Fanboys Anonymous

After 5 seasons of buildup, Marvel's The Defenders is finally here! This is the culmination of the adventures of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist which will see those four and their allies team up to save New York City from the evil threat of The Hand.

All 8 episodes will be released at 3am EST on Netflix and per usual, this post will be documenting my running commentary of thoughts as I binge watch every episode. I'll be adding notes almost as a stream of consciousness and when the series has concluded, I'll be wrapping everything up with a full season recap and review to see just how good or bad the overall package was and the hits and misses in a Reviewpoint podcast video.

So I invite you to follow along and to leave your thoughts in the comments below just the same!

Episode 1 - "The H Word"

- Starting off with Iron Fist after that season had so many struggles? Bold move, Marvel.
- The war you're fighting is in New York City. Of course it is. It's never in Barnum, Minnesota or something.
- ♫ Closing time. You don't have to go home, Jessica Jones, but you can't...stay...here. ♫
- So that whole cliffhanger of Luke Cage being in jail was just immediately rendered a moot point? Lazy.
- Foggy's haircut. Much better.
- Aaron, it's only going to get harder from here, because you're going to have to fight The Hand's offshoot called The Leg. Sorry pal.
- Every time I see a hallway, I expect to see a fight.
- These green screen shots of the earthquake remind me of Gotham and not in a good way.
- Hottie alert. We've got Elektra.
- So why isn't Tony Stark's Iron Legion helping with this earthquake?

Episode 2 - "Mean Right Hook"

- "Who are you?" / "I'm Batman....I mean, Blindman...I mean, Daredevil. Fuck, you saw my face. Forget I said that."
- Shout out to The Incident.
- "It's about fault." Oooh, Danny, bad choice of words right after an earthquake. C'mon, man.
- I still wish they'd throw out more references to the movies. I know we just got something about The Incident, but when talking about the FBI and Homeland Security investigating, would it kill them to say S.H.I.E.L.D. is as well? Or that Damage Control is cleaning up the earthquake?
- Turk!!!!!!! I love how this dude keeps showing up.
- Is it wrong that I feel no sense of danger for someone like Malcolm because I assume he's coming back for the next season of Jessica Jones and thus, won't be killed off here? Unintentional story block.
- Stick!!! The man!

Episode 3 - "Worst Behavior"

- Oh man, I have no idea what Alexandra is eating, but it looks like it could be amazing, or the worst dog food in the world. Also, this is clue #2 that she's pretty ancient.
- I still think the Black Sky name is weird. My original thought was that it would tie into a Blade appearance where it had something to do with vampires and the moonlight and resurrection. That still might pan out, even if Elektra isn't a true vampire or something. But c'mon, all the blood and coming back to life and all? Send Blade up in this shit.
- On the other side is darkness? Well that's depressing.
- That random wipe transition in the Elektra training scene was so jarring!
- Stick cuts off his own hand that easily and just basically grunts about it? Crazy old bastard.
- Stop me if you've heard this joke before. So a white guy, a black guy, a Hispanic girl and an Asian girl walk into a dojo...
- This poor fucking woman. All 3 kids. Goddamn.
- "Where's the fist?" I don't know, Stick. You're the one who cut it off. Where IS your fist? I'll be here all night, folks. Tip your waitress!
- We knew a hallway fight was inevitable at some point. It'd be hilarious if The Punisher just showed up here and started shooting since that's not the same type of thing you can pull off in a hallway action scene. Well, unless you're Hit-Girl.

Episode 4 - "Royal Dragon"

- Oh fuck, I'm going to want Chinese food again, aren't I?
- I like Danny as the comedic relief, like he's supposed to be in this group.
- "My name is Matthew." Perfect time for a pee break. By the way, I dig how the MCU treats secret identities. Realistically, a situation like this calls for protocol to be broken. The average person on the street knowing Luke Cage is one thing, but knowing who Daredevil is is a different thing. The other Defenders, though, need that info.
- We're halfway through this and nothing about IGH?
- Yup. Pork dumplings would be awesome right about now.
- Stick is going to die, isn't he?

Episode 5 - "Take Shelter"

- How come Danny's punches did nothing to Luke Cage but Elektra and everyone else can hurt him so easily?
- So Karen's definitely not going to die either. Colleen shouldn't bite the bullet. Claire is still a possibility, along with Stick.
- Looks like he won't be wearing any white hats any time soon.

