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NYCC 2013: Friday Panel & Screening Highlights

Welcome to the first full day of New York Comic Con! Lots of cool panels today. Let’s get right to it!

11:00 – 12:00 – Marvel: Amazing X-Men & The Marvel Universe – Empire Stage 1-E
If you’ve been following along with any comics news sites recently, then you’ve no doubt seen Marvel’s very vague, one-word teaser ads. The mystery behind those ads will be revealed at NYCC. Most of the X-book writers not named Brian Michael Bendis will be here for this one: Marjorie Liu, Dennis Hopeless, Peter David, Gerry Duggan, Brian Wood and more. I’m most curious to hear what Peter David has planned now that X-Factor has ended. Could X-Factor be morphing into X-Corp?

11:00 – 12:00 – Mattypolooza – 1A01
If you’re a Masters of the Universe Club Eternia subscriber, you’ll definitely want to go to this panel, as you’ll be able to vote which upcoming figure gets made: Darius or Mara.

11:15 – 12:15 – DC Collectibles – 1A10
DC Collectibles has been steadily producing high quality tchotchkes of your favorite DC characters for a decade now. You’ll be able to preview their 2014 product line here.

12:15 – 1:15 – He’s Back! Celebrate Chucky’s 25th Anniversary with the Creators & Cast – Main Stage 1-D
If you are a fan of the Child’s Play series of movies, this panel is for you. Creator Don Mancini will be here, as will cast members Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti and Jennifer Tilly. Friends to the end!

12:15 – 1:15 – Marvel Television Presents – 1A06
Jeph Loeb, the head of Marvel Television, will be talking all things Marvel TV. He will show previews of Hulk and the Agents of SMASH, Avengers Assemble and Ultimate Spider-Man. I don’t know if any Agents of SHIELD stuff will be shown here, as they have their own panel later.

12:15 – 1:15 – Felicia Day and Geek & Sundry Presents! – 1A22
Geek & Sundry, Felicia Day’s internet television network looks very cool. I’ve never watched Spellslingers, but after reading that it’s celebrities playing Magic: The Gathering, I very much want to watch it.

12:15 – 1:15 – Image Comics: Behind the Creations – 1A14
Some of the coolest comics being published right now are coming from Image. If you’ve found yourself bored with recent releases from the big 2, check this panel out. Kieren Gillen, one of my favorite current writers, will be there to talk about his new book Three, which is launching the same week as NYCC.

12:15 -1:15 – Adam Berry Q&A – 1A01
Adam Berry ain’t afraid of no ghost. Bustin’ makes him feel good!

12:30 – 1:30 – Game of Thrones with Jerome Flynn – 1A23
Bronn talks all things Game of Thrones TV show related. I suddenly know where I’ll be at 12:30.

12:30 – 1:30 – Straczynski Writing Workshop – 1A03
Calling this a writing workshop seems a little misleading, as you won’t be doing any writing in this room, or get critiqued on writing you’ve brought with you. But it is a lecture on writing from a very successful writer of TV and comics.

12:45 – 2:00 – Editiors on Editing – 1A08
If you’re interested in breaking into the comic book field, the head honchos of IDW, Valiant and Dark Horse are on this panel.

1:30 – 2:30 – DC Entertainment All Access – Empire Stage 1-E
Scott Snyder will be on hand. I wonder if he has a new book launching soon.

1:30 – 2:30 – BJ Novak’s One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories – 1A22
BJ Novak was one of the best parts of The Office. He now has a book of stories, one of which he might perform at this panel. Oh hey, and he’s being interviewed by Lev Grossman.

1:45 – 2:45 – I Have No Sewing Machine, But I Must Cosplay – 1A03
There’s no question that cosplay has grown steadily in popularity over the past few years. If you’re interested in dipping your toe into the cosplay water, here’s the panel for you. Personally, I think the 11th Doctor is the best costume for first time cosplayers. Bowtie, sport coat, sonic screwdriver and you’re set!

