In a summer dominated by superheroes, mutants, giant lizards and aging action stars, it’s challenging to find room for a film that dares not to be a bombastic blockbuster. However, sometimes the film that dares to go against the typical cinematic titans of the summer movie season can impress just as much as a man throwing a vibranium shield, or a dragon soaring across a frozen sea.
Director James Ward Byrkit’s science-fiction indie film, Coherence, provides intelligence and subtlety to a season typically associated with explosions. For those who are looking for a science-fiction film with a focus on the plot and characters, Coherence is the movie you need to see this week.
In the film’s opening, viewers see a lone woman driving down a street while talking on her cell phone. She’s planning to meet friends at a dinner party with her boyfriend. Her phone suddenly goes dead, and even stranger, cracks in her hand. She doesn’t know why and is even more perturbed by the presence of a shooting comet overhead.
The party is pleasant enough. Small talk eventually turns into more serious discussions. There’s some animosity between particular members of the group, but it’s brushed off as guests change the subject to the mysterious comet blazing across the night sky. Suddenly, the lights go out at their house, and almost every single residence in the neighborhood. They notice that only one home two blocks away from them has its lights on. Like a moth to a flame, they’re instantly attracted to it and go to investigate why this particular place is the only one to have power. What they see shocks them and it sets them down a path that might possible destroy everything that they are.
Revealing too much about Coherence could potentially take away from the more shocking moments. To put it simply, the film deals with an astronomical anomaly that causes a series of reality-bending events. Viewers follow eight friends as the attempt to deal with this event, and what it reveals about who they really are.
The film feels very much like a classic Twilight Zone episode. Honestly, if I wasn’t told that Byrkit wrote this, I would think this was a forgotten script written by Rod Serling himself. Relying less on special effects and CGI creatures like most science-fiction movies, Coherence delves into the more psychological aspects of how we view ourselves. What would we do when we are abruptly introduced to a completely terrifying situation that forces us to reveal our true nature in the presence of those we think we really know? That’s the type of film Coherence is.
It’s easy to tell that the actors had room to improvise their actions and dialogue. It certainly feels that way in the beginning of the film. The relationship drama is meant to ease the viewer into a false calm. While amicable at dinner, these characters have a level of tension between them that rears its ugly head over the course of their traumatic night together. These people are not dumb. Don’t expect them to be acting like idiotic horny teenagers in a slasher film. They’re normal people with their own thoughts and opinions. Yes, some of them can act a little self-obsessed or egotistical, but that’s what makes them feel so real.
Unlike most science-fiction or horror films, the individuals in Coherence quickly realize the type of situation they’re in and work tirelessly to escape it. They recognize that what is happening to them is completely out of the ordinary, but they still work together to try to figure everything out. Should they attempt to protect themselves and fight against a threat they never encountered before? Is there even a threat to begin with? Some of them act in rash ways, and their rashness is returned tenfold.
Before long, seemingly meaningless objects become increasingly important as the movie progresses. Glow sticks, a ping pong paddle, a plant in a vase and a never ending series of scribbled notes take the place of a typical CGI monster hiding under the bed. Even seemingly insignificant pieces of dialogue and interactions between characters become huge revelations. Paying attention to the littlest of details is necessary to follow the film’s ever evolving plot. Thankfully, the filmmakers don’t feel the need to point out all the clues. It’s up to the viewer to catch some of the secrets and realize their impact on the story.
Coherence is very much the type of film to see with a bunch of friends, and it provides more than enough intense discussions to be had long after the credits have rolled. It’s a smart and well-written science-fiction mystery. You’ll be more than pleased to get the chance to see Coherence when it’s finally released in theatres Friday, June 20.
Welcome back to One of Us’ Strip Club, our special feature where we post comic strips created and submitted by friends and fans of the site.
This week’s strip depicts a scenario that many of the gamers out there experience every year during the Electronic Entertainment Expo, also known as E3.
We’d love for you to start submitting comics for our Sunday “Strip Club” feature. If you’re interested, please contact us at oneofusnet@gmail.com.
Welcome to the latest Pre-Weekend Recap! As you might expect, this was another fruitful week for One of Us’ contributors. There are plenty of articles, blog posts, reviews, and podcasts waiting for you, so don’t let your schedule deny you of what’s rightfully yours!
