Movies

Review: Wonder Woman 1984 Is The DCEU’s ‘The Rise of Skywalker’

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

2017’s Wonder Woman is in my top three of my favorite films in the DCEU. The acting from Gal Gadot, and the action and storytelling made that film stand out after the poor reception of the last few DCEU films at that point. I was looking forward to the sequel Wonder Woman 1984 especially since Patti Jenkins directed the first film. But my anticipation soon turned into disappointment.

Wonder Woman 1984 should have been a great movie. On paper, the idea of the film taking place during that year with a mix of 80’s cliches, comedy, and action with a good superhero story is great. But the execution is bad. The first twenty minutes made zero sense. Is there a point of showing us the younger version of Wonder Woman competing in the games for her to be screwed out of the game when it added nothing to the movie? I was puzzled by that and I thought about that for the entire movie.

Can we also talk about why Wonder Woman 1984 needed to take place that year? There was literally no plot-related reason for the movie to be set in the 80s at all. Terrorists? Oil Barrons? Snake Oil Scammer? Wishing stone? The entire movie could have been set in 2019 and it would have made no difference to the plot whatsoever. Talk about a wasted opportunity. X-Men did a better job with the 60s, 70s and 80s than WW84 did. And this is something I have to nitpick with every movie and television series that takes place in the 1980s and that is, not everyone was dressed like they were auditioning for an MTV music video.

There were a ton of plot holes that opened the floodgates of endless questions on Wonder Woman 1984. How does Steve Trevor know how to pilot that jet model? Where was Maxwell Lord when he found out about the stone? How does Maxwell talking into the camera gives him the ability to grant wishes worldwide? Along with some of the inconsistencies with some of the products that were in the film that were released after 1984? Sorry, but historical accuracy matters to me. These decisions will never be expanded on in the future.

Gal Gadot is perfect for the role as Wonder Woman. But on Wonder Woman 1984, I did not feel the aura and presence of the Wonder Woman character at all. I believe that is because she is much toned down and grounded on Wonder Woman 1984. But there are some good scenes that I did like including the big brawl at the White House.

Kristen Wiig as Cheetah/Barbara Minerva is a good casting choice. But just like Suicide Squad’s Joker, we did not get much out of the Cheetah character. The fight between Cheetah and Wonder Woman gave me flashbacks to the Daryl and Negan vs. Beta fight on The Walking Dead. It should have been a big climactic fight, but it ended up being over before it started with rope physics that are laughable compared to the physics on The Last of Us Part II. And there is something very off about the horrible CGI in most of the film. Wonder Woman 1984 was delayed a few times and they could not even make the CGI better in that time?

Maxwell Lord is a great character in the comics. But here, Maxwell is too cartoonish and not a believable threat. When he appeared on the television granting wishes, I wanted to wish that his character would be dead. In fact, I find it strange that nobody actually wished for that. However, I loved that they gave him a reason to be good again, like yes it’s hamfisted but it works so well. Everyone can relate to a guy who wants to be number one and give his son the world but he takes it to far and realizes it and fixes it. There are some things that I like about Maxwell, but as a villain, I could not buy into him.

Wonder Woman 1984’s final scene is at Christmas. Think about that for a second. The film started in the summer. Then it led to July 4th where the invisible jet could not be detected during the fireworks for some reason, and finished at December. Can I also add that Barbara told the homeless guy to stay warm in the hot summer night? Where are we? Could they not keep track of their own timespan? I have been to Washington, D.C at the summer weather and it is as hot as New York.

Wonder Woman 1984 is a massive disappointment and I did not need to be tied up to her lasso to tell that truth. What set the stone for a badass Wonder Woman on the first film, is not to be found anywhere on the sequel. I wanted to like Wonder Woman 1984, but the script, the awful pacing, and the bad CGI turned me away. Ladies and gentleman, Wonder Woman 1984 is “The Rise of Skywalker” of the DCEU films and I will stand by it.

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TOM OF FINLAND Acquired by Kino Lorber Ahead of Tribeca Film Festival Premiere.

