‘Ready Player One’ Review: A Nostalgia-Fueled Thrill Ride

In the bleak not too distant future of Ready Player One, the people of Earth have retreated into the virtual reality world of the Oasis where they can do whatever they want to do and be whoever they want to be. When James Halliday (Mark Rylance), the creator of the Oasis, passes away, he reveals to the world that he has left behind an Easter Egg hidden somewhere inside the virtual world. Whoever finds the Egg is rewarded his vast fortune, as well as control over the Oasis itself. The hunt is on!

Ernest Cline’s bestselling novel Ready Player One has become one of my favorites in recent years, so much so that I was thrilled to learn a couple of years back that the legendary Steven Spielberg would be returning to the type of massive blockbuster that the director made his name on with the feature film version. So, has Spielberg done it once again or do we have another Kingdom of the Crystal Skull situation on our hands? Read on to find out…

Also read: Steven Spielberg Hopes ‘Ready Player One’ Makes Audiences Feel Good

As is the case with the book, the thing about Ready Player One that jumps out straight away is the heavy dose of ’80s pop culture nostalgia. Never before has there been a film so jam-packed with just about conceivable pop culture icon that one can squeeze into a two-and-a-half-hour film. Everywhere you look in this film, there are cameos and references to scope out: the DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Iron Giant, the T-Rex from Jurassic Park, King Kong, Batman, Freddy Krueger, Chucky, the Spartans from Halo, characters from Overwatch and so many, many more. Honestly, it can become a bit overwhelming if you allow it to, but what I found the best course of action to be was to just enjoy the journey on the first watch and reserve the Easter Egg-hunting for subsequent re-watches. I cannot wait to own this film so that I can scour through it frame by frame to see who else I can spot.

Nostalgia aside, though, there is still plenty more to love in Ready Player One. A very important aspect to the film’s charm is its cast, led by Tye Sheridan as Wade Watts, a.k.a. Parzival. Sheridan makes for a great protagonist, but his greatest strengths mostly only come into play inside the Oasis, which granted, is where most of the film takes place. Going into the film, I was a bit concerned that with most of the film taking place in a VR world, the CG would get a bit overwhelming, but I was relieved to discover that this was not an issue. The visuals were outstanding and the performance-capture technology helped in allowing Sheridan and the rest of the cast to bring their characters to life in a fully-realized way.

Continuing on with the cast, I loved Olivia Cooke (a young actress who I have become quite the fan of since first seeing her on Bates Motel) as Art3mis. She plays her part perfectly, as do the other actors playing her and Parzival’s fellow “Gunters” (Egg Hunters), including Lena Waithe, Win Morisaki and Philip Zhao. As always, Ben Mendelsohn plays a believable villain as Nolan Sorrento, the sinister head of operations for IOI (Innovative Online Industries), the evil corporation that wants to take control of the Oasis, as they see a profit to be made that Halliday simply left lying on the table. I am also a massive fan of Simon Pegg, so I loved seeing him in the film as Ogden Morrow, Halliday’s former business partner. And finally, there’s Halliday himself. At first, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about Mark Rylance’s peculiar performance as the game designer, but as the film went on, the character’s quirky charm really grew on me.

Also read: ‘Ready Player One’ Targeting $42M Opening Weekend

When comparing a film adaptation to its source material, more often than not, a film can never quite manage to live up to the novel, and in the case of Ready Player One, an incredibly dense novel at that. As such a big fan of the book, there were a couple of moments, both big and small, that didn’t quite have the same weight as they did in the novel, and while I found one or two of these instances a bit disappointing, overall, I thought the story itself worked just fine. Alongside screenwriter Zak Penn (The Avengers, The Incredible Hulk), novelist Ernest Cline did a great job of adapting his own work to the screen in a way that condensed the book’s incredibly intricate plot into a more concise feature-length runtime (even if the two-hour-and-twenty-minute runtime was a bit lengthy). I felt like the writers made sure to encorporate just the right things from the book that would feel amiss if left out, and any added elements that didn’t originate in the book felt right at home in the film. The book and film are two completely different beasts, but I am happy to report that I walked away thoroughly enjoying both. To me, the film is like a really great cover song.

Simply put, Ready Player One was an absolute blast for a geek like me. It’s just so much fun. It may not be Spielberg’s best (which is quite the feat in and of itself), but it is easily the director’s most entertaining film in years. It’s nice to know the man still has something like this in him after all these years.