This is the place where you can start catching up on the material that might have slipped by you in the rush of the week. Below you’ll find a few of the features that debuted this week, with descriptions and links right there. All you have to do is enjoy the content. And scroll down to the bottom for information about the site’s World Cup coverage, Game of Cups!
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The Original Gentlemen: Schrodinger’s Cargill
Regular OG listeners may be sad when they find out that Ashley couldn’t be on the latest episode of the show, but since the artist formerly known as Carlyle is on mic, the disappointment will certainly not last long. C. Robert Cargill, the writer of the film Sinister, the author of Dreams And Shadows and Queen of the Dark Things, and a founding member of the Spill Crew is here to discuss TV, the X-Men films, and the fact that his friend and collaborator Scott Derrickson is directing Marvel’s upcoming Doctor Strange film. It’s a beautiful reunion that longtime fans definitely need to hear!
World of UScast: The British Bodcast – Episode 2
The latest edition of the World of UScast podcast, the show where we feature a podcast from an international partner, is the sophomore entry of The British Bodcast. Our hosts Duke and Kia discuss the World Cup and different levels of anticipation for the world’s game, question why so villains in American cinema are British, and rank the best and worst accents in movies.
If you live outside the United States and you have or would like to create a quality podcast for the World of Us show family, please get in touch with us at oneofusnet@gmail.com. Your podcast could be on the next episode!
I’m All Out of Love #4: Kevin Smith
I’m All Out of Love is all about Thomas Mariani recounting past passions that have since burnt out. The subject in the spotlight is Kevin Smith, who has gone from an inspiration to all independent filmmakers to an extremely polarizing figure. Thomas shares his journey with Smith’s various works, recalling the movies he loved, disavowing the ones he despised, and makes an astute assessment about what exactly has caused former fans to turn against the director. And there’s a mention of Clerks: The Animated Series, a show that was both underrated and canceled far too soon. Give this article a read and discuss your thoughts about Kevin Smith in the comments!
SMARK Country: Payback is a Bitch
Last weekend, WWE held its Payback pay-per-view event. If you’re a wrestling fan and you missed it, Eugene has a rundown and analysis of all the big matches. Who put on the best show? Which wrestlers were underwhelming and which ones were better than the material the Fed gives them to work with? Check out what Eugene has to say about all of these questions and see what his final verdict on Payback 2014 was.
The Top 5 Reasons You Should Be Watching Longmire
Perhaps you, like many discerning viewers, have ignored A&E for years. No one can blame you, because most of what’s on that channel is utter garbage. However, if John Eckes is correct, there is one show on A&E that bucks that trend and is a great program. Longmire is all about a sheriff in Wyoming who is battling numerous threats to preserve the peace in his county. As a man who loves his westerns, John has plenty of praise for the show and its cast. He has five compelling reasons why Longmire is well worth your time, so read his list and get started. The first two seasons are on Netflix, so excuses are limited!
GAME OF CUPS!
One of Us hasn’t forgotten all of you futbol fans out there! Through the World Cup’s opening weekend, Inside the Locker is teaming up with sports website Bro Jackson’s soccer experts, the hosts of the International Players Anthem podcast, for an event we’re calling Game of Cups! Every day from until June 16th, both shows will be gathering at The Mohawk in Austin for a live broadcast full of enlightening analysis and drunken revelry. Not in Austin? Fear not, there will be a live stream during every game, just for you. To see the full Game of Cups schedule, click the link above. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!
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If you like what you’ve seen here, please be sure to share our stuff with others who might enjoy it. In addition, please consider becoming one of our proud subscribers! There are plenty of benefits for those who are generous enough to contribute to the site each month, so don’t miss out on your chance to earn some exclusive rewards! Have a great weekend!
It’s no surprise that comic book films have firmly established themselves as the dominant money makers in cinema. With the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past and the upcoming release of Guardians of the Galaxy, superhero movies are clearly the type of big screen entertainment that people are willing to pay to see.
With so many big budgeted films about men and women in tights, a comic book movie that tackles something a little more mature-rated is always a good palette cleanser. Enter the most recent trailer for Sin City: A Dame To Kill For, a movie that shows that violence seems to be the only option to solve one’s problems.
Co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For reunites the two directors for the latest adaptation of Miller’s graphic novel crime series. With a release date of August 22, this sequel is the follow up to Rodriguez and Miller’s 2005 film, Sin City.
