Ever since Geoff Johns has been announced as President of DC Entertainment in July 2016 (while also retaining his Chief Creative Officer position), there has been a big shake up with the current slate of DC films that have yet to come out. Johns is already working on writing the next solo “Batman” film and did a rewrite of the upcoming “Wonder Woman” film. Johns, along with WB executive Jon Berg, are now in charge of the rest of DC films which include: “Justice League”, “Wonder Woman”, “Flash”, and “Aquaman”.
Johns and Berg admitted that the take with ‘gritty superheroes’ was a mistake and look to inject hope into their films. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Johns elaborated,
[I]n the past, I think the studio has said, ‘Oh, DC films are gritty and dark and that’s what makes them different.’ That couldn’t be more wrong. It’s a hopeful and optimistic view of life. Even Batman has a glimmer of that in him. If he didn’t think he’d make tomorrow better, he’d stop. (Wall Street Journal)
Johns also stated that “Justice League” will address Batman’s extreme actions in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” — the torture tactics and almost killing the best superhero ever, Superman, with kryptonite.
I have the utmost faith in Geoff Johns. He is an excellent comic book writer that really understands the characters. He really is the answer to Marvel’s cinematic universe (which is being spearheaded by Kevin Feige). Not only that but Johns has yet to write a dismal comic book story arc (that I know of). He literally brought Green Lantern back from the dead and reinvigorated the Justice Society of America. Oh, let us not forget that DC Comics’ Rebirth event spurred from Johns’ event book, which has led to huge sales for DC (yes, DC Comics is now beating Marvel in comic book sales). As an unruly nerd, I will sleep well at night knowing Johns is at the helm of DC’s movies.
Although Zack Snyder is still attached to direct “Justice League”, you can bet that the director will be under a watchful eye, especially with this new angle. You know, actually depicting these characters the way most people relate to them? With hope.
“Wonder Woman” – release date: June 2, 2017
“Justice League” – release date: November 16, 2017
“Flash” – release date: March 16, 2018
“Aquaman” – release date: July 27, 2018
Notes:
No, the “Suicide Squad” film does not count as a reworking of DC’s movies as Johns wasn’t brought in to save it. “Suicide Squad” failed because it was a tonal and narrative misfire with much blame being directed towards studio influence reacting to the negative reviews of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and a preconceived notion of the “Suicide Squad” trailer not matching to the much darker adaptation that director, David Ayer, had in mind.
Yes, Geoff Johns was a creative consultant on the terribly received “Green Lantern” (2011) and executive producer on the disastrous “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.
“Green Lantern” was written by four people – Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, and Michael Goldenberg. When you have this many credited writers, it’s usually a telltale sign of a film being thrown together without much pure creative inspiration. Johns should’ve been the sole writer on GL as he was the one largely responsible for reinvigorating the character in the comics circa 2008.
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” – Johns was executive producer which doesn’t really mean sh*t other than his name appealing to die hard comic book fans. The writers of this are Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer.
In what was likely the most anticipated movie of the year ends up being one of the worst I’ve seen in theaters. How bad do you say? It is worse than the 2003 stinker, “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” (which made Sean Connery retire from acting). With ‘League’ there was at least an effort to tell a linear story, which also managed to be grounded by a main character.
How did we get here?
With the disappointing “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” film, fans at least had solace with the fact that “Suicide Squad” would come out and alleviate any concerns to be had about the DC Cinematic Universe. If you remember correctly, after the negative critical response of “B v S”, Warner Bros. was so concerned about their ‘universe’ that they forced the cast and crew of “Suicide Squad” to do reshoots so that fans’ expectations of the film matched more so with its movie trailers (and also to get away from the ‘grim’ and ‘gritty’ take on their superheroes). With that, there were more jokes and pop music injected into the film (annoyingly). Story & Characters
The first twenty five minutes of the film gives a small introduction to many of the ‘squad’ (certainly not all) and a short dossier explaining why they’re perfect material for the ‘worst of the worst’ team. These ‘introductions’ are supposed to give audiences a sense of understanding, beyond their ‘villain’. This is simply not the case when all we see is them doing bad things without any such remorse whatsoever. Oddly enough, the only one that seems to have a weak spot is Deadshot (Will Smith), who loves his daughter but is okay with continuing to lie to her that he isn’t a ‘bad guy’. As Amanda Waller (played by Viola Davis) relays her sales pitch to a gov’t official, she reiterates that should anything go wrong, there’s already a built in deniability because they’re criminals (just as you saw a thousand times in the trailers).
