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  • REVIEW: ‘Wheel of Time’ Episode 1×5, “Blood Calls Blood”

    REVIEW: ‘Wheel of Time’ Episode 1×5, “Blood Calls Blood”

    Amazon’s Wheel of Time has done a rather impressive job of adapting Robert Jordan’s novels. While the adaptation has not always been perfect, the series has successfully captured the feel of the novels, while also allowing for new viewers to jump into this immersive world without having read the novels. Unfortunately, though, as strong as the episodes have been thus far, “Blood Calls Blood” feels like a filler episode.

    “Blood Calls Blood” picks up where “The Dragon Reborn” leaves off. After the Aes Sedai gentle Logain, the women and their Warders take to burying the bodies of the fallen. Kerene’s death is one of many, but it’s clear her fellow sisters are still struggling to accept her faith. However, their grief is nothing compared to that of her Warder, Stepin. He’s having trouble accepting her loss and what life entails without Kerene and his duty as a Warder. Despite having only appeared in two episodes, Stepin’s storyline feels vital, for his grief is palpable throughout the episode.

    Stepin’s storyline is the best part of “Blood Calls Blood.” It’s a deep study into a minor character, while also further helping to explore the Warders much like the fourth episode focused on the powerful women of the Aes Sedai. Unfortunately, though, the episode realizes it has a story to elevate far too late. It is at this point it becomes clear “Blood Calls Blood” is an episode of convenience.

    When the episode finally remembers that Rand and the others are still trying to find one another, it doesn’t really do much more with them than the episodes before it. They’re all still trying to make their way to the White Tower. Mat is still fending off the corruption of the madness, something further teased by Logain’s minor appearance this episode. More importantly, though, the only characters to see their stories truly move forward are those of Egwene and Perrin. After seeking safety with the Tuatha’an for some time, the pair are captured by the Whitecloaks this episode, with death seemingly certain for one of them. However, both Egwene and Perrin have secrets that ultimately help to save them.

    This episode is the first we truly get to see of Perrin’s connection to the wolves on screen. While it has been hinted at in earlier episodes, “Blood Calls Blood” is the first to show the wolves coming to his aid in battle. It’s, honestly, one of the better scenes in the episode. It’s well-shot with tense action that’ll leave viewers on the edge of their seats. What follows, however, is a somber note in which the episode ends.

    Unable to accept his loss, Stepin makes the decision to end his life. It’s a heartbreaking scene that is only made more powerful by the ritual that follows. Stepin’s body lay in the middle of the room as his fellow Warders gather around him dressed in white. Lan, his closest friend, leads the ritual to let go of their grief. Moiraine stands nearby, enduring the grief of her Warder, while Nynaeve stands behind her with her eyes glued on Lan. It’s the first time the relationship between the two is truly teased. Of course, with just three episodes left to go, it remains to be seen how Wheel of Time successfully brings the two together romantically.

    Overall, “Blood Calls Blood” is not the strongest episode of Wheel of Time. It is, however, the most heartbreaking episode viewers will endure so far. With three episodes left, it’s only a matter of time before our group is finally reunited. Or so we can hope.

  • Amazon’s ‘Harlem’ Draws Inspiration From Living Single and That’s Not a Bad Thing

    Amazon’s ‘Harlem’ Draws Inspiration From Living Single and That’s Not a Bad Thing

    In the 90s, there was an incredibly well-received series called Living Single. It aired on Fox for five years and starred Kim Coles, Erika Alexander, Kim Fields, and the one and only, Queen Latifah. It followed the story of a group of friends and the trials and tribulations of their careers and love lives as they navigated a world not really accepting of strong Black women. It won four Emmys and, as fans watched Friends essentially Wally Pipp the premise and splash a fresh white paint on it, there has always been a clamoring for a revival or reboot. 