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​KINO LORBER ACQUIRES TOM OF FINLAND, A BIOPIC ABOUT THE ACCLAIMED FINNISH EROTIC ARTIST AND GAY ICON, AHEAD OF ITS NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE AT THE 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

New York, NY – April 14, 2017 – Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights to TOM OF FINLAND, Dome Karukoski’s biopic about the life and work of Finnish artist and gay icon Touko Laaksonen, best known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland.

A trailblazing figure in post-World War II erotic art, Touko Laaksonen drew thousands of fantasy-filled, homoerotic images of intensely masculine (and muscular) men, often liberated from the moral codes of their times. Quickly spreading throughout the world, these images went on to play a significant role in the transnational gay liberation movement that continues to make strides to this day, also becoming iconic symbols for generations of LGBT people worldwide.

Dome Karukoski’s TOM OF FINLAND is set to have its North American premiere at the upcoming Tribeca Film festival, after a world premiere at the Goteborg Film Festival in February. It’s also in high demand among LGBTQ U.S. festivals. The film’s world premiere was followed by a release in its home territory, where TOM OF FINLAND has taken close to $1m at the local box office.

The deal was negotiated between head of worldwide sales Vanessa Saal for Protagonist Pictures and Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber.

‘Touko Laaksonen dared to draw and give life to his most daring and transgressive fantasies, and by doing so, inspired an entire generation of LGBT people to also live and desire freely,” said Richard Lorber. “Dome Karukoski’s film captures the man, as well as his milieu, in an incredibly cinematic and powerful way, so we’re very proud to be bringing TOM OF FINLAND to North American audiences this year.”

 

Vanessa Saal of Protagonist added; “We are so pleased the film has found such a good home for North America. Kino Lorber handpicks and nurtures each of its titles. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and we know they will spread TOM OF FINLAND love across America.”

Director Dome Karukoski is an acclaimed Finnish filmmaker with six features to his credit including The Grump (2014), Heart Of A Lion (2013) and Lapland Odyssey (2010).

The film was produced by Finnish production outfit Helsinki Film, with a screenplay by Aleksi Bardy. The cast includes Pekka Strang, Lauri Tilkanen, Jessica Grabowsky, Taisto Oksanen, Seumas Sargent, Jakob Oftebro and Niklas Hogner.

Aleksi Bardy, Miia Haavisto and Annika Sucksdorff of Helsinki Film produced the film. Gunnar Carlsson of Anagram Väst in Sweden, Miriam Nørgaard of Fridthjof Film in Denmark, and Ingvar Thordarson and Sophie Mahlo of Neutrinos Productions Germany were co-producers, in collaboration with Mike Downey and Sam Taylor of Film and Music Entertainment (F&ME) UK.

ABOUT KINO LORBER:

With a library of 1,600 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 25 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, with six Academy Award nominated films in the last eight years, including this year’s nominated documentary FIRE AT SEA, directed by Gianfranco Rosi.

In addition, the company brings over 250 titles each year to the home entertainment market through physical and digital media releases under its five house brands. It also now distributes a growing number of third party labels in all ancillary media and is a direct digital distributor to all major digital platforms including iTunes, Netflix, HULU, Filmstruck, Tribeca Shortlist, Amazon, Vimeo, VHX, Fandor, Mubi and Others.

Next from Kino Lorber are the theatrical releases for Bruno Dumont’s SLACK BAY, starring Juliette Binoche and set for an April 21 NY opening at Quad Cinema and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and Vanessa Gould’s OBIT, opening April 26 at Film Forum and Lincoln Plaza Cinema.

ABOUT PROTAGONIST PICTURES:

Protagonist Pictures is an international finance, production and sales company which has a proven track record in outstanding films and commercial successes. Based in the UK, the company handles films from around the world, always maintaining a strong focus on filmmakers with exceptional vision and storytelling skills.

Protagonist’s current slate includes Francis Lee’s Sundance award-winner GOD’S OWN COUNTRY; Charlie McDowell’s Netflix title THE DISCOVERY which stars Robert Redford, Jason Segel and Rooney Mara; Berlin competition title THE DINNER, Oren Moverman’s adaptation of the Herman Koch novel, starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Rebecca Hall and Steve Coogan.

