Foundmi: Heroic Bluetooth Tracking Tag (Review)

By Brandon Johnson (@tallque)
 
Remember that time that you lost your wallet and it took you about a hour to find it? Or when you lost your keys buried under your pile of dirty laundry? Well if this is a normal day for you – we have an item that will LITERALLY change your life.
 
Foundmi, creators or the heroic bluetooth tracking tags, are here to save the day! These simple bluetooth trackers are easy to use and super handy. Oh, did I mention they come in some of your favorite hero designs? You can find heroes and villains from Star Wars, Marvel, and DC Comics.
 
All you have to do is download the Foundmi app and turn on your bluetooth tracking — and the app will take care of the rest. It only took a mere four minutes to set up.
 
The slogan that they go by is “Tag it. Track it. Find it.” And that’s pretty legit. If you lose your items — all you have to do is pull out your phone and send a signal to the tracker, which will ring until you find it. If you can’t find it with the alarm, just check where you last had it on the app’s GPS system. Foundmi also works in reverse; if you have lost your phone and you have you Foundmi handy — all you have to do it double tap the Foundmi button and your phone will ring.
 
Unlike most other bluetooth trackers, Foundmi has set up their trackers with replaceable batteries. Other brands make you buy a whole new tracker and perform the setup all over again.
 
Your Foundmi is compatible with Alexa as well – so if you don’t have your Foundmi handy, say “Alexa find my Foundmi”, and Alexa will send out an alarm for you. Now, just to add the icing on the top of the cake, your Foundmi can take selfies for you. All you have to do is set up your camera phone in the right position and press the Foundmi button to take an endless supply of photos from a distance.
 
At only $25, these trackers are easy to collect and use on a daily basis. You can purchase your Foundmi online at www.foundmi.com.
 
Track your wallet with Darth Vader, keys with Deadpool, bookbag with Batman, purse with Wonderwoman, dog with Boba Fett, car with The Hulk, or whatever else you can stick this thing to. Let Foundmi save your life today!
 

 

 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/foundmi-heroic-bluetooth-tracking-tag-review/

Interview with ‘Shrinkage’ Writer Rob Kutner

By: Brandon Johnson
 
Rob Kutner is a former writer for The Daily Show, Dennis Miller Live and is a current writer for Conan. He has a new comic called Shrinkage.
 
SHRINKAGE is a one-of-a-kind tale about tiny aliens fighting shrunken-down humans inside the brain of the President of the United States. It’s like Fantastic Voyage meets Dr. Strangelove in The West Wing.
 

How long have you been interested in writing?

 
Far back enough to risk getting kicked out of class for scribbling Far Side-knockoff cartoons and Edgar Allan Poe-knockoff short stories. And yet my guidance counselor said I had “such potential”…
 

How was Comic-Con 2017 for you?

 
Great! Con-goers are so instantly enthusiastic about checking out new, way-out-there things, it’s like being in Bizarro Hollywood.
 

How is it writing for one of the biggest faces of Comic Con, Conan O’Brien?

 
Conan already has a nicely nerdy audience, but our SDCC shows allow us to laser in on their (and our) very favorite things. I’m speaking, of course, about moray eels.
 

What was the main reason you became a writer?

 
I feel like I’ve been one ever since I could scrawl my name with triangled Crayons; the trick was getting someone to pay me for it.
 

If you never became a writer, what other career path would you have chosen?

 
Well let’s see, I’ve got one decent kidney to spare, so that gets me about $100k in Shanghai…
 

What comics inspired you to create your new comic, Shrinkage?

 
Pretty much everything by Brian K Vaughan: the high-concept imagination of Y: The Last Man; how Ex Machina melded politics and hard sci-fi; the way Saga opened up the idea of a whole universe of weirdos relentlessly pursuing clashing agendas.
 

How was it working with inker John Lucas, who also worked such comics as Deadpool and X-Men?

 
A dream so good, I refuse to lift my head off the drool-soaked pillow. Our sensibilities were such an instant meld, I felt less and less need to describe anything over time; I knew he’d nail it.
 

For any aspiring writers out there, what words of encouragement do you have for them?

 
Identify the things you love and give them new life in new settings. For example: I’ve always adored George C. Scott’s character Buck Turgid in Dr. Strangelove, so I built an homage to him in Shrinkage’s Sturge McCrain.
 

What were some things you were nerdy about as a kid, like your favorite video game, action figure, TV show etc?

 
I grew up on D&D and Infocom text adventure games like Zork, but where I nerded out was in trying to create my own versions of both. I once made an RPG version of 1984 – alas, it turns out people aren’t into a game where you can roll a die for “sitting around, worrying.”
 

How easy or hard was it to create, write, and print this comic?

 
Hard. I couldn’t sell it to the majors because I was a comics nobody and it wasn’t a franchise. I crowdfunded it, and got amazing support from friends, family, fans of my writing credits and work online (My Twitter is @apocalypsehow) – but it’s still an uphill slog!
 

Anything else you would like to mention?

 
To me, making a comic book is like making a movie you can hold in your hands, and getting to hold mine makes me start to empathize a little with Gollum.
 
Purchase Shrinkage HERE – or individual issues digitally at ComiXology.

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/interview-with-shrinkage-writer-rob-kutner/

Toy Review: Voltron: Legendary Defender (Wave Three)

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/toy-review-voltron-legendary-defender-wave-three/

Let’s Make Zac A Pop! (Results)

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/lets-make-zac-a-pop-results/

Store Closing Announcement

The Nerd HQ online store will be closing August 28th while we undergo some major changes. Now is your last chance to snag some nerch! Click here to browse our remaining items.