2:15 -3:45 – Inside the Creators Studio with Jimmy Palmiotti – 1A08
I hope interviewer Buddy Scalera does his best James Lipton. “What is your favorite curse word?”

2:45 – 3:45 – First Look – Justice League: War – Main Stage 1-D
2:45 – 3:45 – The Walking Dead 10th Anniversary Panel – Empire Stage 1-E
What?! These two are at the same time?! What the hell, New York Comic Con?! Both of these panels are going to have broad appeal. The only reason I think of to hold them both at this time is so that neither is overcrowded, because I would definitely go to both if I could.

2:45 – 3:45 – A Look at The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds with Eiji Aonuma – 1A06
Man, with this panel and the two panels above, expect Friday around 3 PM to be a nice time to walk around the show floor. If you have a Nintendo 3DS, then chances are you are getting this game. Check out an early preview of it here.

2:45 – 3:45 – Marvel: Breaking Into Comics the Marvel Way – 1A22
If you’re a writer, their advice will be “Get published somewhere else first,” so feel free to skip this panel and check out one of the three excellent panels happening at the same time. If you’re an artist, you’ll find out how to get your work in the hands of editors, so you may want to check this out.

4:00 – 4:45 – [adult swim] Presents: The Venture Bros – Main Stage 1-D
The [adult swim]  are always some of the best panels at NYCC. Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick will both be here. What more do you need?

4:00 – 5:00 – Marvel: Avengers – Empire Stage 1-E
The Avengers is Marvel’s current flagship line, and the franchise that is the center of the currently running Infinity event. Jonathan Hickman will be here. I’d expect a good Q&A session, as long as people can avoid “asking” “I love your writing so much.” Come one, people! Here is a Q&A that is asking for questions that dig deep into Hickman’s writing!

4:00 – 5:00 – David S. Goyer – Autographing – Autographing Table 7
It’s a free autograph session! Bring your Starman Omnibus Volume 5 and The Dark Knight Blu-ray!

4:15 – 5:15 – Max Brooks Zombie Survival & Extinction Parade Highlights – 1A23
I haven’t seen the movie adaptation yet, but the book World War Z is amazing. Max Brooks wrote it. I may sneak into this panel after I get my The Dark Knight Blu-ray autographed by David S. Goyer.

4:15 – 5:15 – Eat, Read, Love: Chew’s Ascendance – 1A10
Both Rob Guillory and John Layman will be here. Plus, Image will be selling a very limited edition slipcased red variant of the Chew Omnibus. Buy the omnibus at the Image booth. Bring it with you here.

4:15 – 5:15 – Rich Johnston’s Bleeding Cool Magazine Forum – 1A03
I love Bleeding Cool, and not just because it picked up our Who is the Outsider? story. Rich Johnston’s site is a rumor site, but it seems to get the news right more often than news sites.

5:00 – 5:45 – [adult swim] Presents: Robot Chicken – Main Stage 1-D
The Robot Chicken panel is MUST ATTEND panel. Seriously, consider it mandatory. You will laugh harder here than at any other event at NYCC! (Sorry Thursday night comedians…)

5:00 – 6:00 – Ewok Autographing – Booth #101
There’s not much detail listed here. Are the actors who played the Ewoks in Star Wars doing a signing? Is there a new Ewok book out? Has an actual Ewok been discovered?! I like that the speaker is listed as “Ewok.”

5:15 – 6:15 – DC Comics – Batman – Empire Stage 1-E
Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo has been consistently one of the best selling and most acclaimed books in the New 52. The other Bat-titles are pretty hit and miss. Some are good, and some are…Catwoman. Snyder and Capullo should both be here.

5:15 – 6:15 – Beautiful Books: Graphic Design in Comics and Graphic Novels – 1A01
What a great idea for a panel. Have Jonathan Hickman talk about visual design. Why does this panel not happen at NYCC every year? It should.

5:30 – 6:30 – CBLDF: The Secret Origins of Comics Censorship! – 1A03
The CBLDF is a worthwhile cause. Even if you don’t attend this panel, I think you should buy some of its very cool merch at its table. You’ll be helping out the charity and taking some fun stuff for your collection.

