"What Did I Just See?": Bridge of Spies

Again, we are reminded why spies are so goddamn cool. From gadgetry, to secret documents, backroom meetings, politics, and high stakes, this movie is shaping up to be one hell of a spy thriller, let alone just a fantastic film. This has been Steven Spielberg's sleeper project for some time and it’s great to finally see some footage from it. The trailer delivered everything and more that I was hoping to see from this film. The picture this movie paints is so precise and authentic from the period style clothing, vehicles, and language to the explanation of how the Cold War was operated; with information instead of bullets. The Cold War has always been a huge interest of mine, but I have always thought it hard to bring to life in a movie considering there isn’t much action, but Spielberg has proven that with the guidance of his masterful vision, the Cold War can be just as thrilling as any other major war. So, put let’s open our secret coins to decypher the trailer we’ve just seen!

What Worked?

Tom “Golden Boy” Hanks

My god, can Tom Hanks just do a shitty movie so the rest of us can feel better about ourselves being non-accomplishing lazy bums? Well, fortunately/unfortunately it looks like this movie might just be another Oscar performance by Hanks. He continues down his long road of nothing but pure thespian achievement. He is a true joy to watch. He unlike many others, can demand so much from the audience and his fellow actors while on screen, but also have this unshakeable, honorable vulnerability. He just always seems to be portraying the best of mankind in a role, while seeming to actually be one of the best people around off screen. Hanks is going to be key to humanizing both sides of the Cold War conflict, and reminding the world that we are all human and deserve to be treated with dignity no matter what. It is a heartfelt message only deliverable by the Tom Hanks Express.

Piece This Period Together

I love when a movie takes place in a different era and gets the settings and props so right that it feels as if they filmed it during that decade. It helps too that the 50s to 60s are one of my favorite time periods to observe. There is such a style that spans across the globe with architecture, clothing, and machinery that I just love to observe. This movie gives me such an authentic taste of what life was like during this time that I just can’t help but marvel at it. Whoever is responsible for this deserves one hell of a high five.

Spy vs. Spy

I feel like it has been a while since we have seen a spy film that actually focuses on the art of espionage. The last effort that I can remember was Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which made a great attempt, but ultimately fell a little flat. James Bond used to be a great place to get our fix for gadgetry and stealth, but within the last 10 years, the Bond films have seemed to focus much more on the explosions and action of the spy world. I really appreciate that this trailer even goes out of its way to differentiate itself from these type of spy stories by inserting itself into the Cold War, or the War of Words. I’m very eager to see espionage be the center of a film once again, and I think many others feel the same.

The Message

I don’t want to get too political and emotional, but I think the message this movie is tackling is worth noting. I think it’s important for people to remember that even the people we consider to be our enemies are still human beings. Regardless if they would do for us what we’d do for them, we must treat everyone with dignity and respect. Hank’s crusade to remind both nations of this is a noble one as well as a compelling one. I hope the movie will hit this message with even more gravitas than was shown in the trailer because this is something worth reminding everyone.

What Didn’t Work?

To be honest this trailer was a homerun through and through. It felt different from other trailers out there, while also selling me on the characters, plot, and setting. It’s very rare that there isn’t at least a little something for me to nitpick, but when you consider who's involved in this film, it really shouldn’t be any surprise that this trailer was masterfully crafted.

Overall Assessment

This trailer kicked ass. It sold you on the intensity and high stakes of what the plot is, while giving you authenticity on a whole other level. It presented a flawed, but noble character who is relatable even in a very unrelatable situation. The trailer is visually stunning and each shot seems to be handcrafted for maximum emotional reaction. This trailer just reaffirms what we all already know and expect from not only Tom Hanks, but also the film god himself, Steven Spielberg.

Score: Nuke em’/Nuke em’

"What Did I Just See?": Everest

“BWAAAAP!” Like most trailers these days the trailer for Everest starts out with a now obligatory BWAAAAP. For some reason, trailer makers think that this sounds establishes epicness and tension, but all it really does now is create a bit of a parody of itself. Besides the fact that they employ this giant trumpet sound a bit too much, the talent involved in this film is undeniably present. Also, the trailer is beautifully shot. The CGI is amazing, and each actor seems to be bringing their A-game. So, let’s dive into this trailer and do what us nerds to best! *BWAAAAP*

What Worked?

Talent

Right off the bat, we are introduced to the star of the film Jason Clarke, who is becoming more and more of a blockbuster powerhouse. He can really carry a film and bounce off of huge actors very well, as seen in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes between he and Gary Oldman and Andy Serkis. He seems very capable and believable to lead this talent heavy cast and its exciting to seem him alongside other amazing actors.

Next we see Josh Brolin, who his admittedly hit or miss, but I feel like he does best when he is surrounded by other talented actors. He seems to be best served when he has someone else to play off of. I would rather see him as a bit of rougher character, but considering this is based of a true story its understandable why he would have to fit a specific character’s personality.