In distribution in 2017 are Ben Wheatley’s FREE FIRE, Eleanor Coppola’s PARIS CAN WAIT and Adam Smith’s feature debut TRESPASS AGAINST US. Titles in post-production include Clio Barnard’s DARK RIVER and Amma Asante’s WHERE HANDS TOUCH.

Hotel Coolgradie Review

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Hotel Coolgardie which is directed, shot and edited by Pete Gleeson is a fish out of water tale which shines a light on misogynistic attitudes of Australian men albeit in the Australian outback. Two young Finnish girls try their luck when they take a job working as barmaids at a pub, Hotel Denver City, in a remote mining town, Coolgardie, in the Australian outback. Although they are forewarned by the female recruiting agent in Perth that they are going to a mining town and will be dealing with a lot of male attention from gentlemen, Lina and Stephanie take the job regardless, out of economic necessity.


Every quarter new batches of girls arrive to work the bar at Hotel Denver City. Lina and Stephanie are replacing Becky and Clio who are wrapping up their three month contract. Interviews with the male regulars of Hotel Denver City reveal that they view the girls as the only game in town, and the race is on to see who beds them first. Their employer, Pete, announces their pending arrival, on the sandwich board outside the bar, with the words, “New Girls Tonite”. The film documents Lina and Stephanie’s attempts to see through their contract and hold it together while they fend off the unrelenting male attention. Gleeson creates intimate portraits of these two young women struggling to maintain their dignity in a sexually charged atmosphere. You not only feel their discomfort and alienation but are worried about their mental health. They are subjected to rude and insulting language and behaviour not just from the blokes from the bar but from their boss, Pete, who does nothing to stop it but adds insult to injury by belittling them in public.  I was thankful for the presence of John, aka “The Canman”, one of the male characters in the film, who presents a different male perspective. I was touched by John’s story and his friendship with Lina and Stephanie. The dramatic tension in the film doesn’t let up and if you want to find out what happens to Lina and Stephanie, well, you’ve got to see the documentary.


I found Hotel Coolgardie a fascinating documentary. Gleeson has done an excellent job editing his film as it moves fluidly between Lina and Stephanie allowing for two different perspectives, and by interspersing the entire film with day and night shots of Coolgardie and the Australian outback which situates their story in a cultural context. The film not only shines a light on misogynistic attitudes prevalent among Australian men albeit in the Australian outback, but, is a metaphor for the outsider, the migrant, who far away from home, most often alone, must learn an unfamiliar language and navigate and adapt to new cultural contexts and norms to eke out a precarious economic living. The documentary has tremendous educational appeal and can serve as a vehicle to promote human rights and social change. I highly recommend it for you won’t be disappointed.


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THE FINAL MASTER Review

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In an era when China was facing massive social change Master Chen Shi’s mission is to continue the dying art of Wing Chung to honor his masters dying wish by opening a martial arts academy.  The problem is that in order to open a new academy in Tianjin one must first defeat 8 out of the 19 academy’s champions! OH WAIT; no one’s ever beaten more than seven before! Wait that’s not it, Master Chen cannot partake in the challenges; according to tradition one must train an apprentice to represent him. 
Of course he picks Geng Lianchen, the kid in a gang who’s willing to catch a beating just to take a look at his beautiful wife.  After a long and honestly at times confusing story, Lianchen honors and respects Chen’s wife, and Master Chen cares for his apprentice; only then does he discover that even if Lianchen does defeat the academies he will be ostracized or worse … for embarrassing the martial arts community of Tianjin.
Being and honorable man who lives and breathes Wing Chun and wants to keep the art alive he faces the dilemma, sacrifice Lianchen to keep Wing Chun alive?  To honor Lianchen (or to clear his conscience in my opinion) Chen takes on the remaining champions of the schools to demonstrate the power of Wing Chun.  In a very exciting set of fight scenes down a very well-lit alley way Master Chen is amazing in his display of what he represents, what Lianchen represents, the hand to hand fighting style of Wing Chun!  As he takes on each champion they progressively get to be greater fighters further exemplifying Chen’s craft.  Did I mention he is no killing these men?  One champion warns another “He does not strike to kill, he aims to maim”
You will honor the scar I give you here today – Master Chen

Overall an entertaining movie with amazingly choreographed fight scenes ranging from hand to hand combat, “push knives”, broadswords, to Bardiches this movie has it all covered!  If the storyline was focused on a fraction of what the fighting scenes were this movie would be a huge hit!  Then again, it is a Martial Arts movie.