Score: 8.5/10

10 Characters Batman Has Surprisingly Beaten

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Everyone knows Batman is a sharp fighter, but at the end of the day he is human. Even the most impressive human has their limits, but the Caped Crusader seems to always find a way to come out on top. Whether he is fighting with the Justice League or alone, Bruce Wayne knows how to think on his toes and succeed in any situation.

He may normally fight villains, but Batman has taken down a fair share of heroes over the years as well. The Justice League may be full of mighty heroes, but it’s the Caped Crusader who is the most dangerous individual on the team.

Hit Next to learn more about 10 characters Batman has surprisingly defeated.

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Doomsday Clock #4 Review: A Watchman Needs A Minuteman

Four issues in and this series continues to be mind-boggling. For all intents and purposes, this comic should not work. The very concept, a sequel to Watchmen that is not written by Alan Moore and crosses over with the DC Universe should feel almost sacrilegious to read. However, Doomsday Clock continues to be an impressive and fitting follow up to Watchmen as well as an addition to DC canon that feels both natural and vital.

Picking up right where we left off in the third issue, we see our mysterious new Rorschach trying to adjust to life as a prisoner after being tricked into Arkham by Batman. While this issue does little to move the plot forward, we’re offered some details on what happened to the Watchmen universe after the events of the graphic novel. Perhaps more importantly, we get to know Rorschach. If you weren’t on board with the character before, you will be after reading this.

What’s truly amazing about Geoff Johns’s writing in this series is his ability to immerse you in not one, but two separate universes. To an extent, this has always been a strength of his. Every word that Johns writes, every bit of dialogue that his characters speak, oozes decades of history. You can feel the weight of the continuity — that many stories crumble beneath — melt away as he weaves in deep-cut references. A perfect example is his use of Mothman in this issue.

Also read: ‘Doomsday Clock #7’ Variant Cover Features Rorschach Fighting The Joker

In the original Watchmen story, Mothman is a pretty forgettable character. Even in this issue, we don’t necessarily need to know more about him to understand the story. However, Johns does something very clever here in tying him to the origin of this new Rorschach. To say that you will sympathize with Rorschach and Mothman is a massive understatement. The origin story is truly tragic but not in the same way of the original Rorschach. The new character, who has taken up this mantle, was birthed out of the events of the original series. Thanks to Gary Frank’s art, you will be affected by this story in the same way.

The rendering of eyes in this issue is absolutely vital to the storytelling. Frank knows how to tug at heartstrings with his art like Johns does in his writing. You can feel the pain and fear behind the characters’ eyes, just as you would if you were talking to a person in real life. The emotional depth that the art brings not only conveys the status of the characters but the status of the Watchmen universe in general. As Johns meticulously lets this epic unfold into a map and sprawl in all directions, Frank’s art serves as a compass. It entices you to push forward. It brings you comfort in knowing that, although this world is new and scary, what you love about these two universes is still here for you to take solace in.

If you haven’t started reading it yet, Doomsday Clock is more than worth checking out. So far, this story is every bit as poignant and relevant as the original series. This issue’s inability to move the plot forward can be frustrating. However, if you are patient with it and get to know its characters, it will reward you with a story that you never knew you always wanted.

Final Score: 9/10

The 7 Best Comic Books Of DC’s Geoff Johns

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DC superstar Geoff Johns is reasserting himself back into the comic book world in a big way with Doomsday Clock. Characters from Watchmen have been bleeding into the DC Universe since the beginning of DC Rebirth, and Johns, no stranger to writing universe threatening tales, has finally kicked that story into high-gear.

Johns has also been working at DC Films, but he got his start in the comic book world. He has been my favorite comic book writer since I started reading comics as a kid and his skill has only expanded since then. As his name has grown, Johns has been able to take more and more risks as he utilizes his signature, emotion-filled storytelling techniques on everyone from Aquaman to Superman.

Hit Next to learn about the seven best comic books of Johns! 

