Etiqueta: Featured

Sico had a surprisingly extensive life following its cinematic debut in «Rocky IV.» The robot made subsequent appearances on TV specials, music videos, sitcoms, and even tours with James Brown, where the two performed the «Rocky IV» original song «Living in America.» There were even talks of a spinoff series focused on Paulie and Sico. But when the time came for «Rocky IV» to have another moment in the spotlight, Sylvester Stallone stopped any chance of Sico joining the action.

When announcing his plans for a «Rocky IV» director’s cut in 2020, Stallone added that the robot would not be included. While Sico’s erasure can be chopped up to the filmmaker’s efforts to make the story a more grounded affair, Robert Doornick believed that another reason was to blame. «By causing turmoil among the fans of Sico, it generates more publicity,» he told Empire Magazine. «And by removing the robot from the movie, it saves money in royalty fees because he is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. Sico receives [checks] all the time — and of course, he sends them over to me.»

Removing Sico was especially distressing, as it halted further opportunities to spread International Robotics’ mission of connecting with neurodivergent kids, similar to how they helped Stallone’s son. Sico’s memorable appearance and earnings from the original film allowed the company to visit and donate to various schools, hospitals, orphanages, and more. While Stallone’s vision deserves respect, it’s still a saddening moment for fans of Sico and the team behind the marvelous machine. 

One of the primary selling points of the «Thanos is protecting everyone from Galactus» fan theory is the way he goes about wiping out half of life in the universe. As Redditor jlfrench points out, if Thanos was truly trying to restore balance and prevent famine, he wouldn’t have killed off half of all livestock. Destabilizing food chains isn’t helpful in restoring planetary peace.

The other less dramatic solution Thanos could have taken was doubling food supplies across the universe, and the Galactus theory has an obvious answer for that, too. «This also explains why Thanos doesn’t just double the resources because this would actually just draw in Galactus even faster.»

The next step for the MCU’s antagonistic roll call is unclear since the studio dropped Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror at the end of 2023. While there are plenty of potential villain replacements, the impending Fantastic Four film makes Galactus (who is a major villain for that franchise, in particular) a juicy prospect. Linking their debut to the Thanos timeline could make the connection even better.

The Reddit theory even offered a clean way to link the two, and it comes through the ever-involved Dr. Stephen Strange. «One other way this could impact the story is Dr. Strange’s 14million future LSD trip,» Redditor jlfrench explains. «Maybe the reason it was so hard to ‘win’ was because that would include beating Galactus AND not killing half the universe.» Perhaps stopping Thanos was just the beginning of the one-in-14-million success story version of events. Maybe that epic storyline won’t conclude until our intrepid cinematic Marvel heroes take down Galactus in this timeline, too.

In an interview with Steve Dinneen of City A.M., Oliver Stone certainly went after «Barbie» in a big way. As noted, the director initially seemed to forget about his documentary «Nuclear Now,» particularly when Dinneen brought up «Barbie» and jokingly wondered if Stone would be interested in helming a potential sequel.

«Ridiculous,» Stone told Dinneen. «Ryan Gosling is wasting his time if he’s doing that s*** for money. He should be doing more serious films. He shouldn’t be a part of this infantilization of Hollywood. Now it’s all fantasy, fantasy, fantasy, including all the war pictures: fantasy, fantasy. Even the ‘Fast and Furious’ movies, which I used to enjoy, have become like Marvel movies. I mean, how many crashes can you see?»

Though City A.M. ran the interview, Deadline reported it as well, which is why Stone went after that particular trade publication. In any case, apology aside, Stone’s comments seem pretty unequivocal about «Barbie» helping to «infantilize» Hollywood and how Gosling, who plays Ken in the movie, should appear in more «serious» — by which he likely means «legitimate» — projects. Sadly, even though Stone wished the film well during Oscar season, it seems as if Academy voters share Stone’s divisive view.

