‘Batman Vs. Superman’ Delayed Until 2016

The prospect of a DC Comics cinematic universe has been on the cusp of forming ever since the announcement that 2013’s Man of Steel would be the first installment and would be followed by a sequel that will pit Supes against Batman himself in 2015. Well, everyone who was hoping we’d see the Man of Steel and The Dark Knight pummel each other on the silver screen next year will have to wait a bit longer.

Variety is reporting that the highly anticipated superhero film has been pushed from its original release date of July 15th 2015 to May 6th 2016, which pits Batman Vs. Superman against an as of yet unannounced Marvel film. Warner Bros. has stated that this is being done to “help fully realize the vision.” This only makes sense given that the film is still in the casting process, having not even announced their villain or who will portray it. Now, Joe Wright’s Peter Pan origin story film Pan has moved to the July 15th slot.

 

2015 is obviously a crowded year, particularly that summer. Sure certain films (Star Wars Episode VII, Pirates of the Caribbean 5) have already moved out of that crowded season, but there’s still plenty of films that’ll have to fight it out. So, I don’t blame Warner Bros. for moving Batman Vs. Superman. Now, instead of being one of the final blockbusters in a congested summer, they can lead the next summer with their big gimmick. Plus, this could hopefully result in more time to devote to the script and general pre-production process, which was more of a worry when it looked like Warners was fast tracking the film to 2015 just to try and face off against Avengers Age of Ultron. It still might be a total disappointment, but at least now there’s still some sort of chance.

How is this news hitting the rest of you? Does this give you more hope for the upcoming clash or do you still have doubt that Zack Snyder & his crew can pull this one off? Let it all out in the comments below!

Via Variety

Movie Review: The Nut Job

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Man, there is just nothing I love more than a good heist movie. So many classics in the genre. Oh wait, there’s a new one? Great! And you say it’s from South Korea? Oh man, I am so excited. Who’s in it?

…

Will Arnett? Well, ok, seems like weird casting for this but…Brendan Fraser…wait, what’s going on here? Gabriel Iglesias? You did say this was a Korean heist movie, right? Katherine Heigl….Seriously, you better start running now, I don’t know how long I can hold myself back.

Oh, I see, it’s an ANIMATED film. And Liam Neeson is in it as well? Why didn’t you just say so? I can’t imagine Martin, Elliott and Ashley could find anything about this they didn’t like, right?

Right?

Hello?

Showtime Hints At The Possibility of a ‘Dexter’ Spinoff Series

Dexter was a show not without its fair share of detractors, specifically during the last few seasons, or every season after the fourth. I, on the other hand, remained a faithful and enthusiastic viewer right up until the bitter end…or what I thought was the bitter end. Recently, at the 2014 Television Critics Association press tour, David Nevins, the present of the Showtime network, spilled some vague beans about the possibility of a Dexter spinoff.

**Anyone spoiler sensitive will want to stop reading now as the remainder of this post (including the comment section) will contain details about how the final season of Dexter concluded.**

If you were unfortunate enough to tune into the finale, you were “treated” to a rather unsatisfying end to Dexter’s shenanigans in Miami. To this day I’m not exactly sure what I wanted his fate to be, but I know what I saw was most definitely not it. Anywho, as Nevins pointed out, the “spinoff” series of Dexter would not be some ridiculous continuation on the ongoing investigations within Miami PD where we can see Masuka continue to learn how to be a father, or Batista continue to break Quinn’s balls about his inability to be happy in a relationship. No, it would actually be about….well, Dexter.

Obviously, those who watched the show until the end know that Dexter did not die even though the Coast Guard only found bits and pieces of his boat that he drove into the heart of a hurricane after disposing of Deb’s lifeless body. Instead after some painfully cheesy scenes of characters reacting mournfully to the news that Dexter might be dead the camera cuts out and we see Dexter alive and well, with a horribly ratty beard working as a glorified lumberjack. Are you kidding me?!

