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(03/03/21 6:36pm)
With the Infinity Saga wrapped up, it may feel like Marvel doesn’t have any more tricks up their sleeves. Phase Four recently began with the premiere of Wandavision, giving us a brief glimpse into what the next couple of years will look like for Marvel Studios. Wandavision marks the beginning of a story arc that will carry over into Spider-Man: No Way Home and concludes with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With the introduction of both the multiverse and characters that have been revealed that will be in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s looking like we’ll finally be getting a live-action version of the Spider-Verse, with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returning as their incarnations of the web-slinger. However, recent comments from Tom Holland have said otherwise. So, is there any factual evidence for the Spider-Verse?
(02/26/21 8:30pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
With the Infinity Saga wrapped up, it may feel like Marvel doesn’t have any more tricks up their sleeves. Phase Four recently began with the premiere of Wandavision, giving us a brief glimpse into what the next couple of years will look like for Marvel Studios. Wandavision marks the beginning of a story arc that will carry over into Spider-Man: No Way Home and concludes with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With the introduction of both the multiverse and characters that have been revealed that will be in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s looking like we’ll finally be getting a live-action version of the Spider-Verse, with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returning as their incarnations of the web-slinger. However, recent comments from Tom Holland have said otherwise. So, is there any factual evidence for the Spider-Verse?
Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="372"] Image from CinemaBlend[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="373"] Image from The Hollywood Reporter[/caption]
The first clue that Spider-Man: No Way Home introduced the Spider-Verse was the announcement of Foxx returning as Electro. This came as shocking news since he previously played the character in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, with his performance not really liked by audiences. It’s still unclear if he’s playing the exact version from that film or an alternate universe version, but Foxx did let it slip that he wouldn’t “be blue this time.” Sometime after this announcement was made, another familiar face joined the cast. Molina was revealed to be returning as Doctor Octopus, the same character he played in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2. His version, on the other hand, is beloved by audiences and continues to show evidence that Maguire and Garfield could be returning.
Doctor Strange and Wanda
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="370"] Image from DroidJournal[/caption]
Another returning character that will be appearing in this film is Doctor Strange. With the Doctor Strange sequel being titled In the Multiverse of Madness, and being the conclusion of the story arc set up in Wandavision and carrying over into Spider-Man: No Way Home, it feels right that the Spidey film will bring in other iterations of the character. Wanda Maximoff, who will be in Multiverse of Madness, has been rumored to be making an appearance in this film as well. If Wandavision does introduce the multiverse in the series finale, maybe Maguire and Garfield will surprise the world with a cameo.
Casting Rumors
Other than Foxx and Molina, there have been many other casting rumors for the third Spidey film. Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin, Thomas Haden Church as Sandman, and Charlie Cox as Daredevil have all been rumored to be making appearances in the film. If Dafoe and Church actually are in the film, then it would be hard to argue that we won’t be seeing the other Spider-Men. If this is true, there is a possibility of the Sinister Six as the main antagonist since we’ll have Green Goblin, Doc Ock, and Sandman all from Maguire’s universe, Elector from Garfield's, and Vulture and Mysterio from Holland’s. Having all three Spider-Men join together in the finale of the film facing off the Sinister Six would be a great way to end this trilogy, as well as keep audiences excited for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Multiple Titles
Although the title has been officially revealed as Spider-Man: No Way Home, there were multiple titles revealed by the cast the day before. Those titles included Phone Home, Home-Wrecker, and Home Slice. Although none of these titles specifically refer to the multiverse, there have been theories about why three fake titles were revealed. One of those theories is that each of the titles refers to the three Spider-Men. The theory claims that Home-Wrecker is referring to Garfield’s Spider-Man destroying the lives of Gwen Stacy’s family, with Home-Slice referring to Maguire’s Spider-Man being a pizza delivery man. Finally, Phone Home refers to Holland’s Spider-Man calling Happy.
Holland’s Response
The main piece of information holding back the idea that Maguire and Garfield could be showing up in this film was a statement from Holland. During an interview, when he was asked about other Spider-Men showing up, he simply replied, “No, no, they will not be appearing in this film.” This should be taken with a grain of salt since he could simply be trying to cover up the secret that the other two Spider-Men will make an appearance. While there hasn’t been an official statement from the studio or those involved with the film that all three Spider-Men will be in the film, there also hasn’t been a statement that they won’t.
