Today is a blessed day, fellow film fans. For today we know a whole lot more about the previously mysterious 24th James Bond film. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
At a massive press event today in London’s Pinewood Studios, Director Sam Mendes and Producer Barbara Broccoli announced that the 24th installment of the longest running film series of all time will be called SPECTRE.
Long time Bond fans will instantly remember this name from six of the first seven Bond films (Goldfinger was more of a standalone piece) as the criminal organization that acted as the main foe to 007. This organization has famously included villains like Dr. No, Rosa Klebb, Red Grant, and of course it’s famous cat-stroking leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld. And while I don’t think we’ll be seeing Dr. No reincarnated on screen any time soon, its seems logical that at least Blofeld will be stepping back into the fray to terrorize Bond and the rest of the world. And while Mendes and Broccoli didn’t openly admit to this, there is already rampant speculation that one of the major new cast additions will be taking it on.
This actor would be none other than the great Christoph Waltz who will grace the soundstages of Pinewood studios with two Oscars under his belt for his previous work with Quentin Tarantino in Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained. His role is currently being billed as a character named Oberhauser but rumors prior to the press event already suggested that this would be a ruse. Only time will tell if the Blofeld rumors pan out, but we can rest easy that Waltz will knock it out of the park no matter who he ends up playing.
Also joining the cast is a duo of new Bond girls in the shape of Léa Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color) and Monica Bellucci (The Matrix series). Neither of these Bond girls has a particularly clever name like Pussy Galore or Holly Goodhead but we can forgive that oversight in hopes that they’ll simply be more competent than Dr. Christmas Jones.
Every good Bond film needs a tough henchman and SPECTRE will have it in the shape of one of the Guardians of the Galaxy! David Bautista, known to many film fans right now as Drax, will be playing a character named Mr. Hinx. It was rumored earlier this year that producers were looking to cast a classic henchman in the vein of Jaws or Oddjob so look forward to Bautista giving Bond a run for his money is some kind of truly memorable way.
Fans of the international TV hit Sherlock will also rejoice at the casting of Andrew Scott as a new character named Denbigh. No one is entirely sure if this will be a villainous or heroic role so keep your eye on this guy. He could be playing both sides…
It goes without saying that Daniel Craig will be back for his fourth outing as 007 (he’s also further contracted for a 5th after this!) and he’ll be bringing with him the truly excellent home team introduced to us in Skyfall including Ralph Fiennes the new M, Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw as Q, and Rory Kinnear as Tanner.
Filming of SPECTRE begins this coming Monday, December 8, at Pinewood Studios but the production will be taking them around the world to places like Mexico, Morocco, Italy, and Austria. Not much is known about what will go down at these locations yet but back in September the Bond fan site MI6 posted this report about a building being constructed in Obertilliach, Austria for the purposes of being destroyed. That sounds about right.
It is also widely known that Rome, Italy will serve as a backdrop for an epic car chase that will see Bond driving a FIAT 500, but fans who were concerned about Bond driving something a little less glamorous than his usual wheels could rest easy after today’s press conference when Mendes unveiled the new Aston Martin DB10. This car was designed and built specifically for this film and well…its gorgeous.
Let’s hope Bond will wreck the FIAT instead.
And finally, there’s the plot itself. Unfortunately this is the most closely guarded aspect of production and at this time we really only know this vague description provided by the studio:
“A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.”
Not much to go on but with luck we’ll hash out more details as production continues.
SPECTRE will be released around the world on November 6, 2015 but keep checking back here at The Workprint to read the latest dirt and watch the trailers as they get released.
The upcoming film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Aaron V. Williamson, Emilia Clarke (as Sarah Conner), Jason Clarke (as John Connor), Jai Courtney (as Kyle Reese), Matt Smith, Lee Byung-Hun, and Dayo Okeniyi. The full trailer will be released tomorrow.
Directed by Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones, Thor: The Darkworld), Terminator: Genisys comes out July 1, 2015.
Marvel has announced a two-hour premiere early next year for Agent Carter. The seven-part series, premiering January 6, will see Hayley Atwell stepping back into the role of Peggy Carter, one of the founding members of SHIELD.
The full synopsis is below:
It’s 1946 and peace has dealt Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), a serious blow as she finds herself marginalized when the men return home from fighting abroad. Working for the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve), Peggy finds herself stuck doing administrative work when she would rather be back out in the field, putting her vast skills into play and taking down the bad guys. But she is also trying to navigate life as a single woman in America, in the wake of losing the love of her life, Steve Rogers – aka Captain America. When old acquaintance Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, “Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger”) finds himself being framed for unleashing his deadliest weapons to anyone willing to pony up the cash, he contacts Peggy — the only person he can trust — to track down those responsible, dispose of the weapons and clear his name. He empowers his butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), to be at her beck and call when needed to help assist her as she investigates and tracks down those responsible for selling these weapons of mass destruction. If caught going on these secret missions for Stark, Peggy could be targeted as a traitor and spend the rest of her days in prison – or worse.
Intense fight scenes. Fast moving plot. The raise of character stakes. Forgive me for sounding a little enthusiastic, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is really, really good right now – so good that every week, I have to sit back and reflect on that fact.
“…Ye Who Enter Here” set the stage for next week’s mid-season finale, which will probably open up as many doors as it closes. And given the fact that we’re stepping into some pretty interesting territory (Inhumans, anyone?) I’m super excited to see what the creative team is going to throw at us…and what we have to look forward to.
Last week’s episode left Skye in a precarious place emotionally, after Coulson and Trip ran into her father on a mission. The implications of that were made clear in the first few moments of the episode, as we experienced Skye’s dream – running around looking for Coulson, reminding him they have to open the mysterious box. In her dream, Skye watches Coulson and May leave a baby as a “sacrifice.” Her freak out leads her to pick up the box in question, which affects her the way the Obelisk would. It’s quite apparent that Skye is watching a version of her childhood play out, and that she’s clearly affected by her father’s newfound presence in her life more than she would ever admit to.
Mac, meanwhile, has spent his time creating a remote control version of Lola (complete with a little Coulson). He runs into Fitz while observing Bobbi and Hunter in their post “we just had rugged hot sex” state and is a little less than thrilled about their renewed closeness, but all I can think of during this scene is how fast people are going to ask about when we’re going to get a remote control version of Lola with a tiny Coulson. (Hey Marvel…get on that. It’s only been less than 24 hours since the episode aired.)
Trip is being patched up by Simmons and also fulfilling the requisite shirtless male quota while asking about Skye’s father. Skye mentions that she can’t shake the vibe that something really bad is about to happen, which is pretty much what Mac implied earlier when he was watching Bobbi and Hunter. Coulson gathers the group to talk about what the Obelisk is and why Whitehall wants it, and shares where they’ve managed to find the secret city. It’s underwater in Puetro Rico, and Coulson is determined to destroy it before Hydra realizes it’s there. It’s a valiant plan, but like Skye and Mac, I can’t shake the feeling something bad is going to happen.
In Vancouver, we get a glimpse at what Raina’s been up to since her escape from Coulson and “capture” by Whitehall: she’s apparently being tracked by Agent 33 (disguised with a nano tech mask to look like Agent May, because apparently she’s obsessed the woman.) While on the run, she’s saved by Koenig brothers Billy and Eric (Patton Oswalt) as well as Koenig’s super awesome invisible Tardis-like umbrella (another marketing thing Marvel needs to get on. I’ll be waiting for you at the booth on preview night at San Diego Comic Con.) Good news for Raina: she gets a lanyard! Bad news: You can tell that despite her situation, she totally does not want anything to do with S.H.I.E.L.D. Coulson contacts Billy who tells him about Agent 33, while May and Skye watch the report about Senator Ward. Skye wants revenge, but Coulson decides to send her and May to extract Raina instead, presumably to keep Skye from going to the city.
Bobbi, meanwhile, is attempting girl talk with Simmons. In what ended up being of my favorite scenes of the night, she tries her best to get Simmons admit why she’s avoiding Fitz. She also calls her out on her feelings for him, and we get the full story of what happened following their rescue after the finale, the details of which we’ve never really been afforded until now. Like her science bro counterpart, Elizabeth Henstridge is absolutely killing it this season – though it’s helpful that Adrianne Palicki could have chemistry with a brick wall, which makes their interaction that much better. Bobbi tells Simmons she should be honest with Fitz about her feelings, while in another moment that made me feel too sentimental, Skye hugs Coulson goodbye.
While on the way to Puerto Rico, Mac tries to talk to Bobbi about Hunter, asking her if she’s brought him in on “the other thing” since they lost Hartley. And that’s all we get on that, other than Bobbi being very insistent they don’t. I’m not exactly sure where that conversation is going, because every theory I have (such delving into Mockingbird’s history with Hawkeye) makes no sense in the context of the conversation. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t drop subtle bombshells like these without reason, though, and so we know an explanation is coming, especially since it looks like the Hunter/Bobbi relationship will be continuing.
May and Skye arrive to rescue Raina, where Skye gets to have a spectacular and incredible fight with Agent 33. I have yet to feel cheated out of one confrontation that didn’t feel genuine or leave me breathless — the stunt team and choreographers are really putting in overtime this year, and it shows. Raina realizes that Whitehall has the device and wants her to hold The Diviner, but she also knows that The Doctor believes Skye can hold it as well. Raina attempts to escape back into the hands of Hydra agents, but May smartly runs them over with her van…though not before Agent 33 picks up that Raina has a tracking device on her, which she smartly relays to Whitehall.
In Puerto Rico, Coulson and Bobbi are undercover as tourists as they prepare to meet one of Bobbi’s contacts. As they search for the city, she questions his motives, and the scene feels like one of the most important exchanges of the episode. It’s refreshing to step outside of the team and see interactions between people like Bobbi and Coulson, two people who have a history with S.H.I.E.L.D. and with Fury in a different way than other people do. I loved that the conversation allowed Bobbi to express her wariness about Coulson’s intentions, given how Fury acted on most occasions, and it’s these small character-building moments where S.H.I.E.L.D. has really shone this year.
On The Bus, Mac is the unfortunate result of an awkward third wheel as Fitz and Simmons desperately try to avoid each other’s presence. Mac finally gets fed up and leaves them to confront each other, though it doesn’t end up with either one of them admitting their feelings. Instead, it ends up with Fitz telling Simmons he’s going to leave so she can run the science division. He thinks with his injury he’s not capable enough, explaining to Simmons, “I can work for you, I just can’t work beside you.” Cue my tears, because this whole relationship has been such an intense rollercoaster, and every time I think we’re heading towards a resolution, it only gets more complicated.
Coulson and Bobbi join the rest of the team in the cave as Simmons tells Mac and Fitz about the “Devil’s Sentry” legend, where several guards vanished from the seemingly impenetrable fort. Mac decides to go down into the hole despite no one knowing what’s there, and you know this isn’t going to end well. (Sure enough, Mac gets down safe enough but upon touching the alien writing on the ground, all hell breaks lose.) In what looks like an incredible painful transformation, the code works its way into his skin and the team pulls him up, finding that he’s a very different Mac than the one they sent down moments before. This Mac is volatile and angry and doesn’t seem to feel pain – he sends Coulson flying across the room and engages in another intense fight that all but makes me realize how much of a love I have for Bobbi Morse. Seriously. If there’s one good thing that’s come out of the additions to the cast this season, it’s Palicki, who has brought her A-game and 200 percent to every single episode, especially where her combat sequences are concerned.