Now, I’ve read the writer’s justification of the ending, but it still does not sit well with me, especially considering that the Showtime execs are now toying with the idea of a spinoff which isn’t really a spinoff. To me it seems like the writer told himself this was what he really wanted only because the network higher ups told him, “Don’t you dare kill Dexter at the end, we have plans.” So we’re treated to a prison of Dexter’s own design where he can be miserable and dirty in a boring mundane existence and we’re just supposed to believe that maybe he won’t kill again. The whole reason he left was because he didn’t think he could live a normal life and didn’t want to hurt or be responsible for the hurt he’d cause to his loved ones. I dunno, the whole end to the series leaves a really bitter taste in my mouth and a spinoff I don’t think is going to wash it out anytime soon.

The good news is that the new series will not become a reality unless Michael C. Hall is on board, so essentially the ball is in his court. After 8 years it is possible Hall just wants to pursue other artistic endeavors and wants to leave Dexter in his past. Conversely, maybe he too isn’t all that smitten with the finale and might want to help fans get some closure by the end of a new series. The future is all too uncertain in the Dexter universe, but for my two cents I’m far less interested in a spinoff series that features the same character doing similar if different things as I am in maybe a three episode or so mini-series or three part movie that would give the writers a shot at ending the entire Dexter saga for good. A last hurrah that doesn’t make everyone at Miami PD look like the incompetent crime stoppers that they are and gives closure to everyone who was left at the end with their thumbs up their asses wondering what to do next.

That’s just how I feel. What are your thoughts on a Dexter spinoff? What did you think of the Season 8 finale? How did/do you want it to end? Spoilers are free game considering this is already a post heavy with details about the ending. Sound off below!

 

Via: Dread Central

Season 6 Marks Last Call For ‘Justified’

It’s one of the oldest rules in showbiz: always leave them wanting more. An announcement from the creative team behind FX’s hit show Justified demonstrates that they have taken that old maxim to heart. The program will come to a close next year with its sixth season.

The decision was apparently made jointly by series creator Graham Yost and the man who brought the show’s lead character, Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens to life, Timothy Olyphant. The news was confirmed by John Landgraf, the president of programming  at FX.

“We talked about it a year ago; they felt that the arc of the show and what they had to say would be best served by six seasons instead of seven. Regretfully, I accepted their decision.”

Justified, which premiered in 2010, has been a critical darling since day one and has amassed a very vocal and loyal fan base. A tale of American outlaws and lawmen in the modern world all with an Elmore Leonard (who created Raylan back in the early 90’s) twist in dialogue and pacing made Justified a show that never needed to try to be cool, it just was.

FX is to be commended here for allowing the show to end on its own terms and not trying to push the series further than the creators want to take it. While I’m sure the series could run successfully for multiple seasons yet, if the people who create and love the show think it is time to hang it up, then that is what should happen. As Graham Yost said when the story broke:

“There were financial incentives to keep going, but it really felt, in terms of story, that six years felt about right.”

Now before we lose perspective here, Justified is far from done, season five has just started so we have plenty more adventures with Raylan before he rides off into the sunset.The only difference now is that the end of the trail is in sight.  The journey is more important than the destination however, and I bet it’s going to be one hell of an adventure getting there.

So what are some of your favorite Justified moments, and how do you think the show should end? Let us know in the comments below.

Via The Hollywood Reporter

The formula for an Oscar nomination, now backed with data

The Oscars

Now that this year’s Oscar nominees have been announced, you might be wondering what it takes to be counted in that illustrious number. Many of you on this website have some interest in getting into the film industry. Some of you want to be stars and dazzle audiences with your performances, while others want to be acclaimed directors in the vein of Hitchcock or Scorsese. Take heart, aspiring actor/director/screenwriter, etc., for the February edition of the American Sociological Review will include scientifically-vetted guidance about how to increase the “Oscar-appeal” of your future endeavors. A group of sociologists from the University of California – Los Angeles researched “the economic effects of prizes with implications for the diversity of market positions, especially in cultural fields.” According to the researchers,

Many prizes have three notable features that together yield an emergent reward structure: (1) consumers treat prizes as judgment devices when making purchase decisions, (2) prizes introduce sharp discontinuities between winners and also-rans, and (3) appealing to prize juries requires costly sacrifices of mass audience appeal.

