Landing on Disney+ on September 24th is the new Marvel Animation limited series ‘Marvel Zombies’, which spins off from the zombie-filled episode of ‘What If…?’ and loosely adapts the comic book run.
While Marvel’s Disney+ output has been somewhat hit-and-miss, the Marvel Animation team has been enjoying much more success, and ‘Marvel Zombies’ certainly counts as one of those.
It may not be perfect, but it’s certainly a lot of gory, darkly-hued entertainment.
Zeb Wells has enjoyed unusual power in the Marvel world, overseeing much of the animated output, but with good reason –– he and his writing team have crafted sharp, clever takes on the MCU, with ‘Zombies’ as no exception.
It’s not for the faint of heart and certainly dives into some dark areas (don’t get attached to all the characters, even some well-known ones), but it delivers the Young Avengers action many have been waiting for on the big screen, albeit in bite-sized chunks.
Bryan Andrews’ direction is also solid. Though the animation might not be the most advanced, it’s certainly stylish enough and gets the job done.
Featuring the usual mix of MCU veteran performers and some talented voice types who imitate others, this is a great showcase particularly for the infectious enthusiasm of Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan and the usual great work of Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova. Kudos also to Simu Liu, whose Shang-Chi really goes through it in this story, and to Todd Williams, who voices a very different version of Blade from any we’ve seen before.
‘Marvel Zombies’ is by turns full of action and drama, some impressive set-pieces and ideas, and emotionally fun performances from MCU actors and others.
It’s funny despite the post-apocalyptic storyline, and with just four episodes, doesn’t outstay its welcome.
After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.
Who stars in ‘Marvel Zombies’?
Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff
David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov
Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
Awkwafina as Katy Chen Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop Randall Park as Jimmy Woo
Todd Williams as Blade Knight
With its unusual central sleuth, a lot of frustrated potential suspects and a (mostly) one-location setting, this new series still manages to avoid coming across like a bad copy of the ‘Only Murders’ format.
Here, creator/showrunner Paul William Davies (no stranger to White House affairs after working on Rhimes-birthed crisis management thriller series ‘Scandal’) mixes a crafty, funny mix of his own personal favorite mystery writers (the episode titles all nod to classic mystery books or movies) with the intriguing inner workings of the most famous address in America, since he also drew from Kate Andersen Brower’s book ‘The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House.’
It’s a combo that works really well –– the scurrilous world of behind-the-scenes drama during a State dinner for Australia is a fantastic backdrop for a teasing conundrum.
The key to any good mystery –– whether it’s supposed to be funny or not –– is a carefully constructed script with enough red herrings to throw you off the scent of the final truth at the heart of the matter.
Here, Williams and his writing staff concocted the twisted story of White House chief usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), who rules efficiently and smoothly, but can’t abide personal drama. When he shows up dead on an upper floor of the residence at the White House, some within the building want it written off as a suicide, while others are convinced it was murder.
Naturally, that calls for a detective to be brought in, and ‘The Residence’s creative team have made one for the ages in Uzo Aduba’s Cordelia Cupp, a dedicated ornithologist who just so happens to have a genius brain for ferretting out the answers to mysteries.
But it’s not just the Cordelia Cupp show, the scripts weave and wander around the residence, replaying moments in time from different angles and creating a solid group of characters to tell the story. And while a lot of the series takes place within the title location, there is also a hearing happening to break things up.
Directorially, Liza Johnson and her team bring an interesting style to the show, which sweeps through a version of the White House, and perfectly complements the story.
Uzo Aduba is delightful as Cordelia Cupp, a consulting detective in the Sherlock Holmes mold, who is brought in by befuddled authorities to crack the case.
Aduba is a natural at this sort of quirky comedy, and the character she brings to life is effortlessly entertaining, whether she’s interrogating suspects, confounding those who perceive themselves superior to her or tracking down a rare bird she wants to cross off her spotting list.
Her mismatched buddy comedy chemistry with Randall Park’s FBI agent Edwin Park is one of the best elements of the series –– they’re on the same mission, but they rarely agree on how to go about it, and Park’s deadpan energy syncs well with Aduba’s.
Giancarlo Esposito faced his own challenge coming into the show, as he inherited the role of chief usher Wynter from Andre Braugher. While Braugher had briefly played the part before the 2023 WGA strike shut down production, he died before filming could resume, leading to Esposito (who, coincidentally, replaced him years ago on ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ before they co-starred in the follow-up TV movie to the show) stepping in.
Wynter might seem like a character Esposito has become very known for playing –– icy, analytical and quietly arrogant, but he proves to be a refreshing change from that mode, with some more layers (even if his death kicks off the central mystery).
Of the considerable supporting cast, highlights include Al Franken, playing the senator leading the hearing into the investigation, the ever-reliable Eliza Coupe who steals scenes as Senator Bix, who is eager to get to the truth of the matter, and Mel Rodriguez, playing Bruce Geller, the chief engineer who had no great love for Wynter, but does fall for another member of the household staff.
