Power Rangers Logo & Character Pics

Edited by Robert Beach

Every year is defined by a handful of blockbusters that force a question about this moment in pop cultural history. Avengers was about whether or not people would accept shared continuity in a film; Batman v. Superman was about whether or not there could be two shared universes; next year, Power Rangers is set to definitively answer whether or not nostalgia for the ‘90s is enough to sustain a blockbuster.  

We’ve been asking that particular question for a while now with fairly mixed results.  Based on flops like Goosebumps or the X-Files revival, the answer would seem to be no, but the monster success of Jurassic World means we have to keep asking. We’ll be getting another chance to ask the question in a few weeks with Independence Day: Resurgence, though there’s one key difference between that movie and 2017’s Power Rangers reboot: Independence Day: Resurgence actually looks good. 

Independence Day: Resurgence 2nd Trailer Breakdown

Edited by Robert Beach 

One of the weird trends of the 2010s has been a, let us say, complicated relationship with the pop cultural touchstones of the 1990s. To be clear, I don’t think anyone really has complicated feelings about revisiting the actual content produced in the ‘90s.  Ask any given 20-something and they’ll undoubtedly talk your ear off about how amazing Animaniacs or Power Rangers was. Even today’s subject, Independence Day, still commands a tidal wave of affection from the ‘90s kids who grew up watching it on TNT. I know because I’m one of them. 

No, when I say complicated, I mean in terms of how much we’d like to actually recreate or continue the various elements of our collective misspent ‘90s youth. Sometimes attempts to perpetuate ‘90s mythos are met with love and success like the ongoing Pokemon phenomena or the massive success of Jurassic World, while other times the only response is disgust and derision like last year’s twin flops of Goosebumps and Terminator Genisys or the X-Files revival. This year seems set to make what could be the definitive statement on the question of audience reaction to ‘90s revivals with the upcoming sequel to Independence Day, which now has a new trailer. 

Panel Vision - Blockbusters According to Comics 2015

The end of one year and beginning of a new one is a time of serious duality, a time to look back and reminisce while also dream of the future yet to come.  In that respect I’ve got my own blend of year appraisal and prognostication/wishful thinking for the year to come in the form of “Blockbusters According to Comics.”  This is where I look over some of the biggest hit films, TV, and trends of the past year and try and find the comic book property that could be adapted to fit well into that particular cresting wave.  Currently I’m limiting my suggestions to DC and Marvel properties but we’ll see, in the years to come maybe Image and Darkhorse and friends will have enough properties and clout to consider an adaptation.  Till then, here are the blockbusters according to comics. 

X-Files 2016 Full Trailer Breakdown

So, as the 2010s hit their middle years the trend of ‘90s nostalgia has emerged from a simple curiosity to a full on cultural force.  These days our TV, movies, comics, and games all must live in a world where people are generally nostalgic for the cultural malaise of the 1990s as signified by the massive success heaped upon ‘90s revivals like Jurassic World as well as major fan interest in upcoming revivals like Power Rangers.  At the forefront of this cultural redefinition is the X-Files, who will be enjoying a revival of their own in 2016.  This is a big moment, the X-Files defined television in the ‘90s in a big way and are one of the most influential and successful genre shows to ever broadcast.  Even if you don’t like the show or feel some of its conspiratorial elements are now dated or less charming there’s no denying that it changed the television landscape over the course of its 9-season run.  I already looked at the first teaser trailer for the January 2016 revival series but now a full 2 minute trailer has been released, so let’s break it down.

Panel Vision - The Origins of Devil Dinosaur

Edited by Robert Beach 

Based on the monster success of Jurassic World, the hype for Pixar’s upcoming The Good Dinosaur, and the knee-jerk reactionary nature of geek media reporting that I so thrive in, dinosaurs are about to be the next big thing. Even if that’s not the case, Marvel comics certainly seems to think so as they’ve green lit a new comic iteration of the 1978 character Devil Dinosaur. 

This new comic will revolve around the adventures of Devil Dinosaur in modern day as he pals around with his new human friend Moon Girl, a young black girl. This is great news for me because I’ve been a fan of Devil Dinosaur since high school, but it occurs to me a lot of folks excited about this announcement don’t know much about the classic Devil Dinosaur. Allow me to enlighten you. 

 

Power Rangers 2017 Character Breakdown

Edited by Robert Beach

One of the things I like to yammer on about the most in these articles is the growing cultural force of ‘90s nostalgia. I love ‘90s nostalgia because it’s an actually emerging force that we’re witnessing take shape and dominance over the entertainment medium in real time. Additionally, I grew up in the ‘90s, so a revival of classic ‘90s fair is a lot more appealing to me than all the ‘80s reboots we got during the ‘00s. 

"‘90-stalgia" as I call it has been a cultural force for awhile now but 2015 was really the year it came to dominate our lives in a genuinely meaningful way through the smash hit of Jurassic World. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Goosebumps film will be another major moneymaker to cement the ‘90s hold on the box office. However, the real crest of this particular wave will most likely be coming in 2017 with a rebooted Power Rangers film. Even though we’re still 2 years out, details are already filtering through with the first major announcement being a character breakdown sheet of the 5 main rangers. 