6:00 – 7:00 – Oldboy – Main Stage 1-D
The thriller Oldboy is the latest Spike Lee joint. While Spike isn’t listed as one of the attendees, I really hope he’ll show up.

6:30 – 7:30 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Empire Stage 1-E
Forget the upcoming travesty from Michael Bay. The current TMNT show on Nickelodeon is where it’s at!

6:30 – 7:30 – Spotlight on the Fifth Beatle: The Story of Brian Epstein – 1A01
Artist Andrew Robinson was at NYCC last year, drumming up interest for this project in Artist’s Alley. It looks like a very cool graphic novel. This panel is definitely worth your time if you’re a fan of the Fab Four.

6:45 – 7:45 – Beer and Comics: NYCC Edition – 1A08
Ever consider the similarities between making beer and making comics? Well, here you go. Note: There will likely be no beer at this panel.

6:45 – 7:45 – Morning Glories Study Hall Live – 1A03
Do you understand Morning Glories? Really, you do? Liar! Come to this panel, ask questions, probably receive less than helpful answers.

7:45 – 8:45 – CollegeHumor Live! At New York Comic Con Starring Kumail Nanjiani – 1A22
Free Kumail Nanjiani show? And there might be other comedians? This might end up beating out Thursday’s comedy night! This panel might win the award for most underrated panel. If you free, hit it up.

8:00 – 9:00 – Bleeding Cool: The Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll of Comics, Revealed – 1A03
Hearing comics gossip from Rich Johnston in person? This might be the most fun panel of NYCC.

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NYCC 2013: Thursday Panel & Screening HIghlights

Unless you have an Exhibitor or Pro Pass, New York Comic Con opens for you at 3 PM on Thursday, October 10. Thursday will be the least crowded day of the con, since it’s open only to people with 4-Day Passes and people who specifically bought Thursday passes. Because of this, Thursday is a great day to nab the hotter con exclusives or meet your favorite creator. Just be sure to check the NYCC website to make sure that creator is there that day.

The Panel and Screenings schedule is pretty light on Thursday, but there are definitely some that are worth checking out.
If you’re interested in creating your own comics, Thursday has some panels aimed right at you. Unfortunately, these two conflict directly with each other. Fortunately, they’re close enough to each other that you could pop into one at the start and move to the other later. Comixology is the giant in the room when it comes to digital distribution, but if your concerns are more legal in nature, you may want to hit up the Protect It and Publish It panel.
This looks like it will be an interesting discussion regarding female protagonists in comics. Plus, Becky Cloonan will be there.
Or…”We’re not just the New 52! Promise!” Going by the description of this panel, it looks like it’s DC pitching you its back list.
Anyone else think the surprise giveaway to everyone in attendance will be gum?
Even if you don’t have a direct interest in these two Kickstarter funded projects, the Q&A session at either of these panels might be an excellent resource for anyone looking at crowfunding their next creative endeavor. 
Here’s another panel aimed at would be comics creators. It seems like it will be equal parts “How to pitch” and “Know your rights before you sign anything.” The ability to pitch effectively is an essential skill if you want someone else to believe your work is as good as you know it is. 
You get a sneak peak at this new PBS documentary plus Dennis O’Neill, Mark Waid, Louise Simonson and Phil Jimenez will all be on the panel. Win-win!
This is the new release from Warner Home Video. It’s not an animated feature, but rather a retrospective and analysis of the villains that permeate the DC universe. It almost sounds like a DVD extra turned into its own movie. In this case, that’s not a bad thing, as the DVD extras on DC’s animated movies have all been excellent.
Kotobukiya’s line of vinyl action figures are amazing. Their Star Wars and Iron Man figures look like they were taken directly out of the movies themselves. You can find out about Kotobukiya’s upcoming releases here, and some lucky attendees will be going home with prizes, which will probably not be gum.
The past couple of years have seen an acceptance of LGBT characters from the major comics publishers like no other time before. Some of the creators behind those books will be on hand to talk about their LGBT characters and the changing face of the industry. I think this will be one of the more interesting panels of NYCC.
Ever wonder what a comic book editor does? Come here and find out. Hint: It’s not all just spell-check. 
I’ll admit it. I might have a wee bit of a Sims obsession. I’ve said “Just one more half hour, then bed!” before…at consecutive half hour increments…before going to bed hours later. You know what I’m talking about.
When I think Carmine Infantino, I think DC Silver Age. I love Carmine Infantino. He’s gone, but not forgotten.
Another great panel for up and coming creators. This panel will have a speaker from Indiegogo, Kickstarter’s main rival in the crowdfunding sphere. After you’ve heard Kickstarter’s pitch earlier in the day, you may want to hit up this panel to hear what their competitor has to say.
The artist of The Walking Dead will be signing here. With NYCC variants of The Walking Dead being sold at the con, and just the massive popularity of the show and comic, expect a line. But if you want Adlard’s autograph, getting it tonight at the Splash Page Comic Art booth might be your best bet. Adlard isn’t charging a fee, but he is requesting that everyone make a donation to the Hero Initiative. They’re a worthwhile cause.
Last year we got Ben Folds Five. This year, we get a mix of really good comedians. The Thursday ticket is turning into something worth getting just for the Kickoff. I’ve seen most of these comics on stage before. I predict a very fun show. Recommended.
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Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD: Episode 102: "0-8-4" – Review