Jason Lee is good value as Tripp Morgan, the President’s scruffy, lazy, salt-obsessed and light-fingered brother, bringing just the right level of sibling rivalry to the show, while Jane Curtin makes a meal of the role as the President’s mother-in-law who loves a drink, but hates noise.
Oh, and kudos to pop legend Kylie Minogue for being so game to make fun of herself in a couple of episodes.
With its quirky score and offbeat central figure, you could effectively call this ‘Only Murders in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building’ (yes, yes, we know… the residence is part of the White House proper, just go with it.)
This latest Shondaland offering has a solid cast, a great mystery and a watchable story that keeps you guessing.
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What’s the plot of ‘The Residence’?
Set in “upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs” of the White House, Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), an eccentric detective, arrives on the premises in order to solve a murder which happened during a state dinner. During the investigation, interpersonal conflicts between 157 personnel of the residence start to unfold.
Aquaman, now a father to Arthur Curry Jr., is trying to find a balance in being a father and the King of Atlantis. Black Manta, driven blind by revenge, sets out to track down the mythic Black Trident, a weapon with ancient powers. As Black Manta closes in, Aquaman must turn to the former King of Atlantis – Orm, to forge an alliance. Together, they will protect the kingdom and Aquaman’s family.
The underwater comic book movie held its US premiere on December 19, 2023 at The Grove in Los Angeles. The film was released domestically on December 22, 2023. Originally, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ was scheduled to be released on December 16, 2022. The film’s release was changed three times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the reshuffling of the studio’s release dates.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ has a runtime of 2 hours and 4 minutes. If you missed the movie on the big screen, it is now available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. Prices range from $19.99 for rental or $24.99 for purchase.
Since the first ‘Aquaman‘ film is available to stream on Max, it is likely the sequel will eventually land on the streaming platform. However, an official date has not been released or confirmed by Warner Bros Discovery.
For fans of physical media, you’re in luck. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is now available for pre-order. Prices range from $19.99 for DVD, $24.96 for Blu-ray, and $32.99 for 4K UHD. There’s also an option to purchase a two-film collection, which will include the first film ‘Aquaman’ and the sequel ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ for $32.99. The official release date for home release is March 12, 2024.
To go up against Black Manta, who wields the power of the Black Trident, Aquaman needed to team up with his brother (and former King of Atlantis), Orm. Although an unlikely pair, Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson made for a great duo screen, whether it be brotherly witty banters or coordinated fight scenes. Their chemistry amplified the movie.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is the final movie of the previous DECU era. Current DC co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran are working towards their new vision for DC. The two previously announced ‘Superman Legacy,’ a film that will be a part of the new DC Universe Chapter One, ‘Gods and Monsters.’ Other DC films, such as ‘Joker: Folie á Deux’ will exist in Elseworld.
This could mean that there’s a slight chance we can see Momoa’s Aquaman return in some capacity, as Elseworld stories do not connect to the main canon of the new DCU.
Gunn and Safran introduced their new DC slate a year ago and have announced that ‘Superman Legacy’ has started production, and the ‘Creature Commandos’ episodes are being finished, with the series being released later this year. Gunn also teases upcoming projects and says, “incredible talents are being attached to new projects, planned & unplanned.”
“Today, ‘Superman Legacy’ is about to start production, episodes of ‘Creature Commandos’ are being finished that will release later this year, at least 2 more projects are gearing up to go in the next couple months, amazing scripts keep coming in, & incredible talent are being attached to new projects, planned & unplanned. Thank you!!”
Watch the official trailers for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is below:
After failing to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and malevolent force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction.
Directed once again by James Wan (who made the billion-plus success that was the first ‘Aquaman’), it arrives following a wave of delays and changes. So, does the sequel live up to the silly-but-fun original?
Regrettably, we must answer a solid no to the question. ‘The Lost Kingdom’ feels more like a senior handing in a sloppy work project, little concerned with how it’ll be received.
This is superhero storytelling on autopilot, another world-threatening situation, another rote test for the hero, another villain with even less shading than he had in the first movie. And fairly shocking given the people involved and how they managed last time.
Written once again by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, based on a story by not just director Wan but also Momoa and his producing partner Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, this is the sort of film that makes you wonder just why it took so many people to come up with a movie screenplay this basic.
Mired in some very obvious tropes and storylines, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is really just the 7500th telling of the “hero tested by returning villain who has found some dark ancient power to help his cause, forcing the protagonist to team up with another former antagonist to save the world”. And if you felt me falling asleep as I wrote that, imagine what I went through during the movie.
This is a film that borrows so heavily from other, better movies –– a dab of ‘The Matrix’ (in Black Manta’s squid-like attack craft), a splash of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (the backstory for the ancient power at the heart of the story) and just a sprinkling of ‘Black Panther’ (both in Arthur’s clash with someone who feels they should have his job and in a way we won’t explore here).
Aside from a callback to the drumming octopus known as Topo (an element from the comics that served as a one-off joke in the first movie but is here revealed to be an intelligence agent and a source of more occasional humor in this one) there is very little that feels at all fresh or truly interesting here.