Then we see John Hawkes and Michael Kelly who have both been involved in plenty of great films and t.v. shows. Both are very solid when around other characters and have proven time and time again that they can hold there own around A-listers. Hopefully this will help show a wider audience their abilities and help land them more starring roles. Also, I must say, Doug Stamper is one of my favorite t.v. characters of the last 10 years, so really anything Michael Kelly does is going to be great in my book.

We get to quickly see Jake Gyllenhaal who seems to disappear into his character. I actually missed him the first time I watched the trailer. It wasn’t until the second time that I even noticed him with his huge beard and glasses. I love to see Gyllenhaal transform and he is a very reliable dramatic actor. I can’t wait to see him be put through this extreme situation of life and death.

Finally, Keira Knightley, who has some brief dialogue with Jason Clarke, seems ok so far. I’m still unsure about her amount of screen time in the film, but she is a solid actress. I feel like her character could be really flat since she will mostly be talking into a phone, but she can exude a lot of emotion with very little physical presence.

Premise

I couldn’t imagine climbing Mt. Everest let alone getting caught in a fucking storm whilst at the top of it. I think I would just accept my death and curl up to die. Luckily, I’m not ever going to be in that situation, and no one is making a movie about me. However, these brave guys had not only the balls enough to climb up, but to try and climb back down during a horrific storm. Honestly, even if the acting was bad, which it won’t be, this would still be pretty amazing to see visualized on the big screen. I think the fact that this is a real story just helps give this film an unneeded edge to be even greater than it most likely will be. Plus, each of these actors are very much so character actors, and since each is playing a real person, it will be interesting to see how true to each person the actors stay.

The Visuals

As I touched on before, these visuals are fucking great. Period. It’s just the time we are living in that allows us to create such stunning and realistic CGI that I seriously can’t tell the difference sometimes. The shot with the storm coming in over the surrounding mountains looked and felt so real that the only thing reminding me that it was CGI was my existing knowledge that it was. If I didn’t already know how such a shot in a movie like this was achieved, I would be fooled into believing that they actually went to a location and risked their lives to film a storm of that magnitude closing in on them. Also, I like the use of very wide establishing shots contradicting with the closeups of each character. It helps makes us aware of how small the human can be in the face of mother nature. It was very nice imagery.

What Didn’t Work?

Character Focus

This is a bit of a minor problem because this movie is obviously an ensemble piece. However, the trailer seems to be heavily focused on Jason Clarke, Keira Knightley, and Josh Brolin. I don’t know the true story behind this film, so perhaps the other characters die early on or something, but the trailer didn’t give me a sense of camaraderie that I’d expect out of a team risking their lives together. I like each character individually, but I want close to equal amounts of focus on each.

Trailer Invariability

Although I liked the trailer overall, I felt like I’d still seen it a million times. All trailers seem to be using the same template these days. The inclusion of the “BWAAAAP,” just cements my feelings on this. Although, I do feel like this is a broader issue, it isn’t necessarily terrible. Really what it is doing is creating a bit of a fatigue with trailers for me. Luckily my interest in this film is pretty high, so I am more capable of looking past this issue, but I wish trailers would start to shake things up a bit.

Overall Assessment

This trailer definitely got me even more excited for this film. It didn’t totally showcase it’s star-studded cast as well as I wish they would have, but it set up the plot very well. It also gave a glimpse of the the eye candy (CGI, not shirtless Gyllenhaal) that is to come. I think this trailer did it’s job, but I hope the second trailer delivers a bit more of the cast and the type of people they will be playing.

Score: 6/10 (Like the actors, the trailer seems to make it to the top of Everest, but things get a

       bit turbulent after that.)

"What Did I Just See?": Z for Zachariah

Well that was a pretty gripping trailer. Z for Zachariah’s first trailer was pretty intense, but oddly pretty. The scenery was great, dichotomy between Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margo Robbie’s innocence and willpower, and just the overall premise had me sitting up in my bed with my eyes glued to the screen. So, let’s break this end of the world thriller down and look at what did and didn’t work in this trailer, and then I’ll give you my overall impression.

What Worked?

That Valley Location

A lot of the time people don’t realize how important a location can be for the success of a film. Even though the film presented itself as a post-apocalyptic thriller, the scenery gives you a sense of hope and wonderment within a world that you assume is devastated. However, as we can see in the trailer, the scenery is used to hint at larger problems the characters are having. I’m a sucker for filmmakers personifying their locations to foreshadow what is to come.

The Pure Talent

It speaks volume to the actors involved with this movie that they are going to be able to carry this film with just each other. These actors are more than well equipped to do that though. Let’s start with Margo Robbie. Much doesn’t need to be said about her. She has raw talent and is on a hot streak right out of the gates. She knows how to be cunning and independent, which is great to see when you pit her against two great male actors. Chiwetel delivers another emotional performance. I think that there might be some underlying villainous intentions, but I will have to wait to see another trailer to really come to a better conclusion. Finally, Chris Pine is looking psycho. I’m admittedly not a big Chris Pine fan but he is looking like he’s stepping away from the whole suave, pretty-boy persona he’s usually associated with. I love that, and I think it’s necessary when going up against Chiwetel who is known for playing cunning villains and honorable heroes.

