THOR: RAGNAROK (9.5 out of 10) Directed by Taika Waititi; Screenplay by Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost; Starring Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson; Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive material; In wide US release November 3

This review endeavors to avoid major spoilers, though it might contain mild ones. 

The third installment of the Thor trilogy sees Thor fighting to save Asgard from Ragnarok, the prophesied end of Asgard. But part of doing that is tying up threads from previous films, including unmasking Loki as the pretend-Odin in Asgard and tracking down the real Odin. But complications arise, and Odin reveals to his sons a daughter that he had. Hela. The Goddess of Death. And she wants the throne. Along the way to save Asgard, Thor finds himself on Sakaar, teaming up with the Hulk, and pretty much burning everything down.

Even though I quite liked the two previous installments, this, frankly, is the Thor film I’ve wanted since I was a kid. It blends everything that made the Kirby/Lee/Lieber iterations of Thor with everything that made Walt Simonson’s run on the stories great. And every environment looks like it was drawn and colored by either Kirby or Simonson and brought to life under the production design of Dan Hennah and Ra Vincent. But as much as it looks like a comic book, more than any previous Marvel film to date, the structure is that of a classic run of Thor. 

I fully expect that someone who has never seen a Marvel movie but knows the characters will have no problem enjoying this with a smile on their face the entire time. It doesn’t matter what the larger ramifications for the universe are (and there are large ramifications), this story feels like the beginning of the Simonson run of Thor. And where did Simonson begin? Surtur. 

Director Taika Waititi did nothing to shy away from the more epic and mythological elements of the Marvel version of Norse myths. Surtur, a demon of sorts (voiced in the film by Clancy Brown), has always been central to Marvel mythology regarding the destruction of Asgard. It’s definitely been tweaked here to fit the structure of this film, all of that is forgivable because it works for the movie. It’s a thread of the story that feels like it goes away and comes back five issues later. It’s stunning how you can almost break the story of this film into actual beats of a graphic novel and it does it in a way that isn’t to the detriment of the film.

His mastery of the visual aspects of the film are impressive as well. As often as the film has a comic book quality, there are times where it has a painterly quality, too. There are more than a few shots that look like they could be framed paintings, sequences that scream “Norse Mythology.” These moments arise throughout the film, both in past and present, and are arresting in their quality and allow you to take a moment and revel in their beauty, often in slow motion. But they’re never out of place and they never seem egregious. It’s almost like they’re giving a lesson to other superhero filmmakers in how to use slow motion for maximum effect. And in a movie this short, it’s stunning anything could be given room to breathe.

As for Thor, himself, Chris Hemsworth offers his best performance in the role because he’s unrestrained and absolutely heroic. He’s not the character who’s doing the transforming, per se. The other characters around him are those coming to terms with their issues. One, in particular, steals every scene she’s in; Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie. But Thor is largely the character who has grown out of every previous outing in the Marvel universe. Yes, he knows his limitations, he knows his strengths, he knows what must be done, he just needs a little bit of a self-confidence boost here and there, especially when dealing with the events of the film. 

Fan Favorite Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki, who is as wonderful here as a villain-cum-reluctant-hero. It gives us a different dimension to a character that we’d loved to hate, and now we love to love. The relationship between Loki and Thor might be the character aspect that develops most in the film, and we’re rewarded for it.

For her part, Cate Blanchett owns every scene she’s in as Hela, though she’s given relatively little to do. When she does get something to do, she does it with aplomb, as though she’s born to play roles like this. Some might balk at her character being part of a secret history of Asgard, but this is part and parcel with the storytelling done in the comics over so many years. In the comics, Odin gave his eye to erase Thor’s memory of his previous lives so that when the story of Siegfried was told and Siegfried was resurrected as Thor, it fit everything that had come after. This is exactly how Odin works in the comics, so complaints about Thor randomly having an older sister that no one has ever heard of aren’t founded in a knowledge of the character, comic, or medium.

The film really has two villains, though. Blanchett’s Hela is the first, Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster is the second. Where Hela is terrifying and interested in laying waste to Asgard and bringing an emotional gravitas to the film, the Grandmaster is a stuttering fop that you can’t help but want on the screen more. Goldblum channels everything that makes him charming and puts it in the body of an Eternal that just loves to see things hit each other. There couldn’t have been a more perfect choice in his casting.

A bold choice was made to pair Thor with Hulk in a way that feels organic and honors many of the comics of the past. Mating Simonson’s Surtur Saga with Planet Hulk might not be something that seems to make a logical sense, but it works here. And what better team up can there be than the Asgardian meathead and the smartest scientist in the world in the body of the dumbest hulk in the galaxy? Their comedy builds off of their antagonistic relationship and offers some of the biggest laughs in the movie as well as the biggest fights. This is how you have two superheroes fighting in a film. The title might as well have been Thor v. Hulk and could have been a masterclass for any other filmmakers looking to pit one hero against another.

Hulk and Loki are opposite ends of Thor’s allies the same way Grandmaster and Hela are opposite ends of his foes. Hulk/Banner provides the laughs and Loki provides the gravitas and constant suspicion of betrayal. 

Other parts of the Marvel Universe make their way into the film as well and are used to perfection. Even the specter of Tony Stark and the shadow of Black Widow. Dr. Strange in particular made me excited to see what his part will be in the upcoming Infinity War. Watching him use his powers is amazing and, though he’s in this film for less than a couple of minutes, he earns one of the film’s best moments. 

The film made very few missteps, and marched along at a steady beat, offering thrills, epic action, and laughs. But the few missteps it did make nagged at me. Karl Urban’s Skurge was played for laughs that, perhaps, we didn’t need, and the cavalier handling of the Warriors Three was upsetting on one hand. On the other hand, it certainly established how dire the situation was, so I can’t fault the film too much for it.

I also felt teased by the inclusion of Beta Rey Bill’s head on the Grandmaster’s Tower. Just give us Bill. That’s all I want.

Waititi should feel proud of the movie he’s made. And I know he’s talked about not being able to do a Star Wars movie because it would be too weird, but that’s exactly why it would be great to see him do a Star Wars movie. Star Wars needs a little bit of weird and Thor: Ragnarok proves he has the chops to do it. And the character he plays, Korg, manages to steal every scene he’s in. He somehow managed to get every actor to work hard to steal every scene they’re in, and the result is a film that is impressively watchable.

This film is definitely in the running for the best film Marvel has made. Is it better than Civil War or Winter Soldier? I don’t know. But it feels pretty damn perfect. And I haven’t had that much in a movie theater in a long time. It brought the right amount of laughter and tears and spectacle that made sense, wrapped up in a script that worked. And really, what more can we ask for?

With all the films that Marvel is planning for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe none of them give The Hulk the chance to stand in the spotlight in his own film. Despite many fans saying they want one, Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk) and Kevin Feige (Marvel Studio executive) have shot that hope down and said that there wont be one made anytime soon.

Don’t start smashing stuff yet though Hulk fans because there is still hope for an awesome Hulk story. In a recent interview with Cinemablend Ruffalo talked about plans for The Hulk to get his own story arc told over the course of three movies starting with Thor: Ragnarok.

