Fanboys Anonymous

6 Flicks Picks for July 2016 Movie Release Schedule

Posted by Anthony Mango - Friday, July 1, 2016

Welcome to another edition of 6 Flicks Picks, wherein I list all of the upcoming films that are scheduled to be released in the United States for the month which is about to begin and break down which ones I'll be watching in theaters, which ones I'll wait to rent at home, and which ones I'll be skipping out on entirely. After going through the list, I'll choose which six films stand out to me as the ones I want to see the most, even if there are more or less than six that interest me.

Note: The list below is based primarily off the expanded nationwide USA release dates on IMDB as well as some other random outlets if possible, so some information may be different. If I am missing some of the limited releases or the dates conflict in some fashion, please let me know in the comments below and any adjustments and corrections will be made!

Without further ado, another new month means another new set of films, so what's coming soon to theaters in July 2016?

What movies are coming out July 2016 6 Flicks Picks

RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2016

The BFG

Synopsis: A girl named Sophie encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kindhearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because, unlike them, he refuses to eat children.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The Purge: Election Year

Synopsis: Two years after choosing not to kill the man who killed his son, former police sergeant Barnes has become head of security for Senator Charlene Roan, the front runner in the next Presidential election due to her vow to eliminate the Purge.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The Legend of Tarzan

Synopsis: Tarzan, having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Our Kind of Traitor

Synopsis: A couple find themselves lured into a Russian oligarch's plans to defect are soon positioned between the Russian Mafia and the British Secret Service, neither of whom they can trust.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The Innocents

Synopsis: In 1945 Poland, a young French Red Cross doctor who is sent to assist the survivors of the German camps discovers several nuns in advanced states of pregnancy during a visit to a nearby convent.

Will I watch? = No

Life, Animated

Synopsis: A coming of age story about a boy and his family who overcame great challenges by turning Disney animated movies into a language to express love, loss, kinship and brotherhood.

Will I watch? = No

Satanic

Synopsis: Four friends on their way to Coachella stop off in Los Angeles to tour true-crime occult sites, only to encounter a mysterious young runaway who puts them on a terrifying path to ultimate horror.

Will I watch? = No

RELEASE DATE: July 8, 2016

The Secret Life of Pets

Synopsis: Taking place in a Manhattan apartment building, Max's life as a favorite pet is turned upside down, when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke. They have to put their quarrels behind when they find out that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is building an army of lost pets determined to take revenge.

Will I watch? = Yes

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Synopsis: Two brothers place an online ad to find dates for a wedding and the ad goes viral.

Will I watch? = Yes

Captain Fantastic

Synopsis: In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent.

Will I watch? = No

Our Little Sister

Synopsis: A story that revolves around three sisters who live in their grandmother's home and the arrival of their thirteen-year-old half sister.

Will I watch? = No

RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2016

Ghostbusters

Synopsis: 30 years after Ghostbusters took the world by storm, the beloved franchise makes its long-awaited return. Director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today.

Will I watch? = Hell No

The Infiltrator

Synopsis: A U.S. Customs official uncovers a money laundering scheme involving Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Phantom Boy

Synopsis: A super-powered boy helps a wheelchair-bound policeman in his attempt to bring down a mob kingpin.

Will I watch? = No

RELEASE DATE: July 22, 2016

Star Trek Beyond

Synopsis: The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

Will I watch? = Yes

Ice Age: Collision Course

Synopsis: Scrat's epic pursuit of his elusive acorn catapults him outside of Earth, where he accidentally sets off a series of cosmic events that transform and threaten the planet. To save themselves from peril, Manny, Sid, Diego, and the rest of the herd leave their home and embark on a quest full of thrills and spills, highs and lows, laughter and adventure while traveling to exotic new lands and encountering a host of colorful new characters.

Will I watch? = No

Lights Out

Synopsis: A woman is haunted by a creature that only appears when the lights go out.

Will I watch? = No

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

Synopsis: Edina and Patsy are still oozing glitz and glamor, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around London's trendiest hot-spots. Blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party, they become entangled in a media storm and are relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi. Fleeing penniless to the glamorous playground of the super-rich, the French Riviera, they hatch a plan to make their escape permanent and live the high life forever more!

Will I watch? = No

Don't Think Twice

Synopsis: When a member of a popular New York City improv troupe gets a huge break, the rest of the group - all best friends - start to realize that not everyone is going to make it after all.

Will I watch? = No

Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party

Synopsis: Documentarian Dinesh D'Souza analyzes the history of the Democratic Party and what he thinks are Hillary Clinton's true motivations.

Will I watch? = No

RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2016

Jason Bourne

Synopsis: Jason Bourne, now remembering who he truly is, tries to uncover hidden truths about his past.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Bad Moms

Synopsis: When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Genius

Synopsis: A chronicle of Max Perkins's time as the book editor at Scribner, where he oversaw works by Thomas Wolfe, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and others.

Will I watch? = No

Equity

Synopsis: Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop is threatened by a financial scandal and must untangle a web of corruption.

Will I watch? = No

Indignation

Synopsis: In 1951, Marcus, a working-class Jewish student from New Jersey, attends a small Ohio college, where he struggles with sexual repression and cultural disaffection, amid the ongoing Korean War.

Will I watch? = No

Tallulah

Synopsis: Desperate to be rid of her toddler, a dissatisfied Beverly Hills housewife hires a stranger to babysit and ends up getting much more than she bargained for.

Will I watch? = No

The Tenth Man

Synopsis: A man (Alan Sabbagh) spends time with a woman (Julieta Zylberberg) who works for his father's charitable foundation in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Will I watch? = No

6 FLICKS PICKS

Which films make the cut?

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Some movies that almost made the cut were The BFG, The Purge: Election Year, The Infiltrator and Bad Moms. I would be intrigued about a Spielberg film but The BFG just doesn't look that good to me. Since I haven't seen the second Purge film, the third one pretty much can't be watched before checking that out, although I think Election Year looks like my type of horror film instead of things like Satanic. You may notice a lack of Ghostbusters. Well, screw that movie.

6. Jason Bourne — I doubt I'll end up watching this, because I haven't seen any but the first film in the series, and even though I liked that, it would take a while to catch up. I haven't had the urge to watch the rest of them, which is weird to me. I should like this series a lot, yet I don't, really. Maybe it's because I'm a James Bond fan and there's a sense of loyalty (but I like the Mission: Impossible ones, so...)