Ryan Gosling had nothing but praise for Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie and their work on «Barbie,» which is extremely fair. The movie arguably wouldn’t be the success it was without Robbie’s lead performance, and Gerwig demonstrated exceptional skill as a director by creating a heightened world with a real heart. That’s to say nothing of the fact that she somehow made a profound, smart, and subversive movie centered around a Barbie doll.

Gosling made sure to discuss this as well in his statement: «Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.»

In the midst of his statement, Gosling made sure to honor those who were nominated for their work on the film. «Having said that,» Gosling continued, «I am so happy for America Ferrera and the other incredible artists who contributed their talents to making this such a groundbreaking film.» Ferrera earned her first-ever Oscar nod for playing Mattel employee Gloria, and the movie also scored nominations for its production and costume design.

With all of that in mind, let’s look at the films that were nominated for Oscars that are likely just honored to be included — as well as critical darlings that missed the cut. Both «Past Lives» and «Barbie» offer insightful, incisive looks at womanhood, yearning, and personal growth. Neither will win Best Picture. The respective stars, Greta Lee and Margot Robbie, were both left out of the best actress category, alongside their directors Celine Song and Greta Gerwig. While both movies put their female leads Nora (Lee) and Barbie (Robbie) into emotionally fraught situations, the stories feature relatively low stakes. This doesn’t make them less worthy in actuality; it just means they’re slightly quieter than their competition and thus, the performances and directors weren’t given a fair shake.

Another particularly egregious example — which received zero nominations — is the beloved 2023 adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel «Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.» Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig and starring Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret and Rachel McAdams as her mother Barbara, the film is a moving, straightforward, and extraordinarily layered portrait of both girlhood and womanhood, between Margaret navigating puberty and Barbara trying to carve out her identity beyond being Margaret’s mother. Despite widespread praise for McAdams’ performance in particular, a movie like this simply wasn’t recognized, because nobody leaves the narrative completely traumatized.

Women don’t need to be brutalized, harmed, or otherwise in distress for their stories to be important … but according to the Oscars, they do. Perhaps one day, a story about a woman simply being happy might have a shot at best picture. But for now, suffering is key.

«Oppenheimer» leads this year’s nominations with 13 nods and is considered a favorite to win best director, actor, and picture. And it’s all but guaranteed that Robert Downey Jr. will walk away with the best supporting actor statue for his rousing and complicated turn as Lewis Strauss. The actor has already won a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award. For Downey Jr., who spent the last decade in the shadow of Iron Man, this is a defining performance that will be loved for years. 

But, more importantly, it’s a career comeback after years of working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a caricature of himself — Downey himself admitted that «Oppenheimer» reminded him how to act. This is the actor’s third Oscar nom, and it’s high time he gets to take the statue home … but he’s not the right Robert for the win — at least this year.

Robert De Niro morphed into a quiet, understated monster in «Killers of the Flower Moon,» casually delivering a performance that stands toe to toe with the likes of Travis Bickle («Taxi Driver) and Neil McCauley («Heat»). As a wolf in sheep’s clothing, he elicits a myriad of emotions that all lead to sheer terror, displaying the worst of what humanity can become if it’s so compelled by greed and hatred. It’s a terrifying (and far from flashy) performance that takes the epic to new heights. At the age of 80, De Niro is still killing it — confirming that he’s one of the best actors American cinema has ever produced. 

When watching a movie with Oscar aspirations, it’s easy to pinpoint the acting moment that’ll play at the ceremony to announce the nominees. These are generally huge, bring-down-the-house moments where a performer yells, weeps, or launches into a topical monologue. They’re big moments where someone watching goes, «Now that’s acting!» One can see this in this year’s crop of acting nominees, like Bradley Cooper’s bravado conducting sequence in «Maestro.» That’s not a dig at Cooper, as it’s excellent, but Zac Efron does something different in «The Iron Claw» that the Oscar voting body usually doesn’t go for.