Episode 6 - "Ashes, Ashes"

- Why do I feel like this in-fighting about Iron Fist is meant to pad the run time when they realized they didn't have an action beat for this episode? I hope it's for the fight to determine whether Daredevil leads the crew or not.
- Nevermind, Jessica is getting involved...and now Luke, so it's just Danny versus the world.
- Finally we're talking about the hole.
- "You should see my place." He can't, Jessica. He's blind. How insensitive...tsk tsk...
- I can't help feeling like Madame Gao is totally still who I'd rather have in charge instead of Alexandra. Gao FTW.
- Danny Rand and Luke Cage do belong together....as Heroes for Hire...like this series should go in the future instead of having solo extra seasons for each individual character. Give me an anthology Heroes for Hire thing where anybody can crossover at any time.
- So how do Jessica and Matt know that Stick is about to kill Danny?
- Fuuuuuuuuuuuck I knew Stick would end up dying. :(
- "We're not so different, you and I." - We couldn't escape that trope, could we?
- Yesssssssss Elektra you sexy minx you! But still, why did you kill Stick?

Episode 7 - "Fish in the Jailhouse"

- I assume this episode is going to make me want to eat fish, since we've already covered a bunch of other foods? Or maybe it'll make me want prison food.
- Still waiting on that Punisher appearance, guys.
- Is it wrong how often I get distracted by Simone Missick's giant boobs when she's in a scene? Jesus. Big fan.
- Did the Stan Lee cameo picture pass by yet?
- 3 on 3? Please tell me Luke Cage fights Madame Gao hahahaha.
- "You and I, we're the same." - Again?

Episode 8 - "The Defenders"

- Dragons? Dinosaurs?
- I really hope this ends with a full on Heroes for Hire organization being formed with all of these allies and heroes.
- Ooof, some more bad CGI green screen stuff going on here with that elevator and the tunnel.
- Yeah we're not going to get Iron Fist in costume or The Punisher, I guess. That's lame.
- Oh shit, Misty's arm! I guess Danny fronts the bill for the prosthetic?
- So how do they get Matt out of this one? Tune in to Daredevil season 3 folks!
- Hm. That's it? Well that feels underwhelming for a finale.

Batman and Harley Quinn is the latest in the line of animated DC direct-to-video films. Is it worth the watch or it is something that should be skipped?

Batman and Harley Quinn
Directed by Sam Liu
Written by Bruce Timm and James Krieg

STARRING:
Kevin Conroy (Bruce Wayne / Batman), Loren Lester (Dick Grayson / Nightwing), Melissa Rauch (Harley Quinn), Paget Brewster (Poison Ivy), John DiMaggio (Swamp Thing & Sarge Steel), Kevin Michael Richardson (Jason Woodrue / Floronic Man)

I don't quite get what they were going for here. Is it the worst thing ever? No. Is it good? Not really, especially in comparison to the better movies that have come out in the recent block of the past bunch.

This is just strange every couple of minutes and a good amount of that is how they valued jokes over everything. Some of them are great, but after a while, it just gives me the feeling that they were more concerned with making themselves laugh than making a better story.

For instance, the ending is so premature and pointless that I couldn't help but immediately think that I just wasted part of my time and that the writers couldn't figure out what to do at the end and said "screw it."

Music was a major negative for me. Why did we have two full musical performances? Was there some kind of contractual issue they were fulfilling? The batoosie joke would have worked if it was the only joke going on, but after so, so many other ones, I just got frustrated, and then they continued to add more.

What was so strange about that was how they'd pepper in serious moments, which meant they weren't sure what tone they wanted to really have. You can't go from having "ow, my balls" on the screen one minute and then having Harley tell the dying doctor to look up her bubbie in heaven without it feeling like you've shifted in too much of an extreme.

As far as the voice acting goes, Kevin Conroy and Loren Lester are just perfect as always. I like Paget Brewster as Poison Ivy, too. All the rest weren't up to par, to me, including Melissa Rauch as Harley Quinn. Sure, she sounded enough like Harley, but I'd have just preferred Arleen Sorkin.

I don't really have too many positives to say about this, particularly when thinking of the overall picture. These movies come about only a few per year and I'd like for them all to be as good as possible, but this felt like a poor use of the resources that could have been applied much better and HAVE been applied much better in the past.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time for some specific thoughts that ran through my mind during the course of the film:

• DC spent a few years begging everybody to like Cyborg, inserting him in everything even if he didn't fit in there. Now, it seems like Swamp Thing is their go-to character they're trying to familiarize people with.
• I love that Nightwing is getting some play time. He's such an underutilized and underrated character.
• I LOVE that they went there with the Superbabes restaurant being a superhero themed Hooters. That's hilarious.
• LOL at the reference to the mullet Dick Grayson used to have. Nice jab.
• Glad to see they kept the sexual appetite of Harley Quinn as well as how Grayson is a total man-whore, too. Funny reference to the idea of Batman and Robin being homosexual.
• Booster Gold being on Watchtower duty was a kind of funny gag, making fun of the other heroes.
• The nuclear option is puppy dog eyes?
• Well this isn't going to help Swamp Thing's popularity out at all.
• Do I buy a television show being given to Harley Quinn? Absolutely. Look at how long the Kardashians have been in the public eye with their crap.

