Sequart's Image Comics Documentary Released Through Shout! Factory

January 25, 2016

Sequart Organization and Respect Films are proud to announce that Shout! Factory has picked up their documentary, The Image Revolution, for distribution! The Image Revolution examines one of the most important and daring moves in comic book history. In 1992, a group of top-tier artists left Marvel Comics to create their own company… a company that continues to influence mainstream comics and culture to this day. Image Comics was more than just a publisher, it was a response to years of creator mistreatment, and it changed comics forever.

The Image Revolution tells the story of Image Comics, from its founders’ work at Marvel, through Image’s early days, the ups and downs of the ’90s, and the publisher’s new generation of properties like The Walking Dead. It’s the amazing account of a dynamic group of upstart comics entrepreneurs battling against not only major companies, but sometimes each other.

Click HERE to order the DVD from Amazon.

Also available from Sequart’s film division:

Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods – This master of comics psychedelia is one of the medium’s most popular writers, and one of the most controversial. Equal parts philosopher, rock star, and chaos magician, Grant Morrison has used his comics to change both himself and his audience. He is a man living on the border between fiction and reality, and this is his story.

Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts – This documentary focuses on the career and worldview of comics’ very own Internet Jesus, Warren Ellis. The film also features interviews with many of Ellis’s artistic collaborators. (If you’re interested in digging deeper into Ellis’s life/work than an 80-minute documentary can go, check out this book Sequart published that is transcribed from nearly ten hours of interviews with the man!)

Diagram for Delinquents – In 1954, psychiatrist Dr. Fredric Wertham wrote a scathing indictment of comics called Seduction of the Innocent. His book’s central premise is that comic books were the leading contributing factor to juvenile delinquency. That same year, Wertham testified at special hearings on comic books at the Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency in the United States. Comics were on trial! Diagram for Delinquents captures the zeitgeist of late 1940s and early 1950s America and investigates how the funny books found themselves on the fire.

Comics in Focus: Chris Claremont’s X-Men – During his 17-year run with the X-Men, Chris Claremont took the title from the brink of cancellation to it being the best-selling comic of all time. He co-created more iconic characters than any comic book writer since Stan Lee. Today, the “X-books” remain a massive franchise that spans comics, movies, video games, and TV. But unlike most properties, the X-Men we know and love is mostly one man’s vision. Using high-profile interviews, Comics in Focus: Chris Claremont’s X-Men explores the behind-the-scenes development of notable characters like Wolverine, Storm, and Phoenix, as well as the challenges of creating art within a corporate system.

Review: Sisters

January 19, 2016

Written by guest contributor Cameron Gallagher

Sisters is a film based around two things, and only those two things only. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Feeling like a midlife crisis version of Project X, Sisters didn’t only disappoint because of its lack of originality and abundance of montages, but I was disappointed in Tina Fey in particular in how her role felt so forced and honestly not even a bit funny.

Sisters is about two middle-aged sisters, on total different sides of life. Tina Fey, living in her friend’s kitchen with a daughter who doesn’t care to be around her, lives in the remembrance of her party days, wishing she could have it back. Amy Poehler on the other hand, is a respected and well off divorcee, who is to straight up to date or even socialize properly.

As their parents sell their childhood house, the two decide to revive their high school parties and create the Project X of their generation. BUT… this movie did none of that excitement for me. This film felt like a jumble of party scenes mashed together by “compelling” dialogue and exposition. This movie was so bad I honestly don’t have a lot to say about it. The cinematography was very boring.

Probably the worst part of this entire film was its climax. The climax of this film was so ridiculous and beyond dumb, that I almost didn’t believe it was going to be the height of the movie. I never once felt that there were stakes.

I didn’t enjoy any moment of this except for one. When a character is playing charades with two others after snorting “Stevia.” I died laughing… otherwise I didn’t laugh once. Overall I would not suggest seeing this movie AT ALL, go see Star Wars again or The Revenant.

Score: 2/5

Sisters Director: Jason Moore Writers: Paula Pell Studio: Universal Pictures Running Time: 118 Minutes Release Date: 12/9/15

Review: The Hateful Eight

January 18, 2016

Written by guest contributor Dave Fox

At some point, all genius filmmakers lose their way. Francis Ford Coppola made Jack. Steven Spielberg was behind the camera for Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. Michael Scorsese directed Gangs Of New York. And after the near-perfect run of three films that kicked off his career, Quentin Tarantino can join the list of directors who lost their way after following up Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown with four films that wasted good ideas and even better casts.

That's not to say that lost directors can't make comebacks. Lincoln and Bridge Of Spies proved Spielberg still had the chops to make a good film, while Scorsese scored hits with Shutter Island and The Wolf Of Wall Street. For many, the hope was that The Hateful Eight would set Tarantino on the path back to greatness.

It certainly has a promising premise. In an unhealed, post civil war America, bounty hunter John "The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his carriage driver O.B. Jackson (James Parks) are transporting wanted murderer Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to the town of Red Rock to be hanged. When they are caught in a blizzard they pick up two fellow travelers - bounty hunter and disgraced former solider Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) and the would-be new Sheriff of the town Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins).

Unable to reach Red Rock due to the snowfall, they stop over at a cabin called Minnie's Haberdashery, which is in the temporary control of a mysterious Mexican named Senor Bob (Demian Bichir). There they meet others bound for Red Rock and beyond - the hangman of Red Rock, Oswald Mobray (Tim Roth), ex-Confederate General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern) and sullen cowboy Joe Gage (Michael Madsen). Ruth soon deduces that one - or more - of the inhabitants of the haberdashery are in league with Domergue and plotting her escape. He forms an uneasy alliance with Warren to find out who's plotting against him. In the meantime, there's also a rescue plot staged by Domergue's brother Jody (Channing Tatum) to deal with.

The plot and setting are reminiscent of the classic Reservoir Dogs, the film that launched Tarantino's career, but the similarities don't extend much further than that. The idea of these characters, each with their own rich backstory and shady motivation, in a tense standoff is an exciting one, but sadly a film that could be a thrilling ride is instead a slog - The Hateful Eight is as slow as a horse trudging through a blizzard. The film takes an age to get the haberdashery, and when it does it still moves, as John Ruth would say, "molasses-like".

There are more problems here than the pacing, though. Tarantino's films have always relied on the writer/director's ear for dialogue, but in the Western setting, his attempts at period-speak often hit the ear wrong. Thankfully he has a cast of talented actors who can, at times, spin gold from his thin threads. Samuel L. Jackson's easy charisma and underlying menace carry the film, while Walton Goggins gives the kind of scene stealing performance that can catapult a career into the stratosphere (even if his Gomer Pyle-esque accent takes some getting used to). Jennifer Jason Leigh, meanwhile, as the cackling unrepentant outlaw Daisy Domergue, imbues the unlikeable character with an unexpected resilience.