Sources: CBR, CinemaBlend, Geekfeed, Heroic Hollywood, Newsweek, The Hollywood Reporter, The Verge
Images: CinemaBlend, Droid Journal, The Hollywood Reporter
Featured Image: Mashable India
(02/18/21 7:22pm)
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
(02/17/21 10:30am)
by Mason Kupiainen
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
On August 28, 2020, Chadwick Boseman tragically died from colon cancer, which he had been struggling with without letting it be known publicly. From starring in films like 42, Marshall, Get On Up, and 21 Bridges, Boseman brought to life many exemplary characters through incredible performances. However, arguably his most significant role is Black Panther, a character and film that have both become culturally iconic. After his death, Marvel remained silent with their plans on how they were going to move forward with the sequel and character until the Disney investors' meeting in December 2020. During the Marvel Studios presentation, Marvel President Kevin Feige revealed that they weren’t going to recast the role, nor use CGI to bring the character back. Instead, the Black Panther sequel will be focusing on the other characters from the first film, and further develop the world of Wakanda. While it’s understandable that Marvel wants to respect Boseman as much as they can, not recasting the role is a major mistake.
Cultural significance
As mentioned before, Black Panther has left its mark on our culture. Although he wasn’t the first black superhero to have a standalone film, his was the most successful one. In its full theatrical run, the film made over one billion dollars, becoming the 12th highest-grossing film of all time. One of the best aspects of the film was how it diverged from common stereotypes. In most films revolving around Africa, they portray it as a savage land that’s filled with horrors. Wakanda flips this stereotype on its head by showing the highly advanced land that’s vibrant and colorful, all the while still incorporating African culture into the mix. While this can still be achieved without T’Challa, the perspective through which we experience this world will be lost.
A fresh, new superhero
After 18 films, Marvel introduced a different type of character than we’d ever seen before. Although having a king of a mystical land as a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasn’t new thanks to Thor, the perspective to the duty of royalty was new to T’Challa. His journey of becoming king of Wakanda and having to handle all the casualties that follow it made his character unique. He tried juggling many responsibilities and stumbled along the way. He’s also challenged in many ways that force him to stand up and do what’s right. This character became important for so many people, giving them a new superhero to be inspired by.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="404"] Image from The Saxon[/caption]
Along with this, T’Challa is one of the best characters within the Marvel Universe and had many future possibilities as to where to take his story. While Marvel hasn’t announced if they’re going to write T’Challa out of the story or kill him off, letting him go without a proper conclusion feels wrong. While there are probably many people who agree with Marvel’s decision and want to honor Boseman’s legacy by not carrying on Black Panther, I see it differently. It feels like the opposite and is a dishonor to him and his portrayal of T’Challa by not carrying on the legacy he created. By bringing in a new actor to replace Boseman, Marvel would be finishing what Boseman started and continuing to inspire people with the character. Sure, they can pass the baton of Black Panther to a character like Shuri or M’Baku, but Black Panther 2 will probably feel strange if they simply wrote T’Challa out of it. The ending of the first film teases much more to come from him, so leaving all this behind would be disheartening to those who became invested in the character.
World of Wakanda
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="395"] Image from Barnes & Noble[/caption]
This might sound weird, but exploring the world of Wakanda in the sequel sounds like a bad idea, considering a similar type of series was just announced. Adding to their already stuffed plate of Marvel shows to come, Disney just announced another show in the works, a series focusing strictly on Wakanda and being developed by Ryan Coogler, writer and director of Black Panther. Having the sequel and a new series exploring Wakanda sounds redundant and runs the risk of diluting the specialty of the world. Although Wakanda is vast, rich, and filled with endless possibilities, it’s not very exciting to hear that Disney is trying to milk the property for all its worth.
Sources: BBC, Box Office Mojo, Deadline, Marvel, The New York Times, Variety, Vox
Images: Barnes & Noble, The Saxon
Featured Image: Quartz
(02/14/21 11:00pm)
By Mason Kupiainen
Time-loop films aren’t anything new, with many films including Groundhog Day, Edge of Tomorrow, Happy Death Day, and Palm Springs taking new approaches to the formula. These stories have gotten pretty boring at this point since many other movies and episodes of television have taken a similar approach. However, The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is able to take a new look into this overused formula.
