Book Review / Micky 7 By Edward Ashton

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

Release Date: 02/15/22

Published by St.Martin’s Press/ Macmillan

By Jenny Robinson

When a book starts with “This is gonna be my stupidest death ever”, you know you’re in for a ride. When you add in the fact that Bong Joon Ho (director of Oscar-winning Parasite) has signed on for the big screen adaptation with Robert Pattinson in talks to star, it’s an easy decision for a must-read. Page-by-page, I felt as if this was written exactly for that purpose. I normally gravitate towards stories that dive deep into the emotional thoughts of a character, but this felt as if we were to be simply a spectator as Mickey fumbles through the plot. For a story written in first-person perspective, I developed a very unique companionship with Micky 7.

I’ll admit, the protagonist in this book felt oddly real in his average “nothing special” human way. Normally, main characters are written to be abundantly awesome, but not Mickey. We follow Micky 7, who is the seventh iteration of himself. You see, Micky took a job where he’s suppose to die, more than once. He’s not dumb, but also not overly skilled in anything useful. He probably should have spent more time weighing the pros and cons of current troubles versus that of a job where you are expected to die. As we learn more about Micky, it seems he has a habit of replacing one problem with another. On the new struggling colony on the planet Niflheim, Mickey’s job is to be an Expendable. He is to go into dangerous situations or medical experiment and wait to see what happens, which is usually death. Each time he dies, they regrow, reboot and start all over, hence the number after his name. If he remembers to log his conscience, then the next “him” has most of his memories.

This is the part of the story I enjoyed the most due to the may variables that could happen. If he backs his brain up before the mission but dies after, how does he remember not to make the same mistake again? What happens if everyone thinks you’re dead, abandons you and just makes another Mickey? Of course, this is the strong plot point where he must secretly coexist with himself. We continue to follow him, learning about how he ended up in this mess, why people dislike him and the relationships a simple man makes along the way. He’s so average, except for his Expendable role, that it’s easy to take him for granted, but nice to be surprised when he does something interesting.

Taking the back seat in the plot, the native alien creatures known as the “Critters” have awesome possibilities of being both allies and villains. I have high hopes that they will have a larger and more interesting role in future books. I am assuming this is the start of a growing series. Ashton tickles your interest with these aliens early on. Dialogue revolving around these creatures allow you to start building a curiosity. The coolest part is how they are written in a way that explains them pretty well yet still leaves you with a ton of questions. I appreciate the restraint of not allowing the reader all the information but also giving just enough to formulate ideas as we read along.

With that said, this ends on a note that there may be more to come. At first, I was a bit bummed as I wasn’t prepared to commit myself to a new series. In hindsight, I think the book is written perfectly for a quick continuous read, sparking a desire to continue and accompany the characters through this new world. With a 304 page count, it flows fast but leaves a lot left to be discovered in the story. I am extremely intrigued on how this will play out in both future potential books and in movie format. I am preparing my popcorn now to be ready.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edward Ashton (Photo Credit: JustTeeJay (JustTeeJay.com)

Edward Ashton (he/him) is the author of the novels Three Days in April, The End of Ordinary, and Mickey7, as well as of short stories which have appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Escape Pod, Analog, and Fireside Fiction. He lives in upstate New York in a cabin in the woods (not that cabin in the woods) with his wife, a variable number of daughters, and an adorably mopey dog named Max. In his free time, he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students, and whittling.

COUNT DOWN #41: OBADIAH STANE’S TURN

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• OBADIAH STANE’S TURN•

MOMENT# 41

MOVIE: Iron Man

DIRECTORS: Jon Favreau

WRITERS: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, John August & Matt Holloway

Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) in Iron Man.

There’s a trope in storytelling called “The Rival” and it’s one that the MCU has been utilizing pretty much since the beginning. There are many different ways the trope can be used but it’s primarily the reason why so many MCU villains share similar powers with the heroes. Oftentimes the rival will start the story as a friend or mentor of the protagonist and will have a heel-face turn in the middle of the movie to present himself as the antagonist of the story. This is the role that Obadiah Stane takes in 2008’s Iron Man. 

In Iron Man, Jeff Bridges plays Obadiah Stane. He is Tony Stark's mentor and surrogate father figure after Tony’s parents had died. When Howard Stark (Tony’s father) was killed, Stane took over Stark Industries until Tony was of age to take control of the business himself. When Tony Stark returns after being captured at the beginning of the film, Stane is blindsided by Tony's decision to move Stark Industries away from weapons development. Stane appears pretty interested in the miniature arc reactor that Tony built while in the cave of his captives, but deceptively plays the role of the loyal friend up until Pepper discovers the truth.

Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) in Iron Man.

Stane assumes his role as the villain of the story by stealing the arc reactor from Tony’s chest and placing it in a new suit of armor Stane built from the MKI suit recovered in the desert. His ultimate goal is to reverse engineer the technology but Tony ultimately is able to don his Iron Man suit and confront his rival. Eventually, Tony and Pepper are able to defeat Obadiah Stane and then S.H.I.E.L.D. takes him, never to be seen again.

“We’re ironmongers Tony '' Obadiah proudly proclaims. In the comics, IronMonger is Obadiah Stane’s supervillain's name. He can’t comprehend why Tony would want to be a hero and save lives. In his mind, he and Tony were the same. The two make and sell weapons. Obadiah Stane represents what Tony Stark could have become if he was never captured by the Ten Rings. Tony fears that if he never saw what was happening with his weapons, he would have turn out just like Obadiah Stane. By being the dark mirror of Tony Stark, Stane helps Tony complete his journey to becoming Iron Man.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) in Iron Man.

Stane was the beginning of a long line of villains that would be mirrors for the heroes in the MCU. Everyone from Whiplash to Kaecilius and even Loki would fill the role of “The Rival” as the MCU began to expand. The writers of the franchise would begin to lean on it a bit too much as the franchise grew and after a few movies, a common criticism was that the MCU relied too heavily on villains who had the same powers as the heroes. IronMonger continues to be a high point for these villains.

NIC GAUGE / The Wicker Man

MOVIE: The Wicker Man

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Kate Beahan, Leelee Sobieski, Molly Parker, Frances Conroy

RELEASE DATE: September 1st, 2006

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Sister Rose / Sister Thorn (Molly Parker) and Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) in The Wicker Man.

From what I see from this list of films, Nic Cage really had not done many horror films until later in his career. There are probably some early films that I just have yet to see, but just from what I have so far, older Cage means more diversity within the genres. Back in 2006, Cage did star in arguably one of the most memed/gifed horror films; a remake of the 1973 cult classic The Wicker Man. Seriously, I’ll get into the specific piece that has been mocked, but if you are a fan of Cage and this film, you know exactly which scene I’m talking about.

After being forced to take time off from a car accident involving a young girl, police officer Edward Malus (played by Cage) gets a letter from his ex-fiancé, Willow Woodward’s (played by Kate Beahan) daughter is missing on a secluded island and has asked for his help in finding her. Upon arrival, Malus starts to realize that there is more going on than just a missing girl. He discovers hardly any men, an insane love for harvest festivals, and dead bodies. It’s not till we get to the third act that we learn he was tricked to come to the island. He is to be a human sacrifice to ensure a bountiful harvest.

