[shawn-m-madden]

[shawn-m-madden]

[obviousplant]

I added some store tips to a nearby grocery store

[oliver-sonntag]

[nikharacaoimhe-deactivated20181]

I do

[shawn-m-madden]

Represent.

[shawn-m-madden]

[cornelliasttreet]

We finally get to find out what we become.

[eatgeekplay]

Next year the entire world will be introduced to John Boyega when Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters. However, in the meantime though you should really do yourselves a favor and check out the actor’s big-screen debut in 2011’s Attack The Block. The film, from the producers of Shaun Of The Dead & Hot Fuzz, follows a group of tough inner-city youth who are forced to defend their turf against a miniature alien invasion. We see a South London apartment turned into an all our war-zone as Moses and his group defend “the block” against these invaders. For this week’s Throwback Thursday we’ve decided to do a quick review of the film.

The reason you may not have heard of the directorial debut for Joe Cornish (the screenwriter behind Hot Fuzz & Ant-Man) might be due to the film receiving a very limited theatrical release in the United States. But there’s definitely a chance you’ve heard about this film at some point. There was quite a bit of hype surrounding it when it was first released and guess what: believe the hype. This film is kind of like a mixture of Goonies, The Warriors, Gremlins with a dash of some of other 80’s genre films. If you’re a fan of any of those films, you should definitely watch this one. Maybe you’re looking for something to do this weekend? Get a group of friends together because this one is best watched as a group.

Cornish directs the hell out of this one and delivers an incredibly fun and exciting R-rated film that never at any point drags. There’s not an ounce of fat in this film that needs trimmed. Scenes move at an appropriate pace and the momentum is relentless but never over does it nor does it just abruptly come to a dead stop de-railing things. Honestly, I cannot praise Cornish’s direction enough when it comes to this one here. However, it’s not only the fantastic direction and screenwriting that makes this one work. No, that’d also come down to the cast. Primarily John Boyega, who plays Moses, who has such presence and charisma that you’ll instantly understand why he nabbed one of the leads in Episode VII. There’s a slow-mo chase scene that just screams bad-ass. Another thing worth noting is Basement Jaxx and Steven Price’s fantastic score that is sure to make fans of John Carpenter films squee with joy.

VERDICT

This film deserves every ounce of praise that it receives. Attack The Block does a fantastic job of mixing humor, thrills and social commentary with a dash of 80’s genre films to create one of the most entertaining sci-fi/action films in recent years. There’s a reason this one has become a cult classic and you’re majorly missing out if you haven’t seen it yet.

SCORE: A

, #AttackTheBlock, #HotFuzz, #JoeCornish, #JohnBoyega, #NickFrost, #SciFi, #ShaunOfTheDead, #StarWars, #TBT, #TheForceAwakens, #ThrowbackThursday, Attack The Block, Hot Fuzz, Joe Cornish, John Boyega, Nick Frost, sci-fi, Shaun of the Dead, star wars, TBT, The Force Awakens, throwback thursday

[eatgeekplay]

We welcome you once again true believers to another edition of Declassified, a usuallyweekly (mostly) spoiler-free look into Marvel’s Agent’s Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Were back after a two-week break with a brand new installment. Did you miss the last installment of Declassified? Don’t worry because you can check that one out right here. So, let’s stop wondering if we’re hat guys and get into it.

This week’s episode was a busy one with a lot going on in an hour. The full cast was here as we set up for the mid-season finale next week (but don’t worry, Agent Carter will be upon us soon with a two-hour premiere the first week of January) as well as the full line-up of the not-exactly regulars. How have they not made Tripp and Bobbi regulars yet? Oh and we saw Agent 33 return as some weird burn faced version of May. The only one that was sadly missing this week was Kyle MacLachlan, who from the looks of it is going to play a major role next week. The episode centered around the discovery of that certain Inhuman city and the race to find it before HYDRA gets there and does some not-so-nice things. You’d think with so many characters and storylines that this one might feel a bit overcrowded, right? Well, it definitely didn’t and continued to showcase this season’s strengths with another strong character centered episode.