    Well, friends, that reboot/revival has arrived on Amazon with Harlem. Created by Girls Trip writer Tracy Oliver, the 10-episode series stars Meagan Good, Jerrie Johnson, Grace Byers, and Shoniqua Shandai as four girlfriends who now have to navigate a world that doesn’t particularly care for strong Black women. Does that sound familiar? Harlem gets kudos for showing all different kinds of Black love, too, whether it is Black queer love or strong, independent love. Even in the way it depicts Black vulnerability, Harlem hits the right notes, and it’s no surprise given how Oliver carefully simultaneously handled the comedic and serious moments of Girls Trip. 

    While the four ladies are vital to the heart of Harlem, there is undoubtedly a fifth main character in the show: Harlem, the mecca of Black culture in New York. As a New York resident for most of my life, Harlem has always been a mythical place to me. However, having worked on 140th Street and 8th Avenue for a long time, I saw firsthand the impact Harlem had on its residents. By extension, I saw the pain when gentrification came to take away what was theirs. Harlem captures that essence through introspection and funny moments. Meagan Good’s character, for example, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University, and so she’s teaching in an area already gentrified while living in an area that hasn’t been claimed yet. As the season goes on, her character, Camille, is forced to accept that Harlem as she’s known it is changing – for better or worse, and the only way her voice will be hard is if she lets it.

    Harlem is a celebration of Black culture, what it means to be a Black woman, and how success is defined for them. Like Living Single before it, Harlem is not hesitant to break the stereotypes that are often associated with its leads, but what makes it work is its willingness to address them head-on when they’re hinted at. It is incredible television with a cast that brings it every scene.

  • Netflix’s Upcoming ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Film is a Direct Sequel to Tobe Hooper’s 1974 Original

    Netflix’s Upcoming ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Film is a Direct Sequel to Tobe Hooper’s 1974 Original

    After reviving the Evil Dead franchise with a refreshing new take, Fede Álvarez is also tackling the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Alongside his writing partner Rodo Sayagues, they are attempting to reboot the entire franchise with a sequel to the original 1974 classic by Tobe Hooper. He offered some insight into their approach to the film, as well as teased with a first look at the returning Leatherface.

    Me and Rodo really wanted to make sure we don’t disappoint the fans, and we are [among them]. So it’s pretty hardcore. But at the same time it has the simplicity of that first film. We wanted to come up with a very simple premise [with] a powerful domino effect. Everything is set up in the right place — all you have to do is push the first domino and everything will happen effortlessly.

    Fede Álvarez
    TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE Cr. Yana Blajeva / ©2021 Legendary, Courtesy of Netflix

    He goes on to highlight that this is indeed the same character we met in the original and offers a taste of how they integrate the character into the story.

    It’s basically the same character, who is still alive. Our take on it was this guy probably disappeared after everything he’s done. You know, how do you catch a guy who has a mask? Once he removes the mask and runs away, it’s very easy for him to hide somewhere. This story will pick it up many, many years after the original story. He’s been in hiding for a long, long time, trying to be a good person. These people arriving in this town are going to awaken the giant.

    Fede Álvarez

    David Blue Garcia takes over directing duties based on a script by Chris Thomas Devlin, the upcoming sequel “takes place a long time after the original Texas Chainsaw” according to one of its stars Elsie Fisher. She’ll be joined by Sarah Yarkin, Nell Hudson, and Jacob Latimore who end up playing the group that ends up in this horror sequel. It’ll be interesting to see if the film will manage to achieve what it sets out once it releases on February 18th.

    Source: EW

  • ‘West Side Story’: Ariana DeBose on Taking Over the Role of Anita as an Afro-Latinx Actress

    ‘West Side Story’: Ariana DeBose on Taking Over the Role of Anita as an Afro-Latinx Actress

    Stephen Spielberg’s new rendition of the iconic musical West Side Story is packed with unfamiliar faces. Much of the cast find themselves breaking out on the big screen for the first time, fresh off the stages of Broadway. One of these up-and-coming stars is Ariana DeBose, who takes up the torch once carried by the great Rita Moreno, in the role of Anita. During a recent press junket, DeBose was asked what it was like to follow in the footsteps of someone as iconic as Moreno. Her answer immediately, and appropriately, addressed the topic of race and how it factored into the doubt she had about being cast:

    Y’know, I feel like my answer to that question is going to change every time. Depending on the moment I’m in. When I was first asked to audition, I had to be pushed into the room. I inherently did not think this was ever a job that I would book, because Anitas don’t look like us. They look like Rita Moreno.