THE FINAL MASTER , Directed and Written: Xu Haofeng. Starring: Liao Fan, Song Jia, Jiang Wenli, Jin Shi-Jye, Song Yang and Huang Jue

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Quick Movie Review: The Overnight

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The Overnight is an American comedy film written and directed by Patrick Brice. i had the chance to see the movie as I was invited to a press screening and i will say that i enjoyed the film. I will give the details on the review. 

  

Cast: 

  • Judith Godrèche as Charlotte
  • R.J. Hermes as RJ
  • Max Moritt as Max
  • Taylor Schilling as Emily
  • Jason Schwartzman as Kurt
  • Adam Scott as Alex


The Overnight takes place over one adventurous night in the lives of Alex (Adam Scott) and Emily (Taylor Schilling), a couple who have recently relocated to Los Angeles with their young son. Uncertain if they’ll be able to make new friends, they happily accept a dinner invite from Kurt (Jason Schwartzman), a fellow parent they meet at the park. Upon arriving for dinner, Alex, Emily, and their son instantly hit it off with Kurt, his glamorous French wife Charlotte (Judith Godrèche), and their son. Entranced by the couple’s carefree spirit and their beautiful LA mansion, Alex and Emily go along with Kurt and Charlotte’s fun yet increasingly questionable and uncomfortable activities that kick off as soon as the kids are lulled to bed.

Even though the story’s crack at the sexual frustration of thirtysomething parents is a bit clumsy, the humor is on point and the film is more than worthwhile as a mere showcase for this perfectly balanced cast, who are totally game to push their uncomfortable scenes to the limits in order to achieve some genuinely surprising and sidesplitting moments. As the magnetic and magnanimous Kurt, Schwartzman fires on all comedic cylinders, never losing an ounce of charm through every twist and turn his character takes. Godrèche is absolutely alluring and holds her own amongst her seasoned comic castmates, whom have all proven their comedic talents on the small screen — Scott with Parks and Recreation, Schilling with Orange is the New Black, and Schwartzman with Bored to Death. Anchoring the picture are Scott and Schilling, who have great onscreen chemistry and play off Schwartzman and Godrèche equally as well as they are paired off in different combinations throughout the night.

The Overnight fits in well with executive producers Mark and Jay Duplass’ mumblecore catalogue (which includes Brice’s directorial debut, Creep). What gives this film an edge and a chance to garner a wider audience is the star power it has and its easily digestible, almost episodic feel (and runtime — 80 min.) that Netflix scrollers and binge watchers will find hard resist.


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Movie Reviews: 50 Shades Of Grey

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

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Let’s get this out of the way—those going into Fifty Shades Of Grey expecting an erotic experience are going to be disappointed. The sex scenes are all tastefully shot and, save for the much-ballyhooed BDSM trappings, not especially provocative. (The French were right on this one.) But even if the film were NC-17-level explicit, it wouldn’t make that much of a difference. Leads Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, both of whom spend the majority of the film supposedly desperately longing for each other, have so little chemistry that it gives the sexy goings-on a rather clinical feel.

Hardcore fans of the book may also be disappointed. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson, who reportedly clashed with author E.L. James over nearly every aspect of the film, brings an arch, irreverent take to the story that makes Fifty Shades Of Grey occasionally resemble the American Psycho of mommy porn. The film benefits greatly from discarding the authorial voice of the book (Anastasia Steele’s inner goddess remains silent, thank God), and where James’ frankly embarrassing dialogue does come through, it’s played for laughs. (There are no “holy crap”s, but there is one “holy cow.”) Ostensibly erotic moments, like a stolen kiss in an elevator, come with a punchline, reinforcing the notion that Taylor-Johnson doesn’t want us to take all this swooning romantic nonsense at face value. It’s got a Danny Elfman score, for god’s sake.