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/store-closing-announcement/

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles GIVEAWAY!

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/tales-of-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-giveaway/

Let’s Make Zac a POP! (Headquarters Competition)

Five contestants. One trophy. Who will take home the gold? You have a chance to decide who wins and win some Original Funko/Nerd HQ giveaways in the process. #LetsMakeZacAPop
 
A few weeks ago, everyone at the headquarters gathered together to make what has not been made before: a Funko POP! of our CommaNERD in Chief, Zachary Levi. Each of us were given $25 seed money to collect whatever supplies may be needed to craft our own DIY POP!, with only an hour given to complete the task. Each contestant was given a character at random from Zac’s various personas, ranging from Chuck, Heroes Reborn, Thor: The Dark World, Flynn Rider and Nerd 001. Without further ado… LET’S MAKE ZAC A POP!
 

 

 

 

 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/lets-make-zac-a-pop-headquarters-competition/

Ben 10 (Playmates Toys Review)

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/ben-10-playmates-toys-review/

Shirt of the Day: Rubik’s Cube

ONLY AVAILABLE TODAY. Click here to be taken to our store!

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/shirt-of-the-day-rubiks-cube/

Meeting the New Cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 did a sensational job reuniting old cast members and introducing new (and very old) friends and foes. Chances are you’ve seen the film, but if you haven’t, turn away and read our spoiler-free review here.

Spoilers Ahead

Arguably the most absurd character in the film, Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby) shines as the ridiculously petty Ayesha, but she wasn’t always the confident gold star we see in the film. Debicki described the process of meeting some of her foes.
 
“My first day on set was when we were shooting in the throne room, and I was obviously terrified of playing this extremely powerful creature…I remember so sitting up on the throne for a long time and all the Guardians were in front of me. It was so intimidating, and it was about two hours before we spoke to each other, I think. And they all came up in this line to sort of come and say hello. And I was like, please come and say hello to me! Someone say hello. And then that was fine after that.” – Elizabeth Debicki (Ayesha)
 
The most surprising Marvel newcomer, though, is the legendary Sylvester Stallone. His role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is unlike anything he’s experienced before.
 

 
“Early on in my career I just always became fascinated with mythology and Joseph Campbell and you know, Man of a Thousand Faces and so on and so forth. So when I started doing Rambo, whatever, there was an evolution that takes place and each generation has to define itself and find its own heroes and find its own mythology and this is the new, this is this generation, and maybe even the next generation’s mythology and when Kevin invited me onboard I said, “This is interesting because I haven’t gone here,” so I mean, I’m kind of earthbound, I’m terrestrial.” – Sylvester Stallone (Starhawk)
 
The newest edition to the Guardians, and my personal favorite, is Mantis, played by Pom Klementieff. The socially inept creature is essentially Ego’s slave and the butt of many unintentional sleights from Drax.
 

 
Last but not least, newly minted Hollywood Walk of Fame star Kurt Russell plays Star-Lord’s (Chris Pratt) enigmatic father/planet, Ego. Russell has a dynamite dynamic with the cast, with a genuine love and respect for the source material.
 

 
“When I read the script, I wanted to make sure I was kind of understanding it correctly and I hadn’t seen the first movie. I’m not much of a moviegoer… I knew that everybody loved it, though…one day I was doing Hateful Eight stuff… and all of a sudden, boom, boom, boom, boom, my phone and the people around me are saying, are you gonna do, oh that’s great, are you gonna be Star Lord’s dad? Are you gonna be Peter Quill’s father and are you gonna do Guardians of the Galaxy and I, I just was like, guys, I don’t really know what they’re talking about. When I saw the movie, I immediately started getting it. I also immediately started wanting to do it.” – Kurt Russell (Ego)
 

Have a look at our spoiler-laden video review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and drop a comment below letting us know what your favorite part of the film was!

 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/meeting-the-new-cast-of-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2/

Kid’s Corner: Star Wars Builders

So it’s May 4th and you are at home binge watching all 8 Star Wars movies with your kids, sounds like the perfect day, but as anyone knows, 18 ish hours is a long time to get the kids to sit still. Star Wars: Builders is the perfect craft for any Star Wars fan with kids. These cardboard creations are easy to put together and look great on the shelf once you’re done with the building phase. (Although personally, I’d invest in some string and hang the X-Wing, Tie Fighter, and Millenium Falcon from the ceiling.) In addition to the Millenium Falcon and Starfighter sets, Star Wars: Builders has an impressive Droids set that allows you to build R2-D2, BB-8, and C-3PO. Each set also contains a kid’s book with facts and quizzes about the various ships and droids of the Star Wars Universe. While the thick cardboard allows for easy creation and are sturdy enough for modeling, I don’t recommend using them for actual play, as they will come apart with repeated use. While not meant for play, as a build tool, these are excellent for young builders who aren’t quite ready for snap fit models or complex Lego sets. Star Wars: Builders sets can be found at most big box and craft stores for around $20 a set. May The Force Be With You!
 

 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/kids-corner-star-wars-builders/

Win a Copy of Underworld: Blood Wars

New today on Blu-ray: Kate Beckinsale returns in the next installment of the blockbuster franchise, UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS. This time, the Death Dealer must protect the bloodline & stop the eternal war by fending off attacks from both vampires & lycans, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice. Get UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS now on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital. From Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Rated R.
 
Comment below with your favorite horror movie character for the chance to win a copy of UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS on Blu-ray!

