Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2021

VALERIAN is a Sci-Fi Visual Treat (Review)

Science fiction in film goes all the way back to Georges Méliès’ 1902 film, A Trip to the Moon, and since the very beginning, the best ones showed us a world wholly new and exciting, something the likes of which we’ve never seen before. And if you’ve spent any large quantity of time watching these movies, it can feel after awhile like there perhaps are no new vistas to see. Fortunately we have Luc Besson, who has brought a French comic book to the screen in a way that will make audiences truly marvel. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is one of the most gorgeous films I’ve ever seen.

Based on the comics series written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (hereafter just referred to as Valerian) is very clearly a passion project for Besson and the degree of detail to replicate the unique visual aesthetic of the books is astonishing. Every location, costume, prop, action sequence, alien, spaceship–everything feels at once timeless and fresh, and great pains were taken to ensure everything retained the popping, vibrant colors of the books while feeling like a believable world. Seeing it in 3D, I felt overwhelmed, engulfed in one of the coolest depictions of the future since Blade Runner.

The film follows a pair of special operatives named Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevigne) who banter and make sexual innuendo but are devoted partners. They are tasked with retrieving contraband material from a black market deal and return it to the Minister of Defense (Herbie Hancock) and that leads them to an unfolding mystery surrounding said objects and the people who might want to get them. When their commanding officer (Clive Owen) is kidnapped, Valerian and Laureline must head deep into Alpha, the titular City of a Thousand Planets, and find an answer that will affect not only the city, but the entire universe. I’m being purposely vague to preserve the fun you’ll have discovering what’s actually going on.

As the long-awaited follow-up to Besson’s 1997 movie, The Fifth Element, which admittedly took a lot from the Valerian and Laureline comics, the film version of Valerian is largely successful in what it sets out to do. It does a great job of world building and I really appreciate that it doesn’t spend a ton of time explaining how things work, we just see things work and can fill in the rest. The alien races are all completely distinct and have societies and customs that Besson shows us but doesn’t waste time on expository dialogue about who and what they are. I cannot stress how refreshing this is for a popcorn sci-fi flick, to just get to the action and only tell us what’s integral to the story, using the rest as window dressing and context.

The film’s opening sequence could have been a perfect and self-contained short film. Set to David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” Alpha’s creation unfolds through the coupling up of various space stations, starting with the Russian, American, and Chinese, and continues with alien races joining in peace and harmony as well. Eventually, so many of these have linked up that it has to be moved far away from the Earth, and becomes its own melting pot of a planet, with different races doing different things to make the City all function on its own. It’s a beautiful sequence that sets the mood for the rest of the movie.

There are many things I loved about this movie, but I didn’t love everything and that’s where we run into some fairly major problems. The human actor performances do not live up to the richness of the world, and in particular this is true of our two leads. In a film with so much excitement, DeHaan and Delevigne stick out with their complete lack of charisma and nonexistent chemistry. DeHaan plays one note–the swaggering cool guy–through the entire movie and even when he’s meant to be emotionally sincere, he comes across as someone who’s just reading lines. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, Delevigne reacts to everything like she’s in a silent movie or a cartoon, with enormous expressions interspersed between scowls. I’ve heard from people who know the comics very well that this is how the characters are in those books, but to me, as a person who doesn’t know the books, they simply felt entirely out of their element, badly miscast, and I was never able to connect with them individually, and certainly not in their relationship.

I wish I could say that the performances didn’t detract too much, but they sadly did. Even so, the visuals, action sequences, general storyline, and immersive experience of the 3D are enough to make me recommend people go see the movie. I fully believe that Besson got exactly what he wanted from every aspect of the movie, but his idea of what makes compelling leads and mine seem to differ drastically. It’s a sci-fi world I would love to visit again, but perhaps with different tour guides.

3 out of 5 Burritos

Images: STX Entertainment

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

9 SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING Easter Eggs You May Have Missed!

Spider-Man: Homecoming ruled the box office over the weekend, and it looks like Tom Holland‘s first solo Spidey movie is already a fan favorite. Now that Homecoming has finally arrived, it’s time to embrace our passion for Easter eggs! And believe us, there’s a lot to unpack, even when leaving out some of the more obvious references like the bank robbing Avengers. Today’s Nerdist News has narrowed it down to the nine most important Spider-Man: Homecoming Easter eggs that you may have missed.

