Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Kevin Feige
Written and Directed by James Gunn
Based on Guardians of the Galaxy
by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista,
Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker,
Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki,
Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone,
and Kurt Russell

BEWARE!  SPOILERS BELOW!

The lovable bunch of a-holes are back in Vol. 2, the much anticipated sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) leads and ends up expanding the team who have garnered a galactic reputation as true Guardians in the months since the last film.

So much so, that  Peter’s father, a comic book favorite Ego (The Living Planet) played by Kurt Russell sprouts up to reunite with his son.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘Superheroes Decoded’ (review) at Forces of Geek

Superheroes Decoded is a two-part documentary about the history of superheroes and comic books. Piggybacking on Brad Meltzer’s Decoded series title, this is in-depth look in to how American comic books and heroes have developed into a major money-maker for studios but also a reflection of over seventy-five years of pop culture.

Capped on each end by the creation of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and the invention of a Pakistani Ms. Marvel in 2013 the just under three hour documentary has a lot packed in.

Interviews with creators Stan Lee, Iron Man director Jon Favreau, creators Brad Meltzer, Joe Quesada, Mark Waid, Dan DiDio, Nicola Scott, G. Willow Wilson, Sana Amanat are poised against non-comics people and celebrities George R.R. Martin, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Clark Gregg, Anthony Mackie, T.J. Miller and many more to paint a historical perspective on comics and heroes.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘Teen Titans: The Judas Contract’ (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

The classic Wolfman/Perez Teen Titans story, The Judas Contract has been updated and fit into the current DCAU by director Sam Liu. While there are some key elements to the story and an overall respect for the source material throughout, this is very much a 2017 DC Comics Animated movie.

The team differs from the original Titans, an additional time frame and a sinister vibe and double-cross from the movie’s villains Brother Blood (Gregg Henry) and Deathstroke (played by the late, great Miguel Ferrer) add another layer to the dense story of betrayal from inside the team. Our animated Titans are led by Starfire (Kari Wahlgren) and the red-Bat New 52 Nightwing (Sean Maher).Beast Boy (Brandon Soo Hoo) returns as a major star in this one as he faces off against his crush and newly initiated team member Terra / Tara Markov (Christina Ricci).

Noticeably absent, likely for Justice League reasons is Cyborg, but Raven (Taissa Farmiga) and Blue Beetle / Jamie Reyes (Jake T. Austin) round out the roster.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘T2 Trainspotting’ (review) - at FORCES OF GEEK

“Choose life.
Choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and hope that someone, somewhere cares.
Choose looking up old flames, wishing you’d done it all differently.
And choose watching history repeat itself.
Choose your future.”

Danny Boyle returns 20 years later to Edinburgh, Scotland for a sequel to the highly successful Trainspotting film about addiction and friendship.

The film reunites Renton (Ewen McGregor) with Simon aka Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), the betrayed Begbie (Robert Carlyle) and the smack-obsessed Spud (Ewen Bremner) to great effect, portraying the void felt by the absence and passage of time.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Dan Lin, Roy Lee,
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith,
Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers,
|Jared Stern, John Whittington
Story by Seth Grahame-Smith
Based on Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger,
Lego Construction Toys
Directed by Chris McKay
Starring Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis,
Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes

LEGO Batman is back and with even less parents than the last time!

That’s not exactly true, Batman (Will Arnett) has surrogate father Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) by his side and his trusty ward Robin (Michael Cera) this time around for a true Batman Family adventure.

Commissioner Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl (Rosario Dawson) rounds out the good guy cast.

Batman’s nemesis? Of course it is The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) and a slew of familiar rogues.

Robot Chicken veteran Chris McKay directs this hilarious animated feature that bridges the gap between the animated LEGO DC Universe and 2014’s The LEGO Movie.

The LEGO Batman Movie, while obviously riding the success of the first film, also sets itself apart and is more than a sequel. Primarily basing itself in DC locations Gotham and The Phantom Zone, this is a decidedly DC Comics Batman movie. When rattling off a list of super villains in his cadre: Bane, Clayface, Two-Face, Riddler, The Joker is asked if he was making some of them up! Maybe he was, but this movie does introduce Condiment Man to LEGO canon, armed with both a Ketchup and a Mustard gun! OOOH, it stains!

