Stan Lee (1922-2018)

Like many, we at The Watchers are incredibly saddened by the passing of comic book supremo, Stan Lee, who passed away yesterday (12th November) at the age of 95. 

Born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28th 1922, his parents were Romanian Jewish immigrants. After graduating from high school in 1939, he became an assistant at Timely Comics, a pulp fiction company, filling the artists' inkwells, proofreading and erasing the pencil lines. Two years later, he made his comic-book debut with an all-text Captain America story- written under the pseudonym 'Stan Lee' (he planned to keep his given name for more literary work). In late 1941, Lee was installed as interim editor at Timely, following Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's departure. He was just under 19 years of age. From 1942-1945, Lee served in the US Army and served as a member of the Signal Corps before being transferred to the Training Film Division. He was one of only nine men to be given the military classification of 'playwright'. 

Stan Lee during his military service in World War II

After returning from military service, Lee continued as editor for Timely (which became known as Atlas Comics by the mid-1950s) but soon became frustrated with the restrictions of the comic book form and was churning out whatever was needed to satisy the readership- be that crime, horror, westerns. As he approached 40, Lee was on the brink of quitting comics and turning his attention to writing novels. Besides, DC Comics were stealing a march on the comic-book scene with the Justice League of America and Atlas didn't have anything to compare. His wife Joan told him to 'write one comic you are proud of' before finishing with comics. 

This comic would eventually become The Fantastic Four, which he co-created with Jack Kirby, and which published its first issue in 1961. The dysfunctional family unit became a massive success and the first foundation of what would be known as Marvel Comics was laid. In 1962, Lee co-created Ant-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Thor with Kirby and one of his most famous characters, Spider-Man, with Steve Ditko. Iron Man, Doctor Strange, the Wasp, the X-Men, Daredevil and the Avengers would soon follow. Over the years, he would create or co-create many other Marvel characters, including Groot, the Inhumans, Iron Fist, Black Panther, Falcon, Black Widow, and Nick Fury.

Throughout the 1960s, Lee would utilise a system that (although used by other comic-book studies) would come to be known as the 'Marvel method': the story would be brainstormed between the writer and the artist, a brief synopsis (rather than a full script) would be produced by the writer, the artist would draw the panels- working out the page-by-page storytelling- then pass the completed panels back for the writer to do the word balloons and captions. This system helped Lee maintain his workload and meet the deadlines, but could also give rise to claims that Lee took more credit than was due for the work; Lee had a particularly acrimonious time with the estate of Jack Kirby over such claims (a claim that was settled for an undisclosed sum 20 years after Kirby's death, with the terms of the settlement never made public). 

In his comics, Lee would include a credit panel to properly acknowledge the inkers and letterers of the strip as well as the writer and artist. He'd also write the Bullpen Bulletins page and a 'Stan's Soapbox' where he'd discuss issues in his familiar, chatty style. Lee made his characters relatable- they had day-to-day issues, they weren't some on-high flawless creatures. Some looked like villains. Others were different, outcasts, freaks. He also used the comic books to discuss real-life issues, such as the Vietnam War and the Red Scare, with one comic historian noting that 'from 1962 to 1965, there were more communists [in Marvel Comics] than on the subscription list of Pravda'! DC didn't involve themselves with such things. In one 'Stan's Soapbox', he writes about the evils of bigotry and racism and how 'if man is ever to be worthy of his destiny, we must fill our hearts with tolerance'. 

One of the controversial panels in The Amazing Spider-Man #97

In 1971, Lee played no small part in the reformation of the Comics Code, which was created in 1954 by the Comics Code Authority (CCA) and acted as a de facto censor for comic books. If a comic-book didn't adhere to the Code, it was not authorised to use the Comics Code seal on the cover. This would cause publishers issues. When the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare asked Lee to write a story about the dangers of drugs, Lee did just that: a three-issue storyline within The Amazing Spider-Man comics where Harry Osborn would nearly die from an overdose. The CCA promptly refused to authorise the use of the seal (no matter that the presentation of drugs was shown distinctly as a negative). Luckily, Marvel essentially decided to publish and be damned, and those three issues went out without the seal: rather than there be any wholly negative problems, Marvel were praised for its social consciousness and the CCA eventually loosened the Code. 

In 1972, Lee stopped writing comic books- he was writing the copy for all of Marvel's covers- and stepped down as editor. He took up the role of publisher within Marvel (a role he would hold until 1996). His final issues of The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four came out in July and August respectively. He would occasionally write with various projects, such as a 1982 Silver Surfer one-shot with John Byrne, and the first issue of The Savage She-Hulk with John Buscema. 

