Categoría: INTERNET

Marvel Studios has already made significant shifts in recent years, thanks in part to dwindling financial receipts and disappointing fan reception. In 2024, «Deadpool 3» will be the only new MCU theatrical release. The highly-anticipated sequel incorporates the roster of X-Men characters into the franchise, marking a major creative shift in how the studio approaches its storytelling.

Disney is also changing its approach to Marvel’s TV slate. This year, audiences can look forward to the «WandaVision» spin-off «Agatha: Darkhold Diaries» on Disney+. MCU fans can also expect three animated projects in the form of «Eyes of Wakanda,» «Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,» and «Marvel Zombies.» However, it remains to be seen if they’ll debut in 2024. 

Marvel Studios has other Disney+ projects in various stages of development. Perhaps the most prominent is the Charlie Cox-led «Daredevil: Born Again,» which endured a creative overhaul after studio executives weren’t impressed with footage shot before 2023’s Writers Guild of America strike. Marvel is attempting to focus on titles that will generate excitement and lead to more subscribers; Disney+ lost 1.3 million subscribers in its final 2023 quarter. 

After two successful installments of «A Quiet Place» already, it’s understandable the horror series has fans who would want to be in the know for anything related to the movies. Signing up for text alerts is a good way to do that even if it doesn’t necessarily offer anything new right this second. Ultimately, «A Quiet Place: Day One» follows the path set by other trailers to come out that have encouraged people to sign up for text alerts. 

«The Black Phone» trailer encouraged people to text «ESCAPE» to its number so that people could receive tidbits about the horror flick. That marketing strategy was a wise move for that particular film, seeing how a black rotary phone factors heavily into the plot. It’s not just horror movies that have enticed people with special texts. The trailer for «The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes» similarly had a phone number at the end where people could receive updates on the prequel.

Films need to get the word out any way they can. Dropping a trailer on YouTube is certainly one way to go, but if a studio can send updates and new information directly to people’s phones (where they’re likely already glued), then all the better. To take a cue from the text messages, the marketing for «A Quiet Place: Day One» is just beginning.

No matter how many films you’ve seen, «Blue is the Warmest Color» is likely to be one of the most intensely sexual films you’ll ever watch. Following the passionate lesbian love affair that explodes between Emma (Léa Seydoux) and Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos), the movie is filled with graphic sex scenes between the two, to the point that the film has been the subject of some controversy.

The centerpiece of «Blue is the Warmest Color» is a seven-minute sex scene between Adèle and Emma that features all manner of different sexual acts and positions. Indeed, it was these scenes in particular that drew some ire for the mostly well-received film.

«The most discomfiting thing about Blue [Is The Warmest Color] is that it ultimately feels like a menage a trois involving the actors and the camera, staged for the benefit of the director,» wrote J. Hoberman of ARTINFO. Tammy Olerman of Bi*** Media agreed, writing, «Exarchopoulos and Seydoux are constantly undercut by [director Abdellatif] Kechiche’s direction, which often seems more about his directorial desires than the motivations of the story’s protagonists.»

Elsewhere, there is a highly explicit scene of Adèle pleasuring herself while she imagines making love to Emma, a heterosexual encounter that depicts full-frontal nudity, and several other scenes that are highly sexual. While the film retained its NC-17 rating, IFC waived the ruling in New York City, where it allowed high school-aged teenagers to also see the film.  

While critical analysis of sex scenes is worth having, especially when it comes to ensuring actors are safe and comfortable while shooting them, if social media had been around in the 1980s, the discussion would have almost certainly been less nuanced. Back then, films were far more likely to contain gratuitous nudity than scenes that were vital to the story. That includes 1982’s «Swamp Thing.»

Prior to «Swamp Thing’s» release, the only live-action DC movie adaptations were based on Superman and Batman and were obviously designed for children. But «Swamp Thing» represented a different kind of comic book story. It was more adult, and the big-screen adaptation’s nudity exemplified that. One scene many people likely remember is when Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau) wades naked in a swamp. More of her body could be seen in the European release of the film, but Americans still saw the profile of her breast. It helped differentiate the film from others at the time, proving these stories could still appeal to adults — even if the nudity wasn’t really there in service of the overall plot.