Much like the first movie, multiple stories are set to cross one another in this neo-noire thriller. The main story is a prequel, and follows Dwight (Josh Brolin) as he tries to get revenge on his former lover, Ava Lord (Eva Green). Originally played by Clive Owen in the first film, audiences will finally learn what led to Dwight’s facial reconstruction. Viewers are also greeted with the return of Hartigan (Bruce Willis) and Nancy (Jessica Alba), with the later going on a mission to assassinate Senator Rorke (Powers Boothe), the father of “the Yellow Bastard.” Mickey Rourke returns as Marv, who is suffering from amnesia. The cast also includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Johnny, a slick card player getting way over his head with an assortment of criminals and mobsters.
While most comic book films work hard to present a somewhat realistic version of our world, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For makes it very clear that it’s set in a world entirely different from our own. As if entire scenes were lifted from the panels themselves, Rodriguez and Miller continue to present the hyper stylized nature of the source material to the best of their ability. Black and white are the dominant colors of A Dame To Kill For, but sometimes reds, blues or greens can be glimpsed occasionally. The use of color stands out especially well when Green’s Ava is featured in the trailer. Her brilliant green eyes and blood red lipstick make her the focal point in a scene dominated by black and white. This artistic choice gives the film a unique look that’s rarely seen in most movies today.
Part of Sin City’s appeal is also its over-the-top violence, and this trailer has made it abundantly obvious that A Dame To Kill For hasn’t abandoned that violence for something more grounded. Beatings, shoot-outs, and fist-fights are displayed in all their bloody glory. While they may appear unrealistic, even cheesy, the action in the trailer is simply trying to capture the same look and feel of the stories in Miller’s original books.
Despite the style and impressive ensemble cast, I couldn’t help but feel a little lost while watching the trailer. I did see the first film in the theatre years ago, but I had some trouble remembering most of the characters here. While visually striking, the trailer does little for those who might be unfamiliar with Rodriguez and Miller’s hyper violent world. Nearly a decade since the release of the last film, another viewing of the first might be necessary.
What about you reader? Did this recent trailer for Sin City: A Dame to Kill For pique your interest? Let us know in the comments below.
Dreamworks Animation has never showed any shyness about pumping out sequels to their successful films (and even some that we despised). There has generally been a pattern of diminishing quality evident in these. Despite this, I know we all just loved (ok, SQUEED) at the original “How to Train Your Dragon” film and were stuck in that difficult fanboy realm of want/fear a sequel.
I don’t want to spoil our impressions of it for you here. I’ll let the Unusual Suspects do that. This time around, Ashley, JC and Elliott soar with the dragons, letting you know how aerodynamic the film is the second time around.
Ok, so 21 Jump Street took us all a little bit by surprise. I mean, sure, it was directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller who knocked Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs out of the park. But a live action adaptation of a mediocre 80’s tv show about undercover NARCS in a high school? Sounded like a no-thanks to me. But, plumbing unexpected depths in their leads Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, they scored a big hit.
But this is the sequel. And sequels to buddy comedies are almost always half as funny as the original, right? I can’t even think of an exception. And sure, Lord and Miller are back, and they REALLY took The Lego Movie and made it work better than anyone could have dreamed. BUT IT’S A SEQUEL. The first one had to be a ‘lightning doesn’t strike twice’ scenario, right? Right?
Well, you’ll have to find out through the dulcet tones of Chris, Elliott, JC and Ashley’s Highly Suspect Review…
The door between universes remains mysteriously closed, leaving the weekly task of covering home release Blu-ray and DVD titles to Richard and alternate universe Chris, who fortunately find themselves as motivated to do their task by beer as their alter-egos do.
This week, the boys get under the skin of the Robocop remake, say what’s actually wrong with The Nutty Professor, Dis-disinformation about UFOs with Mirage Men and eventually get around to giving up the goods in the form of giveaway copies of Ravenous from Scream! Factory.
Title images, buy links, and time codes are coming, we’re just pressed to the wall this week for time.
Welcome back to “I’m All Out Of Love”, in which I take a pop culture subject (film series, director, actor, television show, etc) and dissect how my ‘love’ of them from early on slowly dwindled and what my current stance on them is.