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘Patriot’s Day’ (movie review) at FORCES OF GEEK

April 15, 2013 is a day that will live in infamy for Bostonians and runners the world over.

On this day, three people lost their lives and 264 others were injured at the finish line of the world’s oldest marathon.

Days later, an MIT police officer by the name of Sean A. Collier was shot and killed in the line of duty as the bombers tried to steal his gun. Nearly a year later, Dennis Simmonds, a Boston Police Department officer died of complications from an ensuing firefight with the terrorists.

These cowardly acts continue to have an affect on the Boston community, and on the other side of it, the chant of “Boston Strong” made it to the lexicon as a symbol of resilience, strength, pride and inspiration in the face of adversity.

Director Peter Berg’s Patriot’s Day captures the city’s reaction to the bombing that spurred an unprecedented ‘shelter-in-place’ declaration as the murderers made more sinister plans and plotted their way to New York City for more destruction.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘Allied’ (movie review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Written by Steven Knight
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Starring Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard,
Jared Harris, Simon McBurney,
Matthew Goode, Lizzy Caplan

Robert Zemeckis Allied is a decent Nazi spy romance film that is not without its problems with pacing and story, but still has some great scenes and overall looks great.

From the dizzying ‘when is he going to touch ground’ of Brad Pitt’s opening paratrooper scene to another steamy desert sex scene, the movie sure is great to look at. With the gorgeous Marion Cotillard (Dark Knight Rises, Inception) dripping a satin sensuality and Pitt’s leading man charisma, the sexiness can blow the gasket off of an RAF Jeep.

To be honest, Allied is a bit of a slogger, resting most of the burden on pure star power.

The movie has it’s very own identity crisis, switching sides from being a romantic period piece to a Nazi-punching war flick with behind the enemy lines grenade-throwing action. Where Zemeckis and writer Steven Knight go wrong is in the focus of the thing.

Most, if not all, of the plot is revealed in the trailer, which sets ones’ expectations up for failure from the first scenes in French Morocco. Max (Pitt) is a Canadian Airman fighting for the RAF. He’s dropped into a desert reconnoiter with his inside man who gives him a weapon and a cover story, complete with fake wedding ring.

In Casablanca, he meets his cover, a beautiful Marianne (Marion Cotillard).

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders’ (Movie review) - at FORCES OF GEEK

Holy Cash Cow, Batman! Batman ’66 the Comic, The Toys, The Franchise…and now the Movie!

Which came first, Robin? The revisit or the reboot? What peril faces The Caped Crusader and The Boy Wonder fifty years after the debut of the Batman television series? Of course, reuniting the original cast would be impossible, but somehow Adam West, Burt Ward and Catwoman Julie Newmar are able to return to the booths to voice their famous characters.

These cherished after-school versions of The Not-So-Dark-Knight (West) in satin gloves and his ward (Ward) are revisited in Warner Animation’s Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders.

I’m on record in these very pages of being a huge DC Animation fan, with only a few misses over these past few years. My favorite stories are when they take risks. This one, was risky for a number of reasons but truly I think they pulled it off once again.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘Suicide Squad’ (movie review) at Forces of Geek

Produced by Charles Roven, Richard Suckle
Based on Suicide Squad by John Ostrander
Written and Directed by David Ayer
Starring Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie,
Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney,
Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje,
Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne

One thing we can all agree on is that the DC Cinematic Universe got off to a rocky start and seemed doomed with the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The controversy won’t end with this film, but I can say writer/director David Ayer finally gets it. Nothing is ever perfect but this movie is more than what meets the eye from the promos.

Spanning superhero, comedy, supernatural and military genres and introducing visual elements more commonly found in video games, Suicide Squad is a wild ride.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Neil Gaiman: Dream Dangerously (movie review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Jordan Rennert, Patrick Meaney,
Julian Darius, Mike Phillips,
Cat Mihos, Morgan Peter Brown
Directed by Patrick Meaney
Starring Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer,
George R.R. Martin, Grant Morrison,
Karen Berger, Shelly Bond, Terry Prachett,
Lenny Henry, Michael Sheen, Patton Oswalt,
Chip Kid, Wil Wheaton, Jill Thompson

The living embodiment of The Sandman and literary genius Neil Gaiman (American Gods, The Ocean at the End of the Lane) is highlighted in this documentary from SeqArt, following Neil on his final book signing world tour.