However, somewhere around the first sex scene the winking self-awareness begins to recede, and to its detriment, Fifty Shades Of Grey starts taking itself seriously. By the time we actually get to the light BDSM—images of women bound with rope that Ana finds horrifying are more Helmut Newton than Kink.com—the 125-minute running time begins itself to feel like a punishment. That’s also when Taylor-Johnson begins trying to shoehorn a feminist message about sexual agency into what is essentially a fairy tale with MacBook Pros (suave billionaire prince comes to sweep ordinary girl off her feet and tell her she’s special). The results are mixed—it’s more empowering than the book, though that’s not saying much—but you can’t fault her for trying.

Another aspect of the film that might be subversive, provided it was intentional, is Dornan’s performance as 27-year-old billionaire and kinky Prince Charming Christian Grey. Dornan appears to have mistaken lack of affect for mystery, and despite his assertion that he’s “50 shades of f***** up,” he has about three shades, four at best. The character’s creepier, more abusive tendencies, while impossible to remove entirely (can we just mention that he tracks Ana’s location by tracing her phone?), are downplayed, and Christian functions as a sort of well-dressed Wikipedia article about BDSM onto which Ana can project her inner conflict. The Fetlife crowd is right to object to the book’s (and film’s) continued insistence that Christian is kinky because he was abused as a child—somehow his protestations of “It’s just the way I am!” never quite stick—but the cinematic Christian Grey is too toothless to really be threatening.

Dakota Johnson, on the other hand, is the unexpected highlight of the film. She gives Ana a strength of personality that’s lacking in the book, subtly transforming the character from a breathy house-mouse who never makes eye contact into a glamorous, intelligent woman who knows what she wants and has no problem articulating it. The story begins when Ana visits Christian’s office to interview him for her college newspaper, a meeting that wouldn’t have happened if Ana’s roommate were not sick that day. Charmed by her shyness, Christian begins aggressively pursuing Ana, showing up unannounced at her workplace and at the bar where she drunk dials him one sodden night after her final exams. In the book, he maintains dominance throughout, pressuring her to sign an (unrealistic) D/s contract that will make her “his.” One telling change between the book and the film is in the negotiation of the contract between Christian and Ana; a dinner scene where Ana struggles to maintain composure is replaced by a playful “business meeting” proposed and controlled by Ana. She’s stringing him along, not the other way around.

These aspects of the film—making the hot guy (the ostensible draw) the most boring part of the movie while imbuing the female lead with personality, presenting the submissive as the partner truly in control of the situation—could be seen as subversive. They might even be empowering, as much as a story about a woman’s desire to fix a damaged man with the power of love can be. And we’ll see if Fifty Shades Of Grey is the subject of revisionist think pieces in the decades to come. It certainly won’t be remembered for its technical merits, as Taylor-Johnson has crafted a bland, slickly unexceptional-looking film with a soundtrack of cover songs as empty as the echoing expanse of Christian Grey’s high-rise.

The answers to these questions might lie in the ending of the film, which Taylor-Johnson wanted to change from James’ version. (Plot revelations ahead, obviously.) In the film, Ana runs out of Christian’s apartment after he finally, at Ana’s request, shows her the true extent of his sadism. He runs after her, and as the doors of the elevator close, she turns and yells “Stop!”, which turns into an exchange of pleasantries echoing their initial meeting. Taylor-Johnson wanted to change Ana’s assertion to “Red!”, their agreed-upon safe word. It might seem like a small change, but think about that for a minute. In Taylor-Johnson’s version, Ana knows this is all a game, and she can end it at any time. In James’ version, Ana is still in thrall to Christian, a more romantic and, not insignificantly, sequel-friendly version of events. In the end, James won the argument, and the movie stayed true to her vision. Maybe that’s why it fails.