We haven’t talked much about Coulson the past few weeks but this he really shined in this episode. There was a nice focus on the differences in how he does things versus Fury. And maybe that’s how Marvel plans to bring S.H.I.E.L.D. back into the films, with a nicer and friendlier version of the organization that the nation and world hates after the fallout of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. That’s not saying that they’re all about hugs and cookies or something.

We’ve reached a point in the series where the team is almost unrecognizable from last season. These aren’t a bunch of first time field operatives anymore, it’s a full team of agents that are ready to face whatever is thrown their way and hopefully by the end of the season will be able to join the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Family on the big screen (even though there are rumors that some of them might be sooner than we think). Even Skye (who had one of the best choreographed fights of the season) has become a character that can make the big leap and if she turns out to be the character that I’m hearing she is, I wouldn’t doubt it happening at all.

And how about that ending? How glad is everyone that they made Grant Ward a villain? Brett Dalton has really shined this season in the villain role and when he pops back up you don’t want him to leave. And here’s to hoping that comic book rules apply here to a certain character that may have met his demise this episode. We don’t see a body, which means there is without a doubt a chance that he’s alive and well. But if that’s the end of the road for the character, it’s going to be a bummer. He really added to the series and had potential to be more. Overall the episode set up the pieces nicely and I can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store for us next week. From what I’m hearing, it’s a big one.

VERDICT

While this may not have been the best hour that Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. has offered up this season, it was still a very solid and entertaining episode that ended on a strong note and set up what’s to come perfectly.

Score: B+

DECLASSIFIED INTEL

- How about them finally saying Kree on the series?  Yeah, that happened. So, this confirms that we’re talking Inhumans. Right?

– The continued rumblings I’m hearing about Skye lead to her likely being the MCU version of Daisy Johnson aka Quake. Guess we’ll find out next week.

NEXT TIME ON AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: “WHAT THEY BECOME”

“What They Become” – Coulson and Whitehall’s forces meet in an explosive confrontation that dramatically alters everyone’s fates. Meanwhile, Skye discovers shocking secrets about her past, on the Winter finale of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Tuesday, December 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

, #AgentCoulson, #AgentsOfShield, #Attilan, #GrantWard, #Hydra, #Inhumans, #Kree, #Marvel, #MarvelCinematicUniverse, #MCU, #NickFury, #Shield, #Skye, Agent Coulson, Agents of Shield, Attilan, Grant Ward, Hydra, Inhumans, Kree, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, MCU, Nick Fury, Shield, Skye

[eatgeekplay]

So, are you sick of talking about Star Wars yet? Of course you’re not! Following the release of the first teaser trailer for The Force Awakens we decided to take a look back at the last time the franchise returned to the big screen. It’s a universal fact that fans of the franchise aren’t that fond (understatement?) of the prequels but the reality is: they aren’t that bad. Sure, The Phantom Menace is far from the best in the franchise but even that film has some redeeming qualities that make it not an entire loss. Let’s take a look at 7 reasons (there’s actually more but you know…Episode VII and all) that the prequels actually aren’t as bad as people make them out to be. They’re actually kind of awesome.

DARTH MAUL

It’s undeniable that The Phantom Menace is the weakest of all the Star Wars films. However, it did give us the most bad-ass Sith in the galaxy far, far away and while he only had two lines in the film, he left more of an impression on fans than a certain character that wouldn’t shut the hell up. The character provided one of the best lightsaber battles in the entire series holding his own against two Jedi Masters and even killing one of them. Fans of the franchise might universally hate the film but  it’s hard to find one that will deny that Darth Maul rules. The character was so popular that he was brought back from the dead in the Clone Wars animated series. Cut in half? Eh, who cares.