In the DVD commentary for «Swamp Thing,» director Wes Craven said nudity wasn’t just more readily permitted at the time — it was encouraged. «It was always, like, the solution to everything was to have a nude scene,» Craven recalled. «So Adrienne did agree to do that, with my vow that it would only be used in Europe.» «Swamp Thing» shows how nude scenes in Hollywood’s superhero projects go way back. It’s not some new thing more recent films have done in attempts to be edgy. Hopefully, these movies and others show filmmakers how nudity and superheroes can still go hand-in-hand.

«Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice» didn’t just get kryptonite from critics and fall short of its billion dollar box office expectations. It didn’t just effectively kill off the DC Extended Universe as a viable competitor to the monocultural monolith known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also brought four Razzie awards out of eight nominations to the Hall of Justice, such as worst supporting actor for Jesse Eisenberg, worst on-screen couple for Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, worst screenplay, and worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel. Not good. And yet, we’re defending it.

As a long-awaited franchise entry starring two of the most famous pop culture characters ever, «Batman v Superman» was a failure. As a cinematic «elseworlds» tale from «visionary director» Zack Snyder that operates on a wavelength unlike any comic book movie before or since, it’s in a category of its own.

If the «Dark Knight» trilogy was Wagnerian opera and the MCU is crowd-pleasing pop rock, «Batman v Superman» is Swedish death metal. It hits with all the subtlety of Batman swinging Superman around, but there’s an entire internet subculture of «Snyder Bros» who will defend it to the death, as well as more mainstream outlets who preach its merits. No, we’re not saying #RestoreTheSnyderverse; we’re saying that its bold, brash, and unrelenting vision is definitely worth watching.

While not everyone takes to being the butt of a joke, Ben Affleck admitted that he finds it amusing. «I got to a place where [the public perception] was so different from who I am that I just stopped reading and stopped caring,» the actor explained to the Los Angeles Times in 2022. «Even the ‘Sad Affleck’ meme — that was funny to me. I mean, there’s nobody who hasn’t felt that way at a junket.»

The actor-director is just worried about his three kids seeing them. «I think, ‘Oh, are they going to think their dad is fundamentally sad or they have to worry about me?’ That’s really tough,» he explained. Considering Affleck has had a very public battle with alcoholism (which is the tragic reason he dropped out of «The Batman»), it’s easy to see why he feels this way. Still, both he and his wife, Jennifer Lopez, maintain that he’s doing fine despite occasionally looking like he’d rather be anywhere but where the cameras happen to catch him.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Netflix has a knack for rescuing bygone movies and television series from the brink of obscurity. Just look at «Suits,» which became the most-streamed show of 2023 thanks to its newfound availability on the streamer. «The Vow» is a well-timed tie-in to Valentine’s Day, a holiday that can give the schlockiest of movies their time in the sun. It helps that Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum still exude the same star power that they did in 2012.

The story behind «The Vow» hasn’t aged quite as well. The movie is loosely based on the true story of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter. Two months after their wedding in 1993, the couple got into a car accident, where Krickitt suffered brain trauma and memory loss. Kim courted his wife all over again, and in 1996, the couple remarried, later having two children. After «The Vow» was released, the couple co-authored a book detailing their experience.

In 2018, it was reported that the Carpenters were separating after 25 years of marriage because of Kim’s infidelity. «It was shocking and surprising to me because we were so committed to each other and to the vow,» Krickitt told Inside Edition.

Even after the public breakup, Krickitt said she was still an optimist when it came to love. Luckily, her love story was immortalized on film.

Critics were not kind to «The Postcard Killings» during its initial release. The film stands at a 24% critical approval score on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews reflect a film with a mishmash of thoughts behind it, none of which seem to land as far as the critics are concerned. The Los Angeles Times’ Noel Murray wrote that the film is «awkwardly pitched between serious art and pulp trash,» and without enough uniqueness to keep it alive as an original production.

Dennis Harvey of Variety called out the film’s lack of depth and the thinly drawn characters that make up the cast. Writing for The Observer, Rex Reed said the film lacks a sense of humor and a consistent feeling. «The script seesaws up and down between subplots while Jeffrey Dean Morgan slogs his way through the whole thing with one expression. He is very good at emotional breakdowns, and does them often. Sort of keeps you awake, if you know what I mean,» he wrote.