5. The Legend of Tarzan — Originally, when I saw the first trailer, this was standing out as a potential opening night release watch. As time has gone on, it's lost a lot of its buzz for me, and I'm not as eager as I was before. Still, I think it seems interesting, so I'll probably check it out one random night.

4. Our Kind of Traitor — This wasn't on my radar at all, but I'm glad I watched the trailer. Ewan McGregor is massively underrated and to see him playing the part of someone caught between lots of untrustworthy political factions seems tiresome, but in a good way. This could end up being a surprise at just how good it is.

3. The Secret Life of Pets — I like dogs, I think the movie looks kind of cute/funny, and it would be a nice change of pace to see something like this among the more depressing and action-based films, similar to Zootopia from earlier this year, which I enjoyed, so I hope this is on par with that.

2. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates — Frequently, a film that appeals to this type of demographic is something I'm not interested in, and this might prove to be the same kind of story, where I find it just too basic and the jokes too easy. Despite that, there's something about this movie that I find appealing. Maybe it's just because I have a big crush on Anna Kendrick or that Aubrey Plaza is looking hotter and hotter to me lately, or that I think Zac Efron should be a bigger star than he is. Maybe it's because I have a wedding coming up and I think this might give me some ideas. Whatever the case may be, I'll be seeing it.

1. Star Trek Beyond — I was never a fan of the Star Trek series until the J.J. Abrams film came out, and I loved that. I'm actually in the minority, it seems, in that I liked Star Trek Into Darkness a lot as well. People seem to crap on that quite a bit and I don't understand it. As such, the third film in this series is something I'm looking forward to. RIP Anton Yelchin.

WHICH MOVIES ARE YOU INTERESTED IN CHECKING OUT?
TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Movie Review - Reviewpoint Ep 33

Posted by Anthony Mango - Tuesday, June 28, 2016

On episode 33 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, host Tony Mango breaks down the the hits and misses of Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates and reviews the film in a more in-depth format in comparison to the Minute Man Review.

You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!


Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

DIRECTED BY
Jake Szymanski

WRITTEN BY
Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O'Brien

STARRING:
Zac Efron (Dave Stangle), Anna Kendrick (Alice), Aubrey Plaza (Tatiana), Adam Devine (Mike Stangle), Sugar Lyn Beard (Jeanie Stangle), Sam Richardson (Eric), Mary Holland (Becky) and Stephen Root (Burt Stangle)

Mike and Dave (Zac Efron) are young, adventurous, fun-loving brothers who tend to get out of control at family gatherings. When their sister Jeanie reveals her Hawaiian wedding plans, the rest of the Stangles insist that the brothers bring respectable dates. After placing an ad on Craigslist, the siblings decide to pick Tatiana and Alice, two charming and seemingly normal women. Once they arrive on the island, however, Mike and Dave realize that their companions are ready to get wild and party.

movie review Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates podcast

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On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is given a full review in under 60 seconds.

Check out the video below and be sure to subscribe and leave your comments on what you thought of Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates!


Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

DIRECTED BY
Jake Szymanski

WRITTEN BY
Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O'Brien

STARRING:
Zac Efron (Dave Stangle), Anna Kendrick (Alice), Aubrey Plaza (Tatiana), Adam Devine (Mike Stangle), Sugar Lyn Beard (Jeanie Stangle), Sam Richardson (Eric), Mary Holland (Becky) and Stephen Root (Burt Stangle)

Mike and Dave (Zac Efron) are young, adventurous, fun-loving brothers who tend to get out of control at family gatherings. When their sister Jeanie reveals her Hawaiian wedding plans, the rest of the Stangles insist that the brothers bring respectable dates. After placing an ad on Craigslist, the siblings decide to pick Tatiana and Alice, two charming and seemingly normal women. Once they arrive on the island, however, Mike and Dave realize that their companions are ready to get wild and party.

movie review Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates podcast

Star Trek Beyond Trailer #3 Reaction & First Impressions

Posted by Anthony Mango - Monday, June 27, 2016

On the latest edition of the Movie Trailer Reactions podcast for Fanboys Anonymous, host Tony Mango gives his live response and overall thoughts about the latest trailer for Star Trek Beyond released earlier today. Make sure to subscribe and tell us in the comments what you think of the trailer!

OFFICIAL TRAILER:



TRAILER REACTION:



Stranded on a hostile planet, Capt. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the rest of the Enterprise crew face an alien threat.

Star Trek Beyond will be released in theaters July 22, 2016.

Directed by: Justin Lin
Written by: Simon Pegg, Doug Jung, Roberto Orci (uncredited), Patrick McKay (uncredited), John D. Payne (uncredited)
Starring: Chris Pine (Kirk), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Idris Elba (Krall), Sofia Boutella (Jaylah), Karl Urban (Bones), Anton Yelchin (Chekov), Simon Pegg (Scotty), John Cho (Sulu), and Shohreh Aghdashloo (High Command of the Federation)

reaction to trailer for Star Trek Beyond

Big Brother 18 Cast First Impressions & BB18 Winner Predictions

Posted by Anthony Mango - Wednesday, June 15, 2016

The 18th season of Big Brother is set to start on June 22, 2016 where another new group of houseguests from all sorts of different backgrounds and different personalities will compete for a chance to win $500,000. For the past few years, I've been making it a point to give my initial perspective on the cast members before the season has officially started, as well as my predictions for what's to come.

CBS Big Brother 18 houseguests BB18 pictures
Meet the cast of Big Brother 18 - #BB18 2016

Keep in mind that I'm usually terrible about this, as it revolves around the most basic information out there, and the show revolves around twists that can change the game up at any time. Even when it comes to my favorites and those who I dislike, I tend to change my mind at different points when they prove me wrong one way or the other. Definitely don't place any bets in Las Vegas on what is down below—even when it comes to who I think the jerks and the people I'd be rooting for will end up being!


Bridgette Dunning

Age: 24
Hometown: Fresno, CA
Current city: Ventura, CA
Occupation: Traveling nurse
Three adjectives that describe you: Optimistic, energetic, and awesome.

Favorite activities: I love to practice yoga, run, bake, read sci-fi books, go out with friends, and go to comedy shows.

