Andy from Parks and Recreation is a big fan of helping to remind us that a Jurassic Park-er-World movie is actually happening. Yes, we’ve been told that it is officially coming out next June, but they haven’t even started filming yet.
Editing alone is going to be a dinosaur of a task when it comes to remaking a franchise that literally makes all of its money from having the best special effects of its time, so I’m ready and willing to hear out Pratt on some new story details that will hopefully get us excited.
Let’s over-analyze!
(The following is based on an interview between Chris Pratt and MTV)
Pratt on what drew him to the project: “What I liked about it is that it answers the question of, ‘Why would they do that?’ How do you suspend disbelief to be like, ‘Oh, yes! Let’s make this mistake again! We haven’t learned our lesson about dinosaurs. “We should definitely live with them and see how that works out!””
Wow. Chris said exactly what everyone is thinking.
“After three tries, they answer the question really well through the script. Colin did a great job of writing it and justifying it. Kind of, in his own way, having fun with that so that anybody who goes in with that question will be really amused the way I was.”
OK, so Chris is hinting at a possible motivation for bringing dinosaurs back to life aside from the whole “because dinosaurs” plotline from the first few films.
Pratt on how his role compares to Ian Malcom and Dr. Alan Grant from previous movies: “He’s got a little of both [characters]. He’s got a little bit of the Goldblum cynicism, but also the Sam Neill excitement at the wonder and the biology of it all.”
If there is anyone who captures enthusiasm in a way that doesn’t actually make us uncomfortable, it’s absolutely Andy Dwyer.
I have to be honest here. Is anyone really excited about this movie? I’m trying to be, as I’ve always been a big fan of the fun that comes with the Jurassic Park movies, but I’m also hesitant to see how the lore has aged.
Keep in mind that this is the same movie that was originally conceptualized to feature human/dinosaur hybrids. Obviously, this is no longer the case and the script is in better hands, but that doesn’t make me any less fearful that this is going to be a major disappointment.
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When I first heard the news that Jesse Eisenberg would be playing the arch-nemesis of Henry Cavill’s Superman, I was a combination of surprised, angry and excited (not in that order).
Regardless, there hasn’t been too much noise yet on what this version of Luthor will actually be like, save for rumors and wish lists.
Well, a source I have in the industry imparted to me some rumors from the studio, and I stress the word rumors. They’re subject to change as far the details go, but I have a feeling they will reveal plenty about the direction this franchise is going to take with one of comic lore’s most infamous villains.
RUMOR #1
Bruce Wayne will allegedly be working with Lex Luthor in order to help rebuild Metropolis after the events of Man of Steel. In regards to Superman, Wayne is a fan while Luthor considers him an outsider, or alien, that doesn’t belong.
Interestingly, the relationship between Luthor and Wayne is already established. They’ve known of each other for years, but they hate each other. Wayne thinks Luthor is amoral, while Luthor believes that Wayne has never worked for everything he has.
RUMOR #2
Luthor will have his iconic shaved head, along with a tattoo of the Metropolis skyline on his right arm.
This apparently has something to do with some gang experience he had as a kid. He was initiated into a street gang when he was 14 and then took it over within a year.
RUMOR #3
Luthor became a billionaire on his own at the age of 18, thus becoming CEO of Lexcorp. He is described as a ruthless genius with street smarts.
This contrasts with other origins surrounding Luthor, who achieves his wealth from his father, Lionel Luthor. In this iteration, however, it seems Lionel won’t have that same role, if any.
Do you believe these rumors? Do they excite you? Make you want to inhale Kryptonite? Let’s discuss…
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For over a day now, a theory has been circulating the web about Man of Steel that is incredibly interesting and would make a lot of sense out of the final scenes of the movie…if it were true.
SPOILERS Ahead (Obviously)
T.J. Kiss proposed yesterday that in the final confrontation between Superman and Zod, when Superman snapped his neck to prevent Zod from obliterating an entire family with his eyes, the family is still killed.
His argument is that when he snaps the neck, it moves Zod’s head toward the family unintentionally, and that is why you don’t see the family again (you just see rubble).