The whole affair is tired and repetitive, the treatment of the story beyond rudimentary and the drama only really serving to stitch together set pieces that themselves come across as several different variations on the idea of Aquaman and Patrick Wilson’s Orm running from things or punching them.
Wan, meanwhile, gets to inject some of his usual horror overtones into the movie –– one or two sequences work (such as Black Manta showing up at Aquaman’s father’s house in darkness after he has conspired to shut off the power). But in general, let down by varied quality of the visual effects (for a film that took this long to finish, you have to worry about some sequences that look like they’re from the theme park version of the movie), this is certainly among his lesser movies.
The re-shoots and changes that happened along the way clearly had an effect, and most of what still works about the movie is by sheer luck rather than design.
If there is any real saving grace in the movie, it’s Momoa’s committed performance as the leading man, full of wisecracks (even if he does start to sound like Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man at times) and finding fun chemistry with Wilson’s Orm.
For his part, Wilson gives good snark, fully embracing the idea of the frustrated ruler who can’t stand the doofus who is on what he sees as his rightful throne.
Elsewhere? Poor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is reduced to an afterthought as a villain, who has his vengeful mission but very little else to do. At his side is Randall Park as scientist Dr. Stephen Shin, making the most of a nebbishy stock character and scoring one or two laughs.
And the rest of the heroic characters are barely there –– Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father Tom has a couple of solid scenes with his son and grandson, but you have to wonder why Nicole Kidman bothered showing up again as Momoa’s character’s mother beyond a contract and a payday.
Coming out even worse, though, is Amber Heard, who occasionally appears to be added in through visual effects and beyond one helpful moment, has so little to do you can understand Heard’s concerns that her character has been reduced to nearly nothing.
As an ending to the DC universe in its pre-Gunn era, this is like the mess of sticky drinks left on the floor after a party –– there’s no real wrap-up for anything and the usual teasing hint for future stories is pretty much absent.
Given how Wan, Momoa and the rest brought some knowing fun to a character who has been a joke in the past, it’s all the more disappointing that their follow-up is a bombastic but hollow enterprise, a less-than-satisfying end to a movie universe.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Having failed to defeat Aquaman (Jason Momoa) the first time, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all.
This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
Who else is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
The cast for the new superhero outing also includes Amber Heard as Mera, Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.
Netflix’s latest adult animation series ‘Blue Eye Samurai’ arrives on the streaming service beginning November 3 and was created by Amber Noizumi and Michael Green (‘Logan’, ‘Blade Runner 2049’).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with showrunners Amber Noizumi and Michael Green about the inspiration behind the upcoming animated series, casting Maya Erskine as the lead character Mizu, the influences from various samurai films and shows, and how the process of approaching their first animated project.
(L to R) ‘Blue Eye Samurai’s Amber Noizumi and Michael Green.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, how did this story come together, and what was it about the Eddo period that made you want to focus on it specifically?
Amber Noizumi: So the Eddo period is heralded as Japan’s golden age. I mean, to this day, they call it the golden age of Japan. That was when their borders were closed, completely closed off to the outside world, where it was its most homogenous. The idea to have somebody who’s mixed race, as I am, and we have a daughter who was born with blue eyes, and we called her our Blue Eye Samurai, which was the start of our conversations about it. What would it have been like to be different, to look different, to be a different race during that time? So ultimately, that was the beginning of it, and it just, with our research, our ideas got richer from there.
MF: Speaking of the blue eyes, the main character’s name is Mizu, which means water in Japanese. Was that the inspiration for naming the character, based on the color and the meaning of water?
AN: Yes, but also the idea of water, the idea of its various forms of steam, and ice, and sublimation, and then fire, when she’s sword making, and the fire that’s within her. We just used a lot of that element. Those elemental things to describe what’s going on in her and around her.
MF: With a show focused on a samurai, were there any samurai films or shows that inspired certain scenes or fighting styles?
Michael Green: We work with so many wonderful people, all of whom have encyclopedic knowledge. So it was so much fun, everyone bringing their favorite clips, and we would watch them. I’m going to say where I’m going to get to, is we ended up working with Sunny Sun, a fight choreographer who’s one of the greatest stunt choreographers in the world. So it’s really his movies that I want to talk about. He came at this with so much character focus. Jane Wu, our supervising director, also comes from with martial arts background. I mean, we talked about everything from ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ with the tension of scenes, or ‘Once Upon Time in the West,’ same thing. But in Eastern Films, we talked about the way Zatoichi moves and how he always moves differently from everyone around him. Of course, we looked at Kurosawa‘s compositions.
AN: And then we have a song lifted directly from ‘Kill Bill’. There’s so much greatness to steal from.
MG: We wear our homages on our sleeve and hope the originators notice and go, “Oh yeah.”
MF: Mizu is voiced by Maya Erskine, who audiences know from ‘PEN15’. What has it been like to watch her bring the character of Mizu to life, and how did you know that you found the right actor in Maya?
