After what proved to be one of the greatest sporting events of all time, SportsCast hijackers Valley and PJ are back to give their thoughts on the biggest night in sports (at least until next year).
Waiting for Ammon is a new series that will be featured on Monday Morning Moreno. Law and I decided that, while waiting for Ammon to come online to record the BingeCast, we’d record whatever the hell we talk about. This first episode has us discussing the new phenomenon of Jim Lawless, wondering what Episode 666 would sound like (you’re listening to it), and why Ammon’s Skype goes online then immediately offline. This series is less about content and more about being a fly on the wall of our stupidity. Enjoy.
This issue of SSH has the artist of Image series Southern Cross, Andy Belanger, join us to talk the origins of his amazing series, his story in the new issue of Heavy Metal entitled The Simulationists, as well his gig on a upcoming arc in the new WWE comic. We also discuss his love of wrestling in general and how he has actually became a pro wrestler himself on the Montreal wrestling scene.
We are then joined by Jim Law and we go in depth and have a SPOILER filled discussion about the graphic novel Black Hole, who we would want to make a live action version, and much more.
Jack Valley borrows the Binge SportsCast moniker to join PJ the Intern in their thoughts on the upcoming Super Bowl LI. The guys dish on the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and all the stats you can shake a babadiiick at. Find out their thoughts on the game, score predictions and why the least likely of positions may get the edge during the big game this Sunday. Download the podcast and enjoy the game!
This column will introduce you to the most popular movies that are coming out in theaters this weekend and why you should go see them. Which one will you see?
The Comedian
Reasons to see this:
Robert De Niro stars as Jack Burke, an aging insult comic, who is trying to reinvent himself in show business. Also starring in this comedy are Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Harvey Keitel, Edie Falco, Billy Crystal, Charles Grodin, and more. Wow, what a cast. In the directors chair, is Taylor Hackford. Hackford’s last four directorial films are Proof of Life, Ray, Love Ranch, and Parker. Jeff Ross is one of the screenwriters of this flick. So, in the mood to laugh this weekend? Then check out The Comedian.
Rings
Reasons to see this:
Ring 3. Rings tells the story about a couple who are trying to uncover the mysteries behind the videotape. Sounds like a great idea. NOT. Starring in this February horror flick are Vincent D’Onofrio, Johnny Galecki, Laura Wiggins (Shameless), Aime Teegarden (Friday Night Lights show), and more. F. Javier Gutierrez is the director of this film. He is signed on as executive producer for The Crow remake/reboot/renew thing. If you don’t see this movie in 7 days, you’ll be de…..definitely seeing it on DVD.
The Space Between Us
Reasons to see this:
This film is about a boy who was born on Mars that travels to Earth for the first time and shows how he deals with all new experiences. Starring in this sci-fi adventure drama are Britt Robertson (Tomrrowland), Asa Butterfield (Hugo, Ender’s Game), Carla Gugino, Gary Oldman, and more. In the directors chair, we have Peter Chelsom. Chelsom has directed Town & Country, Serendipity, and Hannah Montana: The Movie. Don’t Space out this weekend. Get to the theater.
This column will introduce you to the most popular movies that are coming out in theaters this weekend and why you should go see them. Which one will you see?
Gold
Reasons to see this:
Kenny and Kay are an unlikely pair that travel to the Indonesian jungle to find…you guessed it…gold. Matthew McConaughey and Bryce Dallas Howard star as Ken and Kay. The rest of the cast includes Toby Kebbell (Fantastic Four 2015), Rachel Taylor (Transformers), Edgar Ramirez (Ammon’s favorite film – The new Point Break), Bruce Greenwood, Corey Stoll, and more. Stephen Gaghan directs this dramatic thriller. Gaghan is most notable for writing Traffic and directing Syriana. Check out Gold this weekend.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Reasons to see this:
Resident Evil 6. Really? Anyway, Alice is back once again to fight the undead. Starring in this action flick are Milla Jovovich, Ruby Rose, Ali Larter, Iain Glen (Game of Thrones), and more. The director of this final installment is Paul W.S. Anderson. Anderson’s last 4 directorial films are Resident Evil: Afterlife, The Three Musketeers (2011), Resident Evil: Retribution, and Pompeii. Finally, it’s the final chapter of this franchise. I think.
Certain films can oftentimes have hidden layers of meaning to them. Fight Club, for all its machismo stuff and “fighty-fighty” is really a story about a man grappling with his own sexuality. Inception can be looked at as a massive allegory for the filmmaking process, as can something as comically out of left field as Inglourious Basterds. There are other films, however, that wear their metaphorical heart on their sleeve, not only partaking in a comparison to their lofty ideals but forcing the audience into areas of discomfort to make their point all the more strong. Silence is a film of the latter ilk, taking cues from Ingmar Bergman’s Winter Light and even some shades of Cavalry from a few years back. What you get from the film is ultimately for you to decide, but for myself I simply cannot shake the feeling of this movie from my mind.