Dr. T.H. Moss (Frances Conroy) and the island’s residents in The Wicker Man.

It’s not a very good film. In the first ten minutes, Cage fails to save a small girl and her mom from a burning car that ends up exploding and killing them. That scene keeps being brought back up throughout the film since he is now attempting to save a different girl. He is plagued with nightmares that replay in his head, so you understand his determination to find her. However, later in the film, you find out the missing girl is actually his daughter. He thoughts still goes back to the dead girl in the car though. It all feels very backward in terms of motivation.

The film also feels to be more of a comedy because of how Cage plays up some of the scenes. He gets into a fight with one woman and kicks her so hard, she flies across the room. It was as if she was hit by someone with super strength. Cage’s weird romance with his ex-wife is just awkward and off-putting. But the biggest thing is the “Not The Bees!” scene. Cage is captured and has a cage put on his head with CGI bees flying in to cover his face while he screams. It’s terrible. Just insanely bad visual effects that will make you laugh.

Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) in The Wicker Man.

I do give this movie more crap than praise. However, it still is much better than some of the other films in his catalog. So, with that, this film is going to sit in the lower end of “Terrible” on the Nic Gauge.

CON LIFE / Wondercon 2022

WONDERCON 2022

By Jenny Robinson-Nagy

It feels good to finally (hopefully) see the light at the end of this pandemic’s tunnel. After two years of cancelations due to Covid, on April 1st (no fools joke here) Wondercon returned to the Anaheim Convention Center. 

It was nice to see some safety protocols still in place with a vaccine card (or negative test) check-point and masks still required inside despite the mandate being lifted. Everyone was super cooperative and in high spirits. Cosplayers gravitated to the outdoor entrance while the floor was packed with commerce. It’s great to have Wondercon back!

Although it felt slightly smaller than 2019, there was still a good chunk of entertainment coverage, great panels and awesome vendors.  Highlights included panels for Woke, Undone, and The Bob’s Burgers Movie. It had astounding shopping opportunities at Funko’s Freddy’s Beach Batch, SuperEmoFriends and Jo3bot, just to name a few. It was hard for me to keep my wallet in my bag. I walked out of there scoring a couple awesome @maggielove.washere prints and an absolutely adorable Ren & Stimpy skirt (that HAS POCKETS!!!) from @brittneebraun.

It was such an inviting experience and so refreshing to see people so happy. It’s hard to predict how these upcoming conventions will land as we become more comfortable back out in the world, but Wondercon did a thumbs-up job in being a good transition con. Now, BRING ON SDCC - I am ready!

COUNT DOWN #42: WHERE IS NICK FURY?

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• WHERE IS NICK FURY?•

MOMENT# 42

MOVIE: Spider-Man: Far From Hom

DIRECTORS: Jon Watts

WRITERS: Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Special Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

The final post-credits scene of The Infinity Saga was unlike any other. Spider-Man: Far From Home sees Peter Parker team up with Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Mysterio, but it would turn out that all three of these characters were not what they seemed. Nick Fury has been a staple in the MCU since the beginning, he was the glue that held Phase One together. So after more than 10 films, audiences had become very aware of how Samuel L. Jackson played the character, and something seemed off about him this time.

In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter comes into possession of Tony’s glasses, which came equipped with E.D.I.T.H. since he was expected to be the next Iron Man. Nick Fury had recruited Peter so that he could help a new hero, Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), defeat an extra-dimensional threat from his universe. Turns out, Mysterio was just a former Stark employee who was interested in stealing the glasses for himself so he could become the next “Iron Man” instead. Mysterio had everyone fooled, including Fury, which seemed rather unlikely. Fury was normally one step ahead of the game. It was clear that something was off about Fury. He was short-tempered, easily fooled, and surrounded himself with people that appeared sketchy at best.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Spider-Man: Far From Home had two post-credits scenes, one that changed the future of Spider-Man, and another that reframed the entire movie. After the events of this film, Fury and Hill are seen driving silently together. As the scene goes on, they begin to shape-shift into Talos and Soren (the Skrulls from Captain Marvel). Sharon Blynn and Ben Mendelsohn reprise their roles as the main Skrulls for a quick cameo that changed how audiences would look back at the movie they just watched. What’s more, at the very end of the scene, it’s revealed that Fury has been on some sort of spaceship, probably since the events of Avengers: Endgame.

Soren (Sharon Blynn) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

This was a unique moment, even for the MCU. The movie was over, the story done. Then a major revelation made the audience have to rethink the entire movie and how they engaged with it. Upon a rewatch, audiences would be able to pick up on the things that Samuel L. Jackson does to make the performance of Fury feel different, such as his remark towards Captain Marvel. Not only did this decontextualize the entire movie up to this point, but it also left audiences with a huge question…What the hell is Fury doing? With plans for Phase 4 not quite known at the time, fans were left to wildly speculate on what big plan Fury could be setting up.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) on a virtual beach in the Spider-Man: Far From Home post-credits.

After being introduced to the Skrulls in Captain Marvel that same year, no one expected the characters to return so soon. Especially since within the MCU, it had been 29 years since the events of Captain Marvel. Setting up the future had become an old hat for the MCU at this point, but recontextualizing a film you just watched was a very surprising moment. Samuel L. Jackson and Colbie Smulders were able to play their characters differently enough for audiences to be suspicious. Even though Spider-Man: Far From Home was saying goodbye to The Infinity Saga, the storytellers at Marvel still found one final way to keep audiences on their toes.

NIC GAUGE / Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

MOVIE: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Violante Placido, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba, Johnny Whitworth

RELEASE DATE: February 17th, 2012

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Because Ghost Rider made about $230 million at the box offices, the studio decided to go ahead and make a sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. If you remember from last week’s article, I was not a fan of the first one. Would the sequel surpass the it and Johnny Blaze be more of a household name that can carry an ongoing franchise? I’ll answer that for you, not even close. This is the first time I have watched this film. I remember when the trailer came out, the biggest selling point was it would be darker, but also humorous. I remember one scene in particular, Ghost Rider was urinating fire on the side of the road. From there, I knew what I should expect from this mess.

Ghost Rider: Spirt of Vengeance trailer scene where Ghost Rider is peeing fire.

The plot is Johnny Blaze hiding out in Europe, struggling with controlling the Ghost Rider. A priest named Moreau (played by Idris Elba) finds Johnny and makes a deal with him. If Johnny can rescue a boy named Danny (played by Fergus Riodran) from Mephisto (played by Ciarán Hinds), he will free Blaze from the Ghost Rider.

I talked about how in the first film, Ghost Rider felt like there was very little plot for a film that was a little over 2 hours. This film was an hour and a half long and still felt like not much happened. The big difference was that they filled the movie with a lot of action; fight scenes, car chases, and explosions. However, the special effects were kind of choppy and was overused. They made almost everything feel like a big action sequence, even scenes like injecting a needle in someone’s arm or simply walking in a dramatic fashion.