After all the seemingly random inserted pop songs introducing each unredeemable character, a threat rises for them to take on. As the team assembles and prepares for an unknown terrorist threat (yup, they aren’t even specifically told what they’re up against), we get some playful banter between Deadshot and Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) as well as a few extra squad members – Slipknot and Katana (with a stupid subplot about how her sword holds souls).
I should mention that this ‘squad’ does not know each other at all. They have all been in separate cells yet act like a dysfunctional family when it comes to their first (and hopefully last) mission as the ‘Suicide Squad’. The only time we really see this team interact is before the lack luster third act. In this bar scene, we get a glimpse of everyone’s morality. Much of this stems from El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), a gangster who can create/manipulate fire. In his story we learn that he killed his wife and children. The reaction of the group was like, “hey, you can’t kill women and children”! I thought to myself, “that’s the line we are drawing here”? Anyways, this scene was meant to invigorate these characters and give them an opportunity of redemption not because they were forced to (by Waller et al) but because they wanted to.
After all is said and done, the only characters that seemed to get an ‘ending’ were Deadshot, Harley Quinn and Rick Flag. You can forget why you have Captain Boomerang (played by Jai Courtney in a role he actually excels in), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agnaje), Katana (Karen Fukuhara) or Slipknot (Adam Beach) in this movie. None of these secondary characters are given any depth whatsoever and only reside to fill out the rest of the squad.
You can’t expect audiences to care for these characters when you don’t know what they are all about, where they’ve been, etc. This is exactly the reason why “Avengers” was a film that worked. You know what the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America are all about. They’ve each had their own stories, leaving the larger scale movie, “Avengers”, to focus on how everyone relates, especially in times of conflict.
My Biggest Complaint (s)
The biggest problem with the film is with the surface level subplots of its main characters –Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), and Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and the complete lack of subplot for the devious Amanda Waller.
Deadshot is essentially a serial killer (for hire) who really has one thing going for him – the love of his daughter (which Amanda Waller exploits).
Harley Quinn probably has the most interesting subplot with her relationship with the Joker (Jared Leto) but the whole idea is ill-conceived when there isn’t any explanation as to why she really fell in love with the Joker in the first place. If only this subplot was expanded it would provide an anchor on which other characters can exist. This is the strongest plot point to the entire film but is squandered for attempted punches of comedy (one liners), pop music and a villain that’ll remind many more of “Ghostbusters” (the original) than anything inventive.
Rick Flag is an Army Special Forces officer tasked with leading the squad but is at odds with his orders because of his strange relationship with Dr. June Moone (Cara Delevingne), who is possessed by a really old, evil witch named Enchantress.
Amanda Waller rounds up a group of murderers with extraordinary abilities and gets the gov’t to okay her Task Force X team to save the world. All we know is that she’ll do anything to ensure everyone plays ball. She’ll also kill innocent bystanders if it’ll mean the secrecy of the task force is kept. We have no idea what drives her as a character and she exists only to prove her ruthlessness.
In other words, what we know of these characters does not justify how we should feel about them. It is very difficult to sympathize with any of these characters. The only character I was made to feel the most about was Harley Quinn and her toxic relationship with the Joker (I wanted an entire movie focusing on this) yet we barely scratch the surface with their dynamic.
Action & Special Effects
For as much money the studios are pumping into the marketing of this film, you’d think the same would be true for its special effects and action scenes. The effects designed for Enchantress and her witchcraft were borderline laughable as her costume seemed to be completely CGI. Even Enchantress’ voice was a reminder that Zuul (from “Ghostbusters”) was a better villain.
The action scenes were very run of the mill. There was nothing new to really show other than Captain Boomerang throwing a boomerang, Slipknot scaling a wall (sort of), Harley Quinn wielding a bat, and Deadshot shooting his guns. What I’m trying to say is that no one really stood out except El Diablo and Killer Croc.
