Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2320

Why the Music in Marvel Movies is So Boring

It’s rare that the shared hive mind here at Nerdist.com can ever really be stumped. We, like some sort of geeky Borg Collective, tend to know a little bit about everything. However, today we find ourselves at a loss because the latest video by YouTube’s Every Frame A Painting has posed a question we didn’t have an immediate answer to: “Can you sing anything from a Marvel movie?”

Tony Zhou, the creator of Every Frame A Painting, posits the reason you can’t is due to a few reasons. The first is that most of the music in the MCU doesn’t garner an emotional response and in a lot of cases is fairly cookie-cutter across their films. They’re filled with predictable and safe musical cues for whatever is happening on screen that work in concert with the action but don’t allow us to notice it. The process of “Temp Music” may also be a factor in what results in a forgettable score. This is when filmmakers use songs from other films to give a general idea to what they want for each scene which can be problematic. There are instances where the songs created with the same intended vibe sound almost identical to the temp music used. Over a long enough timeline – say, the last 20 years or so – it can result in rather dull movie scores that tend to feel like something you’ve already heard. Because you probably have.

What’s always great about the videos produced on Every Frame A Painting is that they all manage to be a quick and dirty crash course in film school. The examples given and the questions asked make us appreciate film in an entirely new way and, because of this video, we may not ever look at (and in this case, listen to) a Marvel movie the same way again.

What are your thoughts on Marvel movie scores? What’s your favorite Every Frame A Painting video? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

Doing Dragonball Z gravity training could kill a person!

Image: Marvel/Disney

A Norwegian Black Metal Musician Was Accidentally Voted to His Town Council

Parks and Recreation protagonist Leslie Knope put her entire heart into being elected to public office, and she had to overcome many roadblocks to get it done. Inversely, Norwegian metal musician Fenriz, of the band Darkthrone, is a member of Kolbotn’s town council, even though he really doesn’t want to be.

According to Fenriz, it started when he agreed to be put on the ballot, thinking that he would just be on it to make sure the minimum number of candidates was reached: “They called and asked if I wanted to be on the list [of backup representatives],” he said (via FACT). “I said ‘yeah,’ thinking I would be like 18th on the list and I wouldn’t really have to do anything.”

From there, his platform was straightforward: He literally asked people to not vote for him, presenting this photo of him and his cat as his campaign poster:

Wouldn’t you know it, a cute cat wasn’t enough to discount Fenriz, a critical player in Norway’s metal scene since the ’80s, as a serious candidate, and he got elected. Now, Councilman Gylve Fenris Nagell must serve for four years before he’s allowed to resign. Still, he may not be called to action all that much, considering his role is that of a back-up.

“Basically, I have to step in when the usual people who go to the big meetings are sick or something,” he said. “Then I have to go sit there and feel stupid among the straight people. I’m a pillar of my community.”

Darkthrone is getting ready to release a new album, Arctic Thunder, in October, so check out “Tundra Leech” below, which is probably more brutal than the official song of your municipality.

Images: Gylve Fenris Nagell

Two New LEGION Teasers Have Taken Over Our Bodies

We’ve been really, really excited about FX’s adaptation of the Legion comics for a minute now, from casting announcements to details about the creative team, and went out of our minds after that first trailer debuted. The Noah Hawley-visioned series (you know, the guy who made the very excellent Fargo?) about poor David Haller and his misunderstood dissociative personality disorder has only given us that initial peek at what we have to look forward to—until now. In two new clips, the series’ sense of humor and surreality are on full display and we.are.so.ready.for.it.

Playful and serious with seemingly glorious aplomb, the first of the two new teasers finally giving us a longer look at exactly the sort of series we’re in for. Namely: one of lighthearted darkness. Which is, naturally, played to perfect affect by Aubrey Plaza in the wordless clip above. Her character, Lenny, is David’s only friend and one we’re very excited to see as the normally dark and deadpan Plaza is playing someone described as having the “likable energy of an impossible optimist.”