The Plot So Far

We obviously don’t know everything about where the movie is headed, but the picture that was painted for us in the trailer is fantastic. It’s biblical undertones are very present, but welcomed. You can tell that the movie is going to focus on the destruction of an oasis, much like the Garden of Eden. I’m always interested in different versions of a post-apocalyptic world, and I applaud this film for showing much more of the spared part of the world than the devastation. Instead, it seems like that pain and devastation will be creeping into the area of salvation on the backs of Pine and Ejiofor. I can’t tell yet if Ejiofor will turn out to be bad as well or if Pine is the clear cut villain here. I’m just really interested in seeing how each persuade Robbie to be on either side and what that means for this oasis.

What Didn’t Work?

The Last Sequence of the Trailer

The ending montage of short clips seems a little too focused on the romance rather than the survival to me. I know it is just the first trailer and I’m sure there is a lot more to see, but I just wish it didn’t refocus so much on the love triangle at the end. I would have rather it kept with the bleakness and wonderment with what the world is now and how this valley survived. The ending felt a bit like season 2 of the Walking Dead with Shane and Rick. Other than this minor detail though, it was a very fine trailer.

Overall Assessment

I’m sold. I had never heard of this movie before today, and now I can’t wait to see it. The trailer painted a lovely picture of this world for us, while giving us enough plot that we have an idea of what will happen without knowing everything. I think there are still plenty more twists and turns left in the movie that we won’t see coming, and I can’t wait for that. So, you should now be excited for this movie by this trailer.

Score: Stoked/Stoked

As always, let me know what you thought about the trailer in the comments below. Did it excite you? Did you know this movie even existed before this? Do you like the premise of the film? Thank you for reading and please follow me on Twitter @HaneyCasey and keep an eye out for mine and Richard’s podcast coming out soon on Youtube.

"What Did I Just See?": Fallout 4 Trailer (FINALLY!)

Well holy shit everyone. This is cause for celebration. I feel like there should be a collective nerd chant just screaming “fallout! Fallout! Fallout! FALLOUT!” Regardless of what I wish we could all do, I’m sure we are all in agreeance that this trailer kicked major ass. This is one of the most anticipated sequels, let alone games, of all time. The only game more anticipated than this is probably Half-Life 3 (get your shit together Vavle). Instead of doing  the usual what did and didn’t work though, today we’re going to just kick back and drink a Nuka Cola, ignore the +rads, and focus on the pure nuclear glory that is this trailer. Let’s dive into the vault and dissect this trailer.

What Worked?

(Besides Everything)

We’re Back Wastelanders!

Where to begin other than the wasteland? The only other thing that doesn’t change in Fallout other than war, is the Wasteland. It’s still full of desert...lots of desert, scumbags, Enclave, Brotherhood of Steel, Mysterious Strangers, Ghouls, Robots, and shit all blown to pieces. However, this time we’re in Boston as confirmed by many Bostonians calling out all the landmarks (in real life not the trailer obviously). Many speculated that this would be the next local and we were right! This time though, it looks as if we can do much more exploring inside more common buildings, and possibly even have transport available to us, i.e. airships. But more on that later. We see an interesting dichotomy between prewar Boston to postwar Boston and wow have things changed. It is worth noting that the amount of prewar footage shown seems to indicate some sort of playable sequence in that era, which is always welcomed! I’m just glad to be back.

Transport!

I said we’d get to it, and here we are. I always said to a friend of mine that the only thing to make Fallout more interesting would be a way to quickly traverse the Wasteland without fast travel or slowly jogging like a girl like all of our characters did. And now it seems more obvious than ever that we are actually getting that in the form of airships. They are extremely prevalent throughout the trailer, and as we know, Bethesda doesn’t put something in that much without there being a reason for it. Most are hoping that they are actually controllable and not just spectatable, much like the lame ass dragons in Skyrim. Don’t do this to us Bethesda….this means too much to all of us.

The Gang(s) Is/Are Back!

The Brotherhood of Steel looks strong as ever and the Enclave seem to be regrouping in Boston as well. There are also some street posters that indicate more street level gangs that we are used to getting involved in. Factions are a huge part of Fallout, and it looks like each gang is turning into an army. Choosing a side could be more fun than ever (Brotherhood of Steel all the way bitches).

Repair/Customize

As we could see in the trailer, the power armor that is being worked on in the garage/shop seems to be on display as if you could repair or customize it with much more precision and detail, as never seen before in previous games. It would be awesome to be able to more specifically repair your armor as well as customize it, possibly creating your own faction. Also, it is worth noting that the main character’s Vault 111 garb looks much nicer and a bit different than previous Vault clothing. Maybe you can even customize the logos on existing gear, or their Vault was just fancier than everyone else’s.

The Main Character

What really set this trailer aside from the other Fallout games was the character speaking at the end. When he spoke I almost lost my shit. Now, this could possibly just be voice work simply for the trailer, but it would be awesome to finally have a character that speaks and is acted by voice talent. I don’t think it would take away from the usual Fallout experience, but merely enhance it. It is a departure, but a good one I think.