Simmons nearly ends up on the receiving end of another potential death, but Bobbi subdues him by stunning him with her batons and then knocks him into the pit (bless Fitz’s heart – he really did try to save her, and I was kind of hoping for some big gesture where he did save her.) Coulson orders them to seal it up, despite Bobbi’s protests. It’s a toss-up whether or not we’ve seen the last of Mac, but like Deathlok last season, my hunch is that there’s going to be some final confrontation even if they do manage to bury him.
Back on The Bus, Raina talks with Skye about her father, telling her “he’s quite misunderstood.” I think that’s being generous, but Raina goes on to describe how she met The Doctor in Thailand when she was on the run, and how he took her in and gave her a home. Raina insists that they’re not alien, just “special,” derived from a group of people who believe in a legend about the Kree. (Though some of this information had been revealed in interviews leading up to the episode, hearing Raina say the word out loud was still exciting for my nerd brain.) Raina tells Skye that The Diviner will lead the worthy to the Temple, because only the worthy are allowed inside. As for those that aren’t? Well, tough luck for them. I enjoy how the show is giving Raina more to do this season, rather than just using her as a pawn, or having her play a throwaway role in building the mythology. As someone who thought she was incredibly underused last season, I’m really pleased to see her taking more of a center stage role this year.
It doesn’t take long for Skye to put together what Raina’s telling her. She tries to warn Coulson but is intercepted by Whitehall’s men – and Ward. Raina agrees to go with Ward, but Ward won’t leave without Skye, who elects to give herself up despite May’s protests (but not before Raina gets Skye to give them the tablet with the map of the city on it.)
As Agent 33 updates Whitehall on the situation, she informs him that Ward took Skye. Turns out that surprisingly, Whitehall wasn’t so aware of Ward’s own agenda, especially after Agent 33 tells him that Ward has let the plane go. He gives her an order to “fix it,” aka “shoot the plane down” — which means next week, we’re totally in for an hour that will be pretty tense. Fasten your seatbelts, agents…this going to be one hell of a ride.
It’s official folks, Warner Bros. announced the main cast of the Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayer and produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle. Filming is set to begin next April in Toronto.
According to WB president Greg Silverman, “The Warner Bros. roots are deep on this one. We look forward to seeing this terrific ensemble, under David Ayer’s amazing guidance, give new meaning to what it means to be a villain and what it means to be a hero.”
Here’s the official cast list:
Jared Leto – The Joker
Will Smith – Deadshot
Tom Hardy – Rick Flagg
Margot Robbie – Harley Quinn
Jai Courtney – Boomerang
Cara Delevingne – Enchantress
Image source: DC Comics
Suicide Squad is the story of convicted supervillains who have a chance at redemption by undertaking dangerous missions (think Avengers if they were all once evil criminals). Jesse Eisenberg is said to be in discussions to play Lex Luther in the film as well (he is currently playing the role in the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice).
The Suicide Squad’s leader, Dr. Amanda Waller, still hasn’t been cast but Variety reports that Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Oprah Winfrey are all on the shortlist.
The film’s expected release date is August 5, 2016.
The Walking Dead Coda Season 5, Episode 8
Grade: C
This week’s disappointing mid-season finale closes out what was otherwise a very promising first half of the season. The problems that plagued earlier seasons once again haunt this episode: weak plotting, slow pacing, and ineffective characterization. The strength of the season thus far that makes the problems all the more noticeable, and even the death of a major character didn’t leave much of an impact beyond its initial shock value.
To be fair, it wasn’t all bad. The opening in particular was pretty great, as Rick hunts down the escaped Officer Lawson. After Lawson repeatedly ignores orders to stop, an impatient Rick simply hits him with a commandeered police cruiser. It’s pretty cold, even for Rick, but ultimately understandable and necessary. It’s notable that Rick still has the decency to put Lawson out of his misery. This darker side of Rick is often what assures his survival and that of his people, but it doesn’t always have free reign. Rick has been talked down by others in the group on multiple occasions, and it will be interesting to see whether he can continue to control this side of him without being consumed by it.
Back at the church, Gabriel’s clumsy escape was in fact a journey to the school where the Terminants made their camp. As he picks over their belongings, he ultimately stumbles upon the charred leg of Bob still on the grill (why isn’t that the first thing he notices), which confirms Rick’s justification for their butchering and adds another layer to his crisis of faith. It’s a short but necessary diversion that helps to ground his character a little, who has mostly been a panicky, cowardly burden until now.
And being the panicky, cowardly burden that he is (like a useless Scooby Doo), Gabriel leads the entire school full of zombies from the Terminant camp back to the church. Michonne lands a few satisfying zombie kills with her sword, but they ultimately need to make a hasty retreat out the same crawlspace Gabriel used earlier. They barricade the front doors from the zombies still inside, and soon Abraham’s fire truck arrives to whisk them off to Atlanta to rejoin the rest of the group.
Meanwhile, Beth spends most of the episode getting to know Dawn. It’s a strained, tedious couple of scenes that adds little characterization beyond what we already know: Beth remains the defiant teenager while Dawn is the feckless leader of a group on the verge of mutiny. The show attempts to forge some degree of mutual understanding or bond between the two characters, but never quite succeeds in the few short scenes this episode. The problem with Dawn is that they took her ineffectuality too far–she was never believable as an authority figure and therefore never truly threatening as a villain. All of her actions are shallow bluffs to maintain control over the hospital, and her floundering attempts paint her character as more pathetic than any sort of tragic villain.
Dawn’s misguided attempt to assert her authority ruins the entire hostage exchange which, as Rick reminded her, was already done. Everything had been going swimmingly until she demands that Noah returns to the hospital, which prompts Beth to stab her. Dawn’s knee jerk reaction is to shoot Beth in the head, and in return Daryl puts a bullet in hers. While certainly shocking, Beth’s death is the coda to one of the season’s weakest storylines, and the impact doesn’t resonate much beyond the loss of a genuinely compelling character.
Other notes:
I would be okay if Rick told everyone to shut up after killing them, and that becoming his new catchphrase.
Chekhov’s zombie-filled school: I saw that glass crack back in “Four Walls and a Roof”, and was sorely disappointed when the zombie horde didn’t come flooding out. Happy to finally see that followed through.
I wonder if anyone took up Rick’s offer to leave with the group.
Post credits: Morgan Jones stumbles upon the ruins of the church, where he finds the note Abraham left Rick on a map before leaving for DC.
At the end of last season, Frank (Kevin Spacey) became the President of the United States after some close calls with billionaire businessman Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney), while expertly manipulating then President Garrett Walker (Michel Gill) into resigning his office. Meanwhile journalist Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcellus) was thrown into prison after being set up by the FBI and sadly Frank’s Chief of Staff Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly) died after being bashed on the head with a rock by former prostitute Rachel Posner (Rachel Brosnahan). Lastly, after being corned, lobbyist Remy Danton (Mahershala Ali) finds himself signing up with the Underwoods again after loosing Tusk’s trust partially due to his relationship with Rep. Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker).
Now that the Underwoods have achieved their biggest goal, what new intrigues and manipulations lay in store for them? And why isn’t it February yet?
There probably isn’t a better way to spend Black Friday than at home poring over the new teaser trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. So while all those poor shlubs are busy knifing each other over a flat-screens and iPads, let’s take a look at what really matters- the search for substance in the minutiae of an 88-second trailer!
While we won’t be dissecting every literal frame of the new hotness, we will be taking a look at the most important aspects and what they could possibly -and probably- mean.
“There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?” And with that VO provided by a mystery Sith Lord, we begin our initial glimpse at Episode VII, in which this is the first shot:
What We Know For Sure: Tatooine! Luke’s home planet has been featured extensively in nearly every Star Wars film to date, and Episode VII shows no signs of breaking tradition. In fact, the vast majority of this trailer is comprised of scenes which take place on the twin-sunned planet, but exactly how much of the movie ends up unfolding there remains to be seen.
What We Don’t Know: Who the hell is that stormtrooper? Since we know that all stormtroopers wear the lovely face of Jango Fett under that blast helmet, it’s likely that this panicked gentleman is some sort of Rebel spy (those damn Bothans always end up dying). But that begs the question why the need for a rebellion? The Empire is long gone, right? RIGHT??
What We Know For Sure: More Tatooine! Also, the top half of this R2 unit is playing soccer. Well, probably not. That’s clearly a Bocce ball…Seriously though, the framing here makes the scale of this droid look pretty tiny– Like maybe it’s a reconnaissance droid of some sort– perhaps deployed from the innards of R2-D2 himself?
What We Don’t Know: If this little droid is on a mission, what is it? Presumably it’s to seek out Luke Skywalker who has gone all Obi-Wan in the last few decades. Also, what’s the deal with the ball??
What We Know For Sure: Yeah, those are Stormtroopers. Ready to storm the hell out of something. Based off the look and feel of this sequence, these are leaner, meaner stormtroopers than we’ve ever seen before. Also, the suit design has changed, which can be seen initially in the first shot of the trailer and more clearly here. You have to keep in mind that decades have past, so it’s safe to say that the bumbling Stomtroopers of yore have received a substantial upgrade. This sequence shows them on some sort of troop transport, ready to be deployed onto a very dark and stormy planet.
What We Don’t Know: Are the upgrades to the Stormtrooper suits merely aesthetic, or do they serve a purpose? Is this an elite squad, like the Shock Troopers in the EU (Expanded Universe) which means they don’t represent the norm, or are they in fact the new norm?
What We Know Fore Sure: That is Daisy Ridley, a British actress known mostly for her television work across the pond. Also, she’s on a super-deformed speeder of some sort. Aaaaand that’s about it.
What We Don’t Know: Ridley’s character could be a number of different things. Bounty Hunter? Another spy? At a glance, she could be disguised as a Tusken Raider and while the weapon on the side of the speeder is too articulated to be a gaffi stick -the Tusken Raider’s signature weapon- it could be one of their more high-caliber weapons or trackers (similar to the one used to track Luke in Episode IV).
What We Know For Sure: We’ve got X-Wings! And that is definitely an X-Wing cockpit. And the pilot looks to be part of the Red Squadron. Y’know…because of the red. They are also flying incredibly low to the ground, which indicates that they are probably flying below radar ping and really don’t want to be seen. Man, there’s a ton of cloak-and-dagger stuff afoot in this thing.
What We Don’t Know: Who is this guy? Is he canon fodder, ready to fall in with the likes of Jek Porkins and Dak, or perhaps he has a more pivotal role than this fleeting shot can show? (UPDATE: The pilot is Oscar Issac, which all but guarantees that this character is pivotal to the film in one way or another. )Also, what planet are they on and why? The only planet we’ve seen that matches that topography is Kashyyk, but is there any reason to go back?
What We Know For Sure: Sith Lord! And most likely the source of the trailer’s VO, which ends here with the ominous sounding “…The Dark Side. And The Light.” The environment he/she is trudging through looks to be similar to where the Stormtroopers were deploying to– it’s as if Dagobah really let itself go.
What We Don’t Know: What’s up with that lightsaber, Bro? Is it a lightsaber that shoots lightsabers (AWESOME)? The little mini-blades at the handle actually look more like exhaust, so my guess is that the crystal in the hilt is so powerful that the energy needs to vent out of it or run the risk of overheating/exploding/certain death.
