Friday, November 8, 2013

Meet “The Serpent” On This Week’s Once Upon A Time In Wonderland

Originally published on PopWrapped.  8 November 2013.
After a weeklong break we’re finally back to the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland. Alice still searches for her beloved Cyrus but her Knavish friend is looking for a long-lost love as well: The Red Queen aka Anastasia. When their paths finally cross, you better believe heads will roll. Except not really because even though the villains effectively capture their prey, they do almost nothing to them and even freely let them go. We do lose a beloved character though and get some juicy scenes between my new Wonderland OTP: Will and the Red Queen. Also, we learn via icky hookups and daddy issues that Wonderland’s writers have been watching way too much Game of Thrones. So without much further ado, “The Serpent.”

We begin many years ago in Agrabah. A blacksmith beats and yells at his slave boy for taking too long with some coal. The boy cowers and as much as I want this to be little Aladdin, it’s pretty clear right away that this is young Jafar. He’s also pretty ballsy because when everyone else in the market turns away from a beautiful sorceress who wanders through, Jafar stares straight at her. He follows her later to her door where he begs her to teach him dark magic. He wants people to fear him like they do her and he wants revenge on the Sultan. Jafar is supposedly the Sultan’s son but was cast out for being a bastard and now he wants some payback. Whoa this got Game of Thrones-y real quick. Credits.
In the Red Queen’s palace, Jafar materializes with some new perfectly coiffed hair. He’s perturbed that she didn’t tell him about the Knave but she brushes it off. The Knave coming with Alice wasn’t intentional but he was helpful in getting the girl to Wonderland. Now that he’s served his purpose though, Jafar is ready to eliminate him. Judging by the look on her face, the Red Queen might have some issues with that.
Hey speaking of issues, Will and Alice are arguing again, now about the Red Queen and the White Rabbit. Will wants to fool the Rabbit into telling them everything but Alice would rather hold the bunny over a cliff. Some debt collectors sent by the Caterpillar interrupt their exhaustingly boring bickering. When Alice stupidly asks what they should do, Will quips, “Well basically we could die or we could run.” Running quickly turns to Will volunteering as a distraction to lead the Collectors away from Alice, which works quite well.
While his love plays hide and seek in the forest, Cyrus grovels in his cage for a scrap of food. Even a bone would suffice, he pleads. A guard takes pity, for…reasons. But Cyrus didn’t want the food after all, just the wishbone.
Back to the forest, Will is feeling pretty proud of himself for evading the Collectors until he sees that they have all been knocked out. The Red Queen appears to greet her old lover.
In Agrabah, grown up Jafar is being happily entertained by the stories of his goat herder. After giving the man some wine in thanks for his hard work, Jafar goes indoors to complain to Mistress Dark Sorceress about wanting to learn the spells in her book (if you know what I mean). This includes a spell that requires a human liver… which she’s just procured for them from Jafar’s goat herder friend, who is slowly being poisoned by the wine. Mistress Dark Sorceress gives Jafar a creepy analogy about them being like snakes who need to shed their skin and asks him if he’s ready to be reborn. Just as Jafar sets down the poison’s antidote, the man dies. Dark Sorceress #1 congratulates Jafar on being reborn and they celebrate by making out. So many levels of ewewewewew!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Clive Owen And Steven Soderbergh Team Up For New Period Drama

Originally published on PopWrapped.  7 November 2013.


You know how it is living in New York City. One minute it’s all 21st century hustle and bustle, and then you step outside your door to discover you’ve been transported back to the 1900s. Some residents of Downtown Manhattan are certainly feeling that way thanks to Steven Soderbergh’s Cinemax series, The Knick.

The ten-episode show about New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital in 1900, starring Clive Owen, required a transformation of a portion of Manhattan to do some filming. The pilot episode is written by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and will introduce viewers to the doctors and nurses of The Knick who, “Push the bounds of medicine in a time of astonishingly high mortality rates and zero antibiotics.”
Soderbergh, who is coming off of the critically acclaimed and award-winning TV movie, Behind the Candelabra, will direct all ten episodes. The Knick has no premiere date as of yet.
The subject matter is certainly interesting. What do you think, will you be tuning in?

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Which Avenger Almost Got Their Own Marvel TV Series?

Originally published on PopWrapped.  6 November 2013.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is one of the biggest shows of the Fall, but we almost got an entirely different Marvel TV series. That’s right, Agents; instead of our beloved Coulson leading a team of spies, we were nearly given a Hulk TV show.

Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s head of television, revealed in an interview with Ain’t It Cool News that initially they were looking to adapt the green rage monster into a new show. “Guillermo Del Toro came in and talked to us about doing a Hulk show and when Guillermo Del Toro comes and wants to do a show about your pinkie, you are going to want to do it. But it was just a case that once we saw what Joss Whedon and Mark Ruffalo were creating in The Avengers, that was a better solution.”
Loeb went on to say that Marvel’s relationship with Whedon, built on the strength of The Avengers, enabled them to look in a different direction of a Marvel television series: S.H.I.E.L.D.. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. became a perfect fit in terms of what Marvel wanted to do creatively and what might work on both ABC television and television in general.” Loeb said.
For his part, Del Toro was disappointed but understanding about the decision to shelve the Hulk series, acknowledging in an interview with The Global Dispatch that “Avengers is a game-changer for Marvel.”
As for the future of Marvel on the small screen, Loeb said, “For us in television, it always comes down to finding the right show runner. The answer is always going to be that when the right person is matched with the right property that is when we will make the next exciting announcement from Marvel Television.”

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Comikaze 2013: Stan Lee Introduces ‘Superhero Ball Wars’

Originally published on The Flickcast.  5 November 2013.
Ball Wars
At Comikaze 2013 Stan “The Man” Lee was on hand to announce on of his newest ventures: Stan Lee’s Superhero Ball Wars. The series of apps, set to release starting in 2014, will be available first for iPhone and iPad and later for Android devices.
The game centers on the characters from the planet Ballo whose citizens are, as Lee says, “well-rounded.” But the Inflators are the superheroes of planet and they are the ones who must fight off an invasion by the evil Deflators. Earthlings are called to help in the battle by collecting heroes and deflecting villains.
The augmented reality aspect of Superhero Ball Wars allows you to hold up your device while the app is running and actually locate Ballo in the sky. You can also lock the game to play without moving your phone or tablet around above you. Once you have Ballo in your sights, characters and objects start flying towards you. Each of the 15 missions requires you to collect a specific character, including Professor Ballkenstan (Lee in Ballo form), while deflecting or avoid other objects and characters.
Superhero Ball Wars is a relatively simple game and is certainly marketed more as a kid’s game. Producer Jeff Edell said on the HotTopic mainstage at Comikaze, “Your kids will love this and maybe adults too.” A virtual vault keeps track of every character you collect, allowing you to learn more about them and trade with your friends. Physical Ballo character cards let players continue their missions even when they’re not plugged into the app.
Look for the first of Stan Lee’s Superhero Ball Wars apps to be available in the App Store next year. For now, check out the trailer for the game below.

TV RECAP: ‘Once Upon a Time’ Ep. 306: ‘Ariel’

Originally published on The Flickcast.  5 November 2013.
JOANNA GARCIA SWISHER
I have to tell you Oncers, I’m starting to worry about our magical show. We spend yet another episode in Neverland and seem to get very little accomplished once again toward the goal of rescuing Henry (who doesn’t even appear in “Ariel” though that might be an improvement really). We do however get confirmation yet again that Regina is the best character (and actress) on Once and that Rumple hasn’t completely lost his ability to put together a deal or a plan. Oh and of course, there’s Ariel, whose flashback story is really somewhat pointless until the plot at then end calls for her.
So we start in the old Enchanted Forest where Snow White is running away from Regina’s guards.  She skids to a halt at a cliff overlooking the ocean but then takes a daring leap into the waters where she is recued by a red-headed mermaid, Ariel.
In Neverland, Regina is pushing Emma to concentrate to use her magic. Ms. Savior doesn’t want to use her anger as a trigger, which makes sense since she was about to use love every other time but she apparently doesn’t remember that. See, Rumple, this is why they need you. The Queen is disgusted with Emma’s reluctance, saying, “You’re such a pathetic waste of ability.” This fires up Emma’s temper and the campfire she was trying to magic.
Regina is pleased while Emma’s parents are trying not to be too mortified. They get a nice bit of distraction from Hook who, in a show of surprising honesty, tells them about Neal. While the men agree that not telling Emma until they’re sure about Neal’s alive or dead state, Snow feels uncomfortable lying to her daughter. Personally, I think she should embrace this opportunity to make up for missed chances to lie to her kid about things like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
Back in the Enchanted Forest, Ariel and Snow gab about boys. Seems the mermaid fell in love at first sight with land-Prince Eric when she saved him from a shipwreck a year ago. She also reveals that she’s got plans for a night on two legs by lifts her fins onto the land where they transform. Apparently, the sea witch Ursula grants mermaids the ability to have legs for 12 hours every high tide and this one coincides with Ursula’s Ball, which Eric will attend.
Neverland. The Charmings and Hook are trying to make a getaway from the camp but their poor planning makes Emma suspicious. So Snow just blurts it out: Neal’s alive.
After commercial, we get some quality time with Rumple, who is struggling to see into future. Then Pan pops up to offer him some breakfast and inform the dealmaker that he can’t see the future in a place where time stands still. Duh. He tells Rumple to just leave the island because even if he saved Neal and Henry no one will forgive him for all the evil he’s done. Go back to Belle and make a new start, Pan advises.
While Rumple contemplates his cowardice, the company is arguing about looking for Neal. Regina, once again speaking for the audience, says, “This is a waste of time.” Snow tells Emma that she owes it to Henry and herself to find out if Neal’s alive but the Queen is fed up with making no progress on finding their son. She goes off on her own while everyone else heads off to find Neal. They better hurry too because as Pan and Felix watch them from afar, it’s decided to move the captive Neal to the Echo Cave.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Sopranos Star Swaps The Mob For Bigamy In Rake