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‘Pacific Rim Uprising’ Review: “A (Mostly) Drift Compatible Sequel”

If you’re going into Pacific Rim Uprising expecting it to feel like a Guillermo Del Toro directed sequel to the 2013 film, there’s a chance that you’re going to be disappointed. While this is very much a sequel to that film, it is also very much a Steven DeKnight directed sequel to that film which is both a good and bad thing at times. Set ten years after the end of the Kaiju War, the film focuses on Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) who is making a living selling stolen tech. This lifestyle leads him to cross paths with newcomer Amara (Cailee Spaeny) just in time for a new threat making its way to the surface.

Beyond that though, it’s hard to talk about the plot of the film without getting into spoiler territory. When I tell you that the story for this one is weird, that might be a bit of an understatement. The film gets really weird at times which also results in it being a bit overly complicated. The plot of Pacific Rim Uprising isn’t quite as straightforward as the first film and due to how quickly the DeKnight directed sequel moves, some of these weirder elements don’t fully work. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it’s a fast-moving film which sometimes doesn’t fully allow for the breathing room that might be needed at times.

Also read: ‘Pacific Rim Uprising’ May Dethrone 6th Box Office Weekend Of ‘Black Panther’

While I might have some complaints about the film’s plot and pace, there are two things it has going for it that make it worth the price of admission: Jaeger on Kaiju action and Boyega. DeKnight delivers some great action sequences that are on the level of Del Toro’s and look amazing on the big screen. As soon as I started to think about any of the minor issues I had with the film, there was an action sequence that I got lost in and reminded me of what I loved about the last film and why none of that is actually important.

Also read: Steven Spielberg Reveals The ‘Star Wars’ Easter Eggs In ‘Ready Player One’

When it comes to the new characters, outside of Boyega and Spaeny’s characters, they’re mostly forgettable. Luckily though, DeKnight scored an incredibly fun and charming lead in Boyega, who is a vast improvement when compared to Charlie Hunnam’s bland character from the first film. Look, no matter how much you might have enjoyed that first film, we both know it’s true. Moving on. Boyega is so charming and funny in Uprising, that he carries the movie by himself. Besides wanting to see more robots punching monsters, you’re likely going to want a sequel to this film just to get more of his Jake Penetecost. And maybe Charlie Day’s character Dr. Geiszler, who returns from the first film in a much weirder way that I’m not going to dive into because of spoiler reasons. There’s some weird and wild stuff involving his character and Foreigner songs that you just need to experience for yourself.

Also read: ‘Deadpool 2’ Test Scores Outdid The Original Film

Pacific Rim Uprising is a fun action-packed sequel that features more of what fans of the first film will likely want. While I might have some minor complaints when it comes to plot and pacing, when I actually sat down and started writing about the film, I realized that none of those really mattered. This film knows exactly what it is and delivers on that. It doesn’t try to be something that it isn’t or doesn’t need to be. Often times we get so worried about a film either being great or bad. Sometimes a film simply being fine is just fine. Pacific Rim Uprising is like a solid burger from a place that you went to once before on a Friday night. It hits the spot and might even make you want to visit this place again in the future.

Final score: 7/10

John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi)—who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war. As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.

Jake is joined by gifted rival pilot Lambert (The Fate of the Furious’ Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (newcomer Cailee Spaeny), as the heroes of the PPDC become the only family he has left. Rising up to become the most powerful defense force to ever walk the earth, they will set course for a spectacular all-new adventure on a towering scale.”

Directed by Steven S. DeKnight, Pacific Rim Uprising stars John Boyega, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, Jing Tian, Adria Arjona and Nick E. Tarabay.

Pacific Rim Uprising hits theaters this Friday.

Empire Unveils New ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Covers

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Empire Magazine has unveiled six new Avengers: Infinity War covers featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Mad Titan, Thanos.

Avengers: Infinity War will unite the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and now Empire has assembled a number of our favorite characters on six new covers for their May issue. Divided across the six covers are Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Shuri, Doctor Strange, Drax the Destroyer, Scarlett Witch, Okoye, Black Panther, the Winter Soldier, Nebula, War Machine, Thor, The Vision, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Hulk, Spider-Man, Falcon, Gamora, Star-Lord, and Thanos.

You can check out the first cover below and click “next” to continue the gallery!

The May issue includes interviews with Chris Evans, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Pratt.

The Avengers: Infinity War issue of Empire will be available on March 22, 2018.

An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time. The Avengers and their Super Hero allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Peter Dinklage, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, and Chris Pratt.

Avengers: Infinity War will be released in theaters on April 27, 2018.