4/5 – But the last 5 minutes makes me want to give it 5/5.

The second episode of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD aired last night. During the preview at the end of the first episode, we were teased with the phrase “Oh-eight-four.” In last night’s episode, we found out what an 0-8-4 is. It’s the code for an object of unidentified origin. The last 0-8-4 Coulson dealt with was Thor’s hammer in the dessert. This 0-8-4 takes the team out of the country to a South American jungle.

The episode began excitedly, with a gaping hole in the SHIELD plane’s hull mid-flight. We then immediately flashback to the start of the mission. I know this cold open with the plane in distress was used to lure in viewers, but I think I would have preferred finding out about the hull breach when it actually happened. This opening telegraphed Camilla’s betrayal too much.

Speaking of Camilla, when she first started flirting with Coulson, I started to think that Coulson was like Will Ferrell’s character Detective Gamble in The Other Guys. Hot women are just throwing themselves at him. We find out later Camilla had other plans.

Another thing about Coulson: he bleeds. After he gets punched in the face, Coulson is clearly bleeding from the mouth. If Coulson is some kind of Life Model Decoy, he’s an advanced one, with blood pumping through his veins…or tubes.

If Coulson is a LMD, I hope we get a scene that involves a decapitated head with wires sticking out.

FitzSimmons continues to delight. They are easily my favorite part of the show.They remind of  equal parts Doctor Who companions and Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter. I would watch a FitzSimmons spin-off.

Fitz (left) and Simmons (right)

Ming-Na Wen’s character Agent May is my other favorite. She’s just so bad ass. I like that  the mysterious bad ass agent with a past on Agents of SHIELD is a woman. It seems like a refreshing change of pace from most shows. But I honestly wouldn’t expect any less from Joss Whedon.

Melinda May is the Wolverine of Agents of SHIELD.

The only downside to this episode is that it felt a bit uneven. While the episode served to bring this team of disparate individuals together as a unit, the build-up in the first half of the episode was on the slow side. The focus shifted a bit too often, but I guess that’s a problem when you’re still introducing a cast this big to the audience. I’m hoping future episodes, once we know everyone, will be a bit more streamlined. But the episode still has all the wit and charm you’d expect from a Joss Whedon show and I don’t see that stopping, so I can’t complain too much.