The indie film movement of the 1990s brought us a slew of great talents who have entertained us to this day. Those talents include the likes of Richard Linklater, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Jim Jarmush and Steven Soderbergh. Another one of those players I didn’t mention initially is Kevin Smith, a man born of meager origins in New Jersey who maxed out credit cards and made the widely-celebrated Clerks.
In the 20 years since, Smith has become more than just a director, branching out into comic books, television and podcasting. It’s clear that the man is nothing if not busy and I’ve consumed many of his various works. As a young lad, I was a rather big fan of Kevin Smith, both of his work and his personality. Being a fellow heavy set geek, I sort of looked up to Mr. Smith as someone I could be. But somewhere along the line, the adoration died down and I instead grew distant from the man I once considered an idol. When did that happen? How did this happen? Let’s start from the very beginning.
The Spark
“I fell in love wit chew. We fell in love wit chew.”
My discovery of Kevin Smith was quite similar to the way I discovered most of my bigger comedic influences: being bored one afternoon while watching Comedy Central. I remember stumbling across all sorts of weird little movies through the channel’s vast and uneven television package. One such film was this bizarre little comedy full of religious satire, movie references and censored language. That film was Dogma… well, it was mostly Dogma. The TV edit of Dogma is a curiosity, mostly because it cuts a great many things out. Hell, I didn’t even know the Golgothan shit demon was in there until I saw the uncut version months later. Yet, despite the choppy nature of its TV cut, I couldn’t help but be engaged by Dogma. It felt so different from most movies I had seen at that time. It was raunchy, but in a way that felt smart and relatable even in a situation this outlandish.
Around this same period, I also saw Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back on Comedy Central. While I enjoyed the very goofy lighthearted fun of it, I couldn’t help but feel confused by these other characters that were there outside of the ones I had seen in Dogma. It made me want to research the connections that those characters had to Jay and Silent Bob, which opened my eyes to the concept of “The View Askewniverse.” It was the first time I was introduced to the concept of a film universe in a non-genre world and it fascinated me on a conceptual level, so I was naturally drawn to watch the films within it. I proceeded to try and watch every single film, read every book and listen to every podcast that Kevin Smith had something to do with. I had become a full on geek for this fellow geek.
The Love Affair
“I love you. And not, not in a friendly way, although I think we’re great friends.”
As I mentioned earlier, what really drove me to Kevin Smith’s films was this clever use of vulgarity. The way he weaved dirty words into his dialogue felt more grounded than the way I had heard kids at school or even other raunchy movies use them. Yet, what really kept me interested in his filmography was how emotionally honest it felt. Even with subjects that were a bit dated by the time I saw them (some of the lesbian characters in Chasing Amy aren’t necessarily the most accurate representations), the struggles these characters went through felt genuine.
Whether it be Clerks’ & (to a lesser extent) Mallrats’examination of being frustrated on stagnation in ones 20s, Chasing Amy’s look into feelings of male inadequacy or Dogma‘s exploration of losing faith, it seemed like all of those films really did come from a place that felt authentic. Even stuff as silly as Strike Back or as heavily flawed as Jersey Girl at least had this sincerity to them that helped even out the flaws. Plus, it was clear that Smith had an eye for talent, helping to bring up and coming folks like Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Jason Lee into the spotlight.
But the films weren’t the only thing I liked about Smith. The man himself was someone I admired. Every audio commentary, podcast and Evening With DVD presented a guy who managed to be down to Earth and personable. Unlike my other favorite directors who often kept to themselves, Smith was so much more open and enjoyable. He was an overweight geek who managed to make it, thanks to a combination of timing and a genuine knack for writing. He constantly admitted that he was lucky to be in the position that he had and always showed a huge appreciation to his fan base, which endeared me even more to him.