BAD-ASS LIGHTSABER BATTLES

No offense to the choreographers behind the lightsaber duels in the original trilogy but let’s be honest here – they weren’t that great. They definitely got better over the course of the trilogy but were put to shame by the prequels. This is in no form a diss to the original trilogy but those battles did not compare to the sheer epicness of Obi-Wan & Quai-Gon vs Darth Maul or the final battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin. Even if you hated these films as you watched them, you were sure to geek out during these scenes. These are the kinds of things that make you want to walk out the theater and have fake lightsaber battles but obviously you don’t because you’ll end up getting the weirdest looks out of the people passing by.

ORDER 66

Order 66, also known as Clone Protocol 66, was one of a series of contingency orders that the clone troopers were trained to obey without hesitation. This marked the start of the Great Jedi Purge and was a perfect example of why Revenge Of The Sith is currently the darkest film in the entire saga. We knew about the purge prior to the film’s release but there was something to seeing it happen in front of our eyes that really hit emotionally.

EXPANDED MYTHOLOGY

One thing that is undeniable about the prequel trilogy is that immensely expanded the Star Wars mythology. The films showed the Jedi in their prime and delved deeper into their past than the original trilogy had. We dived a universe that so much more complex and realistic than we might have known. Sure, there was some things we could have done without. At the end of the day, did we really need to learn Boba Fett’s backstory? Probably not. But it did give more layers to the character that the original trilogy didn’t and made him and the world he inhabits a bit more interesting.

THE OPENING SEQUENCE OF REVENGE OF THE SITH

The opening sequence of Revenge Of The Sith is definitely one of the biggest scenes in all the franchise. While we get a “Oh, I have a bad feeling about this”quote that the franchise is famous for, the scene definitely left us with a good feeling afterwards. Not a lot needs said about this sequence because it’s just simply awesome. You know it is.

THE CAST

We won’t argue with anyone that there was definitely a better choice than Hayden Christensen out there for Anakin Skywalker. But the rest of the cast? Great. And that’s what really made the prequels work. The trilogy featured and a fantastic cast and if it wasn’t for the prequels, we’d have never gotten Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan aka the sexiest Jedi in a galaxy far, far away. McGregor is arguably the best casting in the films and by the end of Revenge Of The Sith, had proven himself as a worthy successor to Sir Alec Guinness.

GEORGE LUCAS REMAINING TRUE TO HIS ORIGINAL VISION

This the one that is sure to be divisive. One of the reasons that many fans hate the prequel films is because they aren’t what THEY wanted them to be.  Whether you love or hate the prequels, it’s a fact that George Lucas made the films exactly according to his original vision for them. Lucas receives a lot of critique for this but I think he deserves praise for staying true to his vision and making the prequel trilogy that he had in mind from the beginning versus providing fan service.

Lucas had expressed over and over that the saga was always about Anakin Skywalker’s redemption and these films fit into his vision and allowed the story to come full circle with the original trilogy. When you look at the story as a whole, everything fits perfectly and that alone deserves commending.

 CONCLUSION

As much as we all love the original trilogy, there’s plenty of great parts when it comes to the prequels and rather than constantly spewing venom at them we should embrace them for what they are. But at the end of the day we’re sure if you hate these films now you’re still going to hate them after reading this. So, let’s just all get excited for The Force Awakens next December? If somehow you’ve been in a cave and haven’t seen the trailer, you can check it out below and proceed to view it directly after another 66 times.

, #AttackOfTheClones, #DarthMaul, #GeorgeLucas, #Jedi, #ObiWanKenobi, #RevengeOfTheSith, #Sith, #StarWars, #StarWarsRebels, #TheCloneWars, #TheForceAwakens, #ThePhantomMenace, Attack Of The Clones, Darth Maul, George Lucas, jedi, obi-wan kenobi, Revenge of the Sith, Sith, star wars, Star Wars: Rebels, The Clone Wars, The Force Awakens, The Phantom Menace

[jainaskywalkers]

[shawn-m-madden]

the dark side… and the light. 