Takeaway
“When does it end”? – Deadshot to Flag
I was thinking the same thing while watching the movie. This dreadful film, which tried to disguise itself as DC’s answer to “Guardians of the Galaxy”, is one of the biggest disappointments of the year. The marketing (the flashy colors and fun pop music) behind the film is brilliant but it stands in front of a tone imbalanced movie that horrifically tries to execute rather interesting characters.
The film is actually directed by the talented David Ayer, who, up until this point, was known for making good films. Ayer’s previous directing efforts include “Training Day” and “End of Watch”. “Suicide Squad” currently sits with a 26% on Rotten Tomatoes but still managed to have the biggest August opening weekend ever with $135 million. It’ll be interesting to see the film’s numbers come its second week (given all the negative press after the film’s release). As of writing this, the film has garnered $146 million domestically and $133 million in foreign sales (worldwide total: $280 million).
Grade: F
What’s upsetting is that this movie should have exceeded. It has a wonderful cast, a more than capable director and a rich universe of characters to base itself on.
I’m a giant DC Comics fan and to see their films continue to suffer is highly frustrating. When will they learn?
Should I give up on DC films? “Wonder Woman” isn’t coming out until June 2017.
Where does it stand in the plethora of Superhero movies (or should I say super villains)?
“The Punisher” (2004) > “Suicide Squad” > “Fantastic Four” (2015)
No one really expected to get any footage of the upcoming “Justice League” movie so soon but no complaints here!
Check it out! Definitely looks more fun than the doom and gloomy “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.
The film will be directed by Zack Snyder and produced by Geoff Johns and Deborah Snyder. We have to wait until November 17, 2017 for the film’s release!
CW has revealed pictures of the new Wally West, Kid Flash costume. It hasn’t been confirmed if Wally West will be dawning the costume for the entirety of Season 3. Any fans of DC and “The Flash” have to be ultra excited to see the progression the show is making to include relevant characters. Take a look below for the exciting look of Wally West.
Season 2 ended on a time shattering note where Barry went back in time and prevented the murder of his mother. Thus creating what all DC comic book fans recognized as “Flashpoint”. Indeed for me having Wally West as Kid Flash creates a heightened sense of excitement for the next season. Starring Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Carlos Valdes and more, “The Flash” returns to The CW on October 4 at 8 pm EST.
Its been a topic of discussion I have been wanting to have on the compendium podcast to the site. Season 2 of “The Flash” ended in a spectacular way that fans of DC’s New 52 should be quite familiar with. (SPOILER) Barry Allen goes back in time to the point of where his mother was killed and stops the Reverse-Flash from killing his mother. That scene that ended the Season 2 finale I’m sure left us comic book geeks in a “OMG” moment known as “Flashpoint”. Now it has been confirmed by the twitter account of Grant Gustin the title of Episode 1 of Season 3 will be titled “FLASHPOINT”.
How far will CW run with this epic moment from the new 52 of DC’s comic books is the biggest mystery. I for one have loved this show from the beginning and will be on board for Season 3. “The Flash” returns to the CW with an all-new third season on October 4 at 8 PM ET.
I, like many others, was extremely skeptical when DC Comics announced another ‘universe changing’ event to their core line of comics. After all, there was the reboot to the line in 2011 with the “New 52” and then the “Convergence” event last summer (2015). The announcement of this ‘Rebirth’ had many fans rolling their eyes. This comes as a result of becoming invested in newer iterations of characters and storylines. However, from the press releases of this new event, Dan DiDio mentioned a ‘righting of the ship’ to DC Universe. Even days before the release, the Chief Creative Officer, Geoff Johns, mentioned that he wanted to inject ‘hope’ to the universe (this will also be the case with the DC Cinematic Universe as Johns was recently brought in to co-write and executive produce all future DC films — after the debacle with the bleak and stupid “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”).
My first impressions of ‘Rebirth’ is that it finally gets the overall tone and theme of the DC Universe perfect — it is about self-sacrifice for a better tomorrow and, dare I say it, hope!
Note: This new tale takes place after Superman #52 and Justice League #50.
We essentially begin with Wally West traveling through time and place to essentially warn others that the events that took place over the last ten years were ‘stolen’ by someone but the identity of this person is unknown. West is doing all of this knowing that he is about to dissolve into the time stream itself and cease to exist. The ‘Flashpoint’ event was integral to understanding what had happened to the known universe and Wally West tries to relay this to Batman (yes, he’s still the Batman from issue #52, who has also been in the Mobius chair), an aging Thunderbolt (from the Justice Society), and to Barry Allen as well.