There was a point where I’d buy and defend everything Smith did, from Clerks II to Jersey Girl to even some of his lesser producer only productions like Drawing Flies. Hell, I was such a Smith fanboy that there’s a picture somewhere of a thirteen year old me standing next to him at his Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash comic book store in New Jersey, embarrassing braces and all. It seemed like I’d never get tired of Kevin Smith’s antics, but…
Nothing Lasts Forever
“I can’t believe this shit. Why are we sitting here trying to figure out where we went wrong with our significant others?“
I can vividly remember the moment my love for Kevin Smith started to wane. November 1st, 2008: The day I sat in a theater to watch Zack & Miri Make a Porno. Now, I don’t hate Zack & Miri. It’s a decent film that’s largely watchable thanks to the chemistry between Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen ad a few fun bits from supporting players like Craig Robinson and Jason Mewes. It’s just that, ultimately, it feels… hollow. The spark of life and unique voice that Smith brought to his earlier films just seemed to be traded in for wanna-be Judd Apatow style jokes and rather lazy attempts at shit jokes. It felt like Smith was trying too hard to adapt to a comedic landscape that had largely outgrown his older style. He’s even admitted as such in later specials and interviews, which gave me hope that he would do something better next time. That next time was Cop Out. I don’t think I have to go into that much detail as to why that project didn’t work beyond the simple truth that it really wasn’t funny and that there’s no real comedic chemistry between an unhinged Tracy Morgan and a bored out of his mind Bruce Willis.
No, the real element of Cop Out that needs focus is Kevin Smith’s response to the critical reaction. Rather than take a mature approach and accept that critics didn’t enjoy his film, he chose to moan about how unfair critics were, going so far as to threaten to bar critic advanced screening of his future films. Before this, Smith never really let critical consensus bug him to the point of being that negative. Yet with those comments, he suddenly became this whiny prick who let people’s genuine opinions of his work become personal.
Then again, I had been noticing a sizable change in Smith’s behavior ever since he publicly went back to smoking marijuana following the disappointment of Zack & Miri. Mind you, I’m not against people smoking weed by any stretch, but Kevin Smith’s humor became so one note on podcasts since he started smoking again, always striving for the predictable jokes about weed, penises or feces. It got to a certain point where I’d listen to either SModcast or Hollywood Babble-On more for the sake of his co-hosts rather than Kevin himself before eventually dropping them all together. The man I had once admired had become this annoying public persona that bitterly took his toys away from the metaphorical sandbox and strove for the lower brow in a way that just turned me off.
Final Thoughts
“All these assholes on the Internet are calling us names because of this stupid fucking movie.”
Despite many of the things I’ve said, I will definitely say that I still respect Kevin Smith as an artist. Sure, Cop Out was an unfunny dud, but I still give Smith credit for following it up with a project 180 like Red State. For all the issues I have with that film (mainly its ending), it showed that Smith still has the creative reflexes to do something outside of his comfort zone and actually do a solid job of it. It makes me curious about his upcoming film Tusk, which promises to be more in the vein of Red State‘s dark horror/thriller style. Plus, I still do enjoy much of his previous work, from the triumphs of Clerks, Dogma & Chasing Amy to the flawed yet charming Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Mallrats & Clerks II. They all have the same passion and drive that made me a fan of Smith in the first place, even after years of rewatching them.
Honestly, my current issues with Kevin Smith are with him as a media personality. The laid back & witty creative spirit of before has become this attention seeking clown with engorged hubris. He seems to be in this bubble of following the words of his die hard fans and listening to little outside influence. While it’s worked surprisingly well enough for his recent films, it’s caused him to degrade as a speaker and podcaster, resulting in lackluster productions like his AMC show Comic Book Men or his Hulu movie watching web-show Spoilers! Smith’s statements about being the Spielberg of podcasting haven’t helped quell those feelings either. And don’t even get me started about these rash of “Here’s something else about how awesome the new Batman V. Superman with my boy Ben Affleck is going to be! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!” quotes that have been coming from him in the recent months. It just makes me cringe every time I see him fanboyishly promoting something like a puppet for Zack Snyder & Warner Bros.
Still, I can at least respect his desire to not simply be a filmmaker and those earlier podcasts and Evening With specials still make me laugh. I’ll just have to wait until he calms down a bit more before I get back into the man himself. Until then, I’ll just stick to watching Kevin Smith’s films for now… along with Clerks: The Animated Series.
When you think of TV networks with quality drama series, A&E is not one that immediately comes to mind. I mostly avoided the network, as it seemed to be little more than another channel that devolved into nothing more the low-cost staged reality show tripe. I wasn’t terribly moved when they started making their own drama series. It was only on a whim and a Netflix suggestion that I gave Longmire a shot about a year and a half ago, and I’ve been a die-hard fan ever since.
Based on the popular series of books by author Craig Johnson, Longmire follows the exploits of Sheriff Walt Longmire and his deputies as they try to keep the peace and solve crimes in the fictional Absaroka County in Wyoming. Walt is an old school cowboy and all around tough guy trying to piece what’s left of his life back together after the death of his wife.