That is too say, Neil will, at the end of the documentary have signed over 75,000 books and need to ice his had after every session. An artist with such class and graciousness is rare for wanting face time with all of his fans, just one last time. No one can accuse Neil of being a ‘Ringo’ about his signing tour. He wants to get back to writing. At some point he decided he wanted the final tour to happen, so he, like one of his Endless characters, planted the seed in his fan’s dreams and let this pan out one last time.

With some great interviews with celebrity fans Wil Wheaton, George R.R. Martin, Jonathan Ross, Lenny Henry, Grant Morrison, the late Terry Pratchett and so many more, this insightful documentary about Neil’s writing and life will be surely devoured by his devout followers and comics fans that recognize how works like Sandman truly changed the conversation and cultural landscape.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople’ (movie review) - at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Carthew Neal, Leanne Saunders,
Taika Waititi, Matt Noonan
Based on Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump
Written and Directed by Taika Waititi
Starring Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby,
Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley,
Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Taika Waititi

A departure from the comedy of his work on Flight of the Conchords and What We Do in the Shadows, the sophomore feature from writer/director Taika Waititi crosses The Fugitive with the New Zealand bush.

Camping across over five months, Uncle Hec (Sam Neill) and young Ricky (Julian Dennison) are on the run to escape the clutches of Juvenile hall.

The wry humor of Waititi’s previous work shines through, this is a very funny movie and the touching story of bad kid Ricky being accepted into a farming family to turn himself around without losing identity.

Rima Te Wiata stars as Ricky’s adoptive aunt, Bella, that can both heat a water bottle for Ricky’s bedtime cuddling and joyfully slaughter a wild pig for dinner without caring much about the gangsta rap 10 year old’s reaction.

This is a movie about outsiders and acceptance.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

FOG! Chats With Christopher Duddy, Director of “It’s So Easy and Other Lies” - at FORCES OF GEEK

Director Christopher Duddy joins us today to talk about everyone’s favorite Gunner, Duff McKagan. It’s So Easy and Other Lies is the documentary version of Duff’s book that goes back to the Seattle pre-grunge days through Guns N’ Roses and carries you up to Loaded and Velvet Revolver. The bassist performs with a live band as he reads from his best selling book intertwined with interviews from friends Nikki Sixx, Slash, Matt Sorum, Mike McCready and many others.

Animated transitions and visualizations of some of the stories give the world an uncensored look at addiction, recovery, touring and being trying to survive being a musician in the best rock and roll band in the world.

Duddy is know for his many visual effects credits but sits in the director’s chair for It’s So Easy and Other Lies. He starts by letting us know how this movie came to be.

FOG!: Thanks for joining us, Chris! How did this come about?

Christopher Duddy: I only knew Duff’s story from Guns N’ Roses forward, I didn’t know the back history until I read his book, and that caught my attention. It was really interesting, his whole story, not just the GNR story.

I met Duff when we were both walking our kids to school. We became friends, we’re both big football fans, Duff would come over my house and watch football. A few years later he asked if I would read his book.

We talked about the book after I read it, and I said to Duff, “Your story is one of those that is really inspirational, and as a filmmaker, to get an opportunity to tell a story that inspires people is a gift”.

I approached him to make a documentary about it and his initial reaction was “No”. He didn’t want to be too self indulgent, he had already written the book about himself. I was just persistent because his story is one that needed to be shared on film, not just on pages.

Finally, he warmed up to it. When the book became a NYT Best Seller and came out in paperback, he started doing a press junket for the paperback release. He finally called me for that, “Hey if we are going to do this thing, maybe you should come with me on this press tour”.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

FOG! Chats With MAD TIGER: THE PEELANDER-Z Documentary Filmmakers Jonathan Yi & Michael Haertlein at FORCES OF GEEK

I first saw the ‘comic book action punk band’ Peelander-Z (from the Planet Peelander) back in 2006. I’ve seen some colors come and go, different people dress up as bowling pins and cosplayers sliding into themselves at human bowling.