Johnny Blaze (played by Nicolas Cage) with Kurdish (played by Sorin Tofan) in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.

The story is odd too. By the end of the first film, Johnny is starting to learn how to control Ghost Rider. Yet in this film, he still acts as if he has no clue how it works. They had a flashback moment of young Johnny making the deal with Mephisto.Instead of using the same scene from the first film, they made a completely different scene with different props. Due to replacing the actor who portrayed Mephisto, they re-did the scene. This made it feel more like a soft reboot versus a sequel.

The only positive thing I can say about this film is that I actually like the design of Ghost Rider, but that doesn’t save this film. Much like the urinating scene, this film goes right down the toilet and is going in the lower end of the “Hot Mess” section of the Nic Gauge.

COUNT DOWN #43: THE SECRET AVENGERS

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• THE SECRET AVENGERS •

MOMENT# 43

MOVIE: Avengers: Infinity War

DIRECTORS: Joe & Anthony Russo

WRITERS: Christopher Marcus & Stephen McFeely

Surprise entrance by Captain America (Chis Evans) in Avengers: Infinity War.

Some defining moments are insightful and speak to the metatextual way the Marvel Cinematic Universe has informed the audience's relationship with it. Others are just plain cool. At the end of Captain America: Civil War, a rift formed between the Avengers. The heroes who fought with Captain America were labeled fugitives from the law, and while some took a deal to be with their families, others did not. Going into Avengers: Infinity War, the MCU was in a very different place, one that made audiences eager to see how they’ll come together to face the greatest threat they’ve ever known. 

During one of Vision and Wanda’s secret rendezvous, they were attacked by Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive, with the goal of retrieving the Mind Stone in Vision’s head. Normally, Vision and Wanda are two of the most powerful Avengers, but this attack put them on the back foot and they found it difficult to recover. When it looked like all was lost, a figure emerged from the shadows to help turn the battle. A now bearded Steve Rogers, with the help of Sam Wilson and Natasha Romanoff, was able to fight the invaders back. The Secret Avengers had turned the tide. In fairness they’re not called that in the film, but it’s fairly clear they’re meant to be a loose adaptation of the group from the comics. 

Vision (played by Paul Bettany) and Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olson) in Avengers: Infinity War.

One thing that became difficult to discern over the years was whether or not these characters had done anything between the events of the films. Very often it felt like the characters of the MCU were stuck in stasis until their next appearance and rarely did it feel like they had lives or adventures between them. Seeing Captain America, The Falcon and Black Widow work so well as a team of three, helped audiences feel like they had been going around the world, being the heroes we knew they had to be. After all, Steve Rogers isn’t the kind of man who would let the government stop him from doing the right thing. 

Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (played by Scarlett Johansson), The Falcon/Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) and Captain America/Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans) in Avengers: Infinity War.

There’s another reason that makes this moment important: It’s really cool! Avengers: Infinity War had audiences cheering many times over the course of its runtime, but seeing Captain America come out of the shadows with that gorgeous beard and Alan Silvestri’s Avengers theme playing in the background was just one of those special moments people would be talking about for years to come. Even though audiences often gravitated towards the MCU because of their characters, oftentimes we get rewarded with some epic comic book action. Something that makes the MCU very special is how it doesn’t shy away from comic book elements. They always looked for ways to make what seemed impossible to translate from the page, possible. 

Sometimes moments are important, not because of what they imply for a character or a story, but because of how they make you feel. Watching Captain (bearded) America walk out of those shadows certainly was a feeling. More than that, by the time Avengers: Infinity War rolled into theaters, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had begun to feel like a living world. So surely, there had to be adventures in between the major events, right? Luckily everything about the Secret Avengers’ appearance in the film hints at further escapades, from how they fight together, to their clothes and that glorious beard. After this moment, we finally got a sense that they had lives outside the events of the films.

NIC GAUGE / Ghost Rider

MOVIE: Ghost Rider

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Sam Elliott, Matt Long, Raquel Alessi, Brett Cullen, Peter Fonda, Donal Logue

RELEASE DATE: February 16th, 2007

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Back in the early 2000s, Marvel was not the big-time film production studio that it is now. They sold off characters to other companies that wanted to try and make superhero films. In 2000, Fox’s X-Men film kickstarted the superhero film phenomena. In 2002, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man came out and was also a huge success. Some of the other films that followed didn’t fare so well. 2003’s Daredevil, 2004’s Punisher, and 2005’s Fantastic Four were all considered flops. Then in 2007, Ghost Rider was brought to the big screen and I remember being kind of excited about it. I consider Ghost Rider to be in my top 5 favorite Marvel characters. How well did it actually hold up? In all honesty, not that well.

The plot is roughly based on the Marvel comics. Motorcyclist Johnny Blaze (played by Nicolas Cage) makes a deal with Mephisto (played by Peter Fonda). If Mephisto saves Blaze’s father’s life from cancer, in return, Blaze will be the new Ghost Rider. Years later, Mephisto calls upon Blaze to go and kill his son, Blackheart (played by Wes Bentley) before Blackheart can get his hands on a missing contract that has the power to overthrow Mephisto.

Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider.

The main problem with this film was that Ghost Rider is a darker Marvel super hero that (on paper) sounded like a good gritty character that could go up against more well-known properties like Spider-Man and X-Men. Unfortunately, for a bloated film that runs just a little over 2 hours, there isn’t much happening until about halfway through. The first 15 minutes are dedicated to Johnny’s childhood and the deal with Mephisto. Then a good chunk of this film is Johnny’s on-off relationship with Roxanne (played by Eva Mendez). It just feels very unbalanced for a superhero film.

The special demonic effects are extremely laughable. Ghost Rider itself keeps changing size and shape throughout the film. All the lesser demons had a blurry effect that made them hard to make out at times. In addition, Blackheart was a lazy special effects piece. It appeared as if they just overlayed a demon/monster face on top of the actor’s. Also, Cage’s acting is a little nuts as he pretends to be on fire for his transformation. It’s just overall a bad time.

Blackheart (played by Wes Bentley) in Ghost Rider.

Overall, I hope Ghost Rider gets a much deserved re-do in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (that is not Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). With characters like Moon Knight and Blade getting more attention, Ghost Rider would be a great addition. Just maybe don’t get Cage to come back. As for this film on the Nic Gauge, it will be placed firmly on the lower end of “Terrible”.

NEWS / Captain Kirk is Coming to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

By Brandon T. McClure

Leaked photos of Paul Wesley on the set of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 are now out there. The internet was interested in who this new character could be. Trek Culture even speculated that this could be Matt Decker, the character made famous by the late William Windom in the original Star Trek season 2 episode The Doomsday Machine. But Paramount+ has now gone ahead and exclusively revealed that Vampire Diaries’ Paul Wesley is playing none other than Captain James T. Kirk. 