While critics don’t seem to think that «The Postcard Killings» is anywhere close to being one of the best thrillers of all time, it appears that Netflix audiences have definitely embraced the movie, flaws and all.

Not much is known about «Zootopia 2,» «Frozen 3,» and «Toy Story 5» at the time of writing. The big shocker remains «Moana 2,» and Disney CEO Bob Iger said of the sequel, «Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise, and we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when ‘Moana 2’ comes to theaters this November.» He’s not wrong; Nielsen reports showed that «Moana» was the most-streamed movie on any platform for 2023 with 11.6 billion minutes of viewtime. It seems Disney wants to capitalize on its enduring popularity in more ways than one. 

Earlier in 2023, Dwayne Johnson announced a live-action version of «Moana» was in the works. Johnson will reprise his role as Maui in the live-action movie, but Auli’i Cravalho will not play the titular role (although she will be an executive producer). 

As for the animated «Moana 2,» not much is known. While a teaser came out, it’s only 16 seconds long and shows Moana wading in the waves before blowing into a conch shell. However, Disney did release the following synopsis for the sequel: «‘Moana 2’ takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.» Fortunately, it won’t be long until audiences are taken back to Motunui. 

We aren’t privy to the specifics of the legal paperwork James Gunn signed when coming aboard DC Studios. However, it makes sense it would prevent him from working with Marvel, given he’s the co-CEO and not just a writer-director working on a movie. He’s overseeing the entire slate of future DC movies, even announcing a full line-up for the first phase of the new DC Universe called «Gods and Monsters.» 

Gunn occupies a different position than actors and directors, who are allowed to work with different studios. Essentially, he’s the Kevin Feige of DC, so all his attention should go toward ensuring this new cinematic universe is as successful as it can be. Understandably, the powers at be don’t want him getting distracted with other projects, and his overseeing numerous films and TV shows (directly writing several of them) is a good sign for DC’s future.

There was some level of crossover; Gunn received his position at DC Studios late in 2022, but he continued working on and promoting «Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,» which came out in May 2023. More than likely, Gunn was allowed to complete his previously agreed-upon work, but from this point forward, it’s all DC all the time. 

In the lead-up to «Eternals,» the film was touted as a turning point for the MCU, with many even going so far as to assume it would be the franchise’s first prestige picture. It was a narrative that made sense – Chloé Zhao had just won the Best Director and Best Picture statues for her 2020 indie darling «Nomadland.» But the expectations surrounding the film eclipsed the actual final product, and Kumail Nanjiani thinks a lot of that has to do with Marvel’s approach with «Eternals.» 

«It was really, really hard because Marvel thought that movie was going to be really, really well reviewed, so they lifted the embargo early and put it in some fancy movie festivals and they sent us on a big global tour to promote the movie right as the embargo lifted,» Nanjiani told Michael Rosenbaum. Taking a look at the reviews, «Eternals» wasn’t necessarily a bad picture — it just meandered and failed to capitalize on its source material in an effective manner. «By the end of its lengthy run, ‘Eternals’ stumbles across the finish line with a dizzying mix of spaceships, superpowers, erupting volcanoes, and other spectacles,» wrote Looper critic Larry Caroll in a mixed review. 

Once reviews started pouring in, the conversation shifted to how the picture was Marvel’s first misfire, and how it failed at taking risks, which would have elevated the genre. For Nanjiani, it was the chatter around the film — not the film itself — that led him to develop negative feelings towards it. «I think there was some weird soup in the atmosphere for why that movie got slammed so much, and I think not much of it has to do with the actual quality of the movie,» he said. 

«Fury» did well at the time of its release. It grossed $217 million globally against a budget of $68 million, and now, thanks to its introduction on Netflix, people who didn’t get a chance to catch it in theaters can watch it. And it’s certainly worth the time, as it earned positive reviews from critics thanks to its unflinching portrayal of the suffering caused by war. 

Director David Ayer had already proven himself adept at helming violent pictures like «End of Watch.» That trajectory continues into «Fury,» with many critics lauding him for how he handles a wartime film. Q.V. Hough of Vague Visages drew particular attention to Ayer’s style: «What makes ‘Fury’ unique as a piece of filmmaking is Ayer’s propensity to remind of how disposable we are as human beings.» Perhaps that penchant for showing people as disposable helped him land «Suicide Squad,» which is all about characters being killed off if they’re not compliant.