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/win-a-copy-of-underworld-blood-wars/

American Gods – Ep. 1 “The Bone Orchard” Review

By Jaclyn Cascio (@jaclynator)
 
Neil Gaiman’s American Gods premiered this past Sunday on Starz. And it was a wild ride. If you’re wondering if it’s worth adding the show to your “watch” list, read on for a (spoiler-free) review of this week’s episode and then decide for yourself!
 
As an author, Neil Gaiman has a captivating way of telling fantasy stories in matter-of-fact fashion. He takes the outlandish and ridiculous, mixes it with the real world, and makes you think, “Well, of course that’s how it is!” The television show promises no less with its first episode, “The Bone Orchard.” Artfully subtle in introducing religious themes and magic, the audience is privileged to learn about (and get lost in) the unknowns of the world alongside the lead character, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle). And it’s easy to see in the first episode that only the tip of the iceberg has been touched upon. There is a rich mythological world to delve into, and there’s no telling where the exploration will lead!
 
American Gods requires not only a unique mix of absurdity, mythos, subtlety, and believable character development (even if characters themselves aren’t quite realistic), but also artful visual aesthetics to bring it all together. Bryan Fuller (Hannibal) proved that he and the team (such as this episode’s director David Slade) were up to the task in bringing Gaiman’s story to life. While some shows may have interesting stories or characters, there are few that have such distinct atmospheres. We’ve seen it more recently in shows by Noah Hawley (like Fargo or Legion), but Fuller proved himself with Hannibal, and American Gods is no less visceral in feeling. Honestly, with what appeared to be gallons of blood flying about in various scenes in “The Bone Orchard,” (you’ve been warned) it still somehow managed to look stylized and fantastic. Disturbingly beautiful, really. Add to that a wacky gator bar, a digital limo, and a scene that felt like an homage to “A Clockwork Orange” and you’ve got the makings of something wonderful and worth watching for seven more episodes of the season!
 
Speaking of subtlety, the writing of “The Bone Orchard” was clever, cunningly teasing the hidden identities of characters introduced in the first episode. If you’ve read the book, you don’t need the clues, but were likely to pick up on them. (They were laid on thick for Mr. Wednesday.) However, if American Gods is a totally new experience, those clues might have been lost on the banter of character interactions. It speaks to the expert story-telling of the script writers and their ability to provide such foreshadowing without actually giving anything away! And when you figure it out, you’ll likely have a face-palm “d’oh!” moment that will make you appreciate the story all the more!
 
With people not always being what they seem, it is important to get casting right. It is readily apparent in “The Bone Orchard” that the casting is absolutely perfect. Ricky Whittle plays Shadow Moon, an ex-con whose life has pretty much fallen apart. He serves as a gateway into the unknown and invites sympathy from the viewer as he tries to stay afloat amidst trying situations. Whittle manages to play a gentle giant who gives the impression that he is, at the very least, thinking more than he’s speaking. He’s likable, with just the right amount of brooding anger beneath the surface to make him unpredictable and a little exciting!
 
Meanwhile, Ian McShane as Mr. Wednesday steals the show. A con man on the surface and unknown intentions below, he is the main source of mystery. And McShane just feels right for the role! He slyly tells Shadow who he is without actually saying anything, just like a slick conniver would.
 
Bilquis, played by Yetide Badaki, is gorgeous and seductive, and incredibly pulls off a scene that no reader ever realistically expected to see on the screen. What could have been clumsy and awkward somehow came off sensual and powerful. Pablo Schreiber as Mad Sweeney was darkly fun and gleefully menacing, just the kind of Irishman you would expect to see rolling with Wednesday at an odd gator bar somewhere in America. Additionally, Tech Boy (Bruce Langley) is the epitome of the stereotypical, technology obsessed millennial of modern day. Overall, they provide just a taste of talented supporting cast we have to look forward to in coming episodes.
 
As a fan of the 2001 book by Gaiman, I was not disappointed by the first episode of American Gods. “The Bone Orchard” beautifully carried out what readers have only imagined before. Even fresh viewers who are new to the story will walk away from the excellent cliffhanger ending of the first episode intrigued and invested in the journey of the characters they met. With a unique flavor you won’t soon forget, “The Bone Orchard” began the journey of the first season of American Gods with style and panache!
 
The show airs every Sunday at 9pm on Starz.
 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/american-gods-ep-1-the-bone-orchard-review/

Supergirl Recap: Ace Reporter

By:  David Carner (@davidcarner)

 

<h3>Spoilers to follow!</h3> 

&nbsp;

Welcome back!  It’s been a month.  We open in the DEO, where there is nothing to do.  Kara finds herself trying cooking while the others take care of DEO business (she’s not very good).  Lena shows up, and she bares her soul about the CEO of another company(Jack).  She wants Kara to go with her to the press conference to have her back.  At the press conference, she runs into Trapper, they have a pleasant conversation (that’s sarcasm).  He’s created some fancy-smancy balls that can heal wounds using nanobots.  Kara gets the first question to Trapper’s delight, he tries to cut her off, and Kara jumps back in.  After the event, Jack finds Lena, and Kara scurries away giving them time.  She’s stopped by some guy who screams conspiracy nut and he walks off.  Jack asks Lena out to dinner, but she leaves before she gives an answer.  We cut to Guardian, who is beating up baddies and then he returns to the Guardian van, which is arockin (no seriously, it’s rockin).  Inside Wynn and Lyra are making out (that’s it) but James is upset.  Lyra knew James was Guardian because of his smell.  Lyra wants to help, and James is not happy with that.  James refuses to work with her, and they go back and forth, and he finally caves.  At the pier, Kara shows up to talk to conspiracy guy, Joe Watkins.  He worked for Jack’s company, and as he talks, they nanobots head for the car.  He says the human tests were faked, and the car explodes, Kara flies up with the coolest imagery of her coat on fire, and ask she turns her shirt is burnt and we can see the symbol. 