Zac Efron embodies the suffering of losing the people he was closest to. That’s a kind of heartbreak few could understand. On top of it, he’s required to suppress those feelings due to the patriarchal oversight of his father. That’s likely the reason Efron was overlooked, as his performance is largely subdued. There are more nuanced layers to this role beyond getting into shouting matches with other characters, but that only makes it more affecting.

Perhaps the Academy overlooking Efron is to be expected. Unfortunately, outlets like The Washington Post and IndieWire failing to mention Efron on their snub lists is a bit more disconcerting. If nothing else, Oscar nominations and discussions of who was snubbed can help lead the general public into seeking out what movies to check out. «The Iron Claw» has been largely shut out of these conversations, which is a shame because it’s genuinely one of the best movies of 2023. 

Consider this your message to go see «The Iron Claw» if you haven’t already. Zac Efron gives the performance of a lifetime, and it deserves far more acclaim than it’s gotten. 

It’s important to remember that Rotten Tomatoes is merely one metric when judging a movie’s quality, especially since it merely categorizes reviews as «fresh» or «rotten.» There may be a 17-point difference between the top- and worst-performing best picture nominees, but «Maestro» has nothing to be ashamed of, with a robust 80%. It outpaces a couple of the nominees from last year’s ceremony. «Elvis» and «Avatar: The Way of Water» have Rotten Tomatoes scores of 77% and 76%, respectively. Even those don’t hold a candle to some of the questionable nominations from years past.

The best picture nominee with the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score ever is 1936’s «Anthony Adverse,» standing at a rotten 20%. However, there are only 10 reviews on its page, so perhaps it’s a bit unfair to call it the out-and-out worst. It may be more prudent to look at a more recent nominee generally panned by critics, such as 2011’s «Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,» which has a disappointing score of 45% with 193 reviews. Even 2021’s «Don’t Look Up,» which was nominated for a few Oscars, only has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 55%.

It’s clear the Oscar voting body occasionally deviates from the consensus of professional reviewers. However, a strong batch of movies is up for best picture this year. All of them have their merits, so the eventual winner will be worthy no matter what. 

«Barbie» has a solid eight nominations, including best picture and two best original song nods, but some fans are scratching their heads over how Margot Robbie — Barbie herself — didn’t earn a nod for her performance. «Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie both being snubbed at today’s Oscar nominations is, without a doubt, the opening setpiece of my villain origin story,» wrote Twitter user @ninastarner. 

While many are (rightfully) celebrating Ryan Gosling’s best supporting actor nomination, it isn’t lost on many that the film’s lead isn’t getting a spot in the limelight. «Margot Robbie starring in a movie about being lowered as a woman in a man’s world and ending up not even receiving a nomination while her male supporting costar got a nomination severely proves the point Barbie was trying to make,» explained @WondahWilson. Robbie did receive a best picture nomination for producing the billion-dollar grosser. 

But Twitter’s beef with the best actress category doesn’t end with Robbie. A24’s passionate drama «Past Lives,» which Looper gave a perfect score, boasts two nominations, including best picture, but people wanted more. «[C]razy to nominate ‘Past Lives’ for a bunch of great awards and completely exclude Greta Lee, the performer who thoughtfully carries the whole thing,» shared @artwithinpod.  

The consensus is that the best actress category is filled with worthy nominees … except for Annette Benning, who received a nod for the biopic «Nyad.» Many think there are worthier performances than Benning, whose inclusion ruined the momentum that «Barbie» and «Past Lives» boasted. «[N]ominating [A]nnette [B]enning over [M]argot [R]obbie or [G]reta [L]ee should be illegal,» shared user @wasileke. 

Year after year, the Best Picture race is predominantly occupied by movies helmed by men (white men, more often than not), with only a few women breaking through to secure a nomination. It’s important to note that, in the Academy’s 95-year history, only three women have ever won the top prize (Kathryn Bigelow for «The Hurt Locker» in 2009, Chloé Zhao for «Nomadland» in 2021, and Jane Campion for «The Power of the Dog» in 2022). It’s also important to say that, at the 96th Oscars that will take place this year, French director Justine Triet is the sole woman recognized in the category.