My life's motto is... Follow your heart.


Bronte D'Acquisto

Age: 26
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Current city: Denver, CO
Occupation: Student
Three adjectives that describe you: Capable, willing, and determined.

Favorite activities: I love to solve math problems consisting of calculus, statistics, and probability. I also run, look at adoptable dogs, stretch, and walk to the mall to purchase more hair accessories.

My life's motto is... Be willing to do what it takes.


Corey Brooks

Age: 25
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Current city: Dallas, TX
Occupation: Baseball coach
Three adjectives that describe you: Extraordinary, passionate, and lovable.

Favorite activities: I love to travel. Recently, I went to San Francisco to watch my best friend, Ross Stripling, make his MLB debut for the L.A. Dodgers. I like sightseeing, hiking, getting sick bro pics, playing sports, going out and meeting people, trying out new restaurants, playing PS4, and just being active, in general.

My life's motto is... Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get!


Glenn Garcia

Age: 50
Hometown: Bronx, NY
Current city: Bronx, NY
Occupation: Dog groomer/former police detective
Three adjectives that describe you: Small, big, and great.

Favorite activities: Playing with my daughter, deep-sea fishing, and traveling.

My life's motto is... Live every day like it's your last because, one day, it will be.


Jozea Flores

Age: 25
Hometown: Bridgeton, NJ
Current city: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Make-up artist
Three adjectives that describe you: Funny, outgoing, creative strategist, and a visual genius.

Favorite activities: Gym, hiking, and yoga.

My life's motto is... If you can trust the ground you live on and take all the risks in the world there is to take, you should have no problem achieving your goals.


Michelle Meyer

Age: 23
Hometown: Washington Township, MI
Current city: Washington Township, MI
Occupation: Nutritionist
Three adjectives that describe you: Quirky, bubbly, and curious.

Favorite activities: Cooking, reading, going on Reddit, watching Live Feeds, researching nutrition-related topics, photography, working out, and selling stuff on eBay.

My life's motto is... "Be underestimated." I want to be smarter than people think I am, stronger than people think I am, etc. It gives you the upper hand!


Natalie Negrotti

Age: 26
Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela, South America
Current city: Franklin Park, NJ
Occupation: Event coordinator
Three adjectives that describe you: Altruistic, athletic, and beautiful.

Favorite activities: I love painting, cooking, baking, eating, napping, shopping, online shopping, doing makeup, doing hair, tanning, pageants, dancing, going on dates, playing with puppies, looking at puppy videos on Instagram and online, party planning, decorating, having tea time, getting dressed-up, doing my nails, and bargain shopping!

My life's motto is... Work hard and play harder!


Paul Abrahamian

Age: 23
Hometown: Tarzana, CA
Current city: Tarzana, CA
Occupation: Clothing designer
Three adjectives that describe you: Honest, spontaneous, and energetic.

Favorite activities: I love to play music, so a jam session is always good. I love going to shows and concerts for the crowd surfing, mosh pits, stage diving, [and] all the fun stuff.

Traveling, hiking and sightseeing are definitely solid activities. I enjoy the outdoors, like the woods and mountains. I'm a thrill seeker, so [I like] essentially anything that can fuel that. I do enjoy a good night out with friends at a fun speakeasy bar in L.A., like Davey Wayne's and No Vacancy.

My life's motto is… To live my life in such a fulfilling way that when I'm on my deathbed, there's nothing left for me to experience.


Paulie Calafiore

Age: 27
Hometown: Howell, NJ
Current city: Howell, NJ
Occupation: DJ
Three adjectives that describe you: Driven, passionate, and quick-witted.

Favorite activities: I love various martial arts, exercise, and instruments. I like Krav Maga the most on the martial arts side and playing the guitar on the instrument side.

My life's motto is... A comfort zone is a wonderful place, but nothing ever grows there.


Tiffany Rousso

Age: 32
Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL
Current city: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Occupation: High school teacher
Three adjectives that describe you: Passionate, smart, and sincere.

Favorite activities: Playing basketball, wakeboarding, paddle boarding, painting, singing, and playing guitar.

My life's motto is... Live with urgency.


Victor Arroyo

Age: 25
Hometown: Slidell, LA
Current city: Slidell, LA
Occupation: Gym manager
Three adjectives that describe you: Smart, sexy, and fit.

Favorite activities: Working out, playing soccer, and [taking] trips with my friends. Those are the things I love to do, but more than that, I love women. I'm always looking for the next girl to talk to and I'm never satisfied with what I have; I'm always wanting more.

My life's motto is... Get my money, develop my body, and get women.


Zakiyah Everette

Age: 24
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Current city: Charlotte, NC
Occupation: Preschool teacher
Three adjectives that describe you: Charming, bouncy, and ambitious.

Favorite activities: Dancing, modeling, cooking, eating, any form of designing or creating.

My life's motto is... You only live once!

MY THOUGHTS / PREDICTIONS

My Favorites = Glenn, Paul, Paulie and Zakiyah

The Lovable One = I can see Paul being the fan favorite if he's as weird as he claims he is

The Villain = There's something about Michelle that makes me think she's going to piss viewers off, but I can't put my finger on it, particularly as she doesn't annoy me like that (yet?)

Biggest Physical Threats = Victor and Tiffany

Biggest Mental Threat = Michelle

Most Attractive = Natalie, Tiffany and Zakiyah (for my personal preferences)

The Showmance = Corey/Bronte, Natalie/Paulie, Zakiyah/Victor.

The Bromance = Paulie and Jozea

Most Annoying = Bronte

The Confrontational One = Natalie is going to get in her own way and create arguments even if she isn't necessarily acting like a diva like many others in the past, although that might happen as well.

The Crybaby = Bridgette

The Dumb Jock = Victor

The Weakest Link = Bronte or Bridgette for the overall game, but Glenn is going to do the worst in physical challenges

Winner Potentials = Jozea or Michelle

What throws this all even more for a loop is that there are four returning houseguests that have yet to be revealed. If they're big players like Vanessa (who I hope doesn't come back, but I fully expect her to) then that could be the biggest unknown. If they're more along the entertaining side of things like Zach Rance (who I do hope returns) then this could just be a fun ride.

Throughout the season, you can hit me up on Twitter @ToeKneeManGo to get my thoughts on Big Brother as it is happening and as I'm watching the live feeds.