Stan in Mallrats with Jason Lee

In the 1980s, Lee moved to Los Angeles to focus on developing Marvel's film and TV projects. He was the narrator for both The Incredible Hulk (1982-1983) and Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends (1981-1983). In 1995, he appeared as a heightened version of himself in Kevin Smith's Mallrats. In 1998, Lee embarked on a new internet-based superhero production and marketing studio called Stan Lee Media. Sadly, this venture was shortlived when one of his investors was found to be illegally manipulating stock prices and was sent to prison. Lee himself filed for bankruptcy, although he was never implicated in any wrongdoing. 

In 2000, superhero movies were starting to be made with some money and some thought behind them, thanks largely to the original X-Men movie (starring Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and Hugh Jackman). As the X-Men's co-creator, Lee had a small cameo as a hot dog vendor. It's very much a blink-and-you-might-miss-it moment but was a fun Easter egg for fans. This wasn't the first superhero movie cameo Lee made, however: he was the jury foreman in The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk (1989). 

As more and more Marvel movies were being made, so Lee kept on being offered cameos- playing everything from a mailman to a beauty pageant judge, an Army general to a strip-club DJ. One of my particular favourites is in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) where he's a school librarian blithely unaware of the carnage happening behind him as Spider-Man and the Lizard have a massive scrap. His cameos soon became an integral part to a Marvel movie and fans reacted with glee at each one-liner or look. To many, a Marvel movie without a Stan Lee cameo won't feel quite the same. 

Stan's cameo in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Lee continued to work in various mediums- writing graphic novels, attending conventions, meeting fans, writing several manga titles, appearing in films and TV shows, although increasing ill health sometimes meant he had to cancel convention appearances. In 2008, he was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts for his services to comic books, and was awarded the Producers Guild of America's Vanguard Award in 2012. His wife Joan, to whom he had been married for nearly 70 years and the person he credited as his muse and inspiration, passed away in 2017. She appeared with him for his cameo in X-Men: Apocalypse. He is survived by his daughter J.C. Lee. 

Stan and Joan Lee in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

It's difficult to think of someone who has had such an impact on popular culture as Stan Lee. He helped to bring comic books from niche to mainstream, and his legacy of dozens of iconic characters will endure. Lee once wrote 'entertainment is one of the most important things in people's lives. Without it they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you're able to entertain people, you're doing a good thing.' And you did entertain people. Thank you for everything. 

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. 

Excelsior, true believer. 

Rhys, Tez & Matt
The Watchers

For Your Consideration: Possible Contenders For Awards Season 2019

Well, would you look at that? It's almost time for awards season to ramp up again. 

Starting this coming Friday (16th November) and going through til 24th February, it's going to be three months (more or less) of trophies, statuettes and gushing praise. So if you're a fan of this hoopla, welcome to the madness. If you're not, there'll still be other stuff happening on the blog, so don't worry.

As I've done nearly every year since the blog has been running- - I've had a look back at the major festivals of the year to see if I can glean potential award bait for the upcoming season. As usual, I think there's a case of some stone cold certs, a few potentials and a few never-in-a-month-of-Sundays. So here we go!

A Star Is Born is virtually guaranteed to be nominated left, right and centre. This is the fourth version of the film and all previous versions (1937, 1954 and 1976) have been nominated for- and won- several high-profile awards. Bradley Cooper's direction has been praised highly (for a debut director) and his performance and that of Lady Gaga have been warmly received by fans and critics alike. Several of the original songs might also be featured. 

La La Land director Damien Chazelle reunites with leading man Ryan Gosling for First Man, a biopic of Neil Armstrong. Focusing first on the man then on the mission which saw him set foot on the Moon, it's a considered and technically accomplished piece of film-making. It should have a strong showing in the technical fields, with Gosling potentially a Best Actor nod and Claire Foy a Best Supporting Actress nominee for her turn as Armstrong's wife Janet. 

Intrigue. Plotting. Sex. The Favourite has it all. In the early Eighteenth Century, in the last years of Queen Anne's reign, a struggle for the Queen's favour begins between an established courtier and a new servant. Now, I'm the first to admit that I wasn't a massive fan of Yorgos Lanthimos' last film (The Killing Of A Sacred Deer bored me rigid) so the thought of seeing The Favourite felt more like a chore than a pleasure. But there's a very strong cast- Olivia Colman won the Best Actress award at Venice for her turn as the frail Queen Anne, whilst Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone complete the triangle with their turns as the old confidante and the new blood. Expect to see all three names feature heavily. 

Christian Bale gives another incredible physical transformation to play former Vice President Dick Cheney in Vice, the latest film by Adam McKay (The Big Short). Focusing on Cheney's rise to the second most powerful position in America, there's a starry cast playing the real-life figures in the White House. This year's Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Sam Rockwell plays George W. Bush, whilst Amy Adams takes the role of Cheney's wife Lynne.