&nbsp;

We cut back to KatCo, and Kara asks James to request info from the DEA.  Trapper walks in, sees Kara and asks if she forgot her scruncy.  She tells him what she’s doing and the three go back and forth until Trapper reminds James that’s a conflict of interest.  Kara changes her mind and leaves.  Kara overhears Trapper telling James about a test subject and she leaves.  Over at Lexcorp, Jack walks into Lena’s office and again tries to get a date.  They talk, at length, and he asks again.  We cut to the van, and Guardian taking down a kid.  Lyra shows and kicks the young man’s rearend.  Guardian stops her.  We cut to Snapper meeting the subject, and Supergirl is outside listening.  The nanobots show and Kara saves them.  The nanobots kill the test subject, and come for Trapper, but Supergirl freezes them.  They escape.

&nbsp;

At Kara’s apartment, Mon-El is reading, and Kara begins to freak out.  Mon-El tells her Lena is having dinner with Jack and she rushes off after her.  They join the two for dinner.  Kara begins to chat about the Nanobots, and he dodges most question, until Lena wants to know how he figured it all out.  Jack and Lena have a moment, and Lena basically kicks them out.  Mon-El gives Jack a bro hug, and wants them to hang out.  Kara asks him what he was doing and Mon-El shows her the security badge he lifted off of Jack.  They leave and Jack and we cut back to Lexcorp.  Jack apologizes for making her choose.  Kara and Mon-El break in (by use of key card).  Kara uses his computer and finds the truth, Jack is the human trial.  Mon-El plugs in the flash drive into the computer.  Back at Lexcorp, Lena is about to kiss him when Jack realizes what is happening and leaves.  As they are downloading, they hear the Nanos and run.

&nbsp;

Next morning at Lexcorp, Kara drops in on Lena.  Kara apologies for last night, and Lena offers for them to double.  Kara tells her that Biomax is dangerous and is covering it up.  Kara shows her the video.  Lena asks to go talk to him before Kara publishes.  Kara tells her that if she does he’ll kill her.  Lena promises not to go.  Kara apologizes and leaves.  At the bar, Lyra and Wynn meet, and Wynn tells her she went a bit overboard and that she can’t be a part of the van team.  Lyra breaks a beer with her bare hand.  She thinks James hates her, and tells Wynn to leave.  At Catco, Kara walks into Trapper’s office.  After their normal back and forth, Kara gives Trapper the story, and tells him that her giving it to him will get the story to more people, and she apologizes for disobeying his order from a few episodes back where he fired her.  (She looked ready to spit as she said it.)  Trapper says finally, and Kara walks him through everything.  Trapper tells her that the CFO may be involved.  Kara leaves.  Lena confronts Jack.  She accuses him of killing people, and he has no idea, but the CFO is behind him, controlling Jack.

&nbsp;

The CFO made Jack kill everyone (she has this Bluetooth thing in her ear that reminds me of a little of Lobot from The Empire Strikes Back).  Jack has no free will.  The two women trade insults, and the CFO tells her the plan, Lena smiles and says you’re going to kill me that’s why your telling me all of this (See this is so meta, well done)  The CFO send Jack to kill Lena and Supergirl shows up at the last second.  Lena tells Supergirl to keep Jack occupied, and goes after the CFO.  She kicks Lena telling her she’s a blackbelt, and Lena hits her, responding, did I mention I was a Luthor.  The Bluetooth thing goes flying.  Supergirl is trapped, and Lena breaks the Bluetooth thingy, causing Jack great pain.  He tells her to get to the mainframe.  The nanobots are killing Supergirl, and the CFO tells her if she overrides it she’ll kill Jack.  Lena hits the CFO with an elbow to the nose, apologizes to Jack, and saves Supergirl.  (I’m still waiting for her to go full on Luthor, but not today it appears.)

&nbsp;

At Lexcorp, Kara brings Lena some flowers.  They talk, and Lena talks about feeling cold and calm.  (I think it’s coming)  She admits to Kara she’s afraid of the person she might be.  Kara tells her she is there for her, and Lena asks promise?  (Pretty sure it’s coming)  Kara talks about how she will protect her, as Lena stares off, tears in her eyes (Full on Luthor is coming)  Cut to the van, James tries to talk to Wynn about Lyra, but Wynn is still upset.  James tells him he’s his best friend and his brother.  Of course, Lyra is there, invited by James.  James tells her she has to listen to everything.  She agrees.  At Katco, Trapper is bellowing about a Danish, and Kara lays a present on his desk.  She has finally cooked something correctly.  They talk about sea salt, and Trapper hands her the latest magazine.  The story has both his and her name in the byline.  Trapper says she did good, and looked very uncomfortable saying it.  Trapper says he needs to work on the cover, and she starts to leave.  Trapper asks her now that she has a byline is she too good to work late.  Kara stammers and stutters, and Trapper gives his truth, justice, American Way, Apple pie, and baseball speech (okay, I might be exaggerating).  She’s back!  And perhaps the Danish wasn’t that good.  Back at Lexcorp, Lena has a visitor.  It’s Mon-El’s mother.  (Ruh Roh!)