Ruffalo said “So basically, Kevin [Feige] pulled me aside before this, and said, ‘If you were gonna do a… if we were going to do a standalone Hulk movie, what would it be?’ And I said, ‘I think it should be this, this, this, and this and this, and ends up like this.’ And he’s like, ‘I love that. Why don’t we do that in the next three movies, starting with Thor 3 and then we go into Avengers 3 and 4.’ And I was like, ‘That sounds great!’ And so we are at the beginning of this arc.”

Though not very detailed for obvious reasons it’s exciting to know that we will be able to learn more about the Jade Giant and what makes him smash. Even though we don’t know what the overall arc will be we can make an educated comic book geek guess.

The first clue comes from Thor: Ragnarok itself. We know the film will be about the Asgardian apocalypse and use material from the comic of the same name. However like the MCU does, it will likely also be using material from another comic story called Planet Hulk.

In a nutshell Planet Hulk has The Illumanti (a secret group of Marvel heroes) send Banner off planet because he’s too dangerous to keep on Earth. Though they mean to send him to a planet with no intelligent life, things go wrong and Hulk ends up on the planet Sakaar. While there, he becomes champion of the gladiatorial games, overthrows the evil emperor and is hailed as the mythical hero of the planet who would save them all known as “The Sakaarson.”

It’s very doubtful we will see this story in Thor but Sakaar will be where Hulk and Thor are reunited in the gladiatorial games. Hulk is even wearing his gladiator armor from the comics so that’s at least one easter eggs for the fans. If we get even a piece of the story line with Hulk and Thor shutting down the games for good it’ll be enough.

What about Avengers 3 and Avengers 4 though? Well, if we follow the same comic book storyline of Planet Hulk, things go downhill for Hulk, quickly. After restoring peace to the planet, becoming King, and even getting married; the rocket that Hulk came to the planet in explodes. The explosion destroys everything and almost everyone on it Sakaar, including to the best of Hulk’s knowledge, his wife and unborn child. This mass destruction sends Hulk into a rage that will only be calmed by war. Enter the major Marvel Comics event World War Hulk.

Hulk returns to Earth at the head of The Warbound, a group of warriors that survived Sakaar’s destruction, they have one purpose and that is to punish the heroes that banished Hulk in the first place. Given the changes that the MCU has already made it’s not hard to imagine a storyline where Thanos uses the infinity gems to alter Banner’s state of mind sending him on a warpath against the other heroes. We’ve already seen Hulk loose control in Avengers: Age of Ultron because of Scarlett Witch’s powers, which she got because of experiments from the scepter, which held the Mind stone by the way. So, with all of the stones under his control, it’s feasible that Thanos might have similar plans in mind.

Personally, as a huge fan of both Planet Hulk and World War Hulk, I would love to see Thanos put Hulk into a alternative state of mind where he thinks the events of Planet Hulk actually happened right down to losing his wife and child. It would be a great nod to the comics and add depth to the character that so often gets lost because most people think of Hulk as a thoughtless smashing machine.

That depth is the heart of what makes Planet Hulk and World War Hulk must-reads. They dive into the relationship that Banner and the Hulk actually have. If you’ve read the comics than you are familiar with what I’m talking about. If you haven’t read them I can’t recommend them enough and you should try and read at least Planet Hulk before you see Thor: Ragnarok later this year.

Give them a read and see if you come to same conclusions that I have on where a Hulk storyline in the MCU could lead. Will we go even further down the comic book story line and meet Skaar, Hulk’s son in phase four? I doubt it. But wouldn’t it be fun?

Thor: Ragnarok his theaters on November 3^, 2017. Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4, 2018. Followed by Avengers 4 on May 3, 2019.

Freeform announced today that titular character Doreen Green, AKA Squirrel Girl, will be played by Milana Vayntrub of This is Us fame in the upcoming series New Warriors. Just three months since we first heard the show was being made, the cast has been set and presumably production will begin shortly. Fans of Squirrel Girl and Marvel are understandably excited; it means we’re one step closer to getting a series with one of the most beloved 2nd (shhh no, not 3rd) tier Marvel properties in recent years. The 10 episode pilot season will follow Night Thrasher, Speedball, Microbe, Debrii, Mister Immortal, and everyone’s favorite Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. 

So why am I so skeptical? I promise it’s not just middle aged cynicism; I have some grounded concerns that originated this morning when I nearly spit my coffee out reading the following promo line in the press release,

“The duo leads the ensemble cast in the 10-episode series about six young people learning to cope with their abilities in a world where bad guys can be as terrifying as bad dates.”

BARF! Please, for the love of Galactus, tell me some hapless intern or PR monkey taped to a keyboard is writing these releases with no idea of what is actually going to happen in the show. But alas, I continued to read other promotional scripts that included, “With Freeform focused on a group dubbed “becomers” – those experiencing a series of firsts in life, including first loves and first jobs – ‘New Warriors explores the journey into adulthood…”  If this is truly the driving theme of the show, without the willingness to push boundaries, take risks, and write original material, I fear we are probably going to miss out on the one chance to do Squirrel Girl justice. The following is my plea to the executives. Please, give us the Squirrel Girl we love, not the one we’ll forget. 

Dear Freeform,

Hey there. I haven’t watched you much since you renamed yourselves (again), but I hear you’ve been doing pretty well despite your insistence on continuing to air The 700 Club (resists urge to throw up). I gotta be real with you: I wasn’t super thrilled that you were the network to land New Warriors. Yes, I’d love to see the show get made, but not if you’re going to water it down into a socially conservative YA drama about dating and life after graduation. We just don’t need that show; nor do I suspect most Marvel fans even want a show like that all that much either.

You know as well as I do that young adult programming has a long way to go in terms of creating content that challenges and redefines the thousands of tropes that shackle it. Marvel’s straight to Netflix series have proved that even with lesser known (albeit much more adult and violent) heroes you can avoid many of the mainstreaming tropes that comic properties have been saddled with for so long. The catch, though, is that Netflix has the freedom to avoid so many of those pesky broadcast restrictions, and the shows they’ve picked up so far have a much wider appeal given that they’re catered to a more mature audience. You are a cable Network with limited assets and a history of airing some of the safest (boring) shows on television. Still, even though young adult shows haven’t really had the post-streaming-world revolution they so desperately need, you could make a difference here if you were willing to be the network that nuts up and takes some chances. 

New Warriors would be a fantastic show to push the boundaries, Hell, it could even be the Buffy the Vampire Slayer of this generation! Remember when Angel absolutely destroyed Buffy both physically and psychologically (seriously, almost killing her) only to return and make her love him all over again? Now THAT was some risk-taking, young-adult programming AND it aired on a broadcast network in the 90’s! If you’re going to throw coming-of-age-themes and romance into the mix, look for every opportunity to make your audience believe it’s a necessary part of the character’s story. Don’t make us follow around Doreen on dates just because she “should.” Squirrel Girl doesn’t put anything before her saving the world responsibilities, and you shouldn’t either. Don’t force us to watch Doreen balance dating, school, and maybe punching a poorly costumed villain for five minutes at the end of an episode. You can do better. You SHOULD do better. 

