First Look at 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron'

Entertainment Weekly's Upcoming Cover
For It's July 25th Issue

In 2012, writer/director Joss Whedon changed superhero films forever with Marvel's The Avengers. Not only was it the highest grossing movie of all-time but it was also highly critically acclaimed and loved by audiences everywhere. Fast forward two years later and mostly everyone is anticipating the sequel, The Avengers: Age of Ultron. The pieces are coming together for Age of Ultron as Disney's "Phase Two" for the Marvel is almost complete. So far audiences have gotten Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The highly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy comes out in less than a month on August 1, 2014, and then Phase Two will be completed with Age of Ultron on May 1, 2015. Disney has done a brilliant job with the Marvel Cinematic Universe if I do say so my self and I am very much looking forward to Age of Ultron like everyone else. Well, today was an extremely special day because we finally got our first look at the highly anticipated sequel.

That is right ladies and gentlemen, today we got our first official look at Age of Ultron as Entertainment Weekly released the cover for their upcoming Comic-Con issue along with a few photo stills for film and a summary of the plot. First, let me start off by showing you these sweet new stills!

From what I've gathered, the plot goes a little something like this (includes Iron Man 3 spoilers): At the end of Iron Man 3, Tony decides that he is done being Iron Man. It is time for him to settle down. Instead of protecting the world himself he decides to create "Ultron", an artificial intelligence program that is self-aware and is suppose to detect threats and neutralize those threats as Iron Man would. Tony also gives Ultron the power to control his Iron Legion of drones that he had built; that way they could help Ultron fight crime. All of this is suppose to help Tony and The Avengers as they would just have to sit back and let Ultron do all the heavy lifting. But of course there is a down side to all of this. Ultron realizes that all possibilities of crime could be eliminated if he just got rid of the human species. Robots eliminating the human species; isn't that the plot for the Terminator movies?

This is how director Joss Whedon describes Ultron:

 "Ultron sees the big picture and he goes, ‘Okay, we need radical change, which will be violent and appalling, in order to make everything better’; he’s not just going ‘Muhaha, soon I’ll rule!’ He’s on a mission. He wants to save us.”

So far everything looks and sounds awesome! The stills look incredible and the plot sounds pretty interesting. As of right now I am loving the designs for all the characters; especially Ultron. I have never read the comics so I don't know much about Ultron other than the fact that he was originally created by Hank Pym, but he looks like a total bad-ass on the cover of this magazine. I am really interested into seeing where the character of Ultron is going. At first I was a little skeptical when I heard that the plot was going to revolve around robots killing off humans, but after reading Whedon's comments on Ultron as a character my faith was restored. Other then Ultron everyone else looks pretty awesome. It's good to see Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) side by side again. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and The Captain (Chris Evans) looks so cool standing by each other. Scarlett Johansson still looks great as Black Widow. Then again, when doesn't Scarlett Johansson look great? Jeremy Renner looks so cool as Hawkeye. Even Don Cheadle is joining The Avengers on this adventure, and that is pretty cool to me! We also got to see the Wanda and Pietro Maximoff (AKA Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver) in these stills. Elizabeth Olsen looks fantastic as Scarlet Witch, but I still think Aaron Taylor-Johnson looks a little out of place as Quicksilver. Maybe it's just because of the silly blonde wig.

I know it's hard to judge a movie by a magazine cover and photo stills, but so far The Avengers: Age of Ultron looks like it's heading down the right track. But we already knew that because Disney has done an amazing job at crafting this universe. Every single one of these Marvel films have been successfully both critically and financially. These films may not be for everyone, but they certainly make the fan boys and fan girls (like myself) very happy. Marvel has shown that they care about their fan base and that they will do anything to make them happy. Right now we are about nine and a half months away from witnessing The Avenger: Age of Ultron. That may seem like a long time from now but trust me when I say that it'll be hear before you know it. Until then enjoy these stills! I'm sure we'll be getting a lot more Age of Ultron news next week because Comic-Con is next week and it has already been confirmed that the cast of the film will be there for an Avengers panel.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron is set to come out on May 1, 2015. The film is directed by Joss Whedon and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Samuel L. Jackson.

