Features – BREAKING GEEK Radio: The Podcast

SPIDER-MAN in the MCU: The Ultimate Venom/Carnage “Trilogy”

Posted on February 18, 2017February 18, 2017 by Nick Doll in Avengers, Comics, Features, Marvel, Marvel's Spider-Man, MCU, Movies, Villains

For the longest time, I’ve had in my head the perfect, four movie plan for a Spider-Man story-arc that delivers fully fleshed-out origins for my favorite villains, Venom and Carnage, leaving them space to grow, breath, and become the arch-villains they are in the Comics. It’s likely said plan has been materializing in the back of my brain since 2007, the year Spider-Man 3 more-or-less ruined Venom by treating him like a third rate, rushed villain. The lesson learned was, you can’t have Peter Parker receive the Black Suit/Symbiote, reject in, and face Venom in a single film… and have it feel earned.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe offers the opportunity not just to revise crimes of Spider-Man films past, but also the unique chance to develop characters and arcs across multiple titles without “Spider-Man” in the title. Case in point, Tom Holland is confirmed to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Avengers: Infinity War, a movie that will feature the Webhead and possibly some of his world’s characters. Using shared films like Avengers titles is the process I’d use to keep a complete Venom story limited to an official trilogy, from establishing Spidey’s world and normal villains to facing Carnage alongside Venom in “MCU Spider-Man 3.” Of course, all this is mute unless Sony feels compelled to to share Venom with Disney owned Marvel Studios. At the moment Sony foolishly plan on making their own, standalone Venom movie, aside from the MCU and even the character Spider-Man (WTF?).

If rights were to be worked out, and Marvel Studios set forth to create the ultimate and complete Venom story-arc, here are the four parts to the story they would need to do it right… this time.

Part 1: Establish Spider-Man’s Everyday World and Villains in OG Suit Days.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7,2017)Peter Parker is already Spider-Man in the MCU; Captain America: Civil War made that clear and this time we didn’t need to witness Uncle Ben get shot! Spider-Man: Homecoming is an important step to Venom. We must first establish how a traditional, Earth-Bound Spider-Man villain, Michael Keaton’s Vulture in this case, threatens the traditional looking Spider-Man we know and love. Because, you can’t introduce the Black Suit in the establishing Spider-Man film! That’s crazy!

We already know a good deal of what to expect in July when Marvel Studios releases their Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the Black Suit and Venom are not among them. We are off to the right start in not jumping the gun! But… what if Homecoming does introduce Eddie Brock, who, of course, becomes Venom a few films down the line. In the Comics, Brock starts as a small-time criminal involved in bigger dealings than usual, ending up captured and incarcerated by Spider-Man. When Eddie Brock is a freed, he seeks to destroy Spider-Man, but he doesn’t have the means or the powers… until the Symbiote finds him. Introducing Brock as a henchman of Vulture’s would quickly plant the seed for an eventual appearance of Venom. It would also make one hell of an Easter Egg!

donald-glover-and-shocker-in-spider-man-homecoming — Donald Glover certainly looks to be playing a sinister fellow without the toys of his colleges, like this gentleman dressing like Shocker.

Though I recently wrote about casting Michael C. Hall as the MCU’s Ultimate Green Goblin, a traditional Eddie Brock is really the character I’ve always felt Hall was born to play. Since Homecoming is already shot and Michael C. Hall is very likely not in the film, who says Donald Glover isn’t playing Eddie Brock? In the first trailer, we see Glover keeping company with another Vulture henchman, implying Glover is playing a small-time criminal, sans cool toys. Some have surmised he may be playing Miles Morales’ uncle in order to set up a Spidey-Successor come contract negotiations. But, what if Glover’s our MCU Eddie Brock/Venom? Food for thought!

Part 2: Find the Black Suit in Space! Establish Its Great Power and Side Effects.

Avengers: Infinity War (May 4, 2018)/Untitled Avengers Film (May 3, 2019)In Spider-Man 3, Peter Parker found the alien Symbiote/Black Suit in his room… after it climbed into his bag… after it landed in Central Park next to him… on a meteorite… by complete chance. Whew! That’s a Shit-load of suspension of disbelief, even in a Superhero Film! In the comics, Spider-Man finds his black suit in outer-space during a cosmic battle during as Secret Wars. Guess where The Avengers (and Spider-Man) will be fighting in Avengers: Infinity War, Spidey’s 1st post-Homecoming film?

Infinity War and whatever Avengers Title follows will certainly have cosmic battle against Thanos, so actually picking up the Black Suit in outer-space is a real possibility in the MCU. Besides, The Avengers are going to need a secret weapon in the final fight against Thanos, part of which can be a super-super-powered Spider-Man with the added strength and abilities of the Symbiote. Then, towards the end of Untitled Avengers Film, just give us a hint at the side effects of wearing a living Alien Symbiote. Something along the lines of voices in Parker’s head.

Part 3: Ditch the Black Suit. Eddie Brock Becomes Main Villain… Venom!

Spider-Man: “Back In Black”* (July 5, 2019*)Finally, you’ve earned the actual Venom movie! Start with a 007/Indiana Jones-esque opening act with Spider-Man facing a classic villain from is rogue’s gallery… Eddie Brock should be involved and re-established. Give the villain a full act, not just 5 minutes like Rhino in Amazing Spider-Man 2. The villain is a red herring, as it’s all Peter Parker learning his Black Suit is influencing him in negative ways. Following his almost killing the villain, Parker desperately ditches the suit in that Church’s Bell Tower and Eddie Brock is below, fuming about Spider-Man, yet seeking forgiveness. The rest is history. Now you have at least half a film, if not more, for Spider-Man to face his ultimate villain/doppelganger… Venom!

Part 4: Carnage Is Spawned. Venom and Spider-Man Must Join Forces.

Spider-Man: “Maximum Carnage” (The Future?… Let’s Say 2022.)This Trilogy closer is sweet, sweet icing on the cake! If we’re already headed down the Venom path, it would be a shame to not also build to Carnage; we’ve done 90% of the leg-work already! Spider-Man catches the serial killer Cletus Kasady, who ends up sharing a cell with Eddie Brock. What remains of the Symbiote seeks out Brock, freeing him as Venom. A bit of the suit is left behind, spawning a child of Venom, Carnage, a new, more powerful Symbiote that affixes itself to a serial killer, not simply a small-time Spider-Man and Venom must eventually join forces to stop what we have finally reached… “Maximum Carnage.” What Spider-Man fan doesn’t want to see that?!?

* Invented titles and possible release dates.

The SPIDER-MAN Character The MCU Needs To Add Immediately! And Who Should Play Him!

Posted on October 31, 2016February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Avengers, Comics, Featured, Features, Marvel, Marvel's Spider-Man, MCU, Movies, Villains

Since the day the news broke that Spider-Man was joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, via a deal between Marvel and Sony, everyone has been fascinated with how Peter Parker would interact with The Avengers. Captain America: Civil War added fuel to the excitement-fire by revealing the first pieces of Spider-Man’s relationship with the likes of Iron Man and Captain America, and now people can’t wait for Web Head to meet other MCU legends like Hulk, Dr. Strange, and, most importantly, Rocket. It seems not enough thought has been dedicated to the prospect of how other characters from the “Spider-Verse” (aside from Peter and Aunt May) could be utilized to fill recurring roles across the MCU.

Such as, a legendary nemesis that originated as a strictly Spider-Man character and has since grown into more of an overall Marvel villain in the comics. Yes, we have seen Norman Osborn in both versions of the Spider-Man movie series, but stick with me here. I am NOT suggesting we bring in the Green Goblin at any point (though I would love to see him a few Spider-Man movies in); Norman Osborn, sans Goblin, could be a very effective cinematic threat for all the Earth-bound Avengers, based on his more recent comics history.

Norman Osborn with Marvel's Baddest Villains — Norman Osborn meets with other A-List Marvel Villains

These days, Norman Osborn has more in common with Lex Luthor than the Joker. Old school, full-on Green Goblin Norman murdered Gwen Stacy and obsessed over killing Spider-Man, much like Joker’s relationship with Batman. The version brought to life by Willem Dafoe in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man (2002) was a great adaptation of that older idea. The new version I suggest has greater aspirations and an agenda on a much larger scale. An MCU-wide threat.

We got a hint what a Green-Goblin-Free, more businessman-like Norman could look like in The Amazing Spider-Man films, though it was poorly done and never paid off. Norman Osborn wasn’t even cast in the 1st Amazing Spider-Man; he was the faceless puppeteer of the sinister Oscorp. In the MCU, such a move would be a step in the right direction, but I want to see him cast, right away! Like, “I wish he was a character already in Civil War.” Like 6 months ago “right away.” Look, Norman loomed large over Sam Raimi’s initial Spider-Man trilogy, with a talky-mirror scene in every film, and Oscorp was a huge part of The Amazing Spider-Man with Harry Osborn becoming the Goblin in the sequel, but we still need a 3rd version of Norman (we’ve had 3 Jokers and 3 Lex Luthors on thebig screen). But, to avoid overexposure of a 3rd reboot, he doesn’t even need to be a secondary villain or “boss” pulling the strings of a hired (or tricked) super-villain… at the start. I just want Marvel Studios to establish the fact that Norman Osborn clearly exists in their universe as soon as possible. Show us his new face. Because the moment we know he’s out there… the possibilities are endless.

Start small. Norman and Oscorp exist. Now… slowly extrapolate over the course of Phase 4, not limiting the character to Spider-Man solo films. Oscorp could become a more recognizable, shady company than Hammer Advanced Weapon Systems or A.I.M., but I would prefer to keep Norman Osborn completely separate from the overused Hydra. In fact, I would like to have him take over the role as primary thorn in The Avengers side. Comics Norman, like Lex Luthor, somehow manages to remain trusted enough by both the public and the government to be given the title and power of Iron Patriot as well as jurisdiction over his own team of “Dark Avengers.” Built up correctly, Norman Osborn could be the overarching threat, the “Hydra” if you will, the drives The Avengers through Phase 4 and beyond.But who should play the latest Mr. Norman Osborn? Let’s be real; NO ONE can top the aforementioned Willem Dafoe. I think his take is a better villain than any other we’ve seen since in the Marvel and DC movies. He’s not the best written villain, but something about Dafoe’s delicious performance makes him more dangerous, yet gleeful than Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger’s Joker, Tom Hiddleson’s Loki, and the rest. Unfortunately, no Studio likes to reuse actors in their reboots (as much as I’d also like to have J.K. Simmons back as J. Jonah Jameson), and Dafoe is tied up in the DC Extended Universe (as is Simmons!).

I’ve been saving this actor for my dream casting for another Spider-Man character, Eddie Brock, the 1st and most definite host to the Venom symbiote. But, with a rumored Venom film independent of Spider-Man on the way from Sony and the problems the character had in Spider-Man 3, it’s actually less likely that we will see Brock than Norman. So… I nominate… Michael C. Hall (Dexter) for your MCU Norman Osborn!

Think about it. Hall could play intimidating, likable but slimy businessman Norman, no problem! And, if need be, he can go full “Dexter’s-inner-monologue crazy” if his role is evolved to full villain. Which hopefully, it is. Because if Norman can’t pay off as Iron Patriot due to prior MCU story-lines, I’d love to see the Goblin and his own team eventually face The Avengers… or he can just act big across the MCU as Norman and just pester Spider-Man as Goblin in a sequel to Homecoming… or we can forget the Green Goblin all together… I just want some God-Damn Norman Osborn in my MCU! Right away!

Thanks, Marvel Studios. You’re a peach!

Geek Vs Nerd: Is There A Difference?

Posted on October 16, 2016February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Movies, TV Shows

Geeks and Nerds. What is the difference? Is there a difference? Let’s find out!

These days, Geeks are all the rage. You hear “Geek” far more often than “Nerd,” but people like to classify as one or the other… or use them interchangeably. Are we in the era of Geek Culture or Nerd Culture? Does it matter?

Google’s definition of Geek is:

Noun

An unfashionable or socially inept person.

A carnival performer who performs wild or disgusting acts.

Verb

Engage in or discuss computer-related tasks obsessively or with great attention to technical detail

“We all geeked out for a bit and exchanged ICQ/MSN/AOL/website information.”

Be or become extremely excited or enthusiastic about a subject, typically one of specialist or minority interest.

“I am totally geeking out over this upcoming film.”

Meanwhile, the official definition of Nerd:

Noun

A foolish or contemplative person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious.

“One of those nerds who never asked a girl to dance.”

A single-minded expert in a particular technical field.

“A computer nerd.”

Carnival Performers are obviously not what I am referring to when I self-identify as a Geek, but to “be or become extremely excited or enthusiastic about a subject, typically one of specialist or minority interest” is spot on. “I am totally Geeking out over this upcoming film,” might as well be my mantra! The definition of Nerd eerily similar, as if there is no difference, also referring to someone who is “single-minded expert.” Google uses the example of “a computer nerd,” but is that really any different than “a computer geek?”

The other part of the definition applies to both sides as well: A Geek is “unfashionable or socially inept person” while a Nerd “lacks social skills.”In this millennium, from my experience, Nerd still has the potential to come across as a slightly derogatory term, while being a Geek is celebrated, especially as Geek Culture (Superheroes, Star Trek, Harry Potter, etc) has become the most mainstream form of cinema, with millennials (myself included) wearing all sorts of references to their favorite Geek Culture right on their T-Shirts. Loads of people self-identify as Nerds, obviously embracing the classification, just as I prefer Geek. Yet, I can still picture a jock calling someone a “Nerd” as an insult (maybe that’s a residual effect of my High School experience over 10 years ago). I’m sure “Geek” could also be used as an insult by a “mouth breather,” but Geek does seem to be the more accepted term nowadays.

My personal definition before writing this article was that a Nerd meant someone who was really smart, either in Science, Math or with Computers, while a Geek applied to someone with an obsession over something… anything really. For me, Geek is all about obsession; not just limited to traditionally “Geeky” culture like comics, Sci-Fi, computers, etc. In my mind, If you don’t play Football, but you’re obsessed with stats and play Fantasy Football, you’re a Sports Geek! No matter how “manly” or mainstream the subject, if you’re obsessed with anything, you’re a Geek! I would now also accept the classification of “Nerd” in the exact same context.My final conclusion is that, if there is, indeed, a line between Geek and Nerd, it is incredibly blurred. Whether you identify as a Geek or a Nerd, it’s up to you! And if a Neanderthal does call you a “Geek” or a “Nerd” in malice, own it! We’re all one or the other… All of us are geeky/nerdy over something.