Note: Batman begins to understand that there are three different Jokers. However, elaboration on that will take place in later issues.
Note: I’m super excited about “Justice Society” coming back! If you want a good re-introduction, I highly recommend Goeff Johns’ “Justice Society of America”.
As fans likely all know, the New 52 Superman was killed off. This is alluded to in the comic as well as showcasing where the pre 52 Superman has been all along. Pre 52 Superman is essentially told that what he ‘knows’ isn’t true. Like I mentioned previously, someone stole about ten years from everyone — for this reason, it has yet to be fully explained (in the one-shots that will come out in June).
We get a glimpse of other well known characters and even newer ones — Jessica Cruz, Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle (came onto the scene in 2006). What Johns tries to enforce is that ‘if we have the power, we should use it for good’. Not only that, he uses the power of ‘love’ as a connecting force — with the speed force. This, to me, is unprecedented. What seemed to be missing with DC’s core line (namely Justice League) is the idea of hope, love and duty. This is an excellent message to reinforce along DC comics and what can be shoed in to finally help them start beating the elephant in the room — Marvel. And yes, this is doubly true when it comes to the future DC films — Geoff Johns will be DC’s own version of Marvel’s Kevin Feige. In other words, there will be one ‘overseer’ that aims to connect larger storylines so that a more concrete vision is adhered to.
I have digressed. So, the ultimate bad guy behind all of this? Dr. Manhattan. You read that right. The “Watchmen” comics will now be in the same universe as the rest of DC’s comics’ core line. What I found most interesting (although ‘Watchmen’ creator Alan Moore would say otherwise) is that this should have been done awhile ago. Make no mistake, Dr. Manhattan is an uber powerful being that can manipulate time. Not only that, he’s a highly conflicted being as he was once a human (he was Dr. Jon Osterman — nuclear physicist). His transformation/perspective distances himself from the entire concept of moral duty as he sees himself on a different plane of existence. To use the ‘Watchmen’ story as canon is highly rewarding. The characters created were essentially a nihilistic take on the whole superhero genre to begin with. It almost seems natural that their take (mainly Dr. Manhattan’s perspective) would completely contrast with the ideas of ‘hope, love and duty’.
Dr. Manhattan from “Watchmen”
The 80 page comic (that’s only $2.99) is now available at your local comic book store and digitally via ‘Comixology’ or the ‘DC’ app. The next wave of books will be coming out June 1st. Check out the list below!
I am always finding myself a few years behind of films, especially those of the animated kind. Recently, I’ve managed to find some time to get caught up on some “need to watch” films. Justice Leauge: Flashpoint Paradox is one of these animated features l’ve always been meaning to get to. With the wake of DC’s Rebirth, this film has opened my mind to what is to come.
Flashpoint Paradox is based upon the Flash basically wanting to save his mother from death. He holds himself responsible for not being fast enough to save her. In doing so the Flash lets his emotions take the best of him, sending himself into a Speed Force run that propels him into an alternate world, where his mother is well and alive. This alternate world though has its own unique sense. It is one where no Justice Leauge exists, Bruce Wayne dies in Crime Alley, Superman is nowhere to be found, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman are raging war against each other. In the end it is the action of saving his mother from death that has fallen upon the Flash to accept and reverse.
At this critical point in time for me as a comic book reader dealing with the possible death of certain DC titles, watching this movie couldn’t have been better for me. I too want to save certain characters and titles from their untimely death. Much like the tale of the Pheonix, certain things must die and rise anew and stronger. I strongly encourage those who have not seen Justice Leauge: Flashpoint Paradox to do so.
Justice Leauge: Flashpoint Paradox is currently available on streaming service thru Netflix.
As we all gear up for the first cinematic appearance of Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (and a solo Wonder Woman film the following year), I thought it’d be most valuable to review DC Comics’ recently released comic book. In this origin story, fans can get a thorough understanding of how the popular heroine came to be.