I do not own any of the photos used. Those belong to Entertainment Weekly.

'Goosebumps' Begins Filming and Releases Plot: Should I Care?

One of my favorite things to do in elementary school and the beginning of middle school was to sit down and read R.L. Stine's Goosebumps novels and watching the TV series that aired every October to celebrate Halloween. I still remember those late nights were I would stay up past my bed time to finish whatever story I was on, and then staying up even later because I was too afraid to fall asleep. I also remember sitting down in front of my TV screen and hearing the words, "Viewer beware, you are in for a scare". At the time I wasn't old enough to watch most horror movies, so Goosebumps was all I had when I was looking for a scare. Looking back on those stories the Stine had created, they don't seem too scary, but I will always love them just because of the nostalgia. Especially such classics like "Night of the Living Dummy", "The Haunted Mask", "Attack of the Mutant", and many others. I must have read them all, and if I didn't then I was pretty damn close. Such good memories.

And now Hollywood is making Goosbumps into a movie. I really don't know how I should feel about this. Should I be happy that I am going to see something I loved back on the big screen, or should I be worried that Hollywood is going ruin something I loved and held so close?

Anyway, Goosebumps began it's filming a few days ago and the official plot was released. The story will follow Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) who moves from a big city to a small town. Guess what, he's not too happy about it. Things eventually get better for Zach when he meets the beautiful girl next door, Hannah (Odeya Rush). Zach soon learns that Hannah's father is author R.L. Stine (Jack Black), who is actually very strange. The reason why he is so strange is because he is a prisoner of his own imagination. Those monsters he created in his books are real, and Stine holds them back by locking them up inside the books. And guess what, Zach unleashes all of the monsters, leaving it to him, Hannah, and Stine to stop them.

Okay, I will admit that I am somewhat intrigued. Most of the plot sounds clichéd, such as an upset teen moving into a small town, finding something interesting and then ends up causing a huge problem, but I love the fact that they are putting Stine in the mix and the fact that he has to lock up his creations inside his books. That idea alone fascinates me. I just hope that the studio doesn't make this movie a full blown comedy because a plot like this could easily be turned into a comedy. I'm not saying that this movie can't have humor, I just want the movie to be a fun ride that has plenty of scares that could scare kids and adults.

The only things that really make me skeptical about this movie is the fact that Rob Letterman is directing the film and that Jack Black is the star. Letterman has directed Shark Tale, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Gulliver's Travels. I'm not saying he's a bad director by saying I'm worried about him directing this movie, it's just I want this movie to be fun and creepy, and I'm worried because all he's done is kid movies. I know this movie is meant for a younger audiences, but this movie also needs to appeal to the original readers and viewers. Also, Jack Black as R.L. Stine is just an interesting choice. He has given some good performances in the past, and I think he good give a good performance in this movie. I just hope this isn't another goofy character for him to play like other characters he has played in the past. Right now I'm just hoping for the best. Maybe Letterman and Black will surprise me and do a terrific job. Or maybe I'll be extremely disappointed and wish that James Wan would have directed this movie.

So far I am on board to see this movie. Like I said, I am skeptical about Letterman and Black, but other then that everything sounds good so far. The story sounds really intriguing and is something that could appeal to new audiences and the original audience. And I do like actor Dylan Minnette who had a supporting role in last years Prisoners and was in a few episodes of Lost. This movie doesn't sound like a complete disaster yet, and I pray that it wont turn into one.

What are your thoughts about the upcoming Goosebumps movie? Let me know by commenting down below in the comment section.

Alex's Top 2013 films.

2013 had a shaky start with plenty of duds, but as the year progressed, and we've been been treated to several great films. Here I rounded out my top 25 favorite films of the year 2013.