This is an obvious and systemic issue; in 2023, zero female directors were nominated, despite potential candidates like Sarah Polley, Charlotte Wells, and Maria Schrader making impressive films in 2022.

Greta Gerwig is actually a pretty fascinating example of a woman who frequently receives half-hearted, seemingly insincere honors from the Academy without actual, tangible recognition. Yes, she was nominated for directing «Lady Bird,» but she lost to Guillermo del Toro for «The Shape of Water» and was up against only men. Her sophomore effort, «Little Women,» scored a Best Picture nod and ignored Gerwig’s considerable work from behind the camera. Now, with «Barbie,» Gerwig has been shut out for her third critically acclaimed film, as if this movie and «Little Women» simply directed themselves and became excellent works of art. Gerwig’s snub is egregious, but it’s also par for the course at this point because the Academy Awards apparently don’t consider female directors to be even with their male colleagues.

The Fortress of Solitude is traditionally a key setting in both comics and the live-action Superman films. Christopher Reeve’s Superman meets the digitized «ghost» of Jor-El (Marlon Brando) in the 1978 film, while Brandon Routh’s version of the character communed with Brando’s Kryptonian patriarch in 2006’s «Superman Returns.» In 2013’s «Man of Steel,» Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent-Superman traversed the northern landscape before meeting the DCEU’s Jor-El (Russell Crowe), who appears to his son in human form.

While the fortress serves as a place of change for Clark-Superman in the Man of Steel’s feature film appearances, it serves an even greater purpose in DC Comics lore. The Fortress is not only a base of operations for the Superman Family of superheroes, but it also stores an arsenal of Kryptonian weaponry. In addition, various versions of the Fortress include rooms set aside for the likes of Batman and Lois Lane, a zoo inhabited by endangered species from across the galaxy, and more.

Of course, fans won’t truly know whether the rich history of the Fortress will play any part in James Gunn’s «Superman: Legacy» until the film is released. But since Gunn’s DC co-CEO Peter Safran said at the January 2023 event that revealed their DC slate that «Legacy» will not be a film that examines Superman’s origin, it’s possible fans will see more of the Fortress than in previous live-action stories. The Superman Family is set expand with Gunn and Safran’s upcoming «Supergirl: World of Tomorrow,» and if Gunn gets his wish to bring Krypto the Superdog to life in live-action, the growing superfamily is going to need a place they can call home.

Moving beyond the discussion of the landscape that «Mean Girls» has found itself in, it’s also important to consider how its run matches up to the original. «Mean Girls» 2004 is the quintessential millennial flick, aggressively quoted to this day in both social-media and in-person circles. Its cultural footprint is unmatched, and IP is king, so it makes perfect sense that Paramount was interested in remaking the flick. It found the perfect way to do so by adapting the popular musical, but the receipts don’t really stack up when you consider the monumental fandom of the original film.

«Mean Girls» 2004 was a solid success at the box office, grossing over $130 million worldwide against a budget of $18 million, a run that likely won’t be matched by the remake. In a world where «Mean Girls» is everywhere, the box office potential of the musical version has certainly been stunted. While it’s admirable that Tina Fey and co. decided to adapt the musical as opposed to just doing a plain remake, it’s clear from the box office stats and fan reception that many were stunned by that decision — especially because marketing didn’t convey what the film was doing. 

A B CinemaScore is far from a death sentence, but it shows that the film is just average for most viewers (Looper gave «Mean Girls» a mediocre 6/10), riding on the coattails of the original. Currently, the «Mean Girls» remake stands at $66 million worldwide, but with momentum dropping like a brick, it’s hard to imagine it grossing over $85 million, let alone touching the $130 million cume of the original.