AN: Maya is such a talented, versatile actor, and you could see in ‘PEN15,’ even though it is a hilarious show, you could see how she brought that kind of raw pain of growing up mixed race and just growing up in general. I actually think that that’s how the character of Maya might envision herself. She might envision herself like Mizu. This might be who she aspires to be. But Maya really was able to bring a lot of that pain into the character of Mizu. I mean, she just did it beyond our expectations.
MF: Finally, the series is the first major animated project you’ve worked on as showrunners, what was the process like? Has it been different than your past projects, and did you approach it differently?
MG: We approached it the same, which might’ve been naive, but that’s good because it ended up working out.
AN: We would’ve been scared away otherwise.
MG: If we knew exactly how hard it was going to be. Some of the ways were very similar. We wrote the script as if it was a live-action piece. We ran our meetings, and mixed it and scored it, and worked with the type of people, with casting directors and costume designers from live action. Suttirat Larlarb did our costumes, worked with her on ‘American Gods’. She’s done everything from Star Wars to Bond, and on and on. Our casting directors work on ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Avatar’. We really just worked with as many live-action people, including Jane Wu, our supervising director and executive producer. But then we met the reality of animation, where we knew we had to learn a lot, where we had to work with people who knew it much better than we ever could, and could teach us and be patient with us, and also just lead us through it. So it was very different. The main difference is how slow animation is. It is for the patient. It’s just the dough needs to rise and you can’t rush it. But you can have anything you want if you’re patient. So it made the show everything we wanted and more.
Set in 17th-century Edo-period Japan, Blue Eye Samurai follows Mizu (Maya Erskine), a mixed-race master of the sword who lives a life in disguise seeking to deliver revenge. In her search for vengeance, she meets Ringo, a soba maker born who longs to be a samurai, Taigen, a pompous samurai, and Princess Akemi, the daughter of Lord Daichi of the Tokunobu clan.
(L to R) Reggie (Will Ferrell), Maggie (Isla Fisher), Hunter (Randall Park) and Bug (Jamie Foxx) in ‘Strays,’ directed by Josh Greenbaum.
In theaters now, ‘Strays’ represents an attempt to bring the sort of bawdy comedy found in the likes of ‘The Hangover’ to an animal quest film more along the lines of family classics such as ‘The Incredible Journey’ and ‘Homeward Bound’. The result is hit-and-miss, but when it works, it’s bark-out-loud funny.
(L to R) Bug (Jamie Foxx) and Reggie (Will Ferrell) in ‘Strays,’ directed by Josh Greenbaum.
When Reggie (Will Ferrell), a naïve, relentlessly optimistic Border Terrier, is abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug (Will Forte), Reggie is certain that his beloved owner would never leave him on purpose.
But once Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier named Bug (Jamie Foxx), a stray who loves his freedom and believes that owners are for suckers, Reggie finally realizes he was in a toxic relationship and begins to see Doug for the heartless sleazeball that he is.
Determined to seek revenge, Reggie, Bug and Bug’s pals — Maggie (Isla Fisher), a smart Australian Shepherd who has been sidelined by her owner’s new puppy, and Hunter (Randall Park), an anxious Great Dane who’s stressed out by his work as an emotional support animal — together hatch a plan and embark on an epic adventure to help Reggie find his way home… And make Doug pay by biting off the appendage he loves the most (it’s not his foot).
Directed by Josh Greenbaum, who brought us 2021’s sublimely silly ‘Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar’, ‘Strays’ is written by Dan Perrault, best known for ‘American Vandal’ and ‘Players’ on TV.
If you ever wanted to see ‘Saturday Night Live’ veteran Will Forte –– more normally associated with amiable weirdoes –– playing one of the worst dog owners to appear on screens, then this is the movie you’ve been waiting for. Yet Forte’s Doug, a weed-smoking, porn-obsessed loser who begrudgingly goes along with the idea when his girlfriend adopts adorable terrier Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), is not the star of this movie, Reggie is.
Along, that is, with the new friends he makes when Doug abandons him. Foxx’s Bug is a streetwise pup with an ego bigger than his frame, but who makes for a good mentor to Reggie, who has only ever known life with humans.
(L to R) Bug (Jamie Foxx) and Reggie (Will Ferrell) in ‘Strays,’ directed by Josh Greenbaum.
The pooch pals –– also including Randall Park’s Hunter, a former police dog trainee who now works as a therapy dog at a hospice (and keeps a cone of shame on permanently for his own insecurity issues) and Isla Fisher’s Maggie, blessed with an amazing nose and a crush on Hunter –– are the highlight of the movie, a compelling blend of well-trained real animals with CG mouth manipulation.
While they don’t all enjoy the same character development as Reggie or Bug, they’re an appealing, funny foursome and their adventures offer a lot of entertainment. With experienced performers bringing character as well as laughs to the roles, this features such memorable moments as the leads encountering Labrador Gus (voiced by Josh Gad), a hilarious take on the noble narrator dog we’ve met in movies including ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ and ‘Racing in the Rain’, and who is harboring a very dark secret.
Plus, all of Reggie’s interactions with Doug are good for a laugh, even as dog owners (and anyone who just loves animals in general) will loathe his living guts.