What We Know For Sure: And we arrive at the money shot of this thing. The Millennium Falcon pulling some badass evasive maneuver against some TIE Fighters. Again, we’re on Tattooine, and if Han and Chewie are still behind the wheel of that thing, then it’s safe to assume that they are combing the desert -minus the giant afro comb- for Luke and enlisting the help of a few new friends to speed up the process.
What We Know For Sure: How the hell did this get here? Sorry about that…
My only disappointment in this thing lies in the fact that we didn’t even get to see some fleeting shots of Han, Luke, or Leia. The whole feeling of goodwill that got fans excited for this franchise again was to see the continuing story of these specific characters, so to not get a glimpse of them in this teaser is a little annoying. While it may very stubbornly refuse to show the scope of the story, it certainly got everyone jazzed and really, isn’t that why teaser trailers exist at all?
This movie delivered pretty much exactly what it promised, and exactly what I expected when I plopped down in my comfy chair with my oversized, overpriced pop.
So why the snarky title, you ask?
Well, I’m not sure. All I know is that the movie wrestled only a few of half-hearted chuckles out of me, and some of those were during the outtakes in the credit sequence. I enjoyed Horrible Bosses. I thought it was funny, somewhat original, and even had a few surprises up its sleeve. The sequel, I’m sorry to say, is uninspired even with the performances, which are obviously born of a great love for comedy.
The plot of Horrible Bosses 2 begins with our three protagonists, Nick (Jason Bateman), Dale (Charlie Day), and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis), promoting their new product, the Shower Buddy, on a morning talk show. They’ve decided (unsurprisingly) that they’d like to try being their own bosses (and also because no one will hire a guy who tried to kill his previous boss, I’m assuming), but need startup capital to get the Shower Buddies manufactured.
Enter Bert (Christoph Waltz) and Rex Hanson (Chris Pine). They own a mail order business ala SkyMall and agree to buy 100,000 Shower Buddies. The guys get a loan, hire some hot unqualified women (more on that later), and manufacture the Buddies. The Hanson’s quickly screw the guys over, leaving them 500k in the hole and three days to pay back a bridge loan to the bank.
The first suggestion is murder (shocker), but the guys remember they suck at that, so they move to kidnapping Rex (the rich, playboy son) instead. Cue ensuing cameos by Dean (Mfer) Jones (Jamie Foxx), Dave Harkin (Kevin Spacey) and Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston). The three of them make up the absolute best parts of the movie, hands down. They bring life and humor into an otherwise flat landscape of tired dialogue and weathered jokes.
I don’t need to go into details about how the rest of the story works out (or doesn’t), but I will say Chris Pine’s character infused the tale with an unpredictable darkness that would have worked…in a different film. Things work out in the end, for the most part, because that’s the kind of movie this is, and we all go home a few IQ points lower than we arrived.
THE GOOD: Jamie Foxx, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, the maid, and a brief scene involving laughing gas and a closet.
THE BAD: Ninety percent of the jokes in the film are racist or sexist. There’s not a single female in the movie whose sole purpose is not a stereotype – from the uneducated hot girls they hire to the girls jogging on the street, with jokes about how hilarious sexual harassment is in between, basically we all exist for the visual or physical pleasure of the main (male) characters. Then there’s Dale’s wife, a harried woman who just had triplets and spends all day worrying her husband is cheating on her (because she can’t do better? Dale is a moron who should never have procreated in the first place. That’s pretty much it for females in the film, but don’t worry–there are also plenty of racist jokes to go around! Most prominently, Asian and African-American stereotypes out in full force. There might have been a Jewish joke tossed in for good measure, and a few jabs at homosexuals, too.
I mean, we wouldn’t want to leave anyone out.
Other than that, there are more than a few puzzling components. First off, was Dale this clueless and dumb in the first installment? It doesn’t seem like it to me. He’s basically so stupid I don’t know how he manages to dress and feed himself every morning, never mind hold down a job or a household. Cripes. Secondly…I think I’ve already blocked out the majority of the other things that made me go hmmmmmmmm.
At any rate, if you like this kind of bargain basement cheap trick humor, you might want to catch this one on On Demand in a couple of months. If you’re looking for something to see in the theatre, check outInsterstellar. It isn’t going to be the same on the small screen.
Don’t freak out, Weekend Wisdom readers! You’re not hallucinating. Nor did you get drunk, pass out, and miss all of Thanksgiving day. It’s still only Wednesday but I’m coming at you early this week because it’s that one week a year where we get to unapologetically stuff our faces silly while giving thanks to everyone and everything that touched our lives in a good way this past year. But because of this scared annual holiday, movie theaters are getting this week’s two big new releases on Wednesday so I’d be remiss to wait until Friday to give you the lowdown.
And even though the box office this weekend will likely still be dominated by Katniss Everdeen and Company, there will be two brand new sequels fighting it out for second place.
The more “mature” of the two is Horrible Bosses 2 – a sequel to the 2011 hit Horrible Bosses starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudekis, and Charlie Day as three dudes trying to pull a fast one on their not-so-pleasant employers. All three are back for the sequel as are Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Spacey but the cast grows further with the additions of Jamie Foxx, Chris Pine, and one my personal favorite actors: Christoph Waltz.
This movie would be so much more appealing if this were a scene of Chris Pine stripping.
The trailer promises more hijinks and scheming similar to the first film but so far critics aren’t impressed with this second entry. It currently sits with a positively rancid Tomatometer score of 30% with most critics calling it unfunny, vulgar, and a waste of such a talented cast. We’ll have our own Workprint review of the film up shortly but approach this one with caution.
On the other end of the spectrum is Penguins of Madagascar. This animated comedy is a spin-off of the popular Madagascar series featuring the beloved penguin characters taking on the role of spies for a top secret organization. In other words, this is probably only gonna work for the youngest of audiences.
These are some true masters of disguise…
Now typically, the Madagascar films have been sold on their big star roster of voice talent but it just so happens that the penguins have always been voiced by a group of the films’ directors and editors. Luckily, Dreamworks Animation didn’t fire these guys for the sake of marketability. Instead, they’ve thrown in the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch (does this guy ever take a day off?!), John Malkovich, and Ken Jeong as new characters to the series.
The film currently teeters on the brink of being Fresh or Rotten with a 64% score on the Tomatometer with most critics calling it fun for kids but a bit lacking for anyone over the age of 5. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.
What Else is New?
Those of you reading this in either New York or Los Angeles will also have the option of seeing one of this year’s major awards hopefuls as it hits four theaters on Friday. This film is none other than the Alan Turing biopic, The Imitation Game, starring – you guessed it – Benedict Cumberbatch!
Keira reacts to Benedict Cumberbatch being in two movies this weekend.
You can read my full review of the movie by clicking HERE but in short it is an extremely well made film about one of history’s most painfully underrated heroes. But it is also a film that plays it a little too safe. Many of the World War II-aspects feel rehashed from every other film about that era that you’ve ever seen and some of the things that make Alan Turing so unique are only dealt with in the most basic of ways. With a braver filmmaker and screenwriter behind the scenes this probably could have been something truly special rather than the kind of film people will throw awards at right now and then forget completely 6 months from now.
All that being said Cumberbatch’s performance is excellent and the film is probably worth seeing for that alone.
Don’t Feel Like Leaving the Couch?
So this is the part where I usually give advice on what’s new to watch at home this week for those of you who don’t feel like going to a movie theater. Well….this week I can’t do that. At least not for Friday.
I need this in my life. NOW.
You see, there’s a little movie coming out next year called Star Wars: The Force Awakens and well…it’s kind of a big deal. And this Friday Director J.J. Abrams will be unleashing the very first teaser trailer for the film in select theaters! It’ll only be 88 seconds long but honestly, only a few brief glimpses of Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewie back together on the big screen is going to be enough to make the collective geek community die a little inside from pure ecstasy. I already see myself hyperventilating about it. Won’t you join me?
Season six of the “unrebooted” Archer will find our heroes back into the office and the globe-trotting spy missions of old. In a new series of clips just released by FX, we see Krieger taking Archer, Lana, Ray, Cyril, Pam, and Cheryl through their certifications and back into the saddle of global espionage. Check them out below:
Season six premieres on Thursday, January 8 at 10:00 PM ET/PT on FX.
The Walking Dead Crossed Season 5, Episode 7
Grade: B
With the midseason finale looming, The Walking Dead devotes an episode to gather its bearings and set up the pieces for next week. It’s the first episode this season to feature all of the main cast; Beth attempts to save Carol at Grady Memorial Hospital while Rick leads an expedition to rescue them, Father Gabriel struggles with the horrors he’s seen at the church, and team GREATM (coined by Tara, using the first letters of each member’s name) tries to recover from Eugene’s revelation. While not as focused as previous episodes this season has been, there are a lot of small character moments and enough zombie gore to make it through the obligatory place setting.
There’s a loose theme of trust and faith that runs throughout the episode–namely,the vulnerability of compassion and the various ways in which we depend upon others . An inherently cynical show, viewers are frequently reminded that there isn’t much room for optimism and compassion after the dead have risen. Moral compasses pay the price for their conviction, while the rest either know better or are punished for such human follies as trust and mercy. Such ethical and philosophical ambiguity will never truly be resolved, but the show must constantly navigate the balance between the harsh realities of survival and the faith and optimism that keeps us human. The former keeps the show exciting, while the latter keeps the characters relatable.
As Rick details a swift and ruthless assault on Grady Memorial, it is once again up to the likes of Daryl and Tyreese to convince him to capture and exchange hostages instead, a more humane but less certain option. Rick acquiesces, and the group goes about ambushing two officers. One of the hostages, Lamson, recognizes Rick as former police like himself. It’s another in a long line of tenuous connections from suspicious strangers, but one can’t help but sympathize with Rick’s desire to let his guard down a little. As always, Andrew Lincoln does a great job showing the burden of responsibility that weighs so heavily on Rick, and the very subtle relief that washes over Rick when a perceived danger has passed.
The arrival of a third patrolman from the hospital complicates the situation briefly, and leads to a tense one-on-one fight with Daryl in a firebombed parking lot littered with melted zombies. This season has also been really great at coming up with more creative and gruesome situations involving walkers; the napalmed zombies melted into the asphalt this episode were particularly striking, and Daryl’s use of a zombie’s skull to bludgeon his attacker was awesome and comical in equal measure. Despite the countless red flags, Daryl manages to talk Rick out of executing the third officer, arguing that three hostages are better than two.
Meanwhile, Carl and Michonne remain at the church with Gabriel to fortify defenses and watch over Judith. Gabriel, still distraught at the brutality he’s witnessed, tries in vain to scrub the blood from the floor. The metaphor is laid on pretty thick here, but I liked the various shots of the church being slowly dismantled and turned into a fort (the organ pipes being converted into giant spikes was a nice touch). Trying to teach Gabriel self defense, Carl matter-of-factly explains the many (obvious) reasons for Gabriel to learn how to handle a weapon and how to best wield the machete that Gabriel chooses. The camera lingers on Michonne’s face as she realizes the extent of Carl’s lost innocence, and she attempts to reassure Gabriel that everything they’ve done to protect each other has been worth it. It’s not enough to convince Gabriel, however, who pries up some floorboards and flees the church. Unfortunately, he can’t outrun his crisis of faith or all the symbolism around him–a nail pierces his foot during the escape and a golden cross on a necklace prevents him from crushing an attacking zombie with a rock.