Elsewhere, Roth plays Mobray with a twinkly-eyed sense of fun that suggests he studied Christoph Waltz' Django Unchained performance closely, but Maden is underused as the gruff Joe Gage and General Smithers doesn't give Bruce Dern much of a chance to flex his acting muscles. Tatum excels, cast against type in a small role, and his scenes here suggest he could make a menacing villain in the right project.

It's the interplay between the actors that saves the film from sinking under its own weight. By this point in his career, Tarantino is clearly in love with his own voice: rather than edit Kill Bill down into a manageable film, he split it in two. Half of Death Proof was entirely unnecessary, but was somehow spared the cutting room floor. Both Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained were flabby and contained unneeded detours that distracted from the story. The hope was that The Hateful Eight would bring Tarantino back to his roots. But it did not do so. Remember, Reservoir Dogs ran at a taught 99 minutes. Instead of that, this film runs to a bloated 167 minutes.

Clearly someone, somewhere, needs to make sure Tarantino harshly edits his films in future - but let's face it, it won't happen. No one will say no to Quentin as long as his films keep bringing in money, and they do. Those of us who were once enraptured by his genius will have to simply hope that he realizes where he has gone wrong, and knows how to fix it. Maybe then the ninth film by Quentin Tarantino will finally live up to his lofty reputation.

Score: 3/5

The Hateful Eight Director/Writer: Quentin Tarantino Studio: Double Feature Films Running time: 167 minutes Release date: 12/30/15

Worst Movies of 2015 #1

January 11, 2016

You can't have the "Best" without the "Worst" so in typical Comic Bastards fashion we're bringing you the worst movies of 2015. Yeah we're steadily into the new year, but let's not forget what made for some painful cinema last year. Also, we could only pick the movie's we've seen. So if something isn't on our list and you're surprised... don't be. That means it was so bad we didn't even waste our time.

DUSTIN: Jupiter Ascending

No joke, this film does almost the same thing as Star Wars and Jurassic World in that it tries to rip off the Matrix and fails. Which is really sad considering it’s made by the people who made the Matrix. The performances suck. The CG sucks. The story is beyond suck. Even suck looks at the story and is embarrassed to be seen with it. It’s the worst movie of the year and it had an incredible budget. Instead it just ends up looking like a movie too heavily influenced by the 90’s rave scene. If you want to punish yourself, watch this three-hour turd and try not to laugh at the stupid fuck ending which does not match up with the rest of the fucking story.

DAVE: The Ridiculous Six

I’ve already reviewed The Ridiculous Six for this site, giving it a score of 1/5 and frankly it was lucky to get that “1”. That few meagre positives it did have were supplied by cameos from the likes of John Turturro, Harvey Keitel and Nick Nolte, who must have known they were in a terrible film and decided to have fun with it. The actual plot involves Sandler’s Tommy (aka White Knife) and his five half brothers, all of them different one-note stereotypes, rescuing their father (Nick Nolte) from generic bad guy Cicero (Danny Trejo). The loose plot doesn’t really go anywhere, and recurring jokes about Native American names and donkey shit tell you the intellectual level this is operating at. Sandler phones in a peformance as usual, and even he looks fed up by his films at this point. I can think of absolutely no reason to recommend this overlong, boring mess of a film to anyone. But then, I don’t need to - at the time of writing, this is the most watched film ever on Netflix. Maybe it’s about time for the seas to rise and claim us all.

CAMERON: Ted 2

I loved the First Ted. I saw it 3 times in Theaters. The first Ted film, was so funny, because it felt like a Real Life Family Guy. Ted 2…………..I honestly was speechless when I saw this film. About 20 minutes in, I realized the film began (I’m not kidding) Ted 2 felt like they had a bunch of random scenes and jokes with almost no story and had to piece it together. Mark Wahlberg was horrendous in this film. He barely seemed to show up and when he did, it just felt boring and sad. Also, I’m not sure if anyone noticed, but Ted 2 had almost no music throughout the film. Ted 2 was so bad, I didn’t even care to watch the ending. I turned it off about half way through. This was not only the worst but most disappointing film of 2015.

Worst Movies of 2015 #2

January 11, 2016

CAMERON: Trainwreck

When my wife and I saw this in theaters, we contemplated leaving several times during this film. The film was HORRIBLE. If you’d like to see my in-depth review, check it out here, but at the time of my review, this was the worst film I have ever seen. I didn’t have much faith, because I feel Amy Schumer is not very funny, but this was cringe worthy. The dialogue is banter and meaningless, and not only that, but it was so vulgar and pointless, it just became annoying. Also, this film was like over 2 hours long, and that is INSANE for a comedy, especially considering the plot was so basic and obvious. Trainwreck smashes down to my #2 spot.

DAVE: United Passions

It seems a bit unfair to include this laughable FIFA propaganda film on this list, but after a year that has seen crook after crook get their comeuppance after years of bribery, corruption and Mafia-style omerta, it seems oddly appropriate. FIFA spent about $24m of its slush fund (but it’s a non-profit organisation, of course) on this self-serving mess, recruiting reasonably respected actors like Tim Roth, Sam Neill and Gerard Depardieu to come on board. The oddest thing about the film is that it’s a football/soccer film that places meetings, boardroom deals and advertising contracts above the actual sport in importance.

Roth plays recently-deposed FIFA president Sepp Blatter who, along with his mentor Joao Havelange (Sam Neill) reforms FIFA and makes the World Cup the world’s grandest sporting spectacle. Also, if you want to swallow the propaganda, the two ended apartheid, survived bankruptcy and beat internal corruption (it seems laughable now, given how many of these men and their cronies are - or soon will be - behind bars). Someday there might be a film about what really happened at FIFA as it went from an insular, loss-making organisation to making more money than the GDP of a small country, but this film is not that. More importantly perhaps than any of the nonsense the film spouts is the fact that it’s more boring than one of those FIFA meetings.

DUSTIN: Vice

I know that some of you are probably wondering how the fuck this isn’t my number one movie. Let me explain, the number one movie had a budget and filmmakers that should have been able to make something better than a turd. Vice was a bad movie on a terrible budget. I suspect that they spent all their money, getting Bruce Willis or even worse this film was tanked by Willis’ Expendables 3 paycheck being pushed over to Vice’s check book. Whatever the case, the story is god awful. A city that people can do whatever they want and A.I.’s that are so lifelike that they have to wipe their memories… because they’re murdered and raped daily. For some reason the Punisher is there, but he’s not the Punisher, he’s just a cop with morals. We never learn why. He kills real people to set the A.I. people free… it’s a piece of shit and the filmmakers should be embarrassed and so should the actors.