The buzz surrounding this story had me very curious. More than anything, it was actually Brian Azzarello’s take on Wonder Woman that had me appreciate the character on a whole other level. With a brand new series, I decided to once again explore the world of Themyscira and the Amazons. Although this take on the character is much different in tone than Azzarello’s run (which is much darker), I can’t help but praise this as well.
We get a glimpse as to how the Amazons became to be so revered (even alongside the Greek Gods) with Hippolyta leading the way as one of the few immortals left on Earth to raise a peaceful society on the secret island of Themyscira (invisible to the rest of civilization). Most of the story chronicles a pivotal moment in the life of Hippolyta’s daughter, Diana (aka Wonder Woman). Diana comes to understand that their society is becoming too complacent in its ways and is becoming more and more vulnerable. This is what prompts Diana to want to be a warrior – so that she can protect her people, especially from the inevitable clash with the outside world (who have no idea of their existence).
The comic is penciled/written by Renae De Liz and colored by Ray Dillon. Although I’m not familiar with De Liz, I’m sure as hell now going to be. The story is set on a grand scale that comes through not only with the writing but the art. I couldn’t help but think of Michael Turner in terms of how De Liz captures character faces.
If you are even slightly interested in Wonder Woman then I highly recommend this comic. It is an excellent starting point, especially when we are about to see a lot more of her on the big screen. After all, Wonder Woman is probably the best female superhero out there. It’s surprising it took Hollywood this long to give her cinematic exposure.
The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron – The box office smash sequel pits the Avengers against a one-dimensional villain. This has moments of awesome but mostly settles as a bloated super hero movie. Full review here.
October 6th
Magic Mike XXL – Channing Tatum and pals bare it all…again. McConaughey decided to focus on better movies and does not appear in this oversized sequel. Elizabeth Banks, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, and Jada Pinkett Smith co-star.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – This is a movie about two aspiring, young filmmaker friends that end up making a film for a girl that has leukemia. They learn more about their friendship and the fragility of life. The cast includes Hugh “Wolverine” Jackman, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation), Molly Shannon (SNL alum) and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, upcoming 2nd season of Daredevil).
Manglehorn – A dramedy about a locksmith (Al Pacino) that has trouble living in the present. Can we just get a The Devil’s Advocate sequel already?! Pacino seems to be wasting time on these cutesy movies that have a limited audience. Anyways, the movie focuses on how this locksmith mopes through life in a small Texas town and lives in his tragic, lovelorn past when he desperately needs to change his present. The movie is directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Your Highness) and co-stars Holly Hunter.
Insidious: Chapter 3 – In this prequel, a girl tries to contact her late mother so she recruits a reluctant psychic with grave results. For some reason Dermot Mulroney is in this. Why? Rotten Tomatoes: 53%.
Road Hard – This comedy follows a character named Bruce Madsen, a successful actor/comedian, who decides to change things up and go back to his roots and perform in the comedy club circuit. Things don’t turn out as expected which forces Bruce (played by Adam Carolla) to reevaluate his career. This sounds like an auto-biographical snooze fest! Anyways, the movie co-stars David Koechner (Anchorman, Waiting).
Batkid Begins – This follows a five year-old boy, suffering from leukemia that gets a chance to be Batman for a day via the Make a Wish foundation.
10,000 Saints – A group of smugglers learn the hard price of growing up and the value of family in the backdrop of 1980s New York City. The cast includes Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Gattaca) , Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game, Hugo) , Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door), and Emily Mortimer. There may be a reason this was released direct to video.
Dark Places – From the author of Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) comes a story about a woman (Libby) trying to run away from her tragic past and her brother, who she blames for murdering the rest of her family. She is then contacted by a group that specializes in unsolved cases. Libby (played by Charlize Theron) must decide if she wants to accept the past or truly find the killer responsible. This movie came and went in theaters. The movie co-stars Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass), Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men). It holds a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. Proceed with caution!
Escobar: Paradise Lost – Nick and his brother move from Canada to Colombia during the 1980s to set up a surf shop. There, Nick falls for Maria, who happens to be the niece of Pablo Escobar. Things get worse from there as Nick is recruited to stash away Escobar’s assets before he serves a jail sentence. I’m slightly interested in this but I have to say that Narcoson Netflix deals primarily with Escobar’s rise/fall and that seems a lot more interesting. This film features Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, upcoming Sicario) as Escobar and co-stars Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games).