The film follows Mark, a 17-year-old who struggles to figure out what to do after high school. When he finds himself stuck in a time-loop, he decides to take the opportunity to find himself a girlfriend and soon discovers a girl named Margaret stuck in the time-loop as well, and the two quickly form a bond.
(02/01/21 8:30pm)
By Mason Kupiainen
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
Being a passion project for writer and director John Hancock, The Little Things has been in development for almost 30 years. The first draft was written back in 1993 with Steven Spielberg originally interested in helming the project. He eventually left due to the story being “too dark” for him. Directors such as Clint Eastwood, Warren Beatty, and Danny Devito all circled the project at one point or another, with none of them attaching themselves to it. Now, finally, Hancock’s story is being brought both to the big and small screen, with the film playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max at the same time.
The Little Things follows deputy sheriff Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington) and sergeant Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) as they try to solve a series of brutal murders. As they unravel the mystery, Deacon’s haunted by a past mistake that echoes their case.
Clues don’t matter
With an all-star cast, including three Academy Award winners, Washington, Malek, and Jared Leto, as well as notable directors like Spielberg and Eastwood all attached to direct at one point, it’s disappointing to see the film turn into an unsolvable mess. Washington and Malek give very hollow and dry performances to their weakly written characters. Their motivation is clearly shown in the movie, but their dialogue and actions are confusing and awkward at times. Surprisingly, Leto gives one of his best performances, with his character stealing every scene he’s in. An example of his brilliant performance comes from an interrogation scene between him and Baxter. This scene perfectly encapsulates his sick nature, while showing off the characters playfulness. Leto gives off an incredibly uncomfortable and unsettling vibe, while also having a likable and amusing nature. His character always has a quip and is perfectly written to the point that you never truly know what he will do next, or if he’s ever telling the truth.
Hollywood’s finest
Aside from the weak performances, the technical aspect doesn’t hold up either. A frustrating thing about big studio films is the easily avoidable mistakes. From the start of the movie, the editing felt off and jarring. Throughout the movie, many quick cuts and scenes are jumping from one to another without a smooth transition. There are also times when an actor’s expression dramatically changes, only to go back to their original expression seconds later. Having something this noticeable and awkward made the movie even more frustrating since it’s something that easily could’ve been avoided. The direction didn’t have anything remarkable about it either. It felt bland like the rest of the movie, and lacked any creativeness to it. None of the shots were rememberable or stood out as unique ways of telling the story.
A mystery without any mystery
With a script that was written back in 1993, you’d think that the story would have been locked solid, but it’s not. The movie opens with an attempted murder and kept the killer’s face hidden during the sequence. Whether it was intentional or not, there was a quick moment where we get a view of the man’s face that throws away any mystery as to who’s committing the murders. Also, Leto’s character, who’s the prime suspect of the whole movie, has a distinctive walk, to the point that the moment he’s shown on screen, you instantly know whether he is the killer or not. Since the movie tries to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller that wants to keep you constantly asking questions, the movie at the same time doesn’t give much to keep your interest. There are moments when the film does do a great job at creating suspense, but these moments are too quickly dissolved.
Most great serial killer murder mystery films have a message directly tied to the killer’s motivation. One of the best films of the genre, Se7ven, includes great messages revolving around the seven deadly sins, as well as the fall and corruption of man. The Little Things lacks having a clear and distinctive message that leaves it feeling lifeless. There are many Christian parallels to angels and allowing our past to haunt us, but neither of these felt like messages, but rather like themes. Lacking a moral message makes a film like this feel hollow and soulless, and leaves us only trying to solve the mystery. But if the movie lacks a compelling mystery and conclusion, that adds to the overall disappointment of the film.
Speaking of the ending, the climax of the movie is terrible. There isn’t a better way to describe the ending rather than terrible and unsatisfying. The ending echoes similarities to the climax of Se7en but without any of the payoff. How the movie decides to resolve the mystery isn’t necessarily a terrible way to end a film, however, in this instance, it was poorly executed. Many of the film’s mysteries are left unsolved by the time the credits roll, and it felt like an odd note on which to leave the movie. For viewers who pay extremely close attention to the subtle details planted throughout the film, they can try and piece together the mystery after the fact. However, with the evidence that the viewers are given, the movie will leave you frustrated since the clues all point to different outcomes. It could be that the filmmakers wanted audiences to feel irritated, just like how a detective who can’t solve a case may feel. But again, the execution of the film is handled too poorly to leave any effect on viewers.
