past week, I attended Monday Night Raw, live from Austin, Texas. For those who have never attended a live wrestling show, let alone a WWE event, you are depriving yourself of one of the most exhilarating experiences one could have watching a sporting event. The fans, the signs, the chants, the cheers, the beers, all coalesce into a maelstrom of regalement.
Being that this is the first actual televised show that I’ve been to in quite a while, I felt alienated, yet quite at home all at the same time. Some things have changed and some never will in the world of professional wrestling. As such, I have listed ten things of note that stood out to me whilst in attendance.
10.) Why do we have to put up with commercials at a live event? This is a serious question. Just because the people at home have to sit through dozens of commercials for the sake of advertising revenue doesn’t mean the people who pay good money for tickets should have to be bombarded in the same way.
9.) Merchandise is not as outrageously priced as one would expect. Well, not all of it anyway. Most of the t-shirts were between twenty and thirty dollars, which is a tad higher than in stores, but not unreasonable. Shield dog tags were going for ten dollars, which is very reasonable. Masks varied in cost, and though I’d be willing to pay twenty for a Goldust or Stardust mask, asking that much for Luke Harper’s sheep mask is a bit absurd.
8.) Even in a two minute match, Dolph Ziggler is still better than 90% of the WWE roster. Watching him in action live TRULY makes one resent WWE upper management for not pushing Zig as the main event star he was born to be.
7.) The Wyatt family has captivated wrestling fans in a way that no other heel faction has since the nWo back in 1996. From the cell phone lights during their dark entrance to the ring, to the children singing along “He’s Got the Whole World…In His Hands”, Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Eric Rowan are lightning in a bottle. Bray is, arguably, one of the biggest heels on the active roster. And not any kids within listening distance booed him. Not a single one.
6.) It is much more difficult to run into superstars around the arena to interact with than it was years ago. Running into Jeff Hardy or Bobby Roode at a TNA show was awesome. Seeing Val Venis or Grandmaster Sexay at old WWE shows around the arena was a treat. Stumbling across the Giant (now the Big Show) backstage, right after he choke-slammed Diamond Dallas Page onto a dislodged WCW sign, truly made me appreciate these larger than life athletes as human beings, that aren’t impervious to injury. I can understand though, the wrestlers’ desire to stay low key. They probably have more multimedia exposure and because of their rigorous schedules, they most likely do all they can to be incognito.
5.) Not as many people carry signs these days. The Raw and Nitro shows that I attended ten to twenty years ago occasionally required standing up for extended periods due to the sheer number of people in the arenas holding signs. The last three shows that I’ve gone to, not so much. Could it be because of the PG rating and more children are in attendance than in the past two decades? Or are there more casual fans just getting into the sport nowadays? I haven’t been able to discern.
4.) Seeing big men not get winded as much as in years past is a pleasant surprise. The bodybuilder fetish that Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis harbored created an environment where these chiseled musclemen, who couldn’t wrestle and were easily winded, kept getting hired. How times have changed. Guys like Sheamus, Titus O’Neil, Big E, Rusev and the like, these athletes fire on all cylinders and rarely slow down and resort to rest holds for extended periods…EVEN DURING COMMERCIAL BREAK. I have much respect for these guys’ conditioning.
3.) There is much less talking and much more wrestling. The Attitude Era, as much as I loved it, was guilty of having nearly half the program eaten up by long winded vignettes and promos, and not all of the superstars were as talented mic workers as Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock. It is good that booking, in recent years, has tried to fit in as many matches to a program as possible.
2.) Six months after his departure and the CM Punk chants haven’t died down yet. The chants are to be expected during AJ Lee’s matches, as she recently married Phil Brooks (Punk). But Lee wasn’t even on the card and yet three different times during the show, very loud and very enthusiastic CM Punk chants started. Once during a commercial break. Yes, the show has gone on, but I just have a feeling that the not nearly sold out arena that I was in could have sold out if Punk had been present.
1.) John Cena’s target demographic might be tiring of his shtick. Cena was not in attendance, but when his name was mentioned, even little kids were booing him. Little. Kids. Were. Booing. John. Cena. I truly thought that I was in Bizarro World…or in Canada (wonder who’ll get that joke). This is the second time in two years that I’ve been to a show and a large portion of kids and women, Cena’s main fan base, have turned against him. Perhaps we are long overdue for a heel turn. McMahon and company are still under this foolish impression that a Cena heel turn will make little kids stop watching the program or buying merchandise. To counter that, I have two words. Hollywood Hogan.
Do you think any of my observations are inaccurate or off-base? If you’ve attended a WWE program in recent years, what are some observations that you think are worth noting? Let us know down below!
Over this past year, I’ve posted a number of articles on my time at Drama School. This, I promise, is the last. (for now). It’s been an incredible year. I’ve met some great people and had some amazing opportunities which continue to this day. It’s also been a year of change, with finding myself recently single after a long term relationship. It’s been hard, fun, hilarious, tough and everything in between and I wanted to find a way to express even a fraction of it.
During our training, we were required to create weekly journals and a final reflective essay which explored development, improvement and the course overall. As part of that, I decided to shoot a short Documentary featuring myself and my colleagues. It originally wasn’t created to be consumed by anyone other than myself and colleagues, but after being offered to the opportunity to screen it at a Commonwealth event I decided to trim down the original 20 minute cut to a neat 10 minutes which you can watch below.
It’s not an amazing short film, in fact it’s very personal, but it does capture real people in the beginning of their professional training.
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