Worst Movies of 2015 #3

January 11, 2016

DAVE: Taken 3

Luc Besson has never met a successful film that he didn’t try to turn into a money-making franchise, but each Taken sequel has been worse than the last, and each one seems to move further and further away from what made the first one such an unexpected hit. The original taken is taught, tense and enjoyable, but Taken 3 (hopefully the franchise’s last breath) has very little to do with those other films, aside from featuring Liam Neeson punching random Eastern European men with beards. Nothing is “taken” is Taken 3, instead the plot finds Neeson’s Bryan Mills framed for the murder of his ex-wife, and on the run from the LAPD. It feels like writers Besson and Robert Mark Kamen (along with director Oliver Megaton) have taken a generic thriller screenplay and run it through a “Taken” filter. It’s a bit The Fugitive, but nowhere near as good.

I can remember when, at the end of Taken 2, Neeson’s character said “I’m...just so tired”. We all are, Liam, we all are. Stopping at one film would have been perfect. Stopping after the lesser second one would have been advisable, but stopping at three really, really needs to happen. I never thought watching the man who played Oscar Schindler punch people would get boring. But it has.

CAMERON: The Loft

When I first saw the trailer for The Loft, I was quite interested. I loved Wentworth Miller in Prison Break, and of course it was just a hit cast. It also felt like it had the potential to be a modern-day “Clue” in that it would be a compelling mystery with great acting. WAS I EVER WRONG! This film was downright boring. The acting from EVERY star in it was beyond stale. Not only that, I saw the ending coming from A MILE AWAY. I mean, I give them credit for trying to pull a fast one, but I could tell from the second the film started who did it. With an atrocious screenplay and disappointing acting, The Loft takes my #3 spot.

DUSTIN: Jurassic World/Star Wars: The Force Awakens

What I’m about to say applies to both films. They’re just remakes of the first film, but done in continuity. Sure, they’re the two biggest films, but when I watched them they did the same thing. Make references to the successful first film while copying it. I didn’t enjoy either. They were just rehash. They are what’s wrong with Hollywood and yet movie audiences continue to eat it up. Why? Because they buy the hype rather than making informed decisions and looking for balanced opinions. They tie for third because they do the exact same fucking thing and if you can’t see that then you probably saw both of them twice. Also if you want a tie-breaker just pick whichever one made enough money for you at the box office.

Worst Movies of 2015 #4

January 11, 2016

CAMERON: Hot Pursuit

Nothing is more annoying than Sofia Vergara yelling non-stop and Reese Witherspoon’s horrible southern accent. But it gets worse. Hot Pursuit, felt like an excuse to use to use very well-known actresses, in a pointless and plotless “Drug Cartel” style film. I think Sofia Vergara is hilarious in Modern Family, but this was beyond bad. Her entire role in this film was yelling and complaining to the point where I was thinking of shutting it off during important scenes. Without a plot, and ANNOYING acting, this film flops to my number #4 spot.

DAVE: Fantastic Four

It’s beginning to look like The Fantastic Four might be cursed. Ten years after Fox’s first poorly received attempt to kick-start a film franchise, they gave it another go. Initial signs were promising with a decent enough cast including up-and-comers like Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan and a young director that had produced in interesting spin on the superhero genre with the low-budget Chronicle.

All that promise was for nought, though, as the 2015 version proved to be somehow worse than the 2005 vintage. It slogged through an origin story we’ve all heard a thousand times (and seen onscreen at least once before) takes ages to set up any kind of conflict and then sputters and coughs to an apologetic stop. Last time, Fantastic Four got an unwanted sequel, but it seems any plans for that have been scrapped. No matter what the rumours of behind-the-scenes shenanigans might suggest, there’s no real excuse for a film this bad to be made from this source material. Shall we all have another go in 10 years?

DUSTIN: Hitman: Agent 47

They need my blood to make more like me… but they’ve made a better version so… why the fuck do they need me? That’s the basic idea of this movie. There was some okay action. There were a lot of nods to the game which were nice, but the story was shit. The story was a fucking mess and so mediocre that you could watch it on mute. A girl tracks down her father that’s been off the grid and she doesn’t realize that that plays right into the hands of the people who want to find him? Wat? This movie proved that Hollywood isn’t ready for video game movies and that we’re a was off from them taking over for comic book movies.

Worst Movies of 2015 #5

January 11, 2016

DAVE: Ted 2

Year on year, Seth MacFarlane seems to be losing the goodwill that many years of Family Guy had given him. While Ted was surprisingly funny, A Million Ways To Die In The West was muddled and Ted 2, the ill-advised sequel, little short of a disaster. The first film about Mark Wahlberg’s mid-30s slacker and his only real friend, a magical, foul-mouthed stoner bear, was a lot funnier than it had any right to be. It wasn’t smart, sure, but it didn’t need to be,

Ted 2, at points, tries desperately to be smart, to the point where it forgets to actually make jokes. That said, maybe it’s for the best - most of the jokes it does make fail to land - when one of your funniest moments is recycled from a decades old Family Guy episode, you know you’re in trouble. Supporting players include Amanda Seyfried (in for Mila Kunis, who wisely side-stepped this second installment) and Morgan Freeman, but even they can’t save this one.

CAMERON: Unfinished Business

Unfinished Business didn’t seem to have a lot going for it other than Vince Vaughn. He is one of those actors that can either be hilarious in films like Old School and Couples Retreat, or he can be extremely boring and just not funny. Unfinished Business falls into the trap of what I call “Party-Comedy” These films are basically Montage scenes of partying with exposition filled dialogue in between. Tons of films fall into this category like Sisters, Hot Tub Time Machine 1 and 2, and MANY others! The problem with UB, is it never even felt fun. I didn’t feel there was any stakes to this film. It was honestly very boring, and that’s why it takes my #5 Spot!

DUSTIN: The Longest Ride

I only saw this movie because I was home for the holidays and my father watched it. He thought it was a cowboy movie, which it does pretend to be, but he had never seen a Nicolas Sparks story brought to the silver screen. Someone dies. Someone always dies in a Nicolas Sparks story. The story is typical. There’s a twist after a death that makes everyone’s lives better. You’ll cry if you’re into the weak attempts at pulling on our heart-strings. The only other movie that does it this obviously was Inside Out (which almost made my list). Scott Eastwood apparently learned acting from watching paint dry. His performance is dull just like the rest of the movie. Alan Alda plays “old man dying” and it’s pretty obvious that he showed up for the pay check and because his character mostly got to sit down. The fucked up part is that, “The Longest Ride” isn’t really about the longest ride which is a bull riding term, but rather the story of the old guy. Pretty shitty title bait and switch if you ask me. Also the CG bull riding looks terrible.