Source: Empire

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‘Tomb Raider’ Review: Lara Croft Discovers Another Mediocre Film Adaptation

In the wake of the franchise’s successful video game reboot in 2013, Tomb Raider is back on the big screen with a retelling of Lara Croft’s origin story. Directed by Roar Uthaug, the film is very much so Batman Begins for Lara Croft as it follows her on an adventure that ultimately transforms her into the tomb raider she’s meant to be. Alicia Vikander does a good job in the central role as Lara Croft, but the movie feels too messy and bogged down by sloppy visuals to be considered a success. Certain visual cues seem ripped right out of the games and the action sequences aren’t too bad, but overall this movie walks the line of mediocrity instead of creating something long-term fans can be truly happy about.

Instead of introducing audiences to an experienced Tomb Raider like the Angelina Jolie series did, this film initially follows Lara Croft before her days as an explorer. Unwilling to tap into the Croft fortune because she believes her father is alive, despite what everyone around her is saying, Lara works as a bike courier to make due. This version of the character is extremely hip and is motivated by an understandable motivation of wanting to make her own way in the world. As the story progresses, she sets off on a grand adventure, but her motivation always remains deeply personal as she thinks she can rescue her father. Throughout the course of the movie, Lara essentially transforms from an adolescent into a confident adult as she squares off against the evil Trinity corporation as they search for the tomb of Princess Himiko, an ancient empress who supposedly could kill anything just by touching it.

Vikander in the starring role is the best thing this movie has going for it. After winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2016 for her role in The Danish Girl, it was only a matter of time before she joined a big franchise and she chose the perfect one to display just how tough she is. To make the movie feel more like a video game, Uthaug put Lara in every scene to make sure it felt like the audience was experiencing everything from her perspective, and she does a great job showing her emotion every moment she’s on screen. Lara is put through the gauntlet in this film, and Vikander slowly shows the wear-and-tear throughout the movie. At moments her performance is a little hammy, but that’s just her trying her best with a mediocre script.

Also read: Director Roar Uthaug Talks Working With Alicia Vikander & Building Α New ‘Tomb Raider’

Tomb Raider is full of cool stunts but held back by sloppy visuals. There are a lot of practical effects throughout the movie, but most of the big sequences are muffled by too many cuts and too much camera motion to completely understand what’s going on. It’s clear that cinematographer George Richmond, who did last year’s Kingsmen: The Golden Circle, wanted to recreate a lot of the shots from the new game series, but they don’t translate well to film. Heavy reliance on green screen and slow-motion turn moments that looked awesome in the games into shots that look sloppy and underwhelming compared to other CGI movies currently playing in theaters. Fortunately, a lot of the fight scenes are done practically and Vikander is shown taking people down to the ground and wielding her pick axe. Since she’s new to the adventure lifestyle, audiences can see how these fights impact her emotionally and how her skills develop throughout the movie in an enjoyable way.

For the most part, Vikander’s strong performance isn’t matched by anyone in the supporting cast. The ensemble is pretty weak and all of the supporting characters have incredibly one-dimensional motivations that don’t hold up. Walton Goggins, who’s known for his role in Justified and two Quentin Tarantino films, plays a minion of the Trinity Corporation and just wants to finish his mission and return home to his daughters. While that looks nice on paper, he’s actively working towards the possible death of every living being on the planet, so it’s pretty unlikely that he actually cares about his family at all. Equally awkward and one-dimensional is Dominic West’s performance as Lara’s father Sir Richard Croft. Initially, the character comes across as endearing, but as the film progresses it becomes too easy to look down on the character as foolish or selfish. West is fine in the role, but he seems more comfortable as a stiff aristocrat and doesn’t carry the rough island persona as convincingly. Lastly, there’s Lu Ren, Lara’s companion who joins her on her mission because his father is also missing. While he is a good friend to Lara and has compelling motivations, actor Daniel Wu turns in such a ham-fisted performance that it’s hard to take the drunken hero seriously even when he sobers up and takes action.