While Ayer’s approach earns ample praise, Brad Pitt’s Don «Wardaddy» Collier also gets a lot of love, including from Richard Roeper at The Chicago Sun-Times. He wrote, «Pitt is at the top of his game, playing a man who has forgotten whatever he used to be and has wholly embraced his role in this war.» Pitt has starred in several war movies, from «Inglourious Basterds» to «Troy,» so his ability to play men haunted by warfare has been honed over the years. Whether you love the actor or feel like watching something that will keep you tensely seated at the edge of your couch, «Fury» on Netflix is the way to go.

The most immediately compelling aspect of «Lisa Frankenstein» is its unique visual palette. Director Zelda Williams taps into the aesthetics of the ’80s with impressive attention to detail, but this is far from just a retro pastiche: It captures the spirit of films like «Beetlejuice,» «Heathers,» and even lesser-known gems such as «My Boyfriend’s Back» and «Better Off Dead.» There are so many little touches that ground «Lisa Frankenstein» in a very specific vision of the ’80s, from Lisa’s dad’s shoe phone (if you recall from «Juno,» Diablo Cody is a sucker for a novelty phone) to Taffy’s malfunctioning tanning bed and Janet’s beloved collection of Precious Moments figurines. And the costumes — well, they’re perfection. The increasingly theatrical and gothic outfits that Lisa wears to school during her courtship with the Creature deserve to be in a museum.

Kathryn Newton owns every inch of the screen as she brings Lisa to life, a morbid outsider whose tendency to hang out in cemeteries hasn’t exactly won her friends. She’s an odd little duck with a flair for the dramatic, making her the perfect companion for Cole Sprouse’s resurrected early 1800s-era musician. Whereas Newton articulates Lisa’s every thought, the role of the Creature is almost entirely silent, which seems like a smart choice on the part of the filmmakers. Not because Sprouse can’t be trusted to deliver lines or anything like that, but because the Creature has a much higher likelihood of coming across as incredibly cheesy the more he has to say — especially in the hands of Cody, whose verbosity couldn’t help but work against the moody, gothic tone of the character. Instead, Sprouse is given the opportunity to put in an entirely physical performance, and he takes full advantage of every facial expression to endear his sad little Victorian pianist to the audience. 

Cillian Murphy’s Dr. Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow is one of the few supporting characters to appear in all three of Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies. Widely praised for his performance as the terrifying villain, Murphy didn’t actually audition for the role. In fact, Murphy was gunning for the lead role of Bruce Wayne — he even screen-tested for the role.

In a chat with Entertainment Weekly, Nolan candidly discussed with Murphy how he knew he wasn’t the right fit for Batman. Despite that, Nolan said he was eager to work with Murphy and went forward with the screentest. «When we had our first conversation I think both of us knew that you weren’t going to wind up playing Batman,» Nolan told Murphy. «But I really wanted to get on set with you, I wanted to get you on film,» the filmmaker continued.

Strategic and playful, Nolan conducted the Bruce Wayne screentest with Murphy in the hopes of convincing Warner Bros. to give the Irish actor the Scarecrow gig. «Everybody was so excited by watching you perform that when I then said to them, ‘Okay, Christian Bale is Batman, but what about Cillian to play Scarecrow?’ There was no dissent,» Nolan said. Murphy appeared in half a dozen of the creative maverick’s films, including «Oppenheimer,» his biggest film to date. And for Robert Downey Jr., missing the train on Scarecrow led to one of the most iconic roles in cinematic history. Sometimes, things just work out.

Daisy Ridley may have yet another opportunity to steal some props with the announcement of a new «Star Wars» movie in the works that will focus on Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order. Beyond the vague synopsis, not much is known about the project at this point. However, Ridley did tell Collider that she’s extremely excited to get back into this world. «The story is really cool,» she stated. «I’m waiting to read a script because, obviously, I don’t have any other updates. It’s not what I expected, but I’m very excited.»