Wesley is the third actor to play Captain Kirk after William Shatner’s iconic character and Chris Pine in the later rebooted franchise. Curiously, his uniform suggests that he’s already been promoted to Captain. There’s been no canonical reference to when Kirk was promoted, but it’s been assumed for some time that it was when he took command of the Enterprise. Since it’s unlikely he’s taking over the Enterprise from Captain Pike this early, could they be introducing him as the captain of the USS Farragut? The set images show him with a different badge than the ones worn by the Enterprise crew. This could indicate they’re returning to a scrapped Star Trek: The Original Series idea where each ship had its own special badge.

At any rate, it's unlikely Paramount+ would have announced this role so early, before season 1 has even aired, if the photos hadn’t been leaked. Surely Captain Kirk was so far from everyone's minds, that they could have kept this a secret a little longer. It’s not like many people were going to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in the hopes of seeing Captain Kirk. The benefits of a show like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is that there has been so little in canon about Captain Pike, and this was the chance for audiences to see what adventures he went on before his accident.

In Star Trek, few characters are as famous as Captain James T. Kirk. Between William Shatner and Chris Pine, the character has starred in two TV shows (Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Animated Series) and ten movies (Star Trek: The Motion Picture to Star Trek: Generations and the three reboot movies). So for a new Star Trek series to return to the Captain Kirk character, even briefly, on the surface feels unnecessary. After all, are fans really that hungry for the early adventures of James T. Kirk?

Captain Kirk is such a powerful figure in Star Trek, that his presence could overshadow Pike and his crew, in the same way that Anson Mount overshadowed the cast of Star Trek: Discovery. Questions still remain, though, since Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is said to be more episodic than the other current Star Trek shows, how much of a role will Paul Wesley play in the series? It’s unclear how long the show-runners envision the show lasting, but if this is them introducing Kirk to replace Pike, then it would be a shame.

NIC GAUGE / Honeymoon In Vegas

MOVIE: Honeymoon In Vegas

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, James Caan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pat Morita, Peter Boyle, Anne Bancroft

RELEASE DATE: August 28th, 1992

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

An Elvis impersonator with Jack Singe (played by Nicolas Cage) in Honeymoon In Vegas.

Who doesn’t love a good romantic comedy about getting married in Las Vegas? Las Vegas just has a reputation. Do you want to get married fast and either win or lose a bunch of money in the process? Vegas is the place to be! Do you want to be surrounded by an ocean of Elvis Presley impersonators? Again, you go to Vegas. Surprisingly for my one trip there, I didn’t see a single Elvis so I ask the question, “Did I truly have a Las Vegas experience?” In tune to Sin City’s famous reputation, Honeymoon In Vegas is exactly the kind of romantic comedy film you would expect.

The plot is Jack Singer (Nicolas Cage) is convinced that marriage will ruin your life. He is dating Betsy Nolan (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) when he finally decides to pull the trigger and takes her to Las Vegas to elope. Upon arrival, they are spotted by gambler and con man, Tommy Korman (played by James Caan). Korman realizes that Betsy looks a lot like his deceased wife and decides to try and take her from Jack. He tricks Jack into accepting a game of poker. Jack looses $65,000. Korman makes a deal that if he can spend the weekend with Betsy, he will forget about the debt. When Betsy starts falling for Korman, it’s up to Jack to get her back.

Tommy Korman (played by James Caan) and Jack Singer (played by Nicolas Cage) in Honeymoon In Vegas.

It’s a light-hearted romantic comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Unfortunately, I believe it can feel outdated and modern audience may have difficulties connecting. Watching this now almost feels like cartoons with stories of the villain kidnaping a girl and forcing them to love the bad guy. I know there are probably some newer films that still use that plot point, but I believe we have evolved to a point where it’s not the main focus of contemporary romantic comedies.

Betsy Nolan (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) and Jack Singer (played by Nicolas Cage) in Honeymoon In Vegas.

That being said, it’s an entertaining film. I had never seen it, so as a first-time watcher, it did the job of being fun. As always, Cage’s acting throughout the film is hilarious. There was never a point where he overacted….too much. There were a couple of moments in the later parts of the film when he tries to find Betsy, that he just chews the scene. But this was nowhere near the “Full Cage” level of acting.

There really wasn’t too much about this film that needed to be said, except now I feel like I need to go back to Vegas and find myself an Elvis impersonator. I would put this on the higher end of “Good” on the “Nic Gauge”.

Now, who wants to go and get eloped in Vegas? Maybe I’ll jump out of a plane for you.

COUNT DOWN #44: A SUPRISE CAMEO

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• A SUPRISE CAMEO •

MOMENT# 44

MOVIE: The Incredible Hulk

DIRECTORS: Louis Leterrier

WRITERS: Zak Penn

Often considered the MCU’s forgotten stepchild, The Incredible Hulk came out just a few weeks after Iron Man. Back then, The Incredible Hulk was considered the safe bet, so putting the two films so close together was to ensure that if Iron Man failed, the investors would still get some of their money back. After the post-credits tease at the end of the MCU’s first film, the second film released by Marvel Studios had some eyes on it. Was this film going to reference any events from Iron Man? No one was really sure what to make of this film, especially with the 2003 film still fresh in people's minds. That all changed with one cameo (not that one).

The Incredible Hulk acts as a loose reboot for the Hulk. Since The Hulk, directed by Ang Lee, was still relatively new, Marvel Studios decided not to retell the origin of the titular character. Instead, we meet Bruce Banner (this time played by Edward Norton) already having been exposed to the gamma radiation that caused him to hulk out. He’s trying to live a quiet life while learning to suppress his anger and hopefully find a cure. General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) manages to track him down and, with the help of Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), flushes him out of hiding. You know how the rest goes, Hulk and Abomination have a big brawl in Harlem and they set up Samuel Sterns to become the Leader (which still hasn’t paid off).

Since this was before the post-credit scene precedent was set, the end of The Incredible Hulk sees General Ross drinking his sorrows away at a bar when, unexpectedly, Robert Downey Jr. walks into the movie reprising his role as Tony Stark. Even with some of the references to Stark Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D., this cameo came as a surprise. For years, audiences would hope for crossovers but understood that it was unlikely to happen. Spider-Man would never meet the X-Men and Christian Bale’s Batman wouldn’t meet Brandon Routh’s Superman. That just wasn’t how the game was played back then. Sure, Marvel had promised that wouldn’t be the case anymore just six weeks early, but what form that would take, was another question altogether

General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (played by William Hurt) in The Incredible Hulk post-credit scene.

It was electrifying walking out of that theater. The possibilities really did feel endless. Even though it wasn’t expected, it was entirely possible that you could be watching Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger and any Marvel hero could walk into the movie. This cameo showed audiences that Marvel was confident that this could work, and it began to fill their growing audience with trust.

General Ross (William Hurt) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in the post-credit scene of The Incredible Hulk.

Nowadays, seeing these kinds of characters interact is practically any-given Tuesday in the MCU, the discussion around Phase 4 has been dominated by what cameos are going to appear next. This cameo was unlike anything audiences had ever seen. This was a clear message to audiences, the Avengers were coming. Not only were you going to see your favorite heroes on the big screen, but Marvel was determined to fulfill your dreams of seeing them interact with each other.

Why Pixar?