Best Movies of 2015 #1

January 8, 2016

For the first time ever we’re bringing you the best movies of 2015! This list is a bit different from our comic section in that we’re just picking the top five movies of the year and ever writer is getting their own pick. Without further ado, here’s the #1 movies.

DUSTIN: Chappie

Chappie is one of the best movie’s I’ve seen in a long ass time. Not only were the special effects wonderful and realistic, but the story was there to support the graphics and the world. Director Neill Blomkamp has always been able to deliver on both fronts, but it’s the emotional journey that he brings about with Chappie, his maker and his surrogate family that makes this film standout from his impressive resume. Sharlto Copley, a favorite of Blomkamp’s, delivers a performance that resonates with you and shows just how incredible of an actor he can be given the right material. Another thing that stands out about this film is the performances of all of the main characters. Hugh Jackman plays the unlikable heel, while Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser surprise with their performances. At the end of the day I picked Chappie because I want to watch Chappie again… and again. I think that says more about a film than anything else. I’ve seen plenty of ”great” films that I never wanted to watch again.

DAVE: Mad Max: Fury Road

George Miller’s long awaited return to The Wasteland had been in gestation for so long that many thought it would never see the light of day. Back in the 90’s, when it was originally mooted, Mel Gibson was all set to reprise his role as Max Rockatansky and in the early years of the last decade it was suggested the movie could be animated. It eventually saw the light of day in 2015 as a live action, full-on assault on the senses, with Tom Hardy replacing the long gone Gibson in the title role. Fury Road is short on plot: it’s basically one long car chase with a grunting, monosyllabic Max helping Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) escape the clutches of maniac despot Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) with several of his other wives in tow. The film received ire online from anti-feminist keyboard warriors, but the fact that in 2015 a film that literally spells out the fact that women “are not objects” is actually controversial is a sad indictment on society. The film’s feminist undertones and overtones are much-needed, frankly, but this film is much more than that. It looks spectacular - Miller’s heady universe is gothically beautiful, the (mostly practical) effects are jaw-dropping, and a brilliant cast play it straight when it lesser hands it could have been over the top. It is genuinely a work of genius, and proof that action films don’t need to be dumb or filled with CGI to work.

CAMERON: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Now, I want to state that I am NOT fanboying over this by any means. This is a 100% NON BIASED #1, and I’ll explain why. There was not a film this year that I sat in the theater and became a 12-year-old kid again. This film is everything great about filmmaking! From story to visuals, The Force Awakens delivers on every single level. I won’t give away anything about the story, but it basically follows Rey as she discovers something interesting and meets Fin, an ex-Storm Trooper, and find themselves in the middle of something much bigger. J. J. Abrams absolutely impressed me with his directing, especially considering Fin, Po, and Rey are such young and new actors and actresses. Rey absolutely stole the film, but in a close second for me was Kylo Ren. With such a deep villain, it makes the entire story that much more interesting….and that ending…. all of you who have seen it know! This film is beyond good and that’s why it is the Best Film of 2015!

Best Movies of 2015 #2

January 8, 2016

DAVE: The Martian

After the recent missteps of Prometheus and Exodus: Gods & Kings, Ridley Scott reminded everyone why his name is so revered with The Martian. Based upon the novel of the same name by Andy Weir, The Martian has hard science to go with its fiction, a rarity these days. The film stars Matt Damon as astronaut Mark Watney, a botanist who is stranded on Mars when a mission goes awry. Presumed dead by his mission commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), Watney is forced to use his intelligence and ingenuity to survive on the hostile dead planet while awaiting rescue by NASA. Scott’s film is a cerebral, tense, sometimes funny and always hopeful look at humanity’s need and will to survive against the odds. It’s also a timely reminder to those who may have forgotten that, with the right material, Ridley Scott remains capable of great things.

CAMERON: The Peanuts Movie

Originally when I saw this film I thought I was going to be disappointed, but I left the theater jaw dropped at how amazing this film was. The Peanuts is the classic story of Charlie Brown and the gang, and when a new girl moves into town, Charlie Brown is head over heels for her and will stop at nothing to try to impress her. The Peanuts movie is so genuine and captures everything great about being a kid. So many times films get caught up on nostalgia or paying tribute to previous films in a series, that they forget why we loved the films in the first place. The new Peanuts film felt brand new, but felt like previous films before. This movie is AMAZING and a must see and why it takes my #2 spot.

DUSTIN: Mad Max: Fury Road

I went back and forth with myself on where to put this on my list. Is it the best and deserving of my number one spot or was it more of a second best? I’ll probably never be happy with my choice, but at the end of the day it lost out to my first pick because of replay value. I don’t know if I’ll ever really sit down and watch this film again or at least more than once. I loved it. I think it’s incredible filmmaking and shows the balance between practical and special effects. It also proved that movie audiences are interested in crazy characters that aren’t all glammed out on the screen. Really if I could cheat my own system I would put it at a tie for first, but I can’t. Gorgeous fucking movie though.

Best Movies of 2015 #3

January 8, 2016

CAMERON: Mad Max: Fury Road

Most people would assume this would be on every and any best films of 2015 list. Mad Max was an incredible directing, cinematography, and visual effects feat! Mad Max is the 4^th film in the Mad Max franchise. To be honest, I never have seen another Mad Max, which is somewhat of a crutch to watching this film. Mad Max is a very vague movie, with a simple storyline, which is my only gripe about it. Basically, Mad Max is captured and held as a life support for a man, who is searching for these women who have escaped from there rotting utopia. The escape led by Furiosa, is an insane journey when Mad Max gets into the mix. This film’s visual effects, cinematography, and breath taking stunts are what make this my #3 spot.

DUSTIN: Anomalisa

Charlie Kaufman. Claymation.

I don’t really need to say more, but I will. Anomalisa (say like you’re saying “anomaly” and the name “Lisa”), is about a man that has become bored with life. Bored with the people that he meets in life. It’s actually way more complex than that and I don’t even really want to give you my impression of the film because there’s a lot to digest while watching. At the end you’ll either get the film or you’ll walk away with some misguided “2015” type impression of it. Personally, I thought it was incredible and the Claymation was incredible and realistic, but with a touch of style to it. It also has the most realistic sex scene in movie history. Claymation.