He also posits that Clark doesn’t let out his scream until he looks up, presumably at the remains of the family, which would lend credence to his “no-kill” policy that is implied by the ending.
Here’s the video for you to discern for yourselves:
Convinced?
Don’t be. The theory, while interesting, is shattered by one frame that you missed. If you slow the scene down, you can see the family intact in the corner after Zod has been killed.
And that’s about it. I wish this could have been a 1,000 word essay that makes me look incredibly intelligent, but at least now when someone tries to bring this theory up the next time you’re not watching Man of Steel, you’ll be properly equipped to disarm the situation.
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Instead of watching the Super Bowl this year, I had the immeasurable benefit of having one night to finish a video I made for one of the nonprofits that I volunteer for. So instead of watching what is being considered by many as the worst Super Bowl of all time, I had my face buried in a computer (but what else is new?)
Aside from not being able to watch the game itself, I was equally distraught at having to miss out on the commercials, though I heard those didn’t fare well either. Still, I was anxious to watch two commercials in particular that were bound to be good (at least one had to, right?)
My wish was fulfilled and then some because both trailers were amazing, despite my immense displeasure with the first “Amazing Spider-Man” and my worry that Captain America would have nothing interesting to do in a sequel without Downey Jr. or the God of Thunder. Or Mark Ruffalo. Or Colson.
See, I was pretty worried, and although a trailer is only a halfway decent benchmark for anticipating the success of a film (critically, that is), I am happy to report that both movies look to be promising superhero flicks that will satisfy our itch for escapism once the weather warms up.
But which was better?
If you had asked me on Saturday, I would have met you with a resounding laughter. “Captain America, obviously.” is one of the 14 phrases I would have uttered. But with this latest look at The Amazing Spider-Man 2, I actually have to think about this, and I hope you help me decide.
Normally, I break down trailers individually with funny captions and litter them with interesting side notes about the upcoming film. I already did that for Captain America, and I was too disinterested to give Spider-Man more than a Tweet.
So this time, I’ll be comparing the two trailers side by side. Let’s get started!
You know what I love about being Spider-Man? Everything.
Yeah, really profound Andrew.
I liked this trailer a lot more than the first one, which reeked of Spider-Man 3’s villain overload. But what we learned from the first Amazing Spider-Man movie is that there are more problems with the handling of Spider-Man than introducing a lot of villains. The Lizard was the only villain, and the movie was still terrible, for instance.
But it looks like the sequel will be giving it the old college try at redeeming its creative decisions in the first movie. Most importantly: the costume is perfect. He actually looks like Spider-Man now, and his arms are no longer blinking.
Next, it’s comforting to know that the movie will focus more on the heroism of Peter Parker’s alter ego, rather than just focusing on his revenge quest against his uncle’s killer and his uninteresting girl problems with Gwen Stacey. This trailer gave us a glimpse of Spider-Man actually saving people and fighting crime, a small detail that has been overlooked since Spider-Man 2 (the best one).
I have to admit that the Max Dillon/Electro/Jamie Foxx plot makes little sense so far. The trailer explains that he is a villain because a brief encounter with Spider-Man encouraged him to gain powers. But when he did do that and became Electro, Spider-Man forgot his name, which set him off on a rampage.
That just seems…silly. For now, I guess we’ll just chalk this up to the fact the guy is wickedly unstable.
Finally, as much as I am excited to see the Sinister Six being hinted at and built up, I can’t help but feel like the Harry Osborn/Rhino thing is being crammed into the movie. The trailer doesn’t flow, as a result, and I feel like that may be a sign of pacing problems the movie is bound to have.
Still, the action looks far more creative and fun to watch than the last movie, with even CGI effects looking crisp and imaginative. Here’s to Spidey and Sony trying to make good on second chances.
Now, let’s take a look at the new trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier and compare:
If they’re shooting at you, they’re bad.
Yeah, really profound, Chris.
The first trailer did a good job of introducing us to another side of S.H.I.E.L.D. that is similar to the TV show, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, in that it features the “Black Ops” aspect of hunting down dangerous, god-like individuals. It’s setting the stage for Secret Avengers, a plot avenue that makes perfect sense for Captain America (and Steve Rogers).
