Video Column: Breaking down the Nike Colin Kaepernick ad campaign backlash
InReview takes on its very first video column! Continue reading Video Column: Breaking down the Nike Colin Kaepernick ad campaign backlash
Category: Columns
Aquaman will probably dissapoint
“Man of Steel” disappointed. “Batman v. Superman” bombed in a spectacular fashion. “Suicide Squad” bombed. “Wonder Woman” was genuinely good. And “Justice League” was just ok.
And now we have “Aquaman.” Oh, Aquaman. “My man!” as Jason Momoa’s bafoonish testosterone-induced version of the character would say.
But you’re not my man. You’re no one’s man. You’re Jason Momoa playing an overcompensation of a traditionally mild-mannered joke of a character, stuck in between Zack Snyder’s dark and gloomy ugly-CGI “Man of Steel” Universe, and Joss Whedon’s over-corrected “Justice League” Universe. Momoa’s portrayal of the character is one of identity crisis, and the only sample of his character we saw was in a poorly-written by-the-numbers movie that didn’t know what it wanted to be. I hate to say it, but Momoa’s impact as Aquaman was as noticeable as any of the disposable “Suicide Squad” characters, and I would have you know that I mean that in the nicest way possible (“Suicide Squad” is a guilty pleasure of mine); that’s to say, he didn’t offend, like the god-awful Jared Leto Joker we got in that film, but he didn’t make an impact, either. Continue reading “Aquaman will probably dissapoint”
James Gunn and the difficult case of evil artists
I held off giving a hot take on this issue while it was still trending because that often leads to me putting out a crappy, half-formed opinion on the matter. Now, when it is certain that almost no one will read this because the public has since moved on to the next big things in entertainment news (“Mamma Mia” 2 and “Team Titans Go! To the Movies” are good?!), I’m willing to throw my small voice into the matter. Continue reading “James Gunn and the difficult case of evil artists”
Does anyone care about Ant-Man and the Wasp?
“The Avengers: Infinity War” bought Marvel/Disney a lot of good will, bringing audiences the villain they always dreamed of in Thanos, and delivering an ending that simultaneously leaves room for an even better sequel, while also keeping us on the edge of our seats.
But I’m not sure I love the film enough to really care about Ant-Man, nor do I think general audiences will. Continue reading “Does anyone care about Ant-Man and the Wasp?”
The Star Wars Universe Un-Expands… Again
With the perceived failure of “Solo” (when you factor in advertising costs and reshoots), Disney could possibly lose $50 million off of the film. Of course, I have no way to confirm the exact data as it will likely never be released, but suffice it to say, “Solo” is not the crowd pleaser Disney hoped, and the rumor on the street is that it’s thrown a wrench in their plans for future spinoffs. Continue reading “The Star Wars Universe Un-Expands… Again”
Is Pixar in trouble?
The short answer is, no. The long answer is still no, but one day it might be.
Pixar Animation Studios has a groundbreaking reputation being that they were one of the earliest and by many are still considered the best studio that primarily focuses in computer animation. They even produced the first feature-length CG-animated film (“Toy Story”), and for years enjoyed dominance in this still early but promising area of filmmaking, although they haven’t had much competition for a very long time, as their only real rival prior to the 2010s was DreamWorks Animation, who, like Mike Myers, will probably live off of the “Shrek” franchise till the day they die. Continue reading “Is Pixar in trouble?”
Why you should watch Akira
“Akira” holds a special place in the hearts of many, and for good reason. If you’re Japanese, “Akira” represents a moment in time where Japanese animation could for the first time slug with the likes of Disney both in terms of global impact and quality of animation, with the budget of the film translating into roughly $20 million in today’s money thanks to a mega-collaboration between Kodansha, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Bandai, Hakuhodo, Toho, Laserdisc Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation. If you’re from the west, whether you know it or not, “Akira” was the trailblazer that opened the door to worldwide distribution that allowed a world of anime to reach you, from “Dragon Ball Z” to “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.” Continue reading “Why you should watch Akira”