  They decided to test this theory by analyzing the Oscar-nominated film that came out between the years of 1985 and 2009. Over the course of the study, the researchers developed an algorithm that can measure a film’s “Oscar appeal.” According to the algorithm, the films with the highest Oscar appeal followed these rules, as summarized by Pacific Standard:

1. Stick to the genres of “drama, war, history, and biography.” Avoid: “horror, science fiction, action, and family.”

2. Plot points vary a bit, but try crafting the story around “political intrigue, disabilities, war crimes, and show business.” Best to avoid plot points like “animal attack, sword fight, and eaten alive.”

3. Release the movie near the end of the year. “This finding is consistent with the practice of Oscar-contending films having a qualifying run (i.e., a token theatrical release) around Christmas.”

4. Hand the project to the independent division of your enormous studio. “We find that the most advantageous type of distributor for attaining Oscar nominations is the ‘independent films’ subsidiary of a major studio (e.g., Sony Pictures Classics or Focus Features). These specialty divisions outperform mainstream divisions of major studios and true independent distributors.”

5. Go for the R rating. “This rating gives more artistic flexibility, which tends to be favored by prize voters,” the authors note.

6. Recruit directors with previous Oscar nominations. “In our analysis, prior nominations are statistically significant for directors but not for writers or actors.”

It is a bit sad to see that there is a limited amount of movie types that are most likely to win prestigious prizes. I know, your PG-13 space opera summer blockbuster rife with chase sequences and fight scenes should be worthy of the Academy’s praise, but the numbers say that’s highly unlikely. Still, even if you flout these findings and the recommendations that come with them, your film can still make an absurd amount of money, and isn’t that the greatest award of all?

Via American Sociological Review and Pacific Standard

The Gathering: Our Golden Globes Coverage

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It was a night of much shouting, imbibing, and out-and-out anarchy. It’s kind of a wonder that The Red Keep (a.k.a. Brian’s house) didn’t burn to the ground. But here it is, our full recorded coverage of the 2014 Golden Globes!

If you didn’t get a chance to listen live, just ignore the references to the webcam we had set up in the living room. Or better yet, don’t ignore them and instead add that to the growing pile of evidence against our collective sanity.

Major thanks to all our guests: Ashley, Beau, Cargill, Elliott, J.C., and Will Goss.

And an extra special thanks to all of you in the Us Nation. Thanks for tuning in, whether it was live or just to download this digital record of pure lunacy. We always enjoy making you a part of our Gatherings.

(As with any major chaotic recording session, there will be audio imperfections. Thank you for your understanding.)

Movie Review: Ride Along

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Ice Cube takes Kevin Hart along for a ride from Fantastic Four director (not the new and hopefully good one) Tim Story, and you all have to suffer the results. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ok, ok, we’re not going to make you go see “Ride Along” if you don’t want to.

Rather, you get to hear the Unusual Suspects’ tales of woe as they relate the story of Ice Cube as a gruff cop having to take Kevin Hart’s fast-talking security guard character along for a 24 hour patrol because Hart wants to prove himself worthy of marrying Cube’s sister.

*sigh*

Your wounded but proud reviewers today are Ashley, Martin, JC and Brian. Be nice to them. I suspect they’ve had a rough ride.

Movie Review: ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’

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Paramount goes back to the beginning (as is the trend lately with franchise characters) with an actor who’s already used to doing exactly that, Chris Pine,. Instead of treading the halls of a space ship, this time he walking through Wall Street as Tom Clancy’s spy hero, Jack Ryan.

Yes, I said Wall Street. I know, doesn’t seem like the world’s most exciting beginning for a spy, but don’t worry, eventually the whole story moves to Russia with a Bond villain-esque Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Costner as a experienced and weary handler, and Keira Knightley as the world’s most needy girlfriend.