[shawn-m-madden]

[eatgeekplay]

I’m going to start this off by saying that I wasn’t the biggest fan when it came to the first film in the The Hunger Games series. It just didn’t do it for me personally. But then Catching Fire hit theaters and maybe it was the different director or the noticeable change in tone but afterwards the hype was understood. It’s definitely a good thing that they kept director Francis Lawrence on because The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 might just be the best film of the series yet.  It’s a film that is full of energy and a strong story, that while we are three films into the series, hasn’t grown stale. There are plenty of films these days with familiar material similar to what we’re seeing here but what makes this film stand out is the connection on a human level.

The star of the franchise is obviously Lawrence and this film definitely shows exactly why the actress has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood.  While The Capitol may be the beating heart of Pan-Em, Lawrence is the beating heart of the franchise and is top form here. The actress brings an authenticity to the role of the reluctant hero and provides something real and grounded. She’s broken and we witness it as we slowly see her come into her own as she becomes the full-fledged leader of a revolution.

But that’s not to say that the secondary characters don’t get their time to shine. One the films greatest strengths is that it gives these characters their fair share of time allowing us to see just how much everything has changed as well as fleshing out some of the characters from the earlier films that hadn’t had much to do until now. There are a number of new characters that we’re introduced to during the course of the film which includes a ragtag filmmaking crew led by Cressida (Natalie Dormer). The team follows Katniss around and films her ever-growing rage what as she learns has happened in the districts. The role isn’t huge but could have ended up being kind of silly. Luckily Dormer and company do a great job at making it work.

The screenplay for the film does an excellent job combining parts of a combat film, political thriller and mass-media satire into one film. No longer is the focus of the film “The Games” but instead a single sick game with higher stakes being played between its central players. While this entry lacks in the action department, it more than makes up with story and strong characterization. Mockingjay delves deeper into the power of propaganda and how it’s used to set the stage for conflict. It’s an interesting concept to explore as we see how the masses are swayed by the different sides and an incredibly relevant commentary for the world we’re living in. This series is one of the smartest and deepest franchises aimed at a younger audience and deserves praise for what it’s doing. This is not just another dumb blockbuster franchise afraid to make you think and we could use more like it.

VERDICT

While the film does feel incomplete due to being split into two films, Mockingjay Part I is an intelligent and emotionally charged blockbuster that provides an exhilarating and exciting start to the franchise finale. While this may be the third entry in the franchise, the film feels fresh and leaves you with a well-crafted & emotional cliffhanger that is sure to leave you wanting more. Don’t worry…you only have to wait a year.

SCORE: B+

, #FilmReviews, #JenniferLawrence, #LiamHemsworth, #Mockingjay, #SciFi, #TheHungerGames, Film Reviews, Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Mockingjay, sci-fi, The Hunger Games

[eatgeekplay]

Welcome again true believers to another edition of Declassified, a weekly (mostly) spoiler-free look into Marvel’s Agent’s Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Did you happen to miss the last installment?  Don’t worry because you can check that one out right here. So, on to the main event.

THE DEBRIEFING

Did you have your doubts that the series might be bringing the Inhumans into the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We’re going to say that after this week’s episode those doubts might just disappear entirely. Tonight’s episode finally began to explain the back story of Daniel Whitehall, his ties to Skye’s parents and just what the Obelisk might be. Our guess? Well, following comments about some “blue angels from the sky” we’re going to go ahead and guess it’s the MCU version of a Terrigen Crystal. Skye’s totally going to have powers, right?

There wasn’t a ton of action this week but the story beyond made up for that. And there was a lot of story here. This week, we finally discovered the secret behind the well. Who was responsible for the death of their younger brother? We aren’t going to tell you but by the time it’s all said and done, Ward may have just become one of the most interesting villains of the MCU. This episode contained plenty of great scenes involving the villains of the season. However, the best scene of the episode is going to have to go to the encounter between Coulson and Skye’s father. Man, Kyle MacLachlan is playing one wickedly wild character here and we can’t get enough of him. And that ending? Now that was an ending!