Also read: ‘Tomb Raider’: Alicia Vikander On What Attracted Her To The Role Of Lara Croft

Production designer Gary Freeman is no stranger to the Tomb Raider world. Since his time working on Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as an assistant art director in 2001, Freeman has gone on to work on everything from Children of Men to Maleficent. His long career is put on full display here as every setting gives off unique vibes and looks visually compelling. Alongside the prop department, Freeman does a great job at giving each location a lively feeling that seems ripped right out of a cut-scene. A lot of Tomb Raider is understandably gray since large portions of the movie take place in caves or tombs, but whenever Lara is out in the jungles or biking through the city the movie gives off beautiful bouts of color.

Unfortunately, everyone who’s been waiting for a great video game adaptation will have to wait a bit longer. A lot of this movie is ripped right out of the recent video game reboot from 2013, but it doesn’t have the same sense of heart and struggle that made the game shine. Tomb Raider hits the basic requirements to be called a decent origin story. It’s just a pretty lackluster film overall. Sloppy visuals and unnecessary amounts of exposition take away from a movie that does a good job setting up Lara Croft as an interesting character. Alicia Vikander is a good choice as the titular tomb raider, and hopefully, if there is a sequel, she will turn in another solid performance as Lara Croft continues to cement her place in this new world.

Final Score: 5/10

5 Superheroes That Deserve Their Own Video Game Universe

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World building and universe building are not new. These writing techniques have been around for centuries, long before we even started writing our stories down. I always considered Beowulf to be the precursor to superheroes and comics. However, due to the overwhelming success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the CW DC Universe (or Arrowverse), it seems that the universal world building that has been in comics for three-quarters of a century has finally become a major storytelling point in both the film and TV worlds of superheroes.

Between Rocksteady’s Arkham Trilogy (Batman: Arkham Origins was developed by WB Games Montreal), Telltale Games’ Guardians of the Galaxy, Insomniac Games establishing that their Spider-Man game will be the anchor point for a new Spider-Man universe, and the announcement from earlier this year of a multi-year, multi-game deal between Marvel and developer/publisher Square Enix it seems like the video games will be the next place where sprawling superhero stories will be told.

Hit Next to learn about 5 superheroes that deserve their own video game universe!

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‘Justice League’ 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Review: The League Comes Home

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has finally released the DC Extended Universe film Justice League on Digital HD, DVD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Unfortunately for fans wishing to see the elusive Zack Snyder cut on this release, look the other way because that is completely absent. But if you are excited to see how the film looks and sounds in your home theater system as well as the selection of special features, perhaps this new release should be added to your Blu-ray collection.

Picture Quality

Similar to the immaculate transfers on Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman, the picture quality on the 4K Ultra-HD release of Justice League is top-notch. The contrast in colors through the numerous set pieces including the film’s climax are demo-worthy. Given that the film was shot with a 1:85:1 aspect ratio, the film fills the entire screen, further immersing viewers into the world of DC Comics in the comfort of their own couch.

The post ‘Justice League’ 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Review: The League Comes Home appeared first on Heroic Hollywood.

‘The Strangers: Prey at Night’ Review: A Sloppy, Bloody Mess

The Strangers: Prey At Night is exactly the movie you think it would be. A quasi-sequel to the 2008 thriller, Prey At Night lacks the suspense and emotionally resonant characters that made the original a surprise hit. At a brisk 80 minutes, the movie’s lightning-fast pace distracts you from the lackluster killing scenes and awkward song choice. Written by Bryan Bertino, the writer and director of the original, The Strangers: Prey at Night is so average it hurts.

“Based on true events,” The Strangers: Prey at Night follows a family on a brief road trip to drop the daughter off at a correctional boarding school. When they stop for the night at a trailer-park run by their uncle, things take a dramatic turn for the worse. Three masked killers, wearing the same disguises as the mysterious figures in the original, slowly torture and terrify the family. Now, in stereotypical fashion, the family that does nothing but bicker realize just how much they all love each other as they face their potential deaths. Christina Hendricks, the mother of the family, is probably the biggest name in the film but that doesn’t stop her from turning in a mediocre performance just like everyone else.

Instead of coming across as mysterious, the killers feel goofy and blessed with incredibly convenient foresight. The original film kept most of the action contained to a single setting (a house in the woods) to keep things suspenseful but this one utilizes an entire trailer park. While the park allows for a lot of wide-shots showing characters running that feel like a throwback to ’80s slasher films, The Strangers: Prey at Night doesn’t have the claustrophobic feel that made the original one scary. No matter where the people hide, the killers seem to always be one step ahead of them and that ultimately takes the suspenseful feeling out of the movie.