There are massive spoilers ahead for Homecoming! Not gonna lie, you’ll probably be upset if you ruin these surprises for yourself. So make sure that you see the movie before you finish reading this post or watching the video. This is your final warning!

Assuming you’re still with us, it’s time to join senior editor and guest host Daredevil Dan Casey, as he jumps to the end of the movie! No kidding! The first mid-credits scene not only sets up the Scorpion as a future MCU bad guy, it also appears to lay the groundwork for a Sinister Six showdown with Spidey.

This is interesting because Sony has wanted to make a Sinister Six movie for a long time, having come close before. But it might be difficult this time if Sony wants to pretend that Kraven the Hunter and Mysterio can carry their own films in the Venomverse. Hopefully the success of Homecoming will lead Sony and Marvel to expand their collaboration.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing Easter eggs is that Homecoming references the Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales, without calling him by name. Donald Glover appears in the movie as Aaron Davis, Miles’ uncle, and the man who inadvertently exposed Miles to a radioactive spider in the Ultimate Universe. This is definitely setting up Miles to appear somewhere down the line. But don’t worry Peter Parker fans. The two Spider-Men peacefully co-exist in the comics, and they can share the screen as well.

If you’ve seen the film, then you know all about Michelle’s “MJ” moment. But you might have overlooked some subtle references to Mary Jane Watson, including the callback to the famous upside kiss from the first Spider-Man movie and the fact that the tigers are the mascots for Peter’s high school. Peter’s future crush, Betty Brandt, appeared a few times in the movie in the high school’s cheesy news program. But did you notice that her co-anchor was Jason Ionello? He was a supporting character in Kurt Busiek’s Untold Tales of Spider-Man from the ’90s, which retroactively inserted him into Peter’s history.

One of the most famous scenes in the early years of Spider-Man featured the wall-crawler pinned under tons of wreckage and seemingly on the verge of giving up. It was immortalized on the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #33, and it was directly referenced in a scene late in this movie. As a double reference, that moment even gave us the half-Spider-Man and half-Peter Parker visual that the comics have used for over five decades!

Even the unexpected touches, like the identity of the high school Principal and Spidey’s disastrous run through the suburbs, have their origins in the movies and comics that came before. There’s even an intriguing reference to Captain America’s new shield, while Spider-Man’s new suit represents more than just the next stage of his evolution. And no, it wasn’t the Iron Spider costume.

What was your favorite Spider-Man: Homecoming Easter egg? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: Sony Pictures/Marvel

The STAR WARS FORCES OF DESTINY Shorts Ranked

We live in a time where there’s no shortage of new Star Wars. Books, comics, films, TV series—it’s all being regularly released. A different kind of format for fresh content was added to the list recently with the launch of Forces of Destiny. The initiative that will eventually include toys and books started with eight animated shorts starring the likes of Leia, Rey, Ahsoka Tano, and more.

The idea of Forces of Destiny, animated in a 2D style reminiscent of Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Clone Wars micro-series, is to focus on everyday moments of heroism in the current storytelling universe. The stories play out over a few minutes, so they need to be to the point. With familiar faces, team-ups, and cute creatures, the shorts manage to be fun and full of important messages despite their, well, shortness. Here’s how I’d rank them from bottom to top—though, for the record, I quite enjoyed all of them.

8. “BB-8 Bandits”

It’s fortunate for BB-8 that he crossed Rey’s path in the desert. She saved him from the clutches of Teedo and a variety of others looking to sell the droids for rations or credits. Jakku is all about survival. “BB-8 Bandits” demonstrates the devotion Rey shows to the rolling astromech.

7. “Bounty of Trouble”

In the days before Rogue One, Leia was considered a political figure from Alderaan. She was treated with respect by the Empire–well, respect might be going too far, but they weren’t trying to arrest her. In “Bounty of Trouble,” she works with Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels to escape the bounty hunter IG-88 and Leia’s Imperial escorts. It has an adventurous vibe and makes me want more missions where Leia and Sabine are paired.

6. “The Padawan Path”

When you have an important event on your calendar, it can be tempting to put your laser focus on said event and not pay attention to the world around you. I’m guilty of doing this around Comic-Con every year. But, keep your eyes open, because someone might need your help. That happens with Ahsoka Tano in “The Padawan Path.” Bonus: the short features Yoda and Anakin Skywalker.