So why do I think you should be watching Longmire ? Take a look at the following five reasons and then tell me a good reason not to!
5. The Main And Recurring Cast Is Outstanding
I’m not often impressed by a cast list, but Longmire has an almost criminal amount of star power behind it. Katee Sackhoff (one of the best and most underrated actresses out there), Lou Diamond Phillips, and Australian veteran character actor Robert Taylor as the titular Walt Longmire round out the main cast. The list of recurring and guest actors is even more impressive, boasting the likes of Gerald McRaney (another of my favorites), Peter Weller, Charles S. Dutton, and Lee Tergesen! These are some of the best in the business coming together to make this show happen. I don’t know about you, but that excites the hell out of me!
4. The Characters Are Interesting And Engaging
Have the all the great actors in the world you want, if you don’t give them something to work with, the show is going to suck. This show knows what is has and gives its actors multiple layers to work with all at the same time. The characters fit into a series of well-worn roles you’d expect them to, but then the show gives them all kinds of dreams, ambitions, fears, and hopes to make them people instead of just broad archetypes. These are living breathing people who can surprise you, inspire you, and just as easily let you down. The best example of this is Bailey Chase as Branch. When we are first introduced to Branch he seems simply the young hotshot jock who thinks he knows better than everyone and is always vying for the boss’ job. You’ve seen this sort of thing in plenty of things, but then the show goes past the surface. It shows a severely flawed yet decent man who is in fact is highly capable and in fact is quite possibly being overlooked at work. In some ways, Branch is a more moral man than Walt, and he would in fact be a pretty good Sheriff. Bottom line, the show is full of characters you’d want to follow no matter what the show was about.
3. The Show Isn’t Trying To Be Cool Or Hip, And That’s What’s So Refreshing
So many shows today try to be clever and slick. Longmire isn’t and it is damn proud of it. It isn’t calling out the tropes of the western or trying to do a fresh spin on things for modern times, it is simply trying to be a good western. The characters in the show fill out traditional roles found time and time again in the western genre. Hell, Walt’s best friend and confidant is a Native American who speaks in a very specific way including not using contractions! Longmire isn’t afraid or apologetic about what is is. It isn’t winking to the audience to show just how aware it is of itself. It plays it straight and the show is better for it.
2. Walt Is More Than A Little Crazy
Yeah, I’m going to just come out and say it, Walt’s kind of nuts. Push him and there is no telling what he might do to you or even to himself. I’m of the mind that his wife used to help even him out a little, but with her gone his fatalistic tendencies go mostly unchecked. He also seems to favor punishing himself over talking things out or sharing. More than once he went to some extreme when a simpler and more effective solution would be to simply sit down and genuinely talk to someone. Self sabotage and destruction come easy to Longmire, talking… not so much. It isn’t a very healthy attitude, but it is damn compelling to watch!
1. Because Great Television Doesn’t Continue To Get Made If People Don’t Watch It
That’s what it really boils down to folks, good shows without viewers don’t last. While the advent of legal streaming sites allow for more and more people to go back and watch and appreciate shows they missed the first time around, it doesn’t change the fact that those shows need first run fans to survive. Networks don’t like to throw around money while waiting for a show to find its audience. People either latch onto something and stick with it or the network throws it into the trash without a second thought. Longmire has been a winner for A&E for the past two seasons straight, but the third season is already scaling back to only ten episodes and shortened seasons rarely bode well for any show.
To anybody who is a fan of the western or police/detective genres you owe it to yourself to check out Longmire. The first two seasons are on Netflix and new episodes are currently running Mondays on A&E so now is the time to saddle up and enjoy some good TV.
I’ll even help get you started on your way, here is the season three opener. Give it a watch and see if Longmire is something for you!
I really enjoyed Edge of Tomorrow. Starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, this science-fiction war film is a combination of Groundhog Day and Saving Private Ryan. It has action, humor, great special effects and genuine chemistry between the lead actors. Despite the positive buzz, I was shocked on Sunday to see that the film bombed at the box office.
Making only $28 million in its first weekend, Edge of Tomorrow got its ass handed to it by a CGI monstrosity starring Angelina Jolie’s cheekbones and an adaptation of a super sad young adult novel. What the hell happened? After a few days of much pondering, I came up with a few ideas, Pinky.