DAVE: Inside Out

Surely the day must come soon where animated films can be considered for Best Picture nominations like their live action brethren. Certainly I doubt there would be many eyebrows raised if Pixar’s greatest achievement to date, Inside Out, was competing for the gong. Inside Out ostensibly follows the trials and tribulations of an 11-year-old girl Riley (Kaitlin Dias) as she is uprooted from her happy Midwest life and moved to San Francisco along with her parents. But Inside Out’s real story centers around the emotions that inhabit her brain: Joy (Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mandy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyliss Smith). As Riley tries - and fails - to adjust to a new city, a new house, and a new school we see the more negative emotions take control, and when an accident results in Joy and Sadness being ejected from the brain’s “control room”, the odd couple have to work together to get back in control of Riley’s emotional state to save her from the bumbling control of Anger, Fear and Disgust. Inside Out is a wonderful film that argues for the vital importance of sadness in an often happiness-obsessed culture. It’s one of the best films of the year, in fact of recent years - and it doesn’t need the “animated” caveat for that to be true.

Best Movies of 2015 #4

January 8, 2016

DUSTIN: Turbo Kid

For a movie that was funded via crowdfunding, this film was pretty damn good. It knew what it was, it knew what it wanted to do and it worked within its own budget to accomplish those tasks. Was it the most incredible bit of filmmaking? No, but it was entertaining and had a look and style that was captivating and stayed with you.

DAVE: Ex-Machina

Ex-Machina is the directorial debut of 28 Days Later writer Alex Garland, and it’s a rarity in today’s cinema landscape: grown up sci-fi that trades on questions over explosions and ideas over special effects. Not to say that what effects there are, such as the robot Ava (played with quiet perfection by Alicia Vikander) aren’t spectacular, but the film concentrates itself elsewhere. The plot concerns a genius young programmer (Domhall Gleeson) who is invited to spend a week at the mansion of his reclusive boss Nathan (Oscar Isaac), and perform tests upon the robot Ava to confirm if Nathan has indeed invented AI. Ex Machina draws strong performances from its three leads - in particular, a transformed and unrecognizable Isaac - and has a smart script with twists and turns that surprise but never feel forced. It might just restore your faith in sci-fi

CAMERON: It Follows

Horror Films (excluding any film to do with James Wan) have been truly a lacking genre, but with the premiere of It Follows, I was blown away by the unsettling suspense, which was created, ending in a spectacular film. The constant reminder that it is always following you at all times, creating such an uneasy feeling, that the entire film I could help but be on the edge of my seat wondering where and when it would appear. The acting was incredible in this film, and the cinematography truly helped push along the plot with allowing things to be seen or not see at just the right moments. It Follows revamped indie horror films, and helped tell large studios what we REALLY want from horror film, and that’s why it takes my #4 spot.

Best Movies of 2015 #5

January 8, 2016

DAVE: Going Clear: Scientology & The Prison of Belief

Writer-director Alex Gibney’s eye-opening documentary about Scientology is gruesomely fascinating. You won’t be able to look away as Gibney tracks the history of the “church” from the wonky utopian vision of science fiction writer and compulsive liar L. Ron Hubbard through to its present day incarnation as a celebrity fronted, tax-free “shell company”. Former members raise allegations of both mental and physical abuse which are shocking, but perhaps the most terrifying scene is archive footage of Tom Cruise, cackling like a maniac while rambling paranoically about “suppressive people”. After you watch Going Clear you won’t look at this religion (if that’s what it truly is) in the same way again.

CAMERON: Insidious Chapter 3

This made my list for a lot of reasons. Being a 3^rd film in a trilogy of horror puts you at quite a disadvantage, but not only that, the director was a first time director. IC3 is written and directed by Lea Whannel who wrote the other two Insidious films. IC3 is the story of Lin Shaye’s character, Elise and her coming out of retirement (fighting spirits basically) to help a young girl who thinks she is contacting her mother. This is also where she meets Specs and Tucker. This film hit every note for me. The humor was spot on and its sense of suspense and unknowing of when something could hit you next, really was bone chilling. I don’t like scary movies that are strictly jump scares. When you build suspense and then finally scare someone, it is almost painful, and Insidious Chapter 3 did that amazingly, which is why it earns by #5 spot.

DUSTIN: Bone Tomahawk

This film was a Western on a budget. The cast was small, the locations were controlled, but at the end of the day it was incredibly successful in its execution. Kurt Russell and the other leads are fantastic. Each is their own character, with their own style of delivery. In particular, Matthew Fox’s character and delivery are memorable and one of the best performances of his career. It’s a Western with a Horror twist and yet it executes both genres in perfect tandem.

Review: Mad Max: Fury Road

January 7, 2016

Written by guest contributor Dave Fox

Visionary director George Miller has taken a long and winding road back his trademark post-apocalyptic world, Max Rockatansky's home, "The Wasteland". Following the poorly received third installment in the Mad Max trilogy, Beyond Thunderdome, Miller's directing career took a turn as he spent time behind the camera for the Babe sequel and two films about dancing CGI penguins.

It's not the case that Miller had no desire to make another Mad Max film. Possibilities for a fourth film and/or a reboot were mooted for decades - at one point in the 90s it looked as though it would be an animated film - but as the franchise's star, Mel Gibson, aged and became less and less of a bankable star, it seemed less likely that a new Mad Max would ever see the light of day.

Against the odds, in 2015 we were finally able to return to Miller's hectic fever-dream of an Aussie apocalypse. Despite rumours of a cameo, Gibson didn't appear, replaced in the title role by Tom Hardy. It's much more of a sequel than reboot, though really it could function as either. Mad Max: Fury Road doesn't bother with an origin story or exposition, it barely bothers with plot: it throws you in head first to a fully formed world and invites you along for the ride.

The film is almost nothing but a spectacular car chase, reminiscent of the final 20 minutes of 1981's second Mad Max installment The Road Warrior - only louder and even more spectacular. What plot there is concerns Max being captured early on in the desert citadel run by terrifying despotic demi-god Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Joe has five "wives" locked up to sire him a healthy heir, but when they escape in a petrol tanker piloted by an ex-wife Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), Joe's army give chase - and Max gets caught up in the conflict.

When the film draws breath around 20 minutes in after continuous carnage, it may be the first time you draw breath too. It's easy to understand why most films aren't made with skeletal plots and stunt after stunt after stunt - in the wrong hands, Fury Road would be a mess of Michael Bay proportions, but in Miller's hands this recipe for disaster becomes something quite extraordinary.

Also, while plot may be minimal, there's still a message here. There seemed to be a lot of hate online (among knuckle-draggers, to be fair) about the film's supposed feminist overtones, but frankly, should it be controversial in 2015 to have a message of "women are not objects"? The fact that such a thing even still needs to be said shows that, if anything, we need more films willing to take this stand. It's true that really, Imperator Furiosa is the real protagonist, rather than Max, but there's nothing wrong with that. Max has always been an interloper in the lives of others, but Furiosa - with her metal arm and steely gaze - is just as able to hold up an action film as the title character. And Max remains vital to the film, even if he's not always its focus.