What are your first impressions of this group?
Who would you like to see win?
Tell us in the comments below!

On episode 32 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, the hits and misses of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows are broken down as host Tony Mango looks at the follow-up to the 2014 reboot for our favorite heroes in a half-shell.

You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)

DIRECTED BY
Dave Green

WRITTEN BY
Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec

STARRING:
Megan Fox (April O'Neil), Will Arnett (Vernon Fenwick), Laura Linney (Chief Vincent), Stephen Amell (Casey Jones), Alan Ritchson (Raphael), Noel Fisher (Michelangelo), Jeremy Howard (Donatello), Pete Ploszek (Leonardo), Brian Tee (Shredder), Sheamus (Rocksteady), Gary Anthony Williams (Bebop), Peter D. Badalementi and Tony Shalhoub (Splinter), Tyler Perry (Baxter Stockman), and Brad Garrett (Krang)

The turtles face a new challenge when Shredder escapes from custody and joins forces with Baxter Stockman, a mad scientist who plans to use a serum to take over the world. Along for the ride are Bebop and Rocksteady, two dimwitted henchmen who provide plenty of muscle. Luckily, the turtles have their own allies in April O'Neil, Vernon Fenwick and Casey Jones, a hockey-masked vigilante. As the pizza-loving heroes prepare for battle, the notorious Krang also emerges to pose an even greater threat.

movie review Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows podcast

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On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, the 2016 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is given as full of a review as possible in under 60 seconds.

Check out the video below and be sure to subscribe and leave your comments on what you thought of the movie!


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)

DIRECTED BY
Dave Green

WRITTEN BY
Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec

STARRING:
Megan Fox (April O'Neil), Will Arnett (Vernon Fenwick), Laura Linney (Chief Vincent), Stephen Amell (Casey Jones), Alan Ritchson (Raphael), Noel Fisher (Michelangelo), Jeremy Howard (Donatello), Pete Ploszek (Leonardo), Brian Tee (Shredder), Sheamus (Rocksteady), Gary Anthony Williams (Bebop), Peter D. Badalementi and Tony Shalhoub (Splinter), Tyler Perry (Baxter Stockman), and Brad Garrett (Krang)

The turtles face a new challenge when Shredder escapes from custody and joins forces with Baxter Stockman, a mad scientist who plans to use a serum to take over the world. Along for the ride are Bebop and Rocksteady, two dimwitted henchmen who provide plenty of muscle. Luckily, the turtles have their own allies in April O'Neil, Vernon Fenwick and Casey Jones, a hockey-masked vigilante. As the pizza-loving heroes prepare for battle, the notorious Krang also emerges to pose an even greater threat.

movie review Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows podcast

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Audio Commentary Track – FanTracks #19

Posted by Anthony Mango - Friday, June 3, 2016

With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows now out in theaters, we're coming out of our shells and displaying some T-U-R-T-L-E power reminiscing about Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello and Raphael, so Fanboys Anonymous is providing you with another edition of the FanTracks podcast, this time for the original film from our childhood which introduced us to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1990.

For copyright reasons, we cannot provide the movie itself, but if you sync up the video of the movie with our commentary, you can listen to our thoughts on the film as we crack some jokes, expose some plot holes and so on.

FanTracks Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles audio commentary

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Release Date: March 30, 1990
Directed by Steve Barron
Written by Bobby Herbeck (screenplay and story), Todd W. Langen (screenplay), Kevin Eastman (characters) and Peter Laird (characters)
Starring Judith Hoag (April O'Neil), Elias Koteas (Casey Jones), Corey Feldman (Donatello), Josh Pais (Raphael), Brian Tochi (Leonardo), Robbie Rist (Michaelangelo), Kevin Clash (Splinter), James Saito and David McCharen (The Shredder), Toshishiro Obata and Michael McConnohie (Tatsu), Michael Turney (Danny Pennington), Jay Patterson (Charles Pennington) and Sam Rockwell (Head Thug)

FanTracks Episode 19 hosted by Tony Mango along with Jay Albright and Josephh Stahlman.

After a short introduction, you will be told when to sync up your copy of the film so you can follow along with our commentary. Follow the links below to listen to the podcast on either YouTube, iTunes, or Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!


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6 Flicks Picks for June 2016 Movie Release Schedule

Posted by Anthony Mango - Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Welcome to another edition of 6 Flicks Picks, wherein I list all of the upcoming films that are scheduled to be released in the United States for the month that is about to begin and break down which ones I'll be watching in theaters, which ones I'll wait to rent at home, and which ones I'll be skipping out on entirely. After going through the list, I'll choose which six films stand out to me as the ones I want to see the most, even if there are more or less than six that interest me.

Note: The list below is based primarily off the expanded nationwide USA release dates on IMDB as well as some other random outlets if possible, so some information may be different. If I am missing some of the limited releases or the dates conflict in some fashion, please let me know in the comments below and any adjustments and corrections will be made!

Without further ado, another new month means another new set of films, so what's coming soon to theaters in June 2016?

What movies are coming out June 2016 6 Flicks Picks

RELEASE DATE: June 3, 2016

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Synopsis: The Turtles return to save the city from a dangerous threat.

Will I watch? = Yes

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Synopsis: When it becomes clear that his solo album is a failure, a former boy band member does everything in his power to maintain his celebrity status.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Me Before You

Synopsis: A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she's taking care of.

Will I watch? = No

The Fits

Synopsis: While training at the gym 11-year-old tomboy Toni becomes entranced with a dance troupe. As she struggles to fit in she finds herself caught up in danger as the group begins to suffer from fainting spells and other violent fits.

Will I watch? = No

RELEASE DATE: June 10, 2016

The Conjuring 2

Synopsis: Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.

Will I watch? = No

Now You See Me 2

Synopsis: The Four Horsemen resurface and are forcibly recruited by a tech genius to pull off their most impossible heist yet.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Warcraft

Synopsis: The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people, and their home.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Diary of a Chambermaid

Synopsis: A scheming servant works for a wealthy couple in France during the late 19th century.

Will I watch? = No

From Afar

Synopsis: Armando, a 50-year-old man, seeks young men in Caracas and pays them just for company. One day he meets Elder, a 17-year-old boy who is the leader of a criminal gang, and that meeting changes their lives forever.