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

On January 7, 2022, Disney announced that the latest film from Pixar Animation, Turning Red, was going to skip its theatrical release, and instead be released exclusively on Disney+ at no extra cost. This move follows similar decisions for the likes of Pixar’s 2020’s Soul and 2021’s Luca. It’s no secret that Disney is putting a lot of effort into building the Disney+ library, but this isn’t happening as frequently as other studios under Disney’s umbrella. Marvel and Disney Animation, for example, are guaranteed to receive exclusive theatrical windows, so why isn’t Pixar getting the same treatment?

When the announcement came for Soul, it was a surprise, but Disney framed it as a “Christmas gift” to the fans who have been waiting patiently for the film's release. Since 2020 was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were stuck inside as everything was closed, including movie theaters. Even though Disney had successfully rolled out Mulan with a $29.99 one-time payment, Disney seemed unsure if they were going to continue that financial approach for their future releases. Soul ended up being a big streaming hit for Disney+ and that seemed to be the end of it. That was until March of 2021, when Luca was announced to be heading straight to Disney+ at no extra cost.

Disney Pixar 2021 Luca animated film.

Luca was a major surprise, while theaters were struggling, they were at least open. At the time, the move was criticized because other movies had been released as a hybrid model. Cruella, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Black Widow all had theater releases as well as same day streaming on Disney+ at an added cost of $29.99. If Disney truly felt that Luca’s box office performance would be negatively impacted by the pandemic, then why didn’t they decide on a hybrid model or at the very least, a premier release?

Insiders at Pixar have already spoken about these perplexed decisions. Many felt confused and hurt after they poured so much love into the creation of an anticipated hit, that they were baffled it wouldn’t get to be seen in the format that it was made for. Pixar was being treated as a Disney+ content generator and not the major box office draw it had been countless times since Toy Story. Of course, there were some saying that it’s nice that kids could safely see the film, and that is true, but then why wasn’t the same concession made to Raya and the Last Dragon, which had a hybrid release, or Encanto which was released exclusively in theaters?

Meilin “Mei” Lee from Disney Pixar’s Turning Red.

After Luca, Disney stopped the hybrid model and released all of their major tentpoles, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Encanto exclusively in theaters. So then, why not Turning Red? Pixar’s latest film about a young girl who begins to turn into a giant red panda was all set for its March theater release date, before Disney once again pulled the rug out from under Pixar. To the many animators at Pixar, this seemed to have come without a warning, and certainly to the audiences who were excited to see a new Pixar film on the big screen. No real explanation has been given to why this is, and it’s unlikely any explanation would be believed.

While many studios these days rely on recognizable IP (intellectual property) to get audiences into theaters, Pixar only ever had to rely on their name. A Pixar film was a guaranteed box office hit, and if something like The Good Dinosaur wasn’t a hit, then a film like Inside Out would be. Their focus on original animated films that the whole family could love has put them at the top of the animation industry for decades now. They are more than a content generator for Disney to shuffle onto Disney+. They are a staple in the homes of peoples of all generations. They are the metric by which other animation studios are compared to. With Lightyear’s June release date fast approaching, many are left wondering if the rug will be pulled out once again and Lightyear will be the fourth Pixar film to release exclusively on Disney+ at no extra cost. Unfortunately, the decision to move Turning Red has created a precedent that could potentially change Pixar’s entire future.

Disney Pixar’s Turning Red.

NIC GAUGE / Primal

MOVIE: Primal

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Famke Janssen, Kevin Durand, LaMonica Garett, Michael Imperioli, Jeremy Nazario, Drake Shannon, Braulio Castillo Jr.

RELEASE DATE: November 8th, 2019

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Frank Walsh (Nicolas Cage), Morales (Braulio Castillo Jr) and Dr. Ellen Taylor (Famke Janssen) in Primal.

Primal was a straight to DVD release in November of 2019 that stars Nic Cage, Famke Janssen (of “X-Men” fame), and Kevin Durand (who has been in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” as The Blob). This film came as part of a group of other straight to DVD releases from Cage after Color Out Of Space went to theaters. Most of the time, straight to DVD films are usually considered not to have the budget for a theater release and/or just not being strong enough contenders for theaters that they just skip right to mass production. Primal is one of those films that I found underwhelming and overall cheap in terms of production, fitting that mold.

The plot of Primal is this; big-game hunter Frank Walsh (played by Cage) catches a rare white jaguar in the Brazilian rainforest, loads it on a container ship to illegally bring it back to the states and sell it to a zoo, in hence to make a fortune. On that same ship, US Marshals are bringing in notorious political assassin and ex-special forces operative, Richard Loffer (played by Durand). When Loffer breaks out and lets loose Walsh’s animals, it’s up to Walsh and the US Marshals to get everything back under control before Loffer kills everybody.

The White Jaguar in Primal

This film is pretty bad. 90% of the animals are CGI and they look like they were made with early 2001 graphics. More so, he main problems are the acting and writing in this film. Characters make horrible choices. There’s a scene where everyone who is working on the boat is locked in one room and is learning about Loffer’s escape, and the engineers have to leave to keep the ship running. In the midst of that, Loffer shows up in the engine room and asks the engineers about how to power the boat. The engineers just tell him how to even-though, they should know he’s Loffer as he was not with the rest of the crew and marshals. There is also one child actor who’s skill is laughable. Everything he does is incredibly flat and has no emotion. There is even a moment where Loffer goes to grab the kid’s head to hold him hostage, and the kid visibly leans over for Loffer to predictably grab it. The only (sort-of) saving grace of this film is the overacting of both Cage and Durand. Their fight scenes are extremely comical, especially Cage’s reaction to a single punch or kick. Because of their acting, this film is in the upper section of “Terrible” on the Nic Gauge.

FOUR EYES REVIEW / The Batman

Welcome back to another “Four Eyes” review. We take this moment to share 2 opinions on a single geek topic.

Below both Justin and Dave will each dive into what they thought about Matt Reeve’s The Batman. Join us for a “Fan”-tastic, gushing with praise, recap.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on social media using #foureyesreview

MOVIE: The Batman

STARRING: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravits, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Keoghan, Andy Serkis

RELEASE DATE: March 4th, 2022

WHERE TO WATCH (as of March 2022): Theaters (Streaming on HBO Max on April 19th, 2022)

FROM JUSTIN POMERVILLE:

Cue the 60’s Batman theme song, because our favorite caped crusader is back again on the big screen. When The Batman was first announced with Robert Pattison as Bruce Wayne/Batman, I was a little hesitant. It wasn’t Pattison’s acting capabilities, but more or less the direction this film was going to go. As time went on and the more information released, it became clear that Pattison (and director Matt Reeves) had a clear vision of what exactly this Batman story would be and how it would stand out from the rest of the pack. Their story, as well as the overall style and feel, was told in a fantastic way that kept you on the edge of your seat.