If your executives are smart (and I don’t generally assume them to be) they’ll look to the creative team that brought Squirrel Girl back from the fading obscurity of her Great Lakes Avengers days – Ryan North and Erica Henderson. These two took a character that had been largely forgotten and revitalized her into one of the most lovable, genuine, smart, and humble Marvel heroes in the past decade. Doreen looks every bit like an average college student and she stresses out over her computer science degree, but the subtleties that make us love her are what make her so incredible. She’s whimsically quippy, unwaveringly positive, and un-ironically upbeat; she has no time for social norms and she very politely doesn’t take shit from anyone.

Doreen Green as both a student and a superhero is a modern-day, positive role model getting a computer science degree while fighting some of the most dangerous villains in the Marvel Universe, never once stopping to ask if maybe she’s in a little bit over her head. She doesn’t quit even when the odds are hysterically stacked against her. Seriously, her entire set of 4522 Deadpool trading cards give her more than enough information (usually) to know what she’s going up against!

And yes, admittedly, a few comments get made every now and again about her checking out a male classmate, but the dialogue is written to serve more as comedic backdrop and further evidence to Doreen’s commitment to being Squirrel Girl than driving any aspect of the story. We love Doreen not because she’s a hero running around doing everyday college student things, but because she’s an everyday college student running around saving the world and doing anything BUT the ordinary! You try maintaining a 4.0 grade average when you somehow need to make it to the moon before the Galactus Clock runs out!

To summarize: Please, don’t give us what we already have way too much of. We don’t need another bland, coming-of-age-drama with a superhero IP haphazardly taped over it. We need a show about new, young heroes that just happen to need to make a jillion complicated decisions in a given day to balance life and heroics. Go read North and Henderson’s SG comics. Go watch Spider-Man: Homecoming, which was both pretty great and went a long way towards something fun and new despite still putting their feet in some tropes. If you’re going to trope it up, make them into something we haven’t seen done the same way a million times before. Just please, for the love of Marvel, don’t f*ck up Squirrel Girl. You could doom her to a fate worse than Thanos getting his hands on those infinity stones, and we don’t want to lose her to obscurity again. 

From your everyday Squirrel Girl Fan, Jessie.

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.  Directed by Jon Watts; Written by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers; Starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Laura Harrier, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover; Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments; Running time 133 minutes; In wide release July 7, 2017.

Does the newest Spider-Man movie do whatever a spider can? Just as our friendly neighborhood Spidey can’t do this movie alone, we needed to assemble our own Mighty Marvel Team-Up to share our thoughts. 

Andy: So in this situation, does that make me Peter Parker? Or Tony Stark? I think I’m more of a Happy Hogan sort of guy. 

Adam: I’ll call Aunt May. She gets my favorite line in the movie.

Andy: I larb her. I can see that. Or maybe I’m Ned. Maybe we’re both Ned. 

Adam: Second thought, I’ll be Ned right there with you because he’s pretty much me if I found out my best friend was Spider-Man.

Andy: Totally. 

Adam: But let’s talk about this movie because I’m really excited to dive in. To put it simply, this is the Spider-Man movie I’ve waited my whole life to see. And that’s not downplaying the excellent Spider-Man 2 which still ranks up there as one of the best superhero movies of all time. But as much as I love that and Tobey Maguire’s take on the character (except three, we just forget that one exists), no one has been able to more perfectly nail the Spider-Man and Peter Parker until now. Tom Holland embodies the role in a way we haven’t seen since Robert Downey Jr. took on the mantle of Tony Stark. Holland is obviously a talented actor, but it most likely helps that he’s so much closer in age to Peter Parker than either Maguire or Garfield were. Peter Parker was always likeable but never so much as he is now. He acts exactly how a kid would if they got super powers and were trying to fit into the adult world of being an Avenger despite the fact he’s got homework and trying to figure out girls he’s crushing on. In fact, it’s a wonderful example of adolescence in general as it shows him trying to balance out being a kid and maturing into an adult. As much as people have been joking that this is Spider-Man meets Breakfast Club, there are a lot of similarities to it and other John Hughes classics. 

Andy: The simple fact that there are two very obvious homages to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (at basically the same time) tells you that’s exactly what they’re going for. And they nail it. I can’t decide if this is a reason I dislike the film or that I like it so much, but it’s that it’s so full of teen angst. Instead of this being about fighting a galactic menace, he’s focused on the people robbing the ATM in his neighborhood with these funky weapons the Vulture made. He’s that “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” that Stark asks him to be. But, like any teenager, he’s trying to prove himself and that he’s ready to be an adult– but he really isn’t. This Peter Parker is kind of a screw-up, and it’s fun to watch. But one of the best things they did right in this movie is what they don’t do. There’s no origin story of being bitten by a radioactive spider. No Uncle Ben. And while I kind of wanted to see Spidey being motivated by his great power and great responsibility, this just isn’t that story. This is the teenager who wants to grow up too fast. And that’s a bold move for a superhero genre movie to stray so far from the formula of what we expect in a reboot. 

Adam: It’s also wonderful to see what they’ve been able to do by including the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper. Happy Hogan, Avenger’s Tower, Iron Man, Cap and more all make their presence known, but it’s never overbearing. Yes, this is definitely a world where Spider-Man and the Avengers coexist, but it’s still very much set in the Spider-Man universe. And that’s good to see because this easily could have become a film where Marvel tried to shoehorn in as much of their properties as possible just to show that they are better at making these kinds of movies than Sony, but they wisely restrained themselves and let it all play out much more organically. 

Andy: But the Cap moments. . .  those worked so well for me. This was nice, though, because just like with Guardians of the Galaxy, you can seen how they fit in the same universe, but the tone is so different that you get that this is its own thing. I’m glad to see Sony take that step with the webslinger, because Spider-Man should be more quippy, more angsty. And I like that they keep the action for the most part in Queens, as opposed to Manhattan. That’s the Avengers’ territory– this is yours. It threads the needle perfectly of being both in the MCU and also its own thing.

Adam: And can we talk about the Vulture for a second? I’ve never been a fan of that character, so I’ll be the first to admit how surprised I am that they actually made him cool and menacing! Michael Keaton is fantastic in the role and makes him not just a potent villain but also one that we can identify with. He’s not out to destroy the galaxy or take over the world. No, he was just a little guy who got screwed over and is doing whatever it takes to provide for his family. Of course once he assumes more power and money it corrupts him, but even then he still had honor and wasn’t the bad guy for the sole sake of being evil. 