And all are welcome here, at Breaking Geek!

Casting Swamp Thing and Etrigan the Demon in JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK (aka ‘DARK UNIVERSE’)

Posted on August 29, 2016February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Comics, DC, Features, Lists, Movies

Justice League Dark is coming! The live-action DCEU film, currently titled Dark Universe, brings together the most powerful users of magic in the DC Universe to fight a threat the normal Justice League can’t fight, or even comprehend. I’ve already decided to cast Matt Ryan as Constantine the Hellblazer, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Zatanna the magician, and Armie Hammer as Deadman the… well… literal dead man (a ghost!), in my last post. But now, my friends, it is time to decide who is best suited to play JLD’s least human characters, Swamp Thing and Etrigan the Demon!

Part of the fun with these last two characters is that their creation will rely heavily on CGI or extreme make-up effects. Because, well, Constantine wears a coat and tie, Zatanna has fishnet stockings, and Deadman is just a pale, ghostly while bald gentleman, while these other two are literal monsters. And while Matt Ryan is a complete unknown for most, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Armie Hammer have yet to carry a blockbuster of this size, this time I present two incredibly bankable movie stars to set Warner Brothers’ mind at ease.

Etrigan the Demon/ Jason Blood – Idris ElbaThe NEW 52 rewrote Etrigan The Demon’s history a bit, and it’s safe to assume that any big screen version of the character will stick closer to DC’s most recent iteration. Etrigan worked for Lucifer himself before the dark ages, eventually leading a revolution against the Fallen One. Meanwhile, Jason Blood was a scribe for Merlin (yes, the Merlin of Camelot), unhappy with his life; both full of rage and a desire to amount to greater things. For reasons that are too intricate to go into here, Merlin and Lucifer decided to merge Etrigan and Jason. A little like Bruce Banner and the Hulk, the two sides learn to coexist… eventually, as they are immortal. Etrigan has belonged to groups like Justice League Dark over the centuries, including the “Demon Knights,” who he attempted to betray to earn back favor with Lucifer. Things didn’t exactly go Etrigan’s way, as he was sealed beneath London by his “teammates” until the modern day, when he will surely be unearthed just in time to save the day (or betray JLD and become the main villain, Enchantress style). The little information on Dark Universe we have suggests that whatever evil Justice League Dark faces comes from Etrigan’s past, centuries before the likes of John Constantine and Zatanna were born.

As alluded to, sometimes Etrigan appears as a horned demon with fangs and claws, though when Jason Blood, he is all too human. Etrigan has super strength than can match Wonder Woman or Superman. His powers don’t end there; he’s a nasty cocktail of magic with telepathy, precognition, and super speed, able to produce energy blasts and breath fire like a dragon. His healing factor would make Wolverine jealous, and he actually takes pain as pleasure, so he can take quite the lickin’ and keep on tickin’. When in human form, Jason shares some of these abilities including precognition and telepathy, and is quite skilled at hand-to-hand combat.

Now, you could go full CG with Etrigan, but I think a more fitting approach would be heavy make-up and prosthetics, in the vein of Hellboy or Suicide Squad‘s Killer Croc. You need someone with a big frame, who can pull off the physicality, act through heavy make-up, and bring both characters an old soul. Ron Pearlman, who played Hellboy, is way too on the nose, but I was inspired by another movie that required heavy make-up, Star Trek Beyond. Idris Elba is the perfect size to bring Etrigan to life, especially if he goes on one of those world famous superhero work-outs & diet. And, yeah, you’d do him up in a similar way to his character Krall from Beyond, only with horns and bigger claws. Then, let Idris Elba do what he does best; act the shit out of this role! As Jason Blood, Elba would also impress; a very world weary man who has seen centuries pass. Is it also too on the nose because of the similarities to Krall in Star Trek Beyond? Maybe, but it’s also perfect casting; Elba’s done it before and who doesn’t want to see him appear in a superhero horror film?

Swamp Thing – Liam NeesonMaybe even more so than John Constantine, Swamp Thing is the most well known character in Justice League Dark. After all, only these two have had live action movies AND TV shows starring them. Swamp Thing and Constantine both originated in Vertigo Comics, kind of a harder, darker version of DC, before being brought into the fold of the greater DC Universe. Swamp Thing was created in 1971, but mastermind Alan Moore (‘Watchmen,’ ‘The Killing Joke’) breathed new life into the character in the 1980’s, also creating Constantine in the pages of ‘Swamp Thing.’

More or less, Swamp Thing was a man who has lost his human self in the form of a plant monster, but unlike Etrigan/Jason Blood there is no returning to human form for poor Mr. Thing (this does make him more like Marvel’s The Thing from Fantastic Four, and less like the Hulk). Though he sometimes pines for his lost humanity, Swamp Thing has a special connection to “The Green” (basically the life force of nature) and does whatever he can to protect it. His interests line up with whatever is best for The Green, and not mankind, so Constantine usually has to trick Swamp Thing to gain his assistance. Swamp Thing can inhabit any sort of body grown from plants and is able to heal himself quickly through his connection to The Green. He can also transport himself nearly instantly through nature, across the globe if need be, growing a new body on the other end. He’s nearly as strong as Etrigan the Demon and can control any form or plant life, using it as a weapon, akin to Poison Ivy. He is weakened when removed completely from nature.

Sure, you could just grab a Mo-Cap actor like Andy Serkis to voice and move like Swamp Thing, but even though it is kind of essential that this character go CG rather than heavy make-up, I would still like to cast an actor with the physicality and voice to bring Swamp Thing to life. Liam Neeson seems perfect. Have him throw on a gravely voice, and move like a giant mesh of plants, almost like a more stocky Groot. Unlike Groot, DC should use motion capture; just because Liam Neeson has never done it before, doesn’t mean he can’t give it a go, as even Independent Movie darling Mark Ruffalo has a blast acting like the Hulk in silly Mo-Cap pajamas. Sure, WB won’t be super stoked with casting Neeson only to never show his face, but that’s the modern age of movie making, folks!

I wanted to include a bonus casting or two, but alas, we’ve run out of time. I will leave you with this… how about Daniel Craig as Frankenstein? Though it is unlikely we will see this character in Dark Universe, Frankenstein’s monster himself is sometimes a member of JLD… and he carries a big fucking sword. Daniel Craig has the right look!

Casting JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK (aka ‘DARK UNIVERSE’) – Constantine, Zatanna, and Deadman

Posted on August 28, 2016February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Comics, DC, Features, Lists, Movies

Justice League Dark is coming to the DCEU (DC Extended Universe)!… Though it may be titled Dark Universe, in order to avoid confusion among the uninitiated, who may mistakenly think the team is literally a “dark/evil” version of the Justice League. In reality, JLD is group of magically inclined individuals (NOT Superheros, if you listen to John Constantine) who have to come together to save the world from villains who also deal with magic and the occult… like Enchantress (who you already saw in Suicide Squad). These are the sorts of villains that are literally out of Superman’s league. Originally developed by Guillermo del Toro, who was the ideal director for this magical mix of Dr. Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy (forget Suicide Squad), and the horror genre, Doug Liman is now at the helm (Edge of Tomorrow, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity), after jumping the ship on Fox’s X-Men spinoff, Gambit.Similar to the Avengers and Task Force X (aka the “Suicide Squad”), Justice League Dark has a rotating cast of characters, unlike Justice League which really hasn’t changed much in 20 years. That being said, we’re told to expect the following characters in Dark Universe: fan favorites John Constantine (aka the Hellblazer) & Swamp Thing, Zatanna, Deadman, and Etrigan the Demon. Other members in the comic have included Katana (played by Karen Fukuhara in Suicide Squad), Frankenstein’s Monster (really!), Vampire Andrew Bennett (from the comic, ‘I, Vampire’), Madame Xanadu, Black Orchid, and Shade the Changing Man, among several others.

Here we’ll focus on dream casting for the “confirmed” (assumed?) five Justice League Dark members: Constantine, Swamp Thing, Zatanna, Deadman, and Etrigan the Demon. I’ll tell you a bit about each character and suggest who the perfect actor is to play the role!

John Constantine – Matt RyanJohn Constantine is a charming, blond, Irishman, a mage, warlock, and self proclaimed “Master of the Dark Arts.” He’s also a womanizer (though he is bi-sexual), a scoundrel, a cheat, a drunk, a chain-smoker, and really not much of a leader… though he is the unofficial face of Justice League Dark.

Constantine’s childhood origin has been retold many times, but always results in some sort of grisly, demon related death of his parents. Part of a band in his early 20’s, Constantine began to research magic and the occult with his band-mates and friends, quickly becoming adept at all sorts of sorcery and exorcisms before he knew the cost. Constantine is scarred after accidentally damning a close friend’s girl, Astra, to hell during a botched exorcism. He lives on borrowed time, himself being damned to Hell as a result of the Astra incident, trying to make good in an attempt to save his soul. He fights demons and other more nefarious mages, defeating them often at the cost of the lives or souls of those he loves. Like any good”Superhero Team” (again, don’t use the “S” word in front of Constantine), expect these characters to butt heads; none of them are exactly team players. That being said, Constantine would be the 1st to stab any of his teammates in the back, or play them without laying out his plan, or strike out on his own all together.When the chips fall though, John will sacrifice himself to save those he loves, if he hasn’t lost them already.

The thing is, we already have the definitive John Constantine, Matt Ryan, who played the Hellblazer in the 2014/2015 NBC show, Constantine. Though not a movie star you can sell a movie on (Marvel keeps proving you don’t need movie stars to sell a great concept like this), I once ranked Matt Ryan’s casting as the most accurate to the comic of all the superhero movies and TV shows. He’s bloody perfect! He’s got the charm, he’s a bit of an oddball, and he really commits the the absurdity of casting a spell in Latin… and he looks exactly like the character. Ryan has returned to play Constantine in an episode of Arrow, as well as the upcoming Warner Bros. Animation Original Movie, Justice League Dark (yes, an animated version of the comic is also on the horizon). He was del Toro’s 1st choice for the role when del Toro was still planning to direct and there is a lot of pressure from Constantine fans online, for good reason.

Runner-Up: Colin Farrell I only include one because WB, who has relied more on established stars than Marvel, may balk at the idea of casting Ryan as their lead. Colin Ferrell has been mentioned many times, and he’s a solid second choice; another charming Irishman with a dark side. We’ve just go to bleach his hair!

Zatanna – Mary Elizabeth WinsteadZatanna is a powerful magician, both of the performing variety and kind you don’t want to mess with in a magic fight. Unlike Constantine, her powers are genetic; her father was a world famous magician and his disappearance/death ties into her origin. In the comics she was once a member of the actual Justice League, though this is very unlikely to be explored in the DCEU. Zatanna’s also has a romantic history with Constantine, which is likely to be included in the film. He’s burned her (not literally), bad, as he does with everyone in his life. Whenever John betrays the team or goes off on his own, it is Zatanna who picks up the slack. You could make the argument she is the leader of the Justice League Dark, more-so than Constantine.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane, Live Free or Die Hard) really fits the bill as Zatanna. Resembling your comic counterpart isn’t a requirement these days, but it doesn’t hurt. Winstead is a rising star, already appearing in another underrated comic adaptation, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World. She could play a strong, confident heroine who can hold her own against Constantine and whatever evil lurks in Dark Universe. Zatanna is also the optimist, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead seems like the perfect combo of all these things.

Deadman/ Boston Brand – Armie HammerBoston Brand, like Dick Grayson, the original Robin, was a trapeze artist, but unlike Dick, he’s dead. Get it? “Deadman!” He’s a ghost who can possess both friend and foe, either to control them or simply root through their brain to get the information he needs. Only those skilled in magic, like the members of Justice League Dark and his foes, can even see him. Deadman does whatever a ghost can; walk through walls, go fully invisible, and even fly. Being a former acrobat, he’s pretty handy in a fight, whether it’s against a supernatural spirit or even a goon on the street… if he’s possessing said goon’s friend.

Though all the members of Justice League Dark have a… well… dark side, Boston is the quickest to crack a smile, and not a sadistic grin like Constantine. Casting Deadman is tricky, because you could go any direction. If you went old, he basically looks like Bruce Willis, and I also considered someone with more of a background in comedy, like Donald Glover.In the end I’m going with Armie Hammer (The Social Network, Lone Ranger, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.). Hammer wowed audiences with his portrayal of the Mark Zuckerberg’s nemeses, the Winklevoss twins, but his blockbusters just haven’t clicked with audiences. I personally love The Lone Ranger and think Hammer deserves yet another shot. He can do serious and still be a little silly. Maybe a team movie where he doesn’t have to carry all the weight is what’s best for him at this point (he was cast in George Miller’s Justice League film before the Writers’ Strike killed it). Besides, who’s going to argue about a ghost with a perfect jawline?

This article is getting long in the tooth, but I still have perhaps the two most interesting characters yet to cast, Swamp Thing and Etrigan the Demon, which will both require some sort of CG or extreme make-up to pull off. Who knows, maybe next time I’ll throw in a bonus character or two, like Black Orchid or Frankenstein.

Did STAR TREK BEYOND Reference SPACED?

Posted on July 22, 2016February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Movies, Star Trek, TV Shows

“Skip to the end.”

Though not a term exclusive to the 1999 UK television series Spaced, the phrase quickly became one of the show’s running jokes, being recited throughout both seasons frequently and even serving as the name of the Documentary about the making of Simon Pegg’s breakout show.

Spaced was created & written by Jessica Hynes (who also appeared in Shaun of the Dead and voiced a character in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and Simon Pegg (Scotty in current Star Trek), who also starred as the show’s two leads. Simon Pegg also wrote Star Trek Beyond, so it seems like more than just a coincidence when Captain Jim T. Kirk (Chris Pine) utters the line in the 3rd act of the film.

Kirk tells either Spock to “Skip to the End” as he rattles off Sci-Fi jargon. As a big fan of Spaced I immediately thought of the show when Kirk uttered the classic line, even without the thick accent and 2 second speed.Spaced referenced Star Wars and Star Trek all the time as it was a show about failing professionals in their early twenties that happened to be geeky stoners. It was also the first time I had heard the theory that only the even numbered Star Trek films are good, as explained by Simon Pegg’s character Tim Bisley:

“I mean, it’s a fact, sure as day follows night, sure as eggs is eggs, sure as every odd-numbered Star Trek movie is shit.”