I give this film a 1.5/10. Watching this was like watching The Undertaker lose at WrestleMania to AJ Styles. I would rather take a bad episode of WWE Monday Night Raw than this.

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Movie Reviews: The Hunger Games- Mockingjay Part 1

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Since Harry Potter was put out to grass, The Hunger Games franchise has assumed a massive new significance for Hollywood. The series of films adapted from Suzanne Collins’ novels have made Jennifer Lawrence into a global star and have transformed their producer Lionsgate into as big a player as the the traditional old studios.

Teenagers clamour to see each new episode while box office analysts, after shaky recent times in the global film business, look to the films to provide a major end of year boost. That is why there were such feverish expectations in advance of last night’s world premiere of Mockingjay Part 1.

The film doesn’t exactly disappoint but nor does it satisfy. There is a half a sandwich feel to the latest instalment – a sense that the film makers have denied us a full experience by splitting the movie into two. The film lasts for two hours

The film, based on the final book in the trilogy of novels by Suzanne Collins, lasts for two hours but only takes us some of the way toward the conclusion of the story. (For the real finale, we ill have to wait until this time next year, when Part 2 of Mockingjay is released in cinemas.)

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This is an even darker drama than its predecessors. That is partly because so much of it is set in the murky, subterranean world of District 13 where Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has been taken by the rebels.

They want her to be the poster girl for the revolution they are busy fomenting against the Capitol’s purring, white bearded dictator President Snow (Donald Sutherland.) The colours are desaturated.

Characters dress simply, in boiler suits.  We see very little daylight. Even the vain and flighty Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) has to adapt to the austerity of her environment and forego her wigs and make-up.

Lawrence is again tremendous as Katniss. She gives her character an emotional depth that you don’t expect in a franchise movie, conveying her vulnerability and doubt as well as well as her fiery determination and Barbarella-like sex appeal.

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Katniss is pining for Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), her fellow Hunger Games survivor who has fallen into Snow’s clutches and has seemingly been brainwashed or tortured into becoming a spokesperson for the Capitol.

District 13’s steely president Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) is fighting back against Snow, with Katniss as her chief propaganda weapon.

The brilliant and much lamented Philip Seymour Hoffman (who plays Plutarch Heavensbee) died earlier this year before production was complete on Mockingjay Part 2. Digital technology was being used to “complete” his performance but the joints barely show here. This isn’t one of his major roles but he gines a typically assured and witty performance as President Coin’s sly but kind-hearted chief advisor.

 

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1, from left: Patina Miller, Liam Hemsworth, Mahershala Ali,

 

Along with casting Lawrence, one of the filmmakers’ best decisions at the outset of Hunger Games was to fill the series with redoubtable character actors like Hoffman, Moore, Woody Harrelson, Jeffrey Wright and Stanley Tucci.

They bring a gravitas and wit to the project that counters the callow performances of some of the younger actors. The “Hunger Games” themselves (the vicious, reality TV style games contested by selected youngsters) aren’t being contested and these old-timers are therefore far more prominent in this episode.

Director Francis Lawrence isn’t afraid to include grim imagery of war. There are scenes here of blasted cityscapes full of skeletons and of wounded characters crammed together in makeshift hospitals.

What the series has never been able to resolve is how to combine its darker, dystopian elements with the demands of the teen action movie. Mockingjay – Part 1 is full of very jarring juxtapositions.

One moment, we’ll be confronted with scenery of death and devastation – and the next, there will be some cutesy slapstick involving Primrose Everdeen’s pet cat Buttercup. Stylistically, the film veers between gritty realism and Star Wars-like escapism.

Not a great deal happens here plot-wise. Most of the story is taken up with the rebel propaganda comapaign orchestrated by Plutarch, filmed on the battle line by the punkish-looking Cressida (Natalie Dormer) and fronted by Katniss. The rebels blow up a dam and make a raid on the Capitol. That’s about it. The film ends abruptly. You can’t help but wonder if it would have made more sense to release Mockingjay as a single feature rather than split it into two. Part 1 matches its predecessors in terms of performance and production values but still feels like half a movie.