Abraham is more or less exactly where we last saw him: on his knees in the middle of the road. Eugene remains unconscious, and the others attempt to gather their bearings while they wait for him to wake up. Tara copes with plenty of awkward humor (and a yo-yo she finds) while Rosita gets the bare minimum of backstory, but team GREATM’s subplot is nicely grounded with Abraham’s quiet struggle back from the edge. It’s a very minimalistic but surprisingly impactful arc for him, and a testament to the writing’s short and effective characterization. Even Eugene, who spends the entire episode unconscious, is given a small moment of characterization when Rosita makes use of a basic water filter that he taught her how to make.
Back in Atlanta, Sasha is coping with her grief over Bob’s death, a weakness that Lamson ultimately exploits in order to escape. At Grady Memorial, the outspoken and spunky Beth continues her badassery to keep fellow badass Carol alive. When Dawn makes the decision to pull the plug on Carol to appease one of the officers, she also gives Beth the key to the medicine locker. After confronting Dr. Edwards to learn what medicine Carol requires, a quick bribe of strawberries to a fellow ward buys Beth the distraction she needs to steal some epinephrine from the locker.
Everything this episode is in service of setting up the big confrontation in the midseason finale and getting all the little ducks in a row before the break. Every character and story arc received only a few precious moments of screentime, but the episode mostly succeeds by finding small, impactful moments to strengthen the bonds between the characters.
Surprise! Two days earlier than expected, Universal has released the first full-length Jurassic World trailer. Maybe they did so to beat Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens to the punch. Or maybe they know we can’t wait any longer to see Chris Pratt on screen. (It’s the latter.) Have a watch:
Twenty-two years after the events of the original Jurassic Park, people have all but forgotten the destruction dinosaurs wreaked upon the world, as evidenced by the parents who send their children to Isla Nublar and jokingly tell them to “run.” Not much is known about the plot except that the park’s geneticists didn’t listen to Malcolm and tried to play God by creating a new species of dinosaur. Skip ahead and chaos ensues, but thankfully, Chris Pratt and his posse of “super raptors” are there to save the park.
Producer Sue Vertue teased Sherlock fans today with an image of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in Victorian garb as they begin work on the 2015 Sherlock special.
John’s mustache makes a comeback.
In addition she’s also posted the script cover page for the upcoming episode:
This is what we’ve been doing today! Later on a pic of Sherlock and John as they’ll appear in the Special #221backpic.twitter.com/Aq4vncKpKy
Script reading commenced today with the BBC confirming that a special one off episode is set for 2015.
In a recent interview with the Radio Times, co-creator Mark Gatiss revealed that fans should expect tragedy, adventure and devastation in series four.
“It should be clear by now that while, of course, Doyle is our absolute god, we have gone quite a long way away as well – we’ve introduced Sherlock and Mycroft’s parents [for instance], I don’t think they’ve ever been seen in any adaptation – so there are lots of surprises to come,” said Gatiss.
**UPDATE: Warner Bros. has officially released the trailer to Pan.
Hugh Jackman is transformed in the first official stills from Joe Wright’s Pan, where he plays the villainous pirate Blackbeard. This version of the classic tale from Warner Bros. is an origins story with Blackbeard kidnapping orphan boys from their beds including Peter, played by newcomer Levi Miller.
But what about the other famously notorious pirate that we all know? According to Wright, Captain Hook will be an Indiana Jones type character portrayed by Garrett Hedlund.
Image credit: Warner Bros.Image credit: Warner Bros.
Joining Jackman, Hedlund, and Miller are Rooney Mara (Tiger Lily), Amanda Seyfriend (Mary), Leni Zieglmeier (Wendy), and Cara Delevingne.
Honey! Put out the good china! We have companyyyyyy!
Spoilers: Obviously. This is about the ninth episode of Homeland season four, so if you haven’t seen it, I can’t be held responsible for your feelings.
Excuse me while I go catch my breath, because Homeland, you have left me as winded as a flight of stairs. I spent the last ten minutes of last night’s episode eating my shirt out of fear. (It tasted delicious, by the way, so thank you.) If any of you stopped watching Homeland because of those–ahem–bad episodes, well, now is the time to hop back in the car because it’s getting hot up in the streets of Islamabad. Literally. Because explosions. Kaboom.
Be honest, who saw that coming? Because I SO did not. I thought the kid with the bomb vest would make an appearance somewhere in the American embassy, or there would be a standoff at the airport runway. RPGs into the CIA vehicles? File that under “What the fucking fuck?” Courtesy of my new friend, Lockhart. (He has the best lines.) But we’re warming up to Remond too, right?
Let’s take a step back for a moment and appreciate Carrie Mathison. “There’s Something Else Going On” is an episode on par with some of the best from season one. Right from the start, Carrie knows something is hella wrong, but no one believes her, because she did just come off drugs twenty times stronger than LSD. And because she has no proof. But mostly the drug thing. At the station, along with our friends Quinn and Redmond, things continue to not heat up with Dennis Boyd, and much like his wife, I have to give the sniveling weasel credit for not breaking. I thought he’d crack under that stern Carrie gaze, but alas, no. At least he gave in later, once he realized his life was in danger. Priorities. What a schmuck.
A gift from me to you.
Carrie then makes Quinn stay behind during the prisoner exchange because she needs his eyes and thinks there is something else going on. I wonder if she didn’t know an attack against the embassy was a possibility? She did mention to Dennis “ratbag” Boyd that the I.S.I. was not afraid to take out sources a la Sandy Bachman, and after the prisoner exchange leading to the attack on the embassy, Boyd’s assistance is no longer needed. What I’m sayin’ is, he’s stupid to think he was safe, and Haqqani is going to thank him the same way he thanked Aayan for the life-saving medicine. At least Quinn is still in the embassy to protect everyone because who is better at murder than this dude?
At the Prisoner Exchange–where the prices are shit and all handcuffs are half-off!–the important people make small talk and draw pictures on a map. Redmond gets tired of their frivolous ice breaker and tells everyone, “Let’s light this bomb party and get the heck outta here. I want to be dead before the end of this episode.” It is kind of odd to me that Carrie so quickly trusts Khan when she’s insanely suspicious of EVERYONE else, especially considering his proximity to Tasneem. However, I trust him too, so I expected that to backfire immediately because I have terrible judgment. (Don’t worry, there’s still time.) Oh, and Carrie, sweetie? You ain’t foolin’ anyone with that fake phone call to Khan. Tasneem ain’t stupid, girl. She can put two and two together, and then multiply that by two, so you could kind of say, “the jig is up.”
In this week’s Laugh Out Loud moment, Martha Boyd quickly climbs the ranks of Jen’s Favorites when she tells a marine to “take Dennis’ bag” and then proceeds to search through it like Dennis is a grounded teenager trying to sneak out of the house and smoke pot. God, Dennis. Stop being such a Dennis. Even without that scene, my love for the ambassador would still ring true if only because she is SO good at making this face:
You can smell the loathing.
At the air field, the CIA makes a five-for-one trade and you gotta figure they’re going to hire a new agent. I mean, that’s a crappy exchange. Did they at least get a draft pick or two? Saul isn’t going to be around much longer as it is and you can’t get a teddy bear like that from just any federal department. Sports jokes aside, Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin are nothing short of phenomenal as Carrie coaxes Saul to move away from the poor kid in the bomb vest. It was easily one of the best scenes in the show. The two have such fantastic chemistry I would have really hated to lose that, even though I didn’t think Saul would make it off that runway. The ex-director finally breaks when Carrie pleads, “No more dying” and something in him snaps, realizing he had just screamed at a child to blow up and kill him, too. He relaxes and agrees to follow Carrie, but there’s still a darkness in his eyes. Saul has gone through hell over the past few weeks and it’s not going to be easy for him to bury those emotions and be his affable self again. Thankfully, Carrie picked up his glasses as they left.
Kind of like Superman/Clark Kent, only better.
And just like that, the tension that had been building fell to the ground in record time. With only a few minutes remaining, my stupid brain was sure that would be the end of the episode. Then Saul gets on the phone with the understandably frazzled Mira, and just as she breathes a sigh of relief, things go kaboom. What a fantastic turn of events! I mean, minus all that death and destruction and the fact I’m sure at least one main character won’t make it out of this attack alive. And then next week we’ll watch Haqqani storm the embassy with his reunited shooting buddies–what’s that? There’s not an episode next week?
DEEENNNNNNNNNNIIIIIISSSSSSSSS!
To sum up: Things don’t go as planned. At all. Fucking Dennis.
Season 4, Episode 9: “There’s Something Else Going On” Homeland airs Sundays on Showtime at 8pm EST.
Oscar Isaac is having a good year. Not only is he in the new upcoming Star Wars film, but Variety reports that the actor has just closed a deal to join the cast of X-Men: Age of Apocalypse.
Best known for his lead role in Inside Llewyn Davis, Isaac will play En Sabah Nur later known as Apocalypse, an immortal supervillain born with mutant powers and bent on universal domination. According to director Bryan Singer, the film will be set during the 1980s and most of the cast from the previous X-Men film are set to return. This includes Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Jennifer Lawrence.
However, back in September writer/producer Simon Kinberg did mention in an interview that if Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Storm were to be in Age of Apocalypse, new actors would be brought in since the storyline takes place 10-15 years before the original X-Men were formed.
Still, Singer promises this film will feature mass destruction never seen before in any X-Men movie as the plot now gives room for that kind of visual event.
X-Men: Age of Apocalypse is set to be released on May 27, 2016.
UPDATE: Looks like Regal jumped the gun. The official Star Wars site has released a list of 30 theaters that will be playing the trailer in front of every movie this weekend. The list of theaters have been updated below.
Star Wars fans will be able to experience the first trailer of The Force Awakens this weekend if they happen to live close to or willing to take a trek to one of nine Regal theaters.
The trailer will debut in front of every movie playing at the theater that weekend. The list of theaters can be found below:
AZ
PHOENIX
HARKINS
TEMPE MARKETPLACE
CA
LOS ANGELES
AMC
CENTURY CITY
CA
LOS ANGELES
Indep
EL CAPITAN
CA
IRVINE
REGAL
SPECTRUM IRVINE 21
CA
SAN FRANCISCO
AMC
METERON 16
CA
SAN JOSE
CINEMARK
OAKRIDGE 20
CA
SAN DIEGO
REGAL
MIRA MESA 18
CAN
TORONTO
CPX
YOUNGE & DUNDAS
CAN
VANCOUVER
CPX
RIVERPORT
CO
DENVER
AMC
WESTMINSTER 24
DC
WASH D.C
AMC
TYSONS CORNER 16
FL
MIAMI
CARMIKE
PARISIAN 20
GA
ATLANTA
REGAL
ATLANTIC STATION
IL
CHICAGO
REGAL
CITY NORTH
MA
BOSTON
AMC
BOSTON COMMONS 19
MI
DETROIT
CINEMARK
SHOWCASE 20
MN
MINNEAPOLIS
AMC
SOUTHDALE
MO
KANSAS CITY
AMC
STUDIO 30
NY
NEW YORK
AMC
LINCOLN SQUARE 12
NY
NEW YORK
REGAL
UNION SQAURE
OH
CLEVELAND
CINEMARK
CINEMARK 24
PA
PHILADELPHIA
REGAL
WARRINGTON 22
TN
NASHVILLE
CARMIKE
THOROUGHBRED 20
TN
KNOXVILLE
REGAL
PINNACLE
TX
DALLAS
CINEMARK
PLANO 20
TX
HOSTON
REGAL
MARQ*E STADIUM 23
TX
AUSTIN
ALAMO
ALAMO S LAMAR
UT
SALT LAKE CITY
CINEMARK
CINEMARK 24 WJ
WA
SEATTLE
REGAL
THORNTON PLACE 14
WI
MILWAUKEE
MARCUS
BROOKFIELD 16
Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters December 18, 2015.