Will I watch? = No

RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2016

Finding Dory

Synopsis: The friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish reunites with her loved ones, and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way.

Will I watch? = Yes

Central Intelligence

Synopsis: After he reunites with an old pal through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.

Will I watch? = Yes

Swiss Army Man

Synopsis: A hopeless man stranded in the wilderness befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Clown

Synopsis: A loving father finds a clown suit for his son's birthday party, only to realize that it is not a suit at all.

Will I watch? = No

RELEASE DATE: June 24, 2016

Independence Day: Resurgence

Synopsis: Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough?

Will I watch? = Yes

The Shallows

Synopsis: A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.

Will I watch? = No

Free State of Jones

Synopsis: As civil war divides the nation, a poor farmer from Mississippi leads a group of rebels against the Confederate army.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words

Synopsis: An in-depth look at the life and work of avant-garde musician Frank Zappa.

Will I watch? = No

Wiener-Dog

Synopsis: Chronicles the life of a dog as it travels around the country, spreading comfort and joy.

Will I watch? = No
6 FLICKS PICKS

Which films make the cut?

Honorable Mentions: For many people, Warcraft is not only at the top of their list for this month, but the entire year. I'm not a fan of the video games, though, and I actually am not too fond of the fantasy genre in general, so nothing much appeals to me about that film. If it weren't tied to an existing intellectual property, it wouldn't even be on my radar, similar to how Gods of Egypt just popped up out of nowhere and then stopped existing. I'm also just on the fence with Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping as I love the show Brooklyn Nine-Nine and a few Lonely Island bits, but there are other things I didn't like. I never bothered with Hot Rod, for instance. If this has good word of mouth, then I'll check it out, but not in theaters. When it comes to Now You See Me 2, I never saw the first one even though it looked interesting to me, so I have to watch that first before I consider watching this.

6. Free State of Jones — Could this be Oscar bait? Of course. Could it also be seriously fucking fantastic? It sure looks like it. When I read the synopsis, I was going to pass, but I watched the trailer and it sold me. I definitely expect at least one nomination for the Academy Awards, even if it's production design or costumes, but it could very well be another Oscar for Matthew McConaughey in a few months.

5. Independence Day: Resurgence — Admittedly, I don't love Independence Day as much as most people that grew up with it. It's been well over a decade since I've seen it, and if I watch it again to prepare for this, I might be more pumped, but right now I'm more on the fence than most people about this. It should be good popcorn material, though.

4. Swiss Army Man — This movie looks weird as all hell, but the trailer had me interested from start to finish. It could very well end up being one of those films which is weird and quirky just for the sake of it, and actually has no depth or heart other than appealing to a hipster mindset, but it doesn't quite strike me as that yet, so I'm going to give it a shot.

3. Central Intelligence — Every trailer I've seen of this so far has made me laugh, and normally I'm hesitant to see buddy cop or oddball-pairing scenarios as they're very much hit or miss, but this seems like it could work.

2. Finding DoryFinding Nemo is a cute film and Pixar normally knocks it out of the park. Of course I'm seeing this, even if I find Ellen DeGeneres and the Dory character to be something that works best in small increments rather than being the primary focal point.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows — I had my fair share of problems with the reboot film that precedes this, but I grew up loving the series in general, so nostalgia wins out. They have Casey Jones, Bebop and Rocksteady, and even Krang in this movie, for fuck's sake. Way to go straight to my childhood and convince me to shell out $15–$20 on this film when I know full well that it could be garbage. Also, I don't plan on watching the television series Arrow anymore after their decision to kill off Laurel Lance and the steady decline from season 3 and season 4, but I still like Stephen Amell, so I think he'll do a good job.

WHICH MOVIES ARE YOU INTERESTED IN CHECKING OUT?
TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

X-Men: Apocalypse Movie Review - Reviewpoint Ep 31

Posted by Anthony Mango - Saturday, May 28, 2016

Episode 31 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast reviews the latest entry in the film series documenting that pesky mutant problem: X-Men: Apocalypse.

Hosted by Tony Mango joined by Sam Lascio

You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!


X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

Directed by Bryan Singer

Written by Simon Kinberg (screenplay), Bryan Singer (story), Michael Dougherty (story), Dan Harris (story)

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence (Raven / Mystique), Michael Fassbender (Erik Lensherr / Magneto), James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Oscar Isaac (En Sabah Nur / Apocalypse), Nicholas Hoult (Hank McCoy / Beast), Evan Peters (Quicksilver), Sophie Turner (Jean Grey), Tye Sheridan (Scott Summers / Cyclops), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler), Lucas Till (Alex Summers / Havok), Olivia Munn (Betsy Braddock / Psylocke) and Rose Byrne (Moira MacTaggert)

Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshiped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

movie review X-Men: Apocalypse podcast

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Minute Man Reviews X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) Film in 60 Seconds

Posted by Anthony Mango - Thursday, May 26, 2016

On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, X-Men: Apocalypse is given a full review in under 60 seconds.

Check out the video below and be sure to subscribe and leave your comments on what you thought of X-Men: Apocalypse!


movie review X-Men: Apocalypse podcast

With the upcoming release of X-Men: Apocalypse approaching soon on May 27th, Fanboys Anonymous is providing you with another edition of the FanTracks podcast, this time for the "Rogue Cut" of X-Men: Days of Future Past.

For copyright reasons, we cannot provide the movie itself, but if you sync up the video of the movie with our commentary, you can listen to our thoughts on the film as we crack some jokes, expose some plot holes and so on.

FanTracks X-Men: Days of Future Past (Rogue Cut) audio commentary

X-Men: Days of Future Past (Rogue Cut)
Release Date: May 23, 2014
Directed by Bryan Singer
Written by Simon Kinberg (screenplay and story), Jane Goldman (story), Matthew Vaughn
Starring Hugh Jackman (Logan / Wolverine), James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Raven / Mystique), Nicholas Hault (Hank McCoy / Beast), Anna Paquin (Rogue), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde), Shawn Ashmore (Bobby Drake / Iceman), Omar Sy (Bishop), Evan Peters (Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver), Josh Helman (William Stryker), Daniel Cudmore (Colossus), Peter Dinklage (Dr. Bolivar Trask), Halle Berry (Storm), Ian McKellen (Magneto) and Patrick Stewart (Professor X)

FanTracks Episode #18 hosted by Tony Mango along with Jay Albright and Josephh Stahlman.