Final Girl – Veronica is new in town and becomes a target for a group of boys who hunt and kill women in the woods for sport. The tables are turned when Veronica is actually a trained assassin. Abigail Breslin (Ender’s Game, Maggie) stars alongside Wes Bentley (that creepy video recorder dude from American Beauty, bearded weirdo in The Hunger Games).
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief – This is a riveting documentary that chronicles the rise of the Church of Scientology and the followers and defectors that provide insight into the often shocking inner workings of the fastest growing church. Archival footage and interviews with current and former members (that include many Hollywood stars – Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Paul Haggis, etc.) make this a documentary worth catching. My full review is here.
People Places Things – Flight of the Concords alum, Jermaine Clement, stars in this comedy about a happily married professor with two kids that deals with the affair between his friend and his wife. He finds out that the single life with kids isn’t what he was expecting. I happen to enjoy Clement’s sense of humor and may give this a go.
Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! – Talk about beating a dead horse. That wasn’t a request. Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210) and Tara Reid (American Pie) try to hold onto their careers in the popular, purposefully bad SyFy original movie. The outlandish, most once famous cast includes: Frankie Muniz, Bo Derek, David Hassehoff and Mark Cuban (as the President). You know what’s better than a purposefully bad movie? An unintentionally bad movie. See: The Room, Birdemic: Shock and Terror.
What We Did On Our Holiday – As Gordy nears his 75th Birthday, his son and his family decide to visit him in Scotland. Things go awry when his son’s kids are brutally honest and are unable to keep any secrets, which makes an already awkward family trip more awkward. The film stars David Tennant (Doctor Who), Billy Connolly, and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl).
October 13th
San Andreas – Hey, what’s shakin’?! Well, the Rock of course! This is an epic destruction movie for people that enjoy flashy special effects and a sub-par story or…..they just go for the Rock. I don’t blame them. Believe it or not, the movie co-stars Carla Gugino (Watchmen) and Paul Giamatti (Sideways).
Tommorowland – This film probably had the most promise this summer but was an utter disappointment. The marketing was interesting and the director, Brad Bird, has had nothing but success with his earlier films: The Incredibles, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Iron Giant. Check out a full review here.
The Gallows – A group of high school students try to put on a play that failed twenty years earlier and resulted in the death of a student, Charlie. The event is meant to be cathartic for the town on the anniversary of Charlie’s death, but a group of students sabotage the production to help the lead actor avoid stage fright. The group’s actions have grave consequences as Charlie’s story isn’t finished. This story is actually more elaborate than more horror films but still sounds boring.
Dope – We follow a high school student named Butler (Blake Anderson) who tries to stay on the straight and narrow amongst a town (Inglewood, CA) that would rather get by on dealing drugs and making easy money. Butler has aspirations of going to Harvard and leaving the city behind but is tested one night at a party. Lenny Kravitz’s daughter, Zoe Kravitz, costars.
October 20th
Jurassic World – Doctor John Hammond’s future dinosaur world is realized twenty two years later in Jurassic World. Just as any company would do if public interest were waning, they need to innovate new ways to attract people across the world. Of course, if your company happens to be a giant dinosaur zoo, innovation can spell doom in the form of a genetically modified dinosaur, the Indominus Rex. The movie is a lot of fun if you don’t think too much about the story. Check out my full review here.The movie stars Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Guardians of the Galaxy), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village), and Jake Johnson (New Girl, Let’s Be Cops).
Paper Towns – A high school student, Quentin, has always pined for Margo his entire life and when she breaks into his house asking for his help in a revenge plot, he agrees. After their adventure, Margo has disappeared from their school but not without leaving clues for Quentin to follow that will end up changing how he really feels for her. This is based off the book of the same name by author John Green (who also wrote The Fault in Our Stars). The film stars up and comer, Cara Delevingne (upcoming Suicide Squad) and Nat Wolff. You’d have to drag me to see a movie like this. Quirky, romantic movies irritate me because they are highly unrealistic yet pretend they aren’t.
Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ – I don’t usually cover Japanese anime movies but I guess I’m always a little fond of the Dragon Ball Z tv show (when it aired on Cartoon Network back in the day). This details how big baddie, Frieza, is back after falling to Goku’s Super Saiyan years ago. Frieza is hell bent on revenge, even without an actual body. It’s up to Goku and Vegeta to work together. I’d probably save this for hung over Sunday mornings (before football of course).