It moves along at a swift pace, never outstays its welcome and makes you care about our furry foursome in ways you don’t expect at the start. Oh, and we’re fairly certain that this is the only movie you’ll see this year that features Sofia Vergara as the voice of Delilah, a couch that Bug enjoys having sex with.
(L to R) Bug (Jamie Foxx) and Reggie (Will Ferrell) in ‘Strays,’ directed by Josh Greenbaum.
Not everything about the movie works; it does indulge in some first-base dog and other humor. We’ve seen a hundred variations on the age-old dog vs. mailman scenario and one small tweak aside (one plays into how Reggie makes it home), the movie doesn’t really find a fresh take.
There are also scenes such as the canines discovering a patch of mushrooms in a forest and gobbling them down, only to go on a wild drug trip. A few moments work well (reality shifting to show Hunter as a sock puppet with human hands), but otherwise it’s the sort of gag that has been done many, many times. Ditto overly macho police dog Rolf (Rob Riggle), whose best use is Maggie calling him “Adolf” to his bemused reaction.
And there are times when the reveling in poop, pee and eating disgusting things jokes stretches a little too thin, but if you were already on board with the movie, you know what you’re in for.
Yet there are so many inventive uses of the dogs’ worldview (fireworks at a county fair serve as the setting for a war movie spoof for our spooked hounds who look to escape) that the balance of great jokes to clunkers is heavily on the positive side.
It was about time that the dog movie got the full-on spoof comedy treatment, and ‘Strays’ works to bring the heart and well as the gross-out gags.
‘Strays’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
A scene from ‘Strays,’ directed by Josh Greenbaum.
When a gullible Border Terrier named Reggie (Will Ferrell) is abandoned on the streets by his selfish and ruthless owner Doug (Will Forte), an animal-hating drug addict who never wanted him, he teams up with other strays including a street-wise Boston Terrier named Bug (Jamie Foxx), an Australian Shepherd named Maggie (Isla Fisher), and a therapy Great Dane named Hunter (Randall Park) to get revenge on Doug.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Josh Greenbaum about his work on ‘Strays,’ making a hard R-rated version of ‘Homeward Bound,’ his first reaction to the screenplay, the challenges of directing an all dog cast, working with Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, and their characters onscreen chemistry.
‘Strays’ director Josh Greenbaum.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, is it fair to say that this movie is a comedic hard R-rated version of ‘Homeward Bound,’ and what was your first reaction to Dan Perrault’s screenplay?
Josh Greenbaum: I think so. I think that’s totally fair. Well, when I first saw the log line, which was, as you can imagine, absurd. It was a little dog, Reggie, who gets abandoned by his mean owner Doug, meets some strays, and then wants to get revenge by biting Doug’s most beloved body part off. I thought, “This sounds amazing. But it sounds a little insane, which I love.” But to be honest, I wondered, “Oh, is it just going to be a dog spoof movie,” to your question of is it just an R-rated ‘Homeward Bound.’ I think it delivered on what I needed and wanted from that of, “Okay, we do subvert the genre and have our fun in moments.” But what really jumped out at me was, “This actually is a fully formed script on its own,” and in a way, made me think of, certainly, wonderful movies like ‘40 Year Old Virgin,’ ‘Bridesmaids’ and ‘Superbad,’ but also ‘Stand By Me,’ and I thought about ‘Breaking Away,’ these films about four friends who go on a journey, and grow, and are underdogs. So, in a way, I think I was always searching for that film, and weirdly it came across my desk in the form of an R-rated dog movie. So, that I think is when I finally hooked in and said, “Oh, this movie’s funny, outrageous and does subvert the dog genre and brings it into the adult world.” But I just love that it actually had heart and functioned on its own as its own story.
MF: Can you talk about the challenges of directing an all dog cast and the VFX you had to utilize to ensure their safety?
JG: First of all, one of the things I stated when I came on board to direct was I would really like to utilize real dogs as much as possible, mostly because I wanted it to feel really real, I think, for adult audiences to enjoy this. I’ve had dogs my whole life. I live with dogs. I own two dogs now, one of whom I adopted from the movie, who was little puppy Reggie, now lives with us, and I have “Will Ferrell” running around my house. So, I wanted it to feel really grounded and the more it was the more it felt like it was right for adult audiences. I think if it was overly anthropomorphized or overly CG with big expressions, it works with children, but not for adults. I think that I pull out and pull back when I see that kind of work done. So, we only really leaned on the incredible CG and visual effects, obviously, to have them talk. We were unsuccessful training the dogs to talk. But to get them talking, occasionally we would add a little extra emotion here and there. But again, I tried to get the emotion out of the performance of the dog on set. If I needed a dog confused, I wouldn’t have it furrow its brow. I’d have it cock its head sideways the way dogs do. Then, of course, anytime it was anything remotely unsafe for a dog to do, we would go to a full CG dog. So, we have, as an example, a sequence, not giving too much away, but it’s in our trailers, where an eagle comes into the story and you don’t obviously want to mix small dogs with birds of prey. So, that becomes an obvious choice to go to a full CG dog.