Thrill to the danger as the Unusual Suspects choose to accept this dangerous mission of reviewing Kenneth Branagh’s (that’s right, he directed it too) “Jack Ryan”. Your agents for this case will be Chris, Beau, Martin and Elliot. Good Luck.

Batman Vs. Superman and Justice League Might Be Shot Back-To-Back

The slow build to the DC Comics cinematic universe has created quite the rumor mill. They’re obviously trying to catch up with Marvel, but their means to that end haven’t been announced quite yet. So, in the latest of rumors to pop up it seems that the upcoming Justice League film might be coming sooner than we thought.

According to “a trusted source” for Latino Review, Batman Vs. Superman and Justice League will be shot back to back. Much in the same vein as the Back to the Future or Pirates of the Caribbean second and third installments, the filmmakers are hoping to have another film ready to be released within a year of Batman Vs. Superman in order to strike while the iron is hot. This would explain the various casting rumors as of late for various DC productions, which include Dwayne Johnson (who has confirmed his involvement) and Jason Momoa (who has denied being connected with any DC project).

There are many questions to be asked about this news. Is this back to back shooting a plausible idea? Sure. I could see Warner Bros. and DC actually doing this. Is Latino Review’s “trusted” anonymous source legitimate? Well it hasn’t stopped them from revealing big secrets in the past, so I’ll at least give them the benefit of the doubt. Now for the main question; does this give me much hope for the Justice League film? … Probably not.

Ever since the release of Man of Steel last summer, I’ve been worried about how DC has been planning out their attempt at a cinematic universe. I really don’t mind what they’ve done with the casting of Batman and Wonder Woman, but making decisions like keeping Zack Snyder as director for Batman Vs. Superman or trying to move ahead with a Justice League film without developing these characters has me a bit worried. Sure they don’t have to go the Marvel route of introducing a character with each film, but this plan would only allow for two films to introduce the entire Justice League, develop their characters, getting them together, injecting a threat into the plot, etc. It all feels so rushed, especially since this rumor would place the Justice League film as coming out in 2016. Continue to put me in the doubting corner for DC, personally.

But that’s just one man’s opinion. How do you all feel about this idea? Could it move the DC cinematic universe along solidly or will it sink their ship before it can sail? Post your thoughts in the comments below!

Via Latino Review

Watch the trailer for ‘Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four’

Despite the fact that it was never officially released, director Roger Corman’s 1994 Fantastic Four film holds infamous status among comic fans and movie buffs alike. Even with the incredibly low expectations (not to mention budget) and the rather suspect motives behind the movie’s creation, the final product is laughably, sacrilegiously bad. At some point in the near future, a documentary by Marty Langford and Mark Sikes, entitled Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four, will allow you to learn everything there is to know about the failed cult classic. The trailer is here for your viewing pleasure.

According to the legend, the film was made solely so Bernd Eichinger could retain the film rights of the Fantastic Four. Given the need to get literally anything made in time to meet the legal deadline, the movie was shot in less than a month for a mere $1 million. The limited constraints of the project explain why the film is just unspeakably horrible. Seriously, the 2005 Fantastic Four movie looks like Hitchcock compared to this one. Of course, there is a worthy story behind this movie, and Langford and Sikes sought to tell it with this film. While there is no release date for the movie, it has a website with more information and a trailer was released this week.

 

 

If you need any more convincing that this documentary is a necessary addition to our culture, please look at this scene from the film. In this video, the Four have just returned from their disastrous space journey and Ben Grimm has yet to find out that he has been transformed into a living piece of shit the iconic rock-like monster we all know and love.

 

Yeah, Forrest Gump may have won the Oscar in 1994, but we all know what the true best picture was. In case you just can’t wait, the entirety of Corman’s film is available on YouTube. Here’s hoping that the documentary comes out in the near future.

Have you ever seen Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four movie? What are some of your beloved yet terrible superhero movies? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Via doomedthemovie.com and Comic Book Resources