    Ariana DeBose

    The actress, who has darker skin than most of her costars, felt it was important this aspect be explored in her character’s updated storyline. She went on to explain:

    I was, not shocked, but just like really amazed that Stephen [Spielberg] and Tony [Kushner] were open to having the conversation around it. Because it was something I said in the room, ‘If we don’t want to touch on that, y’know, by virtue of me being a black woman, and that can inform this character’s path, then maybe this isn’t the choice for you. Maybe I’m not the choice for you.’ And then you get the job and you’re like ‘Oh my gosh, okay, cool. I have a point of view. I know what I’m trying to accomplish and I feel prepared. Everything’s going to be fine.’

    Ariana DeBose

    Luckily, the filmmakers behind the production agreed to make this part of Anita’s arc in the movie. Now fans are fortunate to have DeBose’s fresh take on the character to root for when the film drops on December 10th.

  • Benedict Cumberbatch on Doctor Strange’s Future Beyond ‘Multiverse of Madness’

    Benedict Cumberbatch on Doctor Strange’s Future Beyond ‘Multiverse of Madness’

    We still have some time before Doctor Strange gets his first sequel, Multiverse of Madness next year. Yet, Benedict Cumberbatch will be on the silver screen as the Sorcerer Supreme in just a few weeks, as he’ll appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home. He’ll help guide Peter Parker through the multiverse, as he faces an unlikely future with his identity out there. Of course, it does open the question of what does the future has in store for our favorite sorcerer. Seems that question was also nagging USA Today, as they asked the actor about it in a recent interview while he was promoting Power of the Dog. It looks like he is open to sticking around quite a bit longer, as he says that:

    As long as the character is interesting and challenging and doing fantastic things in the MCU, why not.

    Benedict Cumberbatch

    It’s always great to see an actor as talented as Cumberbatch committed to bringing these characters to life and even willing to stick around for a longer period of time. Chris Hemsworth famously wanted to leave the franchise after a certain amount of films until Taika Waititi came along and added a breath of fresh air to his franchise, reigniting that spark. We’ll see if a third or even fourth entry in the Doctor Strange franchise can add something new for the actor to dip his toes in and keep the enthusiasm going.

    Source: USA Today

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ LEGO Box Set Offers Closer Look at Scarlet Witch

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ LEGO Box Set Offers Closer Look at Scarlet Witch

    Just a few days ago, a Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness LEGO set has found its way online featuring a first look at Gargantos. It gave us a small glimpse at the packaging with a closer look at Xochitl Gomez as Miss America. Well, it seems that the box set has found its way online in higher quality thanks to @RPK_NEWS1, which also gives us a closer look at Scarlet Witch’s design for the upcoming film, as she stands alongside America, Strange, and Wong even as she was missing in the LEGO Set.

    It looks like her design has remained mostly the same from when we saw her in WandaVision. Perhaps it highlights how the various Disney+ shows also help prepare costumes and designs ahead of their appearance in other projects. Adds a nice level of synergy, such as Abomination having a role in Shang-Chi ahead of his return in the She-Hulk series. Of course, there’s a chance they did make a few small changes, but we’ll only find out once we get a closer look at the full design.

    Source: Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Harlem’ is a Celebration of Women of Color

    REVIEW: ‘Harlem’ is a Celebration of Women of Color

    At a time when Sex in the City is coming back, courtesy of HBO Max’s And Just Like That…, Amazon is set to deliver its own female-led drama titled Harlem. Unlike And Just Like That…, though, Harlem is a diverse series that manages to empower women without shying away from the ugly realities of the world.

    Harlem tells the story of a group of four best friends trying to navigate their thirties while living in Harlem. Their love lives are a mess and there’s plenty of drama throughout. However, there’s also a heck of a lot of heart. While its own thing, Harlem will undoubtedly be compared to And Just Like That… when it hits later this year simply because of the premise. It’s so much more than that, though, that the comparison would simply undermine Harlem.