Also read: ‘Batman’ Producer Benjamin Melniker Passes Away At 104

As far as the movie’s slasher elements go, Prey At Night succeeds at building a tense atmosphere when the killer is closing in on his prey. The chase scenes all have a sense of dread hanging above them and the camera movement, usually done through long, dramatic zooms, adds a dynamic feel to each scene. Since the audience experiences most of the movie from Kinsey’s perspective, moments where she hides and desperately watches are pretty enjoyable, and actress Bailee Madison radiates fear off the screen. But once the action intensifies, Prey At Night shies away from showing too much gore or brutality and feels more like a PG-13 movie than the hard R it is. Instead of relying on a tense score or creepy songs to set a mood during most of the kill scenes, director Johannes Roberts packs the movie full of his favorite ’80s pop songs, and it feels forcibly contrived instead of genuine.  

What holds Prey At Night back the most is its dull, idiotic characters. The family at the center of the story does all of the generic, idiotic things audiences expect from people in horror movies. Instead of immediately leaving when they have the chance, the group sticks around to investigate and the Dad even decides to split the group up into pairs! As if I couldn’t smack my head hard enough in the movie theater, these characters never seem to run in a zig-zag when they’re being chased and desperately beg for their silent killers to stop what they’re doing. 

The worst thing about the family is how they are presented. Like many movie siblings, the brother and sister in Prey At Night rip on each other, but their level of mutual disdain in the first half of the movie feels overly dramatic. Since they are so foul to each other at the beginning of the movie, the forced changes in their relationship as the plot progresses lack any emotional weight because it’s hard to make an audience care about characters who don’t even care about each other. In The Strangers, the two characters in the center had an interesting relationship dynamic and watching them work through their own personal problems as the situation deteriorated around them made everything feel more intense.

For the most part, The Strangers: Prey at Night is very forgettable. Save for an interesting fight sequence set around a pool, there’s nothing that separates this movie from any other home invasion-esque thriller. If you’re in the mood for some suspenseful media, check out the original or Helter Skelter, the in-depth chronicle of the Manson killings that inspired Bertino when he first thought up the franchise. In many ways, this movie has all the pieces to be a direct-to- Netflix hit, but since it is going to theaters it will likely be ignored and quickly forgotten about. 

Final Score: 3.5/10

10 Female Directors Who Could Helm DC’s Batgirl Movie

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Batgirl was a project nobody knew was coming. It wasn’t part of the original DC Films slate back when it was announced in 2014. Yet in March 2017 it was announced that former The Avengers director Joss Whedon had been chosen by Warner Bros. and DC to helm a Batgirl movie. No progress was made on the project, but it seemed Warner Bros. was serious in the film as they announced it as part of their lineup at Comic-Con in 2017.

Yet after a year, Joss Whedon departed Batgirl. It isn’t known if Warner Bros. will still continue to actively pursue the film or if they will shelve it. It does appear though that the studio does plan to pick a woman to direct the film if they decide to move forward with the project. There are plenty of women working in Hollywood that would jump at the chance to direct a superhero film and plenty that would bring a unique perspective to the character.

These are just ten wonderful directors that could helm DC’s Batgirl movie. Click Next to get started!

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‘A Wrinkle In Time’ Review: A Mediocre Film That Doesn’t Capture The Disney Magic

When Disney releases a new kids movie, the world seemingly halts in place, and things are no different with A Wrinkle In Time. Adapted from Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 novel, Disney’s A Wrinkle In Time is directed by Ava Duvernay with a screenplay by Jennifer Lee, the writer behind Frozen. Starring new-comer Storm Reid as 13-year-old Meg Murry, Wrinkle In Time doesn’t quite capture the magical feeling necessary to be labelled a modern Disney classic (or even a good movie).

Wrinkle In Time revolves around Meg, a bright girl who has been struggling since the disappearance of her father. Played by Chris Pine, Dr. Murry is a scientist who figures out how to travel across the universe and suddenly disappears, leaving his family alone for four years. Alongside her kid brother, Charles Wallace, Meg deals with harassment at school, from both students and faculty, and copes with the belief that their father is still alive somewhere. After Charles Wallace mysteriously befriends a group of magical witches off-screen, Meg has to get over her cynicism and, alongside her friend Calvin, travel across the universe to look for her father.