25. Blackfish
24. Man of Steel
23. 42
22.Warm Bodies
21. Mud 
20. The World's End 
19. Catching Fire
18. Lone Survivor (released in 2013, nationwide, 2014)
17.  Inside Llewyn Davis
16. You're Next
15. Dallas Buyers Club
14. Elysium
13.Out of the Furnace
12. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
11. Prisoners
10. Fruitvale Station
9. Her
8. The Conjuring
7. American Hustle
6. Gravity
5. Rush
4. Captain Phillips
3. The Place Beyond the Pines
2. The Wolf of Wall Street
1. 12 Years a Slave


Guilty Pleasures

The Purge
Beautiful Creatures

Sam's Top 25 Films of 2013

Ladies and gentlemen, it is now finally time for one of my favorites things to do, and that is give everyone my top films of the year. Last year I saw about a hundred films whether it be in the theaters, on DVD, or on Netflix. Some of the movies I saw were absolutely dreadful (like Movie 43 and Texas Chainsaw), some were okay, some were very good, but only about a quarter of the films in 2013 were movies that I consider to be great. These twenty-five movies that I will be listing are the twenty-five movies that stood out the most to me. These are the movies that I'll be thinking of whenever someone mentions 2013. These are the movies that reminded me of how much I love cinema. Now, without further ado here are my twenty-five favorite films of 2013.

Oh, and remember that this is MY list and that we may not share the same opinions. But I would love to hear what your guy's top films of 2013 are, so comment down below.


25. Frances Ha

24. Rush

23. Frozen

22. Fast and Furious 6 

21. Captain Phillips

20. Star Trek Into Darkness

19. Inside Llewyn Davis

18. Catching Fire

17. The Spectacular Now

16. The Way Way Back

15. You're Next

14. Nebraska

13. The Conjuring

12. Only God Forgives

11. 12 Years a Slave

10. The World's End

9. American Hustle

8. Lone Survivor

7. Gravity

6. Prisoners

5. Short Term 12

4. Her

3. Mud

2. The Wolf of Wall Street

1. The Place Beyond the Pines

Side Note: Pines and Wolf of Wall Street are interchangeable, and are basically tied for the number one spot.

Robocop Remake Trailer review by Alex Roy

In 1987, an iconic film hit the screens. This film was to become one of the most memorable action films of the 1980's, joining Terminator, Die Hard and The Predator. That film was Paul Verhoeven's Robocop. The film was intense, violent, raw, gritty and downright ugly with a hint of humour. This trailer on the other is a mixed bag for me. I really don't know what to make of it. As a diehard fan of the original, my thoughts are that this film are mixed. By the looks of the trailer, it's way too much much CGI for my liking. Instead of a raw, gritty Detroit, the filmmakers make it look way too flashy with effects, thus it really cheapens the look of the film.By the looks of the trailer, this will look a lot like the Total Recall remake in terms of visuals. I have mixed feelings regarding the trailer, but since this will be released in 2014, I also think it's a bit early to judge. However the fact that this will be rated pg-13 has me a little worried. If the filmmakers would have pushed for an R rated film, they might of had a chance to create something really awesome.

There is a risk that this may be too soft for the diehard fans of the original, and that's understandable. The original film is an action classic with great action from start to finish. Who knows maybe this reboot will surprise, but I doubt that it will be a great action film and it's a shame because they could have done something here similar with what they accomplished with Dredd. The trailer looks sleak, and interesting, but there is clearly something missing to really make it appealing for action film fans. By looking at the trailer, some things feel out of place, and you ask yourself will this even be watchable? I guess We'll have to wait for its release on February 7, 2014 if this film will be any good.

Considering that the release of the film is in the early months of 2014, I'm a bit skeptical because that's when major studios tend to release their worst movies. Considering that the third Robocop film was pretty bad, this may be actually good. But I'm pretty skeptical about this one, and the trailer didn't really impress me that much. Maybe this will a film that will surprise us, but it will most likely end up being a botched remake.

Final Rating:
5/10

Ben Affleck Is The Dark Knight

Is Ben Affleck the right choice for Batman?