The main plot focuses on a young Bruce Wayne who has only been Batman for a few years. That is the biggest difference, and because of that, we got a very different kind of Batman. We get a Batman that was still learning what exactly it means to be the hero Gotham needs. His fighting style, detective work, even his gadgets are still being honed and crafted. His interactions with the rest of the characters is fabulous as he learns to form relationships in order to become that better hero. This is the kind of Batman story where we actually get to watch Batman’s growth. With that growth, we learn how it affects Gotham and lays out the beginning rise of his rogue gallery.

Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in Warner Brother’s 2022 release of The Batman.

Bruce’s relationships with both Selena Kyle (played by Zoë Kravitz) and Jim Gordon (played by Jefferey Wright) were meticulously put together. They all intertwine with each other flawlessly and it never felt forced to move the film forward. We got to see the beginning romance between Bruce and Selena as well as the trust and friendship (which is what I would call it) between Bruce and Jim as they work the murder case. Everyone’s role played out great and left me wanting to see the next step in their evolution.

Everyone’s performance was top-notch, but a couple really stood out. Paul Dano’s portrayal of The Riddler was maybe my favorite because they took such a weird villain in the comic whose whole bit is elaborate traps that can be solved by riddles, and they made him dangerous, smart and gave his whole character a fresh direction. He became visually terrifying in his mask, giving him a Zodiac killer vibe, but with the intelligence that is just as scary. The Riddler has been that character in the comics that in recent years has been taken more seriously, but this representation took it to a new level.

Jim Gordon (played by Jeffrey Wright) and Batman (played by Robert Pattinson) in The Batman.

The overall feel of this film is thrilling, Gotham felt claustrophobic and gave you a real sense of how dangerous the place is. The soundtrack is just insane and fits with the tone. Reeves littered this movie with Easter eggs and Batman lore that could make this a solid franchise going froward (if he so chooses to go in that direction). This wasn’t just a superhero movie. This was a thriller detective film that just so happened to involve Batman. That is something we don’t see very often. You can’t really compare it to the others,. If I had to choose, this may have become my new favorite Batman film.

FROM DAVE CLARK:

For as long as I can remember, my two favorite comic book properties have been the X-Men and Batman. I remember my excitement to see Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989. I would have to wait for the VHS but I was still very excited to see this larger-than-life hero played out in movie form. For me it wasn’t about world building or easter eggs. It was about seeing my favorite superhero take it to his most feared enemy on the big screen. It would then lead to the greatest animated series in the history of Batman cartoons. It would define comic book movies for a very long time and we’d set the scale as to who would portray Batman, The Joker, Alfred, Gordon, and so on. They’d be rated alongside the cast of the original film and even Adam West’s Batman. Here we are. We are in the twenty-first century and I’m getting the seventh actor to portray Batman/Bruce Wayne in live action form.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman.

I was extremely apprehensive when they announced the casting and idea behind this film so soon after Ben Affleck’s portrayal in Justice League. It started when Matt Reeves joined as Writer and Director after Affleck dropped from being the Director. Then Affleck dropped out altogether, opening the door for Robert Pattinson. Pattinson was a man I thought as horrible at acting based solely off the Twilight films alone. For the record, I was wrong and the actors are not to blame fully for those films being so bad. So many of them would go on to have amazing careers, including Pattinson. Recently, I loved him in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. Pattinson taking over the cape and cowl for this potential new take of the story gave me confidence in the capable creative hands of Matt Reeves.

This film is now not only my favorite Batman film, but it may also very well be one of my all-time favorite films ever. It establishes our Batman as a great detective, though not the greatest, not yet at least. He’s still not the polished Dark Knight as it is only his third year on the job. However, right from the title screen, we’re getting a Batman film with narration. We’re treated with an inner monologue from Batman explaining his thoughts and observations, which in turn end up being the vocalization of his ritual of writing in a journal during this Gotham Experiment he calls being the Batman. While there has been Batman narrating before, this felt different. It felt stronger and a more intimate look into the mind of Batman. Without getting too long winded, the portrayal of every character in this film was done with respect and knowledge of the source material.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman.

The music throughout set the tone and was perfectly fit for a Gotham that no person would choose to live in unless they had no other choice. Each character had their own theme and they worked well to establish the tone of their character in the scene. The music and sound production was stellar. You felt every punch, every footfall from Batman as he emerged from the darkness. You felt the car chase with every crash and explosion.

I really could gush about this movie for thousands of words but I’m going to cut myself short and direct you to our podcast we’ll be releasing this week (link to come) with our more detailed review of The Batman. This was a strong Batman movie, and best of all - it’s simply just a great movie overall. It’s a crime thriller about a desperate chase of a maniacal serial killer who has a political agenda to expose the city’s corruption at its core. The inspiration for this film from Zodiac, Seven, and Chinatown can be noticed even after the credits have rolled. It’s safe to say, we’re in good hands for the future of Batman and his Rogues Gallery and perhaps his extended Bat-family. The future is bright in a dark dank Gotham.

NIC GAUGE / World Trade Center

MOVIE: World Trade Center

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Michael Peña, Will Jimeno, Anthony Piccininni, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello, Jay Hernandez, Michael Shannon

RELEASE DATE: August 9th, 2006

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

(L to R) Maggie Gyllenhaal (as Allison Jimeno), Maria Bello (as Donna McLoughlin, Michael Peña (as Will Jimeo) and Nicolas Cage (as John McLoughlin) in Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center.

World Trade Center was a film I wasn’t entirely sure how to approach among the ranks of Nicolas Cage films. This film is nestled in with the group of questionable films that he has made in the 2000s, many of which I still need to get to (if you have been keeping track). This is the only film in the group that involves real-life events and is probably one of the stronger performances of Cage’s career. The film was directed by Oliver Stone, known for directing many films like Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, JFK, and Natural Born Killers. This film also had input from the real police officers the story revolves around; Will Jimeno and John Mcloughlin. Both officers, along with their wives, were in the writing room as well as took part in the overall production of the film.

The film is about Port Authority Police officers Will Jimeno (played by Micheal Peña) and Sergeant John Mcloughlin (played by Nic Cage). They are part of a group of officers that are responding to the World Trade Center as the North Tower was hit by the plane. As they prepare to enter the building to help with evacuation, the South Tower comes down, trapping them in an elevator shaft under the rubble. Throughout the film, we keep switching from their perspective to that of their wives; Allison Jimeno (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Donna Mcloughlin (played by Maria Bello). The wives are left in the dark about their husband’s lives.

Nicolas Cage as Sergeant John McLoughlin in World Trade Center.

I’m going to keep it short about this film because I’m not comfortable doing a deep dive into a 9/11 film. The film is first rate. It’s a part of American history and felt very much like a time capsule. Seeing the horrific events from the perspective of those who were involved firsthand, painting a picture that I felt was needed. Also, the film has a strong overall narrative of humanity in a time of need. The visuals of firemen, officers, and military from around the U.S. banding together to help the survivors calls attention to that point . There’s not much really to say in terms of what I expected from this film. It’s obvious what you are watching.

On the “Nic Gauge” this sits comfortably on the higher end of “Good”.