Cap isn’t the most powerful Avenger. He’s not the smartest, or even the most good-looking (thanks to Black Widow). But he is the bravest of them. He’s a soldier, and his role as the “Captain” is something that this new trailer is willing to explore.
Unlike the first trailer, this featurette focuses more on the antagonist, The Winter Soldier. Many of you probably already know who he really is thanks to comic books and the Internet being terrible at keeping secrets, but please do not spoil the surprise for anyone who doesn’t know.
That said, we got a more full glimpse of the action behind this new villain and why we should actually be afraid of him. 1 point goes to Captain America for having a much more interesting and streamlined villain (which is surprising).
It was also great to see more of The Falcon joining the action, particularly when the two are being shot at toward the end. Between Falcon, Black Widow, and Fury all vying for Cap’s attention, it now makes sense why Hawkeye probably won’t get brought up this time around.
A point goes to both trailers for giving us some good action to rejuvenate our childlike lusts for violence and explosions, but I’m giving Spider-Man another point for costume design. Maybe it’s because it’s such a fantastic improvement over his last one, but it’s also because Cap’s helmet is just plain awkward.
Captain America gets 1 more point, however, because of Scarlett Johansson, but that is met by another point to Spider-Man for having more comedic moments. The “washing the American flag” bit, along with the chimney thing, actually had me laughing, while the Captain America trailer’s only attempt at humor fell extremely flat for me.
Thanks to Emma Stone, Spider-Man gets the last point, which means I actually pick The Amazing Spider-Man 2 trailer over Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Never in the history of the last few months did I believe such a thing was possible, but here we are.
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Earlier today, I was told the sad news that Philip Seymour Hoffman, celebrated actor, was found dead today in Manhattan at the age of 46.
Hoffman is responsible for many performances that I have truly enjoyed, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I loved his presence because it made me (and many others) feel uneasy. He was a fantastic villain, and he stole the show from other formidable leads on a consistent basis.
He will be surely missed. I’m not going to pretend as if I am qualified to declare what his best performances were as a sort of memoriam. I don’t know what they are, and I honestly don’t care.
First and foremost, I want to say goodbye and wish his family and friends well. They’re losing a good man. Second, I’m not going to get into how he passed away. At the time of this writing, nothing has been confirmed related to the cause of death, and it’s ultimately irrelevant.
So I’m going to honor his memory the only way I know how. By saying goodbye. To do that, I want to thank him for all of the films he put work and effort into for us to love. The following four films stand out to me, as they are my favorite performances by the cherished actor. Of course, I’m leaving out many great films, so please feel free to consider listing the films that impacted you in the comments.
4. Doubt
I was unprepared for Doubt, a fictional, suspenseful story of a priest who is being accused of pedophilia by the head nun, played by Meryl Streep.
The performances in this film caught me years before I was mature enough to appreciate them. I can still feel the intensity of the conclusion, which affected the audience in a deliciously deceptive plot twist that still lingers in my head when I think back on the film.
3. The Big Lebowski
Brandt (Hoffman): Her life is in your hands. The Dude: Man, don’t say that, man. Brandt: Mr. Lebowski asked me to repeat that: her life is in your hands. The Dude: Oh, s***, man. Brandt: Her life is in your hands, Dude.
2. Mission Impossible III
There are plenty of other films I would place above this Tom Cruise action spy flick, but I feel compelled to include it due to the embarrassing fact that before I watched this movie, I had no idea who Philip Seymour Hoffman was.
Boy, did I learn, and if I hadn’t, I probably would have missed out on Pirate Radio.
1. Almost Famous
Hoffman was responsible for my favorite scene of this movie.