After a short introduction, you will be told when to sync up your copy of the film so you can follow along with our commentary. Follow the links below to listen to the podcast on either YouTube, iTunes, or Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!


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Spider-Man: Homecoming Plot Speculation with Civil War Fallout

Posted by Anthony Mango - Friday, May 20, 2016

What do we know for sure will happen with Spider-Man: Homecoming? Tony Stark will make an appearance, Vulture is the rumored villain, and Tom Holland and Marisa Tomei will return as Peter Parker and Aunt May.

That's not much to go on, but that shouldn't stop us from speculating on some plot elements, right?

After watching Captain America: Civil War, I have been mulling over a few ideas that stood out to me:

Spider-Man: Homecoming plot details speculation

The Sokovia Accords and the "Menace"

We never saw Spider-Man sign the necessary papers to make him an official government operative. This seems like a gross oversight and completely against what Tony Stark was hoping to achieve, particularly since he had such a bad reaction to finding out that a young kid had died from the actions of Ultron. Why would he recruit another kid, put him in danger, and let him stay off the government list?

Well, we saw that Peter looks up to both Stark and Captain America. The latter is rumored to also have an appearance in the movie, so what if Spider-Man is playing both sides, in a way? What if he's not signing up for the government, and Stark is protecting him from this responsibility because he's under 18 and Stark kind of sees more of Cap's side now?

One person who would have a problem with this is J. Jonah Jameson, who would be quick to refer to Spider-Man in typical form as a menace and a vigilante who works outside of the law in the wrong way and so on and so forth.

Stark Industries vs. Oscorp

Tony Stark should also have an influence on the plot when it comes to the tech world that Spider-Man frequently battles. Of course, Oscorp needs to be at the center of the conflict, and I think that company works best as an alternative to Stark Industries. I can definitely see a scenario where Norman Osborn has taken over a lot of the military contracts that Stark no longer is interested in, but he also wants to focus more on biological manipulation rather than trying to build more suits. Iron Man already corners the market on the armored concept, right? The Vulture suit could be based somewhat off Stark's designs, but Osborn could be against putting too many resources into another suit. Basically, this puts Osborn between Adrian Toombs and Spider-Man, all the while getting closer to unlocking the secrets within Peter's DNA.

The Supporting Cast of Characters

I do in fact think that the homecoming dance will play a part in the story, and it's not just thrown into the title to be cutesy about coming back home to Marvel control. Since high school should be involved, I'm really hoping to see Peter's classmates fleshed out quite a bit. His best friend needs to be Harry Osborn, and I'd love for Charlie Rowe to be cast in that role. Flash Thompson and Kenny "Kong" McFarlane would be great bullies. Give me Randy Robertson dating Glory Grant (his date for the homecoming dance) as well as some Liz Allan. Maybe Peter has a few options for the dance that include not just Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy but also Carlie Cooper and Indira Daimonji? What if Harry is dating Lily Hollister? That would be pretty sweet, I think. There are so many background classmates who could have cameos that would be great; for example Flash could be picking on a couple of fat kids who are Angelina Brancale and Arnie Gunderson.

No More Hope for Certain Opportunities

For a long while, I had a few ideas that I thought could really be neat, but I no longer think there's any chance that they'll be happening. The biggest of these was that Kraven would be the primary villain, with Scorpion serving as the secondary one. Kraven could approach Peter as a father figure and want to train him, giving the audience a chance to learn about his backstory (through Peter trusting Kraven and telling him about Uncle Ben and how he got his powers) while also allowing Peter to gain more control over his abilities. Kraven could be on the hunt for "the ultimate game," Scorpion, who is created through Oscorp using the same science connected to Peter. Also, Kraven could be seeking the Oz formula for himself and would somewhat hunt Spider-Man as well, because they would have conflicting ideologies with regard to how to handle Scorpion. Peter doesn't kill and Kraven exclusively does.

Another hope that's been dashed is the possibility that Kingpin will crossover in some fashion as Peter searches for the man who killed Uncle Ben, who could end up being an associate of Wilson Fisk's past (or present). Admittedly, I really just wanted to see the TV shows appear in some fashion in the movies, and since Daredevil and Spider-Man have worked together so much in the past, that would have been a great opportunity that I think is going to be completely missed.

What do you think will end up going down with Spider-Man: Homecoming? Are you excited for the reboot now that we've had our first taste of Tom Holland as Peter Parker, or are you nervous that even Marvel can't bring the character back on track? Tell us your ideas and predictions in the comments below!

Ghostbusters (2016) Trailer #2 Reaction & First Impressions

Posted by Anthony Mango - Thursday, May 19, 2016

On the latest edition of the Movie Trailer Reactions podcast for Fanboys Anonymous, host Tony Mango gives his live response and overall thoughts about the latest trailer for Ghostbusters released earlier today. Make sure to subscribe and tell us in the comments what you think of the trailer!

OFFICIAL TRAILER:



TRAILER REACTION:



A paranormal researcher (Melissa McCarthy), a physicist (Kristen Wiig), a nuclear engineer (Kate McKinnon), and a subway worker (Leslie Jones) try to rid New York of ghosts that can possess humans.

Ghostbusters will be released in theaters July 15, 2016.

Directed by: Paul Feig
Written by: Katie Dippold, Paul Feig
Starring: Kristen Wiig (Erin Gilbert), Melissa McCarthy (Abby Yates), Kate McKinnon (Jillian Holtzmann), Leslie Jones (Patty Tolan), Chris Hemsworth (Kevin)

reaction to trailer for Ghostbusters

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We're back with another unboxing video from SuperGeekBox.com. Their theme for May 2016 is Hero, focusing on characters like Link, Captain America, Superman, and others!


The SUPER EPIC Geek & Gamer Box
$40+ Value in each box!
5–8 awesome items every month.
Guaranteed exclusive Ultra-EPIC Shirt!

If you want to get in on the fun and reserve yourself some cool stuff for next month, place your order at Super Geek Box.

Thanks again to Super Geek Box for sending this our way!

Unboxing Super Geek Box Hero May 2016

Is This the Direction for Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4?