REVIEW / Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

There has been great success lately with old horror franchises like Halloween, Candyman, and to an extent, Scream. Each movie getting a new film that is a direct sequel to the original. This direction brings fresh life to the films and an easy introduction to those who have never seen the original. Also, they have added a nice bit of legacy by bringing back past characters (ie: Laurie Strode return in Halloween Kills). This helps for both nostalgia and story purposes. This trend has been a great success but I was curious if they could keep the momentum going with this new Texas Chainsaw Massacre?

As a horror fan, I love it all. I enjoy the good and the bad, the suspense and the gore. Sadly, Texas Chainsaw Massacre suffers from a lot of problems. I am not confident I was the target audience. The only real positive for this film is the gore aspect. An audience that thrives on butchery over plot, this update would most likely be a blast. There are a couple fun kills, but beyond that, this film did nothing to make the franchise and Leatherface stand out for me. It comes down to the story. The whole narrative is a group of entrepreneurs selling off the properties of the town of Harlow (the town that the original story was based). They are ironically looking to build a new, safe community. However, Leatherface has other plans and begins to murder every single person in sight.

Lila (Elsie Fisher), Melody (Sarah Yarkin), Ruth (Nell Hudson and Dante (Jacob Latimore) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The script is barely held together with characters that are unlikeable and hard to get behind. The main protagonist is Lila (played by Elsie Fisher). She has an updated and poignant backstory of being a victim of a school shooting. This film really wants you to remember this group's disdain for guns. We don’t know the reason for the shooting until we are halfway through the film. Even after the revolution, it had very little impact to the plot. Everyone else just has cookie-cutter attributes despite having a competent cast. You get the overbearing sister who is obnoxious (for me), but also a local that you are supposed to hate yet end up liking. On top of those characters, they also brought back a legacy character, Sally (played by Olwen Fouéré) from the original film. I was very excited to see the flashback and how a veteran of the original mayhem would handle things today. Unfortunately, she brought nothing substantial to the film. She is misused and under appreciated. She is just another body on the pile. I feel cheated that she was not allowed even a proper showdown with Leatherface.

Sally Hardesty (played by Olwen Fouéré) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I believe the other problem with this film is it never felt like a big deal in horror. Halloween, Scream, and Candyman all had huge budgets and theatrical releases (including months of planning and ads) building excitement for their releases. They embraced promoting the return of past characters. As far as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, all I saw in terms of advertisements was one trailer when it was first announced and then forgotten about until the release date. It felt more like an afterthought. After great success with Fear Street and Army of th Dead, I had just expected more from Netflix. I am curious if that impacted the reviews? It appeared everyone online completely forgot this film was coming and thus its reception was lackluster, to say the least.

Leatherface (Mark Burnham) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I wish they had put more into this film to give it more substance. As it stands, it is near the bottom of the pile of the Texas Chainsaw franchise, and rightfully so in my opinion. As noted, I know others have enjoyed it, which is appreciable. Woefully, I am not one of them.

COUNT DOWN #45: THE FIRST POST CREDITS

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• THE FIRST POST CREDITS •

MOMENT# 45

MOVIE: Iron Man

DIRECTORS: Jon Favreau

WRITERS: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum & Matt Holloway

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr) house during the post-credits of Iron Man.

The MCU has expanded to reach heights that fans had only dreamed of. No one knew what the franchise would grow to become when Iron Man came to theaters in 2008. Marvel had sold the rights to some of their more popular characters such as the X-Men and Spider-Man. The newly formed Marvel Studios was limited in what various heroes could form The Avengers. Fans were used to superhero films existing in their own little pocket universes, but that all changed with Iron Man.

Unaware that the landscape of superhero cinema was about to change forever, moviegoers went to see the Marvel film in modest numbers. Audiences fell in love with the new superhero played by Robert Downey Jr. This first MCU film followed the journey of Tony Stark after he gets captured by the Ten Rings terrorist group. They force him to make a weapon but instead he makes a suit of armor to make his escape. Afterwards he moves Stark Industries away from weapons manufacturing. His new objective was making a new suit and taking down his nefarious business partner, Obadiah Stane. He proudly declares to the world that he is Iron Man.

The credits rolled and nearly everyone left the theater, but those who stayed were treated with the first hints that something more was on the way. In a darkened house in Malibu, Samuel L. Jackson is introduced to audiences as Nick Fury. He informs Tony Stark that he’s become part of a larger world, ending with “I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.” Since Iron Man, there has been a post credits scene in almost every MCU film, with the exception of The Incredible Hulk and Avengers: Endgame (and technically Avengers: Age of Ultron only has a mid-credits scene). The post-credits became a tool for Marvel Studios to tease up the next film or the next major story. Sitting in the theater waiting for that final scene to show has become a tradition for Marvel fans ever since. 

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) delivering the line “I’m here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative” in Iron Man’s post-credits.

Fans had wanted superhero crossovers for years. The closest anyone ever got was a fake poster in I Am Legend. The world of superhero cinema had just changed forever. Kevin Fiege and Marvel Studios had just told the world that they were going to unite the Avengers on the big screen. At the time, no one knew how it would happen or when, but they were going to try, and that was more than enough.

All audiences had to do was sit through the credits.

NIC GAUGE / Face Off

MOVIE: Face/Off

STARRING: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola, Gina Gershon, Dominque Swain, Nick Cassavetes

RELEASE DATE: June 19th, 1997

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Caster Troy / Sean Archer (both characters played by both (L to R) Nicolas Cage & John Travolta) in Face Off.

I don’t think you understand the excitement I had when the generator picked Face/Off for this week's Nic Gauge. This was the first film I saw Nic Cage in back when I was around 15 years old. Revisiting this film, I already knew I was going to have fun. 

Face/Off came out in 1997, and was directed by John Woo. Woo has directed films like Hard Boiled, Mission Impossible 2, and Windtalkers (also staring Cage). Face/Off was nominated for an Academy Award for Sound Effect Editing at the 70th Academy Awards. The film was also the 11th highest-grossing film of 1997, earning $245 million. An interesting fact, the original actors that were envisioned to play the rivals were Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. My personal opinion, if those two would have been cast, I don’t think this film would have done as well. The chemistry between Cage/Travolta is what makes this movie so special.

Caster Troy / Sean Archer (both characters played by both (L to R) Nicolas Cage & John Travolta) in Face Off.

The plot begins after a failed assassination attempt from Castor Troy (at the time played by Cage) on FBI agent Sean Archer (at the moment played by John Travolta) that results in the death of Archer’s son. Archer spends six years hunting Troy and his brother Pollux (played by Alessandro Nivola). Eventually, Archer catches them, but not before they plant a bomb in Los Angeles. In order to gain information on the whereabouts of the bomb, Archer masquerades as Troy by literally wearing his face. Archer switches faces with Troy in order to speak with Pollux in a maximum-security prison. So now Cage playing a villain (Troy) becomes the good guy (Archer) and Travolta playing the good guy protagonist (Archer) becomes the criminal (Troy). Unfortunately, Troy escapes custody while still wearing Archer’s face and destroys all traces of that facial exchange. He gets his brother out of prison, and becoming the false hero, disarms the bomb. This leaves Good Guy Archer (who is wearing Bad Guy Troy’s face) to rot in his place as a criminal. Add on, Archer then escapes and has to save his family from Troy and try to get his life back.