    Each episode opens with a voice-over by Meagan Good‘s Camille, who is undoubtedly the show’s main protagonist. She’s an anthropology professor at Columbia who is trying to rebuild her life after she implodes her future because of her own fears. While most of the series revolves around her and her chaotic life – both intimately and professionally – Harlem makes sure to shine a light on her best friends, too. Quinn, Angie and Tye are still given time to shine on their own while Camille’s story unfolds.

    It’s not always easy to juggle multiple storylines with an ensemble cast, and yet, Harlem seems to have no trouble. The storylines shift almost effortlessly, always ending with the group reunited in the end. You will laugh with these women, and you will cry with these women, enjoying the rollercoaster ride the entire way.

    A half-hour drama like Harlem is a rarity. Its main cast is exclusively women of color. Some of those characters belong to the LGBTQ+ community. It’s sex-positive and doesn’t shy away from the problems black Americans continue to face daily. It’s light-hearted at times and is full of heart. It’s also a strong exploration into life in Harlem. More importantly, though, Harlem is the type of show that is needed in this day and age. 

    It’s a show that not only celebrates women – it specifically celebrates women of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. That’s something we don’t see nearly enough in media. So, as streaming services continue to fight for your viewership, Amazon’s Harlem is a show that is rightfully worthy of your time. With each studio seemingly launching its own service these days, it’s easy to get lost in the mix, especially as they continue to build upon their popular IPs. However, Harlem is the rare gem of an original that should not get buried or ignored.

    The series hails from Girls Trip writer Tracy Oliver who brings her sense of raunchy comedy to the Amazon series. The relationship between these four women is front and center. We see them as they struggle, we see them as they thrive, and every moment of it is wonderfully realistic. Give yourself a present this holiday season and enjoy the rollercoaster of a ride that Harlem will inevitability take you on. It’s worth it.

  • Arlyn Reviews ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’

    Arlyn Reviews ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’

    I’ve had quite a history with Diary of a Wimpy Kid. As a young kid, I read every book in the series created by Jeff Kinney. I’ve also seen the live-action movies, some of them several times each. I really liked the books in the sense that they made me laugh and just enjoy the characters. I really enjoyed the book The Long Haul because the Heffleys have a series of hilarious misadventures, including picking up a baby pig at a county fair. After having read many of the books, I was very excited to see the characters brought to life in the four live-action movies. Now, Kinney is bringing animated versions of his books to Disney+ in a series of short films beginning with Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid presents the events of the first story in an easy-to-watch 56-minute film. Swinton Scott, who has directed episodes of animated hits such as The Simpsons and Futurama, directed the film which was written and produced by Jeff Kinney. Kinney’s involvement kept the plot of the film almost identical to the book. The film introduces Greg Heffley, voiced by Brady Noon (Good Boys, The Mighty Ducks) and his best friend, Rowley, voiced by Ethan William Childress, as they learn the ropes of middle school. The animated film deals with many of the same themes as the book including, friendship, respect, maturing, and an unhealthy obsession with being popular. It’s a coming-of-age story that is full of humor and drives home lessons about what it means to be a true friend.

    The book dials right into the friendship of Greg and Rowley and highlights Greg’s efforts to force Rowley into growing up so he doesn’t “embarrass him.” In this way, Greg is not a great friend. This aspect of their relationship is featured heavily in the movie. There is one particular scene that takes place at lunch where Rowley asks Greg if he wants to come over and play in the crowded cafeteria. This makes Greg feel embarrassed of Rowley because it’s not the “cool” way to say it (Rowley should’ve asked to hang out), showing an example of Greg’s obsession with being popular. This part makes me feel bad for Rowley because he is still a kid and Greg forces him into growing up so they can be cool. Greg behaves like that again when they are hanging out at Rowley’s house and Greg makes fun of him for having all of the childish stuff in his room like dinosaur bed sheets and stuffed animals. All of these scenes support the claim that Greg is not a great friend to Rowley.