In the next clip, we’re exposed to a bit more of the disbelief surrounding David’s condition—swappin’ bodies? Doing kaleidoscopic dances?—as it relates to the mental hospital he seems to be hanging out at:

UUUUUGH—I mean, come on. Right? This show has thrown a bunch of dark Fargo humor into our superhero comics and we are more than ready for this adaptation that’s coming our way in 2017.

But what do you think of the new Legion trailers? Let us know in the comments below.

And check out some of the other TV series we’re very excited about:

Featured Image: FX Networks

Alicia Lutes is Managing Editor of Nerdist and creator/co-host of Fangirling. Find her on Twitter (if ya want)!

Adam Driver Really Digs STAR WARS EPISODE VIII’s Script

As great as it was to see Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia, and (very briefly) Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the movie wouldn’t nearly have been the success it was if not for the new characters. Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron had us excited to join the Resistance, but if not for a compelling villain, we’d have checked out. Luckily, Kylo Ren (as played by Adam Driver) was incredibly deep and interesting, wrestling with the dark side and the light. That looks to be expanded even further in Episode VIII, according to a new interview with the actor.

In a piece by Collider, Driver praised Episode VIII‘s writer-director Rian Johnson for being able to jump in to the franchise so ably. He also expressed love for Johnson’s script specifically for its clarity. “I learned a lot of things about my character through his writing,” Driver said. “Some things we talked about before and some things we didn’t. He was working on [the script] while we were still working on the first one. To understand what J.J. was doing and take ownership from there is kind of a remarkable thing.”

Later in the interview, Driver explained that Episode VIII will be a lot like The Empire Strikes Back, in that it has a different tone, but he was quick to clarify that he doesn’t mean it’s dark. “It’s just different in tone in a way that I think is great and necessary but also very clear,” he explained, adding praise for Johnson not talking down to the audience. “He trusts [that] his audience is ready for nuance and ambiguity. He’s not dumbing anything down for someone and that’s really fun to play.”

One of this particular writer’s (few) complaints about J.J. Abrams‘ vision for The Force Awakens was that parts were needlessly complicated and mysteries were introduced that weren’t totally necessary. Johnson, for his part, appears to be adding to the ambiguity in character and theme without making the plot too hard to follow. If you’ve seen Johnson’s other films—Brick, The Brothers Bloom, and Looper—you know he’s a fan of mysteries…but mysteries that can be solved.

If we find out more about Kylo Ren, we can only imagine we’ll get some answers about Rey’s heritage as well. Fascinating stuff! Let us know what you think will happen to Kylo Ren in Episode VIII in the comments below!

Hey, how come lightsabers don’t burn their wielders’ hands?

Image: Lucasfilm

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

SUPERNATURAL’s 9 Weirdest Creatures (So Far)

Eleven seasons. That’s how long the Winchester brothers have been riding around in the Impala and saving people from all manner of monsters that go bump in the night on Supernatural. Ghosts, demons, a wendigo—Sam and Dean have stopped all these terrors throughout the years, but also dragons (yep!), demigods, and other off-the-wall creatures. To celebrate Supernatural Day, I’m looking back at the weirdest/silliest monsters Sam and Dean have encountered on the road so far.

1. Nachzehrer

Appeared in: “Baby”

Nachzehrers are the official name from lore for the monsters Dean dubbed ghoul-pires—I like Dean’s name better. They have traits common to werewolves, vampires, and ghouls and feed on hearts and blood. Even though the episode put a humorous angle on the ghoulpires, the hybrid monsters were scary and hard to kill—Dean had to put a copper penny in alpha’s mouth and decapitate it in order for the pack to revert back to their human form.

2. Dragons

Appeared in: “Like a Virgin”

Look, when you have to dig up monsters to feature in dozens and dozens of episodes, you have to go deep into myth to find candidates. Or, you go for the obvious and make it fit the show—ergo, dragons. The dragons took human form and kidnapped virgins. (Yeah. It happened.) Even the Winchesters and Bobby had a hard time believing the creature was real. The dragon they chased lived in the sewer and had a stash of gold and everything.