&nbsp;

<h3>Quotes</h3>

&nbsp;

“Wow, they’ll let anyone into these events now.” – Trapper

&nbsp;

“And, I was worried only people born before 1980 read your magazine.” – Kara

&nbsp;

“I’m going to powder my nose.  DO NOT BE HERE WHEN I GET BACK!” – Lyra

&nbsp;

“Did you say thank you?” – Kara.  “Once, to a divorce lawyer.  It was uncomfortable to everyone involved.” – Trapper

&nbsp;

“Behind every great man is a strong woman.” – CFO “Oh, I wouldn’t know, I’ve never stood behind a man.” – Lena. “You just cleaned up after your brother.” – CFO

&nbsp;

“What’s this about a cat stuck up in a tree?  I’m starving.” – Lyra.  “She’s kiddin’, right?” – James. “You know I’m not sure.” – Wynn.

&nbsp;

<h3>Little Things</h3>

&nbsp;

We always knew Kara would be back at the paper, but that was done very, very well.

&nbsp;

I always feared Lena would go to the dark side, and if she does, it was also done very well, but it was set up in a way where she just might not.

&nbsp;

No Alex and Maggie this week, but it appears a very Alex intensive episode next week.

&nbsp;

I hope you enjoyed the review.  If I missed an Easter Egg, please let me know and if I can confirm it, next week I’ll give you all the credit. 

&nbsp;

If you haven’t today, please take a second to open the Donate a Photo app by Johnson & Johnson.  When you donate a photo, $1 is given to the charity of your choice, and Operation Smile is one of those charities.  There are several other charities on there as well.  Come on back in next week and we’ll talk “Alex.”  (That title worries me a bit) (After seeing the previews it really worries me)

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/supergirl-recap-ace-reporter/

Film Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Movie trailers are a dangerous thing nowadays. What used to be quick announcements to get butts in seats has turned into a remix of said films; a three-minute reel highlighting a its greatest hits. Marvel is guilty of this. From Age of Ultron to Spider-Man Homecoming, the trailers in the MCU have become increasingly risky to watch with their spoiler-centric editing that gives away action beats and character moments – it’s essentially cheapening the cinematic experience. Fortunately, James Gunn is a big film nerd who recognizes what a trailer SHOULD be, and I can’t stress the importance of the spoiler-free campaign marketing campaign for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Being the trailer junkie that I am, I watched every trailer and TV spot for the film. Despite taking that risk, I still walked into this film not knowing what the hell I was about to watch. And THAT is a feeling to behold. Without further ado, let’s dive into our spoiler-free review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

 

 

Months after saving Xandar, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Baustista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel), have become infamous heroes – legends in the multiverse. When someone from Quill’s past shows up unexpectedly, the Guardians travel to the planet Ego in search of the answers Quill has been searching for.

 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a pretty self contained film for the MCU. Rumors of Gunn’s full creative freedom look to have been true – as Vol. 2 is a smart, safe play for Marvel/Disney. Rather than spending time setting up future storylines and installments, this film strictly focuses on the ‘bunch of a-holes’ and their dynamic with one another. Even though it’s a big, epic space opera with incredible visuals, it never feels overblown or exhausted. That’s right, folks: Vol. 2 does NOT suffer from sequel fatigue. 

 

Vol. 2 is witty and extravagant adventure that never overstays its welcome. Continuing character arcs from the first film and expanding new ones, the movie doesn’t feel bloated in the way many recent superhero outings do (Avengers: Age of Ultron comes to mind). If the first Guardians of the Galaxy was about the team meeting, Vol. 2 is a more seasoned story that acts as an origin to Peter Quill. 

 

 

Pratt maintains his badass, cheeky and swift attitude that encompasses Star-Lord. Vol. 2 is Star-Lord’s journey, and Pratt exudes swagger, leadership and maturity. The stormy relationship between sisters Gamora and Nebula is further explored. Dave Bautista’s insensible Drax is a one-liner machine, sporting the most incredible laugh in cinematic history. Lastly, we have Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (somehow voiced by Vin Diesel) – providing comic relief and adorableness. Yondu (Michael Rooker) and Kraglin (Sean Gunn) both have expanded roles this time around, and the addition of Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Ego (Kurt Russell) just adds to the nourishment.

 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a victory lap for writer/director James Gunn. The script is full of irreverent humor and insane, over-the-top action beats – pretty much everything that made the first film a hit. Gunn wasn’t kidding about that ‘full creative control.’ Several themes are explored – love, hate, betrayal and family. While Vol. 2 manages to be quite silly at times, it still packs an emotional punch.

 

 

Stay tuned for our video review later this week and our spoiler-filled review next Monday. Viva La Nerdolution!

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/film-review-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2/

Where We Left Off: Gotham

By: Tyler Carlos (@tylos624)
 
After what has felt like an eternity, Season 3 of Gotham finally returns to the airwaves this Monday, April 24! It has been over three months (!) since the DC origin story premiered its winter finale, and now, the story will finally continue. But with such a lengthy hiatus, there may be some details that seem fuzzy. Fear not, fellow Gothamites! Here is where all the characters stand going into Monday’s all new episode…

Jim Gordon

When we last left Jim, he had just punched the face off Jerome, who was brought back from the dead, determined to finish off Bruce Wayne. As expected, Jerome didn’t get his chance, and Gordon succeeded in putting Jerome behind bars in Arkham Asylum, joining the likes of Captain Barnes and Jervis Tetch. All seems back to normal for Jim, despite Dr. Lee Thompkin’s continued hatred toward him for killing her husband, Mario Falcone.
 
Ready to enjoy a nice glass of scotch after saving Bruce, Jim received an unexpected visitor in his Uncle Frank, who, we know, is a member of the Court of Owls.