It would be easy to remain skeptical about whether this Rey movie will actually come to fruition. Numerous Star Wars projects have been announced and subsequently canceled in the aftermath of «The Rise of Skywalker.» But there’s reason to retain hope that this Rey movie will be one that sticks. Ridley teased the possibility of more Rey stories to Collider: «I know the storyline for one film. That’s not to say that that’s all it is, but that’s what I was told about.»

While it seems there’s more planned for Rey in «Star Wars,» as long as Daisy Ridley’s around, the prop department better keep extra tabs on any cool-looking memorabilia. 

In the current cultural landscape, sequels and reboots are a dime a dozen. In 2024, Paramount Pictures and Tina Fey teamed up to debut a sequel to the classic teen comedy «Mean Girls.» Reese Witherspoon, meanwhile, is attached to a «Legally Blonde» threequel — another iconic teen IP. With nostalgia being such a consistent theme at the multiplex, it’s hard not to imagine studios interested in bringing «Clueless» back to life. 

While nothing has been greenlit, Silverstone’s son is eager to have his mom return to her most iconic role. In a 2020 chat with Entertainment Tonight, Silverstone revealed that her son, then 8 years old, was already cooking up a legacy sequel featuring a jaded Cher. «It was unbelievable what he thought,» she said. «She was an alcoholic but he didn’t say those words. He was like, ‘She drinks a lot and maybe she’s a makeup artist? Like a professional makeup artist.’» 

Legacy sequels tend to examine the faults of their characters, diving deep into how the future never matches up with their glory days — think «Star Wars: The Force Awakens» or «Creed.» Seeing Cher as an adult, who has lost her social standing and clout, would be an interesting (albeit depressing) follow-up. The possibilities are endless for a sequel, but Silverstone has maintained that audiences likely won’t get a part two — no matter how much they clamor for one. 

Richard Pryor’s talent was immense and he quickly became one of the most popular comedians in the ’70s. During his reign, Pryor won a whopping 5 Grammy awards for his comedy records, emerging as one of the most prominent talents of his era. Rolling Stone confidently labeled Pryor as the best stand-up comic of all time, a sentiment that most comedians and fans seem to agree with. Pryor was best known for his provocative, hard-hitting, no-nonsense routines, where he frequently discussed social injustice, race relations in America, and his various escapades. 

In 1998, Pryor was the first comedian to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, an award that the likes of Dave Chappelle and Adam Sandler had won. «I’m a pioneer,» Pryor told The Washington Post (via The Los Angeles Times) about winning the award. «That’s my contribution. I broke barriers for black comics. I was being Richard Pryor; that was me on that stage.» Pryor died in 2005, leaving behind an impressive legacy. 

It looks like being talented runs in the family, as Ludacris seems to have the same funnybone that Pryor had. While Ludacris is mostly renowned for his contributions to Hip-Hop — his track «Get Back» will forever be an anthem — the multi-hyphenate talent has always stolen the show as the bumbling but humble Tej in the «Fast and Furious» franchise. While Pryor and Ludacris never got to meet, the «My Chick Bad» artist has another famous cousin in Monica, best known for her track «Angel of Mine.» 

There is more than one symbolic reason for Khan Noonien Singh’s ship being called the SS Botany Bay. The most obvious is that, much like the real Botany Bay, the ship contains some pretty rough criminals. After all, Khan and his fellow Augments used their power to take over a sizable portion of Earth, only to be narrowly overthrown and forced to escape off into space to save their lives. Of course, there’s also another interpretation that instead focuses on the later history of Botany Bay.

In the modern day, Botany Bay is no longer used for the delivery of convicts. Rather, it’s more of a traditional shipping port, with container ships often passing through Port Botany to deliver various goods to the mainland. This connection specifically pertains to the first appearance of the Botany Bay ship in the «Star Trek» franchise. In the «Star Trek: The Original Series» Season 1 episode «Space Seed,» it’s revealed that Khan and his crew froze themselves during their trip, effectively turning into cargo until they are awoken. In this way, they blend together two distinct eras of Australia’s Botany Bay and their vastly different imports.

Ultimately, the SS Botany Bay doesn’t get a very strong end to its story, simply being abandoned on the planet Ceti Alpha V and left to rot. Still, there’s no denying its place in «Star Trek» history and the fascinating real-world inspiration behind its name.