The relationship between Zack Snyder and studio executives wasn’t always easy, as the director has been open about Warner Bros. feeling «Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice» is way too gritty. Nevertheless, Snyder realized his vision of DC’s most famous superheroes and even got to make a four-hour «Snyder Cut» of «Justice League.» Because of this, it might be easy to assume that he enjoyed vast creative control during his time with the franchise. Be that as it may, this Batman story proves the studio kept an eye on the filmmaker and wasn’t afraid to get involved.  

Aside from nixing Snyder’s Batman-Lois Lane pregnancy storyline, Warner Bros. and DC Studios opposed another controversial concept. The DCEU Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is characterized as a fearlessly determined yet genuinely kind figure. She’s a tried and true hero who occasionally struggles with believing in humanity but still defends it. However, Snyder’s original plans involved a far more ruthless Diana, with a penchant for decapitating enemies and showing off their heads. Looking at the version of the character that ended up on the big screen, it’s pretty clear what the executives thought of the idea.  

Spyglass Media Group cut ties with Melissa Barrera in late November 2023 after she came out in support of Palestine in a now-deleted Instagram post, saying Israel’s forceful response to Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, was genocide and ethnic cleansing. Spyglass Media issued a statement, via Variety, after Barrera was fired from the series, which said in part, «We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.» 

A day later, Barrera broke her silence over her «Scream 7» firing with a social media post, saying, «At the end of the day, I’d rather be excluded for who I include than be included for who I exclude.»

Responding to «Scream 7″‘s controversial Barrera firing in November, director Christopher Landon pleaded with fans in a now-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, to stop yelling at him about the termination and clarified that he had nothing to with the action. A month later, Landon posted on X that he’d moved on from the film: «I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago. This will disappoint some and delight others. It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on.»

Who among us hasn’t wished to fly through the skies on a contraption fashioned from sticks, dreams, and a whole lot of hubris of man? Like us and Icarus before him, Steve-O was set to take a flying leap off the nearest hill on a homemade hang glider during the filming of «Jackass 2». The stunt did not go well. In fact, it didn’t go at all.

Steve-O is filled with regret over that fact. He describes in a YouTube video that the hang glider build took all day, and a king’s ransom of bamboo, tarps, and, from the looks of it, the skill of at least one person who won their grade school Egg Drop.

Still, despite the investment of time and glue invested in Steve-O’s hang glider stunt, Steve-O ultimately got too scared to take flight. «I wimped out so bad, man,» Steve-O says on his YouTube page, adding: «Kinda running down a hill was the closest I got to any footage. It was pathetic!» Steve-O has actually expressed such regret at not taking wing with this stunt, that we wouldn’t be surprised if one day he attempted it again. You know what, now that we think about it, Steve-O would make a great host for Red Bull’s Flugtag competition.

PlanetAI’s stormtrooper armors based on Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Greece, and the Netherlands all stick with the tried-and-true profile but shift the familiar colors to better match their respective countries, with the new shades offering promising lore potential. The Belgian, Brazilian, Dutch, and Greek stormtroopers have clearly seen battle, while the German stormtrooper is just as clearly a high-ranking official. The dude probably blusters orders from behind a desk, and even if he sometimes gets his hands dirty, he’s definitely a bootlicker.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian, Chinese, Indian, Iranian, Mexican, Portuguese, and South African stormtroopers offer more than just a simple paint job. These designs boast intricate patterns that suggest a more formal usage than warfare. Maybe the Indian stormtrooper armor, a purple and gold masterpiece, is only brought out of the closet for medal ceremonies. Maybe the Portuguese stormtrooper, a slim blue and gold creation, is part of some royal guard. One thing is clear, though: The soldiers in these suits are no schmucks.

The most imaginative armors PlanetAI posted are those based on Egypt, Japan, Panama, and Sweden. It’s hard to explain, but the soldier from Sweden looks like the kind of stormtrooper who would get his own Disney+ show, while the Egyptian stormtrooper is unquestionably a Sith Lord. Were it not for the Panamanian stormtrooper, he would also be the coolest variant of the bunch, but even Siths bow to the natural power of a green thumb.