This episode’s fanboy service comes to you courtesy of the SHIELD team’s airborne mobile command center, whose call sign is SHIELD 616. In the Marvel Universe, 616 refers to the Earth where all the classic Marvel superheroes live. Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, the X-Men, if you grew up reading Marvel comics, chances are you were reading the 616 universe. This term originates from a Captain Britain comic from the 1980s, in which Captain Britain discovers he’s a member of an interdimensional group of Captain Britains. He’s the Captain Britain of Earth-616.

Did you catch the blueprint of the SHIELD 616 behind Coulson’s desk?
Marvel will be selling this blueprint at NYCC 2013.

How awesome was Nick Fury’s appearance at the end of the episode? It felt like an after the credit scene in a Marvel movie! The fact that we got Samuel L. Jackson in this episode makes me hopeful that we’ll get some of the other bigger names from the Marvel Cinematic Universe showing up in future episodes, even if it’s just for a cameo. Maybe a debriefing with Thor after the team handles a problem of Asgardian origin, or an appearance by Jon Favreau as Tony Stark’s head of security Happy Hogan if the team needs to secure something on Stark property.

“Does the SHIELD 616 look like a bitch? Then stop treating it like one!”
Two episodes in and the only complaint I really have with Agents of SHIELD is that it conflicts with Brooklyn 99, my other favorite new show of the season.

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Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods – Review

5/5 – Fascinating.

I had wanted to watch Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods for some time now. Unfortunately, Netflix didn’t have it on disc or streaming, and my halfhearted attempts at tracking down a copy never produced any results. One of my friends brought the movie up in conversation recently, asking if I ever saw it. When I mentioned I hadn’t, he lent it to me. Success!

The movie spans the entirety of Grant Morrison’s career up to when the documentary was made in 2010. Grant talks about his childhood, growing up the son of an anti-nuclear activist. Hearing about some of the places his dad would bring him as a child makes be better understand what makes Grant such a unique guy.

Grant’s charm definitely comes through in the film. He’s not full of himself, and doesn’t treat his own writing like it’s the work of God. I had the chance to meet Grant last year at NYCC. I was intimidated, but he turned out to be one of the nicest and enthusiastic comic book creators I’ve ever met.

Hearing Grant’s theories about chaos magic are absolutely fascinating. He clearly believes it works, and he and others point out instances where Grant’s chaos magic does seem to have indeed worked. Who knows, maybe chaos magic is real. If it is, I feel that Grant may be tuned into its workings far beyond the scope of most people.

Interspersed throughout the movie are The Office-style talking head interviews with comics creators talking about Grant. It’s interesting to hear what his colleagues and collaborators have to say about him, especially Phil Jimenez relating his experience of working on The Invisibles with Grant.

Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods is intimidating. No, not because of Grant Morrison’s mind full of crazy ideas. Well, yes, there is that. But I mean because it’s two full discs long. The special features disc takes up as much time as the movie itself. But you cannot skip the second disc! Trust me on this one. In some ways, the second disc, despite being full of bits that didn’t make the movie, is better than the movie itself. There’s an interview of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely together that is a must see for anyone who’s a fan of their work together. Hearing them talk about their collaborative process is a real treat. If you read Grant’s run on X-Men, you really have to watch this second disc. He goes into detail about his entire run, including how Marvel treated his work towards the end.

This conversation is the best part of the 2-disc DVD set.

Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods is a must-see if you enjoy Grant Morrison’s writing. This very personal documentary gives us access to this creator that I don’t think we’ve had anywhere else, outside of maybe parts of Grant’s book, Supergods. Hopefully one of your friends has the DVD sitting in his house too.

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WIN a 3-Day Pass to New York Comic Con From Tuesday Night Movies!

Hey guys! New York Comic Con is only 10 days away! The Tuesday Night Movies team will be covering it each and every day of the convention! Needless to say, we are very excited for NYCC!

And we want you to be excited too! NYCC tickets sold out faster than ever this year, so we’re giving one lucky Tuesday Night Movies reader a 3-Day NYCC Pass!

It’s easy to enter! Just follow the instructions on the RaffleCopter form below. You don’t have much time, so enter today! Good luck!