3. Leshi

Appeared in: “Fallen Idol”

Celebrity culture is a thing, and for better or worse, many people seem to worship those who they perceive have status. The pagan god Leshi took advantage of that and took the form of idols such as Gandhi and Paris Hilton (those two are at slightly different ends of the spectrum) and devoured their worshippers to stay fed and alive and to plant a seed from its Balkan forest home into the worshippers’ stomachs.

4. Zanna

Appeared in: “Just My Imagination”

Imaginary friends? Yeah, Supernatural went there. The Zanna acted as guides to children who needed them and would appear to the child in question as long as he or she wanted them around. Zanna were actually a force of good, and though the concept sounds ridiculous, the show pulled it off remarkably well.

5. Phoenix

Appeared in “Frontierland”

Phoenixes aren’t only found in Dumbledore’s office, they were powerful monsters in Supernatural, incinerating anyone with only a touch. The ashes of a Phoenix were key to stopping Eve, and the Winchesters even traveled back in time to acquire them.

6. Cherubim

Appeared in: “My Bloody Valentine”

If you’ve ever stayed awake wondering how a cherub shakes hands, the appearance of Cupid on the series put your mind at ease. A lower order of angel, Cupid appeared and hugged Castiel and the Winchesters to introduce himself. The Cherubim receive orders from heaven to make sure certain bloodlines come together—for example, John and Mary Winchester were one of the relationships that took top priority. To that end, the hundreds of Cherubim on Earth are able to manipulate emotions.

7. Suicidal Teddy Bear

Appeared in: “Wishful Thinking”

A wishing well actually granting wishes seems like a fantastic idea in theory, but you know the saying, you get what you wish for… The goddess of chaos caused the problem, and one of the wishes that came true was a teddy bear coming to life. It sounds cute, but the stuffed animal was in the middle of an existential crisis and upset by the state of the world. He unleashed his sadness by breaking into a liquor store and stealing booze and adult magazines. Of course.

8. Fairies

Appeared in: “Clap Your Hands If You Believe”

Fairies in Supernatural aren’t cute like Tinker Bell. They traveled to our realm from Avalon, another dimension, and abducted people. There were light and dark fairies—one of the latter, a Redcap, tormented Dean. Watching Dean being plagued by a fairy remains one of the show’s most humorous moments.

9. Flying Monkeys

Appeared in: “Slumber Party”

In one of the more bizarre twists in Supernatural, the Winchesters encountered the world of Oz–that meant the Wicked Witch… and her army of Flying Monkeys. The army didn’t make it through to our world, but their massive numbers and glowing eyes were enough to make me raise an eyebrow.

Which creatures or monsters would you add to the list? Sound off in the comments or drive your Impala to Twitter and let me know.

Images: The CW, Tumblr, Just Purely Insane, Mark Watches, Demon Detox Manual, Carla, Fiercely Normal, Wikia, Jenn, MEM, Forever Young Adult

The POKÉMON SUN and MOON-Themed Nintendo 3DS XL is Gorgeous

It feels like we’ve been talking about Pokémon Sun and Moon for a lifetime now, but that November 18 release date is finally on the horizon. Now, there’s news of another new release that’s coming before then, for those who may not own a New Nintendo 3DS XL at the moment or for those who have to collect every variant out there: A Solgaleo Lunala Black Edition of the handheld is hitting shelves on October 28, and it can be yours for $199, the standard retail price for the console.

Similar to the special edition Nintendo 3DS XL that was released around the time of Pokémon X and Y, the new machine features a solid-colored background (black this time) with minimal but striking outline drawings of the games’ legendary Pokémon on the 3DS’ outer shell. Depending on your situation, this might be a buy, especially for those who want to get more into Pokémon after getting swept up in the Pokémon Go mania. Actually, if that’s the case, we can’t recommend getting a console and the games enough.