Fury Road shows, too, that there's still a place in cinema for practical effects (Fury Road makes relatively minimal use of CGI when compared with many modern blockbusters) and that the action genre isn't as dead as everyone may have thought.

There was a lot of competition for my favourite film of 2015. It was a tough choice, and when thinking about it I changed my mind maybe 3 or 4 times. In the end, I chose Mad Max: Fury Road because I came out the cinema with a grin from ear to ear - and everyone else was the same. It's exciting, it's thrilling, it's tense, it's important in a few ways but more than anything else: it's fun. Ultimately, we go to the cinema to be entertained, because we want to have fun. Mad Max: Fury Road delivers that in spades, and nothing else came close to it for that in 2015.

Score: 5/5

Mad Max: Fury Road Director: George Miller Writers: George Miller, Brendan McCarthy & Nico Lathouris Studio: Kennedy Miller Productions, Village Roadshow Pictures Running time: 120 Minutes Release Date: 5/15/15

Review: The Martian

January 5, 2016

Written by guest contributor Dave Fox

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be counting down my top 5 films of 2015. Here’s #2, a redemptive sci-fi offering from director Ridley Scott.

The film stars Matt Damon as astronaut Mark Watney, a botanist who is stranded on Mars when a mission goes awry. Presumed dead by his mission commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), Watney is forced to use his intelligence and ingenuity to survive on the hostile dead planet while awaiting rescue by NASA.

This is the second sci-fi film in my top five of the year. Ex Machina is the other, and while it doesn't share that film's philosophical bent, The Martian similarly uses science as a foundation for its fiction thanks to the meticulously-researched novel that is its source. It takes its visual and narrative cues from recent crowd-pleasing space dramas like Gravity and Interstellar (the latter of which also features Damon as an astronaut stranded on a hostile planet) but perhaps its nearest cinematic brethren is Ducan Jones' Moon. While it isn't as quirky as Duncan Jones' effort, both of them feature a lone protagonist talking to himself for much of their runtime.

Not to say that The Martian is dull (nor is Moon, for that matter). Thankfully, Matt Damon is as charismatic a lead as they come, and he imbues Watney with enough intelligence, humour and pathos to hold our interest. He's also supported by an excellent cast that includes Jessica Chastian, Sean Bean, Chetiwel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig and a scene stealing Donald Glover.

The film also looks beautiful, even the dusty red vistas of Mars look awe-inspiring, which is more than you could say of previous Mars-set bore-fests like Mission To Mars, to give just one example of many. The success of The Martian suggests that the problems of Scott's other recent films may be down the script rather than anything else. With a brilliant screenplay from Drew Goddard (World War Z, Cabin In The Woods) and a troupe of actors at the top of their game, Scott proves that with the right tools he can craft an exciting cinematic experience.

As the joke goes, The US government is forever rescuing Matt Damon, but this may well with the best film of all of them in that odd, specific genre. A smart, at times funny, and overall hopeful journey, The Martian helps to prove that there's life in smart sci-fi, and Ridley Scott's career - and life on Mars, too.

Score: 5/5

The Martian Director: Ridley Scott Writer: Drew Goddard (adapted from Andy Weir's novel) Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Running Time: 144 minutes Release Date: 10/02/15

Review: Ex Machina

December 24, 2015

Written by guest contributor Dave Fox

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be counting down my top 5 films of 2015. Here's #4, Alex Garland's smart and stylish psychological sci-fi thriller.

Quick, see how many genuinely intelligent recent sci-fi films you can name. How many did you get? 10, 11, 12? Less? Four or five? Wracking my brains, I can only get enough to count on one hand. There are plenty of films categorised as sci-fi, but there are there enough that use the genre for its intended purpose: to ask questions, to make us think, to use the fantastic to look and where we are now, and where we're going. Personally, I blame Star Wars, for turning sci-fi into shorthand for "action films in space".

The good news is that films that but the "sci" in sci-fi are making a comeback. Christopher Nolan's Interstellar (2012) brought theoretical physics alongside blackhole related flights of fancy, while Ridley Scott's The Martian (another film from this year) was based on a novel that did not shy away from using - and explaining - hard science. Ex Machina, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later scribe Alex Garland (who also wrote the script) also belongs in this group. It has fantastical elements but feels grounded, and will leave your head spinning with ideas.

The film is heavier on ideas than plot. Caleb (Domhall Gleeson) is a talented young computer programmer for search engine giant Blue Book. He gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he is invited to meet his company's reclusive genius CEO Nathan (Oscar Isaac) and participate in an experiment with a groundbreaking AI (Alicia Vikander).

Ex Machina is quick out of the blocks; we see Caleb get chosen via random lottery to go visit Nathan's secluded, state-of-the-art home (that resembles a bunker more than a mansion) in the first few minutes, and the entire film then takes place on those grounds. Gleeson's Caleb is nervous, eager to please, deferential and almost apologetic about his intelligence. It's a smart, subtle performance, but scenes are frequently stolen by his sparring partner Isaac, who's unrecognisable, hiding behind bulk and a hipster beard. On the surface Nathan is pally and unusually down to earth for a reclusive, genius billionaire, but Isaac's performance hints and the reservoirs of anger beneath a placid surface.

Caleb is there to do a Turning test on Nathan's revolutionary invention, a robot named Ava. Nathan believes he may have created artificial intelligence, and wants Caleb to confirm either way by engaging in daily conversations with Ava for a week. What both men find as the week goes on is that it's not so easy to define consciousness. It's worth a mention that Vikander more than holds her own opposite Gleeson and Isaac as Ava. Her robotic exo-skeleton is a gorgeous special effect but means that her performance is mostly unspoken - she does most of her talking through smiles, frowns and her eyes, which shimmer with so much life that, really, no AI test should be needed.

Every conversation that Caleb has with Ava brings new questions. Is Ava making sarcastic jokes, or just repeating lines? Ava flirts with Caleb - is she doing it because she likes him, because she's programmed to, or is she just using Caleb to serve her own ends? Ava wants to know what will happen to her once the test is over. Caleb responds that it's not up to him, and Ava shoots back: "why is it up to anyone?".

That's what Ex Machina brings to the table. It brings questions that have no easy answers. The script could have come from Isaac Asimov or Phillip K. Dick, yet it's not derivative. Just when you think you have a handle on what's going to happen, the rug is pulled from under you. It shares DNA with sci-fi greats, but stands on its own two feet as an original piece of work. It's beautifully shot, and understands that action scenes and explosions aren't needed to hold an audience's attention.

If you're at all interested in sci-fi that explores difficult questions, trusts the viewer's intelligence and does not provide easy answers, then Ex Machina is for you. It's one of the best films of the year, and would be one of the best of any year.