Winner of the Toronto International Film Festival's People's Choice Awards, Green Book is a biographical comedy-drama directed by Peter Farrelly. Yep, THAT Peter Farrelly. Shallow Hall, Dumb And Dumber, Movie 43 Peter Farrelly. But then we live in interesting times where Eli Roth can make a family film, so all bets are off. It's the chalk-and-cheese story of a fast-talking Italian-American bouncer who becomes a driver for a black pianist on a tour of venues in the American South in the 1960s. Viggo Mortensen plays Tony (although he may have inadvertently scuppered his chances by the unfortunate use of a certain racial epithet during an interview) whilst Mahershala Ali gives a nuanced and dignified turn as the pianist Don Shirley. Expect to see this film come up a lot.  

Alfonso Cuaron's most personal film to date, Roma took the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Not only did Cuaron write and direct the film, he also acted as his own cinematographer. A cast of relative unknowns and non-actors help tell the story of a year in the life of a middle-class family in Mexico City in the early 1970s. Yalitza Aparicio's central turn as Cleo has been critically acclaimed, as has the whole production. However, the fact that it's been distributed by Netflix may cause some issues in terms of wider awards recognition as some bodies won't count any streaming service films. 

BlacKkKlansman, Spike Lee's riotous take on the incredible true story of Ron Stallworth, a Black police officer who managed to infiltrate the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, may have the social relevance and clout to do well. Performances by John David Washington (as Stallworth) and Adam Driver (as Stallworth's workmake Flip) have been praised, as has the script and Lee's direction. 

Barry Jenkins follows up Moonlight with an adaptation of the James Baldwin novel If Beale Street Could Talk. The story of a pregnant young woman from Harlem who desperately tries to prove that her fiance is innocent of assault, If Beale Street Could Talk has a strong ensemble cast, with the performances of KiKi Layne and Regina King particularly praised. The score, by Nicholas Britell, and the script, adapted by Jenkins, have also been praised highly.  

Two 'Boy's may feature heavily. The first is Beautiful Boy, an adaptation of memoirs from a father and son (David and Nic Sheff) exploring the family's experience of Nic's drug addiction. It's a weighty and heavy subject and the performances by Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet have been acclaimed, so expect to see their names mentioned. The other 'Boy' film deals with a similarly weighty subject: that of gay conversion. Boy Erased, based on a memoir by Garrard Conley, tells the story of Jared Eamons, a Baptist preacher's son (played by Lucas Hedges) who is outed by his parents then forced into a gay conversion program. Hedges' central performance is a strong one, whilst there's been praise for the performances by Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman as Jared's parents. 

However, Kidman could alternatively be in the running for a Best Actress nod with her stunning central turn in Karyn Kusama's Destroyer, playing an LAPD detective whose past comes back to haunt her. Widows- directed by Steve McQueen (Shame, 12 Years A Slave)-  updates the 1983 Lynda La Plante mini-series from London to Chicago. Early buzz has suggested stroing performances by Viola Davis and Elizabeth Debicki, which may well translate into acting nominations. Meanwhile, Glenn Close has been getting some of the best reviews of her career- no mean feat- for her role in The Wife, as the titular spouse behind a Nobel Prize-winning writer, so she may well figure. 

With the success of Get Out during this year's awards season, we could see a couple of horror films feature throughout the 2019 season. One of the most likely nominations will be for Toni Collette's anguished and intense performance in Ari Aster's Hereditary. Similarly, Luca Guadagnino's retelling of Dario Argento's Suspiria may feature in the technical awards- as its soundtrack by Thom Yorke has been widely praised and some of the visual effects are impressive (if a little... squishy). I would have said there'd be a potential Supporting Actress nod for Tilda Swinton as the icy Madame Blanc but that looks less and less likely the more you find out about the film. 

The awards bodies do love a biopic, so expect to see the following films mentioned:

- Can You Ever Forgive Me? - a rare dramatic role for Melissa McCarthy in the story of Lee Israel, a celebrity biographer and prolific art forger. Richard E. Grant has also been praised for his supporting turn as Lee's louche friend Jack.

- At Eternity's Gate - having won the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival, Willem Dafoe may well get some awards love for his portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh during the troubled painter's final years

- Bohemian Rhapsody - Rami Malek gives an uncanny turn as the flamboyant Freddie Mercury, frontman of Queen, in this otherwise patchy and middling film. 

- Mary Queen Of Scots - either Margot Robbie or Saoirse Ronan (or indeed both actresses) could well be nominated for their work in this biopic of the rivalry and the- ultimately failed- attempt to supplant Elizabeth I (Robbie) on the throne with Mary Stuart (Ronan). 

This just leaves one big question: will Black Panther get a Best Picture nomination? 