Skip to the end!

Fine. If you haven’t seen Spaced and are a fan of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, or World’s End, you really should, as that show was a testing ground for much of the humor that followed in the films. The show and all three movies were also directed by Edgar Wright. And apparently watched by Captain Kirk centuries later.

A Layman’s Guide To The Returning Characters In CIVIL WAR: #TeamIronMan

Posted on May 12, 2016February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Age of Ultron, Avengers, Captain America, Civil War, Features, Lists, Marvel, Marvel's Spider-Man, MCU, Movies

If you are going to see Captain America: Civil War this weekend, or if you’re trying to figure out a few Civil War moments after seeing the film, and you haven’t memorized all the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films like myself; this catch-up will help you better understand the film’s many character threads and relationships!

This time it’s all #TeamIronMan (Read #TeamCap Guide HERE); those that alley with Tony Stark or share his viewpoints about the Sokovia Accords. Why is Tony Stark so guilty? Haven’t we seen William Hurt in these films before? What’s Vision’s deal again, Age of Ultron was so confusing!?!

Never fear! I’m here for you with a guide to all the returning players in Captain America: Civil War, from Iron Man to Thunderbolt Ross (Yes, William Hurt is a returning actor!). NO SPOILERS for Civil War. Many Spoilers for any earlier MCU film including the character we’re discussing.

Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)Movies He’s In: Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron

Powers: Super Intelligence allowing him to design weaponized suits allowing him flight, super-strength, and a wealth of weapons.

His Story So Far: Tony Stark has a lot to feel guilty for. As he admits to in the opening of Iron Man 3, he creates his own demons. He was the 1st Avenger made public in the modern age. He feels like he started it all, as he says in Age of Ultron.

Going into 2008’s Iron Man, Stark Industries was mainly a weapons manufacturer; that is until Tony Stark found himself wounded by one of the weapons his company produced. With shrapnel headed toward his heart, Stark invents a small version of the Arc Reactor, which keeps the shrapnel from reaching his heart. Not content with this, Tony utilizes the power of the Arc Reactor to power his Iron Man suits, of which he’s had over 45 since the 1st film. He also scrapped the weapons program at Stark Industries due to guilt over the death of American soldiers, killed with the very weapons he created.

All of Stark’s enemies seem to be a creation of his actions, from those responding to his tech, to those challenging his power, or even those he screwed over in the past. We’re talking his old mentor Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger (Iron Man), Ivan Vanko/Whiplash & Justin Hammer (Iron Man 2), and Aldrich Killian (Iron Man 3). And that’s before we even get to Ultron!

Stark has experienced a lot since he announced to the world he was Iron Man, including great trauma following the Battle of New York in which he had to fly a nuclear bomb through an alien wormhole to save Earth (the one problem he didn’t create). He’s guilty over Stark Industries weapons, those he’s screwed who have become enemies (like Aldrich Killian), and most importantly, his creation of Ultron; an artificial intelligence that attempts to destroy the world by using the European City of Sokovia as a meteor. His guilt runs even deeper than that, based on the vision Scarlet Witch shows him in Age of Ultron, he’s convinced he will fail the Avengers, leading to their deaths and the impending invasion of Earth (Thanos is out there, ya’ll).

Such guilt leads to stupid decisions like creating Ultron, who ended up destroying Sokovia with countless civilian lives lost. By the end of Age of Ultron, Tony “retires” again, hoping to live a quiet life with his girlfriend and head of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts. This after destroying all his suits in Iron Man 3 and having the Arc Reactor removed from his chest as a sign of good faith towards Pepper.

Finally, it is worth noting Tony has had a rocky relationship with his father, Howard Stark, who served along with Captain America during WWII and founded S.H.I.E.L.D. with Peggy Carter.

War Machine/James Rhodes (Don Cheadle)Movies He’s In: Iron Man (played by Terrance Howard), Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3 (as Iron Patriot), Avengers: Age of Ultron

Powers: Not a scientific genius, but a well trained soldier in a suit with just as many weapons (if not more) as Iron Man.

His Story So Far: James Rhodes is a Colonel in the US Airforce and a long time friend of Tony Stark (long before Stark became Iron Man). Rhodes eventually got an Iron Man suit of his own when he stole one of Tony’s in Iron Man 2, only to have it retrofitted with more weapons by Justin Hammer. Since then, he’s also been Iron Patriot, assisting Stark in defeating supervillains in both Iron Man 2 & 3, no matter his suit’s name. Unlike Stark, he starts as an officially sanctioned Military Weapon flying hundreds of missions for the US Government: he’s a soldier at heart, like Steve Rogers (albeit, with different outlooks on modern day governing bodies). He was even given the opportunity to help the Avengers at the Battle of Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron, becoming a full fledged member of Captain America’s New Avengers by the end of the film.

Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlet Johansson) Movies She’s In: Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Powers: Perhaps S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most lethal agent, she is extremely skilled in hand to hand combat. Also has “Stingers,” weapons that literally shock the enemy.

Her Story So Far: Black Widow is always the double Agent. Guilty over her past as an assassin, she has defected to S.H.I.E.L.D. after S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Clint Barton/Hawkeye recruited her instead of killing her on a mission. She has shown loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. and after its collapse, Steve Rogers/Captain America. She was on the run with him after he was made a wanted man in The Winter Soldier, and she helped bring down the Hydra infected S.H.I.E.L.D. by dumping all its secrets onto the internet (“It’s trending.”).

Black Widow has always been a full fledged member of the Avengers, including in Age of Ultron, where she helped save the world,again, at the expense of Sokovia which was blown to smithereens. Black Widow has had close relationships with Hawkeye and Steve Rogers, but the only one she’s truly shown affection for was Bruce Banner, who disappeared after the events of Ultron.

Vision (Paul Bettany)Movies He’s In: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Powers: Like Scarlet Witch, his powers are hard to lock down. He’s a “Synthetic,” with elements of Jarvis and Ultron’s psyche, powered by the “life respecting” Mind Stone on his forehead. Can phase in and out of physical forms to pass through walls and people, and can shoot a laser of sorts from his Mind Gem. Oh… and he can fly/hover.

His Story So Far: Paul Bettany started by playing JARVIS in Iron Man 1, 2, & 3, The Avengers, and even the beginning of Age of Ultron. JARVIS is Tony Stark’s program (not quite artificial intelligence) that runs his lab and his suits, named after his father, Howard Stark’s Butler. He’s been comic relief and a sort of sidekick for Stark since Iron Man (2008), becoming a weird combo of JARVIS’ personality, Ultron’s intelligence, and the Mind Stone’s power in the form of a “Synthetic” (robot of sorts) super being that has the already mentioned abilities.

Vision’s powers come from the Mind Stone, which was originally cased in Loki’s staff, also used to give Scarlet With her abilities. Based on that and his rescue of Scarlet Witch in Age of Ultron, the two share a close kinship; neither sure of the origin of their powers or their limits. Though he’s the only being, besides Thor, “worthy” enough to lift that Hammer, showing his attentions are good, he struggles to fit in with his “human” counterparts and makes his decisions entirely based on the loss of life. He is even regretful when killing Ultron, only doing it because he believes in life, knowing Ultron wishes to extinguish it.

General Thunder Bolt Ross (William Hurt)Movies He’s In: The Incredible Hulk

Powers: Formally a General hellbent on stopping Bruce Banner/The Hulk, now he has the political powers that come with being the Secretary of State.

His Story So Far: Yes, Thunderbolt Ross is finally back; the 1st time since 2008’s Incredible Hulk. A General in that film, Ross is known for his hatred of The Hulk, especially since his daughter was dating Bruce Banner at the time of his “accident,” that turned Banner into a raging green monster.

While he doesn’t fight along #TeamIronMan, as you’ve seen in the trailers, Ross is now the Secretary of the State forcing the Sokovia Accords on The Avengers, who he sees as vigilantes now that S.H.I.E.L.D. and The World Security Council are gone.

Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) NO SPOILERS!Movies He’s In: 0!

Powers: Does whatever a spider can!

His Story So Far: This is a new Spider-Man! Don’t expect Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield! The MCU has a brand new Spider-Man, with none of the events in Sam Raimi’s three Spider-Man films or the two Amazing Spider-Mans having any impact on this Captain America: Civil War. We all know his backstory: bit by a radioactive Spider, letting Uncle Ben die by not taking action in a robbery… that’s all you need to know!

Black Panther/T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) NO SPOILERS!Movies He’s In: 0!

Powers: Wait and see!

His Story So Far: Nada! Zilch! This is a brand new character you’ve never seen on the screen before. So I won’t say anything here, except… be prepare for something amazing!

Pepper Pots (Gweneth Paltrow)Movies She’s In: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3.

Powers: None (anymore, she was kick-ass in Iron Man 3!). Tony Stark’s girlfriend and head of Stark Industries.

Her Story So Far: From Tony Stark’s Personal Assistant to head of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts has come a long way. While Iron Man avoided having the two hook up, in Iron Man 2 Tony and Pepper finally kissed… and the rest is history. In Iron Man 3, Potts was bothered by Tony Stark’s obsession with his suits, leading him to destroy them all at the end. But since then, he’s not only came out of retirement in Age of Ultron, he created a robot that tried to wipe out the human race… you fill in the blanks…

Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, Jon Slattery)Movies He’s In: Iron Man 2 (Slattery), Captain America: The First Avenger (Cooper), Ant-Man (Slattery), Agent Carter (ABC TV Show – Cooper)

Powers: Smarter than his son? Creator of Captain America’s Vibranium Shield.

His Story So Far: Neither #TeamCap, nor #TeamIronMan, just an important character from each hero’s past. After helping Steve Rogers during WWII and becoming and alley to Peggy Carter even after Captain America was lost (for 70 years), Howard was a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. And… he was kind of a dick to his son. In Iron Man 2 he is shown as a father that cared more about his work than his son, while in Ant-Man shows him as a S.H.I.E.L.D. leader who desperately wants the OG Ant-Man, Hank Pym, to join S.H.I.E.L.D./give up his technology. That’s why Hank Pym instills in new Ant-Man, Scott Lang, that you never trust a Stark!

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) & The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)Movie’s They’re In: Doesn’t matter! They’re MIA in Captain America: Civil War!

There you go, between this article and that about #TeamCap, you should know all you need to know about every returning character in Captain America: Civil War!

You’re welcome.

A Layman’s Guide To The Returning Characters In CIVIL WAR: #TeamCap

Posted on May 12, 2016February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Avengers, Captain America, Civil War, Features, Lists, Marvel, MCU, Movies

Captain America: Civil War is a bona fide hit! It made $179.1 Million opening weekend, Critics love it, and I love it! If you are going to see Civil War this weekend, or if you’re trying to figure out a few Civil War moments after seeing the film, and you haven’t memorized all the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films like myself; this catch-up will help you better understand the film’s many character threads and relationships.

We’ll start with #TeamCap; those that alley with Steve Rogers or are tied to the Captain America films (like Brock Rumlow). Why did Ant-Man and Falcon have that exchange? Why is Bucky such a polarizing a figure? Who is that burned dude? Haven’t I seen that Blond Agent before? What’s Scarlet Witch’s deal again, Age of Ultron was so confusing!?!

Never fear! I’m here for you with a guide to all the returning players in Captain America: Civil War, from Captain America to Agent 13. NO SPOILERS for Civil War. Many Spoilers for any earlier MCU film including the character we’re discussing.

Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans)Movies He’s In: Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World (sort of…), Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron

Powers: Super strength, enhanced reflexes, fast metabolism/healing (the man can’t get drunk), leadership skills, superhuman morality (I say that counts), a Shield made of the strongest metal on Earth, Vibranium.

His Story So Far: Steve Rogers was too scrawny to serve with his life-long friend Bucky in WWII, so he underwent an experiment in which a “Super Soldier Serum” not only made him the beefiest Avenger, but taller (along with the powers listed above)! After rescuing Bucky from the hands of Hydra, the two proved their bond was just as strong on the battlefield as it was growing up. Now known as Captain America, Steve Rogers receives his Vibranium Shield from Tony Stark’s father, Howard, a friend of his during the Great War. During the events of The First Avenger, Steve Rogers watches Bucky plummet to his assumed death. Rogers defeats the head of Hydra, Red Skull, stopping his attempt to to conquer the planet. In the process, Captain America crashes into the Arctic and is frozen for 70 years.

Captain America is awakened in an age of superheros (or “the enhanced”) in which a man with a weaponized suit of armor, a giant green monster, and an Alien with God-like powers are all known to the world. Under the direction of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., the four heroes are brought together with two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to form The Avengers, just in time to stop an alien invasion. Though the aliens are dead, New York is decimated by damage from the battle. Even in saving the world, Steve Rogers has reservations about organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D and the World Security Council which governs it.

Following the climatic Battle of New York in The Avengers, Steve Rogers finds himself as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., carrying out missions for Nick Fury and his bosses, Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) and the World Security Council. While working for S.H.I.E.L.D. Rogers comes to blows with The Winter Soldier, a Hydra Agent who has been carrying out assassinations for the evil organization for years. Captain America learns that the Winter Soldier is actually Bucky, who survived the fall during WWII due to Hydra experimenting on him, was given a metal arm, brainwashed, and was frozen and then unfrozen for decades to carry out said assassinations. Cap also learns that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been Hydra all along (more or less), lead by Alexander Pierce who is himself controlling the Winter Soldier/Brain-Washed Bucky. With the help of allies including Black Widow, Sam Wilson/Falcon, Agent 13, and Nick Fury, Captain America destroys three automated Helicarriers that are targeting all of Hydra’s potential enemies. In the process, his team sends all three flying ships crashing into Washington DC below, with many casualties. Pierce is brought down, but not before killing the World Security Council and leading to the end of S.H.I.E.L.D. In the finale, The Winter Soldier and Steve Rogers fight, the latter refusing to kill his old friend in hopes he will remember him. In the end, Bucky does save Rogers from drowning, before disappearing without a trace. Let’s just say the whole process cemented Rogers’ concerns about government organizations and their control

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America fights alongside his old teammates to defeat the evil Artificial Intelligence, Ultron, created by Tony Stark and bent on destroying the human race. Rogers and The Avengers stop Ultron, but at the expense of a European City known as Sokovia. The death toll in Sokovia is higher than ever and by the end of the film Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, and Tony Stark/Iron Man leave the team in favor of Steve Rogers’ led “New Avegners,” made up of Black Widow, War Machine, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, and Vision.