Sources: Deadline, Collider, Oscars (Denzel Washington), Oscars, (Rami Malek), The Hollywood Reporter, The Metaplex
Images: Los Angeles Times, Cleveland, Vulture
Featured Image: Hypebeast
(01/28/21 5:02am)
The DC Extended Universe has had a history of announcing line-ups of films only to change their plans a few months later. Whenever a film comes out and something works within it, they generally announce random spin-offs and sequels that never see the light of day. For example, after Suicide Squad was released, DC announced plans for Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and Gotham City Sirens films, none of which ever came to fruition. Because of this nature of suddenly announcing films to only wipe them off the schedule, it may get confusing as to what films are and aren’t coming out. To that end, this list will break down the confirmed DC films in the works.
(01/26/21 3:00pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
The DC Extended Universe has had a history of announcing line-ups of films only to change their plans a few months later. Whenever a film comes out and something works within it, they generally announce random spin-offs and sequels that never see the light of day. For example, after Suicide Squad was released, DC announced plans for Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and Gotham City Sirens films, none of which ever came to fruition. Because of this nature of suddenly announcing films to only wipe them off the schedule, it may get confusing as to what films are and aren’t coming out. To that end, this list will break down the confirmed DC films in the works.
Batman
Arguably the most famous hero of all will not only be getting one film but two. Robert Pattinson will star in his own film, but it is still unclear how it connects to the DC Universe. Originally starting out as a standalone film for Ben Affleck’s interpretation of the character, it slowly morphed into this strange, unclear, yet exciting interpretation of the Caped Crusader. However, it was also recently announced that Warner Brothers is gearing up to create another series of Batman films with Affleck’s interpretation of the character, but with another actor in the role.
Flashpoint
A standalone Flash film has been in development hell for a while now. After burning through countless directors and release dates, we finally have some stability. As of now, the film is scheduled to release on July 2, 2022, with Andy Muschietti, director of the two It films, set to helm the project. The project also slowly morphed into an adaptation of the Flashpoint storyline, with both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton set to reprise both of their roles of Batman in the film. Adapting Flashpoint is a strange choice for the Flash’s first outing as it revolves around changing timelines, but at this point, I’m just wanting any theatrical movie for the Flash.
Shazam and Black Adam
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="299"] Image from Game Radar[/caption]
Similar to the Flash, Black Adam has dealt with multiple release changes. now, will not be in Shazam: Fury of the Gods. Zachary Levi has mentioned Dwayne Johnson will be portraying the character and, as of that Black Adam and Shazam won’t cross paths until Shazam 3. Moving forward with the characters, it’ll be interesting to see how DC brings the two into the rest of the universe, or if they’ll keep them contained within their own mini pocket universe within the DCEU.
Aquaman 2 and The Trench
After the release of the first Aquaman film, James Wan was attached to direct the sequel. There’s no word on where the sequel will go, but judging from how the first film ended, it’s likely that Black Manta will be the main antagonist of the film. Aquaman 2 wasn’t the only film announced, but also a spin-off focusing on the Trench. With Wan’s background in horror, being the one to start the Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring franchises, it makes sense he would be interested in making a horror film within the Aquaman world. There hasn’t been a director attached, but producers have said the film will arrive before Aquaman 2.
Wonder Woman 3 and Amazonians
Patty Jenkins will return to take the reins on Wonder Woman 3, but before the film is released, a spin-off is planned to set-up the film. Although Jenkins won’t be directing the spin-off, she and Geoff Johns came up with the story that will somehow fit in with the three Wonder Woman films. Although the plot of the spin-off hasn’t been revealed, getting the chance to explore Themyscira will be interesting to see.
Joker sequels
Even though the Joker film was set up to be standalone, it was only a matter of time before a sequel was announced. Todd Phillips has been working on a story for the sequel, while Warner Bros. has reportedly offered Joaquin Phoenix $50 million for two more sequels. There’s no word on where the sequel will go, but it’ll be interesting to see how they explore the character of Arthur.
The Suicide Squad
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="298"] Image from Variety[/caption]
James Gunn has written and directed the soft reboot of the franchise that will be given an R-rating. The film will be released on Aug. 6, with an HBO Max spin-off series of John Cena’s character Peacemaker in the works. A sequel to this film hasn’t been announced, but Gunn has said that a sequel is “definitely a possibility.”