Posted by Anthony Mango - Wednesday, May 18, 2016

After having some time to digest Captain America: Civil War, I found myself specifically wanting the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to head in a few directions after Phase 3 concludes with Avengers: Infinity War. The second part of that film is still a few years away, so there's plenty of time for curve balls to be thrown with the movies that are set to come out next year and so forth, but I think I have a pretty decent idea of where things will end up. The only question is where things will branch off afterward with Phase 4, as we're left completely in the dark regarding which films are on the schedule and so forth.

Allow me to think out loud and pitch some ideas of what I'd like to see going forward with the MCU. Keep in mind that this is all speculation and some fan fiction rather than any kind of factual news reporting, so if you have any other ideas in mind, pitch them in the comments below!


Sokovia Accords Fallout

Since Anthony and Joe Russo said they would be changing Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Part 2 to new title(s), I think one of those that is pretty obvious is Secret Avengers, where Captain America will lead his separate squad as an underground force of justice while Tony Stark heads up the other branch. This schism will allow for Thanos to take control much more easily until our factions rejoin and save the day.

The Sokovia Accords won't be entirely eradicated, but I'm sure there will still be supporters. One person in particular who I feel is going to remain on that side is General Ross. It seems far too coincidental to me that they would use his character to represent this initiative and put them in a position in the film as the antagonists (so to speak) while he's taken part in something similar in the past.

The Thunderbolts

Disney still doesn't have full control over the rights to distribute a standalone Hulk film, which is part of the reason why he's tagging up with Thor and hasn't had a movie like The Indestructible Hulk or something. How do they get around this? Pair him up with Ross and the Thunderbolts.

One of the only villains left who can battle Hulk is Red Hulk (Ross), and this movie can introduce/reintroduce a couple other characters as well. We haven't seen Betty Ross in a while, She-Hulk can be on Hulk's side along with Rick Jones, and some adversaries could be a returning Abomination as well as Zzzax and The Leader as well as a series of Hulkbusters. Maybe Skaar makes an appearance following Thor: Ragnarok if it resembles Planet Hulk in enough capacity? 

The Mighty Thor

It would seem like an odd universe if Thor just stopped having adventures after dealing with Thanos, right? Chris Hemsworth can't seem to get his acting career to thrive outside of Marvel, so he probably won't be itching to leave as much as some other folk.

We're already seeing a distancing from Jane Foster with Natalie Portman not returning for Thor: Ragnarok, so why not go with Sif as the love interest going forward and do a story where those two team up against Amora the Enchantress and Skurge the Executioner? Since there's also a concerned effort to take the series away from hinging on Earth too much, let's spend some time in Muspelheim dealing with Surtur, or go to Nornheim so Thor can fight Ulik the troll. If he comes back to Earth, he can fight The Wrecking Crew as supporting characters to another villain. Balder needs to make an appearance, for sure, but if we're sticking with villains, the Dark Gods seem like guaranteed foes whom Thor would need to deal with as the new king (assuming Odin kicks the bucket either from Loki or Thanos.)

Otherworldly Expansion

On the topic of traveling to other planets and realms, we have so many options of other things we can tackle.

The Secret Invasion is, of course, one of the biggest overall arcs that could be told for Phase 4 or 5, provided Disney gets the rights to the Fantastic 4 characters. If that's the case, I think we'll see the Fantastic 4 themselves used as a framing device for exploration. After all, that's what their series pretty much consisted of back in the day. They consistently discovered new uncharted areas and introduced more and more characters.

This includes Silver Surfer and Galactus, the Inhumans, and even the possibility that they work for S.W.O.R.D. when they travel in space and get their powers to begin with. We've yet to see Dr. Doom in any movies deal with anything in the mystic arts, but with Doctor Strange in the universe, there's plenty of room for crossover there, and so many worlds can be opened if you tap into that side of the MCU.

Perhaps most importantly, this would mean Kang the Conqueror could be utilized as a primary villain. In my mind, it would be killer if the end of Avengers: Infinity War is a tease that Kang is looking back into the past to see that the results from saving the universe had some other kind of an effect that he wants to alter in some way.

Another aspect of taking things off Earth is with Captain Marvel. At some point, there will just be too many characters to keep having their own films, and I don't think we'll have Captain Marvel 2 and Captain Marvel 3 focusing entirely on Carol Danvers. This is not because it's a female-driven entity, but more so because her character doesn't work as well on her own. She doesn't have a long rogues gallery, and she's more of a supporting player in other series. To counteract that, I think we'll see her in a Nova Corps movie, working with that cast of characters.

Sequels and Spinoffs and So On

Some characters can continue with another movie or more, and I think a lot of where Marvel goes depends on how they want to utilize them. Supposedly, they do in fact want to do a Black Widow solo film, but what would the story be? Does she have her own film, but it still involves Hawkeye? Maybe they can explore a romance between the two if his family gets killed (sorry Clint), or Natasha will shack up with Bucky Barnes when they thaw out The Winter Soldier and restore his memories.

I don't think we'll get a Serpent Society film about Captain America, but we could definitely get a return of Red Skull as well as a film about current politics with Flag Smasher as the villain, even if Cap takes up more of a leadership role and doesn't do his own thing as much. For that matter, what if Tony Stark is the new head of S.H.I.E.L.D. to replace a dead Nick Fury—as I'm convinced that he's going to be the sacrificial lamb of Infinity War—meaning we have a culmination of his character from an outsider to his role in Civil War being expanded. He did take on this job in the comics, so maybe he has to suit back up to fight the real Mandarin and the Ten Rings organization.

There's definitely going to be more than one Spider-Man film. Rest assured. That series isn't going to just be Spider-Man: Homecoming and then guest spots in other movies. Obviously, we will get a third Guardians of the Galaxy movie and possibly more sequels to Black Panther and Doctor Strange, but I also wouldn't be shocked if T'challa only gets one standalone film.

The Missing Players

It will be weird if we go all the way through Phase 4 and we don't see Namor, Sentry, Amadeus Cho, and MODOK, just to name a few. I also would be looking out for some kind of a shared series in the style of The Defenders on Netflix that deals with the darker stuff like Blade, Morbius, Ghost Rider, and maybe Moon Knight, although I'm still holding out a little hope that they will just tie into Daredevil with Elektra and The Hand already as is.

