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‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ Shows off Two New Clips, What a Time to Be Alive
20 January 2016 6:10 PM, PST
The fact that a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie even exists is kind of surreal when you think about it. It wasn’t really that long ago that this kind of insane horror literary mashup was the kind of thing confined solely to quiet corners of your local book store, maybe sitting next to a Kim Newman novel. (Hey, why haven’t they made an Anno Dracula movie yet?) But now, in the days of the all-important nerd demographic, when movies like Ant-Man and Warcraft exist, the idea of a movie that throws together the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel with flesh-eating hordes of the undead almost seems like business as usual. This is the world we live in. Take a moment to appreciate that. And after that moment, come watch these two new clips from the upcoming film that showcase Lily James’ take-no-prisoners Lizzie Bennet, Lena »
- Thomas O'Connor
First Full Trailer for DC’s ‘Suicide Squad’ is Ridiculously Fun
20 January 2016 2:01 PM, PST
2016 is going to be an insane year for comic book movies. Of course, the big two that are already beginning to loom over the year like gaudily-clad 2001 monoliths are Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War, because apparently 2016 will be the year of superhero domestic disputes. But there are a ton of other upcoming comic book movies floating in under the radar, and one of them is David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, a new trailer for which dropped late last night. While the trailers for Batman vs Superman and Civil War seem built on a platform of po-faced seriousness, Suicide Squad is going the opposite route, setting the trailer to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and putting an emphasis on making the movie look like a big, fun, badass romp.
The trailer looks so infectiously fun that I’m officially more excited for Suicide Squad than I am for Batman Vs Superman. »
- Thomas O'Connor
Deadpool Infographic: Get Educated on the Merc with a Mouth
20 January 2016 1:47 PM, PST
You know who Deadpool is. Come on. If you’re on this site, or if you’ve paid even the slightest attention to comic books and pop culture at large, odds are you have at least a passing familiarity with Marvel’s gun-toting, sword-swinging, motor-mouthed mercenary antihero. And that last sentence really told you everything you need to know, come to think of it. But just in case you need a more detailed rundown of what Deadpool’s all about, so you’re not lost when you hit the new Ryan Reynolds movie when it lands in just a few weeks, the folks at MorphSuits have put together this handsome infographic that hits all the basic points.
Though it neglects to mention the time Deadpool made a suit out of raw meat and used it to win a fight. Nobody’s perfect.
The post Deadpool Infographic: Get Educated on the »
- Thomas O'Connor
Go Team Venture! The Venture Bros Season 6 Trailer Has Arrived
20 January 2016 1:31 PM, PST
Are you watching The Venture Bros? You really should be. While it may be easy to take a quick glance at the now six year old series and dismiss it as some kind of decades-too-late Johnny Quest parody, it’s so much more than that. Sure, it may have started off that way, but in the intervening years The Venture Bros has blossomed into a genre-spanning epic of superheroes, villains, adventure, science, coming-of-age comedy and David Bowie (Rip). It’s also, and I’m being totally serious here, one of the best examples of organic world building I can name. It’s clear that writer/directors/creators Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick have the Venture Bros universe fleshed out to an insane degree, and every twist and turn over the past several seasons has felt thought-out, planned and brilliantly executed. I’m a fan of this show, can you tell? »
- Thomas O'Connor
‘Thundercrack!’: Bizarre underground cinema at its weirdest!
20 January 2016 12:34 PM, PST
Thundercrack!