Andy: BIRDMAN!!!! Yes, so amazing. I think other than Loki he’s my favorite MCU villain– because he’s not a bad guy. He’s a normal guy who gets stepped on and decides to use stolen space technology to provide for his family. Even his name makes sense– the Vulture– because he’s picking the scraps off of whatever fight The Avengers and SHIELD just had. And despite his bluster about being against the 1%– let’s be super real, here. We find out he’s doing just fine financially. Yes, he’s worried about providing for his family, but he provides for them in a pretty upper-middle-class way. There’s something to be said here about the rise of the Trump voter and the fear of loss of privilege. . .  but I’ll save that diatribe until more people have had a chance to see the movie and can discuss this in more depth with spoilers.

Adam: So yes, this was just overall a fantastic film, and one that I immediately went out and got tickets to see it again as soon as possible. Tom Holland is the best part of the movie, and I’m not sure if we will ever get a better portrayal of the character. Everything moved along nicely and balanced drama, action, comedy and even some touching moments between Peter and May. And I’ll say it again because it bears repeating — they made the Vulture cool! I know Sony has been talking about not making their Venom and other spinoff movies part of the MCU, so I’m really hoping this one blows up with other critics and at the box office to make them change their minds. Working with Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal has done wonders for this property, and Sony would be fools if they didn’t collaborate on all future films. 10 out of 10.

Andy: Whoa, slow down there– a perfect 10? It’s great, but I don’t think it’s quite there. This is incredibly funny and definitely one of the best Spider-Man movies and of the MCU. But this is Spider-Man with his “training wheels” on (*wink wink*). Let’s see what Sony can do without input from Feige and Co and if they can fly equally as high. But this is still amazing, and the title Homecoming couldn’t be more appropriate. Welcome back,.Parker. 8.5 out of 10.

For the last week entertainment news circles have been dominated largely by the DCEU’s Wonder Woman, and rightfully so. By all accounts it is a wonderful film, earning accolades on both the social and entertainment fronts. Fans on both sides of the comic book aisle are glad to see DC hit a home run on the big screen. 

But did we really expect Marvel to let DC own the spotlight for very long? Is it any surprise that today, just a week after Wonder Woman took the world by storm, Marvel dropped this on us?

It may be a monetarily motivated competition between the two companies but it doesn’t have to be for us. There is enough room in our hearts for great flicks with inspiring characters from both Marvel and DC. Keep ’em comin’.

Black Panther hits theaters February 16, 2018.

Well, it’s finally here. The follow up to the wildly successful and endearing Guardians of the Galaxy is splashing up on the big screen, and to say that expectations are high would be an understatement. Guardians 2 strives to be bigger and better than the original, and with a movie this huge, it’s gonna take more than one person to review it. Bryan and Adam got a chance to see it earlier this week, so they are going to team up and take on this team of A-holes together!

Oh, and we’re going to keep it as spoiler free as possible, so read on without fear!

Adam: The first Guardians sits as one of my favorite Marvel movies of all time. In fact, it switches back and forth between one, two and three with Winter Soldier and Civil War depending on my mood. James Gunn is also near and dear to my heart, so to be honest, I was a bit worried that this couldn’t live up to the hype in my head. Well, I shouldn’t have. While you really can’t compare the Guardians movies because they are such completely different animals in terms of tone, story and character development, this one is every bit as good in its own right as what came before. It’s a movie that demands a rewatch because so much unfolds so quickly that people are going to miss a lot their first time through. And that’s a good thing! Too often, films are kind of a “one and done” type deal, and it’s enjoyable to have something to look forward to seeing again. It’s also one of the few films that I had to stay up and ponder for hours after I got out of it. I was up with friends until 3 AM discussing not only some of the cool filmmaking aspects of it but also just the sheer joy we had of experiencing it together. Again, this is a sentiment not felt as often as it should in modern cinema.

Bryan: This is definitely a fun film, but I wonder about how much rewatchability there is to the Marvel films. This movie is great, and I loved it as much as the original Guardians film, but I haven’t felt the need to revisit that film since my third viewing in the theater either. It’s a very well-made popcorn film and it fills in a lot of great Marvel mythology and stands up as one of the better Marvel films, but it’s still, ultimately, a bit of disposable entertainment.

Adam: And see, I watch Guardians at least once a month and will always stop and finish it if it pops up while i’m channel surfing. It’s one of the rare films that I can’t get sick of. I’m also quite happy that Gunn and company decided to make this a standalone film, separate from the rest of the MCU because the character development and narration would have suffered had they tried to shoehorn in Avengers stuff.

Bryan: Structurally, the film feels refreshing because it’s such a departure from how the normal Marvel films go. That, along with the comedy, is probably the film’s greatest strength. That and the cast. The cast is really what sings here. Michael Rooker as Yondu gives a surprisingly soulful performance and the combined work of Sean Gunn, Bradley Cooper, and the FX houses for Rocket Raccoon is incredible. Chris Pratt feels like he’s on autopilot, even though he seemed to be having a lot of fun.

Adam: Chris Pratt as Star-Lord feels like Chris Pratt just being himself. Not nearly as much as Tony Stark has essentially become Robert Downey Jr. but it’s close. Everyone gets their moment to shine, but it really is Rocket and surprisingly Yondu who become the heart of this movie. If you would have told me that a minor character I really didn’t care about in the previous movie would move me to tears in this one, I would have laughed in your face, but that’s exactly what happened. And this is almost much more Rocket’s film than anyone else’s. Out of everyone, he has the most distinct and widest character arc and is really a much different character by the end than he was in the beginning.

Bryan: See, now I think Robert Downey, Jr. created a persona for Tony Stark that is distinct from himself, or, say, his role in Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang, or Chaplin. But the standout, for me, was Kurt Russell. He was enjoying himself in a way I almost haven’t seen since his original days as a Disney star. It’s fitting to see him come home, in a tangential sort of way at least. There was a glee to him as Ego that is infectious for audiences. And when the film takes you through the reality of his character, he gets even more delicious in his play-acting.

Adam: Kurt Russell was definitely having the most fun in the whole thing. And I will give major props to the people behind the trailers because as much as is revealed in them, no one really has any idea of the actual plot or how things will play out. Even though I’ve seen them countless times, I was still fully surprised by pretty much everything that happened in the film. Granted, there was some obvious foreshadowing regarding some things, but considering how Marvel has thrown us red herrings before (as in Age of Ultron), it still didn’t change the impact of what happened despite my already knowing it would.

Oh and we haven’t even talked about the soundtrack. When Gunn first released the list of songs for Awesome Mix vol. 2, I’ll admit I was a little worried. The songs were much deeper cuts than what we were used to from the first one, and I wasn’t quite sure how they were going to fit into the narrative. Well, they’re used to much greater effect than before, and each is now indelibly etched in my memory along with the scene they were paired with.

Bryan: Overall, I think this was a refreshing film in these dark times and we have another heroic story of people, even selfish people, willing to sacrifice their lives in order to save the galaxy. And that’s the sort of hope we need right now. Selfless acts are in short supply and maybe movies like this will encourage more of them. Technically, the story was well-told and had enough context for fans new and old alike to find different levels of enjoyment. It will definitely make a lot of money and is a great example of a popcorn film done right. 8 out of 10.