David Koepp has become a go-to writer for Hollywood’s biggest franchises in the years since he transformed Michael Crichton’s hit novel into the screenplay for «Jurassic Park.» Only a few years after he helped bring those dinosaurs to roaring life, he cemented his legacy by writing the first «Mission: Impossible» film. Koepp also wrote another big hit for Cruise — the actor’s remake of «The War of the Worlds.» He swung for the stratosphere when he wrote Sam Raimi’s first «Spider-Man» film. He’s had other, smaller hits, such as the Kevin Bacon-led suspense picture «Stir of Echoes,» which he also directed. 

On top of all of that, Koepp is the fellow who’s responsible for the last two «Indiana Jones» features, «Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull» and «Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.» As a director, he’s collaborated twice with Johnny Depp, penning and directing «Secret Window.» He also directed the notorious «Mortdecai» for the actor.

When not behind a camera or a computer in Hollywood, Koepp has penned two suspense novels, «Cold Storage» and «Aurora.» That’s quite the hefty resume and gives him enough experience to provide the kick in the pants the «Jurassic World» franchise needs to start over again.

«Expend4bles» was largely criticized by both fans of the franchise and critics when it debuted in late September 2023. The long-gestating sequel received a 14% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a B- CinemaScore — a franchise low. The film fared exceptionally poorly at the box office, grossing just north of $50 million worldwide on a production budget of $100 million — yikes. Overall, the film was a commercial and critical disappointment, so it makes sense that the Razzies are awarding the Scott Waugh-directed pic the most nominations this year. 

While «Expend4bles» leads the pack, it’s followed by the equally ill-received «The Exorcist: Believer» and «Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,» both of which scored five nominations. The real shocker here, however, is how Marvel and DC are tied with four nominations each. Both franchises have always had their place at the Razzies («Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice» had a whopping eight nominations in 2017), but it’s pretty interesting to see them have the same number of nominations in vastly different categories. 

The year 2023 was devastating for comic book movies, from both a financial and a cultural standpoint. Marvel and DC were equally criticized for their lackluster offerings last year, and coupled with superhero fatigue, both studios saw very few wins. In the case of Marvel, the backlash that «Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania» received may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for Kevin Feige’s vast comic book empire. While it remains to be seen who takes home the most Razzies this year, it’ll also be interesting to see if Marvel and DC can get out of the rut they’ve found themselves in.

Ignoring how all three Steve Buscemi characters have different names and have pretty varying personalities, the theory could hold up. In fact, Danny ends up shooting a guy in a public setting at the end of «Billy Madison,» so perhaps the authorities arrest him right then and there, leading directly into the events of «Con Air.» However, there’s one vital detail that derails everything @confusedbreakfast sets up. 

«Billy Madison,» «Con Air,» and «The Big Lebowski» were released in 1995, 1997, and 1998, respectively. The release order dictates the chain of events in the fan theory, but «The Big Lebowski» actually takes place before «Billy Madison» and «Con Air,» as it’s set in the early 1990s. This is seen at the beginning of the film when The Dude puts the date on a check as September 11, 1991. Additionally, President George H.W. Bush is on television discussing Kuwait, so «The Big Lebowski» is technically a period piece.

The years in which «Billy Madison» and «Con Air» are set aren’t quite so clear, but one would assume the films’ events take place when they came out. Regardless, «Billy Madison» includes a reference to «Mortal Kombat,» which first came out in 1992. No matter what, it seems like «Billy Madison» has to occur after «Big Lebowski,» and Steve Buscemi’s character visibly dies at the end of the latter. Donny is ash, so there’s no way there could even be a fake-out like in «Con Air.»

Apologies for raining on anyone’s parade, but if nothing else, the theory’s a good reminder that Steve Buscemi was in some truly stellar movies in the ’90s.