Summary for those who are confused (easy to do when recapping the plot per editor Jenny):

Beginning of Story:

Cage/Troy = Bad

Travolta/Archer = Good

Mid-Story:

Cage/Archer = Good

Travolta/Troy = Bad

From start to finish, this film does not let up on the action. The first opening fight really tells you the story of this rivalry and it just gets better from there. Especially with the climactic battle at the end involving a speed boat fight. Throughout, Travolta and Cage work extremely well with each other and have great interactions. Because of the films personality switch, I think they did a great job with making Cage’s eccentric homicidal tendencies and Travolta’s more reserved and stoic nature easily transferable. I do find the whole actual face swap mechanic very cheesy and hilarious in practice, but as it is the main driving force of the film, I let it slide a little bit. Beyond that, the story itself, essentially being a Freaky Friday situation (but with more guns) works well, albeit slightly hilarious.

Troy (Nicolas Cage) “meme-scene” in Face/Off.

On the Nic Gauge, I comfortably sit this in-between “Bloody Awesome” and “Good” mainly because of how much meme material Cage’s expressions have given us with this film alone.

COUNT DOWN #46: NICK FURY STILL BELIEVES IN HEROES

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• NICK FURY STILL BELIEVES IN HEROES •

MOMENT# 46

MOVIE: Marvel’s The Avengers

DIRECTORS: Joss Whedon

WRITERS: Joss Whedon & Zak Penn

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel’s The Avengers

The first few years of the MCU were a frenzy of speculation and hype. When word was announced that the first phase of the franchise would come to a close with a massive team-up film, uniting the characters that had already been introduced, people just couldn’t believe it. A collaboration film like this was unheard of at the time and had only existed in the dreams of hardcore fans for decades. Nonetheless, in 2012, The Avengers was released and with it, many defining moments that would pave the way for the MCU for years to come.

The Avengers brought together the heroes introduced in each MCU film since 2008’s Iron Man. They joined to fight a new threat in the form of a Chitauri invasion of Earth led by the god of mischief himself, Loki. Nowadays, Marvel does these types of things in their sleep, but back then it was a juggling act that fans weren’t sure would pay off. In this first Avengers film, Loki is tasked by Thanos to retrieve the Tesseract. He brainwashes Clint Barton/Hawkeye and begins a plan to bring his army to Earth. In response to this, Nick Fury (director of SHIELD) brings together the mightiest heroes the Earth has ever seen, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Black Widow, in the hopes to stop Loki before he can bring his army.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) in Marvel’s The Avengers

In the midst of an escape, Loki kills Phil Coulson, a SHIELD agent who had grown close to the various heroes. Coupled with Loki’s escape, some major psychological and physical damage to the team (as well as the Helicarrier) made the heroes feel like everything was lost. They had failed and Loki was in the wind with no way to find him. In a rare quiet moment in the film, Nick Fury, mourning the loss of his friend and agent, lays everything on the table to Steve and Stark, both mourning Coulson’s death as well. Fury talks about how there was an idea, to bring together a group of remarkable individuals to see if they could be something more. To drive the point home, he says “Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea…in heroes.”

Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Marvel’s The Avengers.

Steve Rogers/Captain America, the man out of time, doesn’t know what his place is in this new world. He looks at the bloodied Captain America trading cards laid out in front of him, wondering, is there a place for him in this time period? Tony Stark/Iron Man, coldly looks off into the distance, unsure how to face his emotions for losing his friend. Upon hearing the line about heroes, he storms out of the room. After all, how could he be a hero? All the while, Fury is running one last play that he’s not sure is going to work. He watches Stark leave and says “well, it’s an old-fashioned notion anyway.”

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) with Coulson’s cards in Marvel’s The Avengers.

This parallels nicely with an early conversation in the film when Coulson speaks to Steve about the new Captain America uniform. Steve is unsure how something so flashy would work in the modern-day and asks whether or not it was too old-fashioned. Coulson just follows up with “people might just need a little old-fashioned.” The callback to the earlier scene is the button on the speech that persuades Steve because that's exactly what the world needs right now. After convincing the others, they converge on New York and prepare for the battle of their lives.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Marvel’s The Avengers.

Within the film, Fury’s speech gave the Avengers the push they needed to put aside their differences and be the heroes the world needs. This was the button on the first and biggest lesson the soon-to-be Avengers would learn: no matter what happens, you get up because the world is counting on you. Divided they could be beaten but together they were stronger. This was the penultimate moment to them uniting and becoming The Avengers.

Marvel’s The Avengers  (L to R): Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson, Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth).

NIC GAUGE / Season of the Witch

MOVIE: Season of the Witch

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Claire Foy, Robert Sheehan, Stephen Campbell Moore, Ulrich Thomsen

RELEASE DATE: January 7th, 2011

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Starz, Amazon Prime)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Debelzaq (Stephen Campbell Moore), Behman von Bleibruck (Nicolas Cage), and Felson (Ron Perlman) in Season of the Witch

I’m a sucker for films set in medieval times. Especially when magic and supernatural elements are involved. Films like Lord of the Rings, Willow, & as previously stated several times, The Green Knight. So, you throw in Nicolas Cage AND Ron Perlman, how could I possibly ignore it. Well, turns out, I have never seen this one. So, considering the track record so far with “The Nic Gauge”, I kept my expectations pretty low, especially after the last entry.

Season of the Witch takes place in the 14th century and revolves around two knights, Behman (played by Cage) and Felson (played by Perlman), that were fighting in the crusades. But after one battle, they realize they are just butchering women and children in “the name of God” and desert their posts and leave for home in Austria. A month after they have returned, they learn that the people have been infected with The Black Death. When they enter a town for supplies, they are arrested for their desertion and are then tasked by the cardinal (played by Christopher Lee) to take a woman (played by Claire Foy) to a remote monastery. The woman is accused of witchcraft and must be put to trial.

Behman (Nicolas Cage) and “The Girl” (Claire Foy) in Season of the Witch

This film was awkward. That is the best way I can put it.

The first portion of introducing Behman and Felson is fine. The lead-up to taking the woman to the monastery is fine. Once they leave for the actual adventure is where everything starts going south. The main chunk of this trip is just everyone arguing on whether or not the woman is actually a witch, while actual witchcraft is happening. The woman calls upon wolves to come kill everyone and she tricks one guy into killing another. So, you would think it would be safe to say she is actually a witch. Spoiler alert, you find out in the third act that she is actually possessed by a demon. That discovery kind of kills the momentum of the film (on top of terrible early 2010’s special effects). You are conditioned to believe that by the end of the film, there will be a final showdown between Cage and a witch.To then take the weird route and switch the witch into a demon just does a horrible disservice to the audience. To add to it, the special effects on the demon feel incomplete and very muddy looking, making the film feel very unfinished.

This film started out being in the middle of “The Nic Gauge”, but as it reached the hour mark, it started plummeting. Once the film finished, it now sits comfortably on the lower end of “Terrible”.