There's always a sniffiness to comic-book or genre movies as if they're somehow lesser artforms. Cobblers. They still require a lot of hard work and graft, just as any refined drama or biopic. But they tend to be relegated to the technical awards as a bit of a sop. Even plans to introduce a new Oscar- Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film- have been postponed (which Black Panther was widely expected to win, despite there being no criteria for what films would get a nomination- box-office gross? Rotten Tomatoes rating?), so really it's anyone's guess. On a personal level, I found the acting and the direction, the visual effects and the very tight script, to be among the best of cinema for the last year. Hopefully, the award bodies may start to think the same. 


The timetable for the major awards in 2019 is as follows:

Film Independent Spirit Awards
Nominations announced: 16th November 2018
Awards ceremony: 23rd February 2019

Golden Globes
Nominations announced: 6th December 2018
Awards ceremony: 6th January 2019

Critics' Choice Awards
Nominations announced: 10th December 2018
Awards ceremony: 13th January 2019

Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards
Nominations announced: 12th December 2019
Awards ceremony: 27th January 2019

Producers' Guild Of America (PGA) Award
Nominations announced: 4th January 2019
Awards ceremony: 19th January 2019

Writers' Guild Of America (WGA) Award
Nominations announced: 7th January 2019
Awards ceremony: 17th February 2019

Directors' Guild Of America (DGA) Award
Nominations announced: 8th January 2019
Awards ceremony: 2nd February 2019

BAFTA Film Awards
Nominations announced: 9th January 2019
Awards ceremony: 10th February 2019

Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies)
Nominations announced: 21st January 2019
Awards ceremony: 23rd February 2019

Academy Awards (Oscars)
Nominations announced: 22nd January 2019
Awards ceremony: 24th February 2019


So, as you can see, there's plenty going on to keep us busy over the cold winter months. So, in the words of Ed Wood's Bela Lugosi (and apologies for the vulgarity)...

Review: Ant-Man And The Wasp (UK Cert 12A)

SPOILER WARNING! This review discusses and/or mentions a few important plot points. If you would prefer not to have these spoiled, please stop reading now and come back once you've seen the film.

Following on from his part in the battle between the Avengers on the Leipzig airfield in Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang has been sentenced to two years' house arrest in lieu of going to prison. With just days to go until freedom, he gets drawn back in to helping Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyne who believe they can rescue Hank's wife Janet from the Quantum Realm where she has been trapped for thirty years. However with a bunch of black marketeers and a quantum-phasing 'Ghost' on their tail, not to mention the US Government, Scott is in for an eventful couple of days...

It's a high-energy, fun romp, playing on the heist elements of the first film but adding a literal whole new world as the Quantum Realm is explored in more detail. 

Performances are good. Paul Rudd is as likeable as usual as Scott, balancing trying to stay out of trouble versus helping people out. Matching him in likeability and strength is Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/Wasp, an equal within the film in every way. Michael Douglas gets some great irascible one-liners as Hank, whilst Michael Pena, T.I., and David Dastmalchian provide a lot of the laughs as Scott's old crew (especially when they're under the influence of something which is most definitely not a truth serum). There's also a lovely turn by Abby Ryder Fortson as Scott's young daughter Cassie. Juvenile performances can often be a minefield, either going to too winsome or precocious, but Fortson balances it well, giving a laugh or two as well as providing the heart. 

Of the new cast, Hannah John-Kamen is strong as the villain Ghost (here, Ava Starr). They've gender-swapped the character from the original comic books, but it fits. There's an interesting theme about the relationships between fathers and daughters: Scott and Cassie, Hank and Hope, and Ava and her real faither (a scientist who worked for Hank) and her relationship with her surrogate father. Another positive is, yet again, we have a villain with a sympathetic motive: the quantum energy which gives Ava her phase powers is slowly killing her, and she's seeking a cure.

Randall Park is great as FBI Agent Jimmy Woo, who is Scott's parole officer and monitoring his house arrest. There are several really quite amusing sequences where the characters attempt to pull the wool over Woo's eyes. Walton Goggins brings an oleaginous charm to Sonny Burch, a restaurateur and black market dealer who Hope has to meet with, but- if I'm honest- there's so much going on in the film that he feels a little superfluous. The MacGuffin which he introduces could have been done by another character, to be fair. Laurence Fishburne adds an air of gravitas to his role as Bill Foster, a former associate of Hank's who has a link with Ava. Finally, it's an absolute joy to see the positively radiant Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne. She's just superb. 

 As you can imagine, this is a visually stylish film. There are sequences- especially when characters enter the Quantum Realm- that are just sublime. There's also a lot of humour given with perspective changes- with cars, people, and even buildings shrinking and growing throughout. I also love the idea of a full laboratory which can shrink down to the size of a small suitcase. 