Overall Assessment

If you’re not shitting your pants in excitement already, then you’re either dead or a ghoul because this game looks like a glorious masterpiece. I can’t wait to see more coverage at E3. You should be excited for this game and I think this trailer did everything to get you to lose your mind with excitement.

Score: Masterpiece/Masterpiece

As always, let me know if I’m just dead wrong, or if you agree with me. Are you crapping your pants? With excitement I hope...Have you preordered it yet? If so, may I have your copy? Sound off below! Thanks for reading as always and please follow me on Twitter @HaneyCasey.

"What Did I Just See?": Mission Impossible Rogue Nation Trailer 2

Take a deep breath. I know that trailer was one hell of a thrill ride, but let’s take a moment to step back and do what we film nerds do best: over analyze (If you haven’t seen the newest trailer yet go here, courtesy of Variety). I’m going to break the newest trailer down and address what worked, what didn’t, and give you my overall assessment. Hang on to the side of your plane, and let’s take off.

What Worked?

The Music

I want to start off with a smaller detail to the trailer, but I think it’s worth mentioning because any trailer that can incorporate a Led Zeppelin song into it deserves a metaphorical high five! Beside me just being a huge Zeppelin fan, the song they chose, “Whole Lotta Love” is a rollercoaster of musical precision just like Mission Impossible is an orchestra of stunts and action. I also love how they mixed it into the standard spy song at the end that we’re accustomed to hearing with this franchise.

The Band is Back Together

Not that the band was really broken up, but everyone is back and ready to play their part. As my previous metaphor alluded to, each person plays their selective instrument, or role, perfectly. We have Jeremy Renner getting Washington in order, Simon Pegg being a computer nerd while screaming frantically, Ving Rhames looking suave as always, and motorcycles. I know motorcycles aren’t a character or characters for that matter, but damn they might as well be! They’re in every damn one of these movies and they do all of their own stunts just like Tom Cruise. Oh yeah, did I mention he’s in this too? He’s just doing Tom Cruise-y things like holding on to planes, driving motorcycles, blowing stuff up, swimming, and talking about Scientology I’m pretty sure.. Ok no he didn’t do that last one, but who knows, maybe in the next trailer he will. Overall, it’s great to see them all back together and working the same dynamics they’ve had before. If somethings not broken…..then it wouldn’t be a Mission Impossible film...everything always blows up.

The Stunts...All of Them

Holy balls. I think the key to doing all of these crazy stunts might be Scientology. I’m kidding. Tom Cruise’s massive balls are thanks to him just being a complete crazy person. However, he is one entertaining crazy person to watch. Regardless of him being the legal size of a Hobbit, he can really hold his own in action scenes. Every explosion just grabs you by the face and screams pure awesomeness right at you. Then it grabs you again and asks if you can hear it. It’s that intense. This movie is basically Nitro Circus with a sky high budget and Tom Cruise. Both this and Nitro Circus have copious amounts of motorcycles though so I guess they’re even more alike than I previously thought.

What Didn’t Work?

Simon Pegg

Simon…(I get to call him Simon because we’re best friends...we’re not) you can’t seem to act very well in areas of intense action. You’re great in dire situations of a small capacity, i.e. Shaun of the Dead, but when your boy “Tommy Cruising Through the Sky On a Fucking Airplane” needs you to open the damn door you seem to clam up like a teenage girl deciding if she wants to go to prom with Rick or Bobby. It just doesn’t seem like your reactions are very on point, and your acting seems to be affected by the scope of the film. Don’t get me wrong, I love you, but in these big budget films you seem better served with more intimate scenes rather than being the catalyst in a scene.

Anti-IMF

Really? It seems like someone on the team created the awesome name “The Syndicate” but the bosses douchebag son was like, “No let’s call them Anti-IMF,” and they just compromised by saying both because the boss can do whatever he wants. The use of this actual term just seems so on the nose. It’s like tattooing the word “Damaged” on let’s say the Joker’s head. Like who would even do that? Come on people. Let’s just stick with the Syndicate. It’s objectively way more badass, and doesn’t sound too classy like Spectre.

Assessment

Overall, I was jamming to this badass trailer with badass music. It got me pumped for one of my most anticipated summer movies this year and gave me everything I have come to expect from this franchise. So, did this trailer do its job? Hell yes.

Score: Hell Yes/Hell Yes

Let me know what your thoughts were about this trailer and sound of below in the comments. Don’t forget to like, share, and follow me on Twitter @HaneyCasey. Thanks for reading!

Entourage Movie Reaction and Review

As someone who didn’t watch the tv show and wasn’t too excited for the film, Entourage was a great time at the movies. It had a million cameos, fast cars, good-looking women, drugs, alcohol, and celebrity problems. Basically, everything that everyone has come to expect from the show was present and delivered well. The movie definitely wasn’t an Oscar caliber movie, but it was definitely an enjoyable, funny movie. I will say that you must go into this with the correct expectations.