I’ve seen 200 people with varying degrees of musical skill join the band with instruments from a suitcase (and even the bands’ gear) playing a cacophony of noise that can only be described as a beautiful mess. Broken English punk chants ‘Mad Tiger’, ‘Medium Rare’ and my favorite ‘So Many Mike’ are on cue cards for the audience to sing along to, while squid and other Kaiju monsters make their way through the crowd. For the introverted nerd or geek, there was finally a punk band that could being you out of your shell. 

The band feeds on this kind of happiness as well.

Lead by Peelander Yellow and his partner Peelander Red, a Peelander-Z show is like being in a Japanese comic book with action lines and full page spreads. The show is, by Yellow’s definition, “10% music and 90% theatre”. (Though you will be hard pressed not to be singing these songs to yourself days after a Peelander invasion).

Filmmakers Jonathan Yi and Michael Haertlein explore the relationship between the colorful band members in Mad Tiger, debuting in New York on May 6th. What started as a music documentary became the story of a relationship between two friends who are as close as family can ever be, and how Peelander-Z can navigate change.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Kevin Feige

Screenplay by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

Captain America Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo

Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr.,

Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan,

Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd,

Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman,

Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Emily VanCamp,

Tom Holland, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Daniel Brühl

Following up Marvel’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War is the latest chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from Winter Soldier filmmakers, the Russo Brothers.

In just 8 short years, Marvel Studios has brought the comic book mythology to film, establishing several franchises and then bringing them together.  It’s simple to forget how unheard of a concept that was previously; with 2012’sThe Avengers having Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson share the screen together.

The Brothers Russo have done it again; with Civil War replacing the action-packed Winter Soldier as the very best in the Marvel filmography. On top of the already large cast, Civil War introduces two major heroes to the Marvel pantheon including the introduction of comics’ first African American hero Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the “They FINALLY Got it RIGHT”! onscreen Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) is as pure perfection as Ivory Soap claims (99.9%, last time I checked).

Captain America: Civil War is pure Ever-Lovin’ Merry Marvel Marchin’ Society joy. ‘Nuff said!

We’re just now coming out of a post-holiday The Force Awakens/Deadpool/Batman v Superman/Supergirl Season Onehibernation that never seemed to end. Except now that it has. Some of that stuff was amazing, some not so much but mostly we fed off of the superhero movies and television send down the pike to us.

After leaving Captain America: Civil War, that all seemed like an appetizer for this souped up thrill ride from Wakanda to Berlin.

With longtime Cap baddie Helmut (Baron) Zemo (Daniel Brühl) as the film’s main foil, the Avengers face challenges more complex than infighting over political differences.

For a brief moment—a very brief moment—I was vibrating on all the right frequencies with this movie. And then I thought of the rights situation at Fox. The only thing that could have made this film more enjoyable for me would be to see Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine take a swat at Cap’s shield and scrape it up a bit. Black Panther does manage to damage the Vibranium shield, so that is something. There are no mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Bryan Singer is doing a fine job with the X-Men franchise but I can’t help but want to see everyone on screen mixed up with a wise-cracking Peter Parker, a no-good Scott Lang and a beautifully crafted Vision.

Seriously, The Vision looks so cool. I have a note that says only, “The Vision looks cool”. A better writer would have left it at that. While I’m agape at the costumes and visuals, I will also compliment Boseman for his stellar debut as Black Panther and I can’t wait to see more of him. Black Panther costume? Nailed it. Spider-Man? Best one yet.

There are great little bits of humor to break up the high tension, and the Russo Brothers even snuck in a funny visual homage to their former gig as directors of Arrested Development during the fight scene. 

Want some romance? Check! Cap finally seals the deal (in a very proper, polite, 1940s way) with Agent 13 (Emily VanCamp), with whom we discover has a special connection to Steve. No spoilers here but this is the clever nod to another established Marvel character.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes – JUSTICE LEAGUE: COSMIC CLASH (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Super-genius super-computer and compulsive Collector of Worlds aka Brainiac 1.1 has his sights set on our Earth but the Justice League is there to stop him!LEGO Justice League - Cosmic Clashis the fifth film in the LEGO DC Comics Super Heroesdirect-to-video series.

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg and Hal Jordan Green Lantern protect the Earth from being shrunken to Kandor size but not without some help and a bit of timey-wimey adventures.

Digging into the lore of DC Comics Silver Age and recent history, this Lego movie is one for Superman and Batman fans of any age.