Superman
For fans of Man of Steel, there is still hope for a sequel. J.J. Abrams has signed on to direct a Superman film, with the possibility of the return of Henry Cavill. Nothing has been officially announced to allow Abrams the chance to tell the story he wants. However, Superman is too iconic of a character to just let the story sit on a shelf. Right now, all we can do is hope and pray that Abrams chooses to bring back Cavill.
Sources: CBR, Cinema Blend, Collider, Comic Book, Den of Geek, Entertainment Weekly, Indie Wire, Inside the Magic, Screenrant, Syfy Wire, The Verge, Vanity Fair, Variety
Images: Games Radar, Variety
Featured Image: The Verge
(01/25/21 1:11am)
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
(01/24/21 8:00pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
2021 is ramping up to be a big year for films. Most people are aware of the bigger films like Fast 9, Matrix 4, and Black Widow. However, there are many smaller films coming out that have the potential to be better than the blockbusters. Some of them were pushed over from last year, adding to the stuffed year. While there are many, many films slated to come out this year, here are five films that are looking to be hits.
Cherry
The first film, directed by the Russo Brothers after doing Avengers: Endgame, Cherry stars Tom Holland as an Army medic turned opioid addict. Holland recently proved that he can be an Oscar-caliber actor in The Devil All The Time, showing that he has the ability to pull off this type of role. The Russo Brothers are also a force of nature behind the camera, showing that they can handle action sequences well. The fact that they also chose this film to be their follow-up to Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing film of all time, is intriguing. Making the biggest box office film of all time, they had the potential to probably make whatever film they wanted, which interests me as to what drew them to this project.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5bH6O0bErk
The Green Knight
The Green Knight was originally scheduled to release in May 2020, but it’s finally being released in July of this year. With incredible talent including Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, and Joel Edgerton, and talent like David Lowery behind the camera, it gives the film confidence in its quality. Along with this, the trailer sets it up to be a much different and darker take on the King Arthur story than we’re familiar with. It also feels as if we are getting a breath of fresh air within the crowded fantasy genre. By being produced by A24, it also gives confidence that the film will turn out to be a hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoJc2tH3WBw
Nobody
From the creators of the John Wick franchise comes a new action hero. Starring Bob Odenkirk as the action hero, the trailer promises white knuckle action sequences, in the same vein as the action handled in John Wick. Although Odenkirk isn’t known as an action star, he looks great in the film and has proven in his previous works like Breaking Bad to be a fantastic actor. The director, Ilya Naishuller, hasn’t directed anything notable besides Hardcore Henry. That film, while not particularly good, was an interesting experiment as it was literally seen from the main character’s eyes, similar to a first-person video game. Jumping from that film to this one seems like an interesting move for the director, but one that piques interest. As an action movie junkie, the John Wick films are some of my favorite films in recent years, it’s exciting to see what the creators will do next.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZti8QKBWPo
Last Night in Soho
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="456"] Image from IndieWire[/caption]
Edgar Wright’s last film, Baby Driver, was an incredible divergence after doing comedies including Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Wright returns to direct another turn in his career with the psychological horror film, Last Night in Soho. Since the film has been kept under wraps, not much is known about the premise beside it dealing with some sort of time travel. Wright has proven himself to be a fantastic director with his own unique voice and style. From how he shoots and edits scenes, to his clever and witty style of dialogue, it’s always invigorating when a new project is released by him. Knowing he can go beyond his comedic roots to explore different genres makes this film all the more compelling as we don’t know what an Edger Wright horror film will be like, but I have faith that he’ll deliver a fun, thrill ride.
Willy’s Wonderland
Nicholas Cage has been making some interesting career choices in the past decade or so. From great films like Color Out of Space and Mandy to last year’s disastrous Jiu-Jitsu, he’s starring in a low budget horror film that seems like a knock-off of Five Nights at Freddy’s. The behind-the-scenes photos and recent trailer have teased that Willy’s Wonderland could be a ridiculously fun, thrilling movie. With the movie being set in a Chuck E Cheese-style of a restaurant, the designs of the animatronics and look of the film give it a unique flavor. It seems to have a dark, gritty look, but also a tone that shows the filmmakers aren't taking it too seriously. With hopefully another great over-the-top performance from Cage, this movie has the potential to quickly turn into a cult hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v27rfaoB2Y
(01/15/21 8:00pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
There’s no need for any explanation as to why 2020 was disastrous for film fans. Despite the few great films that did come out — like Tenet, Wonder Woman 84, Soul, The Devil All the Time, and The Invisible Man — there weren’t many films that caused a lot of excitement. Plenty of indies and streaming services continued to release films, but many of the notable titles didn’t garner a lot of attention. Nonetheless, within this wasteland of a year, there were a few notable titles that didn’t receive the love that they should have.