Adam: A beacon of light in these dark times. That’s exactly what this is and why I just absolutely loved it so much. James Gunn obviously adores these characters and the universe he brings them to life in is ripe for the audience to just sit back and bask in it all. As I said at the beginning, I geeked out with friends for nearly three times as long as the movie is because there was so much there to talk about and be excited for. There are so many easter eggs and nods to classic Marvel that I doubt even the most hardcore fans will ever find them all. And from just a filmmaking standpoint it’s wonderful shot and directed with a punched up funny and poignant script and has some jaw dropping cinematography. I wouldn’t change a thing, and I can’t wait to go back and see it again. 10 out of 10

Thanks to Entertainment Weekly we now have a deeper look into Mavel’s “The Inhumans,” which will hit IMAX theaters on September 1, 2017 before it’s serialized on our television sets. Gather ’round, friends and neighbors, because your ol’ Auntie kmc1138 has some opinions. 

Before we dig in, I feel it’s important to preface my opinions with a full disclosure: I have been looking forward to this show more than any Marvel property in the last ten years.

Let’s just take it left to right, shall we?

• Gorgon – yes, good. Not too flashy, and I support the removal of the weird, dated headpiece. But we are unable to see his hooves in this photo, which is disappointing. 
• Karnak – first we should applaud the casting of an Asian person as a Kung-Fu dude, and then celebrate the removal of the bubble helmet. Sorry, Mr. Kirby, but bubble helmets are not now and never have been cool. Tattoos, on the other hand, are timeless.
• Black Bolt (or as I insist on calling him, Blackagar Boltagon because that is by far the greatest character name in comic history and I will physically fight you on that point) – I mean he looks cool, right? Kind of hard to mess up black leather. I do feel like it might take me a while to get used to Anson Mount but I’m still excited for the opportunity to do it.

Let’s switch it up a bit and go right to left now.

• Maximus – this casting is so perfect they could have placed him in a Stormtrooper costume and I’d have been all “yeah, neat.” The costuming looks pretty low key, and as long as there are no trunks everything should be fine.
• Crystal – the decision to remove all harlequin elements and pirate boots and replace them with a functional elegance was a good one. And while I’ve always preferred art that makes Crystal’s hair stripe look a little more organic, you have got to give the makeup department some props. It looks so simple, but you can imagine exacting that ‘do on the regular? 

Mmph. Hair. I guess we’re down to it, then.

• Medusa – Wow. I know it’s television but y’all couldn’t spring for a lace front on that weave? This looks like something I could buy at my local costume shop. And not the good costume that you have to rent, but the one that smells like a plastic bag and comes in S/M and M/L sizes. This is not good, and I really hope it looks better in action than photos. 

All in all there’s really nothing to shout about, except the one that’s kind of bad. Am I being too harsh? Do you prefer the bubble helmet? How many of you don’t care and just want a look at Lockjaw? 

Word also came down that this series will not intersect with “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” At least not yet. It’s slightly disappointing, but wholly fair as this show deserves a chance to find its own footing. 

LOGAN Directed by James Mangold; Written by Michael Green, Scott Frank and James Mangold; Starring Hugh Jackman; Dafne Keen; Boyd Holbrook; Patrick Stewart; Stephen Merchant; Doris Morgado; Rated R for strong brutal violence and language throughout, and for brief nudity; Running time 135 minutes; In wide release March 1, 2017.

The latest installment of the X-Men franchise finds us in the near future in the darkest of timelines: mutants have stopped appearing, most of them are dead, and Logan, Charles Xavier and Caliban live a lonely existence isolated near the US-Mexican border. When a woman appears with a young mutant with powers identical to Logan’s and a bundle of cash to get them to a safe passage to Canada, our hero finds himself pulled back into a world he thought long gone.

We’ve brought our own X-team to the Danger Room to discuss this film, but since it doesn’t come out until March 3, we’re trying to keep it spoiler free.

Andy: Well, that was amazing. What a complex, beautiful, disturbing, quiet, ultra-violent, subtle film. This film is so different from any of its peers. Just like last year’s Deadpool was different in that we’d never seen a true superhero satire before, this is different.

Bryan: I think this was head and shoulders above Deadpool. It was far more mature and honest on a human level.

Adam: While they’re in the same universe, it’s unfair to compare Deadpool to Logan. The former was never meant to be more than an action-packed, comedy gorefest while the latter is definitely much more mature and nuanced in what it was trying to do and the story it was trying to tell. Despite loving both, I wouldn’t even consider them in the same breath.

Andy: 100% agree. I just meant that it’s basically a different genre. Deadpool was satire. The other X-Men movies are superhero flicks. This? It’s basically a western. While Deadpool turned up the zaniness to 11, this takes it down to 0. No costumes. No X-jet rising from under the basketball court. No tiny stuffed unicorn. Just mortals standing against the threat of oblivion. Heavy stuff. But the blood (the reality of fighting with adamantium claws) of this film grounds it in the same way the ridiculous blood splatter of Deadpool reminds you what a ridiculous film you’re watching.

Bryan: It’s completely fair to compare them. They’re more alike than they’re different, Logan was just better all around.

Adam: This wasn’t a superhero movie; this was a movie that just happened to have superheroes in it. What was so refreshing was just how grounded, real and gritty everything was. This was a world full of people who were pushed to their breaking point, tired and on the verge of giving up. Or if not, then surrendering themselves to the day-to-day minutia of just trying to get by and eke out a living. Even when the action ramps up (and boy does it ever), this same world-weariness infused every frame of the movie and made it all the more cathartic when a moment of levity was passed between characters or between them and us. DC and Warner Bros need to take note that this is how you do this the right way.  

Andy: You hit it right on the head, Adam — this is a movie that just happens to have superheroes. Except they aren’t quite super. None of the characters is in full control of their heroic capacity. They’re too broken, too young, too old to be the comic book heroes we have come to love. What I’ve always liked about Wolverine as a character was how easily he was a stand-in for other major archetypes: While director James Mangold tried (with varying levels of success, depending on which cut of the film you saw) to make a Logan-as-samurai movie in The Wolverine, in this film he is the western gunslinger. There are long, loving homages to westerns, especially to Shane, and both that and Mangold’s previous western, the remake to 3:10 to Yuma, should be required watching as you get ready for this film. Mangold beautifully shoots these amazing western landscapes from Mexico to North Dakota and across the Great Plains in between. The scenery and setting are as much a character as our actors and provide the heart of the subtle commentary layered into this beautiful but brutal film.

Bryan: Just as X-Men (2000) set the pattern for superhero movies of the future, I think Logan does the same. The blueprint is such that it’s not dependent on setting up a larger world, it’s dependent on telling an incredible one-shot story. It’s the graphic novel version of a film and it serves the material well. It’s heartfelt, emotional, and the stakes can be as high and low as necessary. In Logan, though, the stakes are personal, which always make for the best films. It deals with aging, it deals with the corruption of our future, it deals with complex moral ideas about what is right and wrong, especially in regards to human testing and mutant person-hood.