Slasher Reboots & How To Do Them

Edited by Robert Beach 

Recently, it was announced that New Line would be producing a new remake of Nightmare on Elm Street. Hot on the heals of this announcement came the news that CW was developing a Friday the 13^th TV show, most likely in attempt to capitalize on the success of similar horror shows like Bates Motel, Hannibal, and Scream. 

These two announcements represent the latest in the long, rough cycle of slasher film reboots that started in 2003 when Platinum Dunes first resurrected the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series.  Speaking of which, that series is getting its 5^th reboot attempt next year with Leatherface, another prequel intended to explore the character’s origins. 

X-Files Season 10 Teaser

So, the first legitimate teaser trailer for the X-Files revival mini-series has finally dropped from Fox.  Even though the new X-Files episodes won’t be hitting the air for another 6 months or so it makes sense that Fox is looking to get the ball rolling on this particular project early.  It’s becoming more and more obvious that this is the year Hollywood is waking up to how impactful 1990s nostalgia really is.  We’ve already seen 90stalgia make Jurassic World a monster hit and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the same thing again in a few months when that Goosebumps movie comes out.  The X-Files stood as one of the defining cultural touchstones of the ‘90s so Fox trying to really build up its return makes a lot of sense especially given the uphill battle the revival is facing story wise. 

 

Devil Dinosaur, Clone Saga, & Marvel's Future

So the numbers are officially in and Jurassic World has beaten Avengers as the third highest grossing film of all time, earning it a sequel that will go head-to-head with Avengers: Infinity War part 1.  This marks yet another major defeat for Marvel who’ve shaped up to have a pretty bad year all around.  Age of Ultron has been subsumed in the wake of hits like Furious 7 and Jurassic World with more competition coming this fall between Spectre and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  What’s more Ant-Man hasn’t shown a lot of audience interest and critically it’s only served to raise a lot of problematic issues with the Marvel universe as a whole.  The only Marvel projects that seem to really be gelling with audiences these days are episodic in nature, stuff like the major interest in Agent Carter, Agents of SHIELD finally finding a major audience, and Daredevil ending up a major cultural hit.  What does all this mean for Marvel going forward?  Could we be seeing the end of Marvel Studios?

Jurassic World 2 Announced

So, after crushing the box office, breaking all the records, and generally just making Marvel look especially incompetent Jurassic World has been issued a sequel, set for June 22, 2018.  2018 is shaping up to be a major year in geekdom but that’s overall to be expected.  Culturally speaking we’re all living very much in the shadow of 2008, that was the year the Marvel cinematic universe began as well as the year of the Dark Knight.  What’s more that whole era in history from 2007-2010 gave rise to a number of forces that still dominate popular culture like the rise of streaming video and social media as well as the birth of the zombie craze.  2018 marks 10 years of living in the world 2008 made and is brining a ton of competition with it for the follow up to Universal’s latest dinosaur smash.  

 

James Bond 'Spectre' Full Trailer

All things considered it’s not really that surprising it took the James Bond franchise all of the 2000s till it became relevant again.  James Bond entered the 2000s with the deplorably bloated and embarrassingly outdated Die Another Day before failing to find a substantial audience outside dedicated fans and upper level critics with the stripped down, gritty reworking under Daniel Craig.  Then came the geek awakening of 2008, which is what really set the stage for 007’s return to prominence 4 years later.  On the one hand 2008 helped re-solidify Batman as one of the most popular heroes on the planet, which goes a long way in James Bond’s favor given both characters are globe-trotting adventurers fighting colorful megalomaniacs with a pile of gadgets. 

On the flip side Marvel’s cinematic universe took over the box office and suddenly sprawling inter-film continuity and classic era fidelity were cool again.  That’s why Skyfall ended up like it did, full of recreations of classic Bond elements rather than the stymied realism of previous installments and even redefining James as a more Bruce Wayne like character with dead parents and a mansion.  Now, as we prep for Bond’s next installment director Sam Mendes seems to be doubling down on the classic series revival elements for Spectre in its new full trailer.

Movie Monthly - Jurassic World

Welcome back to Movie Monthly where I spend an entire month spotlighting entries in a niche genre of films.  Normally I don’t like to focus on big, well-known films unless I feel they’ve been overlooked or forgotten but this is a special case.  The whole reason I decided to make this first month of Movie Monthly ‘Jurassic June’ was because Jurassic World premiered this month so it would feel a bit disingenuous not to cover it here.  With that said let’s dive right in. 

Panel Vision - Jurassic Park Raptor Saga

With Jurassic World hitting theaters and setting the world abuzz with this latest installment to a franchise that’s never really shown long term viability I thought it’d be fun to look at the first ever attempted Jurassic Park sequel; the Jurassic Park: Raptors saga. 

Movie Monthly: Carnosaur

Hello and welcome to Movie Monthly.  In this review series I'm going to choose a theme for each month and then every Monday I’ll spotlight a movie somehow related to that theme.  Generally I want to use this is a way to focus on lesser known or overlooked films but I’ll also sprinkle in the occasional new release or well regarded classic as I see fit. 

For our opening month I decided to start things off big and so we have Jurassic June, celebrating dinosaur movies for the whole month.  Partially I chose this theme to celebrate the upcoming Jurassic World release but mainly I chose it because there really aren’t that many dinosaur movies.  As such it’s my duty, as a critic, to dig up the strange, interesting, cool, or overlooked additions to this undernourished niche.  With all that said let’s look at Roger Corman’s Carnosaur.