The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)Movies He’s In: Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Powers: Super strength, a metal arm that can even deflect bullets.

His Story So Far: Bucky Barnes grew up with Steve Rogers before he was Captain America, being the only one there for his friend when Steve lost his parents. Enlisting without his scrawny friend, Bucky’s unit is captured by Hydra. Captain America rescues his old friend, but not before Hydra’s best scientist, Dr. Armin Zola, experiments on poor Bucky. Bucky serves alongside Rogers in a unit known as The Howling Commandos, until he falls from a train-car into a canyon with a freezing river.

Bucky is rescued by Hydra, who experiment on him further, replacing a limb he lost in his fall with a metal arm. Now The Winter Solider, he is brainwashed and used by Hydra as an assassin for decades, kept in cryosleep between missions. Eventually, The Winter Soldier battles his old friend, Steve Rogers/Captain America, confused when he is called Bucky. The Winter Soldier is brainwashed again and sent to prevent Captain America and his allies from crippling Hydra’s Helicarriers. The two old friends fight, and with Steve Rogers refusing to kill his old friend, he is defeated and plunges into the water below. The Winter Soldier rescues Steve Rogers, and though at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we do not know what Buck remembers as we see him inspecting his own memorial in the Smithsonian’s Captain America Exhibit.

Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie)Movies He’s In: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man

Powers: Special Flight Suit that resembles a Falcon, with wings that can act as a Shield, and googles which increase his eye sight.

His Story So Far: In The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson is a Veteran who meets Steve Rogers, and the pair quickly become friends. When Captain America learns S.H.I.E.L.D. is actually Hydra, he seeks out Wilson as his number of allies are limited. Falcon more than pulls his weight, taking down one of the Helicarriers, before having his wing ripped off and being thrown from a Helicarrier by the Winter Soldier. Falcon survives the fall and fights Hydra Agent Brock Rumlow in the S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ building, winning only when the building collapses and he escapes!

In Age of Ultron, Sam Wilson is carrying on the search for Bucky following the events of The Winter Soldier. At the end of the film though, Falcon is revealed to be one of Captain America’s New Avengers. Finally, in Ant-Man, Falcon is beaten by Scott Lang/Ant-Man while trying to defend the New Avengers Compound. Wilson takes note of the tiny Superhero, in case he is ever needed to assist the Avengers.

Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner)Movies He’s In: Thor, The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron

Superpowers: Best character with a bow and arrow in the history of cinema (suck it, Legolas and Katniss!). Also has a variety of arrows for many uses.

His Story So Far: Hawkeye is a former S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent who served with the Avengers in both the 1st film and Age of Ultron. In Ultron, he is saved by Scarlet Witch’s brother, Quicksilver at the cost of Quicksilver’s life. For this reason and the pep talk he gave Scarlet Witch during the battle that destroyed Sokovia, he has become closer to her than perhaps anyone but Vision. Clint Barton has a secret family kept even off S.H.I.E.L.D.’s books which he retires to at the end of Age of Ultron.

Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen)Movies She’s In: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (post-credits scene), Avengers: Age of Ultron

Powers: The true limits of Scarlet Witch’s powers are unknown. She is able to move objects with her mind, create telekinetic shields, and induce crippling images of your worst nightmare.

Her Story So Far: Wanda Maximoff and her brother volunteered to be experimented on by Hydra after a bomb made by Stark Industries kills her parents. Using Loki’s Staff from The Avengers, she and her brother are the only survivors of Hydra’s experiment, endowed with extraordinary powers making them the newest “Enhanced.” Due to their hate for Stark, “The Twins” team with Ultron until Scarlet Witch realizes his goal is to destroy the world. Siding with The Avengers, she helps defeat Ultron, but at the cost of her brother’s life and her entire city, Sokovia.

Wanda shares a special relationship with Vision because their powers both come from the same place; Loki’s Staff revealed to be the Mind Stone. She also sees Hawkeye as a sort of mentor after his speech to her during the Battle of Sokovia. By the end of Age of Ultron, Scarlet Witch is a member of the New Avengers.

Ant-Man/Scott Lang (Paul Rudd)Movies He’s In: Ant-Man

Powers: The ability to shrink and return to normal size instantly at the push of a button, with extreme super-strength and speed when tiny. Can also “control”Ants with his helmet.

His Story So Far: Scott Lang is a known felon, recruited by the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, to take up his mantle and save the world. Ant-Man fights Falcon and wins, when he is sent to the Avengers compound to steal some Stark Tech. Taught by Hank Pym never to trust a Stark, Lang still hears through the grapevine at the end of the film that there may be an Avenger interested in recruiting him.

Agent 13/Sharon (Emily VanCamp)Movies She’s In: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Powers: None, but a former S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent with incredible fighting skill.

Her Story So Far: Sharon aka Agent 13, was the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury put in charge of watching Captain America prior to the fall of Hydra. Living across the hall from Rogers, posing as a nurse, Agent 13 is the 1st to respond when Nick Fury is shot by the Winter Soldier in Steve Rogers’ apartment. After Hydra was revealed to be S.H.I.E.L.D. she was one of the primary Agents that sided with Captain America in order to take down the Hydra Agents and prevent the launch of Hydra’s lethal Helicarriers. Though there was some sexual tension between her and Rogers, and Black Widow recommended to Steve that he ask her out, the pair have never even kissed.

Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell)Movies She’s In: Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, Agent Carter (MCU Short), Agent Carter (ABC TV Series)

Superpowers: None, strong WWII Agent and Founder of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Her Story So Far: Peggy Carter was partially responsible for selecting scrawny Steve Rogers for the Super Soldier Program. She served with Rogers and Howard Stark during WWII, the latter two being S.H.I.E.L.D.’s founding members. Peggy was in love with Steve, but she never got that dance she was promised when Steve Rogers plunged that plane into the Arctic, saving the world. She was an important Agent during the Cold War as well, being an important decision maker at S.H.I.E.L.D. through the 80’s. When Steve Rogers finally catches up with her after he is unfrozen in The Winter Soldier, she is an old woman in a hospital bed, suffering from extreme dementia. At least these two have kissed (when she was young, you sicko!).

Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo)Movies He’s In: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Powers: None, just a well trained special forces Hydra Agent who worked with Captain America long enough to know his moves and what makes him tick.

His Story So Far: This one isn’t #TeamCap at all, but a villain from the Captain America film franchise. Brock Rumlow was Captain America’s right hand man as leader of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team STRIKE. He ran countless missions with Steve Rogers and was the first one sent to take in Captain America when Rogers started having doubts about S.H.I.E.L.D. When Hydra was revealed, he fought to defend it, coming to blows with Sam Wilson before having S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ dropped on him. Though badly burned, at the end of Winter Soldier, we see that Rumlow has survived.

That’s really all you need to know about all the characters that make up #TeamCap (more or less)! Read our Leyman’s Guide to #TeamIronMan NOW!

A Modern Guide To Movie Going (Holiday Season 2015 & Beyond)!

Posted on November 14, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Avengers, Batman, Captain America, DC, Features, Jurassic World, Lists, Mad Max: Fury Road, Marvel, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Movies, Star Wars, The Force Awakens

We’re falling into the Holiday Movie Season, kicked off last weekend by the mediocre SPECTRE and The Peanuts Movie. Things will start to get crazy with the release of Mocking Jay Part 2 and Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur, all culminating with the biggest movie release of all time: Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Whether Star Wars is pulling you out of your Netflix hole, or you’ve been going to the movies all year long enjoying hits like Mad Max: Fury Road, Jurassic World, and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, you will find this Guide To Movie Going in the 21st Century! extremely useful.

Trust me. I work at a Movie Theater. And I got to a lot of Movies!

Don’t use Fandango!

I have worked at two of the three major theater chains in the United States and there is one constant: DON’T USE FANDANGO!

It’s almost a dirty little secret, especially since the “Pre-Show” at my chain has a Fandango commercial! But we (theater chains) don’t want you to use it! It’s not always accurate, for whatever reason, so you’ll get stuck with tickets to a showtime that doesn’t exist!

Always use the theater chains’ direct website, where tickets are on sale, the surcharge is no larger than Fandango’s, and the times are actually accurate! I’m talking www.cinemark.com or www.amctheatres.com. I don’t know Regal’s website…

I guess it’s not too hard to tell which of the three chains I didn’t work for!

Make sure you check Movie Times for the day you are going!!!

We no longer live in an era where Movie Showtimes are the same from Friday through Thursday. Theaters have events now. And almost all movies get an early evening release on Thursdays (gone are the days when only movies like Star Wars got midnight releases). Showtimes change day to day.

We’ve got Live Concerts, Classic Series Films, Live Sporting Events (including Video Game tournaments…), and Special Screenings like the Dr. Who and Sherlock Christmas Specials coming up in late December/early January. Very, very rarely will all three Weekend Days have the same showtimes, even more rare on weekdays!

Don’t look up today’s times if you’re going to a movie tomorrow! Check the day you are going, otherwise you may show up for a showtime that doesn’t exist.

And NEVER look up said showtimes on Fandango!!!

Double Check Movie Times the day you are going!!!

Unless you have tickets in hand, double check the showtime the day of the movie. Sometimes theaters will “Wild Cat” a showtime, meaning we may cancel a showtime of The Intern to make room for another showing of SPECTRE. It’s very, very rare, but it does happen!

Know your Theater Chains and the Brands that fall under their Umbrella.

Let’s break this down fast so you don’t try to use a Gift Card at the wrong Chain:

AMC is AMC Theatres. As the company has acquired other companies like Kerasotes, they rename the theaters so it’s simple. AMC Gift Cards work at all AMC locations, NOT at any theater lacking the AMC name.

Cinemark and Regal keep most the names of the theater chains they have purchased. So…

Regal is also known as United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres.

Cinemark also has locations called Century Theatres, Rave, Tinseltown, & CineArts.

Know where your gift cards will work by understanding the above hierarchy!

IMAX is no longer the only Big, Loud Screen in Town.

You’re going to want to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens on something big!

A few years ago Regal, AMC, and Cinemark decided to make their own, “Premium Format” to compete with IMAX, which had begun incensing it’s name to Theater Chains without actually delivering the full “IMAX Experience.” IMAX Screens of old were 70mm format, taller than they were wide, but now IMAX is just a name plastered on screens that run floor to ceiling with incredibly large speakers. I noticed the change seeing The Dark Knight 1st on a real IMAX Screen, with the image Christopher Nolan intended, and then seeing it on one of the “fake” Digital IMAX Screens that cut most of Nolan’s superior image.

Well, the three chains succeeded… partially… instead each creating their own “Premium Format” to save on IMAX licencing fees. AMC called theirs ETX, Regal went with RTX, and Cinemark features X D (have to space the letters or WordPress makes a XD face. 😦 ). All are just as good as Digital IMAX… unless it is one of the dozen or so “True” IMAX Screens left in the US.

Reserved Seating is on the way… and here to stay!

If you don’t have it already, the Industry is moving toward “Reserved Seating,” meaning you pick your seats when you buy your ticket. Don’t fight it, don’t whine, Reserved Seating will be the standard by the end of 2016, and it ain’t going anywhere!

Reserved Seating is the perfect tool to buy tickets in advance. If you bought Star Wars tickets the minute they went online after that Monday Night Football trailer for my theater, then you also picked your seats, which means you can show up minutes before showtime, no waiting in a looooong line for hours, and still have the best seat in the house.

And it doesn’t really change the movie going experience on a day-to-day basis. What’s the difference between picking a seat at Box Office vs. when you walk into the auditorium? You’re going to pick the same seats… unless they are already sold… which is no different than walking in and seeing another guest already sitting where you like to sit. In fact, picking seats at Box Office let’s you see what’s left in a nearly Sold Out show! Don’t walk in blind, caught with only the front row. Know what’s left before dropping a dime.

Don’t be a Dummy. No Masks or Fake Weapons, Dummy!

Star Wars fans are whining about not being able to wear their Chewbacca, Stormtrooper, or Darth Vader (or Kylo Ren!) masks. And they can’t bring in fake guns. Or Lightsabers.

Look, I’m a Fanboy who dressed as Captain America for the entirety of the 1st Avengers opening weekend as a theater manager. I was dressed like Batman the night a theater not 30 miles from my own theater was shot up. Your sadness over losing masks and Lighsabers is not nearly as severe as the sadness of losing a loved one.

Stop being a Goddamn Baby and welcome to the 21st Century!

And that’s all you need to know! Here’s your handy-dandy guide to movie going, still good in 2016!

JURASSIC WORLD Explored PART 4: JURASSIC PARK Winks & Shoves

Posted on July 10, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Jurassic World, Lists, Movies

Observations of a sad little man who has seen Jurassic World six times… so far (Me!).

As always, SPOILERS Abound!

First, catch up with the 1st three parts of this glorious expedition.

Part 1: Everything You Missed (Or Didn’t)

Part 2: InGen, Please!

Part 3: Universal Studios Hollywood & Product Placement.

This Issue: All (Or Most) the references to Jurassic Park Explored!

As Lowery (Jake Johnson) reminds us while wearing his Jurassic Park shirt he purchased on eBay for $150, “That first Park was legit!” So it’s no wonder that Jurassic World tries to recreate/update images and throw “Easter Eggs” our way straight from the original 1993 movie.

The 1st trailer was so rich with Jurassic Park imagery that it caused Nostalgia to be an even more important part of the film’s draw than even superstar Chris Pratt.

(By the way, Lowey’s Jurassic Park shirt is the 1st reference on this list! Booyah!)

The Sickly Hatchling and Her Sister In The Lab

Jurassic World opens with two eggs and two lil’ baby Indominus Rexs. As one struggles to breath and break the shell, our main Monster Antagonist is quick to break the shell and will later go on to eat said sibling.

This scene is very reminiscent of Hammond helping the hatching baby Raptor in Jurassic Park. So is the set itself; the egg chambers/laboratory all look like the room Dr. Wu (BD Wong) introduced us to 22 years ago.

Said laboratory is also still a visible attraction to guests with no animatronics (sorry, Mr. Donald Gennaro [Martin Ferrero] the lawyer); just real scientists going about their “Mad Science.”

Dinos Evolved Into Birds

Never verbally stated in this film, we are reminded of Dr. Alan Grant’s (Sam Neill) words from Jurassic Park about Dinos sharing a lot in common with birds with the film’s second image: a T-Rex looking foot striking the ground, only reveled to be a bird as the (CGI) camera pulls out. And that’s all we need.