Adam: I couldn’t have said that better myself, Bryan. Logan gives us a small slice of these characters’ lives and expects us to deal specifically with what is taking place at hand. While there is still tons of lore to be gleaned from the many references and stories being told, the movie never spoon feeds them to us and expects the audience to go along and figure things out on their own. And I kind of liked that not all the questions were answered in the end because, in the long run, they weren’t what drove the plot or character motivations forward.

Bryan:  What I loved most about this film is its heart. He isn’t afraid to be emotional. The characters inside the film are nostalgic about the X-Men in the same way we are, and Logan and Xavier are dealing with the very real issues of mortality and how to make a difference and how their legacy might count. Or how it might not. It’s not a mindless action movie with sequences of mindless killing for the sake of it. There’s a cost to it. It doesn’t flinch at the brutality of aging in our society. I never thought I’d see a tender scene of Wolverine as the caretaker of Professor X, helping him use the bathroom. I never thought I’d want to see that. But these are the scenes that play the best.

Andy: They’re this weird family unit. Each of the characters – Charles, Logan, and Laura – are vulnerable in one way or another and need each others’ care. They all play protector and caretaker to one another. Each one is both parent and child, mentor and apprentice. They save each other repeatedly. It’s beautiful and both simple and complex at the same time. But it’s the heart of this movie.

Adam: This is easily the most “human” of the X-Men movies, and an appropriate capstone to the film legacy. Like you said, I never thought I would see Logan showing such a compassionate and giving side of himself, but those rare moments where he dropped all pretense and showed emotion were incredibly powerful. I was talking with Andy about the movie last night, and he made the point that as much fun as John Wick: Chapter 2 was, in hindsight, it really feels more like the comic book movie than this does. Both wore their R rating on their sleeves, but Logan made it seem almost — realistic. There was a heaviness and a sense of consequence to the violence here, and the carnage that ensued was never done to be gratuitous or obscene. Logan himself says that killing leaves a mark and is something you have to figure out how to live with, and the movie definitely strives to make us feel that with how it presented violence.

Bryan: One issue I had with the film was where I saw a missed opportunity. Obviously, the film takes a lot of cues from the comic book Old Man Logan, which was Mark Millar’s incredible series that took Wolverine into a post-apocalyptic future where he harbored a secret from his past that took the fight right out of him. In the comic, when we’re finally shown the flashback, it has all the force of the Paris flashback from Casablanca, but somehow more heartbreaking. There was an opportunity (I would argue a need actually) to do that here in this film, but it’s merely hinted at instead. I don’t want to say too much about it, though, because the details have been changed significantly.

Adam: I do wish I had read Old Man Logan before going in, but maybe it’s better that I didn’t because I had no expectation of a big reveal. I’ve already bought the trade and plan on reading it later today though.

Andy: And what I loved is that while it seemed inspired by the motifs of Old Man Logan, it didn’t need to draw from it much further than that. While the film plays out as somewhat post-apocalyptic, we realize very quickly that the apocalypse has already happened to us, and it happened to us sometime before 2017. In their future timeline, the US-Mexico border wall is a tourist attraction where red-blooded ‘Muricans come to yell at Mexicans, casinos are everywhere, and family farms are being destroyed by mega-corporations. With mutants as a stand-in for marginalized groups (it’s no accident that 12-year old Laura is a refugee from Mexico City being pursued by southern gentleman Donald Blake) it’s very subtle, but this is a stunning indictment of a possible future predicated on the rise of Trump — or just the worst inclinations of human nature, greed, jingoism, science and “progress” that have led to Trump in our world.

Bryan: Yeah, this is definitely a future America that we need to work to prevent every bit as much as the X-Men worked to prevent the Days of Future Past timeline. It doesn’t seem as dire, but it really is.

Andy: That’s the beauty of it. It’s not dire. It’s that meme of the cartoon dog sitting in the bar where everything’s on fire saying “This is fine.” Logan’s world seems downright normal. And possible.  

Adam: Life isn’t dire when you’re not on the other side. Who knows for sure what side we will be on 12 years from now?

Andy: I want to talk for two seconds about the beauty of casting Stephen Merchant as Caliban. While this is a serious role, he brings a lightness to it. As wasted as the character was in last year’s X-Men Apocalypse, this was a full redemption and an amazing performance. Speaking of amazing performance, both Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman bring the A-game to this. I know superhero movies don’t get nominated for Academy Awards, but damn. These are two of the top performances of any kind in the entire series of movies — a series predicated on great performances.  

Adam: And we would be remiss not to discuss how fantastic Dafne Keen was as Laura, the young mutant Logan puts under his protection. As much as Hugh Jackman carries the film, she is the driving force behind everything he does, and the fact that she delivers such a wonderful performance despite not speaking for a good chunk of the movie is utterly amazing.

Bryan: I’m all in on this film. I think it’s the third best X-Men film ever made, right after X2 and X-Men: First Class. It’s easily the best of the Wolverine standalones, and it makes me hopeful that Marvel, at least Fox’s wing of the universe, will offer us more of these rich one off stories without trying to hard to build a sprawling universe. This was a well earned 9 out of 10. Bring tissues.

Andy: This is definitely in the top X-Men movies out there, but I’m not sure whether it belongs in my top 3 or top 5. It might even be my second favorite — but it’s just so different from everything else it’s almost hard to judge. I’m still digesting this — like an extremely rich and complex meal. It’s broken and frail in a way no other of the films are. It’s severe and realistic in its brutality and humanity. It’s everything it tries to be and more. This is a 9 out of 10.

Adam: I’ve almost been dreading this moment because rating this and saying where it falls in line with the other X-Men movies is almost like trying to choose which of your kids is your favorite. I went in to Logan with such high hopes, that I felt bound to be disappointed. I wasn’t, not by a long shot. I got a different movie than I was expecting, but it lived up to and beyond what I was looking forward to based on the trailers. While The Wolverine was a great movie, Logan took everything that was great from that and distilled it into its purest and best form. It’s always a good thing to see writers and directors learn from what they have done in the past and improve upon it tenfold in future projects. That said, it is difficult to compare it to the original trilogy just because direction, acting and storytelling have improved in the decade since those were out. but this is easily in my top two films, either tying or slightly above First Class. 10 out of 10.

As this is one of the best first episodes of a series I have seen in quite some time, this review will be spoiler free.

Legion is FX and Marvel’s new show about Dan Stevens (David Haller) who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young adult, but who turns out to actually be some kind of very powerful mutant. The first episode, in which we are introduced to Dan in the confines of a mental hospital, features some top-notch acting from Haller, brilliant cinematography (especially for television), and superb storytelling that could easily compete with Marvel’s original Netflix programming. It’s also important to nod to the excellent foils for Dan, delivered by strong performances from Aubrey Plaza and Jean Smart. The only major downside to the show is the presence of the commercial breaks (sadly unavoidable on a network). If you happen to be able to watch the show on DVR or On-Demand, I would definitely recommend an uninterrupted viewing. 