Plot

The overarching conflict in the movie is getting Vince’s movie made and on to screens. However, during this process all kinds of shenanigans take place. Turtle finds love with Ronda Rousey which makes for some great scenes where they fight and she demolishes him. E is having a baby with Sloan, while also getting involved with other women. He thinks he got another woman pregnant, however she and yet another woman he slept with are actually punking him. I think it would have made for a better story if he had actually gotten this other woman pregnant, but the movie seemed to be really focused on having each character come out on top since it was the final time we’ll see these characters. Vince struggles with his insecurities because his movie “Hyde” is his directorial debut. His insecurities are actually refreshing considering everyone else in the movie is basically riding a constant high, except for his brother Johnny Drama. Drama is struggling with his lack of success, and is trying to come to terms with being number 2 to his little brother. His storyline helped humanize a very fictionalized version of Hollywood. Ari made for the funniest scenes in the movie by switching between lovable father and family man to uncontrollable rage machine that fights to get his way. He has to deal with being studio head, while also dealing with Vince and his crew going over budget. However, his loyalties to Vince and his entourage are what cement the film together and you feel the sense of brotherhood between all characters. Although, there don’t seem to be very high stakes in any of the storylines, the ride each takes you on are filled to the brim with hilarity. This makes up for the lack of serious conflict, but I do wish they would have taken some bigger risks in the movie.

Cameos

What kind of person would I be if I didn’t at least talk a little bit more about the signature cameos in the movie? As I said before, I have never watched the show, but even I know that the show is infamous for copious amounts of cameos. Although, I felt like I was left out of some of the inside jokes associated with a few cameos, most were very in the moment and hilarious. What’s great about Entourage is the fact that most of the actors who appear get to play versions of themselves. The best was Gary Busey rambling at the screening party. He is just so wild off camera that when you do seem him on camera you feel like you’re not even scratching the surface of his insanity, but it is still great. Another was Jessica Alba throwing a fit about doing an action movie, when she really just wants to make her passion project. One that I felt a little lost on, but was still very pleased with was Liam Neeson flipping off Ari. Ari asks him if he was still mad at him, and I don’t know what he was referencing, but Liam immediately flipping him off was priceless. There are countless others, but those were the highlights for me.

Should You Care?

Absolutely! I think the fact that I had such a great time watching this film without any background on the show just speaks volumes about how good this movie actually is. I know that most critics are panning this movie, but they don’t seem to understand that this movie is meant to feel like a victory lap for a team that won years ago when they ended the show. This is the epilogue to a show that already had it’s ending. If you go into this movie expecting to have a good laugh, then you will be very pleased, but don’t go in expecting to see an Oscar contender.

Score: 7/10

Please let me know in the comments what you think because I’d love to hear what you have to say about Entourage. Do you agree? Am I being too noncritical of this film? Did you enjoy it? And will you see it? Sound off below and please follow me @HaneyCasey on twitter.

Really Late Movie Reviews: City of God

There are few movies within the multitudes of film that are truly exceptional. City of God is absolutely one of them, and yet very few people today have heard of it. Like most people, I too have seen it come up on my Netflix recommended section but did not give it a go. For me, it wasn’t until I had heard praises from film reviewers and experts that I decided to watch it. Once it began, I was hooked. From the cinematography, nonlinear plot, characters, and sense of realism (considering it tells you it’s based on a real person and his life at the end actually makes the realism even better). Let’s dive in and flesh out the reasons you should spend your binge time on City of God.

Cinematography

The movie is told through the eyes and mind of Rocket. His observations shape the way everything is shot and told, and gives a great sense of presence. You feel as if you are there too, or were there and are remembering as he is too. Also, the way the camera tracks the characters whether it be in scenes where there is just dialogue or fast paced violence it sets whatever tone the scene is calling for. For instance, when Rocket is just walking with a friend, the camera tracks them calmly and slowly. However, when in scenes of violence there are fast cuts and shaky cam. The way it is all shot makes the viewer feel as if they were a reporter or spectator in these events just as Rocket was.

Nonlinear Plot

Many movies employ this storytelling tactic, but not all use it very well. City of God presents its plot successfully by introducing a conflict in which we have no context, and then teaching us not just who the players are in the conflict, but why there is conflict in the first place. It skips back and forward generations and gives us defining moments in characters lives as if they were chapters in a book. Each chapter focuses more on the development of certain characters while others are left to be developed afterward. The formatting of the plot really makes the viewer feel as if they’ve gotten all angles of the story by the end of the film. I felt like I knew all I could about each character, and all of their arcs came full circle.

Characters

By far, what will grab you the most are the characters. We see some succumb to the harshness of the slums, while others rise above, only to be shot down. Some, like the main character Rocket, simply spectate while all the vitriol happens around them. Lil Ze, the villain, is someone you will come to hate and fear while watching the movie. Although he is young throughout the film, he is truly unpredictable and menacing. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that there isn’t really a defined hero in the film. It really becomes a collection of villains turning others into what they are, or them killing others already like them. There are only a few untouched by disgusting influence of these people, but even they seem to simply survive and overcome their specific situations, rather than solve major problems. Some character’s fall into villainy is very sad and tragic like Knockout Ned who comes very close to living life unscathed by the dirt of the slums, only to become one of the most violent criminals. Each character’s story will have you enthralled whether you hate them, love them, or just hope they survive.