VERDICT

This was arguably one of the best episodes of the season. Hell, this was quite possibly one of the best episodes that the series has offered so far and definitely one of the darkest. It was almost surprising how much gore made it’s way on-screen as we learned the truth behind Whitehall’s “immortality” and just how he gained it. There was a lot going on but it was all exciting and left you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what’s going to happen next. Sadly, we’re going to have to wait two weeks before we’re back with another episode.

SCORE: A

DECLASSIFIED INTEL

–  Frequent Whedon collaborator Dichen Lachman played Skye’s mother. Let’s hope to see a few others making an appearance soon?

–  Simon Kassianides aka Bakshi actually did play a Bond villain. Hence the line. Get it?

– More references to the Red Skull in one episode than he’s had in all the films combined.

NEXT TIME ON AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: “…Ye Who Enter Here”

SHIELD discovers the ancient city before Hydra, but uncovering the secrets may require one of Coulson’s team to make the ultimate sacrifice. Meanwhile, May and Skye race to get to Raina before Whitehall takes her, on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network

, #AgentCoulson, #AgentsOfShield, #Inhumans, #Marvel, #MarvelCinematicUniverse, #MarvelsAgentsOfSHIELD, #MCU, #SHIELD, Agent Coulson, Agents of Shield, Inhumans, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, MCU, S.H.I.E.L.D.

[kittiezandtittiez]

[eatgeekplay]

While it may not break any new ground, American Sniper is arguably 84 year old director Clint Eastwood’s strongest effort in years. The film, based on the book of the same name, features the true story of Chris Kyle (who earned the nickname “The Legend” among fellow troops) who went on to achieve a record of 160 confirmed kills over the course of four tours as well as becoming one of the Iraqi insurgency’s most coveted targets. The result is a brutal, tragic and riveting case study that provides insight into both the physical and psychological toll that the front lines can take on the men and women serving across seas.

The films greatest strength lies in it’s lead. Bradley Cooper is in top form here and gives one of his best performances to date as the battle-scarred Kyle. We start off with a man full of charm and heart who slowly slips into an agony that few of us will ever truly know about. Cooper does a fantastic job of showing the man’s inner agony and terror at time using facial expressions alone to portray the discomfort and distance as we see Kyle slip further and further away from civilian life. The scenes between Kyle and his wife Taya (portrayed by a nearly unrecognizable Sienna Miller) are fantastic. Cooper and Miller work well together and give intense performances that hit with a very strong impact.

Eastwood uses some different techniques visually to differentiate between the battlefield and home. Where as the scenes across seas feel tight and close-up, the scenes back home feel large and create a sense of getting lost alongside Kyle for the audience. The films real visual strengths lie in a number of stunning sequences, one in particular being the finale set during a sand storm, that are incredibly exhilarating and tense. The sequences involving Cooper and his gun are tense and gripping. However, there is one scene among these that is going to possibly end up the topic of discussion. In the scene we saw Kyle take out an enemy target followed by applause from a number of the audience. While the character was the “villain” of the film, should we be applauding the loss of human life? It’s sure to be a divisive topic that might also factor into the overall response to the film for many.

VERDICT

American Sniper may not hit the mark for everyone but definitely is Eastwood’s strongest effort in years and could quite possibly feature Bradley Cooper’s finest performance to date. Brutal, riveting and tragic with a message be familiar but remains a relevant commentary for today’s world and is highly recommended.

SCORE: A-

American Sniper opens in limited release on December 25th.

, #AFI, #AFIFest, #AmericanSniper, #BradleyCooper, #ClintEastwood, #SiennaMiller, #WarnerBros, #WB, AFI, AFI Fest, American Sniper, Bradley Cooper, Clint Eastwood, Sienna Miller, Warner Bros., WB

[shawn-m-madden]

My review of American Sniper starring Bradley Cooper.

[shawn-m-madden]

My weekend in five pictures basically. #SDCC #HallH #ComicCon2014