Star Power Doesn’t Matter Anymore
Cruise was able to sell a movie with just his name back in the day, but times are different. We live in a world of superheroes, pirates, secret agents and giant robots. Does the actor playing them really matter? Many would say yes, but the box office says otherwise. General audiences rarely seem to care about the person playing the character. It’s the brand itself that gets the audience’s attention. Audiences aren’t going to Captain America: The Winter Soldier to see Chris Evans. They’re not going to Pirates of the Caribbean to see Johnny Depp. They’re not going to The Dark Knight to see Christian Bale. They’re going to the theater to see the characters that they play. Cruise played a character named William Cage. People don’t know who William Cage is and apparently, they don’t care.
The Geeks Have Not Inherited the Earth
How many times have we heard that geek culture is the dominating force in entertainment? I’m betting quite a bit. Honestly, that statement just doesn’t hold water when talking about movies and television shows. If it was true, Firefly would be on Season 15 by now. Science-fiction and fantasy, as much as it pains me to admit, are notoriously difficult to sell to general audiences. Both of these genres have a niche audience. They appeal to very specific people and that limited appeal does not always translate into success.
Yes, you have something like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings that breaks through and becomes a cultural phenomenon, but how often does that happen? J.R.R. Tolkien’s original books didn’t gain wide spread appeal until the 1960s and George R.R. Martin had to wait a decade for Game of Thrones to catch on in the public. More often than not, science-fiction and fantasy just don’t tap the general public’s interest enough to seize the box office.
Action, drama, comedy and romance are the genres that have dominated films and television. If a fantasy or science-fiction movie does not incorporate other genres, then it will most likely fail to generate a reaction from audiences. Edge of Tomorrow, while displaying action in the trailers, sold itself as a science-fiction film.
Obscurity a.k.a “The Dredd Effect”
Edge of Tomorrow is loosely based off of Japanese writer Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s YA novel, All You Need is Kill. While popular in Japan, it’s almost completely unknown outside of the country. Edge of Tomorrow’s box office performance isn’t that surprising then, especially when you look at similar films based off of obscure works. Dredd 3D is probably the best comparison that one could make. Dredd was met with positive reviews and word of mouth. Despite all the praise, the film barely made a fifth of its budget back. The reason for such a poor performance was because the character just wasn’t well known to filmgoers. Aside from passionate comic book readers, American audiences’ only exposure to Judge Dredd was the 1995 Sylvester Stallone film. That certainly didn’t help. Edge of Tomorrow’s lack of mainstream recognition, much like Dredd 3D, prevented it from getting the attention that it deserved.
Marketing Means Everything
Marketing a film to an audience is a difficult balancing act. Studios want to get as many demographics as possible, which can often result in a half-baked trailer that pleases no one. Looking at the trailers, Edge of Tomorrow was clearly going after a male audience. It showcased the action and Cruise’s plight, but nothing else. Blunt, while featured in the trailers, was not presented as much as she should have been. She plays a bold and intelligent military leader, who’s much more of a badass than Cruise. Featuring her abilities as a strong female character could have attracted a larger female audience.
Another aspect of the movie that should have been shown more in the marketing was the humor. This movie is hilarious. Cruise’s yellow-bellied protagonist provides the entire first hour of the film with some big laughs. While not giving too much away, a couple of his more ridiculous deaths inserted into the trailers might have made audiences a bit more interested. By aiming for one specific demographic, Edge of Tomorrow‘s marketing team missed out on all of them.
Tom Cruise
I like Tom Cruise. He can carry a film with his charisma and he always seems very dedicated to the projects he works on. Still, there are many people who are less than enamored with him. His past behavior on a certain talk show and his belief in Scientology turned a lot of people off to him. Is it possible that this caused a disinterest from audiences in Edge of Tomorrow? Maybe. Cruise, while a very competent actor, does not have the same draw that he once did in the 80s and 90s. While films like Oblivion and JackReacher made money, neither performed especially well domestically. Outside of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, a film in a long recognized franchise, Cruise hasn’t had a big hit in quite some time.
Despite it being a financial disappointment, Edge of Tomorrow is a great movie. It’s easily one of the most entertaining films to come out this year. I implore you, please see this film in theaters. You won’t regret it.
What about you reader? Why do you think Edge of Tomorrow bombed at the box office? Let us know in the comments below.