If you’re going to spend some of your precious binge time to branch out from usual things on Netlfix like Breaking Bad or House of Cards, you should definitely give this a watch. You will be completely captured by the beauty of this movie. It will make you laugh, cry, get angry, and give you a sense of hope all tied up in one movie. The movie is City of God and it deserves your viewership, so watch it!

As always if you care about what I have to say, share this and thumbs up it or +1 it. Do whatever your heart desires to do with it, and I’ll still appreciate it. Let me know if you want to see more Re-Viewed articles. I am planning on making them part of my upcoming podcast. Thanks for reading and keep an eye for more new content! You can follow me on Twitter @HaneyCasey.

5 DC Villains Worthy of a Justice League Movie

We all love heroes, but what makes a hero a legend? A fantastic villain. Now when we have teams of heroes, the stakes for villains must be raised as well. This is when we get some of the greatest villains. We know that the DCCU will be chock full of villains thanks to Suicide Squad, but few villains have the power and expertise to go up against the whole Justice League. There have been many speculations as to who the villain or villains could be for the upcoming two part Justice League movie, but I want to explore five different villains who deserve to be the main antagonists in a Justice League movie, whether it be these two or other upcoming ones because it’s logical to expect more than just these two to be done.

5. Doomsday

Doomsday, as most of us comic nerds know, is stronger than Superman. However, his power goes even beyond that. Described by DCComics.com, He has, “an immeasurable level of strength and invulnerability beyond those of even Superman.” As we know, there are more than one way to defeat a being of such strength, but it takes a huge amount of resources, effort, and strength to even go up against such a villain. DCComics.com also describes him as having an “endless rage” that I’m sure will help him outlast at least some members of the League during their epic battle. Doomsday also has a plain disregard for life itself, so poses a threat to not only the League members, but everyone they protect. It would also be great fan service to see the monster who killed the Man of Steel in the comics do the same on-screen. It could really throw casual moviegoers for a loop because, they don’t know like us nerds, that Superman comes back, eventually.

4. Brainiac

There was recently a comparison of Brainiac to Ultron, however, Brainiac is far more powerful and menacing. Brainiac poses a universal threat for the Justice League to solve. He may be another Superman villain, but he can be set up to pose a much larger threat, as to necessitate the involvement of the entire league. Brainiac also uses the information and technology that he has absorbed throughout the galaxy to help aid his villainous schemes for world annihilation and consumption when he gets to earth. It would be a worldwide spectacle to see the Justice League have to thwart a worldwide invasion, as well as up the stakes from a city or one area to the entire world and human race. I do think that DC should save Brainiac for a bit considering that some regular moviegoers might mistake him for an Ultron rip-off which he is not, but to the casual viewers he might seem so.

3. Parallax

Parallax is an immensely powerful being that can pit the Justice League against each other. Much like BvS, Parallax could create a situation in which we see other heroes pitted against each other. Parallax can mindcontrol those who are susceptible to it’s fear, so we could have heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman fall under it’s control while others like Batman and Cyborg do not. Also, Hal Jordan could be used as it’s host and used almost as a villain. Although, Jordan wouldn’t actually be the one responsible, it could help make the character much more tragic having to live with the destruction and death he has caused while under control of Parallax. Also, I believe this villain is much to large and encompassing to keep as just a Green Lantern villain, like they tried to do in the failed Green Lantern movie. I think this villain is deserving of a League beatdown.

2. Darkseid

This big guy is our runner up even though he tops a lot of people’s lists. He was at the top of mine for a long time, but I recently changed my mind. Anyway, Darkseid is a bona fide killing machine. He’s extremely cunning, tactful, and strong. He has a world full of an army at his disposal, super strength, omega-beams, and did I mention he’s the son of a literal God? Darkseid has everything a supervillain could ever want or need. This guy is so bad that the creators actually based him off of Adolf Hitler. These are all the more reasons why a proper incarnation of him needs to be seen on the big screen taking on our favorite DC heroes. He is a force to be reckoned with and demands more attention and energy than our team may have. He could be a villain that strains our heroes so much that one even dies.

Honorable Mention

Superboy Prime

I love the character and his importance is undeniable, however, I just don’t think he could be translated to the big screen properly. He is more than enough for our team to handle and has literally destroyed planets, but I just don’t think we will see him on the big screen. That is not to say that he doesn’t deserve it, and I’d love to see him there, but I just don’t think it could happen.

1. The Anti-Monitor

I think this villain poses the greatest threat to the League and has the potential to change the entire cinematic universe. That is why I think the Anti-Monitor deserves to be my number one. He is the direct cause of Crisis on Infinite Earths and actually causes an alliance between Darkseid and the Justice League. Anyone that is that powerful to cause such a partnership deserves to be the focus of a Justice League movie. The Anti-Monitor could be the end to a DC universe and be a proper send off to our heroes. He can be the be-all to end-all in this cinematic universe. I think you save him for the last team up when all of our heroes have been established and fleshed out, only to give them all the ultimate test.