“That 1st Park Was Legit!”

The new Park itself pays homage to the original in many ways, from the sweeping shots of Isla Nublar splashed together with John William’s original theme as Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) arrive via ferry and even pass through the giant Jurassic World gate that was made from wood salvaged from the original gate in the old Park (so Brad Bird as the monorail guide tells us).

Though ferries are more piratical for a Park of 20,000 guests, we still get our Helicopter over Isla Nublar experience thanks to “pilot” & InGen CEO Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan). Pure nostalgia.

I could talk about obvious scenes like this for post after post, but let’s get deeper into the nitty-gritty references that are less obvious.

Mr. DNA

How can you miss Mr. DNA from Jurassic Park in the scene where Gray first excitingly enters the Samsung Innovation Center (which is not product placement) and plays with a child’s interactive display?

Fun note: Dr. DNA may sound the same, but writer/director Colin Trevorrow actually voices him in Jurassic World.

Jurassic Tennis & River Cruise

In Jurassic Park, while our protagonists are having an argument about whether or not Hammond should have created Dinosaurs over lunch, various displays projected on the walls behind them advertise future Jurassic Park attractions like ‘Jurassic Tennis’ and a water attraction similar to the kayaking among dinosaur ride we see briefly in Jurassic World. ‘Jurassic Tennis’ appears as an attraction on the hotel room screen when Gray and Zach arrive.

God Creates Dinosaur by Dr. Ian Malcolm

Either Dr. Malcolm’s (Jeff Goldblum) book God Creates Dinosaur just hit shelves or it’s still topping the New York Times best-seller list, because we see two different people in possession of the book; one actively reading it. Lowery has a copy on his desk, and Claire’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) assitant Zara (Katie McGrath) reads it throughout the film.

The OG Visitor Center & Jeep #29

I was hoping going into Jurassic World for the 1st time that we would see some of the old park; more specifically the Visitor Center. Guess what? I did!

It’s magic seeing this center of Jurassic Park, with the very scaffolding Grant, Ellie (Laura Dern), and the kids climbed down to escape the Velociraptors. We see part of the “When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth” banner that T-Rex knocked down. We see the painted Velociraptor in the dining room that was covered in shadow to alert Lex and Tim to hide in the kitchen. We see night vision goggles identical to the one Tim used to watch T-Rex eat the goat. There is so much nostalgia here it is maddening to try to remember it all!

But on to Jeep #29. The jeep that Zach and Gray fix up is the very jeep Muldoon (Bob Peck) and Ellie took to rescue Ian Malcolm (“Must go faster! Must go faster!”).

We even get to see Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) jump the T-Rex skull when Indominus attacks (but not any sharks thankfully).

“Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear”

Remember when the T-Rex chased Jeep #29 and Muldoon looked in the rear-view mirror only to see a T-Rex and the typical “Objects In the Mirror are Closer Than They Appear” warning.

In Jurassic World Claire watches a Raptor in the rear view mirror as it rushes toward her vehicle. Coincidence? Not in this kind of movie.

Mosquitos In Amber

An obvious image straight from the original film. We see an actual specimen on Dr. Wu’s desk when Mr. Masrani confronts him about Indominus Rex, even though Gray told his brother (and the audience) that now scientists can extract DNA directly from Dinosaur bones.

You don’t just see this image in the lab, there are decorations of giant (fake) amber stones with giant mosquito on Main Street. Owen actually hides behind one while his Raptors took on Indominus.

The Queen of Isla Nublar

It was with a cheer and a shout that I welcomed T-Rex back to the playing field in the finale of Jurassic World. Though Raptors are always the scariest Dinos in any Jurassic Park film, T-Rex is the most iconic.

Did you notice that the T-Rex in Jurassic World was the very same one as Jurassic Park? Even had her two decade old scars from his Velociraptor battle that saved Alan Grant & Co.

Likewise, it’s no coincidence that flares get the Queen of Isla Nublar’s attention. Ian Malcolm taught her that flares mean “Lawyer Food” in 1993.

And like the spectacular finale to Jurassic Park, Jurassic World ends with T-Rex roaring over Isla Nublar, reminding everyone that now that the monster Indominus Rex is dead, she is the Queen of Jurassic World.

One Jurassic Park III Reference

When T-Rex shows up to save the day in Jurassic World, he bursts though the skeleton of a Spinosaurous (see picture above). Proving, that, even though that wretched dinosaur killed a Rex on Isla Sorna, T-Rex is back to being the superior Dinosaur of the Jurassic Park franchise.

I’m sure there is more I am forgetting, as the movie is so layered and rich with numerous references to Jurassic Park. But, this post is long and my brain is running out of references, so let’s call it a day!

Next (and final time) on Jurassic World Explored Part 5

Speilbergian Themes & Imagery

The Aliens Homage.

Are All The Dinos In Jurassic World Still Female?

They Are Breeding Raptors On Isla Nublar!

Jurassic Park vs. Jurassic World Character Comparisons

Coming Soon To This Website Near You!!

JURASSIC WORLD Explored PART 3: Universal Studios Hollywood & Product Placement

Posted on July 8, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Jurassic World, Lists, Movies

More Jurassic World observations made after seeing the film 6 times!

Read PART 1 or PART 2 first!

This Issue: Jurassic World May As Well Be Universal Studios Isla Nublar!

Having worked on the Universal Studios lot in Studio City and having been to the Theme Park itself once, the similarities to the design Universal Studios Hollywood and the final design of Jurassic World are striking.

When brothers Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) first arrive at Isla Nublar, we see a covered, staircase/escalator that runs up the side of a steep hill to a monorail. Though only Disney does monorails, the staircase itself is so similar to those running up and down Universal Studios Hollywood, which rests on a sharp hill itself, connecting the upper part of the park with the “New” Simpsons Ride (formally Back to the Future Ride… bummer) to Jurassic Park the Ride at the bottom. I swear, the staircases are so similar, they may have shot one at the real park and changed its surroundings in post-production to look more exotic.

Not interesting enough? What about…

JIMMY FALLON!

In a not-so-subtle cameo (because it’s not supposed to be one, dummy), Jimmy Fallon appears as the host of the Gyrosphere attraction. He makes jokes about the Gyrosphere itself, how safe it is including it’s ability to block Dilophosaurus venom (one of two references to the creature we last saw with… Newman!), yada, yada, yada.

Some people in the auditorium chuckle at Fallon’s cameo when I see Jurassic World, not from a place of amusement from from a place of “what a silly non-sense cameo to include that detracts from the movie.” Or at least that’s what I think that chuckle sometimes means.

Really, this is another idea taken straight from the actual Universal Studios Hollywood Park. Jimmy Fallon is the current video host of the Studio Tour ride, taking over after they revamped it with their 3D King Kong attraction (no one got eaten at that attraction).

Apparently InGen brought in Universal Studios to design its new Park.

All That Product Placement on Main St.

Hey, guess what? The Samsung Innovation Center is not paid product placement by Samsung.

Looking at all the different brands and restaurants represented on Jurassic World’s Main St, none of that is product placement! Rather, using brands as they do allows the filmmakers to further explore the themes of the film.

In my 1st Jurassic World Explored post, I already discussed the idea of the movie plot imitating life. Just like a real (Universal even) Theme Park, there are sponsors and there are restaurants who want some prime resort real estate. A fully realized Theme Park on Isla Nublar would be flush with both.

Seeing the whole Samsung logo (pictured above) may cause people to groan with product placement fatigue, but it’s all calculated to serve the story. Director Colin Trevorrow claims that there was NO paid Product Placement in the film. And I believe him (like a sucker?).

I mean, look at Main Street! It has a Margaritaville (Fun Cameo: Jimmy Buffet is the dude running with two Margaritas when the Pterodactyls attack)! The whole layout of the Park’s Main St reminds me of Universal City Walk (shopping center adjacent to Hollywood Theme Park entrance) combined with the aesthetic of the restaurant next to the Jurassic Park Ride (within the Theme Park).

Some of those gates from the angles they shot look like they could have been the ones right there at Universal City Walk. I’ve been behind some of those gates, walked the “Walk” often when I worked at the Studio itself (which was down that crazy staircase on the hill I was talking about!) and it looks awefully familiar.

Next Time on Jurassic World Explored:

They Are Breeding Raptors On Isla Nublar!

Are All The Dinos Still Female!

Jurassic Park Winks and Shoves!

And The Queen of Isla Nublar!

READ PART 4 NOW! Oh…Yeah…

JURASSIC WORLD Explored PART 2: InGen, Please!

Posted on July 7, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Jurassic World, Lists, Movies

Quick observations and the like that come from having seen Jurassic World six times! Hope it delights/entertains!

Loads of SPOILERS!

CLICK HERE for PART 1

Only InGen Employees Get Killed… Mostly… Mostly…

Think about it… how many guests did you see get killed in Jurassic World?

The answer is as many guests as the Pterodactyls and Dimorphodons (a real Dino, NOT a hybrid!) hurt/killed before Owen (Chris Pratt) and his boys shot them out of Main Street’s sky.

One Site Says "Dimorphodon?" Director promises NOT a Hybrid! — One Site Says “Dimorphodon?” Director promises NOT a Hybrid!

Even with these creatures, unless I’m missing it in the background, no guests are killed on screen… the big kill of Claire’s assistant Zara (Katie McGraph) counting as an InGen employee (seeing as how she is an InGen employee’s assistant…). And besides little lift attacks, the only other people we actually see get the ax are Mr. Masrani and his copter’s crew.

Think about all the great scenes with Indominus, Velociraptors, and the Mosasaurus (the swimmy dinosaur who eats sharks) even… guests do not even share scenes with any these creatures, but it’s a smorgasbord on the park staff.

That's Park Security 'bout to get eaten right there! — That’s Park Security ’bout to get eaten right there!

Indominus eats the two men in the paddock, the 1st security team with “non-lethals,” lots of innocent dinosaurs, tries to eat the kids, tries to eat Owen and Claire, eats/kills a few Mercs with some raptors, and then kills two raptors in the final fight. That’s it.

Owen’s Velociraptors aren’t even released until guests are off the island (we hear about a boat arriving and there are no guests on Main Street by the time our heroes make it back), and even then they entirely feast on Hoskins ‘ new Mercs… and Hoskins himself of course!

Finally, T-Rex don’t get to eat any people!

If you see Jurassic World again, watch for what I speak of. Except for the Pterodactyls, Jurassic World Guests are never actually around the most dangerous dinosaurs.

InGen Is the New Weyland Industries/Oscorp

Even though Mr. Masrani is the kind, fun InGen CEO with the spirit of John Hammond, let us not forget the same actor, Irrgan Khan, played an incredibly sketchy/evil Oscorp Exec in The Amazing Spider-Man.

And in Jurassic World, InGen has never been sketchier.

Sure, Hammond’s nephew wanted control of his uncle’s company to capture the Dinos on Isla Sorna and put them in a new, San Diego Jurassic Zoo in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface of what Dr. Wu (BD Wong) and Hoskins are developing in secret.

InGen CEO Simon Masrani and Dr. Henry Wu

Though Indominus Rex is the only Hybrid in the Park, Dr. Wu has more in the works. And as with Owen’s “trained” Velociraptors, Hoskins has military applications on the mind. Really feels more like the latest cinematic version of Oscorp than the company that Hammond created…

Which leads us into…

The Sequel’s Direction

A movie that breaks records as fast as Jurassic World gets a sequel. Dem’s da’ rules.

Pratt has said they’d be having him back, but where do you go from here? Open a Theme Park where people get eaten once, shame on me. Twice… shame on you, but damned was it enjoyable! And you ain’t gonna fool us three times!

Without a reboot, I don’t see how anyone will ever open another Theme Park in the Jurassic Park universe ever again.

But whatever was going on in Wu’s secret room certainly sets up a sequel distinctly different than our previous two trips to Isla Sorna aka “Site B.” Though Hoskins dies, whatever his plan is for dinosaur hybrids certainty won’t, and Wu is told he will be “well taken care of.”

Whatever happens to Owen and Claire, some form of a plot tracking Dino-Hybrids may be in their future. Yikes!

“This Is Not A Mad Science!”

Of course, Dr. Wu isn’t doing anything new by creating the Indominus Rex, the Not-So-Mad Scientist explains to Mr. Masrani. “Nothing in Jurassic World is natural” admits Wu, all the “monsters” in the Park have had segments of their D.N.A. filled in with other animals (as we learned in the 1st film).

Wu goes on to state that many of the “attractions” in Jurassic World would look quite different if they were pure; Spielberg & Co. finally admitting and explaining why their Velociraptors are eight feet tall and feather-less, as opposed to a feathery-four-feet.

Well, that’s all for now but I still have many layers of Jurassic World I wish to pull back shortly. Join us again for JURASSIC WORLD Explored Part 3.

Read Part 3 Now!

JURASSIC WORLD Explored PART 1: Everything You Missed (Or Didn’t)

Posted on July 7, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Jurassic World, Lists, Movies

I may have seen Jurassic World six times (I did… why lie?). With such a great number of repeat viewings comes great responsibility, including insight into new details/themes/symbols/”Easter Eggs,” producing more material to analyze and explore than in my original review for the Jurassic Park‘s best and most profitable (movie in the world?) sequel.

Some theories/ideas may be bullshit; some connections I make may seem forced or just “overthought.” I am also likely going to forget some of my deeper thoughts about the film as it is much easier to analyze every scene and moment when actually watching the movie. I’ll do my best to use my memory and cover all my observations.

Obviously… SPOILERS Abound!

Jurassic World is Meta… Man…

Writer/Director Colin Trevorrow has said Jurassic World the film is a metaphor for Jurassic World the theme park.

Universal Execs wanted more Jurassic Park (it was too for them hard to let their highest grossing franchise go extinct); they wanted it bigger, badder, scarier. So Trevorrow gave them a movie about InGen Execs pushing for a dinosaur that is bigger, badder, with more teeth; a metaphor for the film’s very existence. Like the events of the film, such an action could have “gone awry” in the wrong hands, but Trevorrow nailed it, bringing Universal their biggest movie… ever. And no one got eaten (that we know of).

“We Need More Teeth”

Obviously, the above line was important enough to the finale of Jurassic World that you likely remember it. Gray’s (Ty Simpkins) statement gives Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) the idea to release more teeth against Indominus Rex in the form of Jurassic Park‘s original T-Rex (more on in a future issue).