With a mid-credits scene that links the action of the film directly to Avengers: Infinity War, this is another triumph for the MCU.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

Comic Book Movie Round-Up: July 2018

It's been quite a while since we've done one of these and I figured- before this year's San Diego International Comic-Con (where there's usually a shedload of news)- I'd clear the decks and get caught up with a lot of comic book movie news from the last few months. 

Oh, by the way, there may be potential spoilers ahead. Don't say you weren't warned!

MARVEL NEWS

Whilst Marvel won't have a presence at this year's Comic-Con, there's still plenty of news to share about their upcoming slate.

Captain Marvel has finished shooting. Joining Brie Larson - who will play Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel- is Samuel L. Jackson will reprise his role as  Nick Fury for the ninth time on screen. Because it's set in the 1990s, he won't have the iconic eyepatch. Former MCU participants Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, and Clark Gregg will reprise their roles as Korath, Ronan the Accuser, and Agent Phil Coulson respectively. 

New cast members include Ben Mendelsohn, Gemma Chan, and Jude Law (who is playing Danvers' mentor Walter Lawson a.k.a. Mar-Vell), whilst multiple Oscar-nominated actress Annette Bening  has reportedly been cast in an unknown role. Captain Marvel is directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, and will be released in early 2019.


The title of Avengers 4 is still shrouded in mystery- or is it? Reports suggest that the full title may be Avengers: End Game. Cinematographer Trent Opaloch- who was worked on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War- updated his website to list Avengers 4 under that title before quickly changing it back. 

The sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming is going to be called Spider-Man: Far From Home (which was 'leaked' by Tom Holland and then confirmed by Kevin Feige). The film that will kick off Phase 4 of the MCU, it will see Peter Parker on a trip around the world, fighting bad guys. Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, and Michael Keaton will all reprise their roles from the original film, whilst Jake Gyllenhaal is down to play villain Mysterio. It has been confirmed that Benedict Cumberbatch WON'T be appearing as Doctor Strange in this movie. 

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is about to enter pre-production. Once again written and directed by James Gunn (who has already delivered a draft script), it's due to start shooting early 2019- most likely for a 2020 release. Gunn has said that Vol. 3 ISN'T set before Infinity War, and that it will 'end this iteration' of the Guardians team. It'll also 'complete the story of the three films'.

There's a standalone Black Widow movie coming - and it's already got a director. Cate Shortland will be taking the reins, with Scarlett Johannson reprising her role as Natasha Romanoff. This will be the first solo female-directed MCU film. 

Kevin Feige has also teased a sequel to Doctor Strange, but no firm details given other than that. 

DCEU NEWS

DC WILL be presenting at Comic-Con this year, so expect a lot of hype and some cool trailers and such from their upcoming roster. 

Expected in the UK on 14th December 2018, Aquaman is directed by James Wan. Jason Momoa will reprise his role from Justice League, facing off against Patrick Wilson as Aquaman's villainous half-brother Orm Marius (also known as Ocean Master). Other cast members include Amber Heard as Mera, Temuera Morrison as Thomas Curry, Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, and Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna (Aquaman's mother). Several official pictures of various cast members have been released:

Directed by David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation, Lights Out). SHAZAM! will hit cinemas on April 5th 2019. Shazam is a bit of an odd choice, as it isn't particularly well known outside of comic-book circles. The basic premise is a young boy, Billy Batson, is granted superpowers by a mysterious wizard and- when he says the magic word 'Shazam!'- transforms into an adult with strength, speed and various other powers. Zachary Levi has been cast as the adult Billy, with Asher Angel playing him as a child. 

Djimon Hounsou will be 'crossing the floor' and going from the MCU to DCEU (actually, just like Zachary Levi) as he'll be playing The Wizard, the mysterious sorcerer who bestows super powers upon the young Billy. Dwayne Johnson has been cast as Shazam's nemesis Black Adam, but reportedly won't be in the film at all (but may appear in his own film, or possibly Suicide Squad 2). Other cast members include Dylan Grazer, and Mark Strong who will play the villain Dr. Sivana.

After Shazam, we get Wonder Woman 1984, in cinemas in November next year. Directed by Patty Jenkins, this will see Diana come to America to deal with a new threat. Gal Gadot will reprise her role as Diana/Wonder Woman, as will Chris Pine- although quite how that'll work given Steve Trevor died at the end of the first film is anyone's guess at the moment. In terms of villains, Kristen Wiig has been cast as Dr. Barbara Minerva (a.k.a. Cheetah). Pedro Pascal has been cast in an unknown role, and there are hopes to get original Wonder Woman Lynda Carter a role in the film (which would be frankly splendid)

Margot Robbie will reprise her role as Harley Quinn in Birds Of Prey, which she describes as an 'R-rated girl gang film'. Joining Harley in this iteration of the girl gang will be Black Canary (Dinah Lance), Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Cassandra Cain, and Renee Montoya. The villain is supposedly a Batman comics villain who hasn't yet appeared on the big screen. No other casting has yet been announced. Birds Of Prey will be directed by Cathy Yan, and written by Christina Hodson. 