By now I'm assuming everyone has heard the news that actor/director/writer Ben Affleck has been casted as Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel; well, I'm assuming everyone that owns a computer or TV and doesn't live under a rock. At San Diego Comic-Con 2013, it was announced that Batman would be making an appearance in the Man of Steel sequel, that news excited many people including myself and ever since then people have been talking about who they think could pull off the caped crusader. Personally, my top candidate was actor Josh Brolin because I think he is a great actor and that he could pull of Batman. Many others wanted Jon Hamm or Karl Urban; but, on Thursday August 22nd, 2013 it was confirmed that Ben Affleck would be playing everyone's favorite crime fighter. This news shocked a lot of people including myself, at first I was too shocked to even know how I felt about it. When I finally came to the fact that Affleck was playing Batman I was kind of angry, I thought about all the bad movies he's been in and thought it was a terrible idea to have him play Batman. To me it seemed like they just wanted to have the actor who played Batman as an A list actor and I thought Warner Brothers was just doing this because of how successful he's been, but then I thought more about it and thought about all his success. As of right now Affleck has been on a role and has made his career a lot better, this is not the same Ben Affleck from Daredevil, a movie that partially ruined his career and he has even publically admitted that. Since then he has become a fantastic director with films like Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo; two of those films (The Town and Argo) he has even starred in and gave two of the best performances of his career. As of right now I'm onboard with Affleck as being Batman; but, I can't tell if he'll give a great performance until I see the movie. Plus with Affleck being Batman it could lead to other things.

 

By other things I mean that there could possibly be a chance of Affleck directing future Batman movies or even the upcoming Justice League film. Some people may be skeptical about Affleck directing these superhero movies but I think it would be great. Affleck has now directed three movies and none of them were bad, as a matter of fact I thought all three of them were great and I do not see Affleck directing a bad movie. This year his film Argo even won Best Picture at the Oscars, even though he was snubbed for Best Director along with Kathryn Bigelow and Quentin Tarantino. At this point I don't think Affleck could do any wrong as long as he is the director but only time can tell.

 



 

For those of you who are still against Ben Affleck as being Batman let me try to get you onboard. Everyone remembers Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns, right? Those were two very good Batman films and Michael Keaton was great in both, before either of those films came out people did not like the idea of Keaton as Batman because at the time he was only in comedies. People didn't like the idea of Keaton playing Batman but look what happened, he ended up being a great Batman. Before Nolan's Batman films came out and they announced Christian Bale was going to be the next Batman and people were skeptical about that. Look what happened there; many people out there believe that he is the best Batman that we will ever get and I believe that as well. And of course you also got people hating the fact that Heath Ledger was going to play Joker in The Dark Knight but I don't think I need to go into any detail there. All I'm saying is give Affleck a chance, he may be the best Batman we ever have! None of us will know if he gives a good performance or a bad performance until 2015 so just give him a chance until then.

 

Well everyone, those are just my brief thoughts on Affleck being casted as Batman. Every thing that was written above was coming from someone who has been a huge Batman fan for his whole life and will continue loving him until the day he dies and he means every word. As of right now I am onboard with Ben Affleck as being the next Batman and I will stick with it until the movie comes out on July 17th, 2015 and if he gives a bad performance I won't be afraid to admit it. The Man of Steel sequel will be directed by Zack Snyder and will be written by David S. Goyer. Well, now that we've got Batman out of the way let's just hope Bryan Cranston will be casted as Lex Luthor and Matt Damon will be casted as Robin. In case you don't know sarcasm I was kidding about Damon, that would be weird.

 



 

I do not own any of the pictures used in this article, I only used them for entertainment purposes. 

No More Weekly Breaking Bad Reviews

I am extremely sad and sorry to this but I have to; I will not be doing weekly Breaking Bad reviews anymore. I would love to do those every week but I didn't realize how school would interfere when I started last week. If you are upset by this I understand; but, I will guarantee that my buddy Alex and I will be doing a huge review of the whole series once it ends and some top 10 lists. Anyway, thanks for understanding! Hope all of you stick around and see what will come in the future for this blog!