(L to R) Bug (Jamie Foxx) and Reggie (Will Ferrell) in ‘Strays,’ directed by Josh Greenbaum.
MF: Finally, can you talk about Bug and Reggie’s friendship and creating that relationship in the recording studio with Jamie Foxx and Will Ferrell?
JG: I mean, at its core, I think this film, it’s about a few things. It’s certainly about being in a toxic, unhealthy relationship with someone and getting out of it, and how your friends help you through that and find your own sense of self-worth again. I think at the center of that is this relationship between Bug and Reggie. So, casting Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, and having them in the voiceover booth working together was just, for me, just magic to watch. They played off of each other so well. They’ve never been in a film together! This is really their first time, and you can feel their chemistry instantly. I mean, both in the film, but I remember being in that voiceover booth and watching these two guys hit the ball back and forth, and it was just a joy to watch. But, yeah, it’s a very sweet relationship. They have differing life philosophies. One is overly optimistic and believes you can trust everyone and put your love in everything, which there’s some validity to that. The other one, I think, has been burned and says, “No, don’t do that. You should protect yourself, close down, don’t trust anyone. Just look after yourself.” For me, that richness, of a thematic conversation to anchor a film on is great. Even though it’s an outrageous, really funny, really fun time of a movie, there’s something really palpable, emotional, and sweet at the center with these two characters. Of course, there’s no one better than Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx to bring that to life. So, I felt very lucky to have them as my two leads of this movie.
Director Josh Greenbaum with Reggie on the set of ‘Strays.’
(L to R) Justin Min as Ben and Sherry Cola as Alice in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Opening in theaters on August 4th, ‘Shortcomings,’ directed by Randall Park, reaches for authenticity in the way its characters’ foibles are portrayed, but ultimately falls short itself with a blandly solipsistic, mopey main character and side stories that feel like they’d be much more interesting as the central narrative.
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What’s the story of ‘Shortcomings’?
(L to R) Justin Min as Ben and Ally Maki as Miko in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
This is essentially the story of Ben (Justin H. Min), a struggling filmmaker, who lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend, Miko (Ally Maki), who works for a local Asian American film festival.
When he’s not managing a struggling arthouse movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and eating in diners with his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola), a queer grad student with a serial dating habit.
When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices, and begins to explore what he thinks he might want –– mostly relationships with other women in his orbit. Alice, meanwhile, ends up moving to New York herself after an incident at school.
Who else is in ‘Shortcomings’?
(L to R) Justin Min as Ben, Ally Maki as Miko, Timothy Simons as Leon in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
(L to R) Jacob Batalon as Gene and Scott Seiss as Lamont in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Randall Park has been a reliable performer for years, someone who has long proved he has what it takes in front of the camera. Switching effortlessly between leading roles in the likes of TV’s ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ or the Netflix romantic comedy drama movie ‘Always Be My Maybe’ and character pieces such as roles on ‘The Office’ and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (where he’s more normally found in the ‘Ant-Man’ films as enthusiastic FBI agent Jimmy Woo, Park has developed a recognizable comic style and a following enough to give him a shot at directing.
‘Shortcomings’ is his first step behind the camera (though he has a production company and backs projects he sometimes appears in) and, as director, he proves to have a handle on at least what makes characters tick.
Adapting –– with a script from the writer himself –– Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel, Park sets his story among the arty hipsters of Berkely and Oakland, the Bay Area vibe effectively created on screen here.
And kicking off with a spoof scene of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (starring Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu and Ronny Chieng), he and Tomine quickly set out their stall, looking to explore the sort of romantic entanglements that usually come with white faces attached. It might not be always subtle, but that at least works –– we see Ben struggle with others judging him for dating white girl Sasha (Ryan) and helping Alice by pretending to be her boyfriend so she can avoid the usual interrogation at a family wedding (even if they have to hide Ben’s Japanese heritage from her parents, though even that would be preferable to them finding out she’s queer).
Park nudges his characters through their various storylines, anchored by Ben’s malaise and Alice’s struggle to find herself. But there is a problem, and it’s largely Ben.
What are the movie’s problems?
Tavi Gevinson as Autumn in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
The biggest issue with the movie is its central character. All plaudits for breaking away from the “model minority’ image of quietly well-behaved Asian-Americans. Ben is certainly flawed and human but despite the best efforts of Min to bring him to life, he comes across as a whining, self-centered moron that no woman would want to get near, let alone the parade of attractive people who deign date him.
It gets to the point where you’re desperate for the movie to pivot away from Ben’s story and go and explore Alice’s life more deeply or even Gene (Batalon) and Lamont (Seiss), the two goofballs who work the concession stand at the cinema Ben manages. These two characters, who feel like they walked out of a Kevin Smith movie (and you can sense the New Jersey filmmaker’s influence all over ‘Shortcomings’) make for more entertaining company in a couple of minutes than almost all of Ben’s scenes. Even if they do represent a little more self-indulgence from Park and Tomine –– they refer to Marvel movies and Batalon, a co-star in the most recent ‘Spider-Man‘ trilogy of films, name-drops the character at one point.