Viewers new to this story (originally penned in comic form by Chris Claremont) may be at first confused by the unorthodox storytelling format, but altering rapidly between past and present suits the show quite well. Coupled with stark, stylized shots of directed, sterile lights against corners of crippling darkness, viewers will be compelled by some pretty intense highs and lows! The set design and colours are a bit retro, but the placement of neutrally designed, un-branded objects in the scenery makes the setting somewhat timeless (or, more appropriately, out of time), and this is to the shows’ benefit. You are constantly left feeling a bit out of place, and it prompts you to focus on the faces, emotions, and deliberate interactions of the characters on a very personal level. I hope the quality of the direction continues to keep the show on this level, as they are up against obvious rating restrictions by airing on a network. Where Netflix can insert graphic violence and strong language, this show will be forced to impress us through other creative delivery methods. 

The mystery of who is and isn’t a Mutant is sure to keep us guessing for episodes to come, and this show is doing a great job of easing us into its topsy turvy world. We’re dipping our toes in a mysterious, turbulent pool of questions, and we can only hope the show continues to provide us with meaningful moments and some eventual payoff. Cameras bounce and twirl around seemingly nonsensical whimsy one moment, and zoom out to uncomfortable, gripping moments in the next, but we’re able to keep pace with Dan.

If everything that was true is false, and everything false presumably turned true, what are we to believe as the observers of this tale? Will the journey take us along into places of darkness and madness, or perhaps someplace more revealing, and illuminating for long-time fans of the X-Men / Mutant Universe? Only time will (or won’t) tell us, so in the meantime I recommend we all take the time to check out ‘Legion’ on FX. If I had to pick out the faults, I would say that the CG has a couple less-than-stellar moments of execution, and the portrayal of the investigator got a bit too heavy-handed towards the end of the episode, but these are nitpicks at most. I give “Chapter 1” four and a half missing doors out of five.

I know you’ve waited for this one peeps, and so here it is, another summary of the year’s best movies, television, music, video games & comic books. Call it a rundown of what I binge-watched, read, listened to, and generally loved in 2016. Enjoy or not.

Movies:

Arrival

Good fiction brings out the truth. Good science fiction brings out human truths. In ‘Arrival’, these are presented by a plot that is neither congested nor simplistic. The protagonist, Louise (Amy Adams), is a linguist who experiences the pain and loss of her only child. That loss, however, becomes meaningful, powerful, and salvific in light of the whole of her life, which culminates with a series of E.T. encounters. The question of finding meaning in pain grows deeper as the audience slowly pieces together Louise’s backstory. In a year marked by ‘MEH’ and pessimism, this sublime, intelligent film about mankind working together was a mantra of hope. It also happened to be an exciting story about first contact with aliens, full of the awe and wonder that often makes sci-fi so appealing. Can..not…wait to see what Denis Villeneuve does with ‘Blade Runner 2049’.

Kubo & The Two Strings

Why haven’t more people seen this movie? In Laika animation studio’s best film to date, directed by Travis Knight, the Japanese-influenced designs are beautiful. The animation of the origami figures feels spontaneous. If paper could move on its own, it would move like this. Created with models, miniatures, and puppets (with some CGI for the backgrounds), the film, set in feudal Japan, features a young boy named Kubo (voice of Art Parkinson), an eye-patched li’l scamp who spends his days delighting villagers in the public square with his storytelling. (“If you must blink, do it now” is how the story always begins — a masterful opening line.) Kubo’s got some magic in him and it unfolds masterfully. There’s nothing I don’t like about ‘Kubo and the Two Strings.’ The story, which is about stories, and how we believe the stories we’re told, is tight and well-structured. It offers moments of outstanding humor, scary action, and intense conflict. Visually, it’s a stunning piece of work. It was the second best time I had at the theatre in 2016.

La La Land

‘La La Land’ is my manifesto. In the film, when Mia states “Do you think people are going to like it?” and Seb answers with a defiant, “F*ck’ em’ … I put my first in the air. ‘La La Land’ isn’t depressing. It’s not saccharine either, though. It’s got a bittersweet ending, and while it’s uplifting overall, it’s never 100% happy. I can’t think of the last film I saw that was this optimistic and this good. A toe-tapping, crowd pleaser, primary-colored fantasia about a struggling actress and musician falling in love in Tinseltown. By embracing its traditionalism without irony, the film feels almost revolutionary. A film about dreams and dreamers.

Honorable Mention: Hell Or Highwater, Zootopia, Moana.

Looking forward to 2017:
Star Wars Episode 8
Guardians Of The Galaxy: Volume Two
Alien: Covenant
Blade Runner 2049
The Dark Tower

Television:

Mr Robot season two

Hello friend. Usually when I think an apocalyptic event, it’s in the form of a major bomb, virus or something hitting us from space. Who would have thought that just one guy at a keyboard could create an Armageddon. The second season of the Emmy-winning USA Network drama spent a significant amount of time dwelling on Elliot living an illusory existence, converting his day-to-day life behind bars into a fantasy world, purely as a coping mechanism. Beyond being an imaginative way for creator Sam Esmail and the show’s writers to visually represent the lead character’s unfortunate circumstances and vivid imagination, it also shined a light on the very human tendency to willfully ignore harsh realities, for a multitude of reasons, often as basic as survival. I have MANY questions: What is WhiteRose’s endgame? What is going on at the Washington Plant? What happened to Angela and Elliot’s parents? Can Trenton make the world whole again? Will Mr Robot wake up when Elliot does? Season three should take us further down the rabbit hole.

Stranger Things season one

Take the best of 80’s pop culture (Speilberg & S. King) mix them with D&D, New Order and Winona Ryder and end up with an algorithm-busting, genre-melding, word-of-mouth smash. The Netflix series from the Duffer Brothers became a pop culture sensation. From fans’ obsession with Barb to Eleven-inspired Halloween costumes to the theory that Steve was the dad of Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Recreation, the word “sensation” honestly feels like an understatement. Season two should be aces in 2017.

Atlanta season one

Atlanta is one of the best, and it is like nothing else on television, maybe ever. Imagine a series with the ambition and charge of The Wire, the reflective gallows comedy of Louie, and Glover’s unique brand of subtle brilliance – and then you’ll be getting close to having some sense of where Atlanta seems to be heading. The series exudes warmth and grace even in its smallest moments without losing sight of its sense of humor. The show is masterful in eliciting a range of feelings — a combination of joy and horror, tension and relief — but none more so than surprise. The series on the whole acts as a great argument for why investing in young, mostly untested talent can be a boon for creativity.

Honorable Mentions: Game Of Thrones season 6, Catastrophe season 2.

Looking forward to 2017:
The Invincible Iron Fist season one (Netflix/March)
The Leftovers season three (HBO/April)
American Gods season one (Starz/April)
Twin Peaks season four (Showtime/2017)
Mr Robot season three (USA/2017)

Music:

Chance The Rapper ‘Coloring Book’

I found Chance’s Coloring Book impossible not to love—for starters, it might be the most openly and unabashedly joyful hip-hop album I’ve ever heard. Chance’s gee-whiz vibe may not have (yet) won over every last human on Earth, but man, has he ever won me. Coloring Book rang out like a visionary work to me, a melding of gospel and hip-hop that felt positively heaven-sent. I’ve always been fascinated by art that shouldn’t work but does, which is the best way I know to describe Coloring Book. The ostentatious genre-straddling, the relentless enthusiasm and positivity, the choirs and trumpets and string sections—in the hands of a lesser artist this would all be so insufferably middlebrow, but Chance isn’t a lesser artist. I need faith in that at the end of a year like this, and Coloring Book makes me a believer.