Directed by Curt McDowell
Written by George Kuchar
USA, 1975
When one looks at the underground cult film scene of the 1960s and 1970s, the names Mike Kuchar and George Kuchar definitely come to mind. Twin-brothers who have spent the majority of their lives making short films, Mike and George utilized over-the-top titles and experimental storylines, all of the home movie variety shot on a rather “stylized” no-budget that Ed Wood would’ve been jealous of. Mike Kuchar’s work seemed to be inspired by pop genre films with a dash or two of wild fantasy: his best known film (well, best known in regards to the underground) is Sins of the Fleshapoids (1965), a trippy sci-fi/fantasy whatsit, all shot in color 16mm inside various rooms with limited art direction, utilizing dubbed-in narration and on-screen dialogue represented by optical cartoon-like speech-bubbles, and cribbing some music cues of Bernard Herrmann’s »
- Christopher Koenig
‘Batgirl’ #47 spins its wheels, but has fun guest stars
20 January 2016 12:28 PM, PST
Batgirl #47
Written by Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher
Art by Eleonora Carlini and Moritat
Colors by Serge Lapointe
Letters by Steve Wands
Published by DC Comics
Filler really is a kind of a dirty word to use to refer to a comic, and Batgirl #47 definitely isn’t that. However, with artist Babs Tarr sidelined for this issue and the main plot of discovering what is behind, this issue is a slight drop in quality compared to the spectacular wedding issue and last issue’s battle with gangs and gentrification. We do get to see Batgirl work in a group dynamic with both Spoiler and Bluebird, who she somehow forgot from Batman Eternal as they find out without a shadow of a doubt that it was Batgirl, who hacked her own data and tipped off the police about the kids from Forster Lane being in gangs. This leads to more self-doubt »
- Logan Dalton
Uncanny Inhumans #4 proves time heals all wounds
20 January 2016 11:52 AM, PST
Uncanny Inhumans #4
Writer: Charles Soule
Penciler: Steve McNiven
Inker: Jay Leisten
Colorist: Sunny Gho
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Time travel is a tricky mistress in Uncanny Inhumans #4. It’s even more tricky and complicated when you make deals with Time Warlords named Kang the Conqueror to get your family back together.
Uncanny Inhumans #4 is billed as the closer to the first arc starring the Inhuman royal family and friends, and they go out with several bangs, emotional beats, and leave the door open for more adventures of the Inhuman caliber to be told. We finally get the reveal of what happened during Kang’s escape with Ahura before Secret Wars happened in Uncanny Inhumans #0, and it’s a 13,000 year old doozy of a story. One thing, artists Steve McNiven and Jay Leisten and colorist Sunny Gho made sure of was the expert handling of how each character is rendered and colored. »
- Terrence Sage
Lunch Plans and Cosmic Villains make ‘Starbrand and Nightmask’ #2 a blast
20 January 2016 11:44 AM, PST
Starbrand and Nightmask #2
Writer: Greg Weisman
Artist: Domo Stanton
Color Artist: Jordan Boyd
Letterer: Vc’s Clayton Cowles
Published by Marvel Comics
The cosmic college freshmen are out of touch with humanity. For the duo that can slip into superflow highways to teleport from one corner of the world to another and dissect explosions down to a microscopic level, handling college and the power of the higher cosmic landscape could be a worthwhile challenge for the two.
Gravitron and Nitro (of Civil War infamy) carry on with the attacking of our two heroes with added help from Blizzard, who we saw being thwarted last issue. Through Nightmask’s narration there’s a threat waiting in the wings that has to do with they way they handle larger than life situations, but Starbrand the young adult god among men makes quick work of the trio of villains with little disregard to »
- Terrence Sage
Patsy has the retail blues in ‘Hellcat’ #2
20 January 2016 10:05 AM, PST
Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat #2
Written by Kate Leth
Art by Brittney Williams
Colors by Megan Wilson
Letters by Clayton CowlesPublished by Marvel Comics
Comedy, the sharp, harsh reality of underemployment for twentysomethings in the 2010s, zippy action sequences, and best of all, super guest appearances populate the new issue of Patsy Walker Aka Hellcat #2. Writer Kate Leth and artist Brittney Williams craft the perfect marriage of the slice of life and superhero genres as Patsy struggles to fit at her new job at the Crop Top Shop while also finding out that her old friend/nemesis Hedy Wolfe is reviving the old Patsy Walker romance comics that she hoped stayed buried in the past. There’s also a fun chase sequence featuring a shoplifter with magical powers with a less than fun ending for Patsy’s employment prospects. Throughout the comic, Leth ties things together through the theme »
- Logan Dalton
Most Anticipated Comics of 2016: Dark Jem Arc of ‘Jem and the Holograms’
20 January 2016 8:16 AM, PST
If you follow my reviews at all on PopOptiq, you know I’m deliriously addicted to Bitch Planet and Paper Girls, and certainly I am awash in anticipation of where those stories will go in 2016. But I sort-of expect more of the same from them. In contrast, when the new arc of Jem and the Holograms kicks up on January 27, it promises a delicious new tone.