The movie opens at the Hall of Justice where everyone except Batman is playing a trust game of hide and seek.

Batman (Troy Baker) refuses to play because he’s sort of a wet blanket and refused to think of his Justice League co-workers as anything other than associates.

Younger teammates The Flash (James Arnold Taylor) and Cyborg (Khary Payton) take the opposite view and embrace friendship!

Led by Blue Boy Scout Superman (Nolan North) and the ultra confident Wonder Woman (Grey Griffin) and Green Lantern (Josh Keaton), the League takes to the sky when the Klaxon alarm warns of a threat to Earth!

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

ZOOTOPIA (movie review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Clark Spencer

Story by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, 

Jared Bush, Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee, 

Joshie Trinidad, Jim Reardon

Screenplay by Jared Bush, Phil Johnston

Directed by Byron Howard,

 Rich Moore, Jared Bush

Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman,

Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Tommy Chong,

Octavia Spencer, Jenny Slate, Shakira

Disney’s Zootopia is the latest from the main mouse studio to anthropomorphize animals and have them burrow into our hearts.  Jason Bateman stars as fantastic fox Nicholas P. “Nick” Wilde opposite the real star of Zootopia, Ginnifer Goodwin as Zootopia Police Department’s first bunny rabbit officer Judy Hopps.

In a world where predator and prey have put aside their differences and mostly live in peace side by side in the city of Zootopia, some mammals have gone missing and Judy sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery in fear of losing her job.

The resolution and detail of the best animation technology and talent in the world is on display here with Zootopia, as the Disney machine keeps on rolling. 

Zootopia is a funny movie but not without drama, as the city of Zootopia is revealed to us as a whole new world where animals dominate!

Cleverly, the movie sets us up with young bunny Judy in a school play that reflects the rules of the new society we are introduced to in Zootopia. If only more fantasy movies gave a wink and five minutes of exposition at the top we’d all leave the theatre a little less rattled!

Sure, that’s for the kids who will no doubt be watching this over and over on iPads in the backseats on road trips, but for an adult, the explanation serves to rationalize our own obsession with scooping up Zootopia toys from the aisles of Target. We adults will be able to say, “I love THE MESSAGE Zootopia has to teach kids, that we can all GET ALONG”, in the same breath as we snatch the last plush Judy Hopps off the shelf—leaving a snot-nosed kid in a carriage crying because we took his favorite new toy.

Moving on, Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) is mocked by her parents and her 237 rabbit siblings that she wants to become a police officer. These jobs are typically occupied by bigger, stronger species. Through pure will and determination she trains her way through Police Academy (in a Full Metal Jacket montage) and earns her stripes to move away from her parent’s carrot farm in Bunnyburrow to the big city to be assigned to Zootopia Police Department.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

EDDIE THE EAGLE (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Adam Bohling, David Reid, Rupert Maconick,

Valerie Van Galder, Matthew Vaughn

Screenplay by Sean Macaulay, Simon Kelton

Directed by Dexter Fletcher

Starring Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken,

Mark Benton, Keith Allen, Jo Hartley, Tim McInnerny

“The thrill of victory, ..and the agony of defeat” was the signature tag on ABC’s Wide World of Sports program depicting ski jumper Vinko Bogataj tumble in a fateful failed jump.

We are now two years away from the next Winter Olympics in PyeongChang when this movie about a victorious ski jumper hits the screen. 

Eddie the Eagle tells the story of British ski jumper and famous underdog Eddie Edwards (Taron Egerton) and coach Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman) preparing for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Produced by Fox in association with Marv Films (Matthew Vaughn), this Dexter Fletcher directed film is full of heart and the spirit of amateur athletics driving men and women to pursue their dreams to become Olympic athletes. 

The movie certainly has it’s moments of big screen action but for American audiences, the reverence to an underdog British sports icon might land the jump a few meters short of a qualifying distance.

While the story in the biopic is mostly made up, it is partially based on Eddie’s 1988 book Eddie the Eagle: My Story. We open to see a boy with a leg brace grow up to be the first British ski jumper since 1929. 