Of course, let me know what villains you would like to see face the Justice League in the DCCU in the comments below. What do you think of my list? Am I crazy? Please be sure to share this and give it a thumbs up if you enjoyed it and tell me why you didn’t like it if that’s what your heart desires. Thanks for reading!

Why I Think a Version of Teen Titans Could Work in the DCCU

A lot might think that I'm crazy for suggesting such an idea, however I really hope to change your minds, and reassure those who think like me. I've wanted for a long time a Robin or Nightwing to exist alongside Batman in a movie like we've had for so long in the comics and animated worlds. Unfortunately, having a kid run around with a full grown man jumping off buildings and fighting bad guys with guns on a school night sounds pretty campy and borderline insane. With DC's desire to remain more grounded and realistic, it's understandable why they've never done a true incarnation of Robin or Nightwing in live action (notice I said TRUE. I'm looking at you Batman Forever and Batman and Robin). Although, I believe now is the perfect time for them to jump into a full scale launch of Teen Titans all beginning with Robin or Nightwing.

We know that this Batman will be an established Batman, and we've heard rumors of him already having gone through several Robins. Many of you may have also seen the "leaked" photo of Dick's grave, however that has not been confirmed just yet. I think the existence of a Robin who has survived and grown up to be a hero of his own. This way, we don't have to see the outlandish spectacle of a boy running around with Batman fighting crime. We'll just know that it has happened and that they have a history together. With Nightwing being established now, we can begin to explore where Nightwing goes and who he meets along the way. This could lead to him meeting Arsenal, the sidekick to Green Arrow. Green Arrow is usually around Batman's age, so it would be easy to think that perhaps Arsenal and Nightwing are around the same age as well. With the introduction of Aquaman as an older man as well, perhaps we could see an Aqualad later on as well who works under the guidance of Aquaman. Another addition to the team could be Raven. I think with the introduction of Enchantress in Suicide Squad, Raven could be a good way to showcase even more magic in a world filled with realism. Finally, Starfire could be another way to show how Superman wasn't the only alien to be on the planet. We could find out that the world has many more secrets in it than we may have thought. For instance, we are still going to learn that there is an entire underwater society, that the Amazons exist, and a man who has a disease that makes him look like a giant crocodile (Killer Croc) all exist within this "realistic" world.

What made me think of this was the X-Men. Now I know that the X-Men and the Teen Titans might now seem like they have much in common, but I think they have more in common than we may have expected. Now, the X-Men in the movies are led by adults who are wisened by their past experiences and can now more compentenly lead those who are young and naive but have great power. The Teen Titans are very similar in that they are trained and led by the biggest names in DC comics. They have all been guided by the most skilled and gifted heroes in their universe. They themselves possess great power or immense skill. In the X-Men movies, many of the young adult mutants are the ones who must step up and handle a lot of the action.

Finally, I know the Teen Titans are fighting an uphill battle to get on to the big screen and that a lot of people don't really want to see them there, but I believe they can fit rather well into this new universe. Another thing to consider, each character can be plugged into larger storylines pretty neatly, especially if they take liberties with other big named comics such as Batman: Hush, Blackest Night, and Infinite Crisis.


As always, what do you guys think? Am I crazy for even thinking this could work? Which Titans would you like to see? Let me know below.

Why I'm Nervously Optimistic for Suicide Squad

For a while now we've received pretty steady updates about the Suicide Squad movie. There have been many rumors and a lot of facts. I'm going to address both and figure out why we should be both excited and nervous about this movie. This movie is undoubtedly going to big especially since it will be riding off of the success of BVS.  However, I think there are some issues that could either sink the movie or elevate them. It's obviously too soon to tell which they will be, so let the speculation begin!

The Reliable

1. Heavy Names
One of the reasons Suicide Squad got such immediate attention was the cast involved with the project. The project consisted of A-list actors with real talent. The names that currently stick out in the cast are, Will Smith, Margo Robbie, Jared Leto, and Viola Davis. All four are undeniably incredibly talented. I believe Will Smith will bring his A-game and portray Deadshot with the emotion, depth, and precision that he had in I Am Legend. Margo Robbie is a star that is only continuing to burn brighter. She embodies everything that Harley Quinn is, and has shown she can do everything the character requires except the acrobatics. Jared Leto is an Academy Award winning actor. This is the first movie he's doing after he won the award. I have absolute faith in him that he can pull off the menacing, cerebral, maniacal, character of the Joker. Throughout his film career he's shown all of these traits. Finally, Viola Davis is a phenomenal actress who is very hot right now with the success of How to Get Away With Murder. She is an actress who can demand respect and is the physical embodiment of power. Her conniving performance in How to Get Away With Murder only further supports the fact that she was perfectly cast as Amanda Waller. Altogether, just these four alone bring enough to the table to make sure this movie will be jammed pack with immense talent and emotion.