Even some of the Viral Marketing Materials included the statement, "More Teeth" — Even some of the Viral Marketing Materials included the statement, “More Teeth”

Teeth are a recurring image throughout the film (not literally, though there are a lot of shots of simply Indominus Rex’s mouth) starting in the 1st act when Gray and his brother Zach (Nick Robinson) board the ferry for Isla Nublar and Gray cannot help but discuss the carnivores and their “teeth” count in a Dino-obsessive one-sided discussion that would make young Tim from Jurassic Park proud.

If you listen for it, there are many conversations about teeth, including Claire’s description of what the public wants in the park’s “New Attraction,” Verizon Wireless presents Indominus Rex, and Dr. Henry Wu’s (BD Wong) talk with Mr. Simon Masrani (Irrffan Khan) about his newest “Asset.”

“You Are Not In Control!”

Just like Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) said 22 years ago to then InGen CEO John Hammond, “You never had control! That’s the illusion!”

So it is in Jurassic World, but it appears John Hammond never shared that wisdom with Mr. Simon Masrani, just the fact that he “spared no expense.” Control is often discussed in the film, but very rarely in terms of controlling the dinosaurs, rather in reference to which human is in control (a big miscalculation).

My favorite piece of irony involving the different characters vying for control comes during the scene where Claire sends in an ACU unit with “non-lethals.” Owen Grady (Chris Pratt!!!) makes the observation about the practically unarmed men, “Those men are going to die,” ordering them to get them out of there before the Indominus Rex rips them to shreds. Claire shouts at Owen, “You are not in control here!” The irony is, neither is she.

“Control” is passed around ending with InGen’s Isla Nublar division being taken over by the War Hawk Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio), from the control room to “the mission” involving putting the raptors that under Owen’s “control” to the test.

Of course, as Owen says himself earlier in the film, “It’s not about control with these animals, it’s about respect.” This makes him the only man to understand the fragility of the park’s ecosystem/security; a real Ian Malcolm want to be!

We’ve only scratched the surface of what is left to explore in Jurassic World. I’ve started a little obvious with the recurring imagery I’ve pointed out, so hopefully those looking for a more immersive experience will gleam more next post!

Or even for the common fan who just wants to know all the Easter Eggs from Jurassic Park… Welcome, to Jurassic World!

READ PART 2… NOW!!! Or later.

Spider-Man Joins The Avengers In the MCU! All Your Questions Answered Here!

Posted on February 11, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Avengers, Captain America, Comics, Features, Marvel, Marvel's Spider-Man, MCU, Movies

Monday night Marvel made an announcement on their website (web… site… webs… like Spider-Man!) announcing to the world that Sony and Marvel Studios/Disney have reached an agreement to bring Marvel’s most popular character Spider-Man into Marvel’s most successful franchise/universe: the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

The official announcement from Marvel’s website is below. Following that quick read, let’s break down what all this means for Spider-Man, Sony, Marvel Studios, and the rest of the MCU’s Phase 3, which has been shuffled due to the addition of a Spider-Man solo pic in 2017.

(Culver City, California, and Burbank, California February 09, 2015) – Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios announced today that Sony is bringing Marvel into the amazing world of Spider-Man.

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen. Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”

“We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

“Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future,” added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

Let’s put all this in Layman’s terms. I’ll answer the questions this deal raises right now!

Does Marvel Studios Own the ‘Spider-Man’ License now?

Spider-Man has a love history with Captain Marvel... who is also getting a solo movie in Phase 3. — Spider-Man has a love history with Captain Marvel… who is also getting a solo movie in Phase 3.

No. In fact, no money has changed hands. Marvel doesn’t need to pay Sony anything for Spider-Man’s inclusion in the MCU. Sony doesn’t need to pay Marvel Studios any money for their characters’ appearances in ‘Spider-Man’ films.

Spider-Man will make an appearance in a MCU property, most likely 2016’s ‘Captain America: Civil War’ which already features Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Anthony Mackie back from ‘Winter Soldier’ as Sam Wilson/Falcon, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Frank Grillo back as Brock Rumlow now running around as Crossbones, new classic Capt. villain Baron Zemo played by Daniel Bruhl, and introducing Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther.

That’s a very full playing field and I would be worried, but the same writers and directors from ‘Winter Soldier’ are returning and, simply put, ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ is the best MCU film yet.

After appearing in ‘Civil War’ made by Marvel Studios (there’s a small chance Spider-Man may instead appear in 2016’s ‘Dr. Strange,’ but that hero pairing makes less sense), Spider-Man will get his own solo-pic on July 28th, 2017.

Marvel makes the MCU movie, Sony does all production on the solo-Spider-Man films like the apparent “reboot” of Spider-Man as a member of the MCU. They split the money.

Movie Spider-Man has many new MCU friends!

Sony saves their crumbling 4 billion dollar ‘Spider-Man’ franchise (after ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ fell below expectations and alienated Spider-Man fans who have seen 3 bad films too many) with the might and creative input of Marvel’s incredibly successful MCU overseen by Kevin Feige.

Sony keeps all rights and has all final say on the new ‘Spider-Man’ films, though Feige will partner with Amy Pascal, who recently stepped down as President of Sony to head the production company handling Spider-Man for Sony.

Sony gets the good-will of the MCU and Marvel gets to use Spider-Man in their extended universe.

They will split the profits as they have in the past with the ‘Spider-Man’ franchise.

What Does This Deal Mean For ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 3’ and ‘Sinister Six?’

There’s a bit of confusion here. Since Marvel is introducing a new Spider-Man, said to be high-school age to contrast the older Avengers who are all in their thirties and forties, it seems Andrew Garfield is out. It is also assumed the ‘Amazing’ header is kaput, with a brand new era starting for the web-slinger.

There are reports that Sony still wants to make ‘Sinister Six,’ ‘Venom,’ and a female-team-up with characters from Spider-Man’s universe like Spider-Woman. It is not clear how these fit in the new continuity, as ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2’ was basically a big set-up for ‘Sinister Six,’ and now it appears we are entering a new age of Spidey, ignoring not only the original Sam Raimi films but the Marc Webb directed ‘Amazing’ titles.

How Sony gets the other projects off the ground is a mystery; the scariest part of the equation. As they don’t need to consult Marvel with these titles which could be as poorly handled as ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2.’

‘Amazing Spider-Man 3’ appears to be dead, making way for a new title. Is it back to ‘Spider-Man’ with a subtitle (please!) or another book’s name like ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ or ‘The Sensational Spider-Man.’

Is Andrew Garfield Returning?

No! Both Garfield and director Webb are out of the equation now. Rejoice!

This movie is still about Peter Parker right?

Miles Morales from Marvel's 'Ultimate' Universe — Miles Morales from Marvel’s ‘Ultimate’ Universe

Not necessarily. Unless I missed it, the name Peter Parker is never mentioned in the announcement.

One way to shake up the franchise is to not use Peter at all and instead go with Miles Morales, who took over for Spider-Man in the ‘Ultimate’ Comics Universe after Peter Parker was killed by the Green Goblin.

Mile Morales is black, which would be an amazing change for the franchise. Is the story of a black nerd in Queens any different than if he was white?

Troy's (Donald Glover) Spider-Man PJs on 'Community' — Troy’s (Donald Glover) Spider-Man PJs on ‘Community’

You could even keep the name Peter Parker and go black. I really want the franchise to go this direction, mainly because I think comedian/rapper/actor Donald Glover would be an amazingly geeky, yet hilarious Spider-Man. Sony needs a funny-man like Glover to make those quips quippy enough for Spidey.

All this being said, Sony is apparently looking at Dylan O’Brien from MTV’s ‘Teen Wolf’ and ‘The Maze Runner’ and Logan Lerman from ‘Fury’ suggesting Spider-Man will remain a white Peter Parker.

Dylan O'Brien, other possible Peter Parker. — Dylan O’Brien, possible Peter Parker.

Logan Lerman, possible Spidey. — Logan Lerman, another possible Spidey.

What Does This Mean for the Rest of the MCU?

It’s shuffle time. Marvel may have already released their ‘Phase 3’ lineup last year, but the addition of Spider-Man shakes things up. First, by hitting July 2017 he takes ‘Black Panther’s release date, pushing Panther’s solo movie to November. Other films are pushed by several months including pushing the ‘Inhumans’ movie to AFTER ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Part 1 & 2.

Spider-Man’s inclusion in ‘Civil War’ could possibly bump or drastically shrink Black Panther’s role in that film.

Who knows what other changes Spider-Mans addition to the MCU will cause, as he could be a main player in a new Avengers team containing newbies Black Panther, Ant-Man, Dr. Strange, a Bucky Barnes or Sam Wilson Captain America, and likely Quicksilver and his sister Scarlet Witch in ‘Infinity War’ and beyond! As long as Sony and Marvel continue to play nice.

Who Wins?

Everyone! Hopefully.

Sony gets the Marvel Studios bump to save their ‘Spider-Man’ property. Hopefully Kevin Feige’s influences improve the quality of films to a point even above Raimi’s.

Marvel Studios gets to use Spider-Man in at least one film, if not through Phase 3 and possibly 4. Their characters, like Daredevil, can also cross over into a Sony made, Spider-Man solo film.

We get to see Spider-Man alongside our new favorite heroes. Rocket and Spider-Man shooting the shit in ‘Avengers: Infinity War?’ Why not!

Rejoice! We’ve all won something special, something to look forward to for years to come.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: The Best and Worst of 2014

Posted on January 9, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Lists, Marvel, Movies, Villains

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Costume — Spider-Man’s truest look to the comics yet.

Major ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2’ SPOILERS Follow.

We can all agree that ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ was (nearly) a ‘Spider-Man 3’ disappointment, making money, sure (though the film did under-preform), but leaving Spider-Man fans with a bad taste in their mouth.

So what went wrong? And how is it possible that the film is considered a failure yet has 4 of the greatest scenes from any ‘Spider-Man’ or ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ film, if not the single best scene of all?

Best: The suit.

'Amazing Spider-Man' Costume — The most inaccurate Spidey suit from the first ‘Amazing Spider-Man’

Though Sam Raimi’s suit from his ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy was fairly accurate and incredibly consistent, the first ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ had a radically different look (in terms of Spidey, not heroes like Wolverine who ditched their colors and mask all together) with strange yellow eyes and a red and blue pattern just different enough to look out of place. Plus, he wore sneakers, his webshooters were unnecessarily bright, and his head looked like a basketball.

But ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ finally got the look 100% right with those big white eyes that even Sam Raimi avoided.

Worst: Oscorp

Why is the Oscorp of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ world so Umbrella Company-ish? It seems like their only job is having accidents that create super-villains or suits and serums… that lead to super-villains.

NY's Landmark Oscorp Tower — NY’s Landmark Oscorp Tower

Now, it wasn’t a terrible idea to tie in Oscorp in the first film as it defeats the old movie troupe, ‘Double Mumbo Jumbo’ that Blake Snyder shares in his excellent screenwriting book ‘Save the Cat!’ In his book, Snyder cites Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man as an exact example of ‘Double Mumbor Jumbo.’

The gist of it? Audiences will suspend-belief to buy an isolated incident where a man is bitten by a spider and gains superpowers. But it’s a stretch that to further suspend-belief that at the same time, in a completely different location, an acquaintance of Peter Parker gains super-villain powers and personality in a different experiment unrelated what-so-ever to Parker’s spider bite. That’s ‘Double Mumbo Jumbo.’

Max Dillon's Unfortunate, Non-Nonsensical accident. — Max Dillon’s Unfortunate, Non-Nonsensical accident.

‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ tied our newer Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) directly into the Lizard’s transformation, finishing Dr. Curt Conners equation causing the experiment gone wrong.

Max Dillon’s accident in ‘Amazing 2’ is also Oscorp related, but more of a comic-book freak accident that makes little sense, even in the Spider-Man world; much like Sandman stumbling upon an atom-splicing experiment in the middle of a field while running from police.

Why is Oscorp developing suits based on different animals?

Why is Oscorp so evil? And so intent on destroying New York, as it would seem? The franchise should keep Dane DeHaan’s Harry Osborn/Green Goblin and drop Oscorp and all their weird ‘Sinister Six’ related exoskeletons and experiments.

I mean, didn’t Doc Ock develop his own arms? Or is now he like Rhino, a stupid criminal given metal arms, not a genius who invented them himself?

Either way: epic fail.

Best: Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx)

Max Dillon is a great character… until after the NY Times Square scene where his motives make no sense and he becomes a tool for Harry Osborn, not a fully-fleshed out villain like ‘Spider-Man 2’s Doc Ock or even Curt Conners from the first ‘Amazing Spider-Man.’

Dillon’s obsession with Spider-Man, best executed in the scene in which he speaks to himself as Spider-Man on his birthday, is a thing of beauty in a very ‘King of Comedy’ Robert De Nero way. This obsession bleeds into his fantasized confrontation with Mr. Smythe (B.J. Novak) and his barely noticable (blink and you’ll miss it… or hear it, rather) radio-call montage in which he says he and Spider-Man are best friends.

Worst: Electro (blue Jamie Foxx)

Sure, Max Dillon is an interesting character, but his actions become nonsensical after his Spidey confrontation/misunderstanding in Times Square, as formally mentioned. Worse, he is simply a plot device meant to keep us interested until the film can build to it’s true villain, the Green Goblin.

Best: 4 Scenes that nail the tone of ‘Spider-Man;’ among the best in all 5 films.

1st, the aforementioned Max Dillon scene is among the best. I really enjoy his crazy, also expressed through Hans Zimmer’s score which included paranoid mutterings, making Dillon the more interesting character to undergo a terrible transformation.

2nd, Dillon’s awakening in the morgue recalls the terrors of Sam Raimi’s Doc Ock surgery scene, and was apparently cut to be less graphic and terrifying. Still works though.

3rd, Spider-Man’s chase with Alex O’Hirn (Paul Giamatti) who later gets a robot Rhino suit from Oscorp…. because… you know… they’re evil. It nails the light-hearted tone of a typical Spider-Man encounter with fantastic humor and action magic that can’t be duplicated in any other scene in the film.

4th… and you had to see this coming… MEGA SPOILERS… the Death of Gwen Stacy. Possibly the best scene in any Spider-Man movie (though I am also a real fan of the finale to the 2002’s ‘Spider-Man’ where the Green Goblin kicks Peter Parker’s ass).

Though the first ‘Spider-Man’ film used up the bridge-Goblin-drop, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ killed Gwen Stacy in the 2nd best way possible… and damn was it a powerful scene. The hand shape of the web just reaching her… only to allow her neck to snap and thud against the ground. Beautifully done scene that paid homage to perhaps the most major event in the Spider-Man comics.