The first teaser of Jurassic World has been released with the promise of a full trailer reveal later this week. John William’s iconic theme returns in piano form as the teaser reveals what looks to be the opening of Jurassic Park to the public.
The first full trailer will be revealed during the Thanksgiving Football game this Thursday.
As you may or may not have noticed, the Hunger Games series is kind of a big deal. Fans have eagerly awaited the third installment in the movies, none more so than Trisha Leigh and myself. When it came time to decide who would write the Mockingjay Part 1 review, the two of us threw our hands into the air and then bickered like children. I offered a rap battle to decide the winner, but Trisha declined, presumably because I’m too awesome. However, we came to an agreement to write this review together. My parts will be written in regular font (shimmering with amazingness), while Trisha’s will be in purple.
Mockingjay is one of those books that divides fans. Much like Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban or GoT’s A Feast for Crows, fans either seem to love it or hate it. I suspect reactions to Mockingjay Part 1 will be as divided.
After barely surviving her second trip to the Hunger Games in as many years, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence–as if you all didn’t already know) literally blows the arena to pieces and then finds herself in the believed-to-have-been-destroyed District 13. With District 12 in ruins and Peeta in the hands of the Capitol, Katniss traverses unfamiliar territory, that of the Mockingjay, the districts’ symbol for the revolution, pushed forward by the hard-nosed President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) and the more diplomatic and affable, Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Much of Mockingjay Part 1 is spent following Katniss around the districts as she films “propos” (propaganda films) to motivate the district workers into unification. I was annoyed by the return of the shaky cam in Mockingjay. Like, this franchise was moving in the right direction…now I want to vom. Literally. Ugh.
Mockingjay Part 1 is darker than its predecessors, which seems odd to say considering the previous movies consisted of teenagers murdering one another, rampaging carnivorous monkeys, and wasps that caused hallucinations. Revolution isn’t a glorifying act; the death of innocents is rampant and Francis Lawrence doesn’t pull any punches in showing the gritty horror of war. Nor does he shy away from showing the effects of fighting not just against the landscape, but the people as well. None exhibit this combination of fear, anger, sadness, and confusion better than Jennifer Lawrence. In fact, had it not been for my (unbeknownst to her) BFF, the movie would have been mediocre at best. Like Katniss, Lawrence succeeds in the emotional moments, when she’s forced to display the more harrowing aspects of life in the districts and the consequences of being a rebellion symbol. The first time she sees Peeta on Capitol TV and whispers “you’re alive,” is especially heartbreaking. Again, during the dramatic scene at the tribute center when she wails against Haymitch’s chest, “Did I just lose them both?” I cried like damn baby. OMG I totally choked up at the whole “Did I just lose them both?” moment, too. it was the most poignant emotional moment of the film, in my opinion, other than her seeing the bodies in District 12 for the first time.
Personally, I enjoyed Mockingjay Part 1. I was completely against breaking the movie into two parts from the beginning, because every time a studio does it, it feels like a money grab. But here’s the thing: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was a brilliant film. Understated, emotional, focusing on the mental anguish of facing your greatest enemy, rather than the physical. Mockingjay Part 1 is much the same. Outside of two scenes in the latter half of the film, there isn’t much action to speak of, and it takes until the final ten minutes to ramp up the excitement. If you’re looking to get your heart racing, this isn’t the film for you. Wait until Mockingjay Part 2 and watch Part 1 just beforehand to understand the plot. However, if you want to understand Katniss’ mental anguish and the irony of life in District 13, give Part 1 a chance. It’s not a BAD film, it’s just not necessary in the strictest sense of the word. The final installment could have been expanded by an additional 30-45 minutes to include the pertinent events from this film and we all could have been satisfied before our Thanksgiving dinners.
That’s not to say that Mockingjay Part 1 is without its flaws. At one point Katniss has a Skype chat with President Snow and awkwardly shouts, “President Snow? Are you there? It’s Katniss.” Yes honey, I’m sure he gathered as much. He probably doesn’t want to talk to you right now and you’re making this uncomfortable for everyone. Especially Haymitch, who hasn’t had an alcoholic beverage in hours. I so enjoyed the brief but much needed moments of levity Effie and Haymitch brought. They managed to lift the weight of the world for at least a few seconds at a time but I would have loved more of them. You know, since we’re already watching an extra movie, why not toss them some bones!
Most of Mockingjay’s flaws, however, are centered around the younger Hemsworth’s character, Gale. Baby Thor…what are we going to do with you? Gale in the books becomes angrier and more distant after living through the destruction of District 12. It forces him to commit to the bigger cause of the rebellion even more so than he did in Catching Fire, but in the movie they’ve reduced him to a petulant, jealous child who is sad that Katniss is worried about Peeta, or doesn’t want to make out with him, as opposed to the more organic character descent he experienced in the book where he found an outlet for his anger fighting “the man.” His distance from Katniss happened so fast with so little explanation that I’m afraid people who didn’t read the book aren’t going to really get it, and by proxy, aren’t going to get Katniss’s ultimate decision.That said, Baby Thor and J-Law have negative amounts of chemistry, so maybe this was an attempt to cover up that fact? (Their chemistry was pretty atrocious, wasn’t it?) (Yes. The kiss actually made me cringe)
On the opposite end of Katniss’ love triangle, Josh Hutcherson is fantastic as we watch Peeta’s descent into madness. The makeup and weight loss that occurs each time he appears on Capitol TV is believable, as is his confusion at the Capitol’s words that Katniss has become the Mockingjay. In the end, his final form of insanity is nothing short of heartbreaking for both Katniss and #TeamPeeta fans. In The Hunger Games, I had major concerns that Peeta’s character and motivations weren’t coming through clearly enough, but now we’re having the same problem with Gale. I am, of course, much more concerned with Peeta, so whatever. Josh Hutcherson is brilliant, and proving to everyone (finally) that he is perfectly cast.
The other characters each do their parts justice in their own right. Haymitch and Effie play minor roles (sadly), but do so with such skill that it only takes a few words for them to fall into their respective character’s shoes. Moore’s President Coin is more distant than stern, which takes away from some of her interaction with Katniss and Plutarch, but it’s serviceable. And I don’t give a damn what anyone says, I still love Sam Claflin as Finnick and wanted more of his and Katniss’ relationship. I agree about Sam Claflin. I think he’s a great Finnick and hope we get more of him early in part 2. Am I crazy (pun intended) or was his girlfriend all berserko a la Peeta when she returned from the Capitol? (Yes, but she was “crazy” before her vacation in the Capitol.) (Gotcha. It’s been awhile since I’ve read it because PTSD).
Both Gale and Katniss almost died because Prim went back for the damn cat? Really? I thought that was sweet because no matter how “grown up” Prim is in the eyes of her mother and District 13, she is still a young girl ; a young girl who, like Katniss, sacrifices her own safety for the sake of others. (True, but HELLO. YOU ALMOST JUST KILLED THE MOCKINGJAY AND ALSO THE REBELLION. Use your head, little girl)
I was so impressed with the representation of female characters in the film. They were statistically present, fully drawn, appropriately wardrobed (THANK GOD), and given relevant roles and brains. We’d be hard pressed to find another blockbuster that did half as well in the past year.
To sum up: I will support anything with a female lead, especially if that lead is Jennifer Lawrence. I will go down with her ship, because after watching her carry every character on her back in Mockingjay Part 1, I’m convinced she can do anything. I agree. We can nitpick the film and beat the dead horse of WHY GOD WHAT EVEN IS A FOUR PART TRILOGY but in the end, it’s a watchable film because its stars make us want to watch them. Whatever they’re doing, apparently, even if it’s hiding in rooms full of pipes and steam.
Happy Friday, Workprint readers! Any of you who normally read Weekend Wisdom every week know that I usually prattle on at good length about all of the offerings coming to theaters each weekend followed by some choice selections hitting the home entertainment outlets. And while I’m more than happy to do that again, this week just happens to be an anomaly because….there’s only one notable film hitting theaters this weekend and chances are you already have tickets to see it.
That movie is of course The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.
Katniss apologizes for sucking up all of the cinematic oxygen this weekend.
This third segment of a 4-part TRILOGY (yeah, about that…) is expected to have the year’s biggest opening weekend at the box office, which will likely propel it on to knock Guardians of the Galaxy off its post as the biggest movie of the year thus far. But despite the high box office expectations it seems like Mockingjay – Part 1 is being greeted with lower enthusiasm than its predecessor. Early returns from Thursday night screenings are $8 million less than Catching Fire‘s Thursday night screenings and reviews are significantly lower with only a 68% on the Tomatometer.
A lot of this can probably be chalked up to the decision to split the final book into two films instead of one really solid installment that cuts the fat and delivers the goods in one nice little package. The general consensus is that the crowds and enthusiasm will return next year for the final installment but only time will tell.
Cheers to any film that brings us a little more of the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman.
We’ll have a full review of the film up shortly but in the meantime check out Keith Kuramoto’s Playback reviews of the first two films in the series by clicking on their titles:
But if you really, really don’t fancy yourself getting on the Katniss Everdeen train this weekend I recommend seeking out the following Workprint-approved films that are expanding into more theaters this weekend. Simply click on the titles to get our two cents before going to check them out for yourself:
I’ll be back with a special, early edition next week Wednesday to ring in the long holiday weekend and the new releases coming with it. Until then, may the odds be ever in your favor!
It’s very rare for a sequel to surpass the original film’s quality, but when the bar is set at such a middling level, as it was with ‘The Hunger Games’, it seemed that ‘Catching Fire’ was almost guaranteed to be a better movie, but under the careful eye of director Francis Lawrence, the film both surpasses the original film and, for the most part, will likely end up being the definitive chapter in the saga.
‘Catching Fire’ has an altogether different visual style to it which gives the film the correct tone, which was missing in the very vanilla first movie. There is most artistry and intent in the opening shot of ‘Catching Fire’ than the whole of ‘The Hunger Games’ and that says a lot. That shot, in which Katniss is overlooking a small lake bed in the golden hours of early morning says more about her character than most of the expository scenes of the first film. There is a visual texture to ‘Catching Fire’ that makes it feel worn in and beat up, which is precisely how Katniss and Peeta feel, and is exactly how the audience should feel. The looseness of the the handheld (but not shaky) camera framing and color grading all help sell the bleakness of the movie.
The first half of ‘Catching Fire’ is executed remarkably well, with Katniss and Peeta embarking on a “victory” tour of the Districts. It’s a great tool to get them, and us, to see the misery first-hand and to also glimpse the growing rebellion. The stakes are also remarkably higher, as they should be. Katniss and Peeta arrive at the first stop on the tour and are witness to an impromptu execution of a citizen for letting loose the rallying cry of the Mocking Jay, and Katniss’ heartfelt eulogy to Rue is a surprisingly powerful moment.
The film suffers briefly when President Snow and Plutarch Heavensbee (Jesus Christ, with these names already…) conspire to tighten the noose on the people in effort to quell the rebellion and in doing so introduce Commander Thread into the mix. The character is a scenery-chewing, cigar chomping Dog of War and is just riddled with cliche actions and dialogue. It would probably have been more interesting to play the character as creepy and cryptic, but when you are so beholden to source material, there is little choice in the matter.