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DRAGONBALL​Z: BATTLE OF GODS out on Blu-ray/DV​D

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Blu-ray & DVD (Extended Edition) To Be Released October 7, 2014

Includes: Uncut Version and Theatrical Versions of the Movie


Flower Mound, TX – (September 22, 2014) – After its successful theatrical release to over 800 movie theaters in the U.S. and Canada, FUNimation is preparing you to witness Dragon Ball Z as it has never been seen before- on Blu-ray and DVD October 7th 2014!

“…some of the most exhilarating fight sequences I’ve ever seen.” – IGN.com

Stunning animation and epic new villains highlight this first new Dragon Ball feature film in over seventeen years!  For Film Trailers, Wall Papers and everything Dragon Ball Z, visit and link to: www.dragonballz.com

Following the events of the Dragon Ball Z television series, after the defeat of Majin Buu, a new power awakens and threatens humanity. Beerus, an ancient and powerful God of Destruction, searches for Goku after hearing rumors of the Saiyan warrior who defeated Frieza. Realizing the threat Beerus poses to their home planet, the Z-fighters must find a way to stop him before it’s too late. Only Goku, humanity’s last hope, can ascend to the level of a legendary Super Saiyan God and stop Beerus’s from destroying Earth, and possibly the entire universe!

“…I highly recommend it.” – Indiewire’s Animation Scoop

DETAILS

  • Includes: Uncut Version and Theatrical Versions of the Movie
  • Format: Blu-ray& DVD
  • Language: English, Japanese
  • Subtitles: English
  • Closed Captioning: No
  • Rating: TV-PG
  • Aspect Ratio: 16×9
  • Main Feature Audio: Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1,Dolby TrueHD: Japanese 2.0,Dolby TrueHD: Japanese 5.1, English 5.1 Surround, Japanese 2.0,Japanese 5.1 Surround
  • Special Feature Audio: Dolby TrueHD: English 2.0,Dolby TrueHD: Japanese 2.0,English 2.0,Japanese 2.0
  • Main Feature Runtime: 105
  • Special Feature Runtime: 33
  • Region: A|1
  • Number of Blu-ray Discs: 1
  • Number of DVDs: 2
  • Studio: FUNimation
  • UPC: 704400015649

About FUNimation® Entertainment

FUNimation® Entertainment is the leading anime company in North America. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands. They manage a full spectrum of rights for most of their brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit www.funimation.com or FUNimation Channel.

SENYCC: WWE Superstar Batista Interview

Julian Cannon 1 Comment

WWE Superstar “The Animal” Batista was at the Special Edition of New York Comic Con last weekend and I with a few others had the opportunity to interview him. He is also co-starring in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” as he plays as Drax the Destroyer. The film will be released on August 1, 2014

batista

SO BATISTA, YOU HAVE RETURNED TO THE WWE AFTER AN 4 YEAR ABSCNECE, WHAT IS THE LOCKER ROOM LIKE NOW COMPARED TO 4 YEARS AGO?

“Well not much has changed really except for the new hungry kids from NXT I have seen for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Guys like Adrian Neville, Sami Zayn, The Ascension and many more young guys who want to come up to the main roster, NXT is the future of this business and just like guys like me, John Cena, Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar, we went through the system in OVW. But to end the question, the locker room has been great to me.”

NOW YOU HAVE HAD MANY MATCHES AT WRESTLEMANIA, IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE TWO OF THOSE MATCHES AS YOU’RE FAVORITES,  WHAT WOULD THOSE MATCHES BE?

“(Laughs) well the first one would be against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 23 because we stole the show on that night. When his music hits and he made his entrance, I was a bit nervous. But I was happy that we tore the house down and he trusted me. Undertaker is a good friend of mines and we have that chemistry that some others have in the ring. I would also say that my feud with him that year was one of my personal favorites as well. My second favorite is the match against Triple H at WrestleMania 21. He was the teacher and I was the student. I felt the buildup was great and the match was great. We both beat each other up in that classic match. People can say what they want about Triple H but he is the true ring general and he wants to see the younger talent go up to the level that he was.”