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Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD S1E1: "Pilot" – Review

Without a doubt, the new series that I was most excited for this fall was Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. In September, I was counting down the days until the show premiered. I pre-ordered the SHIELD agent badge and ID for New York Comic Con. September 24 could not get here soon enough.

My expectations were high. I started to worry that they might be too high. What if this Agents of SHIELD series turned out to be a train wreck like the 1999 David Hasselhoff Nick Fury made-for-TV movie?

Never forget.
On second thought, forget. For the love of all that is good, forget!

Tuesday, 9/24, 20:00 hours arrived. I was bolted to my seat at 19:57.

This was the pilot episode? Aren’t pilot episodes supposed to suck? This was awesome! Marvel/Disney is definitely giving them the budget they need. Thanks to the budget, the show fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe not just in story, but in style too.

While the SHIELD agents don’t have superpowers, I’m very happy that the show will feature people with powers. I’m sure I’m not the only one who hoped that the super strong character that turned out to be Michael Peterson was in fact Luke Cage. Michael Peterson on the show and Luke Cage in the comics come to their powers through similar means. Maybe since Skye wiped Michael from every database we’ll see him reemerge with Luke Cage as his new alias.

Not Luke Cage…yet.

Let’s talk about Coulson for a minute. There’s definitely more to his return from death than it being all a set up by Fury to fool the Avengers into forming and that Coulson was cooling his jets in Tahiti. Dr. Streiten (Ron Glass! Shepherd! Yes!) and Maria Hill basically say as much when Coulson leaves them. Streiten is surprised Coulson still believes the Tahiti story and Hill counters that Coulson can never find out the truth. I think Coulson has definitely been completely lied to. I don’t think his death in Avengers was planned in advance. Life Model Decoys were mentioned in the Avengers movie, making me believe that this Coulson we’re seeing today is a Life Model Decoy that’s been programmed with the original Phil Coulson’s brain patterns. For those of you unfamiliar with the Marvel comics from which Agents of SHIELD is based, a Life Model Decoy, or LMD for short, is basically a very advanced android that looks, sounds and feels like the real person, but is in fact a robot. Think of it as half clone-half robotic decoy. For you Battlestar Galactica fans, Coulson is basically a toaster now. Or at least, that’s my theory. Whatever the explanation turns out to be, I’m glad Clark Gregg is a part of this show.

Everyone who is still human, take a seat. Not so fast, Coulson!

One quick thought on Maria Hill: With How I Met Your Mother wrapping up this season, I wonder if Cobie Smulders will have a much bigger role on Agents of SHIELD starting in season 2.

Cobie Smulders stars in How I Met Your Hydra

The pilot episode’s script had the right amount of both suspense, action and humor that you’d expect from a Joss Whedon show. I loved the porcupine/poop-with-knives-sticking-out-of-it bit, as well as Agent Ward’s “Gramsy” line when he’s being interrogated by Skye. The best though might have been Simmons announcing that she’s not Hermione. Aw yeah, Harry Potter reference.

Agents of SHIELD tied very well into both Iron Man 3 and Avengers. I like that Extremis heavily factored into this episode and that gamma rays played a part in powering Michael. I also like that SHIELD has been given a shadowy enemy to hunt down with this new power broker business. I just hope the show doesn’t turn into a “monster of the week” show like the first season Smallville.

I think Joss Whedon has done a great job of making a show that is accessible to both long time Marvel fans, fans of the Marvel movies, and people who are just walking in cold and who want a dose of sci-fi with their police procedural.

Other random thoughts on the episode: I think they’re setting us up for Skye-Agent Ward romance, but I’m more interested in Fitz and Simmons. Having Lola’s wheels turn down and fly at the end was the best form of fan service imaginable, though using the phrase “journey into mystery” in a line of dialog was a close second.

Flying car! Okay, this is SHIELD!

I loved the first episode of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. I’m in for the long haul. Expect to see a review here for every new episode. Next week we find out the answer to the question of just what is an Oh-8-4.