One Thing is For Sure…

All of the above could be true, or none of it can come to pass, but if there's one thing that I can bet money on, it's that we will not see the X-Men crossing over. That series has too much of a foothold as its own separate universe, and Fox isn't going to be giving up the rights anywhere near as easily as they would be willing to part with the Fantastic 4 characters.

I'm still 100% convinced that the Infinity Gauntlet will somehow be used to make changes to the continuity, allowing for recasting and some retconning to a certain extent, but clearly there won't be a hard reboot where they get rid of all the actors and such while allowing room to include the mutants. It's too soon, with Phase 3 ending in 2019 and Fox talking about having lots of X-Men films on the horizon.

No matter what happens, though, I'm excited for the future. Although there have been some missteps along the way, the MCU has been a massive success and nearly everything just keeps getting cooler and cooler, so whatever Phase 4 and onward has in store for us, I'm sure Disney will be getting my money.

What would you like to see be planned out, though? Let us know in the comments below!

On the latest edition of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, host Tony Mango recaps and reviews the hits and misses from season 3 of the Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television series.

You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe and leave your comments telling us what you thought of this season!


TV review Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 3 podcast

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Welcome to the fourth edition of Fanboys Fix It, where instead of just complaining about what we don't like about something, we try to figure out how we can make it better. The previous three editions have been movies that were packed with flaws, the second of which was X-Men Origins: Wolverine. While that film goes down in history as one of the most problematic, the target for this edition is responsible for ushering in the initial beginning of the superhero craze in an era where nobody would touch the subject. With the upcoming release of X-Men: Apocalypse, it seemed fitting to go back in time to talk about Bryan Singer's premiere crack at the franchise with the 2000 film X-Men.

Upon rewatching this for the first time in years, I actually found myself liking it more than ever. In fact, there aren't a lot of things to complain about. Fundamentally, this is a pretty solid movie, but there are still some things that can be improved upon.

Here is a list of what I feel are the errors of the film, and how I would have fixed them if I had been on the creative team in some fashion.

Fanboys Fix Bryan Singer's X-Men Movies Problems

Core Problem #1: Toad

What a stupid character. Out of all the villains to choose from, why was he the fourth member of The Brotherhood? Magneto, Mystique and Sabretooth are all classics, but Toad?? Obviously, the next best choice was Juggernaut, but even someone like Avalanche would have made more sense. For that matter, why has Avalanche still not been in a movie after 9 of these being made?

Getting rid of Toad also gets rid of one of the most ridiculous things in the movie: Storm's dialogue about toads being struck by lightning. It's an awful line that people make fun of all the time.

Ray Park is cool and all, having brought Darth Maul to life in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, but Toad just felt like a studio executive's note rather than something for the story. "Hey, this martial artist did some cool pole stuff on that movie, so why not have a character do the same thing here? Maybe he can be like, a frog guy too?"

Core Problem #2: Fight Choreography

This is something that would improve as the series went on, but it's terrible in the first entry. There are far too many moments where people are being thrown across a room in ridiculous fashion that I've seriously lost count at how many times it happens in the movie. Once or twice is okay, but only when the context fits it, too. For example, when Magneto launches Wolverine, it's because he has control over the metal in his body. That makes sense. Why, on the other hand, does Sabretooth fly backward when struck by lightning, or do people get kicked or punched and just sort of flip around?

That type of choreography is unrealistic to a point where audiences laugh at it and scoff at the idea that it's supposed to be believable, as it clearly is amped up to a level that's supposed to make you feel it's over the top and more like a comic book. Nowadays, the superhero film genre is succeeding because it's being treated in a more earnest fashion as if things were real, rather than trying to stylize it to give you the feel of watching a more campy comic book cinematic experience.

Core Problem #3: Missing Characters

There's only a limited amount of space in this movie, so the number of characters needed to be cut down to just a few in comparison to the vast amount from the comics. I understand fully well that there may not have been any room for some more characters to be added to the mix, but it was still disappointing going to the theaters to see this and not come across a few of my favorites from when I was a kid, watching the animated series.

For example, it floored me that Beast wasn't involved. In retrospect, I can look at the decision to keep him out and replace some of his character aspects with Jean Grey, making her a doctor to give her something more to do in the script, as a good call. However, part of me was just sad that Hank McCoy wasn't a big part of the school like he should have been. Later films would retcon this, and I'm happy about that.

How cool would it have been, though, to see Forge working in the garage on Cyclops' car for a split second or something like that?

Core Problem #4: The Costumes

Again, this was a different era for film, so I can forgive them to a degree. The uniforms in this movie never looked bad to me, but they still got under a lot of peoples' skin for not being more reminiscent of the comics. I think there could have been a way to incorporate more of the designs from the comic book counterparts while still maintaining a level of realism with the leather outfits. Later movies would try to do this, and I don't see why that couldn't have been done from the start. Magneto's look, for example, is close enough that people didn't really complain, and you buy it being something that he could actually be wearing. I'm not expecting yellow spandex, but maybe some yellow and blue piping on the leather outfits could have gone a long way.

Miscellaneous Extra Flaws & Nitpicking

Basically, those big problems above are the things that would have saved these movies and made them better as a whole, but there are smaller things that could have been changed as well. I'm obviously not going to nitpick every little detail, but a few things that stand out to me are as follows:

  1. Storm's Accent – Either do it, or don't. Halle Berry fluctuates throughout the movie and it's terrible when she does it, so she should have either had a better dialect coach or the first time she tried it, they should have realized it wouldn't work and kept her natural speaking voice like they did in future movies.
  2. Mr. Guyrich Has Been Dead for Some Time – Why? He was such an important figurehead of the anti-mutant agenda and could have been used in future movies! Mistake.
  3. Rogue Casting – While I don't think this severely hurts the film, I do think someone else could have fit the role of Rogue better than Anna Paquin. I love the idea that Christina Ricci almost had the part, and I think she could have killed it.

Well, there you have it—some insight into how I would have changed things in hindsight if Marvel and Fox magically gave me the ability to do so. Thankfully, despite the bumps in the road along the way, the overall grand picture of the franchise has been a positive one, and I'm hoping this continues with X-Men: Apocalypse on May 27th.

What do you think of the changes that I would have made?
Do they make the movies better or worse?
What changes would you make?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

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