    Disney+ Drops New Trailer For Upcoming 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' Movie – Watch Now! | Brady Noon, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Disney Plus, Ethan William Childress, Movies, Trailer | Just Jared Jr.

    The film’s animation brings the 2-D cartoons from the book into 3-D animation. The animation of the characters resembled the animation from the book very well, making it an easy film to watch. There were even some small touches to the animation that made the body language of the characters give off more emotion.

    I felt connected to the characters. When Greg was mean to Rowley, I felt bad for Rowley and angry at Greg. I also found the film to be very funny. One scene, in particular, is when Rodrick, voiced by Hunter Dillon, was terrorizing Greg about how bad middle school will be by coming up with a bunch of unrealistic scenarios Greg’s reaction was hilarious and on point. And, of course, there’s the classic “cheese scene” that will always cause a laugh. While watching the film, I felt myself empathizing with different characters at different points in time, which is a win for the film. The voice cast really worked well and sold the emotion of the characters.

    I really enjoyed the movie. In summary, it captures all the humor from the book but also includes an added focus on heartfelt moments that weren’t necessarily featured in the book. The Disney+ movie is an upgraded version of the already classic kid’s book. If the adaptations of the other books in the series are as emotionally stirring, I hope they adapt them all.

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid is now streaming on Disney Plus.

  • Avatar Studios Working on a 2D/CG Animation Style Similar to ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’

    Avatar Studios Working on a 2D/CG Animation Style Similar to ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’

    It was quite a surprise when the creators of Avatar left Netflix’s live-action adaptation. While that project is still moving forward, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko founded an entire studio that exists to purely create more Avatar: The Last Airbender content moving forward. Well, it seems we may have gotten our first update on their approach for future projects. In a new listing for the newly found subsidiary of Nickelodeon Animation Studio, they are looking to cast a Pipeline TD with some insights into what the job requires. There is one particular line that stands out:

    Develop and maintain an outstanding and customized look for the show that will require the integration of traditional 2D and CG elements

    As Avatar News points out, who caught the news first, this style is quite similar to how Sony brought the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse to life. It’s also become quite a popular design choice for projects, such as the recently released League of Legends series, Arcane. It offers the developers a way to create a unique art style to add an additional flair to their productions. Their previous two projects, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, were given a classic 2D animation style.

    It’ll be interesting to see if they standardized the design for all their projects moving forward, or it’s mainly for a specific project. They want to explore the different eras that were only mentioned or teased in the previous two projects. It would be a clever idea to have a unique animation style that represents stories in a specific timeline. We’ll see what direction they are heading.

    Source: ViacomCBS via Avatar News

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Star Brady Noon Reveals His Favorite Book in the Series

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Star Brady Noon Reveals His Favorite Book in the Series

    Like many kids his age, 15-year old Brady Noon has grown up in a Wimpy Kid world. At least one Diary of a Wimpy Kid book has been published every year since 2007, including the latest entry in the series, Big Shot, which was released this October. Additionally, four of the books (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules, Dog Days and The Long Haul) were adapted into live-action films between 2010 and 2017.

    Now Disney Plus is working with author Jeff Kinney to adapt the books into a series of animated films beginning with Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which starts streaming tomorrow and Noon, who starred on the D+ series, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, is now a part of that world, voicing the lead character, Greg Heffley. Arlyn Murphy had a chance to speak with Noon ahead of the film’s release and asked him if he was a fan of the Wimpy Kid books growing up.

    I was! Third and Fourth grade were probably around the first time I picked up a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book and I started reading it and I grew up, my young childhood, on the movies and the books, so just to be part of such an amazing franchise is just such a dream come true.

    Murphy followed up by asking Noon if one book among the 16 in the series stood out to him as a favorite, to which Noon replied, “Yeah, definitely the first one. Can’t go wrong with the original one is kind of how I look at it.” Given the massive franchise the original 2007 book has spawned, Noon’s not wrong!

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid begins streaming on Disney Plus December 3rd.