Silence is the story of two Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century, Father Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Father Garrupe (Adam Driver), whom receive word while living in Macau that their mentor and leader of the last Jesuit mission into Japan, Father Ferreira, has renounced his faith and is lost to the cause. This prompts action from the young priests to enter the hostile country and find out what happened to the man. If this sounds familiar, that’s because on the surface it is. This is the exact setup of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and the subsequent film adaptation Apocalypse Now. It is the journey into darkness to find truth. What that truth is remains a mystery for almost ninety percent of the runtime of the film, examining the trials and tribulations of Rodrigues and Garrupe as they attempt to sneak through Japanese villages and renew the faith their predecessors worked so hard to impart on the Japanese people.
Silence is the type of film that you have to be prepared to reckon with. There is no easy entertainment here. There is no real recourse from the brutal and stark reality of the situation. The odds of the situation going well are low from the outset, which is painfully obvious as an audience member. However, this is a film about faith, whether that faith be true or blind. To be honest the questions that arise in this film are so diverse and thought provoking that even while writing this I have trouble deciding where I stand. Good and bad are relative terms here. Yes, the Japanese seem to have a brutal side to their way of life, but maybe the Jesuits should not have been imposing their culture on the Japanese in the first place.
Scorsese has touched upon these ideas several times throughout his career, even baking some religious subtext into the less obvious ones like Raging Bull and Casino. Silence is Scorsese’s attempt at understanding what this all means. A friend of mine, in a review for A Serious Man, referenced that film as the Coens’ attempt at doing the same. Filmmakers, I think, largely come to the same conclusion that whether or not God exists, or is even listening, is sort of irrelevant to the fact that what truly matters is how we treat one another. This idea is central to the film and something that has no easy resolution.
If this review sounds meandering, that’s because it is, just like this movie. The plot meanders down a road with a conclusion you can likely see coming miles away, yet the implications of what occurs are what really get my mind racing. Is faith something that can be held onto without showing it outwardly, or is it something that must be publicly asserted in order to be valid in God’s eyes? What is the point in peoples’ suffering if ultimately it leads to no logical resolution? Is there God, or is God the illusion of morality deep inside one’s own mind? All of these concepts are explored, and all of them challenge you as an audience member to determine their ultimate meaning.
I did not like Silence, I was captivated by it. The film did not let me love it, it forced me to confront it. Scorsese has made a film about faith for anyone who has ever questioned theirs, but it also welcomes those who are likely affirming their own faith to observe and consider their position. In contrast to pandering and useless films like God’s Not Dead that try to rally the Bible-Belt into a message of Scripture-toting bullshit, Silence never attempts to tell the audience what is right, what is wrong or how faith should correctly be observed. Scorsese is confronting mortality and trying to parse out what faith is, and ultimately why it is, but he leaves the answers up to the audience.
So the big question: do I recommend the film? Again, like the film, not an easy answer. If you are prepared for a film that skirts just beneath the surface of three hours about Jesuit priests grappling with the meaning faith in a hostile land, then get ready to see something special. If none of that interests you, stay away. This film is not a crowd pleaser and ultimately was not made to be one. It may feature some of the biggest stars in the game with Neeson, Driver and Garfield but it is by no means meant for the masses. Personally, I was engaged by the film and am still considering it as I finish writing this review. If a film can get this kind of reaction out of someone as critical of religion as myself then Scorsese must have done something right.
This column will introduce you to the most popular movies that are coming out in theaters this weekend and why you should go see them. Which one will you see?
The Founder
Reasons to see this:
This movie is about Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonalds. Hungry yet? Ray Kroc is played by Michael Keaton, while other cast members include, Linda Cardellini, Nick Offerman, Patrick Wilson, Laura Dern, and John Carroll Lynch. Directing this biographical drama is John Lee Hancock. Hancock has directed many “based on a true story” movies, such as, The Rookie, The Alamo, and Saving Mr. Banks. Go see The Founder at a theater near a McDonalds.
Split
Reasons to see this:
Shama-lama-ding-dong is back to direct another horror thriller. Split is about 3 girls who get kidnapped by a man who has 24 distinct personalities. This cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), James McAvoy, Haley Lu Richardson (The Edge of Seventeen), Brad William Henke (Orange is the New Black), and more. Shyamalan’s last 4 directorial films are The Happening, The Last Airbender, After Earth, and The Visit. Now, hit the theater with your friends and Split the snacks.
xXx: Return of Xander Cage
Reasons to see this:
The title says it all. Vin Diesel returns as Xander Cage in this action adventure franchise. Samuel L. Jackson also returns, while the other cast includes Donnie Yen (Rogue One), Ruby Rose (Orange is the New Black), Toni Collette, and more. D.J. Caruso directs Vin this time. Caruso’s last 4 directorial films are Disturbia, Eagle Eye, I Am Number Four, and The Disappointments Room. Since Xander is returning, maybe it’s time you return to the theater for some xXx.