Where the film really caught me by surprise- and not in a good way- was when Snow calls for a “Quarter Quell”, which draws the Tributes for the new games from the pool of previous winners. In theory, this is a great idea because it continues to beat down beloved characters and cast a forever-gloomy cloud over the film, which is what should be happening in any genre sequel worth its salt. The risk is that it can potentially turn a sequel that should be doing something unique with the material into a movie that becomes a retread, and that’s precisely what happens with the back-half of ‘Catching Fire’.
Personally, I don’t need or want to see any more actual Hunger Games. The whole of the first film was about the games and it’s time to move on, but frustratingly, we are left to sit through another epic death match, watching people we aren’t really invested in get slaughtered. Instead of killer wasps, there are killer monkeys. Instead of poison berries there is poison fog. Instead of Peeta nearly dying, it’s Peeta who nearly…oh, you get it. It’s a lazy, narrative recycling of events from the first book, and it’s very transparent.
In the end, it also comes off as incredibly contrived. When it’s revealed that all of the “alliance” players along with Heavensbee and Haymitch conspired to break Katniss out so she can become the leader of the revolution, it just feels plain silly. There absolutely was an easier way to sneak her out of the Capitol or even “kill” her before the games. The only reason it plays is to give a second run through of the games a reason for even existing, and it’s a pretty bad reason at that.
But the real bum-out for me with ‘Catching Fire’ was that it set up this really engaging and intriguing notion that Katniss and Peeta are going to see first hand what the stranglehold of the Capital is doing to each district and they would ultimately begin working with the resistance fighters on the DL. Start the war now and let it ramp up and continue in Mockingjay. That of course didn’t happen even though we were given the expectation that it would.
Let’s hope that all this build up is worth it when ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part One’ unspools starting tonight.
Deadline reports that Sony’s Steve Jobs project has been put into turnaround at the studio. Films that have long development cycles are no strangers to getting thrust into turnaround, but this is extremely rare for such a high profile picture like this one.
Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin spent several years working on the script, which was immediately fast-tracked and saw it in the hands of director David Fincher before finding a home with another Oscar winner, Danny Boyle. Christian Bale was set to play Jobs until he backed out at the zero hour, which is probably a large contributing factor to Sony’s sudden cold-shoulder. The weighty script, which contains only three 30-minute scenes with Jobs back stage before three product launches puts an incredible amount of responsibility on the actor, aside from the fact that they are playing one of the most important innovators of the 20th century; it’s no surprise that the project is having trouble nailing down its star.
Films that normally go into turnaround wither away and die, but this pic is looking likely to quickly find a second home at Universal, with a deal likely to go down later in the week. Michael Fassbender is rumored to be circling the role.
I’m starting to fear that Revenge has no real idea where it’s headed.
David Clarke came back at the end of Season 3, providing a swerve that was both welcome by fans hungry for a wrench in the works and maligned by fans who thought it rendered everything Emily had done throughout the series completely pointless. We do know that the surprise was against the wishes of former series head, Mike Kelley.
Last night, I watched the show go deliberately vague for no good reason:
David can’t tell Emily who held him captive or be her father for some reason.
Emily accepts this for some reason.
Nolan, to his credit, cannot understand this at all and, in what I hope is the real-life actor starting to question the huge logical holes in the script, asks what the point of Emily’s behavior is.
Seriously, it’s getting harder and harder to watch this show.
Last week, the show gave us Hallucinatory Mom a’la Dexter. This week, Dexter‘s Courtney Ford joins the show as FBI agent “Kate Taylor”. In four seconds, Taylor not only manages to put two and two together to figure out that the man who may have murdered Conrad Grayson is the same guy who tried to run down David Clarke outside a hotel, she ends up on a date with Jack for no other reason other than Jack isn’t getting any tail and needed something to do. You know, other than moping or warning his partner to “back off of the Grayson case”. Did I mention that happened again this week? Only, this time, they were at a bar, Officer Ben was drunk and the bar had no bouncers as Jack shoved Ben against the bar and yelled, in front of everyone, that Ben was gonna “lose his badge” if he didn’t back off the case.
Meanwhile, Ghost Mom convinces Louise to get preggers with Daniel’s kid by, essentially, raping him in the shower. I actually just typed that and it’s as ridiculous as it sounds, even now. How did this happen, you ask? Daniel totally falls for her scheme to get him that shower because she left a sexy, anonymous note for him, using the same stationary his ex, Margaux, used. Seriously, I cannot make that up. Oh, this, after Margaux dumps Daniel in the most emotional way possible: she admits that she was “in love with him”. Yeah, I wasn’t buying that either. I still don’t. There’s more chemistry in an episode of Mr. Wizard.
Margaux gets over it pretty quick and tries to work her charms on Nolan, telling him that she wants him to dig up dirt on Louise by hacking into her criminal record. At first, Nolan tells her to go to hell because he likes her — but, then, Nolan discovers that Louise has Photoshopped herself into photos with Victoria and realizes that Margaux is right about his new-found buddy. He decides to play ball with Margaux — but at a price: after being humiliated at the hands of David Clarke on live television, he wants her to manipulate public opinion so that he looks like an angel instead of a demon.
As for the Battleship Victoria, she’s recovering from electrocution (PLOT DEVICE) and still manages to manipulate the shit out of David by screwing with his reunion with Emily. As David tells Emily that he wasn’t the one who took the photos she showed him, Victoria subtly disconnects herself from her heart monitor, sending in one of those television nurse teams that immediately calls for charge paddles. My Grandmother may not be as important as Victoria Grayson but she was on death watch a few months ago and when her heart monitor accidentally disconnected, it took Kaiser four minutes to send one nurse in and she wasn’t yelling “CODE BLUE” or saying “I NEED CHARGE PADDLES, STAT!”
Anyhow, David learns that Victoria knows Emily’s true identity. She only hid it from David because her and Emily hate one another. David’s reaction? He still loves Victoria. So, that’s cool. It’s not cool with Emily who’s furious with her father for continuing to placate Victoria and allowing her to manipulate him. She tells him that she spent all her time getting even with the Grayson’s for what they did to him. David goes cold and tells his daughter that he doesn’t need her help, leaving Emily in tears.
This leads to, yet, ANOTHER impromptu meeting between Daniel and Emily, who’s sulking on her front porch. Daniel can’t believe that Emily has given up on her Dad, telling her that even he feels guilty for not visiting his Mom in the hospital. Emily calls Daniel a Mama’s Boy and tells him to leave. Daniel tells her not to give up because “the hell she put him through will have been a waste.”
Meanwhile, in the hospital, two men, posing as nurses, attack David. He fights back the best he can but quits the fight when one of the men threatens to inject Victoria’s IV with a presumably dangerous substance. That’s when Emily injects herself into the fray: she was hiding under Victoria’s bed the entire time, I kid you not. After fighting both men off, she tends to her father, who tells her that he can’t be Emily’s father because it’s “too dangerous”. This, of course, brings us back to where we started: Emily telling Nolan that her father’s right and she should mind her own business, much to Nolan’s dismay.
Of course…Emily neglected to mention that she captured one of the dudes who attacked her Dad…and she’s ready to use torture to get answers…
So…that’s about where we’re at here. Revenge will take a small hiatus and resume in two weeks. Hopefully, the writers will have started to breathe a bit and utilize their brains to give a us a nice mid-season cliffhanger going into the Christmas break. Otherwise, this show offered nothing new this week.
Welcome to The Playback! In this little slice of cyberspace, you’ll find us getting prepared for a new sequel/spin-off/prequel/remake/redux/reducks (?) by looking at what came before it! This week marks the premiere of ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part One’, so we are taking a look back at the two films which preceded it, starting with 2012’s ‘The Hunger Games’.
So here’s the thing: I did not like ‘The Hunger Games’. There I said it. I didn’t care that it was recycling old concepts like ‘The Running Man’. I didn’t care that it was a blatant rip-off of ‘Battle Royale’. I didn’t care that it was rehashing well-tread themes like Discovering Who You Really Are and Fight The Power, both mainstay tenets in Young Adult fiction. What bothered me was the large-sized kid gloves used to handle material that could have- and should have- been elevated past its YA roots and into something more of a four-quadrant picture for all.
You could certainly argue that ‘The Hunger Games’ did hit all quadrants, what with it’s massive near-$700 million take worldwide, but I chalk that up to never underestimating the power of the tween and teen demographic. They have always been undermined and will continue to be, but that’s a whole other article. Let us return to the dystopia of Panem, shall we?
One of the big problems I have with YA novels and narratives is its consistent short-sightedness with the worlds that each novel creates. A story’s world is perhaps the most important thing to “sell” in a narrative because it is the key component which allows all the insane ideas to make some sort of logical sense; if it makes sense in the world, it is believable, not matter how far-out the concept. This is what the ‘Harry Potter’ series does so well. But with most other YA novels, and thus their adaptations, there is a certain naiveté that each book possesses about its world that affects the believability of the rest of the material. Be it ‘The Maze Runner’, ‘Divergent’, or even ‘The Hunger Games’, if you really start to look at the world of each book, the seams begin to show in the narrative.
In ‘The Hunger Games’, the world lacks a cohesiveness to it. I obviously understand the social differences between the Capitol and all of the Districts, but the visual style is too wildly different. Characters like Caesar and Seneca and Effie have bizarre ‘Fifth Element’-esuqe hair, makeup, and wardrobe. It looks like something pulled from a galaxy far, far away. But the problem is that the story doesn’t want us to think it’s a galaxy far, far away. This is a mirror image of Earth. The geology and ecology is the same. When Katniss and Gale are hunting, they don’t hunt strange, other-wordly game with wild feathering or fur patterns– they hunt the same turkeys we all know and love. Technology -old and new- is a reflection of our own, so why then are aspects of the society so wildly “out there”? It’s an inconsistency that many not find too important, but it pulled me out of the story.
And what is the backstory of the world? How did we get here? They speak of a class war and there are echoes of a Fascist state and how it would look if it really took hold over a society, but, at least in the film, it is never really explained.
But really, the execution of the movie was far too even-handed and lacked any sort of edge, which is really the problem for ‘The Hunger Games’. It’s a problem which was quickly rectified when Francis Lawrence took the reins from Gary Ross for ‘Catching Fire’ to great effect, but this movie suffered from a constant regiment of Playing-It-Safe. The threats just don’t seem that threatening. The most harrowing sequence of the movie is Katniss vs. a hive of ‘Tracker Jackers’ – glorified wasps – and the way in which it is executed is all a little silly.
But perhaps the moment in which the movie really lost me was when Katniss discovers Peeta, camouflaged as a rock. Or is it a tree log? Who the hell knows. (And by the way, what the fuck kind of name is Peeta, anyway? ‘Peeta’ isn’t a name. ‘Peeta’ is when someone misspells the thing I enjoy eating with Hummus…) I buy that Peeta can use his existing skills to figure out how to blend in with the environment. I buy that he would be able to use the resources around him to create that subterfuge. What is totally fucking ridiculous is how it looks in the movie- with his face sticking out of some kind of rock out-cropping. It was an unintentionally hilarious moment that I could not have fully prepared for. Poor Peeta was supposed to look smart and cunning, but instead he ended up looking like a mascot for the worst sports team ever. “Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s welcome to the field, the mascot of the Panem Rocks- the Panem Boulder Thing!” This moment is the summation of everything wrong with ‘The Hunger Games’; interesting ideas which are poorly executed, one after another.