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The Other Guys – Review

5/5 – This peacock flies.

I distinctly remember not wanting to see The Other Guys when it was first released. I can’t remember why, but I can remember not wanting to see it.

I ended up catching it on HBO recently through no fault of my own. I was vacationing in Cancun. There was a torrential rainstorm outside. Some other movie had just ended on Mexican HBO and The Other Guys came on. I wasn’t even paying attention as it started. But by ten minutes into the movie, I was hooked. I wouldn’t let the channel be changed and once I returned home to the US, I rented the movie from Netflix just to watch it all the way through from the beginning.

Been there.

Without a doubt, The Other Guys is the funniest movie I’ve seen in a while. It is so over the top and so ridiculous, but the movie just goes with it. Even when it questions its own ridiculousness, it answers back with an even more ridiculous answer. Why does Mark Wahlberg’s rageaholic Detective Hoitz know how to dance like a ballerina? Simple, it’s because he took classes so that he could “make fun of guys when we were kids to show them how queer they were.”

Will Ferrell is hilarious as the buttoned up Detective Allen Gamble. This role is up there with my favorite Will Ferrell roles of all time. When we got Gamble, er I mean Gator’s, origin story, I was dying.

Careful, Hoitz. Gator don’t take no shit.

If you get your hands on the DVD, make sure to watch the gag reel and improv outtakes. I can’t believe I’m recommending a gag reel, as it’s usually a collection of boring “watch this actor break and then everyone on set laughs” clips one after the other, but the gag reel for The Other Guys is really funny, as is seeing what improvised lines didn’t make the final cut of the movie. Rob Huebel really shines here.

Samuel L. Jackson and Duane “The Rock” Johnson steal the movie as action-hero cops in the beginning of the film. I still laugh to myself whenever I think of the line, “Aim for the bushes.”

With all the serious movies that he’s done, I forgot how funny Michael Keaton can be. He’s awesome as the precinct’s captain that can’t stop quoting TLC songs.

The combination of a very funny script and a cast who go the distance with their improvised lines make The Other Guys a must-see movie. Definitely watch it. Twice.

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Jeff Who Lives at Home – Review

2/5 – Watch Cyrus instead
On paper, I should love Jeff, Who Lives at Home. It stars two of my favorite comedic actors, Jason Segel and Ed Helms. I really liked the Duplass brothers’ previous movie, Cyrus. But Jeff, Who Lives at Home just did not work for me.
I’m not exactly sure why Jeff, Who Lives at Home didn’t work for me. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mindset that particular night for a story involving kismet and the interconnectedness of things. Or maybe, the movie is just too slow. That’s the danger of making a lazy stoner your main character; you end up devoting a good amount of time to that character being a lazy stoner.
Jason Segal and Ed Helms star in Two Men, One Bathtub
I thought the ending of Jeff, Who Lives at Home was terrific. It not only paid off on things set up earlier in the film, but it was also in my opinion, the best part of the movie. It was both touching and thrilling. However, I don’t think I can recommend sitting through the rest of the movie in order to reach this high point.
Jeff, Who Lives at Home is currently streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime, and is available to purchase on Amazon.

 

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Pre-Order Kotobukiya’s NYCC Exclusive R2-Q5 ARTFX+ Statue

Kotobukiya has opened up pre-orders for its NYCC 2013 exclusive R2-Q5 ARTFX+ statue. The statue is $29.99 and will ship out one week after NYCC. Shipping adds over $11 to your order. Unfortunately, they are not taking any pre-orders for pick-up at NYCC. If you’re definitely attending NYCC this year, you may want to wait to buy it at the show and save yourself the cost of shipping.

But if you’re a Star Wars fan who can’t make it to NYCC this year and has a thing for dark side astromech droids, this is your perfect opportunity to secure a R2-Q5 for yourself!

The NYCC version of R2-Q5 comes with an exclusive coin.

What’s with companies and using R2-Q5 as their NYCC exclusive? The same droid was a Hallmark NYCC exclusive Christmas ornament last year.