The Batman, the Matt Reeves-directed solo adventure, is still part of the DCEU plan (for now). However, it looks increasingly likely that Ben Affleck will not be playing the Caped Crusader in it. Whilst nothing official has been announced (which might change come this weekend), rumour has it that the film will focus on a younger Batman- and may contain The Penguin as the main villain. 

The Flash solo movie is still on the cards, with Spider-Man: Homecoming writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein directing. Ezra Miller is still on to play Barry Allen and the rumours have it that the film will heavily adapt the Flashpoint storyline- where Barry creates a terrible alternate world when he tries to save his mother. Kiersey Clemons will make her debut as Iris West, after being cut from Justice League. 

OTHER NEWS

Warner Brothers and DC have confirmed that Joaquin Phoenix will play the Joker in an upcoming film directed by Todd Phillips. This will be a gritty 80s origin story, but is unconnected to the wider DCEU. 

Current DCEU Joker Jared Leto is, however, taking a role in an offshoot of the MCU. He's been cast as the lead in Morbius The Living Vampire, a spinoff from Spider-Man (so in the same vein as the upcoming Venom). Daniel Espinosa is slated to direct. 

Another spinoff from the Spider-Man universe will be Silver & Black, focusing on the characters of Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) and Silver Sable. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood is attached, although no casting or release date has yet been announced. 

X-Men spin-off Dark Phoenix has been pushed back to February 14th 2019, to allow for reshoots. Directed by Simon Kinberg, Dark Phoenix focuses on the young Jean Grey (Sophie Turner). Several members of the casts of the X-Men prequel trilogy (First Class, Days Of Future Past, and Apocalypse) will reprise their roles, with James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Alexandra Shipp, Tye Sheridan, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters and Olivia Munn all coming back. 

They'll be joined by Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain in a mystery role- but she's definitely not the alien empress Lilandra. 

Originally due April 2018, Josh Boone's New Mutants has also been pushed back to August 2nd 2019 (a second push-back from February 2019), not only to allow for reshoots, but to include a new character. Taking a more horror-themed route, the film will focus on a new generation of X-Men, to be played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Henry Zaga, Charlie Heaton, and Maisie Williams. 

I did say there was a lot to catch up on... No doubt there'll be much more to talk about once the dust settles from Comic-Con!

Review: Deadpool 2 (UK Cert 15)

2016's Deadpool introduced a different way of doing comic book movies. It was bloody, violent, vulgar and a welcome antidote to the anodyne actioners flooding the box office- and whilst it certainly wasn't the first comic book film to do that (hello, The Crow and Blade), it felt like a shot in the arm. Two years later, Deadpool 2 offers the same raucous, anarchic fun. 

This time round, the Merc with the Mouth forms a team of mutants- known as X-Force- to help protect a young mutant boy from the killer clutches of time-travelling cyborg Cable. 

If you've seen the first film, then you'll know what to expect from the second. It's more of the same. More inventive cursing, more eye-watering violence, more digs at current superhero franchises (especially Wolverine). All present and correct. It felt familiar and welcoming, you know what you're going to get and- considering I went to see it after a crappy day to cheer myself up- it did what I needed it to do. Some people may be disappointed that it's all a bit samey, but for me that wasn't a bad thing. 

Ryan Reynolds brings the same charm and wit as he did in the first one (he's also credited as one of the writers on this). Other cast members returning from the first film fit right back into their roles. Stefan Kapicic is great as the voice of Colossus,  whilst Brianna Hildebrand is strong as the fantastically-named Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Leslie Uggams is a particular standout as Blind Al and Karan Soni and TJ Miller provide able support as cab driver Dopinder and Deadpool's associate Weasel respectively. Whilst Morena Baccarin has less to do this time round, her role is perhaps more important here. To say any more would be to cross into spoiler territory, so I'll leave it there.

As for the new cast members, Zazie Beetz threatens to steal the second half of the film as mutant Domino, whose superpower is luck. Despite claims that luck isn't cinematic, we get some pretty cool sequences where Domino's luck comes into play. Josh Brolin gives a serious and stoic performance as Cable, a lot darker than some of the turns around him, but that works. You'll also probably really like Rob Delaney's turn as Peter, who just saw the advert and ends up as part of X-Force. Julian Dennison is also strong as the abused young mutant Russell (aka Firefist) who ends up in Cable's sights and who Deadpool finds himself reluctantly protecting.  