5. “Sands of Jakku”

If a giant beast chased you and tried to devour you in order to fulfill its nutritional needs for the day, would you show it kindness? Rey does in “Sands of Jakku.” She knows life on the barren planet is hard, so after she keeps her new pal BB-8 out of the stomach of a nightwatcher worm, she helps the creature. It’s a sweet reminder that even those who act out might need our help.

4. “Ewok Escape”

You know how Leia inexplicably gets a dress from the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi? This short gives a little insight into how she helped them and how they rewarded her. The mystery of how and why they have the dress is left on the table to explore at another time. My guess is they have a closet full of dresses just like Jabba the Hutt must have a wardrobe full of revealing attire.

3. “The Imposter Inside”

You might think I have “The Imposter Inside” so high on my ranking because of Ahsoka Tano, and you’d be partially right. But the aspect about this episode that truly stands out is the presence of Padmé Amidala, and the way she and Ahsoka team-up to take out a potential assassin.

2. “Beasts of Echo Base”

Have you ever seen the deleted scene from The Empire Strikes Back with the wampa in Echo Base? If not, it’s fantastic and you should watch it. If so, then you’ll especially appreciate “Beasts of Echo Base” with Leia lending Chewbacca a helping hand by facing a wampa.

1. “The Stranger”

Imperials have a code called 310, and it’s apparently about feral animals or stopping citizens from having pets. Whatever the details, I’m not a fan. If I didn’t already dislike the Empire… Anyway! The code is relevant to “The Stranger” because stormtroopers try to use the rule to take a tooka away from a young girl. Luckily, Jyn Erso–who has reddish hair for some reason–steps in to help. Jyn Erso saving a cat isn’t the Star Wars I knew I needed, and now I’m overjoyed it exists.

Which Forces of Destiny short do you like the most? Which characters do you hope they feature in future installments? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Featured Image: Disney/Lucasfilm

DC Comics HOUSE OF HORROR Anthology Coming in Time For Halloween

Although we are smack dab in the middle of the blisteringly hot summer, and most of us are knee deep in summertime activities, the entertainment industry is already preparing for Halloween season. Haunted attractions are being built right now for the month of October, and big box stores can barely wait till the end of August to trot out the Halloween merch.

And over at DC Comics, the publisher has announced their contribution to the spookiest of holidays with a new 80-page one shot called DC House of Horror, which will feature a ton of well-known horror writers teamed up with established artists to tell scary tales featuring your favorite DC heroes like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in supernatural predicaments.

Among the creators for House of Horror are authors Brian Keene, Weston Ochse, Edward Lee, Mary SanGiovanni, Wrath James White, Nick Cutter, Ronald Malfi, and Bryan Smith. They’ll be teaming with artists Rags Morales, Bilquis Evely, Howard Porter, Scott Kolins, Dale Eaglesham, and the book will be released on October 25th, just days before Halloween. The cover is from comics legend Mike Kaluta, which you can see down below:

According to the official description, in these stories “Martha Kent fights for her life against a creature from a spacecraft that lands in front of her farmhouse! A young woman is possessed by the spirit of a murderous Amazon warrior! The last surviving member of the Justice League faces down a horror beyond imagining!”

DC Comics has a very long tradition with horror anthology comics, stretching back to the 1940s, with titles like Ghosts, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, The Unexpected, The Witching Hour, and even Weird War Tales, which mashed up war stories with the supernatural on a monthly basis. These books were published well into the ’80s, until superheroes began to dominate everything at both DC and Marvel. But it’s nice to see DC pay homage to their horror anthology past with this one-shot. Hopefully this can become an annual tradition.

DC House of Horror hits comic shops on October 25, 2017.

Are you excited about this superhero/horror mash-up? Be sure to let us know down below in the comments.

Images: DC Comics / Warner Brothers

U.S. House Committee Proposes Training Space Marines

H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, first published in 1898, is one of the most famous alien-invasion stories in history, having spawned a panic-inducing radio drama in the ’30s and two films in the ’50s and 2000s. Each time it surfaced, the story tapped into worldly fears of both invasion and the unknown. At the time of the book’s inception, Britain was at the height of colonial power, so the thought of an even more powerful force conquering the empire was unsettling. Now, it appears members of the U.S. government might harbor similar fears. Or they just think space is freakin’ cool, man.