Speaking of the games, and in another repeat of X and Y‘s release cycle, both games will also be available to purchase together as a dual pack, for $79.99. If you search for it on Amazon, though, you might also notice that the site has an exclusive edition of the dual pack, which comes in a “steelbook” case featuring art of the two cover Pokémon on the outside and a partial map of the Alola region on the inside.

As of right now, those appear to be all your options, so take a deep breath, and allow yourself to get swept away by how awesome Sun and Moon are shaping up to be.

Featured image: Nintendo

MOONCOP Is a Clever, Existential Space Adventure Comic (Review)

Human beings have not found another planet to colonize just yet, but we certainly are trying. NASA is hard at work sending rovers to other planets in search of hospitable environments. However, what would happen if the nearest hospitable planet were right in our own backyard? What if the moon itself was humanity’s most promising candidate for expanding civilization beyond Earth?

Tom Gauld imagines such a reality in his new graphic novel Mooncop from Drawn & Quarterly. The comic chronicles the daily routine of the last police officer on the moon. In this alternate future, the Space Shuttle program continued on (instead of ending as it did in 2011), sending groups of adventurous citizens to a lunar colony. All good things must come to an end sooner or later, though, as the moon’s lone officer starts to realize. The once vibrant lunar colony is now more akin to a small town. As the officer goes about his daily rounds, he sees more and more citizens leaving to return back to life on Earth. Existence on the tiny celestial body grows quieter as each day passes. Since no one is around to commit any crimes, our hero maintains a 100% crime-solution rate on the moon. While that looks good on paper, it makes for quite a dull day-to-day.

Mooncop manages to balance out moments of wonderful melancholy with  dry wit. The officer is reduced to spending his time tackling minor infractions on the lunar surface. A girl who wanders off on her way home, a lost dog who goes off his leash, an automaton who strays far away from its rightful place at the Museum of the Moon. As more and more of the officer’s neighbors move away, his superiors back on Earth send him a no-nonsense therapy robot for support that inevitably breaks down. While Mooncop has an undercurrent of loneliness throughout it, there’s also a hopefulness present. The cop encounters a new face on the lunar colony, a woman working the counter at the new Lunar Donuts cafe. They banter back and forth, bonding over their mundane work routines. The moon colony may be declining, but friendships are still possible on the nearly empty lunar surface.

The graphic novel’s subtle, thoughtful meditation on humanity isn’t the only reason readers will love it. Mooncop’s artwork is also visually outstanding. Gauld (known for his cartoons in The Guardian and New Scientist) uses his distinct style of line work to create the world of the lunar colony. His vision of the future looks familiar, a cross between 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars. The R2-D2-like robots and domed space module designs are a lovely throwback to the look of classic sci-fi films and TV shows.

At its heart, Mooncop provides an optimistic, rich metaphor for life. In the loneliest of places, there is always the possibility and hope of connecting with another. Tom Gauld’s graphic novel give us a fun, clever meditation on what it means to be human.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 space burritos. (They were all out of Lunar Donuts.)

Mooncop is out on September 20 from Drawn & Quarterly.

What are your favorite space-themed comics of choice? Let us know in the comments below!

Image: Drawn & Quarterly

Michelle Buchman is the social media manager at Nerdist Industries. She’s also a huge cinephile. Feel free to follow and chat movies with her on Twitter, @michelledeidre.

THE WICKED + THE DIVINE is Everything You Want in a Comic Series and More

Can’t seem to get enough magic and mayhem in your life? Lucky for you there’s The Wicked + The Divine. Since its first issue in 2014, this comic series has been using everything from epic mythological characters to vain pop stars in exceptionally twisted ways. It was the #9 pick for The Dan Cave’s The Best Comics of 2014, noted as “a scintillating look at celebrity culture, the nature of obsession, and modern mythologies.” Without giving away too many spoilers (but there are some minor ones, so please be warned!), we’re going to highlight a few reasons why you should definitely be reading Image Comics‘ The Wicked + The Divine.