Score: 4/5

Ex Machina Director: Alex Garland Writer: Alex Garland Studio: DNA Films, Film4 Running Time: 108 Minutes Release Date: 1/21/15

Review: Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief

December 23, 2015

Written by guest contributor Dave Fox

Over the next few weeks, I'll be counting down my top 5 films of 2015. Here's number 5, Alex Gibney's extraordinary documentary on the "Church" of Scientology.

You might not realise it, but there are good odds that at least some of your favourite celebrities are scientologists. Even if you're not a fan of well known Scientology godheads Tom Cruise and John Travolta, there are rafts of famous people still drinking L. Ron's Kool Aid, ranging from Beck to Jason Lee to Isaac Hayes. These days, Cruise is by far the most famous face associated with the Church, and largely thanks to his sofa jumping antics on Oprah, Scientology seems to be viewed as a kooky quasi-cult for the rich. Weird, sure, but harmless. If you're of that opinion, sit down and watch Going Clear and then see how you feel.

Writer-director Alex Gibney's compelling documentary is shot through with interviews with the journalist Lawrence Wright (on whose book the film is based) and former members, including Oscar-winning writer-director Paul Haggis, actor Jason Beghe, and most interestingly of all, Mark Rathbun (at one time the church's second-in-command) and Mike Rinder (formerly head of the church's "Office for Special Affairs"). The talking heads, though, are only half the story.

Like the book on which it is based, Going Clear is divided into two distinct halves. First we're introduced to the birth of Scientology via its founding father, L. Ron Hubbard. The man Scientologists refer to as "LRH" was a pulp sci-fi writer, churning out over a thousand books to make a living (at a penny a word). He is presented as a pathological liar, a man given to fantasically embellishing his less-than-stellar military career or straight up inventing "field work" studying indigenous tribes.

Hubbard veered away from the sci-fi that was his stock in trade with his 1950 book Dianetics, an attempt at hard psychology fused with his own confusing worldview; taking in outer space and past lives. Surprisingly, Dianetics took hold in certain pockets of America and gave Hubbard a second career as a pyschologist, philospher and P.T. Barnum-esque showman. When Dianetics proved to be a passing fad, Hubbard repackaged his ideas and called it Scientology, and the utopian ideals it claimed to stand for ("a civilisation without war, without instanity, and without drugs") struck a cord in 1960's America, and the Church of Scientology was born.

Of course, it was not recognised as a church and so, with the IRS hunting him for back taxes, Hubbard took to the seas and set up the church's "Sea Org.", a fleet of three ships, whose crewmates signed "billion year" contracts. During these segments of the film, those who saw The Master will shiver in recognition at the archive footage of Hubbard, the inspiration for Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character. Hubbard's mental state is somewhat danced around and it remains unclear whether he was simply scamming people for money or truly believed all the nonsense about thetans.

It's after Hubbard's death that Scientology goes from being a mentally unstable writer's wonky utopian vision to something far more sinister and scary. There was no succession plan in place following Hubbard's death in 1986, so David Miscavage took control. Miscavage looks and sounds like an 80's movie villain; the kind of guy who would bulldoze a youth centre to build a mall, or try to sack Andrew McCarthy for falling in love with a mannequin. In reality he's much worse even than that, and stories of espionage, blackmail, physical and mental abuse and the icy control he allegedly exerts over the likes of Tom Cruise, are too extensive to be listed here. Sufficed to say the testimony from the former church members interviewed (especially Rathburn and Rinder, who were close to Miscavage) is shocking and eye-opening.

Despite focusing with laser precision on dodgy church practices, Gibney avoids sensationalism. The film's tone is inquisative, Gibney is not necessarily aiming for headline grabbing revelations (though he gets some anyway), just to peek under the curtain to try and find out what really happens inside one of the world's most secretive organisation. The worrying thing is, there's almost certainly a lot more about it we don't know. There's not really much to criticise about the film, which is perfectly pitched and doesn't feel overlong despite the running time. It's a bit of shame they could not get interviews with any current church members, but as a title card at the end explains, they all either declined or ignored requests to participate.

Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief is compelling - if sometimes horrying - viewing, and easily one of the best films of 2015, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Unless you're David Miscavage.

Score: 4/5

Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief

Director: Alex Gibney

Writer: Alex Gibney

Studio: HBO

Running Time: 119 Minutes

Top 7 Batman Films

December 14, 2015

Written by guest contributor Cameron Gallagher

I'm going to be going over the Top 7 Batman films (in my opinion). Don’t forget no hate here or battles in the comments, this is meant to be a discussion on why I love the films I do and why I place them where. This list is GOING to upset many, but I will make sure to justify all of my reasons. I'm rating these based on watchability, acting, story, directing and fun. Let's get to it!

Batman Returns: This is by far the weakest film, I felt in all of the live action Batman movies. Although Keaton is iconic as Batman, Penguin and Catwoman felt so far-fetched I honestly think they are what tanked the film. This also is a very dark film and didn't have that dark yet light-hearted vibe to it, like the comics do. It's a great film overall of course, just not one I would put in my Blu-Ray player anytime soon!

Batman (1989): Let the hate begin! I know right, the original? Yes and here's why! Of course it's the original live-action Batman that portrayed the more modern and gritty Batman, but my problem with this movie is in its pacing and obviously dated feel. Even for 1989, this felt like an older movie, and for me it made it seem cheesier, but not in a fun way. Also like Batman Returns, this movie is pretty dark. Now obviously Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton are amazing in this, I just can't seem to re-watch it as often.

Batman and Robin: Yes, at its very core this movie is terrible, but not before being incredibly fun and witty. A lot of people hate, and I mean HATE, this movie but I think they aren't looking at it the right way. This movie feels like a light-hearted Batman comic. Over the top dialogue, crazy antics… that's what the comics felt like. Now of course, not all of the comics feel like this, but I feel like Batman at its core is a little hokey at times, but still with action. Also in this movie I love George Clooney. He isn't Oscar worthy, but I believed it. Now say I'm naïve, but I am an acting fanatic, and I think Clooney didn't do bad at all.

Batman Forever: This movie is by far the most re-watchable of all of the Batman movies before the Nolan Trilogy. I love Val Kilmer in this role and I thought Nicole Kidman was the only Batman woman I ever actually cared for. Jim Carey and Tommy Lee Jones KILLED their roles, and I love the introduction of Robin. This movie felt like everything great about Batman. Funny, serious, action. It all worked in this film for me!

The Dark Knight: WHHOOOAAAA, PUTTING THIS AFTER THE OTHER TWO NOLAN FILMS? I know, I know! I love this movie with all of my heart. Heath Ledger gives probably one of the greatest performances in the history of acting (pretty darn close) but the thing about this movie, was the horrible story between Rachel, Harvey, and Bruce. Horrible. Their chemistry on camera was so terrible. Also, beyond this film being excellently directed, well shot, and with incredible action scenes, it had the same effect Batman Returns did. It feels too depressing and not as hopefully as other Batman films. Of course Christian Bale kills Batman, but we already know that.

The Dark Knight Rises: This movie is incredibly suspenseful, and the ending to his film is one of the most bone chilling, goosebumps generating endings I have ever seen. Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and Anne Hathaway MADE THIS MOVIE! They were such well-written characters by Nolan, but so well brought to life, and this film to me tied together everything we love. Action, suspense, plot twists. It was all there. It did however have a few plot holes here and there that kept it from being amazing… like how the hell he got from that hole to Gotham in like two hours. But the Bane and Batman fights made up for it.

Batman Begins: This film holds every great film-making technique, storytelling technique, and character development in a Batman film, with being THE MOST re-watchable of all the films due to it’s comic book like nature. This movie has the tone of what Batman comics are to me. This film we got to see him slowly evolve and become Batman and learn how to be him. Kind of like the fun of watching Spider-Man, realize who he is. I love Scarecrow, and the first fight with Batman and those mobsters is so badass I get chills! I could watch this movie over and over! The training scenes, Liam Neeson, the Element of Fear, it all fell perfectly together to make an amazing Batman film that had me the entire time!

I hope you guys enjoyed! Don't forget DON'T HATE on me or anyone in the comments, and tell me what are your favorites from 7-1!

Review: Pixels

December 9, 2015

Written by guest contributor Cameron Gallagher

Adam Sandler makes absolutely stupid movies... but his last two films have actually impressed me. Most people are hating on Pixels, but I was excited for two reasons. After seeing his last film, The Cobbler, which I loved, and seeing the Nostalgic 80’s video games, I knew it would be downright stupid, but worth a watch. This was EXACTLY that!

Pixels is about a nerdy kid who loses a 1980’s Arcade Gaming Tournament, but after Aliens invade using 80’s arcade games as a front, his talent comes in handy. So, this movie is not a good movie when it comes to cinema except for two things. The visual effects were OUTSTANDING, and the story was well crafted to actually seem very realistic. Of course this film began with the idea of making 80’s video games come to life, but Adam Sandler came up with the perfect way. I love how a Time Capsule was taken as a threat and became this movie. It is so off but felt so real (the only real way this would make sense). So, yes it’s dumb, but worked.

Let’s talk about the visual effects for a minute. This film had so much over the top effects, but this also goes back to acting, NEVER ONCE did I look at this and say “Wow, that looks so CGI” or “Wow that is definitely on a green screen” Now of course it is CGI and green screening in some places, but even the pixels of the creatures seemed to have so much texture and light within the shots. I would believe they actually made a bunch of these as references for the actors to work with, but I know that is most likely not true. I was very impressed, even at the climax, where they are completely in a CGI world, they seemed to look way more real then another fully CGI film I know *cough* Phantom Menace *cough* But all joking aside, it was very impressive.

The problem with this film is in its simplicity and cliché comedy scenes. It basically is a recycled comedy with a new face. That being said, it was still very fun, well made, and just plain stupid. I’ll give Pixels 3/5 mainly for its visuals and fun atmosphere.

Score: 3/5

Pixels Director: Chris Columbus Writers: Tim Herlihy and Timothy Dowling Studio: Columbia Pictures Running Time: 106 Minutes Release Date: 7/24/15

Shout! Factory acquired animated feature "Snowtime!"

December 9, 2015

Shout! Factory, a multi-platform media company, and CarpeDiem Film & TV, Inc. have entered into a film deal to distribute the new animated featureSNOWTIME! in the United States. Produced by Marie-Claude Beauchamp (The Legend of Sarila) and directed by Jean-François Pouliot (La Grande Séduction), this captivating family adventure film will premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. SNOWTIME! features an exceptional English-language voice cast of Angela Gallupo (Being Human), Lucinda Davis (Winx Club), Sonja Ball (The Legend of Sarila), Don Shepherd (Blue Mountain State), Jenna Wheeler, Heidi Lynne Weeks (Heelix), Elisabeth MacRae, Holly Gauthier (Arthur) with Ross Lynch (Disney Channel’s hit series Austin & Ally and pop band R5) and Golden Globe®-winner Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy,Sideways). SNOWTIME! also boasts an enchanting movie soundtrack featuring international singing sensation Céline Dion and popular rock band Simple Plan. The announcement was made today by Shout! Factory’s founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos; and president of CarpeDiem Film & TV Marie-Claude Beauchamp.

Shout! Factory has secured all U.S. distribution rights to SNOWTIME!, including theatrical, broadcast, video-on-demand, digital and home entertainment rights. Shout! Factory plans a strategic rollout of this movie across multiple entertainment platforms, beginning with a theatrical launch in early 2016 through Shout’s kids & family entertainment imprint, Shout! Factory Kids.

“We’re thrilled about this new opportunity with CarpeDiem Film & TV. This beautifully made, highly entertaining feature is a very exciting addition to our library of new family films for 2016. We look forward to bringing Snowtime! to the big screen for movie-goers and across all major distribution platforms,” stated Melissa Boag, Senior Vice President of Kids & Family Entertainment at Shout! Factory.

“Shout! Factory is creating the opportunity for Snowtime! to touch the hearts of children and adults across America. We’re proud of our movie and proud of our association with Shout! Factory,” said Marie-Claude Beauchamp, President of CarpeDiem Film & TV.

“Snowtime! is that all too rare family film that brings together the wonder, mischief, playfulness and poignancy of childhood. CarpeDiem has produced a film that will entertain generations,” said Shout’s Vice President of Acquisitions, Jordan Fields.

Movie synopsis

Based on the acclaimed live-action film classic La Guerre des Tuques (The Dog Who Stopped the War), SNOWTIME! is a captivating cinematic adventure about hope and friendship. The film explores the sometimes mercurial relations between friends during childhood, and the role that enthusiastic competition and energizing solidarity play in the lives of children.

A romp through childhood full of heart and humor. To amuse themselves during the winter school break, the kids in a small village decide to have a massive snowball fight. Luke and Sophie, both 11 years old, become the leaders of the opposing sides. Sophie and her cohorts defend an elaborate snow fort against the assault of Luke’s horde. Whichever side occupies the fort at the end of the winter break, wins. But what starts out as pure youthful fun and enthusiasm deteriorates into a more serious conflict, where children learn valuable life lessons on friendship, the importance of unity, and the emotional consequences of vicious rivalry. The film’s underlying message – neither side wins in war – is as relevant today as ever.