There are far, far better options. Take your pick with any of the other ones and you're better off.

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 August 2017?

The Dark Tower

Synopsis: The Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, roams an Old West-like landscape where "the world has moved on" in pursuit of the man in black. Also searching for the fabled Dark Tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world.

Will I watch? = Yes

Detroit

Synopsis: Amidst the chaos of the Detroit Rebellion, with the city under curfew and as the Michigan National Guard patrolled the streets, three young African American men were murdered at the Algiers Motel.

Will I watch? = Yes

Midnight Sun

Synopsis: Based on the Japanese film, Midnight Sun centers on Katie, a 17-year-old sheltered since childhood and confined to her house during the day by a rare disease that makes even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly. Fate intervenes when she meets Charlie and they embark on a summer romance.

Will I watch? = Yes/Maybe/No

Step

Synopsis: STEP documents the senior year of a girls' high-school step dance team against the background of inner-city Baltimore.

Will I watch? = No

Wind River

Synopsis: An FBI agent teams with a town's veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation.

Will I watch? = Yes/Maybe/No


Annabelle: Creation

Synopsis: Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker's possessed creation, Annabelle.

Will I watch? = No

The Glass Castle

Synopsis: A young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother who's an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father who would stir the children's imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty.

Will I watch? = No

The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature

Synopsis: Following the events of the first film, Surly and his friends must stop Oakton City's mayor from destroying their home to make way for a dysfunctional amusement park.

Will I watch? = No

Ingrid Goes West

Synopsis: Ingrid Thorburn is an unhinged social media stalker with a history of confusing "likes" for meaningful relationships. Taylor Sloane is an Instagram-famous "influencer" whose perfectly curated, boho-chic lifestyle becomes Ingrid's latest obsession. When Ingrid moves to LA and manages to insinuate herself into the social media star's life, their relationship quickly goes from #BFF to #WTF.

Will I watch? = Yes/Maybe/No

The Only Living Boy in New York

Synopsis: Adrift in New York City, a recent college graduate's life is upended by his father's mistress.

Will I watch? = Yes/Maybe/No

The Trip to Spain

Synopsis: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon embark on a 6 part episodic road trip through Spain. Sampling the restaurants, eateries and sights along the way.

Will I watch? = No


The Hitman's Bodyguard

Synopsis: The world's top bodyguard gets a new client, a hit man who must testify at the International Court of Justice. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time.

Will I watch? = Yes

Patti Cake$

Synopsis: PATTI CAKE$ is centered on aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a. Patti Cake$ who is fighting an unlikely quest for glory in her downtrodden hometown in New Jersey.

Will I watch? = No


All Saints

Synopsis: ALL SAINTS is based on the inspiring true story of salesman-turned-pastor Michael Spurlock (John Corbett), the tiny church he was ordered to shut down, and a group of refugees from Southeast Asia. Together, they risked everything to plant seeds for a future that might just save them all.

Will I watch? = No

Polaroid

Synopsis: High school loner Bird Fitcher has no idea what dark secrets are tied to the mysterious Polaroid vintage camera she stumbles upon, but it doesn't take long to discover that those who have their picture taken meet a tragic end.

Will I watch? = No

Tulip Fever

Synopsis: An artist falls for a young married woman while he's commissioned to paint her portrait during the Tulip mania of 17th century Amsterdam.

Will I watch? = No

Beach Rats

Synopsis: An aimless teenager on the outer edges of Brooklyn struggles to escape his bleak home life and navigate questions of self-identity, as he balances his time between his delinquent friends, a potential new girlfriend, and older men he meets online.

Will I watch? = No

Gook

Synopsis: Eli and Daniel, two Korean American brothers, own a struggling shoe store and have an unlikely friendship with Kamilla, a street wise 11 year old African American girl. Kamilla ditches school, Eli stresses about the store, and Daniel tries to have a good time. It's just another typical day at the store until the Rodney King verdict is read and riots break. With the chaos moving towards them, the trio is forced to defend the store while contemplating the future of their own personal dreams and the true meaning of family.

Will I watch? = No


Which films make the cut?

6. Midnight Sun — I haven't seen the trailer, I know nothing about the movie for the most part, but this is a very weak month and it sounds better than the alternatives, like Ingrid Goes West and whatnot.

5. The Only Living Boy in New York — Kate Beckinsale is gorgeous and the relationship between the protagonist and Jeff Bridges seems kind of interesting.

4. Wind River — Meh, in a weak month, I'll go with the murder mystery above the whole "drama set in a foreign country period piece" type crap.