The Court of Owls

During Jerome’s citywide lunatic fest, the Court was nervous that it would have to intervene in order to save the city from itself. Luckily, Gordon was able to stop the madness… meaning the Court’s plan (whatever it is) can move forward.
 
This plan, which supposedly includes Jim Gordon, also involves Bruce Wayne’s clone that was released from Indian Hill. The clone has been trained and groomed to walk, talk, and look just like Bruce. Should Frank succeed in recruiting Jim, the Court will have everything they need to fulfill their plan.
 
The only thing that may be able to stand against the Court is the crystal statue that Bruce and Alfred found in the Court’s headquarters. But during Bruce’s abduction, Jerome smashed the statue.

Edward Nygma and Oswald Cobblepot

After learning that Oswald was the one responsible for Isabella’s death, Edward teamed up with Barbara, Tabitha, and Butch in the hope of destroying Oswald and everything he cared about. Edward succeeded in capturing Oswald, but still wanted to teach him a lesson. Edward wanted to teach Oswald that he, Oswald, could never actually love another person. However, this plan backfired when Oswald decided to protect Edward from Barbara and the others. Not knowing what to do, Edward brought Oswald to the docks.
 
As Edward pondered whether to kill Oswald, Oswald used every tool at his disposal to try to get Edward to spare him. He begged Edward. He appealed to Edward that Isabella made him, Edward, weak. He shouted that he, Oswald, was the one that made Edward (mirroring Fish Moony’s declaration that she made the Penguin). In the end, Edward couldn’t forgive Oswald for killing Isabella, and Edward shot Oswald in the gut before pushing him into the water.

Barbara, Tabitha, and Butch

When Barbara discovered that Oswald was the one that killed Isabella, she used this as leverage to get Edward on her side and bring down Penguin. Now that Penguin is out of the way, Barbara is now the head of the Gotham Underworld with her lover Tabitha and Tabitha’s [kind of] lover Butch at her side.

Bruce, Selina, and Alfred

During the battle to defeat Jerome, Bruce came close to killing the psychopath in the House of Mirrors. But as Bruce looked into his reflection, he realized that there would be no coming back from killing Jerome. So Bruce made a choice. Once back at the mansion, Alfred told Bruce that, if Bruce is ever going to save Gotham, the only way to do it right would be to have rules. Bruce declares that he will not kill. Empowered by this declaration, Bruce and Alfred set off to get to work.
 
Selina, though she was not in the winter finale episode, is back on the streets of Gotham. Her mother, Maria Kyle, came back to town only in an effort to swindle money from Bruce Wayne. When Selina found out that her mother only returned for money, she confronted Bruce, wanting to know if Bruce knew Maria’s true intentions. When Bruce said he did, Selina left, believing herself betrayed and unwanted by those she thought cared about her.

 
Gotham returns Monday, April 24 at 8/7c on FOX with episode 315, “How the Riddler Got His Name.”

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/where-we-left-off-gotham/

Nerd HQ & Nocking Point Announce Collaboration

Introducing the the Summer of Rosé!

 
We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Stephen Amell and Nocking Point for their June wine shipment! Take a look at the official announcement below, including the label reveals! Click here to join the club and get your own exclusive Nerd HQ wine!
 

 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/nerd-hq-nocking-point-announce-collaboration/

Film Review: Fate of the Furious (2017)

2 F8 2 Furious is dumb. Really dumb. Its realism is zilch and it asks the audience to suspend all of their disbelief. The dialogue is laughable and some of the performances are painstakingly cringe-worthy…
 

And I enjoyed the hell out of it.

 
The eighth entry in the long-running Fast & Furious franchise continues the series’ trend of outdoing its predecessor with *more* ridiculous, over-the-top action sequences that make little sense. If not for the cast, it’s the ludicrous, nonsensical action fueling the series’ engine. Though it’s certainly not as solid as Furious Seven, Fate of the Furious is still a thunderously exciting blockbuster that keeps the engine in full throttle.
 
Following the events of Furious Seven, Dom (Vin Diesel) and Mia (Michelle Rodriguez) are off in Cuba enjoying their honeymoon, with the rest of the gang adjusting themselves to normal lives. Things get jumpstarted into action when notorious hacker Cipher (Charlize Theron) coerces Dom into betraying the very family he has fought to protect. With lives on the line and a country to protect, the crew enlists the help of new operatives and old enemies to bring Dom down.
 

 
Director F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton) replaces James Wan (who’s hard at work on Aquaman), and wastes no time distinguishing himself from preceding Fast & Furious directors. Gray is no stranger to racing – he directed the 2003 remake of The Italian Job (also starring Jason Statham). With Fate of the Furious, Gray manages to integrate a James Bond meets The Matrix type affair, and it mostly works – bloated plot and all.
 
The plot is wholly impossible to follow, but that’s not why audiences flock to these movies. Be it the star power of Vin Diesel/Dwayne Johnson; the magnitude and insanity of the set pieces; or the wide range of diversity between actors/locations – there’s a reason Furious Seven grossed a worldwide $1.5 billion USD. Sure, Paul Walker’s death certainly played some role in the gargantuan gross (as did Heath Ledger with The Dark Knight), but the F&F franchise has always been a box office mammoth.
 
Fate of the Furious is at its best when it embraces its lunacy. There’s a bonkers chase scene in NYC involving hundreds of self-driving cars being activated and driving rampant throughout Times Square. These cars are plowing through buildings and falling from the sky (sort of). In theory, it’s an absurdly impractical thing to happen, but in the F&F universe, anything is possible.
 

While it’s not consistent with the quality of the last film, Fate of the Furious manages to be a fun, albeit flawed entry in the F&F franchise.