The Way Back
One of the movies that came out right as the pandemic began was The Way Back. However, it didn’t get a full theatrical release as it was only in theaters for a week before being shut down. The movie stars Ben Affleck as an alcoholic struggling to get his life back on track. Once he gets the opportunity to become the basketball coach for his high school’s team, he begins trying to come to terms with the troubles of his past.
Almost all sports dramas have a basic formula: they have a coach struggling with something who stumbles upon a team who’s struggling to win. Although the two find a common ground and help each other overcome some of their issues, The Way Back doesn’t simply utilize this basic formula. It has a spectacular third act that will leave you stunned. It throws away the cliché ending for a more sad, realistic take on this certain situation. Affleck gives one of his best performances, and the compelling story made this one my personal favorites of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzNJVSsjE-I
The King of Staten Island
Inspired partly by Pete Davidson’s real life, the movie follows a 20-something-year-old man struggling to find a purpose in life. He’s still living with his mother and dealing with issues from his past. When his mother finds a boyfriend, she starts pushing Davidson’s character out of her house, forcing him to face his demons and discover who he truly is.
Davidson is a talented comedian, and the movie is filled with his style of humor. Being the funniest film of the year, it’s also able to be one of the best dramas of the year. Surprisingly, Davidson is also able to carry the film and give a strong performance, delivering all of the emotional moments. It never felt as if the movie was forcing ideas onto the audience, but instead, it felt natural with the story. With the movie releasing on video-on-demand, it seemed as if no one gave the movie a chance and it quietly slipped under everyone’s radar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azkVr0VUSTA
The Banker
Releasing on Apple+ as an original film, The Banker didn’t gain much attention, if any. The film is based on the true story of two black men in the 1960s who establish a plan to buy property and give equal opportunity for other African Americans. With a star-studded cast including Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, and Nicholas Hoult, it’s strange the movie slipped past everyone. However, the movie turned out to be exceptional and became one of the year’s biggest surprises. It’s a movie that becomes more interesting knowing it’s based on a true story, especially seeing some of the lengths they go to. Jackson gives a knockout performance, and Mackie is able to play a different type of role from his Marvel films. The direction and look of the film are also incredible. Since it takes place in the 60’s, the costumes and background help immerse you into the time period. Along with this, there were many beautiful shots of LA that look as if they were pulled right from that time. There were many wonderfully-executed camera shots and scenes were handled really well, making it disappointing that it wasn’t released theatrically. Even though Apple+ as a whole is useless, since it lacks content, this film makes it almost worth getting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_-nk9-sMus
Hillbilly Elegy
Pushing aside the political controversy and hate surrounding the film, Hillbilly Elegy turned into one of the biggest surprises of the year. It’s one of, if not the most, uplifting movie of the year. Its message of pursuing through hardship and never allowing that to be an excuse to give up is powerful. Although it’s not to the level of quality of Apollo 13 or Rush, Ron Howard did a fine job at directing. Unlike those films, the directing didn’t add anything, and there weren't any memorable shots
What truly made this film special was the story and acting. Both Amy Adams and Glenn Close give some of their best performances. The true story of J.D. Vance clawing himself out of the hole he was born into and being able to turn his life around, even being able to get himself into Yale, is astonishing and inspiring. The choice to tell his story by jumping between the past and present made it even better, as you get the chance to see how his home life and family changed over the years as the movie progresses. Ignoring the negativity the film has gained, the movie truly is an encouraging and hopeful film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPnfMMgRK58
News of the World
Having been recently released, the film hasn’t gained any attention. Starring Tom Hanks, the movie takes place right after the end of the Civil War. Hanks plays a man who travels from town-to-town and reads off the news to the townspeople. After coming across a wagon wreck and finding a young girl whose parents have died, he attempts to take her to whatever family she has left but faces many hardships along the way.