I LOL’d
‘The Hunger Games’ ended up being a misstep. Not a massive one, but a misstep nonetheless. Happily, that mostly changes full-stop with the second installment, ‘Catching Fire’…
Check back later in the week with The Playback looks at ‘The Hunger Games – Catching Fire’.
With only handful of episodes to go before Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. launches into its mid-season break, we’re pushing the envelope on characters, mythology and stakes. (Uh, anyone else worry about Trip tonight?) I’ve repeatedly praised this show for its immense improvement from a year ago, and I continue to sing its praises as it keeps finding solid footing with each passing week.
Like most episodes this season, “The Things We Bury” was explored in a way that was both literal (Ward and Christian and the family well) and metaphorical (Whitehall’s de-aging, Coulson’s decision to not tell Skye about meeting her father.) In that same sense, many things finally came to a head — The Doctor confronted Coulson, we got more information about the 0-8-4 mystery, and (assuming that this is really the end of the Christian Ward storyline) we finally got Grant Ward back in a position of power. For the first time in a long time, it seems that Ward is exactly where he wants to be — only now, he’s not being controlled by anyone. He’s doing his own bidding, and in case you couldn’t tell, he really likes it.
The episode spent a large chunk of time toggling between present day and flashbacks to 1945, which is where we started, with Whitehall interrogating a man who was presumably searching for the Obelisk. Whitehall tricks the man into touching it and when he dies, they bring in the next woman — a young Asian girl (Dollhouse‘s Dichen Lachman) who, though terrified, is smarter than her previous prisoner, as she refuses to touch the Obelisk at all. Whitehall eventually forces her to, but instead of getting horribly burned, the Obelisk reacts. (Like, really reacts. It gets all glowy and everything.) This intrigues Whitehall greatly. He wants to study her, to find out everything about her that makes her “special.” We’re interrupted here by news of Red Skull’s death, and you can thank Captain America for that one.
Back in the present day, Whitehall is getting annoyed with the slow progress of his team’s study of the Obelisk. He brings in The Doctor, who claims that it has properties and powers Whitehall doesn’t understand. It’s a key. It can kill, but it’s only doing so to protect itself. He calls it “The Diviner” and then tries to persuade him that if you take it to a really special place, it’ll do something even cooler. Obviously.
Speaking of really special places, Coulson is headed to Hawaii with Skye, Fitz and Trip, while May is holding down the fort with Simmons, Bobbi and Hunter. Did I mention that despite the growth of the cast, the split team dynamics are really working for me? Because they really are. Bobbi interrogates Bakshi and manages to not only work her way into my heart, but also wear him down (though he’s still holding out on giving them any real information). But Bobbi is good at this — like, really good — and thanks to Bakshi’s wording, manages to figure out that he may have a connection to Red Skull. Though it seems almost impossible, Simmons and May attempt to investigate further. Meanwhile, Christian Ward is on his way to his family’s summer home (aka a conveniently secluded cabin) when his brother pays a very surprise visit.
Coulson enlists Skye and Trip to run some strange errands in Hawaii, which involves handing off a watch and a coin to specific people. Fitz’s job is to activate a device that will be used in the field, though he’s only got one good hand, and Coulson needs him to be able to active the device in a certain amount of minutes. This is the Director Coulson I love and know, by the way — the one that believes in his team and pushes them to do things that they think are beyond their capabilities.
Back on the Bus, Bobbi is stick-twirling and ruminating over Hydra theories with Hunter, while Simmons and May are continuing their search for Bakshi’s connections. Simmons comes across a report from the one and only Peggy Carter, about the original 0-8-4. (And that should be a big deal, but she’s too busy appropriately fangirling over Peggy’s work the same way I would, if I held something from such an awesome lady hero.) Also interestingly, we get a hint dropped that Agent Carter was May’s mentor, and now I just want all the backstory on that relationship. Simmons finds that the file mentions a man named Werner Reinhart and we flash back to 1945 again — and to Whitehall, who at this point, is actually Reinhart, being interrogated by Peggy. He’s promising her secrets to all the items her and her team have recovered, and information on how to save humanity, but Peggy is clearly having none of his bribes.
Meanwhile, at Site of Brotherly Bonding, Ward is leading brother through the woods as they argue about their past mistakes, including the house fire and the well accident. He eventually forces his brother to dig up the well that his parents have covered up, and you can just tell this isn’t going to end well for one of the parties involved (ahem, Christian.)
May and the team are going through Peggy’s S.S.R. files, which conveniently never made their way into the S.H.I.E.L.D. database and therefore were never seen by Hydra. Simmons finds Whitehall’s picture, looking the exact same as he does now, and deduces that his very personal connection to Red Skull isn’t unwarranted — he was the same man who was once known as Reinhart. May pieces together that he aged in a prison called “The Rat,” but clearly must have found some way to reverse the aging process. A look at “The Rat” in 1945 does indeed show Reinhart wasting away in the cell that Peggy’s left him in, until 1989, when he’s rescued by a man sent by none other than Alexander Pierce (who we all know from a little film called Winter Soldier.) “Hail Hydra,” the agent says before wheeling him away, and I really love how S.H.I.E.L.D. is integrating all these small building blocks of their narrative/mythology with the specifics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is indeed All Connected, and I look forward to seeing how much more connected it is once we start getting closer to Age of Ultron next year.
Whitehall is brought to Austria and told that the woman he had interrogated earlier is still alive. Not only that, when she’s brought to him she looks exactly the same as she did in 1945. He experiments on her in a pretty gory and graphic fashion (that admittedly made me uncomfortable) until he’s pretty much left her for dead. When Bobbi goes back to interrogating Bakshi again, she claims she knows Whitehall’s secret — how he changed his name once he de-aged, and though Bakshi tries to bait her with tales of how she acted when she was undercover at Hydra, Bobbi doesn’t budge. Bakshi takes matters into his own hands, and smashes a cyanide capsule inside his cheek in a suicide attempt.
In the woods, Ward is trying to get his brother to admit that he pushed Thomas into the well. When another argument breaks out, Ward ends up threatening to throw his brother down the same well they just uncovered, and the near-death experience causes Christian to finally admit that he wanted Thomas dead, because he was the only one their mother didn’t torture. Gotta love those screwed up Ward family dynamics. The two seemingly make up, though we all know there can’t really be any happy endings, and so we’re left wondering when the other shoe is going to drop on this storyline.
Coulson’s team has now made it to Australia, where they plan to infiltrate a satellite system, aided by the connection of the objects that Coulson has set up in Hawaii for just this purpose. (They’ll cut the feed in Hawaii, which will allow Skye to hack the network and Fitz to active the transceiver.) Naturally, that’s not going to go as smoothly as they think, and both Coulson and Trip end up getting ambushed by Hydra, with Trip getting critically wounded while trying to protect Coulson. While I pray to my TV that they won’t kill off one of my favorite characters this early, The Doctor arrives to help. Uh, I mean “help.”
The Doctor essentially uses Trip as a bargaining chip for Coulson, and with Trip’s life in peril, Coulson and Fitz have no choice but to disarm and obey. The Doctor drops some vague hints about “the city” and references the fact that whatever happens, Skye will be in the center of it. He tells Coulson how to save Trip’s life so that he can have the opportunity to escape, but not before insisting that “Skye” is not her name — and also further reiterating that Coulson is not her father.
We see Whitehall talking to someone who is eventually revealed as Grant Ward, discussing second chances. He shows Ward a report of a murder-suicide with Christian and his parents, with Christian’s confession from earlier being broadcasted, and remember when I said this wasn’t going to end well? The Ward family has really had a rough go of it lately. Hunter and Bobbi watch Bakshi stabilize, which turns into them arguing (of course) about Hunter’s inability to trust Bobbi. Bobbi’s already on edge, upset that she miscalculated in her interrogration, and naturally this all leads to what we’ve been hoping to see from a few episodes ago: hot, angry van sex. Am I into it? Let me just say that I am a Clint Barton/Bobbi Morse stan until the day I die, but oh yes, I am so into it, and so I will let the show go here if it wants to. Mostly because Nick Blood and Adrianne Palicki have such amazing chemistry, it’s impossible not to want them to be together all the time.
While Skye shows Coulson a map of the city, Coulson debates on whether to tell her about his run-in with her father. Fortunately, the conversation is cut short before he can decide what to do, but we know that the confrontation is coming, and when it does (perhaps before the mid-season finale?) I can’t imagine that this surrogate father-daughter relationship won’t undergo a healthy amount of strain.
At the end of the episode, The Doctor comes in to meet with Whitehall and Ward, who tells The Doctor he knows Coulson’s team so well, they’re like family. Meanwhile, in flashbacks, we see a much younger doctor finding the body of the dead Asian woman who Whitehall had experimented on. He cries while he holds her, vowing to do to “him” what he did to her, and we soon realize that this magically-powered-non-aging woman who can touch an alien object is none other than Skye’s mother (and kudos to the casting department for picking up on the uncanny resemblance between Chloe Bennet and Dichen Lachman.
So we’ve known for awhile that Skye is an 0-8-4, and also that her mother was an 0-8-4 and now we at least see a little of what that means — she apparently has powers that can work the Obelisk, and she has the de-aging secrets locked within her. Obviously, there’s much, much more to be discovered, but drop your theories now — do we think Skye is an Inhuman? (It seems that every new piece of information is steadily getting set up to lead to this…)
Quoteables:
“He [Fury] could only see five steps ahead, which, for a one eyed man is impressive.” – Coulson
Fans of smash FX anthology American Horror Story are used to the series introducing one eccentric story component after another. For star Angela Bassett, however, it wasn’t the killer clown or traveling circus that caught her most off guard when preparing for the current season, Freak Show. While the Oscar nominee had already portrayed iconic voodoo queen Marie Laveau on last year’s AHS cycle, Coven, this time around it was her character’s physical description, not supernatural powers, that initially presented the biggest shock.
“I think it was about two weeks before I was scheduled to come down to start shooting that I got the, you know, the hot off the press script. I sat down to read it to see and I remember wondering, ‘Now, how am I going to know who I am?’” Bassett began, talking with The Workprint and other media outlets during a recent conference interview. “Then you read the stage direction: African-American woman in her 40s, hermaphrodite, three breasts, and a ding-a-ling. You’re like, ‘oh, my gosh!’ You immediately close the pages, and have to walk around and process that for a minute. You’re thinking, ‘What does that mean? If they thought I was crazy demonic last year, what are they going to think this year?’”
So far, Bassett’s performance as the free-spirited but emotionally stifled Desiree Dupree has already gone much further than skin deep. The character’s sexual ambiguity might have conjured a backstory of lifelong internal conflict, but when it was discovered in the Nov. 5 episode that Desiree is actually 100 percent female, her narrative arc opened up a whole new host of possibilities for the future.
However, Bassett explained why this revelation won’t ultimately affect either her artistic method or perception of Desiree, and how the character’s real journey actually has little to do with gender.
“I just knew that it was absolutely going to be something that I had never done before. What does an actor crave, but new challenges? This certainly was going to be one of those,” Bassett said of her preliminary reaction to the character. “But I don’t think it’ll change how I approach or how she acts. I think she’s comfortable. I think she’s comfortable with who she is, by and large. I think she’s just had to find a way to work and survive in a world that she’s always been reaching for, what she calls normalcy — to have a family, a real family, and children of her own. I don’t think it’s going to change and make her more feminine or whatever it might be … I’m open, but I don’t anticipate it’ll change the way that she behaves. I think what influences that is how she’s treated, how she’s treated by others.”