Lester Bangs (Hoffman): Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong. William Miller: Well, it was fun. Lester Bangs: They make you feel cool. And hey. I met you. You are not cool. William Miller: I know. Even when I thought I was, I knew I wasn’t. Lester Bangs: That’s because we’re uncool. And while women will always be a problem for us, most of the great art in the world is about that very same problem. Good-looking people don’t have any spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we’re smarter. William Miller: I can really see that now. Lester Bangs: Yeah, great art is about conflict and pain and guilt and longing and love disguised as sex, and sex disguised as love… and let’s face it, you got a big head start. William Miller: I’m glad you were home. Lester Bangs: I’m always home. I’m uncool. William Miller: Me too! Lester Bangs: The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we’re uncool. William Miller: I feel better. Lester Bangs: My advice to you. I know you think those guys are your friends. You wanna be a true friend to them? Be honest, and unmerciful.
One of my few complaints about the movie Frozen was that it seemed to be lacking 1, 2 or even 3 music numbers, at least toward the end. So imagine my surprise when I was told that there were SEVEN songs that didn’t make it to the reels.
Fortunately, YouTube exists, so we are able to listen to the songs online and let our imaginations fill the blanks. Let’s listen!
(WARNING: There are some spoilers in this, so don’t keep reading unless you’ve watched the movie!)
1. We Know Better
This first video features the song “We Know Better.” It would have explored more of the background between Anna and Elsa, before Elsa accidentally freezes Anna during the actual first few scenes of the movie.
I like this song because it shows us more of the deep bond the sisters have before Elsa has to become a recluse, making the following song – Do You Want To Build A Snowman – that much more depressing.
2. Spring Pageant
The next song is “Spring Pageant,” which was deleted for a pretty good reason. It turns out that an early version of the movie featured a prophecy surrounding the main characters. I would have liked something like this to explain more of why Elsa has powers – which the movie doesn’t elaborate on – so excluding this song from the final version makes sense.
But it’s still pretty great.
3. More Than Just a Spare
This next song was meant to help us get an idea of what it’s like to be Anna, the “spare” princess. Because she isn’t the heir – Elsa is – to the throne, she feels deep down like a spare.
“More Than Just a Spare” was probably removed because it would have added an extra plotline that doesn’t really get answered later on. That said, it would still make a great plot device to explore in a possible sequel.
4. You’re You
This was originally the predecessor to “Love is An Open Door,” which is the moment that was meant to establish the romantic relationship between Anna and Hans.
Though I don’t prefer it, it does make a deranged bit of sense to hear Hans saying somewhat mean things about Anna that are actually revealing about his true intentions…
If they did keep it, the song would have probably fit in better when Anna said goodbye to Hans before embarking on her journey to save Elsa.
5. Life’s Too Short
I really wish this song had made it to the movie, as it is a far more dramatic representation of the conflict between Elsa and Anna before Elsa accidentally freezes Anna’s heart. In my opinion, it makes Anna and Elsa’s later act of love feel vastly more meaningful.
What especially caught my attention is how Anna tries to get Elsa to put her gloves back on, which makes Elsa flip out “Let it Go” style.
6. Life’s Too Short – Reprise
This next one is the reprise of “Life’s Too Short,” which is clearly the sadder version compared to the upbeat one we just heard. It’s supposed to take place while Anna is freezing and Elsa is in prison.
In my opinion, this is exactly the kind of song that was missing during the final act.
7. Reindeers Remix
Finally, we have the song that was meant to be the movie’s final song, featuring the under-utilized Jonathan Groff. I love it because it would have left the movie on a funny note that captured the fun of the song Groff sings earlier about Sven.
And that’s it! If we’re lucky, these songs will appear in High School plays all over the world for years to come.
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When I was a kid, I watched every episode of Full House about 30 times. It was a ritual. So to watch the original trio return for a comedy sketch on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon was a surprise/treat that I certainly wasn’t expecting.
In this video that made me cry almost as much as the Fault In Our Stars trailer, Bob Saget reprises his role as Danny Tanner, the loving father who always seems to invoke sad, sappy music whenever he starts to talk.
Of course, the video is made by the further reprisals of John Stamos’s Jesse Katsopolis and Dave Coulier’s Joey Gladstone. They brought back several old favorites from the 90s TV show, including Mr. Woodchuck, “Have Mercy” and even “The Teddy Bear Song.”
See for yourself and let your heart remember the dream of the 90s:
Also, if you want to see the amazing performance by Jesse and The Rippers on Late Night, here is that video for you to love as well:
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