Full marks to the director and writer for trying to make the character feel authentically human instead of a stereotype, but the dial has been turned too far towards frustrating. And with Ben as the focal point of the movie, it makes for a more uncomfortable experience than anything approaching entertainment. Yes, he’s supposed to be annoying, but there’s zero growth and little evidence until right at the end that that’s even possible. Meanwhile, people around him are living much more interesting lives, even cinema employee Autumn, with whom Ben has a brief, unsuccessful dalliance. Subverting the manic pixie dream girl cliché, she’s a punk anarchist performance artist whose current work in progress is taking a picture of her urine-filled toilet every morning.
‘Shortcomings’ has enough to recommend it, even if you do find the main character to be a repetitive, time-wasting bore. There’s fun to be had exploring the world that these people live in, and the challenges they face when romantic issues and cultural boundaries clash. It’s just unfortunate that it doesn’t look more deeply into such ideas, choosing instead to indulge the central figure’s dull quest for the perfect relationship or his opinions on essentially anything.
As a debut, it’s still an impressive one and if Park finds a subject he can bring to life without the frustrations of the human black hole at the center of this one, he’ll have something to truly enjoy. ‘Shortcomings’ might have a few of its own, but it also shows solid potential.
‘Shortcomings’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
(L to R) Stephanie Hsu as Mrs Wong and Ronny Chieng as Mr Wong in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
‘Shortcomings’ is produced by Topic Studios, Tango Entertainment, Roadside Attractions, Picture Films, and Imminent Collision. It is set to release in theaters on August 4th, 2023.
Who is in the Cast of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania?’
The film stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/Wasp, Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne/Wasp, Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym, Bill Murray as Krylar, and Randall Park as Jimmy Woo.
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Initial Thoughts
The result is the most action-packed ‘Ant-Man’ film so far, which feels like a real event movie, and features an incredible performance from Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, who may end up being the greatest MCU villain of all time!
Direction, Tone and How the Movie Fits into the MCU?
For a longtime, the ‘Ant-Man’ movies have been the forgotten child of the MCU. They’ve delivered strong comedy/heist movies, that with the exception of a Falcon (Anthony Mackie) cameo and the end credit scene from ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp,’ have had very little overall impact on the larger MCU. That all changes with this sequel which is still funny, but much darker in tone and action-packed than previous films in the series.
It’s more of a direct sequel to ‘Avengers: Endgame’ than the last ‘Ant-Man’ movie, and carries significant ramifications for the MCU, laying the groundwork for Phase 5 and beyond. Director Peyton Reed has always done an adequate job helming this series but ups his game with ‘Quantumania,’ and carries the massive action sequences and darker tone of the film well.
While you do not need to see every pervious MCU movie and TV series to enjoy ‘Quantumania,’ it will help your understanding of the plot and characters if you’ve at least seen the previous two ‘Ant-Man’ films, ‘Ant-Man’ and ‘Ant- Man and the Wasp,’ as well as “Avengers: Endgame’ and especially season 1 on Disney+’s ‘Loki.’ Also watching ‘Captain America: Civil War’ couldn’t hurt, as it is referenced, but not absolutely necessary to watch first.
How Are Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly at Reprising Their Title Roles?
Paul Rudd continues to play Scott Lang with fun and humor, which is challenged by the darker tone of the movie. Rudd navigates those dark tones well and while he brings a lot of the humor to the film, is also quite good in his emotional and action-packed scenes.
Evangeline Lilly, who has played Hope Van Dyne since the first ‘Ant-Man,’ was finally given more to do in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ and has about as large a role here. She’s pivotal to the action sequences and the family drama between her parents, Hank and Janet, but other than that is unfortunately not given a lot to do. Other than being of support to Scott and Cassie, Lilly’s best scenes are with Michelle Pfeiffer, exploring the secrets and betrayal that Janet is hiding.
It’s easy to forget that in the pages of Marvel Comics, Janet Van Dyne was a founding member of the Avengers, so it was nice to see the character given such a pivotal role in ‘Quantumania.’ This is really Janet’s story in many ways, and Pfeiffer excels in the role. She is excellent in her dramatic scenes with Lilly and Michael Douglas, as well as a humorous scene with Bill Murray, and her action sequences with Majors.
In fact, Janet’s history in the Quantum Realm and with Kang in particular, is the heart of the movie and Pfeiffer’s performance is a major part of the film’s success. Reprising his role as the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, Michael Douglass once again gives a strong supporting role, and I liked that Hank is acting as a surrogate Grandfather to Cassie. Some of the actor’s best scenes involve his reaction to discovering his wife’s secrets, but the character is definitely given his most heroic moment in the entire series towards the end of this film.
With the five-year time jump that occurs between ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ it only makes sense that an older version of Scott’s daughter Cassandra Lang would be needed for the third installment. Enter actress Kathryn Newton (‘Freaky’), who takes over the role from Abby Ryder Fortson in the previous two movies. Newton brings a mature Cassie to the MCU, one who witnessed her father’s battle with Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll) as a small child and then lived through her father’s five-year absence and has been changed by the experiences.