My parents thought it was another ‘Superhero movie death’ i.e. very temporary; she’ll snap out of it. Unfortunately, the only thing snapping was her neck and my parents realized they had seen something new when the blood dripped from Gwen’s nose; a very finite and permanent death for a comic book movie (hopefully).

Really, I spent the Electro finale checking my watch, but when I heard that cackle and saw the glider fly in, I knew we were in for one of the most epic Superhero finales ever… it’s a shame most people just wanted the film to freakin’ end before we even got to Goblin.

Worst: 3 Scenes

Richard Parker, Peter's father. — Richard Parker, Peter’s father.

1st, Anything With Peter’s Parents.

THEY DON’T MATTER! Spider-Man was never about Pete’s relationship to his parents, which are also too closely tied to Oscorp.. Sure, Richard Parker fighting the Oscorp agent in a spinning Airplane was cool in a nearly ‘Inception’ way, but we shouldn’t even care about these characters. Spider-Man has always been about Peter’s relationship with Aunt May in the aftermath of Uncle Ben’s death. His angst is tied to letting Uncle Ben die, not feeling abandoned by his parents.

I know this franchise was trying something new, but it doesn’t work.

Richard Parker fights for his life against an agent of Oscorp.

2nd, Peter and Gwen angst. The appearance of Captain Stacy.

Captain Stacy Haunts Peter at Graduation.

I get it. Peter wants to be with Gwen. Peter doesn’t want to endanger Gwen. I hate this will-they/won’t-they nonsense. We’ve seen this before with Mary Jane.

And way to telegraph Gwen Stacy’s death. Peter worries all movie and is then attacked by her killer from the comics: the Green Goblin? What did any comic fan think was going to happen?

3rd, Max Dillon’s accident. And any scene with Electro post Times Square.

Jamie Foxx’s talents showcased in recent films ‘Django Unchained’ and ‘Horrible Bosses 1 &2,’ and his talents were completely wasted as Electro. As previously stated, the Max Dillon scenes were great… but the rest of Jamie Foxx’s scenes were terrible.

And his accident was so comic-booky in a franchise that shoots for some realism.

Sure, Electro was only used as a place-holder while the film covers Harry Osborn’s decent into the Goblin, but he didn’t have to feel like that! In a way, I would argue the Joker is a placeholder in ‘The Dark Knight’ for the decent of Harvey Dent into madness (the final confrontation is the one with Dent, Gordon, and Batman, not the earlier Joker wrap-up), but he was obviously a fully fleshed out villain – one of the best – that allowed for the 2nd villain to develop.

Electro Experimented — This scene wasn’t terrible.

Electro could have been so much more, even while serving the transformation of Harry into Goblin.

I did enjoy the scene where he was experimented on, but that’s just another exception to the rule of terrible Electro scenes.

So, there you have it, without droning on and on and on. (I only droned on and on… twice… not thrice!)

Sure, there is more terribleness to discuss as well as a few more highlights. But I think it’s time to put ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ to rest… forever.

Why Are They Breeding Raptors On Isla Nublar?

Posted on January 7, 2015February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Features, Jurassic World, Movies, Villains

“Clever Girl.”

Velociraptors.

Though T-Rex makes the park logo (of both the failed Jurassic Park and the new Jurassic World) and has the best single scene in the franchise (“someone let T-Rex out of his pen”), for me, the Jurassic Park franchise is all about Velociraptors.

There are few things scarier than the Velociraptor; in fact, it may be the scariest monster to ever grace the silver screen.

Sure, ‘Jaws’ is scary, but to avoid Bruce you just need to stay out of the water. But Velociraptors… if you are on Isla Nublar or Isla Sorna (aka ‘Site B’), can get to you anywhere. They talk to each-other, open doors, and have one hell of a claw.

The Velociraptors haven’t had the best track record in the ‘Jurassic Park’ sequels. Raptors in the grass is terrifying in ‘Lost World: Jurassic Park,’ but then the incredibly smart beasts are bested by Ian Malcom’s teenage daughter doing gymnastics.

In ‘Jurassic Park III’ they have feathers… and are only after Alan Grant and company to protect their eggs. In fact, blowing through their vocal cavity causes them to leave you alone completely.

LAME!

Velociraptors are better as cold blooded, killing machines like in the first film.

Yet… in the film ‘Jurassic Park’ all the raptors are either killed or left for dead in a locked freezer.

Muldoon tells the park visitors that there are three raptors in the Velociraptor Pen. He explains that when they brought in the big one – you know, the one who eats that paddock worker at the beginning of the film (“Shoot Her!”) – she killed all the raptors in the pride but two.

So, we start the film with three velociraptors. Then Timmy locks one in the freezer in the 2nd best scene of the franchise: raptors in the kitchen. They may be able to open doors, but they can’t unlock one from the inside.

Finally, in the 3rd best scene (this is working out nicely), T-Rex comes to the rescue (in what is actually the biggest and most beloved cop-out of an ending in film history), killing the other two raptors.

So, by the end of 1993’s ‘Jurassic Park’ there are no live raptors left on Isla Nublar.

T-Rex earns his final, powerful image after killing two Raptors.

But, life finds a way (or studio executives at least) as Chris Pratt gets to ride a motorcycle with at least 5 of the creatures in the ‘Jurassic World’ trailer; ‘World’ being the first JP film to return to Isla Nublar since 1993.

So, in their infinite wisdom, did InGen (or its new parent company) breed new Raptors? Or even take old ones from Site B., Isla Sorna?

Or, did life really find away?

The Raptor Pen in 'Jurassic Park' — The Raptor Pen in ‘Jurassic Park’

Were there eggs in that pen? After all, we, and the park employees don’t really get a good look in there due to the danger level. Did the Raptors also change sex and breed? Who would raise the babies? Were there young raptors in the pen?

Alternate theory; did the Velociraptor in the freezer use her weight to force the door open? Did she raise some babies?

Likely, this won’t be addressed in ‘Jurassic World.’ I never realized that all three raptors met a terrible fate (that they deserved) until I rewatched ‘Jurassic Park’ for the millionth time. And I doubt the studio and writer expect us to remember this, if they even did.

But maybe, just maybe, we’ll get an explanation from Chris Pratt as to why he has his own pack of Raptors.

The motivating force of the ‘JurassicWorld’ plot is that park guests are tired of seeing the same old monsters after a decade of Jurassic World being open. Where raptors bred to give park goers that scare factor before management decided to just go ahead and make a new dinosaur? Where they bred to be used as samples to create what the web is calling the ‘D-Rex;’ possibly a hybrid Velocirapter/T-Rex?

Whatever the case.

“Probably not a good idea.”

I just hope the new Raptors are used for scares, not just as Pratt’s minions. After all, they are the cornerstone of Jurassic Park’s scares.

Is that really the new Hybrid... or is the shot more reminiscent of Timmy in the kitchen with Raptors! — Is that really the new Hybrid… or is the shot more reminiscent of Timmy in the kitchen with Raptors!

I do have a theory that the final scene in the trailer, pre-logo, the ominous shadow and growl over the young boy is that of a Raptor, not Jurassic World’s newest attraction.

All will be revealed (or glossed over) in ‘Jurassic World’ opening Jun 12th

CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts – PART III

Posted on October 20, 2014February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Captain America, Civil War, Features, Lists, Marvel, MCU, Movies

When we hear about a movie we are excited for, we all have certain expectations for what we want to see and what don’t.

Tell me you didn’t have things you hoped for in ‘Star Wars: Episode I’ that were crushed. And maybe now, especially after the prequel debacle, you may have strong feelings for what you want to see in ‘Episode VII’ and what you hope never see again.

In this spirit, welcome to the 3rd and final installment of ‘Captain America 3 – The Dos and Don’ts!’

Read PART I – CLICK HERE

Read PART II – CLICK HERE

If you have made it this far, you are a true believer and I thank you. What started as one post spiraled into three. I am passionate about these topics; ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ is my favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Capt. is my favorite Avenger, and I can’t wait to see Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man “share” the screen with Steve Rogers in a non-Avengers film.

So, let’s do this!

What About ‘Winter Soldier’s’ Loose Ends?

Like the common sequel, future Marvel films build off what came before. Plotlines from solo-franchises like ‘Captain America,’ ‘Thor,’ and ‘Iron Man’ continue in their own sequels, sometimes including bigger, MCU changing events like the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the reveal of all the Infinity Gems.

‘Winter Soldier’ left plenty of loose ends within the ‘Captain America’ franchise. Some may just be “Easter eggs,” but we will see which ‘Winter Soldier’ story elements payoff in ‘Captain America 3.’

Winter Soldier at the Smithsonian learning about his past as Bucky Barnes.

First, both the last line of the ‘Winter Soldier’ from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson at Fury’s grave and the final post-credit scene set up Steve Rogers’ quest to save Bucky from his brainwashed, Hydra obeying, Winter Soldier self.

Many of these other loose ends will most likely be there to add more depth to the MCU and delight comic book readers, but this plotline seems too important and was obviously very much set-up to continue in ‘Capt. 3′

Perhaps movie kicks off with Falcon and Captain tracking down the Winter Soldier, confronting him, and finally saving Bucky. After all, Bucky eventually came to his senses in the comics. He even became Captain America after Steve Rogers’ death! (More on that later…)

Maybe their conflict and the ensuing destruction is what makes Iron Man support the superhuman registration act in our ‘Civil War’ storyline? (Read about Marvel’s ‘Civil War’ by CLICKING HERE)

Steve Rogers' former right hand man and Hydra Agent, Brock Rumlow, in 'Winter Soldier' pre-Crossbones — Steve Rogers’ former right hand man and Hydra Agent, Brock Rumlow, in ‘Winter Soldier’ pre-Crossbones

Next up, remember Rogers’ right hand man on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s “Strike Team” at the beginning of the film on the Lemurian Star? When he wasn’t “helping” Captain America on missions, he was hunting Rogers down for Hydra. Said man is Agent Brock Rumlow… who in the comics often fights ‘Captain America’ under the identity of Crossbones.

Seeing as how we witnessed Rumlow’s charred body survived the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Triskelion HQ at the end of ‘Winter Soldier,’ the complete set-up for Crossbones is there; it’s just a question of whether or not it will pay off or simply be an ‘Easter egg.’

I’m wager there is no room for Crossbones in the already crowded ‘Civil War’ storyline. Especially if Winter Soldier / Bucky Barnes returns as I predict he will.

Brock Rumlow after S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ collapsed around him.

I believe the ground work is also there for the return of Zola, if need be.

The drive Black Widow plugged the USB drive into containing “Project Insight” had more than one USB port. And based on the dust patterns, someone used more than just one USB port. If it takes a warehouse full of old-school computers to contain Zola’s mind, then wouldn’t he fit on a modern day thumb-drive of sorts?

Zola can come back, but just like Crossbones I’m not sure he fits into ‘Civil War’

Red Skull. Red Skull, Red Skull, Red Skull. Will we ever see you again?

Red Skull’s appearance would make the third ‘Captain America’ film less grounded than the new standard tone set by ‘Winter Soldier,’ but no more wacky than ‘Captain America: First Avenger.’

The special effect that swallowed Red Skull when he gripped the Tesseract too tightly in ‘First Avenger’ is identical to the special effect when Thor and friends get launched across space by the Bifrost. That means Red Skull could come back, just like the two aforementioned characters, though his appearance is the least likely.

Red Skull accidentally opens a door to the galaxy and is quickly swallowed by it.

If all three characters and their loose ends were crammed into ‘Captain America 3,’ it would be a disaster. That being said, I would love to see all three eventually return, especially Red Skull.

If they return, Crossbones could be the 1st act combat scene instead of facing Winter Soldier; seeing Rumlow in ‘Capt. 3’ is the most likely of the Hydra group including Zola and Red Skull. Zola may play a role in the superhuman registration act, but that would be repetitive of “Project Insight” in ‘Winter Soldier.’ And there is NO chance we’ll see Red Skull in ‘Captain America 3’ if the film’s focus is ‘Civil War.’

No time for Red Skull, Dr. Jones!

Maybe next time. If there is a next time.

Which takes me to my final point…

Will Steve Rogers Die?

'Captain America 3' may be titled 'Fallen Son,' which involves the Death of Captain America. — ‘Captain America 3’ may be titled ‘Fallen Son,’ which involves the Death of Captain America.

Like Superman, Captain America’s death was one of the biggest superhero deaths in the history of comics.

It’s nearly impossible to imagine a ‘Captain America’ franchise not including ‘The Winter Soldier’ storyline and ‘The Death of Captain America.’

Seeing as how the two rumored titles are the straightforward ‘Captain America: Civil War’ or ‘Fallen Son,’ the death of Captain America is likely in ‘Capt. 3.’

Perhaps he will die fighting Iron Man. Or more likely maybe he will be assassinated for his views.. or his past (Crossbones could be a likely candidate for Steve Rogers’ killer).

No matter the case, I would say there is a 99.99% chance Steve Rogers doesn’t make it past ‘Avengers 3,’ if he is alive to see even that.

Sam Wilson as Captain America in Mavel Now! Comics

Further support of this theory comes from the rumor that Sebastion Shaw is signed on for nine MCU films (which seems like an exaggeration) while Chris Evans wants out. Like RDJ, he doesn’t want to play his signature Marvel character forever and has expressed interest in leaving the Avengers sooner rather than later. Meaning he might not even make it to ‘Avengers 3…’ because he may die in ‘Capt. 3!’ Boom! Full circle.

And then the comic storyline can continue on the big screen, with Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier taking up Captain America’s cowl… Sam Wilson / Falcon taking over for Steve Rogers is less likely, though that is exactly what is happening currently in the ‘Marvel Now!’ run of comics.

There you have it. That’s the end! No more parts to read! Sorry I wrote a novel and I thank you reading it, because you are one of the few who made it this far. You deserve a reward! Super Geek-cred, yo!

To quickly sum it all up…

DO keep that ‘Winter Soldier’ tone/vibe.

DON’T make ‘Capt. 3’ the Tony Stark story. Keep it focused on Steve Rogers and his point-of-view.

DO keep ‘Civil War’ contained to ‘Captain America 3.’

DON’T load the movie with too many superhumans.

DO tie up as many loose ends as possible without making the movie feel crammed together.

DON’T kill Steve Rogers, even though they will, because he is my favorite Captain America.

‘Nuff Said.

CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts – PART II

Posted on October 17, 2014February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Captain America, Civil War, Features, Lists, Marvel, MCU, Movies

Picking up where we left off in ‘Part 1,’ the following is what I hope to see, and not see, in ‘Captain America 3’ involving the ‘Civil War’ storyline.

Keep ‘Civil War’ Contained To ‘Capt. 3’

‘Civil War’ in the comics lasted for months and months, crossing the books of all the big Marvel heroes. Simply put, way too much story for one film (unless you keep it small…).

That being said as expressed in my other post about ‘Captain America 3,’ the Marvel films work best when they feel self-contained, not just another chapter leading to a bigger plotline.

‘Winter Soldier’ heavily involved S.H.I.E.L.D. in the overall plot, while also involving the more personal battle between Steve Rogers and his brainwashed former partner. The film still managed to move the MCU forward with the larger plotline involving Hydra (which is always tied tightly to Captain America), “Project Insight,” and the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.

While riding this universe altering event, the film never felt like a partial movie or just a chapter meant to get us to ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ also carried the universe forward with “the Orb” and mention of other Infinity Gems, as well as the inclusion of the MCU’s biggest baddie to date: Thanos, the Mad Titan. Yet it works completely on its own; proven by its huge domestic gross, bolstered by most movie-goers who don’t know a thing about Infinity Gems, Thanos, or any other way ‘Guardians’ ties into the rest of the MCU. ‘Guardians’ is a completely independent movie with those MCU strands that tie it into the rest of Marvel Studios’ world.

The Orb is one of the strands connecting 'Guardians' to the other MCU films. But it is used as a MacGuffin and knowledge of how it ties in is not necessary for enjoyment of the film. — The Orb is one of the strands connecting ‘Guardians’ to the other MCU films. But it is used as a MacGuffin in the film. Knowledge of how it ties into the bigger MCU is not necessary for enjoyment of the film.

Certainly, don’t stretch the ‘Civil War’ plot across Phase 3, a mistake and almost impossibility I discuss in ‘Robert Downey Jr. Will Be In CAPTAIN AMERICA 3! What It Means for the Flick and the MCU‘

Better ‘Captain America: Fallen Son’ and then a stand-alone ‘Civil War’ than a storyline that consumes the MCU across multiple films and franchises.

Don’t Load The Film With Too Many Heroes

The comics version of ‘Civil War’ involves nearly the entire Marvel Universe, from the Avengers owned by Marvel Studios, to Fox’s X-Men and Fantastic Four, and most importantly, Sony’s Spider-Man (who plays a huuuuge role in the ‘Civil War’ comic event).

This isn’t an Avengers film; Marvel Studios could have made an ‘Avengers’ movie about ‘Civil War’ but they went for a ‘Captain America’ film featuring Iron Man.

Daredevil as he will appear on Netflix in this first look at his (1st?) costume

With the current characters from the MCU not being loaded with that many Earth-bound superhumans – Captain America, Falcon, Winter Solider, Iron Man, War Machine, Thor, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, The Vision (these last three being introduced in 2015’s ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’), Ant-Man (also introduced in summer 2015), and Daredevil (whose Netflix show should precede ‘Captain America 3’) – the team would have to be much smaller in the film than the comic which features years and years worth of Marvel characters.

(I intentionally left Black Widow and Hawkeye off the superhuman list as they have no powers, nor suits that give them superhuman abilities like Iron Man, War Machine, and Falcon.)

So, who all is in the movie?

I’d wager Marvel keeps in small, especially since other characters have their own business right now.

I don’t expect we’ll see Thor as he has to deal with a Loki run Asgard in ‘Thor 3.’ The Guardians are across the Galaxy have no reason to get involved in what is really an Earth security issue that doesn’t deal with extraterrestrials the Guardians are involved with… like Thanos.

My best bet is two small camps, especially if they want to keep the movie contained.

On one side, you have Steve Rogers / Captain America and Sam Wilson / Falcon. That’s a given.

On the opposite side you have Tony Stark / Iron Man and surely James Rhodes / War Machine.

That’s a sweet finale right there. Falcon is the perfect character to take on one of Tony Stark’s suits and Captain can hold his own in a ground based fight.

Those four characters are really all you need. Captain America who doesn’t trust the government and his new partner Sam Wilson who follows Capt.’s lead and also must be mistrusting after the S.H.I.E.L.D./Hydra debacle with NSA undertones.

And Rhodes is in the US military who fund his whole War Machine / Iron Patriot plight, even if Stark provided the initial suit that Hammer Industries and then A.I.M. updated.

Maybe you’ll see another character or two. But not only is ‘Civil War’ already a Captain America film (again, I hope he is not pushed out of the picture by either too much Tony Stark or too many superhumans), it’s also paying RDJ’s tab. How many other established heroes can Marvel afford for a non-Avenger film? As big as ‘Winter Soldier’ was, the ‘Captain America’ franchise doesn’t gross nearly as much as an Avengers flick.So you can’t pay nearly as many Avengers.

Maybe we’ll see Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, The Vision, Black Widow, or Hawkeye. But looking at that list, most those heroes would oppose the measure. Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver probably don’t want anything to do with the government, Black Widow made her stance clear in her senate meeting scene in ‘Winter Soldier,’ and I’d wager Hawkeye isn’t that keen either after working for an agency that turned out to be Hydra. Plus, if he and Black Widow are as close as they seem, then they would take the same side, would they not?

Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver concept art from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron.' What role will they play in a post-Ultron world? 'Capt. 3,' perhaps? — Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver concept art from ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’ What role will they play in a post-Ultron world? ‘

The Vision would likely take Stark’s lead, and if they are able to fit Bruce Banner / The Hulk in there he may be in favor of registration due to his want to control “the other guy.” Or, he might not like the government knowing his whereabouts or what-have-you.

Finally, I don’t think Ant-Man will make it, as I assume they will wait for an Avengers film to tie in new Phase 3 characters like Ant-Man and Dr. Strange. Same goes for Daredevil, I don’t think we’ll see him on the big screen until Marvel produces their four Netflix shows leading up to ‘The Defenders.’

So, I’m calling it as small teams. Possibly as small as Captain America, Falcon, and Winter Soldier (will Steve Rogers convert him in the 1st act?) vs. Iron Man, War Machine, and Vision.

I don’t see ‘Civil War’ blowing up too big, both to not flood ‘Capt. 3’ with too many characters and because Marvel’s movie roster is much smaller than their decades of comic characters.

Stay tuned for Part III of this article where we discuss the loose ends of ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ and whether or not Steve Rogers will even survive ‘Captain America 3’CLICK HERE FOR PART III

CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts – PART I

Posted on October 17, 2014February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Captain America, Civil War, Features, Lists, Marvel, MCU, Movies

As examined previously, Robert Downey Jr. is going to have a rather large role in ‘Captain America 3;’ the first time a major Marvel Cinematic Universe character has crossed over into another hero’s film in more than a cameo (sorry Black Widow & Nick Fury, but I’m talking the big guys with solo movies – Capt., Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and even the Guardians of the Galaxy).

This means ‘Capt. 3’ will follow Marvel’s ‘Civil War’ storyline, also discussed previously.

Brief ‘Civil War’ review: people die as the result of reckless superheroes, the security council wants all superhumans to register their powers and identity with the government, Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) supports the government, Steve Rogers / Captain America (Chris Evans) opposes the measure.

Inner Avengers conflict ensues with the two heroes duking it out with their superhuman allies on both sides, splitting the characters of the MCU. Again, conflict ensues.

Which brings me to the issue at hand: The Do’s and Don’ts of ‘Captain America 3.’ What I want to see and what I hope Marvel Studios avoids.

Keep That ‘Winter Soldier’ Vibe

‘Winter Soldier’ is my favorite Marvel film; Marvel Studios or otherwise (the Marvel projects at Sony and Fox).

Armin Zola in talkinf computer form in 'Winter Soldier.' — Armin Zola in talking computer form in ‘Winter Soldier.’

Writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely worked incredibly close with directors Anthony and Joe Russo. What resulted was an incredibly taut thriller reminiscent of 70’s political thrillers with a couple of superhumans and talking computers thrown in.

But ‘Winter Soldier’ isn’t sci-fi crazy; it is the most grounded film in the MCU, without being so realistic that you lose colorful costumes, living computers from WWII, and an assassin with a metal arm.

More importantly, it balances the prevalent serious aspects with the occasional lightness/comedy that defines the tone of Mavel Studios’ films, separating them from DC’s “no joke policy;” creating films that are too dark and gritty, no matter the hero.

(‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy is perfectly fantastic the darker it gets, because that’s Batman. On the other hand, ‘Man of Steel’ seemed way too dark for the lighter Superman character. A lot of other DC characters will seem out-of-place in a DC cinematic universe that carries the same tone as ‘Dark Knight’ and ‘Man of Steel.’)

There may be men with metal arms, but the combat is still grounded in stunt work... mostly... mostly. — There may be men with metal arms, but the combat is still grounded in stunt work… mostly… mostly.

I consider the film ‘The Dark Knight’ of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. ‘Winter Soldier’ may not be as good as Nolan’s trilogy, but it is the gold standard for Marvel Studios films as well as the darkest. Darkness is okay for some heroes, whereas others deserve a lighter tone (learn that, DC).

In Avengers: Phase 2, Marvel Studios finally got adept at separating all their solo films into different genres, making the Avengers we love more unique in both their stories and how they exemplify said genre/story.

‘Iron Man’ was a really well-done, but not highly original, superhero origin story. ‘Iron Man 2’ continued the almost generic superhero formula, but by Phase 2 ‘Iron Man 3’ had evolved into a film about Tony Stark, spending more time as “the mechanic” (as he tells the kid who saves his ass in that quiet mountain town) , using his own inventor/MacGyver skills, than in the suit. It’s an old-school action movie with superhero elements.

‘Incredible Hulk’ very much followed the superhero formula with the monster twist. ‘Thor’ & ‘Thor: The Dark World’ subverted the genre with elements of fantasy and magic (they are Norse Gods steeped in Norse mythology…). ‘The Avengers’ was pure superhero movie with the awesome gimmick of the first major team up.

Meanwhile, Captain America went from a superhero origin story / war movie with supernatural elements (the Tesseract) in ‘First Avenger,’ to full on political thriller with some real grit and relevant issues (NSA type issues) in ‘The Winter Soldier.’

Captain America makes the best movies and is my favorite character due to how he does combat compared to the other Avengers.

Iron suits, Hulks, and Gods result in a lot of action sequences with CGI versions of the characters zipping along. Capt. has less powers so his battles are on the ground involving hand-to-hand combat (with a Shield throw here or there), with lots of stunt work instead of CGI.

I love stunt work. That’s why 80’s movies are the best; it was the golden age of ‘Indiana Jones,’ ‘Lethal Weapon,’ and ‘Road Warrior;’ extreme action movies done with practical effects before the advent of CGI.

They just don’t make them like that anymore… except for in movies like ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier.’

The directing Russo brothers (who are rumored to also direct ‘Avengers 3’ and possibly ‘Avengers 4’ due to Marvel’s extreme satisfaction with the final version ‘Winter Soldier’) say they want to keep Steve Rogers grounded in the more realistic part of the MCU, with more down-to-Earth thriller action and realistic, stunt driven fight scenes. No Capt. fighting giant green monsters, Gods, or men in metal suits… unless said man in question is Tony Stark.

Adding Iron Man into the mix doesn’t change the tone / genre or make things too ridiculous (like I said, Zola isn’t exactly realistic, but he is Sci-fi working in the more realistic realm of the MCU than the expanded universe that features a talking raccoon and tree person), as besides ‘Winter Soldier,’ ‘Iron Man 1 & 2’ are the two most grounded films in the MCU (Iron Man 3 gets wacky – in a good way – with Extremis).

We (hopefully) should be good on Vibe/Tone of ‘Captain America 3,’ but what about that lil’ comment I made about Steve Rogers having to fight Tony Stark?

Steve Rogers Needs To Be The Star, Not Tony Stark

The movie is ‘Captain America 3’ (at this point). Maybe ‘Captain America: The Fallen Son’ or ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ but it’s not currently called ‘Captain America & Iron Man’ or simply ‘Civil War.’

If the 2016 film indeed remains ‘Captain America 3’ than Steve Rogers is our star and we must experience the film from his perspective. And Capt. definitely needs more screen time than RDJ’s Tony Stark. Even if RDJ is Marvel’s poster child.

Too much Iron Man would steal the movie from the title character, while a Black Widow in ‘Winter Soldier’ sized role might be the sweet spot. ‘Winter Soldier’ never felt like it was anyone’s movie but Captain America’s, even with the inclusion of Black Widow, Nick Fury (with his own badass action sequence and subplot that both kick off the events of the film), and Sam Wilson aka Falcon.

If we see the world from Capt.’s point-of-view, does that mean we are meant to be on his side of the ‘Civil War?’ Does that make Iron Man the villain? It seems like a hard task to either make fan-favorite and Marvel’s highest grosser a ‘villain’ to this plotline or to show us both sides of the argument equally without loading the film with too much RDJ.

I have several more ‘Captain America 3’ issues to tackle, but this post is getting long, so I’ll save my other points for ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts PART II.’

So, since there isn’t ‘Nuff Said, I’ll just leave you with this…

Excelsior!

CLICK HERE for PART II

Robert Downey Jr. Will Be In CAPTAIN AMERICA 3! What It Means for the Flick and the MCU

Posted on October 15, 2014February 17, 2017 by Nick Doll in Age of Ultron, Avengers, Civil War, Features, Marvel, MCU, Movies

Robert Downey Jr. has been hinting for a while now that Marvel Studios has big plans involving his trademark character Tony Stark; he who kick-started the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2008’s ‘Iron Man.’

Speculation about ‘Iron Man 4’ has been thrown around for weeks, with RDJ accidentally(?) sending the impression that he would do a fourth film in the franchise that saved his career, even though he has been denying interest in said project for several years now.

Instead, the other day RDJ confirmed at least part of Marvel’s master plan for the ‘Avengers: Phase 3’ solo films, announcing he is in negotiations for a rather large role in ‘Captain America 3,’ set to be released May 6th, 2016.

We’re not talking a cameo, we’re talking a Black Widow in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ sized role.

Continue reading “Robert Downey Jr. Will Be In CAPTAIN AMERICA 3! What It Means for the Flick and the MCU” →

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this:

Spread the Love! Tell your friends!

Like this: