NEWS / Captain Kirk is Coming to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

By Brandon T. McClure

Leaked photos of Paul Wesley on the set of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 are now out there. The internet was interested in who this new character could be. Trek Culture even speculated that this could be Matt Decker, the character made famous by the late William Windom in the original Star Trek season 2 episode The Doomsday Machine. But Paramount+ has now gone ahead and exclusively revealed that Vampire Diaries’ Paul Wesley is playing none other than Captain James T. Kirk. 

Wesley is the third actor to play Captain Kirk after William Shatner’s iconic character and Chris Pine in the later rebooted franchise. Curiously, his uniform suggests that he’s already been promoted to Captain. There’s been no canonical reference to when Kirk was promoted, but it’s been assumed for some time that it was when he took command of the Enterprise. Since it’s unlikely he’s taking over the Enterprise from Captain Pike this early, could they be introducing him as the captain of the USS Farragut? The set images show him with a different badge than the ones worn by the Enterprise crew. This could indicate they’re returning to a scrapped Star Trek: The Original Series idea where each ship had its own special badge.

At any rate, it's unlikely Paramount+ would have announced this role so early, before season 1 has even aired, if the photos hadn’t been leaked. Surely Captain Kirk was so far from everyone's minds, that they could have kept this a secret a little longer. It’s not like many people were going to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in the hopes of seeing Captain Kirk. The benefits of a show like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is that there has been so little in canon about Captain Pike, and this was the chance for audiences to see what adventures he went on before his accident.

In Star Trek, few characters are as famous as Captain James T. Kirk. Between William Shatner and Chris Pine, the character has starred in two TV shows (Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Animated Series) and ten movies (Star Trek: The Motion Picture to Star Trek: Generations and the three reboot movies). So for a new Star Trek series to return to the Captain Kirk character, even briefly, on the surface feels unnecessary. After all, are fans really that hungry for the early adventures of James T. Kirk?

Captain Kirk is such a powerful figure in Star Trek, that his presence could overshadow Pike and his crew, in the same way that Anson Mount overshadowed the cast of Star Trek: Discovery. Questions still remain, though, since Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is said to be more episodic than the other current Star Trek shows, how much of a role will Paul Wesley play in the series? It’s unclear how long the show-runners envision the show lasting, but if this is them introducing Kirk to replace Pike, then it would be a shame.

NIC GAUGE / Honeymoon In Vegas

MOVIE: Honeymoon In Vegas

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, James Caan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pat Morita, Peter Boyle, Anne Bancroft

RELEASE DATE: August 28th, 1992

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

An Elvis impersonator with Jack Singe (played by Nicolas Cage) in Honeymoon In Vegas.

Who doesn’t love a good romantic comedy about getting married in Las Vegas? Las Vegas just has a reputation. Do you want to get married fast and either win or lose a bunch of money in the process? Vegas is the place to be! Do you want to be surrounded by an ocean of Elvis Presley impersonators? Again, you go to Vegas. Surprisingly for my one trip there, I didn’t see a single Elvis so I ask the question, “Did I truly have a Las Vegas experience?” In tune to Sin City’s famous reputation, Honeymoon In Vegas is exactly the kind of romantic comedy film you would expect.

The plot is Jack Singer (Nicolas Cage) is convinced that marriage will ruin your life. He is dating Betsy Nolan (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) when he finally decides to pull the trigger and takes her to Las Vegas to elope. Upon arrival, they are spotted by gambler and con man, Tommy Korman (played by James Caan). Korman realizes that Betsy looks a lot like his deceased wife and decides to try and take her from Jack. He tricks Jack into accepting a game of poker. Jack looses $65,000. Korman makes a deal that if he can spend the weekend with Betsy, he will forget about the debt. When Betsy starts falling for Korman, it’s up to Jack to get her back.

Tommy Korman (played by James Caan) and Jack Singer (played by Nicolas Cage) in Honeymoon In Vegas.

It’s a light-hearted romantic comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Unfortunately, I believe it can feel outdated and modern audience may have difficulties connecting. Watching this now almost feels like cartoons with stories of the villain kidnaping a girl and forcing them to love the bad guy. I know there are probably some newer films that still use that plot point, but I believe we have evolved to a point where it’s not the main focus of contemporary romantic comedies.

Betsy Nolan (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) and Jack Singer (played by Nicolas Cage) in Honeymoon In Vegas.

That being said, it’s an entertaining film. I had never seen it, so as a first-time watcher, it did the job of being fun. As always, Cage’s acting throughout the film is hilarious. There was never a point where he overacted….too much. There were a couple of moments in the later parts of the film when he tries to find Betsy, that he just chews the scene. But this was nowhere near the “Full Cage” level of acting.

There really wasn’t too much about this film that needed to be said, except now I feel like I need to go back to Vegas and find myself an Elvis impersonator. I would put this on the higher end of “Good” on the “Nic Gauge”.

Now, who wants to go and get eloped in Vegas? Maybe I’ll jump out of a plane for you.

COUNT DOWN #44: A SUPRISE CAMEO

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• A SUPRISE CAMEO •

MOMENT# 44

MOVIE: The Incredible Hulk

DIRECTORS: Louis Leterrier

WRITERS: Zak Penn

Often considered the MCU’s forgotten stepchild, The Incredible Hulk came out just a few weeks after Iron Man. Back then, The Incredible Hulk was considered the safe bet, so putting the two films so close together was to ensure that if Iron Man failed, the investors would still get some of their money back. After the post-credits tease at the end of the MCU’s first film, the second film released by Marvel Studios had some eyes on it. Was this film going to reference any events from Iron Man? No one was really sure what to make of this film, especially with the 2003 film still fresh in people's minds. That all changed with one cameo (not that one).

The Incredible Hulk acts as a loose reboot for the Hulk. Since The Hulk, directed by Ang Lee, was still relatively new, Marvel Studios decided not to retell the origin of the titular character. Instead, we meet Bruce Banner (this time played by Edward Norton) already having been exposed to the gamma radiation that caused him to hulk out. He’s trying to live a quiet life while learning to suppress his anger and hopefully find a cure. General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) manages to track him down and, with the help of Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), flushes him out of hiding. You know how the rest goes, Hulk and Abomination have a big brawl in Harlem and they set up Samuel Sterns to become the Leader (which still hasn’t paid off).

Since this was before the post-credit scene precedent was set, the end of The Incredible Hulk sees General Ross drinking his sorrows away at a bar when, unexpectedly, Robert Downey Jr. walks into the movie reprising his role as Tony Stark. Even with some of the references to Stark Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D., this cameo came as a surprise. For years, audiences would hope for crossovers but understood that it was unlikely to happen. Spider-Man would never meet the X-Men and Christian Bale’s Batman wouldn’t meet Brandon Routh’s Superman. That just wasn’t how the game was played back then. Sure, Marvel had promised that wouldn’t be the case anymore just six weeks early, but what form that would take, was another question altogether

General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (played by William Hurt) in The Incredible Hulk post-credit scene.

It was electrifying walking out of that theater. The possibilities really did feel endless. Even though it wasn’t expected, it was entirely possible that you could be watching Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger and any Marvel hero could walk into the movie. This cameo showed audiences that Marvel was confident that this could work, and it began to fill their growing audience with trust.

General Ross (William Hurt) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in the post-credit scene of The Incredible Hulk.

Nowadays, seeing these kinds of characters interact is practically any-given Tuesday in the MCU, the discussion around Phase 4 has been dominated by what cameos are going to appear next. This cameo was unlike anything audiences had ever seen. This was a clear message to audiences, the Avengers were coming. Not only were you going to see your favorite heroes on the big screen, but Marvel was determined to fulfill your dreams of seeing them interact with each other.

Why Pixar?

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

On January 7, 2022, Disney announced that the latest film from Pixar Animation, Turning Red, was going to skip its theatrical release, and instead be released exclusively on Disney+ at no extra cost. This move follows similar decisions for the likes of Pixar’s 2020’s Soul and 2021’s Luca. It’s no secret that Disney is putting a lot of effort into building the Disney+ library, but this isn’t happening as frequently as other studios under Disney’s umbrella. Marvel and Disney Animation, for example, are guaranteed to receive exclusive theatrical windows, so why isn’t Pixar getting the same treatment?

When the announcement came for Soul, it was a surprise, but Disney framed it as a “Christmas gift” to the fans who have been waiting patiently for the film's release. Since 2020 was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were stuck inside as everything was closed, including movie theaters. Even though Disney had successfully rolled out Mulan with a $29.99 one-time payment, Disney seemed unsure if they were going to continue that financial approach for their future releases. Soul ended up being a big streaming hit for Disney+ and that seemed to be the end of it. That was until March of 2021, when Luca was announced to be heading straight to Disney+ at no extra cost.

Disney Pixar 2021 Luca animated film.

Luca was a major surprise, while theaters were struggling, they were at least open. At the time, the move was criticized because other movies had been released as a hybrid model. Cruella, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Black Widow all had theater releases as well as same day streaming on Disney+ at an added cost of $29.99. If Disney truly felt that Luca’s box office performance would be negatively impacted by the pandemic, then why didn’t they decide on a hybrid model or at the very least, a premier release?

Insiders at Pixar have already spoken about these perplexed decisions. Many felt confused and hurt after they poured so much love into the creation of an anticipated hit, that they were baffled it wouldn’t get to be seen in the format that it was made for. Pixar was being treated as a Disney+ content generator and not the major box office draw it had been countless times since Toy Story. Of course, there were some saying that it’s nice that kids could safely see the film, and that is true, but then why wasn’t the same concession made to Raya and the Last Dragon, which had a hybrid release, or Encanto which was released exclusively in theaters?

Meilin “Mei” Lee from Disney Pixar’s Turning Red.

After Luca, Disney stopped the hybrid model and released all of their major tentpoles, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Encanto exclusively in theaters. So then, why not Turning Red? Pixar’s latest film about a young girl who begins to turn into a giant red panda was all set for its March theater release date, before Disney once again pulled the rug out from under Pixar. To the many animators at Pixar, this seemed to have come without a warning, and certainly to the audiences who were excited to see a new Pixar film on the big screen. No real explanation has been given to why this is, and it’s unlikely any explanation would be believed.

While many studios these days rely on recognizable IP (intellectual property) to get audiences into theaters, Pixar only ever had to rely on their name. A Pixar film was a guaranteed box office hit, and if something like The Good Dinosaur wasn’t a hit, then a film like Inside Out would be. Their focus on original animated films that the whole family could love has put them at the top of the animation industry for decades now. They are more than a content generator for Disney to shuffle onto Disney+. They are a staple in the homes of peoples of all generations. They are the metric by which other animation studios are compared to. With Lightyear’s June release date fast approaching, many are left wondering if the rug will be pulled out once again and Lightyear will be the fourth Pixar film to release exclusively on Disney+ at no extra cost. Unfortunately, the decision to move Turning Red has created a precedent that could potentially change Pixar’s entire future.

Disney Pixar’s Turning Red.

NIC GAUGE / Primal

MOVIE: Primal

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Famke Janssen, Kevin Durand, LaMonica Garett, Michael Imperioli, Jeremy Nazario, Drake Shannon, Braulio Castillo Jr.

RELEASE DATE: November 8th, 2019

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Frank Walsh (Nicolas Cage), Morales (Braulio Castillo Jr) and Dr. Ellen Taylor (Famke Janssen) in Primal.

Primal was a straight to DVD release in November of 2019 that stars Nic Cage, Famke Janssen (of “X-Men” fame), and Kevin Durand (who has been in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” as The Blob). This film came as part of a group of other straight to DVD releases from Cage after Color Out Of Space went to theaters. Most of the time, straight to DVD films are usually considered not to have the budget for a theater release and/or just not being strong enough contenders for theaters that they just skip right to mass production. Primal is one of those films that I found underwhelming and overall cheap in terms of production, fitting that mold.

The plot of Primal is this; big-game hunter Frank Walsh (played by Cage) catches a rare white jaguar in the Brazilian rainforest, loads it on a container ship to illegally bring it back to the states and sell it to a zoo, in hence to make a fortune. On that same ship, US Marshals are bringing in notorious political assassin and ex-special forces operative, Richard Loffer (played by Durand). When Loffer breaks out and lets loose Walsh’s animals, it’s up to Walsh and the US Marshals to get everything back under control before Loffer kills everybody.

The White Jaguar in Primal

This film is pretty bad. 90% of the animals are CGI and they look like they were made with early 2001 graphics. More so, he main problems are the acting and writing in this film. Characters make horrible choices. There’s a scene where everyone who is working on the boat is locked in one room and is learning about Loffer’s escape, and the engineers have to leave to keep the ship running. In the midst of that, Loffer shows up in the engine room and asks the engineers about how to power the boat. The engineers just tell him how to even-though, they should know he’s Loffer as he was not with the rest of the crew and marshals. There is also one child actor who’s skill is laughable. Everything he does is incredibly flat and has no emotion. There is even a moment where Loffer goes to grab the kid’s head to hold him hostage, and the kid visibly leans over for Loffer to predictably grab it. The only (sort-of) saving grace of this film is the overacting of both Cage and Durand. Their fight scenes are extremely comical, especially Cage’s reaction to a single punch or kick. Because of their acting, this film is in the upper section of “Terrible” on the Nic Gauge.

FOUR EYES REVIEW / The Batman

Welcome back to another “Four Eyes” review. We take this moment to share 2 opinions on a single geek topic.

Below both Justin and Dave will each dive into what they thought about Matt Reeve’s The Batman. Join us for a “Fan”-tastic, gushing with praise, recap.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on social media using #foureyesreview

MOVIE: The Batman

STARRING: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravits, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Keoghan, Andy Serkis

RELEASE DATE: March 4th, 2022

WHERE TO WATCH (as of March 2022): Theaters (Streaming on HBO Max on April 19th, 2022)

FROM JUSTIN POMERVILLE:

Cue the 60’s Batman theme song, because our favorite caped crusader is back again on the big screen. When The Batman was first announced with Robert Pattison as Bruce Wayne/Batman, I was a little hesitant. It wasn’t Pattison’s acting capabilities, but more or less the direction this film was going to go. As time went on and the more information released, it became clear that Pattison (and director Matt Reeves) had a clear vision of what exactly this Batman story would be and how it would stand out from the rest of the pack. Their story, as well as the overall style and feel, was told in a fantastic way that kept you on the edge of your seat.

The main plot focuses on a young Bruce Wayne who has only been Batman for a few years. That is the biggest difference, and because of that, we got a very different kind of Batman. We get a Batman that was still learning what exactly it means to be the hero Gotham needs. His fighting style, detective work, even his gadgets are still being honed and crafted. His interactions with the rest of the characters is fabulous as he learns to form relationships in order to become that better hero. This is the kind of Batman story where we actually get to watch Batman’s growth. With that growth, we learn how it affects Gotham and lays out the beginning rise of his rogue gallery.

Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in Warner Brother’s 2022 release of The Batman.

Bruce’s relationships with both Selena Kyle (played by Zoë Kravitz) and Jim Gordon (played by Jefferey Wright) were meticulously put together. They all intertwine with each other flawlessly and it never felt forced to move the film forward. We got to see the beginning romance between Bruce and Selena as well as the trust and friendship (which is what I would call it) between Bruce and Jim as they work the murder case. Everyone’s role played out great and left me wanting to see the next step in their evolution.

Everyone’s performance was top-notch, but a couple really stood out. Paul Dano’s portrayal of The Riddler was maybe my favorite because they took such a weird villain in the comic whose whole bit is elaborate traps that can be solved by riddles, and they made him dangerous, smart and gave his whole character a fresh direction. He became visually terrifying in his mask, giving him a Zodiac killer vibe, but with the intelligence that is just as scary. The Riddler has been that character in the comics that in recent years has been taken more seriously, but this representation took it to a new level.

Jim Gordon (played by Jeffrey Wright) and Batman (played by Robert Pattinson) in The Batman.

The overall feel of this film is thrilling, Gotham felt claustrophobic and gave you a real sense of how dangerous the place is. The soundtrack is just insane and fits with the tone. Reeves littered this movie with Easter eggs and Batman lore that could make this a solid franchise going froward (if he so chooses to go in that direction). This wasn’t just a superhero movie. This was a thriller detective film that just so happened to involve Batman. That is something we don’t see very often. You can’t really compare it to the others,. If I had to choose, this may have become my new favorite Batman film.

FROM DAVE CLARK:

For as long as I can remember, my two favorite comic book properties have been the X-Men and Batman. I remember my excitement to see Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989. I would have to wait for the VHS but I was still very excited to see this larger-than-life hero played out in movie form. For me it wasn’t about world building or easter eggs. It was about seeing my favorite superhero take it to his most feared enemy on the big screen. It would then lead to the greatest animated series in the history of Batman cartoons. It would define comic book movies for a very long time and we’d set the scale as to who would portray Batman, The Joker, Alfred, Gordon, and so on. They’d be rated alongside the cast of the original film and even Adam West’s Batman. Here we are. We are in the twenty-first century and I’m getting the seventh actor to portray Batman/Bruce Wayne in live action form.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman.

I was extremely apprehensive when they announced the casting and idea behind this film so soon after Ben Affleck’s portrayal in Justice League. It started when Matt Reeves joined as Writer and Director after Affleck dropped from being the Director. Then Affleck dropped out altogether, opening the door for Robert Pattinson. Pattinson was a man I thought as horrible at acting based solely off the Twilight films alone. For the record, I was wrong and the actors are not to blame fully for those films being so bad. So many of them would go on to have amazing careers, including Pattinson. Recently, I loved him in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. Pattinson taking over the cape and cowl for this potential new take of the story gave me confidence in the capable creative hands of Matt Reeves.

This film is now not only my favorite Batman film, but it may also very well be one of my all-time favorite films ever. It establishes our Batman as a great detective, though not the greatest, not yet at least. He’s still not the polished Dark Knight as it is only his third year on the job. However, right from the title screen, we’re getting a Batman film with narration. We’re treated with an inner monologue from Batman explaining his thoughts and observations, which in turn end up being the vocalization of his ritual of writing in a journal during this Gotham Experiment he calls being the Batman. While there has been Batman narrating before, this felt different. It felt stronger and a more intimate look into the mind of Batman. Without getting too long winded, the portrayal of every character in this film was done with respect and knowledge of the source material.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman.

The music throughout set the tone and was perfectly fit for a Gotham that no person would choose to live in unless they had no other choice. Each character had their own theme and they worked well to establish the tone of their character in the scene. The music and sound production was stellar. You felt every punch, every footfall from Batman as he emerged from the darkness. You felt the car chase with every crash and explosion.

I really could gush about this movie for thousands of words but I’m going to cut myself short and direct you to our podcast we’ll be releasing this week (link to come) with our more detailed review of The Batman. This was a strong Batman movie, and best of all - it’s simply just a great movie overall. It’s a crime thriller about a desperate chase of a maniacal serial killer who has a political agenda to expose the city’s corruption at its core. The inspiration for this film from Zodiac, Seven, and Chinatown can be noticed even after the credits have rolled. It’s safe to say, we’re in good hands for the future of Batman and his Rogues Gallery and perhaps his extended Bat-family. The future is bright in a dark dank Gotham.

NIC GAUGE / World Trade Center

MOVIE: World Trade Center

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Michael Peña, Will Jimeno, Anthony Piccininni, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello, Jay Hernandez, Michael Shannon

RELEASE DATE: August 9th, 2006

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

(L to R) Maggie Gyllenhaal (as Allison Jimeno), Maria Bello (as Donna McLoughlin, Michael Peña (as Will Jimeo) and Nicolas Cage (as John McLoughlin) in Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center.

World Trade Center was a film I wasn’t entirely sure how to approach among the ranks of Nicolas Cage films. This film is nestled in with the group of questionable films that he has made in the 2000s, many of which I still need to get to (if you have been keeping track). This is the only film in the group that involves real-life events and is probably one of the stronger performances of Cage’s career. The film was directed by Oliver Stone, known for directing many films like Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, JFK, and Natural Born Killers. This film also had input from the real police officers the story revolves around; Will Jimeno and John Mcloughlin. Both officers, along with their wives, were in the writing room as well as took part in the overall production of the film.

The film is about Port Authority Police officers Will Jimeno (played by Micheal Peña) and Sergeant John Mcloughlin (played by Nic Cage). They are part of a group of officers that are responding to the World Trade Center as the North Tower was hit by the plane. As they prepare to enter the building to help with evacuation, the South Tower comes down, trapping them in an elevator shaft under the rubble. Throughout the film, we keep switching from their perspective to that of their wives; Allison Jimeno (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Donna Mcloughlin (played by Maria Bello). The wives are left in the dark about their husband’s lives.

Nicolas Cage as Sergeant John McLoughlin in World Trade Center.

I’m going to keep it short about this film because I’m not comfortable doing a deep dive into a 9/11 film. The film is first rate. It’s a part of American history and felt very much like a time capsule. Seeing the horrific events from the perspective of those who were involved firsthand, painting a picture that I felt was needed. Also, the film has a strong overall narrative of humanity in a time of need. The visuals of firemen, officers, and military from around the U.S. banding together to help the survivors calls attention to that point . There’s not much really to say in terms of what I expected from this film. It’s obvious what you are watching.

On the “Nic Gauge” this sits comfortably on the higher end of “Good”.

REVIEW / Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

There has been great success lately with old horror franchises like Halloween, Candyman, and to an extent, Scream. Each movie getting a new film that is a direct sequel to the original. This direction brings fresh life to the films and an easy introduction to those who have never seen the original. Also, they have added a nice bit of legacy by bringing back past characters (ie: Laurie Strode return in Halloween Kills). This helps for both nostalgia and story purposes. This trend has been a great success but I was curious if they could keep the momentum going with this new Texas Chainsaw Massacre?

As a horror fan, I love it all. I enjoy the good and the bad, the suspense and the gore. Sadly, Texas Chainsaw Massacre suffers from a lot of problems. I am not confident I was the target audience. The only real positive for this film is the gore aspect. An audience that thrives on butchery over plot, this update would most likely be a blast. There are a couple fun kills, but beyond that, this film did nothing to make the franchise and Leatherface stand out for me. It comes down to the story. The whole narrative is a group of entrepreneurs selling off the properties of the town of Harlow (the town that the original story was based). They are ironically looking to build a new, safe community. However, Leatherface has other plans and begins to murder every single person in sight.

Lila (Elsie Fisher), Melody (Sarah Yarkin), Ruth (Nell Hudson and Dante (Jacob Latimore) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The script is barely held together with characters that are unlikeable and hard to get behind. The main protagonist is Lila (played by Elsie Fisher). She has an updated and poignant backstory of being a victim of a school shooting. This film really wants you to remember this group's disdain for guns. We don’t know the reason for the shooting until we are halfway through the film. Even after the revolution, it had very little impact to the plot. Everyone else just has cookie-cutter attributes despite having a competent cast. You get the overbearing sister who is obnoxious (for me), but also a local that you are supposed to hate yet end up liking. On top of those characters, they also brought back a legacy character, Sally (played by Olwen Fouéré) from the original film. I was very excited to see the flashback and how a veteran of the original mayhem would handle things today. Unfortunately, she brought nothing substantial to the film. She is misused and under appreciated. She is just another body on the pile. I feel cheated that she was not allowed even a proper showdown with Leatherface.

Sally Hardesty (played by Olwen Fouéré) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I believe the other problem with this film is it never felt like a big deal in horror. Halloween, Scream, and Candyman all had huge budgets and theatrical releases (including months of planning and ads) building excitement for their releases. They embraced promoting the return of past characters. As far as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, all I saw in terms of advertisements was one trailer when it was first announced and then forgotten about until the release date. It felt more like an afterthought. After great success with Fear Street and Army of th Dead, I had just expected more from Netflix. I am curious if that impacted the reviews? It appeared everyone online completely forgot this film was coming and thus its reception was lackluster, to say the least.

Leatherface (Mark Burnham) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I wish they had put more into this film to give it more substance. As it stands, it is near the bottom of the pile of the Texas Chainsaw franchise, and rightfully so in my opinion. As noted, I know others have enjoyed it, which is appreciable. Woefully, I am not one of them.

COUNT DOWN #45: THE FIRST POST CREDITS

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• THE FIRST POST CREDITS •

MOMENT# 45

MOVIE: Iron Man

DIRECTORS: Jon Favreau

WRITERS: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum & Matt Holloway

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr) house during the post-credits of Iron Man.

The MCU has expanded to reach heights that fans had only dreamed of. No one knew what the franchise would grow to become when Iron Man came to theaters in 2008. Marvel had sold the rights to some of their more popular characters such as the X-Men and Spider-Man. The newly formed Marvel Studios was limited in what various heroes could form The Avengers. Fans were used to superhero films existing in their own little pocket universes, but that all changed with Iron Man.

Unaware that the landscape of superhero cinema was about to change forever, moviegoers went to see the Marvel film in modest numbers. Audiences fell in love with the new superhero played by Robert Downey Jr. This first MCU film followed the journey of Tony Stark after he gets captured by the Ten Rings terrorist group. They force him to make a weapon but instead he makes a suit of armor to make his escape. Afterwards he moves Stark Industries away from weapons manufacturing. His new objective was making a new suit and taking down his nefarious business partner, Obadiah Stane. He proudly declares to the world that he is Iron Man.

The credits rolled and nearly everyone left the theater, but those who stayed were treated with the first hints that something more was on the way. In a darkened house in Malibu, Samuel L. Jackson is introduced to audiences as Nick Fury. He informs Tony Stark that he’s become part of a larger world, ending with “I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.” Since Iron Man, there has been a post credits scene in almost every MCU film, with the exception of The Incredible Hulk and Avengers: Endgame (and technically Avengers: Age of Ultron only has a mid-credits scene). The post-credits became a tool for Marvel Studios to tease up the next film or the next major story. Sitting in the theater waiting for that final scene to show has become a tradition for Marvel fans ever since. 

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) delivering the line “I’m here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative” in Iron Man’s post-credits.

Fans had wanted superhero crossovers for years. The closest anyone ever got was a fake poster in I Am Legend. The world of superhero cinema had just changed forever. Kevin Fiege and Marvel Studios had just told the world that they were going to unite the Avengers on the big screen. At the time, no one knew how it would happen or when, but they were going to try, and that was more than enough.

All audiences had to do was sit through the credits.

NIC GAUGE / Face Off

MOVIE: Face/Off

STARRING: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola, Gina Gershon, Dominque Swain, Nick Cassavetes

RELEASE DATE: June 19th, 1997

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Caster Troy / Sean Archer (both characters played by both (L to R) Nicolas Cage & John Travolta) in Face Off.

I don’t think you understand the excitement I had when the generator picked Face/Off for this week's Nic Gauge. This was the first film I saw Nic Cage in back when I was around 15 years old. Revisiting this film, I already knew I was going to have fun. 

Face/Off came out in 1997, and was directed by John Woo. Woo has directed films like Hard Boiled, Mission Impossible 2, and Windtalkers (also staring Cage). Face/Off was nominated for an Academy Award for Sound Effect Editing at the 70th Academy Awards. The film was also the 11th highest-grossing film of 1997, earning $245 million. An interesting fact, the original actors that were envisioned to play the rivals were Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. My personal opinion, if those two would have been cast, I don’t think this film would have done as well. The chemistry between Cage/Travolta is what makes this movie so special.

Caster Troy / Sean Archer (both characters played by both (L to R) Nicolas Cage & John Travolta) in Face Off.

The plot begins after a failed assassination attempt from Castor Troy (at the time played by Cage) on FBI agent Sean Archer (at the moment played by John Travolta) that results in the death of Archer’s son. Archer spends six years hunting Troy and his brother Pollux (played by Alessandro Nivola). Eventually, Archer catches them, but not before they plant a bomb in Los Angeles. In order to gain information on the whereabouts of the bomb, Archer masquerades as Troy by literally wearing his face. Archer switches faces with Troy in order to speak with Pollux in a maximum-security prison. So now Cage playing a villain (Troy) becomes the good guy (Archer) and Travolta playing the good guy protagonist (Archer) becomes the criminal (Troy). Unfortunately, Troy escapes custody while still wearing Archer’s face and destroys all traces of that facial exchange. He gets his brother out of prison, and becoming the false hero, disarms the bomb. This leaves Good Guy Archer (who is wearing Bad Guy Troy’s face) to rot in his place as a criminal. Add on, Archer then escapes and has to save his family from Troy and try to get his life back.

Summary for those who are confused (easy to do when recapping the plot per editor Jenny):

Beginning of Story:

Cage/Troy = Bad

Travolta/Archer = Good

Mid-Story:

Cage/Archer = Good

Travolta/Troy = Bad

From start to finish, this film does not let up on the action. The first opening fight really tells you the story of this rivalry and it just gets better from there. Especially with the climactic battle at the end involving a speed boat fight. Throughout, Travolta and Cage work extremely well with each other and have great interactions. Because of the films personality switch, I think they did a great job with making Cage’s eccentric homicidal tendencies and Travolta’s more reserved and stoic nature easily transferable. I do find the whole actual face swap mechanic very cheesy and hilarious in practice, but as it is the main driving force of the film, I let it slide a little bit. Beyond that, the story itself, essentially being a Freaky Friday situation (but with more guns) works well, albeit slightly hilarious.

Troy (Nicolas Cage) “meme-scene” in Face/Off.

On the Nic Gauge, I comfortably sit this in-between “Bloody Awesome” and “Good” mainly because of how much meme material Cage’s expressions have given us with this film alone.

COUNT DOWN #46: NICK FURY STILL BELIEVES IN HEROES

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• NICK FURY STILL BELIEVES IN HEROES •

MOMENT# 46

MOVIE: Marvel’s The Avengers

DIRECTORS: Joss Whedon

WRITERS: Joss Whedon & Zak Penn

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel’s The Avengers

The first few years of the MCU were a frenzy of speculation and hype. When word was announced that the first phase of the franchise would come to a close with a massive team-up film, uniting the characters that had already been introduced, people just couldn’t believe it. A collaboration film like this was unheard of at the time and had only existed in the dreams of hardcore fans for decades. Nonetheless, in 2012, The Avengers was released and with it, many defining moments that would pave the way for the MCU for years to come.

The Avengers brought together the heroes introduced in each MCU film since 2008’s Iron Man. They joined to fight a new threat in the form of a Chitauri invasion of Earth led by the god of mischief himself, Loki. Nowadays, Marvel does these types of things in their sleep, but back then it was a juggling act that fans weren’t sure would pay off. In this first Avengers film, Loki is tasked by Thanos to retrieve the Tesseract. He brainwashes Clint Barton/Hawkeye and begins a plan to bring his army to Earth. In response to this, Nick Fury (director of SHIELD) brings together the mightiest heroes the Earth has ever seen, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Black Widow, in the hopes to stop Loki before he can bring his army.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) in Marvel’s The Avengers

In the midst of an escape, Loki kills Phil Coulson, a SHIELD agent who had grown close to the various heroes. Coupled with Loki’s escape, some major psychological and physical damage to the team (as well as the Helicarrier) made the heroes feel like everything was lost. They had failed and Loki was in the wind with no way to find him. In a rare quiet moment in the film, Nick Fury, mourning the loss of his friend and agent, lays everything on the table to Steve and Stark, both mourning Coulson’s death as well. Fury talks about how there was an idea, to bring together a group of remarkable individuals to see if they could be something more. To drive the point home, he says “Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea…in heroes.”

Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Marvel’s The Avengers.

Steve Rogers/Captain America, the man out of time, doesn’t know what his place is in this new world. He looks at the bloodied Captain America trading cards laid out in front of him, wondering, is there a place for him in this time period? Tony Stark/Iron Man, coldly looks off into the distance, unsure how to face his emotions for losing his friend. Upon hearing the line about heroes, he storms out of the room. After all, how could he be a hero? All the while, Fury is running one last play that he’s not sure is going to work. He watches Stark leave and says “well, it’s an old-fashioned notion anyway.”

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) with Coulson’s cards in Marvel’s The Avengers.

This parallels nicely with an early conversation in the film when Coulson speaks to Steve about the new Captain America uniform. Steve is unsure how something so flashy would work in the modern-day and asks whether or not it was too old-fashioned. Coulson just follows up with “people might just need a little old-fashioned.” The callback to the earlier scene is the button on the speech that persuades Steve because that's exactly what the world needs right now. After convincing the others, they converge on New York and prepare for the battle of their lives.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Marvel’s The Avengers.

Within the film, Fury’s speech gave the Avengers the push they needed to put aside their differences and be the heroes the world needs. This was the button on the first and biggest lesson the soon-to-be Avengers would learn: no matter what happens, you get up because the world is counting on you. Divided they could be beaten but together they were stronger. This was the penultimate moment to them uniting and becoming The Avengers.

Marvel’s The Avengers  (L to R): Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson, Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth).

NIC GAUGE / Season of the Witch

MOVIE: Season of the Witch

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Claire Foy, Robert Sheehan, Stephen Campbell Moore, Ulrich Thomsen

RELEASE DATE: January 7th, 2011

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Starz, Amazon Prime)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Debelzaq (Stephen Campbell Moore), Behman von Bleibruck (Nicolas Cage), and Felson (Ron Perlman) in Season of the Witch

I’m a sucker for films set in medieval times. Especially when magic and supernatural elements are involved. Films like Lord of the Rings, Willow, & as previously stated several times, The Green Knight. So, you throw in Nicolas Cage AND Ron Perlman, how could I possibly ignore it. Well, turns out, I have never seen this one. So, considering the track record so far with “The Nic Gauge”, I kept my expectations pretty low, especially after the last entry.

Season of the Witch takes place in the 14th century and revolves around two knights, Behman (played by Cage) and Felson (played by Perlman), that were fighting in the crusades. But after one battle, they realize they are just butchering women and children in “the name of God” and desert their posts and leave for home in Austria. A month after they have returned, they learn that the people have been infected with The Black Death. When they enter a town for supplies, they are arrested for their desertion and are then tasked by the cardinal (played by Christopher Lee) to take a woman (played by Claire Foy) to a remote monastery. The woman is accused of witchcraft and must be put to trial.

Behman (Nicolas Cage) and “The Girl” (Claire Foy) in Season of the Witch

This film was awkward. That is the best way I can put it.

The first portion of introducing Behman and Felson is fine. The lead-up to taking the woman to the monastery is fine. Once they leave for the actual adventure is where everything starts going south. The main chunk of this trip is just everyone arguing on whether or not the woman is actually a witch, while actual witchcraft is happening. The woman calls upon wolves to come kill everyone and she tricks one guy into killing another. So, you would think it would be safe to say she is actually a witch. Spoiler alert, you find out in the third act that she is actually possessed by a demon. That discovery kind of kills the momentum of the film (on top of terrible early 2010’s special effects). You are conditioned to believe that by the end of the film, there will be a final showdown between Cage and a witch.To then take the weird route and switch the witch into a demon just does a horrible disservice to the audience. To add to it, the special effects on the demon feel incomplete and very muddy looking, making the film feel very unfinished.

This film started out being in the middle of “The Nic Gauge”, but as it reached the hour mark, it started plummeting. Once the film finished, it now sits comfortably on the lower end of “Terrible”.

FOUR EYES REVIEW / The Book of Boba Fett - Season 1

Welcome back to another “Four Eyes” review. We take this moment to share 2 opinions on a single geek topic.

Below both Justin and Jenny will each dive into what they thought about Season 1 of The Book of Boba Fett. Join us for an interesting recap.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on social media using #foureyesreview

SHOW: The Book of Boba Fett

STARRING: Temuera Morrison, Ming-Na Wen, Jennifer Beals, Sophie Thatcher, Timothy Olyphant, Pedro Pascal, Amy Sedaris

RELEASE DATE: December 29th, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH: Disney+

FROM JUSTIN POMERVILLE (2 Broke Geeks):

So we have come to a close on the first season of The Book of Boba Fett and this series has been polarizing among Star Wars fans. I am in the camp that the series was not very good. I believe the pacing was off and the writing was a mess. I think if given more time and some tweaks, this series could have been even better than The Mandalorian series that came before it.

Personally, I believe that Boba Fett is an overhyped character in Star Wars. He was just the bounty hunter that got shot by a blind Han Solo and fell into the Sarlacc. That was it. Granted, I do acknowledge that he has an elaborate backstory outside of the films, but I have never read any of those and never ventured out to look into them. However, when Boba Fett showed up in The Mandalorian and actually did stuff, I started to get more invested and excited for The Book of Boba Fett.

Boba Fett (Temura Morrison) in Lucasfilm's THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT, exclusively on Disney+. © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

Where did it go wrong for me? The series was lackluster. The first four episodes are split between two stories. One story being Boba’s past, starting from when he escaped the Sarlacc. The other is present-day where Boba has taken over Jabba’s palace and is working to control the criminal underworld on Tatooine. That was the first problem for me. Throughout those episodes, it felt like they focused more on Boba’s past versus the current timeline. They slowly built up to why the past was important, but I was more interested in the current story. I felt like they didn’t have much invested in the current storyline, so forced to heavily lean into how Boba came back, met Fennec Shand, and got his stuff back.

(L-R): Temura Morrison is Boba Fett and Ming-Na Wen is Fennec Shand in Lucasfilm's THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT, exclusively on Disney+. © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

Honestly, the next two episodes became the most interesting thing about the show, when we visit the Mandalorian (aka Din Djarin). We follow Mando as he’s missing Grogu, learns to control the dark saber, and is then forced out of the order because he took his helmet off. There wasn’t any jumping of past and present timelines, just a simple story of Din wanting to see Grogu again before he goes to help Boba battle the Pykes for their spice trading.

The finale of this show is also very spiritless as they spend even more time reviewing how they got to their current situation. They have a gunfight, and win the whole thing, forcing the Pykes off-world. They needed more time for this series to make it feel like a big deal. They reintroduced a bounty hunter from the Clone Wars series, and he has one fight scene and then dies by Boba’s hand. Not only that, Boba’s whole character arc just felt wasted. He begins the series with wanting to rule the criminal underworld to keep Tatooine safe, becoming a protector of the people. Being in power for what feels like just a couple of days, he hints that maybe this life was not made for him. He might move back into the life of a bounty hunter because he was told that killing is what he is good for.

Overall, this show just felt very boring and served more as a side story in the big Star Wars universe. It wanted to be the next phase of Boba’s life, but instead fell flat on its face. The episodes involving Din having the only real growth. The unrelated win was by making people excited for the next season of The Mandalorian. I’m sure they will be making a second season, but I don’t foresee it being something Disney will be focusing on, especially with all the other series they have coming down the line. If I had to rate this series on a letter grade, I would give it a C.

FROM JENNY ROBINSON:

Despite the harsh criticism of this show, I actually enjoyed it. I would give it a solid B in the grading system. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of questionable decisions. For some reason, they didn’t bother me as much as they did others. I do wish they would have done it as either a movie or released all episodes at the same time. The weekly release I feel is the main reason it did not connect well with the audience. There were slow character builds that then forced the audience to wait. It slowed the pace down dramatically and may be the reason why some of the audience lost focus. Those first episodes as we follow Boba Fett into power in the current storyline while also recapping where he has been since Return of the Jedi in the flashbacks was a cool take to expand his personality but also plays out pretty slow.

I have always thought Boba Fett was rad. Despite not having many lines and very few scenes in the original movies, you have to admire anyone that Vader also respects. Boba Fett turns heads when he walks into a room, for sure. Those initial episodes this season develops a character that has empathy for those around him. While captive, he offers to help the other capitative. Instead of wreaking havoc on the Tuscans, he chose to learn from them. When a bully shows up, he goes to battle to bring them down. Those flash backs finally gave him a legit character with a moral compass, and I dug it.

Boba Fett (Temura Morrison) in Lucasfilm's THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT, exclusively on Disney+. © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

The failure I find in the series was it didn’t know what it wanted to be and tried hard to expand a short story into an extended tale. I loved the idea of Tatooine being ran by crime syndicates. I thought the “old west” take was super cool (especially inspiring the duels with Cad Bane). The show could have wrapped up the flashback/Tuscan Raider thread in half an episode. The final battle could also have been completed in fifteen minutes. I was invested though, so I can deal with the drawn out plot despite going against my “less is best” mantra.

I understand that they needed the Mandalorian in order to persuade Cobb Vanth to join with Boba Fett and Fennec. I was extremely excited (those who know me know why) to see Cobb Vanth’s return. His parts in this series steal the show (in my honest opinion). The showdown between Cad Bane and Cobb Vanth was one of the highlight for me. The Tatooine desert backdrop, assumingely inspired by all those classic Hollywood westerns, sets a great atmosphere. Add in physical expressions of the two gunslingers, you knew you were watching forces to be reckoned with.

Cad Bane in The Book of Boba Fett

I smiled through the entire finale as well. Some of the smiles may have been due to some incredibly ridiculous parts (what was up with biker dude’s spin shot?!?!). I REALLY smiled when Boba Fett came riding in on a freaking Rancor though! Those are the moments in movies/shows that I am a sucker for. So much fun (even though they used the same frame twice)!!! The fight could have been half the time as it was since the shooting became a bit repetitive but again, I still smiled.
AND… the after credits!!!!!!!!!! Sign me up and count me in!!!!

COUNT DOWN #47: STEVE DOESN’T LIKE BULLIES

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• STEVE DOESN’T LIKE BULLIES •

MOMENT# 47

MOVIE: Captain America: The First Avenger

DIRECTORS: Joe Johnston

WRITERS: Christopher Marcus & Steven McFeeley

Chris Evans as a young and much smaller soldier in Captain America: The First Avenger

There are many character-defining moments for Steve Rogers in the MCU. Moments that show just what kind of person he strives to be, this is a guy willing to stand up for ideals. One truly personal ideal is his stance on bullies. One moment would define, not just his character, but the people he would go on to fight. Outside of the first two Avengers films (and a brief cameo in Thor: The Dark World and Spider-Man: Homecoming), Christopher Marcus and Steven McFeely have written almost every film Steve Rogers has appeared in. This is a distinction they don’t share with any other writers in the MCU. Because of this, they were able to lay down the character and then build on the foundations over time.

Audiences are introduced to Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger, the final movie before the hotly anticipated The Avengers. Before Steve Rogers became Captain America, he was a short scrawny guy, who just wanted to do his part. He felt it wasn’t fair that all these other men his age were going off to war and he wasn’t. After an argument with long-time best friend James “Bucky” Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Steve once again attempts to join the Army. He’s so desperate to do his part and fight for his country that he’s willing to risk prison time by lying on his physical form. He’d been trying every recruiter in the state to give him a shot. When it looks like he was found out, Doctor Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) walked into the room and asked Steve a simple question: “Do you want to kill Nazi’s?”

Doctor Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in Captain America: The First Avenger.

“I don’t want to kill anyone. But I don’t like bullies, I don’t care where they're from.”

Steve’s response is short and to the point. The future Captain America had spent his entire life being bullied. He learned at a very young age that they would never stop unless he stood up to them. He would later tell Peggy (Haley Atwell) that he knew that if he ran, they would never let him stop. His response to Dr. Erskine in that room was what ultimately convinced Erskine that Steve was the perfect candidate for the super-soldier program. Steve was willing to put his life on the line to fight the most dangerous bullies the world had ever seen, not because of some sadistic desire to kill, but because it was the right thing to do. As far as Erskine was concerned, he’d found his man. 

General Phillips (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and Erskine (Stanley Tucci) in Captain America: The First Avenger.

During basic training for the program, General Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) would try to push Erskine to pick Gilmore Hodge (Lex Shrapnel), since Hodge was the most capable soldier at that camp. Erskine just replied that Hodge was a bully. In his mind, the serum had to go to a good man, a man who didn’t seek power, but a man whose sole desire was to do right. Erskine had seen firsthand what his serum could do to a man who had power already with the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving). While Hodge might not have turned out to be another Red Skull, giving a bully of any kind the serum was not an option to Erskine.

The moment in that physical room told Erskine and the audience everything they needed to know about Steve Rogers. Standing before Erskine was a good man, the kind of man that will stand up to the bullies of the world. This philosophy would guide Steve throughout his journey in the MCU. When he faced Loki, SHIELD, or his fellow Avengers, he knew what the right course of action would be because he was an incorruptible force and he had to put the bullies in their place.

Captain America Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Steve Rogers is a true hero. A good man, constantly trying to do the right thing and taking a stand against the bullies of the world to protect those who can’t protect themselves. The anti-bullying theme of the MCU may not be the most overt one but it was baked in its DNA from the beginning and given shape and form with Captain America. That one fateful moment in a physical room at the Stark Expo gave the MCU one of its most prestigious heroes and more importantly, one of its defining ideals.

Book Review / Road of Bones by Christopher Golden

ROAD OF BONES by Christopher Golden

Release Date: 01/25/2022

Published by St.Martin’s Press/ Macmillan

By Jenny Robinson

Every once in a while, a story comes along where the environment acts more like a personality rather than a location. Road of Bones by Christopher Golden is that sort of tale. Set in Russia on the historic Kolyma Highway (aka The Road of Bones), the history, myth and atmosphere provides a solid nightmarish backdrop. Like most nightmares, things start off unfamiliar and continue to become more and more grim. Basing a ghost/horror story around an existing location like the Road of Bones also helps the fictitious part of this plot feel more plausible. Add in a small cast of characters who struggle with the supernatural in the coldest inhabitable place on earth, this recipe makes for a riveting read. 

I loved how fast I flew through this book. It solidifies the term “page turner” in my mind. I went in knowing just a touch about the accurate accounts of the highway’s tragic death toll and extreme conditions. Despite that, I could still relate some of the plot to the actual relationship of those historical headlines without them feeling like a recap. Confirmed stories of lost motorists freezing to death in stalled cars on abandoned stretches play out as plausible hurdles our protagonists have to consider. Imagine the simple act of turning off your car or having a flat tire could kill you due to how fast things freeze (including you). With a rough estimate, over a million people have died on this approximately 1200 mile long road in the far east of Russia.  Golden is successful at making you fear (and metaphorically feel) that cold. 

Although Tieg (or Felix Teigland) is our principle character on this journey, he is accompanied by a strong crew. Tieg is a television producer trying to make the next hit reality show. A show about the ghosts stories of the small town of Akhsut on the Road of Bones that will hopefully keep his business a float. He and his partner Prentiss set out with their guide Kaskil. It doesn’t take long for this journey to turn very very wrong when they arrive to town to find everyone but Kaskil’s small niece missing. Not only were the town folk gone, they looked to have left in quite a hurry, leaving their homes forgotten to the elements. Prentiss added the much needed levity to the story which I felt kept the interest in the characters grounded.  The additional characters that Tieg and Prentiss pick up along the way help reinforce the personality of the country and strength of those who call this frozen tundra home.

It was joyfully difficult to determine if the characters were being stalked by supernatural beings or just simply wild animals. The idea that a wolf may be more than just a wolf is left to the reader to determine. Now bare with me,  I am not sure if this would be considered a spoiler so use caution… people being possessed after death and growing antlers from their heads just isn’t the normal haunting experience I am use to. 

While reading, I kept thinking back to movies with similar isolation and terrifying creatures. Movies like John Carpenter’s The Thing and David Slade’s 30 Days of Night came to mind. When you’re in the middle of nowhere, what do you do if your friend get’s eaten or starts to grow horns? The angry ghosts of this story seem to have a slew of similarities with the Slavic creature called the Leshy as well as the Native American’s Wendigo. I really appreciate the related influences, whether intentional or not. The comparisons to the folklore did not distract but added to the intensity of the events that played out.

I read crazy, scary, fiery books to enjoy the anticipation of what may happen next. Road of Bones hit all the marks that I personally can rate with a thumbs up!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christopher Golden is the New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker award-winning author of Ararat, Snowblind, Dead Ringers, and Of Saints and Shadows, among many other novels. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of two cult favorite comic book series, Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. Golden is also the editor of such anthologies as Seize the Night, The New Dead, and Dark Cities, and the co-host of the popular podcast "Three Guys with Beards." He lives in Massachusetts.

NIC GAUGE / Next

MOVIE: Next

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Cher, Jessica Biel, Julianne Moore, Peter Falk, José Zuñuga, Tory Kittles

RELEASE DATE: April 25th, 2007

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV, HBOMax)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

José Zuñiga, Nicolas Cage, Jessica Biel and Julianne Moore in 2007’s Next

I knew going into this endeavor that there was going to be a very large amount of films in Nic Cage’s library that were going to be a first-watch experience. Those mainly being the films that took over the 2000’s and a portion of his early career. So from this point on, “The Nic Gauge” is a number-generated list that I pick at random and go from there. I believe this is the fairest way and more importantly, it just takes out the deciding factor. Some days, it will come up with really cool films that might become new classics for me, or in this case, makes me laugh at how ridiculous some of these films can actually be. With that introduction, this week's film was 2007’s Next.

Next is a film loosely based on a 1954 short story called The Golden Man written by Phillip K. Dick. The film was directed by Lee Tamahori (director of 2002’s James Bond Die Another Day and 2001’s adaptation of James Patterson’s Along Came A Spider).

The plot of Next is kind of messy when you really think about it. Cris Johnson (played by Cage) is a Las Vegas magician that possesses the ability to see up to two minutes into the future, but only when it affects him directly. This gift makes him the target of a group of terrorists as well as FBI’s Callie Harris (played by Julianne Moore). Harris wants to recruit Johnson to help thwart the terrorist for they have stolen a nuclear bomb and has a plan to use it in Los Angeles.

Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage) and girlfriend Liz Cooper (Jessica Biel) in Next

Overall, this movie is not very good. Giving Johnson the ability to see only 2 minutes into his future is a weird choice, and because this film revolves around that idea, it makes the rest of the film feel anticlimactic. Johnson’s girlfriend (played by Jessica Biel) gets kidnapped by the terrorists, and Johnson goes into their lair with the FBI. He just walks his way through all the dangers, giving you nothing to hold on to. On top of that, Next decides that the events of the last hour are just a dream sequence of Johnson somehow seeing into the future by days. Thus, making the main payoff of the film feel hollow. The entire ending sequence is a combination of uninteresting and underwhelming.

There is a line in the film from Johnson that says, “Here is the thing about the future, every time you look at it, it changes, because you looked at it, and that changes everything else”. So the message being he saw how the future would turn out under certain circumstances that involved destruction and death, so he chose a different path. A path we don’t see because we lived through what would be considered the action scenario. It’s not a good way to end a film.

If I could see into the future, I probably would have another better film set up to wash this one out of my head. I place Next on the lower end of the “Nic Gauge” as “Terrible” but pretty close to “Hot Mess”.

NIC GAUGE / Moonstruck

MOVIE: Moonstruck

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Cher, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello, Vincent Gardenia, John Mahoney

RELEASE DATE: December 18th, 1987

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (HBOMax, Hulu, Amazon Prime)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Moonstruck is a romantic comedy directed and co-produced by Norman Jewison, written by John Patrick Shanely, and has a great cast. It received 6 nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, with winning Best Original Screenplay, Cher winning Best Actress, ad Dukakis winning Best Supporting Actress. 

Cher plays 37-year-old Loretta Castorini, who accepts the marriage proposal of her boyfriend, Johnny (played by Danny Aiello). Johnny immediately leaves for Italy to attend to his sick mother. Before leaving he asks Loretta to invite his estranged brother, Ronny (played by Cage) to the wedding. Ronny has a bad boy attitude that resents his brother’s good fortune. He blames Johnny for the loss of his girlfriend and literally a hand. In Johnny’s absence, Loretta and Ronny immediately (and I do mean immediately) go to bed with each other, and continues throughout the rest of the film, Loretta slowly realizes she’s falling in love with Ronny. As she is figuring out her situation, she finds the rest of her family suffering from similar problems.

Loretta (Cher) and Ronny (Nicolas Cage) in Moonstruck

The overall story is really good with the idea of love not being as black and white as we perceive it to be. Cher shines in this film, just falling into the role with ease. Cage is pretty reserved by Cage standards for the majority of the film. His introduction is where he really stands out. His whole monologue gives the whole story about his past. Cher and Cage play really well off each other, but I feel some of the dialogue is a bit choppy and rushed. The movie is 1 hour and 42 minutes, and it feels like it just flies by because of how they do a great job pacing the plot the film. It all felt natural, except for that first meet-cute of Cher and Cage. I place this movie in the middle of “OK” on the Nic Gauge.

REVIEW / Dexter: New Blood Season Recap

By Patrick Nagy

Wow! Here we are. The year is now 2022 and am I’m actually writing about Dexter? Dexter the serial killer of baddies and other serial killers?! That Dexter??? You heard that right! Showtime, original show runner Clyde Phillips, and star Michael C. Hall decided to give it one more go and right the wrongs of the last season that aired back in 2013.

Let’s be honest (in my honest opinion), the show “Jumped the shark” after season 4. So they decided to give it another try, and jump back into the world of Dexter (based off a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay) and leave us all with a little better taste in our mouths.

We start out with where the original series left us. Dexter has moved to a remote town under an assumed name “Jim Lindsay” which I assume is a nod to the original author. Long gone are the tropical beaches of Miami, instead we find our protagonist deep in the woods working at a sporting goods and supply store. The interesting plot move is he is now dating the town Chief of Police, Angela Bishop played by Julia Jones. I guess Dexter just can’t stay away from his police upbringing. A kind of “keep your enemies closer” type of thing, maybe. Yep, Dexter has the perfect alias and the perfect new life…and he would’ve gotten away with it too if not for that snooping kid.

Kid you ask? That’s right! Dexter’s past catches up to him when his long lost son Harrison (Jack Alcott) tracks him down.

Angela Bishop (played by Julia Jones) and Jim Lindsay (aka Dexter Morgan - played by Michael C. Hall) in Dexter: New Blood

This instantly throws Dexter into a world of confusion as he wants to reconnect with Harrison. He feels regret over abandoning him, but it also brings the return of his “Dark Passenger”. We also see Dexter’s imaginary moral compass (in the form of his late adopted father Harry) has been replaced by his now late sister Deb. Jennifer Carpenter reprises the role she brought to life from the original, only this time she’s in Dexter’s head. She knows what he is, knows what he’s done and that he want’s to do again. Carpenter seems to relish this role screaming in Hall’s ear at close range (her ex-husband in real life).

Deb Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) in Dexter: New Blood

Soon after Harrison shows up Dexter wastes no time in finding a potential baddy to quench his dark desire. The local rich kid bully, Matt Caldwell (Steve M. Robertson) has a questionable past accident and very little care for the rules or laws. Dexter reluctantly sells Matt a rifle from the store and forces him wait the federally required three days despite Matt’s protest. Later that week, Dexter delivers the weapon to Matt’s house where a disgruntled friend let slip that Matt may have gotten away with murder in said accident thanks to his father’s money and influence. In light of this confession, coupled with Matt illegally shooting a rare white deer on native land (right when Dexter was about to pet it!)…Well. That’s all Jim, I mean Dexter needed to bring back the iconic kill room and dispose of the body via his fire pit. Later he moves the body parts to a local incinerator when the search ends up on his front door.

This brings us to our true baddy of the mini series, Matt’s father: Kurt Caldwell. Kurt is masterfully played by the legendary Clancy Brown. Kurt has it all for a big fish in a small town. Money, influence, and some dark secrets of his own. Kurt believes Dexter has something to do with Matt’s disappearance and he makes sure he’s a thorn in his side throughout the series.

Kurt Caldwell (played by Clancy Brown) in Dexter: New Blood

Another outside character interfering with Dexter’s quiet hidden life is true crime blogger Molly Park played by Jamie Chung. Her podcast “Merry, F*cking, Kill” explores serial killers. She even had episodes on the Trinity Killer and the Bay Harbor Butcher! She comes to town trying to break the case on a string of missing women in the area over the past twenty or so years.

Podcaster Molly Park (played by Jamie Chung) in Dexter: New Blood

All of these factors interfere with Jim (aka Dexter) trying to reconnect with Harrison who also appears to have his own “Dark Passenger”. Harrison meanwhile is dealing with his sense of abandonment, memories of his mother’s brutal murder, the first time feeling accepted by classmates and his wrestling coach / police deputy Logan (Alano Miller), and finding love in his new girlfriend Audrey (Johnny Sequoyah). Audrey by the way is the adopted daughter Chief of Police Angela whom is dating Dexter…it’s a lot.

Jim/Dexter (Michael C. Hall) bonding with Harrison (played by Jack Alcott) in Dexter: New Blood

If you’re a fan of the original series I think you’ll really like this one. It has all the elements of the original series and a few call backs including an appearance of the Trinity himself. (John Lithgow). I myself really enjoyed it. Not to talk badly about the final four seasons, but the creators got what I think they finally set out to do, give the fans a little closure.

The full season of Dexter: New Blood is streaming now on Showtime.

COUNT DOWN #48: A FIRST DANCE

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• A FIRST DANCE •

MOMENT# 48

MOVIE: Avengers: Endgame

DIRECTORS: Joe and Anthony Russo

WRITERS: Christopher Marcus & Stephen McFeeley

Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans) and Peggy Carter (played by Hayley Atwell) dance in Avengers: Endgame

Steve Rogers has had a rough journey through the course of the MCU. Frozen in time, betrayed by the government he swore to protect, forced to fight his friend to save his other friend, and then half the population of the universe is snapped away. While Steve didn’t constantly struggle with living in the modern world, it was never easy for him. When he had a second chance, knowing the world would be safe, he took it.

One of the major through-lines of Captain America: The First Avenger is that Steve has never danced with a woman. After all, he figured he’d wait for “the right partner”. When he meets Agent Peggy Carter, he realizes that she was that partner he was looking for. The events of Captain America’s origin film also play out as a love story between Peggy and Steve. There’s clearly an unspoken love between them, but they just can’t find the right time. During the climactic moments of the film, they make a date for that first dance. Sadly, Steve never makes it to his 8:00pm date at the Stork Club. When he finally does reunite with Peggy, she’s grown old and is suffering from dementia, but he couldn’t leave his best gal. The doomed romance of Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers is one for the ages.

The time-traveling events of Avengers: Endgame see the Avengers take the Infinity Stones from different points in history so they can bring back the 50% of the universe that Thanos snapped away. Steve and Tony have to retrieve the Tesseract (the Space Stone) from the 1970s, and there, in an old S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker, Steve sees Peggy for the first time since attending her funeral in Captain America: Civil War. When Thanos is defeated and Steve is sure the world will be safe without him, he gives his best friend, Bucky, one final hug and leaves the timeline to return the stones and find that life he’s been missing.

The film ends with their first dance.

Whenever there’s talk about endings within the MCU, most always point to Iron Man. Since Tony was the MCU’s first hero, his ending was a major point of interest for many. Unlike comic books, the characters in the MCU will age and eventually have to be written out. Early on, there was a lot of talk of recasting, much in the same way as Mark Ruffalo replaced Edward Norton. As the franchise went on, recasting became a harder task. Marvel Studios couldn’t just recast Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Evans. Audiences had developed an emotional attachment to these characters, and the actors who played them over the years. Having anyone else in the role would be a hard sell. 

Avengers: Infinity War, already prepared audiences for what Avengers: Endgame was going to bring, but a happy ending seemed like a pipe dream. Giving Steve Rogers a happy ending shows that not every character has to go out in a blaze of glory. Sometimes, they can get everything they want. Steve Rogers was able to have the life he longed for, the life he didn’t feel he could have because of his responsibility to the world. A happy ending was given to a character that was beloved. Steve Rogers was allowed to ride off into the sunset, live the life he was robbed of with the woman he always loved. For Steve, there was no more “what could have been”. Now Captain America didn’t have to disappear, a new timeline could be formed where Steve lived a happy life with Peggy. One can’t help but wonder what that other timeline was like…

NIC GAUGE / Color Out Of Space

This year, my goal is to watch all of Nicolas Cage’s films and rate them on the “Nic Gauge”. Some of you are probably sitting there and thinking, “that is a lot of films” and you are correct! As of the day this article was posted, he has a total of 124. 

Join us weekly in the comments and let us know if you agree with my ratings for each.

MOVIE: Color Out of Space (#5 of 124 movies)

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur, Elliot Knight, Tommy Chong, Brendan Meyer

RELEASE DATE: September 7th, 2019

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Shudder, Amazon Prime, iTunes)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Color Out of Space - Poster Art

A year after “Mandy”, I had the opportunity to attend another Nic Cage film premier with the actor in attendance. This time around, it was for Color Out Of Space. A movie based on the short story by H.P. Lovecraft that follows Nathan Gardner (Cage) and his family as they deal with strange happenings around their New England home. After a meteorite lands in their front yard, their quiet forest home turns into an extremely colorful horror show.

What is really great about this film is the blend of practical effects vs special effects. There is an excellent amount of special effects that really give the film an eerie presence that feels like it comes right out of a Lovecraftian nightmare. In addition, the practical effects not only add to the experience, but there is one scene in particular that feels like they borrowed some tricks from John Carpenter's The Thing but with more alpacas than people.

As for the acting in this film, overall strong performances across the board. Nathan, played by Cage as the alpaca obsessed father, pulls out a decent performance with some of the crazy Cage mannerisms that we come to expect. The rest of the family members do a pretty reputable job as well, with the standout being Lavinia Gardner (played by Madeleine Arthur). Playing the daughter that follows witchcraft and is the first to realize that the family is slowly going into a downward spiral because of the strange happenings.

Nathan (Nic Cage) and Benny (Brendan Meyer) in Color Out of Space

The overall feeling of this film is that the effects are great, the acting is alright, and the story is pretty solid. That is all you really need to be honest. Color Out of Space is a film that sits on the border of “Good” and “OK” on the “Nic Gauge”.