Original director Tim Miller left the project early on and is replaced by David Leitch (who directed John Wick, and Atomic Blonde). There are some great action set-pieces. X-Force's 'auditions' and introduction are particularly good, as is the final showdown as Firefist returns to exact revenge on those who have wronged him. There's also a particularly good CGI fight between Colossus and another character whose appearance in the film is particularly welcome. Again, spoilers. 

Like the first film, there's an eclectic soundtrack, taking in everything from Celine Dion (with the incredibly Bond-esque opening song 'Ashes' which was accompanied by a very Bond-esque opening sequence) through to Enya and Cher, via Dolly Parton, DMX, and Skrillex. It's a soundtrack that sums up the film: frenetic, a bit all over the place, and full of hidden gems. 

Deadpool 2 might not win any awards for originality, but it's a hell of a lot of fun. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story (UK Cert 12A)

SPOILER WARNING! This review discusses and/or mentions a few important plot points. If you would prefer not to have these spoiled, please stop reading now and come back once you've seen the film.

And so we return to that galaxy far, far away for Solo: A Star Wars Story, an origin story for the titular roguish pilot. From his early days on the mean streets of the shipbuilding world of Corellia, to meeting up with his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca, we follow Han's life as we also find out exactly how he managed to do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs and how he got control of the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian. 

I should preface this review by saying that I personally don't consider myself to be a massive Star Wars fan. Watcher Rhys is, and his articles on the original trilogy and the prequels make for interesting and informed reading. I've seen them, enjoyed (most of) them, but that's where it starts and ends. I wouldn't go to a midnight screening, for instance. So, there's probably a lot in this film that goes right over my head. The reappearance of a character from the Star Wars prequels, for instance, will have more importance to others. For me, I just went 'oh, that's cool'. That said, I enjoyed the film a lot more than I had any right to, and a lot more than I expected to. 

To say this film had something of a challenging and chequered production would be like saying it's a bit nippy in Antarctica. Original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs) were dismissed from the project after approximately six months into production due to 'creative differences' (ah, that old chestnut). With a vacancy in the director's chair, Oscar-winning director Ron Howard (Rush, A Beautiful Mind) took over to complete the film, although there are rumours of extensive re-shoots as well. So tonally, you could expect the film to be a bit of a mess. Stylistically different. Performances different. To be honest, with some films (I'm looking at you, Justice League) where two directorial styles clash, you can tell where the joins are. There's nothing that glaringly obvious in Solo, so if nothing else the editor can be commended for a bang-up job. 

There was concern in some quarters that the trailers and such didn't feature much of Han in them, and that was a sign that Alden Ehrenreich wasn't up to the task. Utter nonsense. Ehrenreich's performance is really good. Better than good, actually. He's not Harrison Ford (obviously) but it would be folly to try and emulate him. He brings his own energy and his own charm to the role. For me, he takes a while to really grow into the character, but even at the beginning when he's finding his feet, there's the occasional flash of the cocky swagger that Han needs. Following on from strong supporting roles in Blue Jasmine and Hail, Caesar!, Ehrenreich's star is definitely on the ascendant. 

There's a great turn by Woody Harrelson (following his dramatic and Oscar-nominated performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) as Tobias Beckett, a mercenary and thief who acts as Han's mentor. For a man whose credo is 'assume everyone will betray you', there's at least a kind of grudging respect between Han and Beckett. Thandie Newton (Crash, Westworld) is great as Val, Beckett's partner, although I was disappointed not to have seen more of her. Jon Favreau (Chef, Spider-Man: Homecoming) gives a nice voice performance as the third member of Beckett's crew, the multi-limbed Rio Durant.

Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones, Terminator Genisys) plays Han's childhood friend and love interest Qi'ra. She does well with what she's given, but there are a few missed opportunities to flesh out her character; she's allied to the nominal bad guy with some hints that she's done 'terrible things' but that's never really explored. The nominal bad guy is Paul Bettany (Avengers: Infinity War) who plays the villainous Dryden Vos, to whom Beckett, Han, and the others are in debt to after an initial heist goes wrong. He's supercilious, slimy, but a bit stereotypically evil. 

Donald Glover (Atlanta, Community) was inspired casting to play the young Lando Calrissian. He's got the charisma and the magnetism that Billy Dee Williams has, and he exudes confidence. After Solo, I'd love to see a young Lando spin-off: Glover has the chops to pull it off. Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Goodbye Christopher Robin) gives a brilliant voice performance as L3-37, Lando's militant co-pilot robot, warm and amusing in equal measures.  