Much like Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods, writer Kieron Gillen and Artists Jamie McKelvie and Matt Wilson have been concocting a new brew of mythology by blending sci-fi and fantasy elements with a millennial touch. The story starts with twelve gods reincarnated as young adults after facing their last ninety-year cycle. They become different breeds of popstars—flashy symbols of magical powers and fake immortality, since they only have two years to live in their young bodies. They’re either worshiped or hated by followers in the Digital Age (the first issue briefly starts on December 31, 1934 then jumps to 2014 and on for the rest of the series). References to all things mainstream from our current generation aren’t off limits: yes, these deities tweet and hashtag. Despite creating a collective of characters in the image of classical mythology, humanity isn’t an afterthought in this series.

Gillen has commented that the idea for this series came to him after his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. WicDiv is written with the intention that all the characters—deities and mortals—are starting to become aware of their short lives. That means we, the readers, must also come to terms with characters dying off, akin to character deaths in Game of Thrones. Rather than looking at various mythological figures historically, Gillen and team created versions that all relate to one another, like fractured personalities of one whole. These characters are more than just omnipotent beings—they’re creators, artists, and musicians grappling with the each other’s success and fame, and the inevitable decline that follows. The theme shifts from what happens when even the gods start to die to what happens when they start to live? They act differently and question their existence—”live fast, die young” would definitely be the main hashtag for the first two volumes “The Faust Act” and “Fandemonium,” which consists of issues #1-11.These first issues are mind-bending introductions to individual figures we think we understand from reading Edith Hamilton’s Mythology in high school or taking world literature courses in college. Lucifer, for instance, is one of the first popstar goddesses we meet through super-fan human, Laura. Ultra David Bowie vibes circa Ziggy Stardust and Thin White Duke fizz off of this androgynous version of Lucifer—unintentionally, even though they share a particular date in common. Traditionally, Lucifer is portrayed as pure evil incarnate with a one-track mind, but WicDiv delves into this character’s uncertainty with good versus evil, life versus death. You’re never too sure of what this version of Lucifer is capable. And even though Lucifer is short-lived in the series, her impact definitely gets the ball rolling for all narratives to follow in “Fandemonium.”

A game-changer for the series occurred in issue #8, the middle arc of “Fandemonium.” Good ol’ wine-drinking Dionysus from the Greek pantheon is introduced—a character mostly remembered for that one goofy appearance in Disney‘s Fantasia (1940). But the WicDiv team took that frolicking fool and created their sleek eleventh god, a product of underground raves complete with sex, drugs, and rage. The description for this issue on the official WicDiv page reads, “Everyone’s invited. We can sleep when we’re dead—but when you’ll be dead within two years, you may as well turn up in your pyjamas. After seven issues of egomaniacs, it’s time for an issue where the crowd is the star.”The vignette on the pages of issue #8 are extraordinarily written, drawn, and colored. (Check out one above.) The vibrant blast of Laura’s confusion is matched with the collective euphoria of 120 heartbeats reacting to Dionysus’ DJ powers. This one night, one continuously turned up party, is everything for a god who’s going to die in two years time. And with this DJ AM-esque human incarnation, you begin to feel empathy towards the one Greek god no one’s really cared about in pop culture. Issue #8 pushed the point that the end arrives faster than you think, which is what “Commercial Suicide” delves into following a surprise ending in issue #11.