In a 60 to 1 vote this week, the House Armed Services Committee designated a new branch of the military called the United States Space Corps, which sounds like exactly the kind of thing that happens before aliens invade. The branch would fall under the discretion of the Air Force and would, among other things, train soldiers to fight in space. We doubt such a space army would actually be used to defend from alien invasion (since, according to Mass Effect, most aliens just want to bone).

Calm down there, Garrus.

More likely, then, is that the proposal would simply add a fourth level to the the tiered structure of war: land, sea, air, and now space? If America creates a space-faring army, it’s not so far-fetched to assume other nations will do the same, bringing us one step closer to The Expanse.

So maybe our Space Marines wouldn’t be protecting us from the Reapers or an extraterrestrial protomolecule. Just boring human space-bros.

Would you sign up to be a Space Marine? What planet should we blow up with our interplanetary laser that we’re definitely building? Let us know in the comments below.

Image: Universal, EA, Syfy

Marvel’s NEW WARRIORS Has Cast Its Squirrel Girl

Earlier this year, Freeform made the surprising announcement that Marvel’s New Warriors were coming to TV as a comedy series headlined by Squirrel Girl.  The actual show won’t debut until 2018, but the cast has finally been assembled.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, This is Us veteran Milana Vayntrub has landed the part of Squirrel Girl, the likely breakout character on this series. As her name might suggest, Squirrel Girl has enhanced strength, razor sharp squirrel claws, and teeth as well as the ability to speak to squirrels. Within the Marvel Universe, Squirrel Girl also has the unique distinction of defeating every supervillain she has ever faced, even Doctor Doom and Thanos.

The rest of the team isn’t strictly made up of New Warriors. It’s more of a mixture of the Great Lakes Avengers and the New Warriors. That’s why the leading man opposite Vayntrub’s Squirrel Girl is Derek Theler’s Mister Immortal. His entire power set is that he can not be killed, and he’s been a comedic character ever since his introduction in the comics.

The rest of the cast includes Jeremy Tardy as Night Thrasher; Calum Worthy as Speedball; Matthew Moy as Microbe; and Kate Comer as Debrii. It should be noted that the New Warriors wasn’t a comedy series in the Marvel Universe except during a brief run in 2006 that re-imagined the characters as stars of their own reality show. Most of that team was killed off during the Civil War crossover, although almost all of them have come back to life…except Microbe.

It’s unclear if New Warriors will take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as it will be Marvel’s first comedy TV series since it began producing its own content in Hollywood. The tone of the series will probably determine whether the show can work in the MCU. The Marvel films have a lot of comedy, but they never become outright farcical. If New Warriors goes for that kind of comedy then it may not fit in with the larger MCU.

Are you excited about the New Warriors cast? Let us know in the comment section below!

Image: Marvel

FAST AND FURIOUS Might Actually Blast Off into Outer Space

It seems at this point like there is nothing that will ever stop the Fast And Furious franchise from maintaining prosperity. The Fate Of The Furious, the eighth movie in the series that hit theaters back in April, has grossed over 1.2 billion dollars worldwide, and that could be due in part to how outrageous the stunts are getting: The movie features tanks, submarines, literal swarms of cars, and everything else an nine-year-old with an active imagination would ever want in an action flick.

Believe it or not, things could get even more intense, to the point where planet Earth couldn’t contain all the action. In a recent conversation with Screen Rant, director F. Gary Gray would not rule out the possibility of a future Fast And Furious movie taking place in outer space. His words exactly:

“Outer space? Listen, I wouldn’t rule anything with this franchise. When I read submarine, I’m like, ‘OK, anything’s possible.’ You never know. I haven’t read Dom on Mars yet, but again, you just never know.”

Apparently, the movie going to space is a common joke in the film industry, but it turns out that might not be that much of a farce after all. Maybe Dom and the gang will partner with Elon Musk and make use of some SpaceX technology; who knows? At the very least, this shows that the franchise won’t rule out any ideas for being too ridiculous, as long as they lend themselves to some intense action.

Would you watch a Fast And Furious movie that takes place among the stars? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Featured image: Fast & Furious

Funko Announces INHUMANS Pops! and an Adorable Lockjaw Plush!