THAT IS GREAT TO HEAR BATISTA. NOW YOU WERE PART OF EVOLUTION FOR A FEW YEARS, FROM YOU’RE VIEW, WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?

“Evolution to me was great. I can tell you that it was also an learning experience too. You have Ric Flair who is one of the greatest champions of all time and Triple H who is (at that point) becoming the greatest of all time and beginning to submit his legacy, and me and Randy Orton being groomed to becoming the next faces of the WWE. Most factions like DX or NWO Didn’t have the younger stars setting out to be ready for the main event scene with the exception of Triple H. This is what is missing with factions these days. But look at The Shield. Those 3 guys ( Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns) can work their butts off and I love working with the 3 of them. Those 3 will have a great future.”

YOU ARE STARRING IN MARVEL’S “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY” AS “Drax the Destroyer”, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT PLAYING THIS COMIC CHARACTER WHEN MARVEL SIGNED YOU?

“I have been a fan of Marvel Comics and playing Drax has been a great experience. Originally it was going to be either Isaiah Mustafa, Patrick Wade or Jason Momoa but I was selected. The movie has ties to The Avengers and will connect to other Marvel movies in the future. Drax is a human resurrected as a green warrior for the sole purpose of killing Thanos (the villain in the final-scene tease of Avengers). His powers include flight, super-strength and energy blasts and when the movie premiers in the United States, everyone will see how I will pull the character off. but it was very fun and Chris Pratt was a great guy to work with as well. The makeup took very long to put on though. I believe it was about 4 hours and after we were finished shooting, and then it took nearly 90 minutes to take it all off of me.”

WHAT ARE YOU’RE THOUGHTS ON THE WWE NETWORK?

“The WWE Network is great, I have waited a long time for it to finally launch. For Fans who have never seen what the days of the WWE or WCW was like in the 1980’s or early 1990’s, you need to check the stuff out. It is not only great stuff and matches, but it also educates the fans of the superstars of yesterday who were big such as Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, Paul Orndorff, The British Bulldogs, Andre’ The Giant and many more. There is a lot of variety for the fans to watch and the Network can change the way we all watch TV very soon. Even a lot of my matches are on the WWE Network right now as we speak.”

IF YOU WOULD BOOK RAW FOR ONE NIGHT, HOW WOULD YOU BOOK IT?

“That is a great question. Well I would not get into the whole details but I would have more in ring wrestling, less segments and little comedy. I think the fans would want that too so that way it can balance everything in a good flow. I left a few years ago due to me not agreeing with the direction with the company that it was going too. But now I am happy to be back.”

YOU HAVE RECIEVED MUCH HEAT FROM THE FANS SINCE THE ROYAL RUMBLE, DO YOU LET THAT BOTHER YOU WHILE YOU ARE IN MATCHES AT ALL?

“When I came back earlier this year, it was one of the best moments of my career. I went into the Rumble match and won it and I got booed out the arena. The names such as “Bluetista” or “Bootista” does not bother me. If the fans were in my shoes getting that kind of reception, they would either take it as it is or let that distract them. Whether the fans cheer or boo, I do not care at all as long as I am getting an reaction. It is better than no reaction at all because if you were in the ring with dead silence from the crowd, then that is a problem. Some fans take the sport too seriously with them attacking other fans and wrestlers on twitter and I can say that it has gotten out of hand, but the fans can say whatever they want.”

TO END THE INTERVIEW, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GET INTO WRESTLING? “Yes I do. if this is for you, go for it. What we do in that ring, we do it for about 300 days a year. You have to have the passion to succeed and to be happy wrestling. Don’t let anybody tell you that you cannot do it because if you believe that you can do it, you will make it. When I was training in the WCW Power Plant, some of the trainers thought I would not make it. but I proved them wrong once I got trained more in WWE. There are other promotions out there but the WWE is the MLB of wrestling. Every night feels like the World Series and WrestleMania is the one major show you would want to make it too. Dreams come true if you stick to what you are planning and what you want to get out of it.”

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send me email to: Julian@alternativemindz.com