2. David Ayer
David Ayer is a proven writer and director. He's shown that he knows how to write for a dynamic team as well as direct big name actors on a team. I would even go as far as saying that he thrives with ensembles. Beside the fact that he's a great director and writer, he has been very open about the fact that he's doing his research. He has even posted pictures of Suicide Squad comics on his twitter. Ayer is putting in the time to really understand this collection of characters so that he can more accurately portray them, instead of taking huge liberties to suit his own creative desires. Also, with other photos he's posted, he demonstrates his attention to detail. He really cares about making everything right.

3. Character Choices
The characters they've chosen to have in the film are all interesting characters. Yes, even Captain Boomerang. All of these characters are multidimensional and bring something different to the table. It will be extremely interesting and entertaining seeing them play off of each other. There interactions between each other could even give us glimpses into the future where each respective villain could meet their heroic counterpart. I just think that each character choice was great not only for staying true to the comic origins of the team, but for also creating an atmosphere that will foster great chemistry between the actors and characters.


The Worrisome

1. The Loss of Tom Hardy
It's ridiculous to think that Tom Hardy's departure wouldn't leave some sort of tear in the project. When the cast was first mentioned, every article had Tom Hardy's name plastered first everywhere. His name is arguably the biggest to be mentioned with the project. For him to depart is ample reason for concern. We are told that he left due to scheduling conflicts, but most know that this is a polite way for the studio and the actor to say that they are parting ways due to other reasons. Now, we have Joel Kinnaman, who I'm growing to like as an actor, taking his spot as Rick Flag. This just doesn't sit well with me, considering the fact that Rick Flag is supposed to act as the leader on the team. I just can't see Joel Kinnaman demanding respect from big names like Will Smith or Margo Robbie. I don't think he brings enough gravitas to the role that Tom Hardy would have brought.

2. Deathstroke
We've been hearing many different rumors about who is going to play Deathstroke. It was rumored that Joe Manganiello was up for the role, but he recently dismissed this rumor. Recently, Jim Parrack was rumored for the role, but even that seems to be false. So we don't know who will be playing Deathstroke, but I am concerned with the apparent lack of involvement with the film. From what we've heard the film isn't going to feature very much Deathstroke. I think he should be playing a much more integral part in the film. Also, I want an actor who is as big as Ben Affleck and around the same age. I could see a Clive Owen or even Mark Strong portraying the character. I feel both bring gravitas as well as the physicality needed for the role.

3. Ike Barinholtz
It was announced via table read photo of the cast that Ike Barinholtz was in the movie. Personally, I love him as a comedian and I've been following him since his Mad TV days. However, what the hell is he doing in this movie? There has been A LOT of speculation that he could be Hugo Strange, but my mind just refuses to let me believe this. He did recently affirm that his role will be a very different side of him that we haven't seen, but I still can't shake the feeling that his presence will take me out of the movie. I don't know if he can be put in a scene with actors of such high caliber and deliver.


The Wildcards

1. Jai Courtney
I'm not one of the people who bash Jai Courtney and think he's terrible. Now, I don't think he's very great, but I think it's apparent that he has talent. I don't think he's been in very good movies, but I think he's done the best he could in those movies. I believe this will be the role that makes him a star deserved of the title. I just hope he doesn't disappoint like he did in Divergent or Die Hard. I hope they let him be funny because he's a funny guy, but it always neutered into being a straight-faced serious guy in all of his roles. I'm optimistic about his casting, but I'm also cautious.

2. The Tone
Although, like I stated before, I have confidence in David Ayer as a writer and director, I'm concerned about the overall tone of the movie. I feel like it should have elements of comedy, but needs to be dark considering we're following the journeys of murderous villains. However, with the current MoS and the trailer for BVS, the DCCU seems to be a dark and dreary place. This is fine, but I just don't know if the humor that I hope is in Suicide Squad will feel out of place. I feel like this will be one of those things that will either really work or really miss and we will all notice it.

3. Where Do These Characters Fit?
Now earlier I said that it would be fun to see these villains go against their heroic counterparts, but I don't know how well that might work. For instance, Killer Croc. I'm ecstatic at the fact that he will be brought to life on screen, however I am having a hard time picturing him in a Batman movie without the support of the other villains on screen. Also, I think Will Smith will kill it as Deadshot, but I don't want him to only show up in Suicide Squad movies. I just don't think they have any interest in using him in a Batman movie though. Even Captain Boomerang, who is a pretty lame villain let's just all admit it, would be hard to fit into a Flash movie. Most of these characters need each other to work as well as I think they will in Suicide Squad.


Overall, I still think this movie will slay at the box office and be a fantastic movie. I will remain optimistic until we know more, but I couldn't shake this feeling of nervousness with regards to the odd casting rumors, plot details, and wildcards. I trust the vision of the A-list actors and David Ayer as well as the heads over at DC, but I they haven't proven themselves just yet. Until then I will remain cautious, but this movie still excites me.

What do you guys think? Are you as nervously optimistic as I am? Are you concerned with some casting or the prospect of using these villains in other movies? Do you love some of the casting as much as I do? Let me know in the comments!