The biggest reason I’m hyped for the new arc is the return of artist Sophie Campbell. She defined Jem and the Holograms with the character designs introduced in the first arc, “Showtime”. She nailed down the body types, facial expressions, and fashion sense of the characters. Her choices led to a body diversity rarely seen anywhere, much less comics. Women who lacked or plentifully possessed curves were equally glamorous and gorgeous. Their facial expressions could be emotionally evocative or amusingly silly, each in »
- Erin Perry
‘Faith’ #1 is delightful jumping on point
20 January 2016 7:44 AM, PST
Faith #1
Written by Jody Houser
Art by Francis Portela and Marguerite Sauvage
Colors by Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by Dave Sharpe
Published by Valiant Comics
No matter what age you are or how long you’ve been reading comics, getting into a new comics universe is always terrifying. Lots of backstory you don’t know about. Established characters with origins already explained. It can be intimidating. However, a good team with a good story can manage to bypass those fears, guide you in and make you fall in love with that character and their universe.
The first issue of Valiant Comics’ mini-series Faith is a good example of that.
Spinning out of the series Harbinger, Faith tells the story of psiot Faith Herbert (codename Zephyr) after she moves to La to become a better hero when she’s not working a job at Buzzfeed stand-in Zipline. Faith does have backstory that carries over from Harbinger, »
- Ashley Leckwold
‘Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl’ #6 is about endings, death, and mirrors
20 January 2016 12:33 AM, PST
Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #6
Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Jamie McKelvie (with backup art by Tom Humberstone)
Colors by Matthew Wilson
Letters by Clayton Cowles
Published by Image Comics
It’s fitting that the end of Phonogram is about the end of things and features one final story with David Bowie as the backbone to it.
Though, strangely enough, the main story is about death, but about the other major pop star death of the decade and of part of Emily Aster herself.
The issue picks up with the end of Emily’s fight from the end of the previous issue. After speaking with the image of Lady Gaga as the ceiling above them bleeds out from Claire’s suicide. “She’s terribly melodramatic,” Emily says with some resignation to fate. Gaga asks her if she really wants to break the deal in a panel that mashes together some »
- Ashley Leckwold
The Flash, Ep. 2.10, “Potential Energy”
19 January 2016 9:44 PM, PST
The Flash, Season 2, Episode 10, “Potential Energy”
Written by Bryan Q. Miller
Directed by Rob Hardy
Airs Tuesdays at 8pm (Et) on The CW
When The Flash’s second season premiered, the series was returning from one of the year’s most exciting cliffhangers on television, and the first episode back handled the resolution to that cliffhanger with intelligence and heart. Although network seasons aren’t always structured so that the final episode of the calendar year is a midseason “finale” (in the sense of being a clearly-defined midpoint in the narrative arc), more and more writing teams are working towards that idea. And while The Flash isn’t coming back to television in 2016 with a wormhole to deal with, The CW’s hit show still finished 2015 with a significant issue: what is to be done with Patty Spivot?
Among the many things The Flash does right is how the story »
- Sean Colletti
‘Welcome to Showside’ #3 has a hangout worthy cast
19 January 2016 3:39 PM, PST
Welcome to Showside #3
Written by Ian McGinty (Backups written by Kate Leth and Fred Stresing)
Art by Ian McGinty (Backup art by Kate Leth, Katy Farinas, Meg Casey, Michael Knepprath, Fred Stresing)
Published by Z2 Comics
Welcome to Showside #3 supposedly takes a break from fighting the monsters beyond the portal for a school dance. However, this being Showside, Kit, Belle, Moon, Teenomicon, and possible breakout character Boo do get to kick zombie butt between the mix of awkwardness, partying, goofiness, and romantic tension that is every high school dance. Writer/artist Ian McGinty also gives readers their first glimpse at the Shadow King in the present day and get to see him tell off his employees and just be sassy. His plan is a tiny bit ingenious even though his minions and middle management aren’t super strong. We also get to see Kit feeling a little bit down after »
- Logan Dalton
‘Wytches’ Vol 2 To Continue the Nightmarish Visuals?
19 January 2016 1:34 PM, PST
Wytches is ominous, atmospheric and outright disturbing. Scott Snyder is no stranger to tackling the downright, in your face, realm of horror. His work on multiple titles that fully embrace the horror genre or just feature elements from it are stellar. Severed from Image featured an array of images that were sure to crawl into your dreams/nightmares at night thanks to Scott Tuft and Attila Futaki’s illustrations, American Vampire continues to impress at presenting an alternative and fresh take on vampires due in thanks as well to Rafael Alburquerque’s stunning art, and Batman even ventures into the realm of the unsettling and horrific. Wytches takes what has worked so well on Snyder’s other projects by taking a beaten down genre and presenting a unique, twisted and ultimately fresh vision with an excellent show of talent from everyone on board.