The Vatican Tapes – Two Vatican priests are out to exorcise a woman believed to be possessed by the Anti-Christ. They must work to save her soul and for humanity…blah..blah…This uninspired movie stars Dougray Scott (MI: 2), Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) , and Michael Pena (Ant-Man). Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%.
Testament of Youth – Alicia Vikander (Ex-Machina) and Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) star in this World War I drama. Vera Brittain (Vikander) postpones her studies to become a nurse as her loved ones, including Harrington head to war. Brittain later becomes a writer, feminist, and pacifist. The film doesn’t sound that interesting but is getting decent reviews. Rotten Tomatoes: 81%.
Z for Zachariah – This tale centers on a lone female survivor (Margot Robbie) of the apocalypse and the last two known men alive (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine) who try to court for her affections. The three must find a way to work together in order to survive. So, it seems that this is about how two dudes wanna do it with Robbie. I don’t blame them. What if the movie casted Amy Schumer instead of Margot Robbie? I believe both men would rather roam the Earth looking for another lady.
I Spit on Your Grave 3: Vengeance is Mine – Jennifer is a girl that is just trying to overcome the torture she’s experienced and live a normal life. When one of Jennifer’s friends is murdered and those responsible escapes, she turns on revenge mode while the rest of the city erupts with rapists and serial killers. Pass!
The Wolfpack – This is a documentary that follows six brothers that live the majority of their lives in a New York apartment. They rely on movies in order to understand the real world. They all reenact scenes of their favorite movies. As the brothers get older, they desire interactions with the real world and everything begins to change when one of them runs away. Sounds like this may be worth checking out.
October 27th
Pixels – Adam Sandler is trying to fart on the box office again with this sad attempt at appealing to the thirty something group that relishes arcade games. The story involves how aliens receive golden age transmissions of video games being played, interpret the message as the real thing and declare war on Earth in the form of well-known classic games that include Donkey Kong and Pac Man. The President enlists his childhood friend, Sandler, to beat the aliens at their own game. He also enlists a rag tag group that includes Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, and Kevin James. The film is directed by Chris Columbus (the 1st two Harry Potter movies).
Southpaw – Jake Gyllenhaal gains a ton of muscle to play a left handed boxer who must overcome the death of his wife. After much inner turmoil and with the fate of his relationship with his daughter at stake, he must climb out and be the best boxer he can be so he can be the best father he can be. The movie received mixed reviews but I wouldn’t mind renting this. I mean, it’s Gyllenhaal and after his performance in Nightcrawler, I expect a solid performance.
The Gift – A husband and wife (Simon and Robin) move into a new home and run into an old acquaintance, Gordo, of Simon’s from high school. The couple accepts a gift of wine and invites him to their house for dinner. Gordo begins to leave more gifts and starts to stalk Robin while she’s home alone. Simon tries to tell Gordo that he is not welcome only then to be threatened by a 25 year old secret about Simon. The movie stars Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Rebecca Hall (The Town) and Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Exodus: Gods and Kings). The film is also the directorial debut of Joel Edgerton. I really wanted to see this film but had scheduling conflicts. The film has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’ll be sure to rent this.
Max – This is supposed to be an uplifting family drama/adventure that centers around a military dog named Max. After Max’s handler, Kyle, is killed, he is then returned to Kyle’s family and ends up helping them heal from their loss. Thomas Haden Church (Sideways), Lauren Graham (Bad Santa), and Robbie Amell (Flash) star.
The Human Centipede III: The Final Sequence – The outrageous idea of a singular digestive system through multiple people is expanded upon in this latest installment from the Dutch filmmaker, Tom Six. This time, they are attempting to utilize 500 people (which are being sewn together a$$ to mouth) to create the largest, singular digestive system the world has ever known. The creepy actor from the original film, Dieter Laser, reprises his role as the crazed doctor. The movie even co-stars Eric Roberts (Best of the Best, The Dark Knight). Not for the easily grossed out.