Eddie (Egerton) doesn’t meet the requirements to join the downhill ski team in 1984 so shifts focus to ski jumping which he has never done before! He borrows enough to make it to the only ski jumping training facility in Europe, Garmisch in Southern Germany. There, he meets up with the fictional Bronson Peary (Jackman), an amalgamation of some of Eddie’s real life coaches at his real life training ground, Lake Placid. 

Going from the smaller hill to the 70m run in the movie, Eddie gets the skiing part down but not the critical landing piece, but always seems to get back up to try again. The American groundskeeper Bronson Peary takes some persuading to help out Eddie but of course does to train him for the 70m.

The screenplay as a backbone to this story is a bit predictable, with the old drunk coach being coaxed out of retirement before the kid breaks his fool neck. There is a significant cameo with Christopher Walken playing the Qui-Gon to Jackman’s Obi-Wan in a voiceover as Eddie is learning how to ski from Warren Sharp’s (Walken) book.

I guess there comes a time in every studio filmmaker’s career where they need to make an 80s throwback winter sports montage movie — and this is that film for both Matthew Vaughn and Dexter Fletcher. From the Back To School Specialand Quantum Leap synth theme score to mixed with songs from Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Thin Lizzy on the soundtrack the music captures the essence of the time.

Training montage? Check. Multiple training montages? Check.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

WHERE TO INVADE NEXT (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Carl Deal, Tia Lessin, Michael Moore

Narrated and Directed by Michael Moore

Featuring Krista Kiuru, Tim Walker,

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir

Despite the title, Where to Invade Next isn’t a military strategy guide, but rather a brilliant look at global routines in other civilized countries that the US could take a cue from.

Where to Invade Next is subversive documentarian and divisive liberal political pundit Michael Moore’s latest movie and his first film since 2009. Moore takes us around the globe to point the camera back at ourselves in a different light as he uses invasion as a metaphor for cafeteria style policy changes that we could use in the United States as a means for treating our citizens better.

Stylistically, the movie isn’t as aggressive or pushy as his other films.

This one takes an already much described ‘kinder and gentler’ style as Moore visits these other countries to tackle everything from free health care to school lunches.

Where to Invade Next may just have enough style and grace to appeal to both sides of the aisle and at the very least get a conversation going about what changes would or could happen here at home for a better tomorrow.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

BATMAN: BAD BLOOD (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Batman: Bad Blood is the latest DC Universe Animated Original Movie and is quite possibly the best Bat-family animation since 2010’s Batman: Under the Red Hood. The animated franchise rebooted itself to align with the New 52 in 2012 withJustice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, and Batman himself, along with Damian Wayne and Nightwing, Alfred and the rest have their own continuity to follow now starting with 2103’s Batman: Son of Batman and the Court of Owls storyline in 2014’s Batman vs. Robin. 

With a dynamic screenplay from comic book industry veteran J.M. DeMatteis (Justice League International, Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt), Batman: Bad Blood borrows heavily from New 52 storylines featured Grant Morrison’s Batman, Batman Incorporated, Batman and Robin and Batwing as well as Batwoman from Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III. 

The stripped down Batman: Incorporated story in Batman: Bad Blood definitely works, with dynamic action, great character work and introduction and nods to the spanning comic stories that preceded this feature.

Batman: Bad Blood introduces some key members of the family, while piggybacking on Batman: Son of Batman andBatman vs. Robin. Batwoman (Yvonne Strahovski) appears early on as an uneasy ally to Bruce Wayne (Jason O’Mara) before Batman disappears from Gotham City.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

NINTENDO QUEST (review) - Forces Of Geek

There were 678 Nintendo games releases for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America.

This is the story of lifelong friends issuing a challenge to one another to collect them all in 30 days.

Jay Bartlett is a super-fan of Nintendo and Star Wars, already has most of these games but must start from scratch using his own money and no online purchases in a race against the clock.

Nintendo Quest is the documentation of that journey and the hero’s challenges along the way as real life and anxiety set in as stumbling blocks toward achieving the goal.

Jay Bartlett and friend Rob McCallum (writer/director) have been friends for 30 years.

To channel the thrill of the hunt and also to showcase some great Nintendo trivia and history, Rick started a Kickstarter under the name NES Club. Nintendo Quest is the successful product of a crowdfunded movie, at the very least. They incorporate some great original 8-bit graphics for titles as well as an 8-bit soundtrack to set the mood.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]