A.T.C.Q. ‘Thank You 4 Your Service, We Got It From Here’

What is ‘Thank You 4 Your Service’? It’s fun and playful, sonically progressive, lyrically relevant, all the things you want out of an A.T.C.Q. record. They don’t try and sound current while simultaneously sounding more progressive and forward thinking than most new ish coming out. It’s about joy — about friendships reconnected, reputation reclaimed, and synapses firing the way they once did. Maybe it was terrible for Phife’s health, but the fact that the group recorded the album all in the same place is crucial to its easy, organic sound. Listening to the album, you can feel the camaraderie in that room — and that camaraderie is a huge part of what made Tribe great in the first place. I mean, can you believe that we have any Tribe Called Quest album like this? That we got it in 2016? That it captures a group that, after years of internal recrimination, once again sounds elated to be a group? I can’t. It feels like a mirage. It stands as a towering monolith of sweetness and playfulness and joy. It’s a feel-good story in a time when we desperately need one. Don’t take it for granted…The Quest will never be over, Tribe.

Childish Gambino ‘Awaken, My Love’

This isn’t my favorite of his albums. In fact, I have only listened to his LP’s before…I have never actually bought one. I changed that with ‘Awaken,,My Love.’ As far as the C.G. Goes…It was the joke lyrics that initially hooked me – I wasn’t used to hearing many artists reference Sufjan Stevens or Radiohead in their punchlines, and it made for a nice entry into all things Childish – but at a certain point the music started to become legitimately really interesting, which sustained my fandom after I grew out of ‘Camp’. On ‘Camp’, he’s an angry kid; on ‘Because The Internet’ he’s an alienated young adult; on ‘Awaken, My Love’ he’s a grown man with a child of his own. Progress not perfection.

Honorable Mentions: Kendrick Lamaar ‘Untitled Unmastered’ , J-Zone ‘Fish N Grits’ , Swet Shop Boys ‘Cashmere’ & Elzhi ‘Lead Poison’

Looking forward to 2017:

Zack De La Rocha
Gorillaz
Madvillain
Joey BadA$$
Depeche Mode

Video Games:

Pokemon Go

The best ‘GAME’ of 2016? I’m crazy, right? I mean it wasn’t the ‘BEST’ best game. It was however a cultural phenomenon. What it is…’Pokemon GO’ is a game you play on your smartphone – Android or iPhone. You sign up and pick a nickname for yourself and you’re given a few items with which to capture and take care of Pokemon. Pokemon, if you for some reason do not know at this point, are cartoon creatures that live in this game, taking the place of animals in this universe. Your job is to capture Pokemon and use them to battle other people like yourself using these creatures as warrior minions. It sounds worse than it is. In the game it’s not at all violent, and the vast majority of the game has more to do with finding Pokemon than it does with battling them against your opponents. But you already know this. ‘Pokemon GO’ got people outside who may have hidden inside their homes without it; ‘Pokemon GO’ caused strangers to help each other out and ironically connect through a mobile application in an era where smartphones have made real-world interactions borderline irrelevant. As a mobile game, ‘Pokemon GO’ is flawed and may not be particularly deep, but it’s still the most fun millions – including myself – have had playing a video game in years. And yes, people are still playing it.

Virginia

‘Virginia ‘is about two women working for the FBI in the early 1990s, tasked to find a boy who has gone missing in the titular state. However, this missing person case isn’t quite what it seems. Nor is your own objective. Nor even is your character or, it seems, much of what’s going on around you. By its conclusion, I wasn’t entirely sure what ‘Virginia’ was about and I’m not sure how much of this I could attribute to imperfect storytelling, to elements of very deliberate obfuscation or to my own ignorance. ‘Virginia’ is strange and fascinating. It takes many stylistic cues from ’90s sci-fi crime noir, like “Twin Peaks” or “The X-Files,” but those are really just a jumping off point for a game that tells a story unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. It definitely isn’t for everyone, but it certainly is remarkable.

Uncharted 4

‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ is a masterpiece. The game represents the pinnacle of what this medium can achieve and what the rest of the industry should strive to emulate. Its personal tale is complemented by its slower and more thoughtful pacing, in addition to its thematic gameplay. Visuals emphasize the game’s beauty in a literal sense, however, its intimate and grounded story only heighten its charm and its importance within the industry. ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ feels the most complete, coherent and cohesive title in the series. Its gameplay has been fleshed out and expanded, its characters and world fully realized, and its story sadly concluded in order for the series to finally rest as a united and truly magnificent whole.

Honorable Mentions: Dishonored 2, Overwatch, Oxenfree.

Looking forward to 2017:

Red Dead Redemption 2
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Vampyr
Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night
Guardians Of The Galaxy: The Telltale Series

Comic Books:

Paper Girls volume two

It is a pretty simplistic set up…Young, female newspaper carriers in 1988 get caught up in an otherworldly event and find themselves displaced to what seems to them a terrifying future: the world of 2016. While being sentimental for the 80’s is not going to take us where we’re going. ‘Paper Girls’ shows that getting too nostalgic about what came before, or fretting too deeply about what’s to come, is really no way to spend the present. This one also tugs at the heartstrings and makes you think… John Carpenter. Now you know you have a winner.

Moon Knight volume one ‘Lunatic’

Even if you had super-powers, you’d have to wonder just what kind of a person would willingly use them to punch crime every night. But somebody who patrols the streets without much protection in a world where super-crime is a part of everyday life? There’s clearly something wrong upstairs with any such individual, an idea which Moon Knight continues to examine with its lunatic star Mark Spector. Gripping, brutal and trippy, Jeff Lemire’s take on the very visible vigilante of the Marvel universe is an intriguing analysis of what it takes to put on a mask every night and risk life and limb in pursuit of justice. Talk about a psychological thriller. It isn’t whodunit but more of a whatisgoingon? And that’s the fun part.

The Vision volume one ‘Little Worse Than A Man’

No book is more compelling and frightening than ‘The Vision.’ The android Avenger has put together his own synthezoid family – his wife Vivian and children Viv and Vin — hoping they will live a normal suburban life just like any other American family. But it doesn’t happen that way. There’s murder, duplicity, and a chilling thought that the Vision may be headed down the road of Ultron. It has to be read to be believed.

Honorable Mentions: Black Panther volume one ‘A Nation Under Our Feet’

Looking forward to 2017:

America a.k.a America Chavez (Marvel Series)
Warren Ellis ‘Wildstorm’ relaunch
Snyder/Capullo ‘Batman’ themed DC Event

-Dagobot



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