At the heart of the movie, its message about the power of storytelling is moving. Along with this, having the story take place shortly after the Civil War provides many marvelous moments throughout the film that show the growing tension throughout America. Hanks’s character comes across an array of different characters, all of which have different thoughts and feelings toward the outcome of the war. Since the film is a western, there are a few outstanding shoot-out scenes and many glorious shots of the land, making this one of 2020’s films not to miss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTZDb_iKooI
Sources: Screen Rant, The Atlantic, Variety
Images: YouTube
Featured Image: Reelviews
(01/15/21 8:00pm)
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
(01/07/21 3:30pm)
(01/06/21 11:52pm)
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
(01/01/21 7:15am)
(12/30/20 3:00pm)
By Mason Kupiainen
Originally scheduled to premiere on Jan. 1, 2021, We Can Be Heroes was released on Christmas. Director Robert Rodriguez returns with a new kids’ film set in the same universe as The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. Although Sharkboy and Lavagirl are not the centers of attention, we get to see them all grown up, married, and with a child. Although The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, as well as the Spy Kids films, have not aged well, they hold a special place in the hearts of 2000s kids. Rodriguez brings a unique style to his films, with a bloated use of CGI as well as providing a strange, child-like wonder to them that is present in this film. From the set designs to the look of creatures and characters, they look as if they came straight out of the mind of a child.
We Can Be Heroes takes place in a fictional world filled with superheroes. Once an Avengers and Justice League-type team called the Heroics are captured by aliens, their children must work together to save Earth.
A trip down memory lane
For those who grew up watching Spy Kids and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, the style of the film will be noticeable. It feels as if it was made by kids, from the design of the aliens to the superhero costumes. All the kids have strange and unique superpowers that feel as if a kid were designing them. Some of the powers include a kid who can draw the future, a set of twins with one who can fast forward time and the other rewind time, and a kid stuck in a time warp moving in slow motion.
The cringy dialogue and unique special effects are done in the same style as the original films. Even with the poorly written dialogue and strange visual effects, there’s a charm to it. Having recently watched parts of Rodriguez’s films, they don’t leave the same effect as they did when I was younger, but this comes from the way he designs kid films purely for children. He used his own children to help form the story, characters, score, and designs in the previous films and was able to bring them back for this film. As a kid, these films felt unlike any other children’s films around, as they had a child-like wonder to the designs and look of the films. If you have nostalgic memories of the older films, you might enjoy this one to some extent.
Despite this, the film lacks captivating characters and a well-written story. There are a few twists in the film that never felt earned, and came off as cheesy and out-of-left-field. As for the characters, there are too many so you really don’t become attached to any of them. We spend the most time with Missy Moreno, the daughter of Pedro Pascal’s character, Marcus. Despite her character having the most screen time, there’s nothing that makes us gravitate toward her character or give us a reason to care for her. The best characters in the film are sadly Sharkboy and Lavagirl, and their kid, Guppy. However, they aren’t given much screen time since they are only supporting characters. In Sharkboy’s case, he doesn’t do much in the film, as he never talks and is constantly wearing a mask. It would have been better to have them and their child be the main characters and learn more about what they’ve been up to all these years.
Lack of connection
Kids will love the film, just as early 2000s kids loved Spy Kids, but anyone over the age of 12 probably won’t be able to connect with it. The children take center stage and are depicted as much smarter than the adults. This provides a powerful message for kids about teamwork and stepping up to do good.
The acting is in no way stellar. Even with actors such as Pedro Pascal and Sung Kang, all of the adults appeared to simply be there for a paycheck. Nothing is particularly bad about the adults acting, but it leaves you feeling like they were phoning it in. None of the kids were great either, and at times they were quite bad. Part of this is the cringy dialogue and weak screenplay, but their performances were hollow and dry.
Sources: Polygon, What's On Netflix
Featured Image: IMDB
Images: GeekTyrant, Rappler
(12/29/20 3:00pm)
By Mason Kupiainen
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR 'WONDER WOMAN 1984'
After many delays, Warner Brothers released Wonder Woman 1984. Originally scheduled for a December 2019 release, it was moved up to November 2019 before being pushed back to June 2020. Once the pandemic hit, the film was bumped to August 14, then moved yet again to October 2 until it finally was released on December 25. What makes this release interesting is that not only is the movie being shown in theaters, but it’s available for streaming on HBO Max at the same time.