I have two main criticisms of the film: for certain sequences, the screen was really dark and it was difficult to tell what was going on. Couple that with a bit of nauseating shakycam and some bits were difficult to watch. The other was that the script- by Star Wars legend Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jonathan- doesn't always take chances to expand on characters and occasionally comes out with dialogue that's a bit clunky, a bit obvious or on-the-nose. 

All said though, these minor gripes didn't overshadow the rest of the film. A thoroughly enjoyable space opera romp. 

Rating: 4 out of 5


Tez

Murder By Death (1976)

An elegant pastiche of the country-house murder-mystery, Murder By Death is written by Neil Simon (The Sunshine Boys, California Suite, The Odd Couple) and directed by Robert Moore (The Cheap Detective, Chapter Two).

A group of the world's greatest detectives, each accompanied by an associate or relative, are invited to the home of the eccentric multi-millionaire Lionel Twain for dinner... and a murder. Twain proclaims himself the world's greatest detective and offers $1 million to anyone who can solve the crime that's about to happen. Sure enough, a body is soon discovered. But with a house full of tricks and traps and somebody behind the scenes pulling the strings, can the bickering detectives survive until morning, and work out- not so much whodunit- but what the hell is actually going on?

A star-studded cast bring this story to life. David Niven and Maggie Smith give an air of suave class as sophisticated crime-solving socialities Dick and Dora Charleston (a take on Dashiell Hammett's characters Nick and Nora Charles who appeared in The Thin Man stories and films). Smith is often seen as purely a dramatic actress- something she excels at- but, here, she channels a fine comedic streak as the debonair Mrs Charleston, showing some impeccable comic timing throughout. 

Another Hammett character is spoofed with Peter Falk's hardboiled Sam Diamond an obvious rip-off of Sam Spade, accompanied by his long-suffering secretary Tess Skeffington (played by Eileen Brennan who, nine years later, would return to a country-house murder-mystery spoof in the frankly wonderful Clue). Diamond is a gumshoe of the old school, and he parodies the sexist, racist, misogynist attitutes of the 1940s hardboiled noir tradition. Some of the lines are a bit close to the bone but Falk's performance softens any offence. 

Agatha Christie's two major sleuths Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple get parodied here with James Coco and Elsa Lanchester playing Belgian detective Milo Perrier and English spinster Jessica Marbles respectively. Coco's meticulously fussy portrayal of the perpetually hungry Perrier is nicely observed and his relationship with his chauffeur Marcel- played by James Cromwell in his film debut- provides a couple of great moments- the two of them bicker like an old married couple. Lanchester's turn as Miss Marbles is equally as good, making her a hale and hearty tweed-clad woman accompanied by her aged nurse Miss Withers (the final film role of Estelle Winwood) whom everyone initially mistakes for the fabled detective. 

The last of the detectives is Inspector Sidney Wang (based on Charlie Chan, created by Earl Derr Biggers). Now, here's where things get a bit tricky. Wang is played by Peter Sellers, heavily made-up to look more Oriental, and speaking in broken English and dispensing gnomic fortune-cookie-esque statements (without prepositions or articles). Thing is, Charlie Chan was also portrayed on screen by other Occidental actors (J. Carrol Naish, Sidney Toler, and Peter Ustinov among others) so it's perhaps less of an issue than it could be. But this is one performance that hasn't aged well, although we're not in Mickey-Rooney-in-Breakfast-At-Tiffany's level of offensive. 

Rounding off the cast are Alec Guinness as blind butler Jamesir Bensonmum, Nancy Walker as the deaf and dumb maid Yetta, and writer Truman Capote taking a rare acting role as the mysterious Lionel Twain. Guinness' understated performance as the blind butler is hilarious, and it's a pure joy to see an actor usually associated with serious drama cutting loose. Walker's performance is great- she gives a great physical performance in her few scenes, with no dialogue. Capote's performance as the eccentric Twain is probably the weakest link in the film but, given that he's surrounded by actors of the calibre of Guinness, Smith, and Niven, can be excused. That said, Capote was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, in the Best Acting Debut In A Motion Picture- Male category (but he lost to Arnold Schwarzenegger). 

Simon's script is tight and has some amazing one-liners. The plot plays with the conventions of a murder mystery, including the outlandish motives people could have had to commit the murder, doors locked from the inside, hidden traps and so on. The solution to the murder makes absolutely no sense at all. None whatsoever. But that's the point. The denouement takes a metafictional jab at mystery writers who withhold important clues or information, or introduce characters at the last minute, or go for a twist in the tale just for the sake of it (at the expense of narrative cohesion or sense). Simon was nominated for a Writers' Guild Award for Best Comedy Written Directly For The Screen. 

Murder By Death is a perfect Sunday afternoon film. It's a wonderfully pleasant way to spend an hour and a half. Give it a try if you haven't before.

Tez