 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/film-review-fate-of-the-furious-2017/

Everything We Know About ‘Dunkirk’

By Jaclyn Cascio (@jaclynator)
 
From the director of the Dark Knight trilogy, the mind-bending Inception, and the time-twisting Interstellar, comes a true tale of survival during WWII. This summer, Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk will tell a story yet unseen on the big screen. Keep reading to find out what we know about the project!
 
Dunkirk could be considered a passion project, an idea Christopher Nolan had for some time, but felt unprepared and ill-equipped to tell until recently. In September 2015, Warner Bros. announced the film, which was written, directed, and produced by Nolan (with Emma Thomas as the other producer). Nolan brought along familiar names from past projects to Dunkirk, such as Hans Zimmer as composer, Interstellar’s Hoyte van Hoytema as cinematographer, and some on-screen talent we’ve seen before. (We’ll get to that later.) Principal photography for Dunkirk began in May 2016 in Dunkirk, France, where the actual events took place. Filming continued in locations in the Netherlands, U.K., and U.S. and in December 2016, the first full length trailer was finally released. More recent footage of the film shown at CinemaCon this year brought the audience to a standing ovation.
 
If you’re wondering if Dunkirk will have thoughtful twists and surprises, as can often be expected from a Nolan production, you might be interested to learn that this particular movie is based on true events from WWII. Spoilers can be found in the history books. But if the Dunkirk evacuation doesn’t sound familiar or is a distant memory from history classes of long ago, the movie will be the reminder you need. While it may be “a story British people are raised on,” according to Nolan, it hasn’t been covered in any large scale film yet. In 1940, almost 400,000 Allied soldiers from Britain, Belgium, Canada, and France found themselves trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk by an advancing Germany military (after the Fall of France), with the water at their backs. A “colossal military disaster,” Winston Churchill called the event, but hope was found as nearly 340,000 of those soldiers were successfully evacuated in Operation Dynamo between May 20 and June 4, using only about 800 boats (which even included civilian vessels).
 
Dunkirk was a story worth telling, according to Nolan. “This is an essential moment in the history of the Second World War. If this evacuation had not been a success, Great Britain would have been obliged to capitulate.” It sounds like Dunkirk might be the next Saving Private Ryan, but Nolan has been explicit that it is not a war movie. It is “a survival story, and first and foremost a suspense film.” Receiving a PG-13 rating, (which the director is “comfortable working with totally”), it would seem that bloody aspects of combat and war will not be central to the story. The film isn’t really about the war or even the politics surrounding it; it was created to be about the people, the men on the beach praying for salvation. Nolan has been adamant that he wanted to produce a visceral experience, avoiding even the past or future of the character’s involved, keeping viewers in the moment. The movie reportedly has little dialogue. Nolan said, “I did not want to go through the dialogue, tell the story of my characters… The only question I was interested in was will they get out of it?”
 
The story seems pretty straight forward, but don’t let the simplicity of it make you complacent. Dunkirk is still a Christopher Nolan film. The movie will be a triptych, a story told from three perspectives – air (through planes and their pilots), sea (including civilian and naval rescue ships), and land (soldiers trapped on the beach). While the soldiers on the beach were there for as long as a week, those on the boats could measure their time in the event in a day, and the pilots in the air could measure their time in hours. So in typical Nolan fashion, the simple story becomes a bit more complicated. He reported, “To mingle these different versions of history, one had to mix the temporal strata. Hence the complicated structure.”
 
Also in typical Nolan fashion is a large-scale production, designed to be a cinematic event. He reportedly used approximately 6,000 extras during the filming and avoided CGI in some cases, favoring cardboard cut-outs of soldiers and vehicles to make forces realistically look larger. Nolan even reconditioned actual warships to use for filming, as well as restoring a plane or two (although the rumors that he was given $5 million to fix and then destroy a plane have been debunked).
 
The cast of the upcoming film includes familiar names and faces, many from previous projects by Christopher Nolan. Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) will be an RAF pilot, covering part of the air perspective of the film. Mark Rylance will play one of many civilian seaman rescuing the trapped military, in particular pulling Cillian Murphy’s (The Dark Knight trilogy) character from the water (only to return him to France). The brilliant Kenneth Branagh will play a role in the film, along with actors James D’Arcy (Agent Carter), Jack Lowden, Barry Keaghan, Aneurin Barnard, and Tom Glynn-Carney. One Direction’s Harry Styles will making his movie acting debut as Alex, a soldier on the beaches of Dunkirk, along with fresh-faced Fionn Whitehead as Tommy, a British private, who is actually the lead of the film. (Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with Whitehead. Nolan reportedly cast relatively unknown actors as soldiers on the beach because history proved that the real soldiers were young and inexperienced as well.)
 
The highly anticipated Dunkirk is slated for release on July 21, 2017, with some select IMAX theaters for 70mm will be able to premiere as early as July 19. If you saw Rogue One in IMAX or the more recent Kong: Skull Island, you were likely privy to a 7 minute movie exclusive prologue of Dunkirk. If you missed that or are looking for more information elsewhere, you can get further updates from the movie’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Dunkirkmovie) and the official Twitter account for the movie (@dunkirkmovie), has been sharing photos and interesting facts about the real-life evacuation.
 

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/everything-we-know-about-dunkirk/

Revisiting The Chronicles of Narnia Part 2: The Film Adaptations

By: Angela Russo (@Amaruki99)
 
In an age where technology can finally do justice to a cinematic adaptation of the books, the current franchise certainly doesn’t disappoint with realistic animation, stunning scenery, and impeccable special effects. Unfortunately the movies were not true adaptations of the books. As a die-hard nerd for Narnia I must give my honest and loyal take on the film franchise.
 