I do not believe it so surprising that The Flash TV series is so popular. I’m a comic book reader and the sheer amount of interesting stories to pick from the comics seem endless, not to mention all of the plot devices like super speed and time travel to use. However, I did not expect it to be such a break through hit that many cannot see another Flash (in the upcoming movie) without thinking about Grant Gustin’s portrayal in the TV show. On the upside, the movie has Phil Lord and Chris Miller (writer/directors of Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street) attached so maybe everyone should have a reason to still remain optimistic.
Story wise
Anyways, after the crazy events of the 1st season (and Barry Allen racing to neutralize an unstable wormhole), the story can really go anywhere! The rumor is that the 2nd season will involve alternate timelines and parallel universes (DC’s ‘Multiverse’). Alternate timelines are branching off points within our universe’s time stream and parallel universes are where events occurred differently, apart from our own universe. This is like how Harrison Wells will continue to be on the show. Even Eddie Thawne could exist in a different timeline. You catch my drift.
More Heroes
Jay Garrick (the original Flash) was alluded to in the 1st season finale for a reason. Teddy Sears (Masters of Sex) was announced to play Jay Garrick. Garrick was one of the founding members of the Justice Society of America. So, again, the possibilities are endless.
Just yesterday it was announced that Keiynan Lonsdale (The Divergent Series: Insurgent) will be playing Wally West. Wally West (nephew to Iris West) was Kid Flash in the comics when Barry Allen was the Flash until he, himself, took on the mantle of The Flash after the comic book event, Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Then there’s the possibility of Barry Allen’s grandson, Bart Allen, making an appearance from the future to fight the villain, Impulse.
More Villains
The producer of the series, Kreisberg, stated that he looks to also introduce Mirror Master and Doctor Alchemy. There was also a glimpse of Caitlin Snow as Killer Frost in the finale. Frost’s eventual villain is Firestorm (whom she just married).
It is safe to assume that season 2 of the anticipated show will offer even more thrills than before. The series storms back on October 6, 2015 on CW.
If you haven’t seen the series, you are truly missing out.
[I]n the past, I think the studio has said, ‘Oh, DC films are gritty and dark and that’s what makes them different.’ That couldn’t be more wrong. It’s a hopeful and optimistic view of life. Even Batman has a glimmer of that in him. If he didn’t think he’d make tomorrow better, he’d stop. (Wall Street Journal)
Although Zack Snyder is still attached to direct “Justice League”, you can bet that the director will be under a watchful eye, especially with this new angle. You know, actually depicting these characters the way most people relate to them? With hope. 
We essentially begin with Wally West traveling through time and place to essentially warn others that the events that took place over the last ten years were ‘stolen’ by someone but the identity of this person is unknown. West is doing all of this knowing that he is about to dissolve into the time stream itself and cease to exist. The ‘Flashpoint’ event was integral to understanding what had happened to the known universe and Wally West tries to relay this to Batman (yes, he’s still the Batman from issue #52, who has also been in the Mobius chair), an aging Thunderbolt (from the Justice Society), and to Barry Allen as well.
We get a glimpse of other well known characters and even newer ones — Jessica Cruz, Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle (came onto the scene in 2006). What Johns tries to enforce is that ‘if we have the power, we should use it for good’. Not only that, he uses the power of ‘love’ as a connecting force — with the speed force. This, to me, is unprecedented. What seemed to be missing with DC’s core line (namely Justice League) is the idea of hope, love and duty. This is an excellent message to reinforce along DC comics and what can be shoed in to finally help them start beating the elephant in the room — Marvel. And yes, this is doubly true when it comes to the future DC films — Geoff Johns will be DC’s own version of Marvel’s Kevin Feige. In other words, there will be one ‘overseer’ that aims to connect larger storylines so that a more concrete vision is adhered to.
I have digressed. So, the ultimate bad guy behind all of this? Dr. Manhattan. You read that right. The “Watchmen” comics will now be in the same universe as the rest of DC’s comics’ core line. What I found most interesting (although ‘Watchmen’ creator Alan Moore would say otherwise) is that this should have been done awhile ago. Make no mistake, Dr. Manhattan is an uber powerful being that can manipulate time. Not only that, he’s a highly conflicted being as he was once a human (he was Dr. Jon Osterman — nuclear physicist). His transformation/perspective distances himself from the entire concept of moral duty as he sees himself on a different plane of existence. To use the 
Pop Culture Crunch 