Although the original Wonder Woman was praised by critics and audiences alike, the film was a disappointment. Gal Gadot did a great job bringing a heroic and likable side to the character, but she struggled to carry out some of the emotional scenes of the film. The villain Ares was a weak and uninteresting character, and the film overall was slow.
Wonder Woman 1984 follows Diana living a quiet life in the 80s working as a curator for ancient artifacts. She comes across a mysterious stone that grants people wishes, leading villainous character Maxwell Lord wanting to consume its power.
A new decade
Wonder Woman 1984 improves upon the original in many ways, including Gadot’s performance. Gadot brought an emotional side to Diana that was absent in previous films while maintaining the strong and likable side she brought in previous films. Wonder Woman got an updated costume that better represents the comics. The original costume was darker and duller, while this one was much brighter.
The sequel also improves by having a better villain over the original. Lord was an interesting villain for a comic book film, as he lacked being a physical threat, but rather causes Diana to suffer emotionally. His arc involves Trevor, leading Diana having to make tough choices. The movie spends enough time with him, allowing us to understand his motivations and thereby making audiences want him to do better, rather than seeing him get taken down by Wonder Woman. Without getting into spoilers, his character poses a threat to Diana as his actions cause a strain in her relationship with Steve Trevor, who is brought back from the dead for this film. Similar to Diana, Lord’s character has an emotional aspect that actually works, unlike other superhero villains.
The film is filled with great action sequences. The scenes are well-choreographed and utilize Wonder Woman’s powers well, such as the car chase scene that’s shown in the trailers. There’s also an opening fight scene in a mall that has many nice moments. Fans of the comics will likely enjoy the references to the comics, including the invisible jet. In the climax of the film, Wonder Woman dawns a new costume, one that looks like the one she wears in the graphic novel, Kingdom Come. These references never felt forced as the plot sets up these elements well. The plot revolving around a magic stone could also come off as strange, but the movie is able to bring emotional weight to the plot so it never comes off cheesy. A magic rock shouldn’t be seen as strange in a film that includes a magic lasso forcing people to tell the truth.
The 80s were a strange time
Almost all of the issues of the film revolve around the character Barbara. The character turns into the villain Cheetah, but the transformation into the supervillain was rough. Throughout the three acts of the film, Barbara goes through drastic changes without a great set up. The character feels similar to other villains, such as The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s Electro and Batman Forever’s Riddler. The portrayal of the characters didn’t work in those films, and it doesn’t work in this one either. Her motivation isn’t as strong as Diana’s or Lord’s and is hardly developed. Her character simply felt like she was only included in the film to be a physical threat to Diana since Lord lacked in that area. If you remove her character from the movie, it wouldn’t have affected the plot at all, it would have left a big CGI final battle.
Oddly enough, once Barbara transforms into Cheetah, the CGI is bad. The scene takes place at night and felt like it was done intentionally to try to hide the poor graphics. Since the character is set up poorly, the final battle between Cheetah and Wonder Woman feels hollow since there isn’t any emotional weight. It truly felt like the filmmakers thought a superhero film couldn’t work without a final battle, so they threw this together. It would have been nice to have had a more subtle ending, with all the conflict strictly emotional between Diana and Lord. With every other superhero movie filled with over-the-top battles, such as Spider-Man Far From Home, Aquaman, and Shazam, a more subdued ending would have made this film stand out from all others. The film is more than two and a half hours long, so cutting out the Cheetah fight scene would have allowed for a tighter, faster-moving movie.
Sources: Rotten Tomatoes, Variety, Deadline
Featured Image: IMDb
Images: Syfy Wire, Gadgets 360
(12/23/20 10:59pm)
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
(12/23/20 3:00pm)
(12/15/20 4:54am)
This year has been disastrous for film fans. There were countless incredibly huge blockbusters originally slated for this year including Dune, Black Widow, Eternals, A Quiet Place Part 2, and No Time to Die. There were also some interesting smaller titles such as The Green Knight, Willy’s Wonderland, and Spiral. In what felt like a blink of an eye, all these films and more were pulled from their schedules and tossed into 2021. The next 12 months were slated to be jam-packed with an abundance of films scheduled to roll out. However, Warner Bros. has completely changed the landscape and broken all the rules, doing the unthinkable with their latest announcement.