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Walden Media & Disney (2005)

The first film committed to maintaining an authentic representation of the novel, taking minimal liberties with the storyline which can be easily chalked up to artistic license. There is only one thing that I would specifically critique: While Tilda Swinton certainly was a chilling witch, her barbarian-animalistic styling was very literal, deviating from Lewis’s depiction of the long dark-haired, red-lipped, haughty and regal empress of Charn. The contrast of her inner ferocity and barbarism to her exquisite external beauty and refinement is entirely Lewis’s point. Evil often comes with the fairest of facades. It is a story about temptation, the downfall of man, the conquering of evil, and ultimate redemption. That point aside, the movie covered the bases very well, and served as a respectable initial foray into the series.
 

Prince Caspian, Walden Media & Disney (2008)

The interpretation of Prince Caspian was a drastic leap from the book, hacking out portions and inserting numerous battle scenes that simply did not occur. In the novel, there’s a handful of battles briefly alluded to that occur prior to the Pevensies arrival, and only one very short-lived fight when the Telmarines stab Miraz with his own sword after his duel with Peter. To cap it off, they injected an unnecessary romantic sub-plot between Susan and Caspian. If you’ve never read the books, it’s likely an entertaining film. The CGI for the river spirit was impressive even if the events that surround his entrance were completely fabricated. Honestly, everything that was good and mesmerizing about the book was scrubbed right out of the movie. The point of this book was the belief in Aslan, and the restoration of Narnia to its rightful residents. The purest truest power of Narnia.
 

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Walden Media & 20th Century Fox (2010)

The third film was the greatest departure by far with plot points twisted beyond recognition. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was practically unrecognizable to the book it is supposedly based on, qualifying as a loosely-inspired fan-fiction at best. They took the original story, chopped it up, and changed every detail of the events from the book that they bothered to include. Then, they mashed the whole thing together with seven magical swords and an absurd green mist. It was a dreadful and unnecessary rewrite that completely missed the point of the story. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is not about saving Narnia or defending it from anything. It is an exploratory mission to discover the whereabouts of the lost lords of Narnia. The underlying plot of the book is about man versus the self….Lucy with her desires to be more beautiful and popular like Susan, Eustace transforming completely from the inside out, and Caspian learning that being King is about sacrificing personal glory for the good of the kingdom.
 

The Silver Chair, Sony Tristar & The Mark Gordon Company (In pre-production)

One would think that the deteriorating reception of the franchise would be cause for a reboot. Unfortunately, the rights have changed hands once again with an announcement in 2016 stating that a reboot is in order…starting with The Silver Chair. At this time it is unclear whether the term “reboot” was being used literally. Personally, I cannot imagine continuing this train-wreck of a film franchise as it currently stands.
 

Digging Deeper into the Franchise

 
It is said that one of Lewis’s greatest apprehensions for authorizing a live-action adaptation for his books was the idea of humans dressed up as animals – he likened it to blasphemy. Based on the way the modern series has completely contorted and rewritten his precious works beyond recognition I would be quite keen to hear his opinion of them. Regardless, when the BBC’s 1980’s miniseries adaptations (featuring humans dressed as animals) outpace the modern day movies in the fan-ratings you know you have a problem.
 
It all boils down to inconsistency and a needless attempt to reinvent the wheel. The rights certainly bounced from company to company like a hot potato, but the complete and utter disregard for the original books as the franchise progressed was unforgivable. Instead of having faith in the appeal of the adventure, wonder and beauty inherent to the original tales, the production teams injected unnecessary romance and drama into the films. This only succeeded in creating a synthetic lifeless representation that stripped them of the carefully crafted intentional writing that Lewis painstakingly penned into his works.
 

Exploring a True Representation of Narnia

 
The cinematic productions of the books fail to inspire any of the soulful awe that makes the series so deeply entrancing. The creators lacked the courage and dedication to fully embrace the Christian inspiration at the bedrock of the Narnia series. No matter what you believe, to C.S. Lewis, this was the heart and soul of the series from start to finish. A story without passion is not worth reading…and this was the fuel for his passion. Leaving it out is to leave the gas tank out of a car, or the oxygen out of a beautiful planet. You could send a probe there with a camera, but you could never go there yourself to inhale the scents, fully experience the texture of the grass on your bare feet, or see the richly unfiltered colors of a mysterious new world…the things that make it come alive! When it comes to an iconic series like Narnia, maintaining the integrity of the storyline is paramount to success. The books don’t need any alteration to be wildly entertaining, magically beguiling tales.
 
If we can have three reboots of Spiderman, I hold on to the hope that we can still honor the memory of C.S. Lewis and his timeless classic by starting from scratch. I believe that a true reboot of the films should begin with the genesis story: The Magician’s Nephew – widely acknowledged as a fan-favorite. Many literary aficionados might argue that the publication order should be honored, but for a film adaptation and for the purpose of drawing in fans who have not read the books, this is incredibly impractical. Despite being the sixth book to be published, The Magician’s Nephew is the seat of deep magic providing a crucial foundation story that informs every successive book. Presented chronologically from genesis to destruction, the series has a naturally expansive progression that seamlessly weaves all of the adventures together. The true unaltered story of Narnia deserves to be told in all its glory. Until the film rights fall into the hands of a true nerd for Narnia, it will remain an untold epic.

Matt Goodman
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/revisiting-the-chronicles-of-narnia-part-2-the-film-adaptations/