Bassett’s fellow “freaks” include American Horror Story alums Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson, among others, as well as series newcomer Michael Chiklis as Desiree’s husband, Dell. It’s this relationship that illustrates the real core of Desiree’s identity and subsequent growing process, and Bassett discussed how their disintegrating marriage will ultimately give Desiree the platform she needs to embark upon true self-discovery.
“There was a time when he was kind and good to her, and believed in her, and made her feel valuable and special … [but] there has come a point where he crossed the line of no return,” Bassett said, referring to Dell’s persistent abuse and deception. “She thought she knew who he was, but she found out she was living with the enemy. There’s something about him that was dishonest and disloyal. They were there for each other. They told each other their painful truth. I think he crossed the line. Sometimes that happens and you can’t go back.”
When asked if she considers Freak Show as more inherently “dark” than Coven or other American Horror Story chapters, Bassett chuckled and again referenced Dell’s contribution to the season’s thematic depth.
“You know, that’s what Chiklis says! I say, ‘Wait a minute, based on the type of show you’ve done, you consider this dark and strange?!’” she exclaimed. “But it’s a little dark. It’s dealing with how so-called ‘normal’ folks deal with those who are atypical or different. So that can get a little bit dark … what’s [really] dark is the secrets in men’s hearts.”
Working closely with Chiklis is but one professional perk Bassett noted. She agreed enthusiastically with the idea the AHS actors are, like the Freak Show itself, their own traveling performance troupe of sorts. For Bassett, the familial structure on set, in addition to the impressive pedigree, was a major selling point.
“That was one of the prevailing reasons for me joining the cast. I couldn’t believe I’d get an opportunity to work with Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates in a lifetime, especially at the same time. It’s wonderful,” Bassett gushed. “Everyone is just an ultimate professional. We have a good time. We have a good time with it. We all have an appreciation for this crazy world and the things that we’re asked to do. It stretches us and grows us. The fact that we get to come back year after year and they fashion some completely new insanity for us to play out is a plus. It’s thrilling.”
Although American Horror Story presents each new installment with a fresh setting, storyline and colorful cast of characters, the recent revelation that creator Ryan Murphy plans to connect each season has fans clamoring for clues. It seems understandable to assume the AHS actors would do the same, but Bassett discussed why she plans to keep her personal speculation to a minimum.
“I didn’t have a clue whatsoever what the part might be, what it might encompass when I signed on. I just knew I had a great time the previous year, and if that was any indication, it was going to be a wild ride,” Bassett said of her decision to return for Freak Show. As for whether or not she has any idea how Desiree Dupree or Marie Laveau could be potentially linked, Bassett cited blissful ignorance at first but couldn’t help divulging a glimmer of curiosity.
“Not one, nor have I considered it. That [does] give me something to think about … Sounds like a great college term paper to me,” she laughed.
American Horror Story airs Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. EST on FX
I would like to thank the writers, editors, actors, and everyone else involved with the eighth episode of Homeland for giving us a fantastic show. I know I was harsh last week, but that’s only because I KNOW this show can be fantastic. When it’s on, it’s on. Despite the ridiculous title of the episode, I’m happy with where things are headed.
I mean, I’m not happy happy because Saul is recreating Fifty Shades of Grey with terrorists who refuse to tell him the safeword. And he’s only accustomed to walking two blocks to the deli, so what do you mean he has to walk twenty miles to town and then play Frogger with men who want to tie him up in the least sexy way possible? Like Saul, I had hopes that Carrie in her saner state would be able to save him. It’s their relationship that has held the show together, but after watching the preview for next week’s episode, I can’t imagine him making it out alive. And I can’t imagine Carrie doing well in his absence.
By convincing Saul to live and then directing him back into the arms of the enemy, Carrie shatters their remaining trust. Saul’s heartbreaking screams were reminiscent of Carrie’s own emotional low point from last season, when he used her mental issues as a pawn in the CIA game. (“Fuck you, Saul.”) No matter how resourceful Saul was during the first escape, I think we can be sure there won’t be a second. Saul doesn’t have it in him to try, and Haqqani’s men are certainly going to up the bondage ante. Besides, it’s not like the CIA made it difficult to track the ex-director. Saul didn’t help his case by barreling down city streets, eyes frantic, shouting on a cell phone, but didn’t someone in that station think, “Maybe flying a drone directly over the city isn’t the best idea?”
In other news, Carrie has made a new ally in Colonel Khan, who is so attractive it’s distracting. Maybe it’s the accent. Or both. Or I’m just shallow. Anyway, Khan’s always come across as trustworthy (to me), if only defensive when it comes to someone insulting 1. his country and 2. how good he is at his job. Hey, we’ve all been there. Besides, Khan knows Tasleem is working against the Americans. His standoffish behavior and inability to be rattled may prove useful to Carrie and the rest of the station.
Speaking of the station (you liking these transitions?), I find it insanely hard to believe that once Carrie and Co. deduced there has been a breach in the station that the ambassador would IMMEDIATELY tell her husband. That’s like, Intelligence 101. (And he has a history of plagiarism!) It’s not all Ambassador Boyd’s fault though. Someone dropped the ball by not putting any cameras in Carrie’s building, ESPECIALLY after the murder of the previous station chief. Communication kind of broke down a bit; final grade: D-.
Maybe they should have let Carrie set up the cameras, since she did such a fantastic job with Brody’s house.
(An aside: if Tasleem wanted Carrie shipped back to the U.S., she’s going to have to do a lot more than make Carrie shoot people with her “hand” guns. Carrie’s all, “Giiirrrllll, I was having sex with the marine-turned-terrorist-turned-asset and I still managed to get a job as a station chief. Pew pewing is tame comparatively.”)
CARRIE! Oh, hi Carrie! It’s wonderful watching Carrie in the driver’s seat again, taking command of a dire situation where there are no right answers. Despite the desperate predicament, Carrie still took the lead and the responsibility of making a choice about Saul’s life. These are the moments where Homeland succeeds, when there is no good way out and the characters have to make difficult decisions. Twice now Carrie has let Saul live when she knows he doesn’t want to be a bargaining chip; he doesn’t want to be responsible for the return of Haqqani’s entire command. She knows Saul better than anyone (sorry, Mira), but twice now something has stopped Carrie from pulling the trigger. I think Quinn’s issues from the first two episodes may come back around once Saul leaves the picture for good and Carrie can no longer handle watching those she loves die.
But this episode wasn’t all sadness and screaming. Lockhart, yet again, has wormed his evil, cynical way into my heart. I love when characters show another side that makes you reconsider your original opinion.
To sum up: Saul can hang himself with chains and not die; also, he should probably get a tetanus shot after stabbing himself with that nail; Fara is still missing, someone please call the police; Carrie is back, rejoice; Lockhart wins.
Season 4, Episode 8: “Halfway to a Donut” Homeland airs Sundays on Showtime at 8pm EST.
Fans of the YA bestseller The Duff rejoice! Today CBS Films released the first trailer to their adaptation of the Kody Keplinger novel that centers on high school senior Bianca (Mae Whitman), who discovers that she is the designated ugly fat friend (hence the DUFF) in her group of girlfriends. She enlists jock Wesley (Robbie Amell) to help her reinvent herself in exchange for helping him with school.
It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a teen movie that has the chops to become a classic like The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Can’t Buy Me Love, Heathers, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Say Anything, but The Duffcertainly looks promising. The film is directed by Ari Sandel and also stars Allison Janney, Ken Jeong, Bella Thorne, Skyler Samuels, and Bianca Santos.
The Walking Dead Season 5, Episode 6
“Consumed”
Grade: B+
In one of the relatively quieter episodes this season, we catch up with Carol and Daryl, who are on the trail of a car similar to that of Beth’s abductors. Their pursuit leads them into the heart of Atlanta where they encounter Noah, the escaped indentured servant of Grady Memorial Hospital and friend of Beth. It’s a well rounded episode of television that ably balances the plot, characterization, and action.
The episode focuses primarily on Carol; we get a good hard look at the person she’s become, and everything she’s had taken away from her. While the other characters on the show become defeated, lash out, or merely die, Carol has always been the character who has shown the most genuine and dramatic growth throughout the series. When we first met her, she was an abused wife and soon, a grieving mother. The strong, confident Carol we know today is hardly recognizable; through a series of flashbacks, we see the various events that have both forged and hardened her. These are highlighted nicely by the common but effective motif of fire and smoke–it’s featured prominently in every flashback, and recurs throughout the current story.
Fire is both a cleansing and destructive force–we see not the steely hero that singlehandedly assaulted Terminus, but a weary woman on the verge of defeat. When everything else is burned away, there isn’t much that remains but ashes. The best we can do is keep trying and hope that the flames don’t consume us. Like Rick in the beginning of the season, Carol has developed a certain cold ruthlessness; it’s up to Daryl to remind her to keep trying, and he stops her from shooting a fleeing Noah in the back.
Carol and Daryl are frequently paired together, and make a great match. Both keep mostly to themselves and are reluctant to show vulnerabilities, but share a deep connection between each other as a result. Their reserved, stoic natures may have proved challenging to write for in the past (and haven’t necessarily paired well with others), but the chemistry between the two provides a rich well to draw from. Their friendship feels genuine and natural; the understanding the two share allows for a lot of characterization to remain unspoken, much to the show’s benefit. Daryl dispatching and burning the bodies of the the zombie mother and child so that Carol wouldn’t have to was a particularly nice touch.
As they catch up to Noah and he explains that Beth is still being held at the hospital, Carol is struck by the arriving hospital patrol vehicle. Daryl and Noah make an escape as the guards lift Carol onto a stretcher, and head back to the church to gather the rest of the group. It’s a comparatively small advance in the plot of a season that has otherwise been barreling forward, but the strong characterization and acting this episode prove just as compelling.
Other notes:
The episode is sprinkled with references to the early days of the series: from the shot of the two driving on the empty highway inbound to Atlanta, to a glimpse of a tank in the middle of the street (I’m not sure whether it’s the same tank from the series premiere).
The non-flashback fires didn’t seem to carry any clear thematic significance beyond tying the scenes together (they were mostly distraction fires), though the fact that Daryl’s the only one who lit any of them is probably intentional.
That must’ve been one hell of a camping trip on that skyway–everyone died still zipped up in their bags and tents.
And while I don’t think we’ll be seeing Dr. No reincarnated on screen any time soon, its seems logical that at least Blofeld will be stepping back into the fray to terrorize Bond and the rest of the world. And while Mendes and Broccoli didn’t openly admit to this, there is already rampant speculation that one of the major new cast additions will be taking it on.
David Bautista, known to many film fans right now as Drax, will be playing a character named Mr. Hinx. It was rumored earlier this year that producers were looking to cast a classic henchman in the vein of Jaws or Oddjob so look forward to Bautista giving Bond a run for his money is some kind of truly memorable way.
No one is entirely sure if this will be a villainous or heroic role so keep your eye on this guy. He could be playing both sides…
Filming of SPECTRE begins this coming Monday, December 8, at Pinewood Studios but the production will be taking them around the world to places like Mexico, Morocco, Italy, and Austria. Not much is known about what will go down at these locations yet but back in September the Bond fan site MI6 posted this report about a building being constructed in Obertilliach, Austria for the purposes of being destroyed. That sounds about right.
SPECTRE will be released around the world on November 6, 2015 but keep checking back here at The Workprint to read the latest dirt and watch the trailers as they get released.