I will not reveal whether Cassie becomes her comic book alter ego Stature in this movie, but I will say the character does get in on the action and has some great sequences fighting alongside the rest of the ‘Ant-Man’ family. The character is clearly being set up for a larger role in the future of the MCU, possibly ‘Young Avengers,’ and I look forward to seeing Newton reprise her role in the future.
But, while the story might belong to Janet, the movie belongs to Jonathan Majors and his absolutely tremendous performance as Kang the Conqueror. The film wisely briefly introduces the character in the opening sequence, but then keeps him off screen until a dramatic moment in the middle of the film.
Majors first portrayed a version of Kang, his variant “He Who Remains,” in the season one finale of ‘Loki,’ and while the two characters are connected, this is an entirely different performance. Majors gives a smart and terrifying performance, and lays the groundwork for what could become the best villain the MCU has seen since Thanos (Josh Brolin).
M.O.D.O.K. and the Movie’s Other Antagonists
Bill Murray appears in the film as Krylar, an alley of Kang’s, and is funny in his scenes but is just too, well, Bill Murray! The actor portrays the character with his own comedic persona, and at times it doesn’t feel like it connects with the tone of the rest of the movie, and can take you out of the moment.
Marvel comic book fans will be happy to know that the popular villain M.O.D.O.K. makes his live-action debut in ‘Quantumania,’ but the character has changed a lot from the comics. I won’t give away too much, but the character is now closer connected to the ‘Ant-Man’ movie franchise, and the changes made sense for the series. However, some hardcore fans may think this is another Marvel “bait and switch” like Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) being revealed as the fake Mandarin in ‘Iron Man 3.’
But I do have to say that I thought the effects for M.O.D.O.K. overall didn’t work. The character is basically a giant robotic head, with tiny arms and legs and a really big face. In live-action, I didn’t think the realistic giant face worked, and might have been better if the character was completely CGI. But overall, the special effects in the film mostly work, especially the rich and imaginative world of the Quantum Realm that Reed and his team has created.
Yes, there are, two in fact, a mid-credit scene, followed by an end-credit scene. While I won’t give either away, I think it is safe to say they are both Kang-centric. The first basically reinforces the threat that the character represents for the future of the MCU, and the second gives us a hint at where we might see him next, while also revealing a few of the film’s surprising cameos.
Final Verdict
In the end, after a rather bumpy Phase 4, the MCU’s Phase 5 gets off to a fantastic start with ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.’ Peyton Reed sets a darker tone for the franchise, with great action sequences and strong performances from the entire cast especially Rudd, Pfeiffer and Newton. But its Jonathan Majors unbelievable debut as the real Kang the Conqueror that makes this movie a must-see for Marvel fans and a welcomed addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
Witten by Jeff Loveness and directed by Peyton Reed, the sci-fi, action, adventure, comedy, mystery, thriller ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ is scheduled for release from Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures on February 17th 2023.
Though there has been talk for a long time about a third ‘Gremlins’ movie, it has never quite managed to materialize.
But there is movement – more targeted at the younger members of the family – on a new series that will act as a prequel to the first two movies.
‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ is an animated series coming to HBO Max and Cartoon Network next year.
This new show turns the clock back to 1920s Shanghai to explain how 10-year-old Sam Wing (who we meet when he’s much older as shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie) first crosses path with a certain young Mogwai.
Sam and Gizmo will embark on a journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore.
As they attempt to return Gizmo to his family, and discover a legendary treasure, they’ll have to face a power-hungry industrialist and his ever-growing army of evil Gremlins.
(L to R) Zach Galligan, Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, and Bowen Yang have all been cast in HBO Max’s ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.’
Tze Chun is running the show for this new series, and he brought fresh news of the voice cast to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for the panel, though, was word that Zach Galligan – who famously played Billy Peltzer, the lad whose life is turned upside down by Gizmo and the Gremlins in the 1984 original and its 1990 sequel, ‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ – is also lending his voice to the new show, but as a new character.
“I can’t say too much but because it’s 1920s China, I’m not playing Billy because he wasn’t around,” Galligan said following his surprise appearance on the panel. “So I’m playing this cool character. It was really fun and amazing to work with a new group of creative people who are taking a fresh look at the franchise and are expanding the mythology—who knows what they’re going to add. Maybe they’ll add a new transformation or a new rule we don’t know about yet… I think Gremlins fans are going to eat it up.”
Dropping hints that there are plenty of Easter eggs for film fans to find, Galligan seemed enthused about the new show. “I’ve been doing this a long time; it takes a lot really to surprise me. I thought it was very creative and I thought they did some interesting, very smart things, which to me is more important to being surprised,” he later told TooFab. “I think when it comes down to entertainment, the most important thing is execution. It’s how well you’re gonna tell it. The animation, the visual look of it is great, the voices are great and when you put it together with a good story, you’re going to have a really entertaining show to watch.”
The panel also included a screening of the whole first episode, though that naturally wasn’t put online.
HBO Max has yet to announce the date for the new series.
HBO Max’s ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is scheduled for 2023.