It’s a standard search-and-rescue story that takes the kids to a few visually interesting worlds. Unfortunately, we only stay with each new location long enough to get a small taste of the book’s hidden complexities instead of really diving into things. At two hours flat, Wrinkle In Time could have benefited from more time to allow the characters and settings some time to breath, but since it’s a kids movie, things are brief and flashy to retain audience attention. Audiences are told Meg’s a genius alongside the likes of Einstein, and it’s true she likes physics and is an intelligent girl, but it’s hard to see that because the other characters around her are strikingly dumb. The children are told there will be traps on each world they visit, and the only thing that separates her from the pack is that she never falls for any of the simple tricks. For a genius, she’s never challenged or truly given a moment to flex the intellectual might the movie keeps telling us she has.

Also read: ‘A Wrinkle In Time’ Cast & Crew Talk Crafting Disney’s Newest Feature

From an acting standpoint, only three of the performers really knock it out of the park. Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pine and Zack Galifanakis all kill it in their distinctive roles, but the rest of the cast is sloppy. For a movie that focuses on and follows children, none of the three children actors at the center of the movie deliver solid performances. Reid is bearable in the title role, but her dry delivery and moody attitude makes it hard to engage with her character. She’s at her best whenever her character interacts with her father. When Reid is with Pine, their relationship feels very loving and Duvernay does a great job of showing their intimacy through small moments. Deric McCabe, who plays Meg’s younger brother Charles Wallace, is unbearable. His zippy persona and starchy suits fit right at home in the Disney movie, but he turns in a lackluster performance that makes it hard to care about what happens to Charles Wallace. While she’s good on shows like The Mindy Project and The Office, Mindy Kaling may have been Wrinkle In Time’s weakest performer. Whenever she is on screen, she radiates this feeling of waiting to say her next line instead of appearing present in the moment.

One of the most frustrating things about Wrinkle In Time is its soundtrack. While movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Baby Driver feel hand-crafted around certain songs, Wrinkle In Time‘s soundtrack feels like it was haphazardly thrown together by 13-year old girls. Yes, this may be a movie for kids, but loud, obnoxious pop music isn’t really the best way to hammer home emotional points. Even with the first original Sade song in eight years, the music throughout the film is very jarring and certain tracks made me giggle instead of feel inspired like Duvernay hoped. Fortunately, the soundscape is salvaged by Ramin Djawadi’s powerful score. The composer behind the Game of Thrones intro song, Djawdi’s melodic pieces pull the audience deeper into each new setting as the children continue on their mission.

Admittedly, I’ve never read the book and it’s been a long time since I saw the 2003 adaptation, so I can’t name everything missing here, but it feels lacking. For a movie that showcases three children embarking on a journey to fight a physical incarnation of evil, it’s an incredibly light, cheery movie. While Wrinkle In Time tries to feel emotionally complex, the evil “It” at the center of the movie is so vague that it strips agency away from every being in the universe. Instead of telling children that everyone feels dark and we have to overcome those feelings to grow, the movie essentially says bad feelings are never our fault and there’s always something else to blame. There’s a lot of depth to be explored in this story, but the movie just scratches the surface instead of diving in and fully wrestling with the material.

Wrinkle In Time is definitely a kids movie, but it doesn’t have the humor or emotional resonance of flicks like Zootopia or The Lego Movie that keep adults entertained and deliver similar messages to children. When I saw this movie, I took my 13-year-old cousin with me because she’s the perfect demographic for the film and was genuinely excited to see it. Unfortunately, even she thought the plot was boring and the characters weren’t challenged enough to make this an engaging film. Support it if you’re happy Disney is making movies more diverse, both in front of and behind the camera, but if you are looking for an excellent film to watch this week I suggest finally checking out one of those Oscars nominees you’ve been putting down off.

Final Score: 5/10

10 Ways The X-Men Could Be Integrated Into The Marvel Cinematic Universe

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We have yet to learn exactly when Marvel plan on bringing their newest acquisitions, the X-Men and Fantastic Four, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it will require a lot of thinking in order to get it right.

With Avengers: Infinity War and its yet-to-be titled sequel rapidly approaching, it makes sense that we won’t see any new characters until after those movies, but it’s exciting to think they could already be on our screens in just over a year.

Hit Next to read ten ways that Marvel could possibly integrate the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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