But “Commercial Suicide,” which collects issues #12-#17, has so far been the blacksheep of the bunch. Even though WicDiv was nominated for the Eisner Award in 2015 before “Commercial Suicide” was released, gaining the series a ton of notoriety inside and outside of the comic world. But “Commercial Suicide” was action orientated than most, with a few odd narrative chooses occurring throughout. They also brought in some guest artists and editors too, which explains the erratic arcs. But issue #17 is without a doubt the show-stealing stunner of the volume. The Egyptian warrior cat-goddess of vengeance, Sakhmet, is featured variant style by fellow Image artist, Brandon Graham (Island, Prophet, Multiple Warheads). These pages are drawn and colored precisely to fit the issue’s mood—as crisp as Sakhmet’s bleak attitude towards her fragile mortality. Issue #17 refocused the remaining gods and goddesses left on Earth and cleaned up all the chaos and confusion that occurred in previous issues of this volume.  The critical consensus remains: the twisted positives outweigh the few negatives of The Wicked + The Divine. After selling more than 40,000 copies of issue #1 in 2014, WicDiv carries on with issue #23 on November 2 and volume #4, “Rising Action,” on October 5. There’s also a one-shot issue called “1831” coming out on September 21 that focuses on Lake Geneva and a handful of nineteenth-century Romantic writers (think Frankenstein). Plenty of magic remains for this series, and hopefully the mayhem will become more cohesive in the issues to follow.

Which divine deity are you a follower of? Let us know all your wicked thoughts about The Wicked + The Divine below!

Images: Image Comics

Eat Poké Balls, The Joker, and Other Novelty Chocolates by The Truffle Cottage

Imagine this: you’re wandering the aisles of a comic convention, hungry and tired, and suddenly you see an oasis–an oasis covered in chocolate. That’s how I felt when I spotted The Truffle Cottage at Salt Lake Comic Con. The company combines unique flavor profiles with novelty designs. And by novelty, I mean stormtrooper heads and other Star Wars molds, Hylian Shields from Legend of Zelda, Poké Balls and eggs from Pokémon, Harley Quinn and Joker, Harry Potter Hogwarts house designs, and Supernatural truffles. Are you drooling yet? These pictures will help:

I love the pearlescent finish on the shields.

The harsh convention lighting and my phone’s camera don’t do The Truffle Cottage’s work justice, but trust me when I say they spare no details with their creations.

I was drawn to the chocolates because of the craftsmanship and thoughtfulness—e.g., the Dean Winchester chocolate had an apple pie flavor, the Hogwarts truffles had butterbeer flavored filling—and I was completely sold after I sampled a few different items. The quality and taste were both excellent, and I wish I would have brought home more treats. Luckily for me and for anyone else not located near their location in Pleasant Grove, Utah, you can order from The Truffle Cottage’s website. I recommend browsing the site just to see the variety of fandoms represented. Don’t forget to jump to the gallery below to see more sugary + awesome chocolates.

Which chocolates look the most enticing to you? Head to the comments and tell me what you most want to try.

Images: Amy Ratcliffe

This Triple Domino Spiral Will Be the Most Satisfying Thing You Watch All Day

Watching videos of dominos falling can be one of the most mesmerizing things ever. There’s just something about watching a unique pattern or incredibly long line of dominos fall just right that is bizarrely satisfying. People can spend hours and even days making elaborate domino patterns, all to ultimately destroy their work in one fell swoop. But often times the fall is just as impressive as the initial build.

Domino artist Hevesh5 makes domino patterns that are just like that—impressive when they’re built up, and even more impressive as they fall. Hevesh5 used 15,000 dominos and put in around 25 hours of work spread over eight days to create an amazing triple spiral domino pattern. As Gizmodo explains, despite the long hours put in to the initial build, it takes just under two minutes for the entire thing to come crumbling down.

Despite the incredibly disproportionate build/fall time, watching multi-level domino spiral is so dazzling to watch. While it’s crazy to think about spending 25 hours on something that you’ll just knock down in under two minutes, the dominoes fall in such a beautiful pattern that it makes the long hours put into setting everything up seem totally worth it.

Of course this isn’t Hevesh5’s first amazing piece of domino art. Her channel is full of amazing and intricate designs. However, the triple spiral is her longest build to date. I can’t wait to see what crazy designs she dreams up next to top the tripal spiral! Until then, I’ll just be watching this one on repeat.

Have you ever tried domino art? Tell us about it, and tell us your favorite of Hevesh5’s builds in the comments!