We’re still a few months away from Marvel’s Inhumans but that doesn’t mean we can’t get excited for Attilan’s royal family finally getting their time in the spotlight. Thankfully, there are some collectibles on the horizon from our pals over at Funko to tide us over while we count down the days until the Inhuman battle for world and/or moon domination.

A recent blog post on Funko announced a few additions to the Pop! family that will go perfectly on any Marvel fan’s shelves. The Medusa above (and Maximus below) look more like their comic counterparts than they do the actors who portray them in the show.

But really, if we’re being honest, we’re just here for the Lockjaw stuff. The Inhuman pup has teleported his wrinkly mug into our hearts forever with this Pop! that we may just have to buy a one for every room in our homes.

And for those who look at this mustachioed mutt and know there’s no way you can keep him out of your arms at all times, Funko had the foresight to know a cuddly version was certainly needed and boy did they deliver. They not only made a–let’s call it–“travel size” 5-inch plushie, but Toys ‘R’ Us will be carrying a larger 12-inch plushie starting in September of this year.

These new Funko creations will be perfect additions to any Marvel collection but what we’re really excited for is the fact that kids will undoubtedly see the new show, want these toys, and then–fingers crossed–want real bulldogs to name Lockjaw.

The world is going to be lousy with Lockjaw pups! What a time to be alive!

What do you think of these new Funkos? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

Images: Funko

Working, Prosthetic “Third Thumb” Paves the Way for a Real-Life Dr. Octopus

Prosthetic limbs and appendages are generally made to replace natural ones that have either been lost, or through a quirk of birth were never there in the first place. But there’s no reason that should forever stay their sole purpose. There has probably been some point in your life where you thought you didn’t have enough hands to carry everything, for example, or enough legs to support your body weight after a long day.

Royal College of Art grad student Dani Clode thinks prosthetics could conceivably enhance all of us, and as such has developed an extra mechanical thumb, to give your hand extra gripping and holding abilities. As seen via The Verge, it utilizes pressure points in your shoes, combined with Bluetooth signals, to control the grasping motion. The immediate benefits to card players, waiters, and musicians are showcased among others in the video below:

Now, some of you may rightly point out that in comics and movies, this kind of thing often goes badly. Dr. Otto Octavius wanted extra limbs, and they fused to his body and turned him evil. But really, at least in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man telling, the solution was obvious: don’t give the bonus limbs artificial intelligence that can only be overridden by an easily destroyable safety switch. If you prefer the comics, just keep your extra thumb away from any radiation leaks.

We are not responsible if you choose super-villainy of your own accord and decide to dub yourself “Professor Thumb-thing.” But with the extra digit, you might want to avoid killing the father of anyone named Inigo Montoya.

Is a third thumb inconceivable? The right finger? Point out your ideas in comments.

Image: Dani Clode

Ming-Na Wen Is Negotiating a Cameo in Disney’s Live-Action MULAN Remake

Disney’s live-action Mulan remake is still in the pre-production, but it’s never too early to call in the Cavalry! Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actress Ming-Na Wen provided the voice of Mulan in Disney’s animated feature film and its direct-to-video sequel, so it’s no surprise that Wen would very much like to make an appearance in the new version of Mulan. And during her recent appearance at the Heroes & Villains Fest in Nashville, Wen indicated that there has been some progress on that front.

Via ComicBook.com, Wen was asked if she was interested in appearing in Mulan and if she had been approached about it. “All of the above,” replied Wen. “I’m hoping. I mean, I’ve spoken to one of the producers on the film, and they’re still in the very early stages of it. So, we’re keeping an eye on it, and hopefully, yeah, It would be lovely too, I think, for the fans as well as for myself, right?”

Wen added, perhaps in jest, that she wanted fans to go on social media and tell Disney that they want to see her in the film. “So, I want everybody to Tweet, later on, today, to Disney and let them know how you feel,” said Wen. It shouldn’t even be a question, although it’s doubtful that remake would give Wen a chance to show off her Melinda May-style fighting skills.

But you know who really wants to see Wen back in Mulan? This guy, for purely selfish reasons.

It’s all about the Szechuan sauce! Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!

Do you want to see Ming-Na Wen kick some ass in the Mulan remake? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Marvel TV/ABC/Disney/Adult Swim