Originally published on PopWrapped.  4 November 2013.

Greg Kinnear’s lawyer in the new courtroom dramedy Rake has just gotten a new client in the shape of The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli.

It appears that Imperioli will be playing an unassuming, successful restaurant owner who is charged with bigamy. This looks to be par for the course for lawyer Keegan Deane (Kinnear) who represents a man charged with cannibalism in the pilot episode. Deane is also dealing with gambling debt, the IRS, falling in love with a prostitute and the return of a woman who tried to stab him.


Rake, which is adapted from an Australian series, is perhaps best described as a cross betweenCalifornication (attractive and talented but deeply flawed protagonist) and Boston Legal (unusual and entertaining court cases).


Aside from his Emmy award-winning stint on The Sopranos, Imperioli has done guest spots on The Officeand Californication. His episode of Rake is scheduled for February.


Set to air on Thursdays starting in January, Rake will first debut on Fox following the NFC Championship, January 19. In the mean time, check out the series’ extended trailer below:


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Stan Lee Rules Day 2 Of Comikaze Expo 2013

Originally published on PopWrapped.  3 November 2013.


Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo 2013 at the LA Convention Center is a menagerie of geeky interests. Now in its third year, the convention has plenty of room for comics and games alongside toys, animated features, films, and everything else under the nerd sun.
The man of the hour himself, Stan Lee, was on hand for quite a bit of programming on Comikaze’s second day, Saturday November 2. One of the new projects the legend has been involved in is Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, a combination of an animated series and movie trilogy as well as a monthly comic. Those lined up to lend their voices to the project were Armie Hammer, Christian Slater, Mayim Bialik, Teri Hatcher, Darren Criss, Sean Astin, Jim Belushi and Michael Ironside.
Photo by Stephanie Coats
Also announced was Stan Lee’s Superhero Ball Wars, a series of iPhone and iPad game apps. Set on the planet Ballo, the action revolves around capturing or deflecting heroes and villains from Ballo as they fly towards your screen. An augmented reality version of the game has the player hold up their device to the sky to locate Ballo before beginning game play (you can also lock the screen to start without needing to find the planet). The apps will start being released next year.
Photo by Stephanie Coats
Comic and film lovers were able to enjoy panels like “The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened.” The documentary’s maker, John Schepp, gave fans a taste of what to expect when the finished film comes out next summer. In a special Comikaze clip package, snippets of interviews with Superman Lives concept artists and other members of the production team show and speak about plans for the film. These included a version of legendary Superman adversary, Doomsday, as a dinosaur-alien created by Brainiac.
Photo by Stephanie Coats
Schepp also said he is in talks with two of the primary individuals involved with the cancelled 1998 film, such as Nicolas Cage, Kevin Smith or Tim Burton, but would not specifically reveal whom. Schepp hopes to premiere the film either at the Tribecca Film Festival, where he has been offered a spot, or at San Diego Comic-Con 2014.
Earlier in the day, Schepp showed the full Kickstarter-funded pilot of his animated show, Grimm Fairy Tales. An adaptation of the comic series, the 20-minute pilot was definitely R-rated with plenty of rough language, gore, and nudity. The creative team behind the episode is currently working on raising money and interest to continue making the show as a TV series or a standalone movie.
Photo by Stephanie Coats
No convention is complete without star power and cosplay and Comikaze had both. Topping the list of celebrities were Alyssa Milano, Edward James Olmos, Bruce Campbell and LeVar Burton. The stars of the Emmy award-winning web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, were also on hand. Ashley Clements (Lizzie), Mary Katie Wiles (Lydia) and Daniel Vincent Gordh (Darcy) were joined by some of the series’ creative team for a packed panel Saturday afternoon.
Comikaze 2013 concludes its run Sunday, November 3.