Snyder may be the captain of the Wytches ship, »
- Anthony Spataro
‘Batman/Tmnt’ #2 Turns up the Fun on this Weird Crossover
19 January 2016 1:32 PM, PST
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2
Written by James Tynion IV
Art by Freddie Williams II
Colors by Jeremy Colwell
Letters by Tom Napolitano
Published by DC Comics
Holy shell, this book is a lot of fun. It reminds me of playing with my brother. We would dump every one of our action figures out on the ground and take turns picking one to be on our team. Regardless of whether I was supposed to be the bad guys, I always ended up with Batman on my team. I only say all of that to say that writer James Tynion IV and artist Freddie Williams II are having a lot of fun playing with these characters. It’s clear that he understands both worlds that are being represented.
The book picks up where the last issue ended. Batman and the Turtles meet face to face and exchange some punches. It’s »
- Raymond Thomas
Supergirl, Ep. 1.10: “Childish Things”
19 January 2016 3:54 AM, PST
Supergirl, Season 1, Episode 10, “Childish Things”
Written by Anna Musky-Goldwyn & James DeWille
Directed by Jamie Babbit
Airs Mondays at 8pm (Et) on CBS
This week’s episode marks the arrival of Toyman onto the National City scene, setting off more bombs in Supergirl’s life than she expects. Although the big villain-of-the-week is Toyman, the true center of the episode belongs to Winn and the lesson he learned from encountering his villainous father, which will in turn affect his relationship with Kara, changing their dynamic for future episodes.
The development of this story is presented well, albeit heavy-handedly. Having Kara relate to Winn by expressing how important he is to her both establishes the status quo of their relationship and reinforces their strong bond, so when Winn kisses Kara it raises the stakes. There are two roads from here: they could pretend it didn’t happen, or lay the truth on »
- Jean Pierre Diez
New on Video: ‘Bitter Rice’
18 January 2016 10:16 PM, PST
Written by Giuseppe De Santis, Carlo Lizzani, Gianni Puccini
Directed by Giuseppe De Santis
Italy, 1949
The opening credits of Bitter Rice parade an array of Italian film industry luminaries, figures who would help redefine the country’s national cinema, picking up where neorealism left off and setting the stage for the remarkable work that would emerge in the decades to come. Screenwriters Carlo Lizzani and Giuseppe De Santis (who also directed) were two of eight individuals contributing in one way or another to the script, though they were the two who would share an Academy Award nomination for its story. Cinematographer Otello Martelli had nearly 50 films under his belt by the time of Bitter Rice, but in the years that followed he would most memorably man the camera for Federico Fellini’s finest films. And producing the movie was the venerable Dino De Laurentiis, really just at the start of his legendary career. »
- Jeremy Carr
The Top 30 Debut Films of 2015
18 January 2016 1:04 PM, PST
There’s a certain joy to be felt when discovering a new voice in film. Taking the risk to sit down in and watch a director’s first feature, witnessing how they grapple and contend with cinema. Each year, there are great debuts, to be sure, but in 2015, it seemed to me to be unusually strong for first-time filmmakers (not a few films listed here are on my overall best of the year list as well).
A few notes regarding the eligibility: the majority of these films had a USA theatrical release date in 2015, but in the spirit of including more foreign films – some of which have yet to find a distributor in North America – I have also included several films which only had festival release dates in 2015, or only had theatrical releases in their country of origin. The question of which films are eligible seems to be an arbitrary line, »
- Josh Hamm
5 times David Bowie’s music made the scene
18 January 2016 12:47 PM, PST
From starring roles in films such as The Man Who Fell to Earth and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence to smaller parts in the likes of The Last Temptation of Christ and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, David Bowie made as much a mark on the world of film as it did on music and fashion. But it wasn’t just his acting that left an impression on movie-going audiences; numerous films have made use of his music to powerful effect. In honor of his recent passing, here are a few of our favorite appearances of David Bowie songs in the movies. We’ll miss you, starman.
“Cat People (Putting Out Fire),” Inglourious Basterds (2009)
I’m not much of a fan of Quentin Tarantino or his movies, but I still love this scene from 2009’s World War II fantasy Inglourious Basterds. Not only does “Cat People,” which Bowie originally penned »
- Nathan Smith
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