3. The Dark Tower — Admittedly, this is one of the few films that a comic book movie fan should be excited about that I have no interest in. The difference is that it's a Stephen King book, not a superhero story. However, it does have thematic elements that cross over into the realm that I love, so I might actually give this one a shot, legitimately.

2. Detroit — Now we're talking about movies I truly do want to see. This looks like it has Oscar potential. I'm not familiar with the true stories revolving around the basis for the film, but it seems like a gripping drama that will further the opinion that John Boyega is a good actor.

1. The Hitman's Bodyguard — If I'm only seeing one new film in August, it's this one. It looks hilarious, I'm a fan of both Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, and after seeing a lot of superhero films and such, it's nice to see straight-up comedies as a cleanser.

BONUS: Terminator 2: Judgment Day — This doesn't really count, as the movie is in re-release, but T2 is my favorite film of all time and it's coming back to theaters in August. You bet your ass I'm seeing it!

The 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be hosted by Stephen Colbert on September 10, 2017 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles California, broadcast by CBS.

Here is a list of the nominees in all of the categories.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Atlanta (FX)
Black-ish (ABC)
Master of None (Netflix)
Modern Family (ABC)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Veep (HBO)

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul (AMC)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
House of Cards (Netflix)
Stranger Things (Netflix)
This Is Us (NBC)
Westworld (HBO)

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Billy on the Street (truTV)
Documentary Now! (IFC)
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
Portlandia (IFC)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tracey Ullman's Show (HBO)

Outstanding Limited Series
Big Little Lies (HBO)
Fargo (FX)
Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Genius (National Geographic)
The Night Of (HBO)

Outstanding Television Movie

Black Mirror: "San Junipero" (Netflix)
Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love (NBC)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (HBO)
Sherlock: "The Lying Detective" (PBS)
The Wizard of Lies (HBO)

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

The Amazing Race (CBS)
American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)


Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson as Andre "Dre" Johnson, Sr. on Black-ish (ABC)
Aziz Ansari as Dev Shah on Master of None (Netflix)
Zach Galifianakis as Chip Baskets and Dale Baskets on Baskets (FX)
Donald Glover as Earnest "Earn" Marks on Atlanta (FX)
William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher on Shameless (Showtime)
Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman on Transparent (Amazon)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Pamela Adlon as Sam Fox on Better Things (FX)
Jane Fonda as Grace Hanson on Grace and Frankie (Netflix)
Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett on Mom (CBS)
Ellie Kemper as Kimmy Schmidt on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer on Veep (HBO)
Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson on Black-ish (ABC)
Lily Tomlin as Frankie Bergstein on Grace and Frankie (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown as Randall Pearson on This Is Us (NBC)
Anthony Hopkins as Robert Ford on Westworld (HBO)
Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill on Better Call Saul (AMC)
Matthew Rhys as Philip Jennings on The Americans (FX)
Liev Schreiber as Ray Donovan on Ray Donovan (Showtime)
Kevin Spacey as President Frank Underwood on House of Cards (Netflix)
Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson on This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Viola Davis as Annalise Keating on How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown (Netflix)
Elisabeth Moss as Offred on The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings on The Americans (FX)
Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores Abernathy on Westworld (HBO)
Robin Wright as President Claire Underwood on House of Cards (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Riz Ahmed as Nasir "Naz" Khan on The Night Of (HBO)
Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes on Sherlock: "The Lying Detective" (PBS)
Robert De Niro as Bernie Madoff on The Wizard of Lies (HBO)
Ewan McGregor as Ray Stussy and Emmit Stussy on Fargo (FX)
Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein on Genius (National Geographic)
John Turturro as John Stone on The Night Of (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Carrie Coon as Gloria Burgle on Fargo (FX)
Felicity Huffman as Jeanette Hesby on American Crime (ABC)
Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright on Big Little Lies (HBO)
Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford on Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis on Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Martha Mackenzie on Big Little Lies (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Louie Anderson as Christine Baskets on Baskets (FX)
Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tituss Burgess as Titus Andromedon on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy on Modern Family (ABC)
Tony Hale as Gary Walsh on Veep (HBO)
Matt Walsh as Mike McLintock on Veep (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Vanessa Bayer as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer on Veep (HBO)
Kathryn Hahn as Raquel Fein on Transparent (Amazon)
Leslie Jones as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Judith Light as Shelly Pfefferman on Transparent (Amazon)
Kate McKinnon as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut on Better Call Saul (AMC)
Ron Cephas Jones as William H. Hill on This Is Us (NBC)
David Harbour as Jim Hopper on Stranger Things (Netflix)
Michael Kelly as Doug Stamper on House of Cards (Netflix)
John Lithgow as Winston Churchill on The Crown (Netflix)
Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson on Homeland (Showtime)
Jeffrey Wright as Bernard Lowe on Westworld (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Uzo Aduba as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven on Stranger Things (Netflix)
Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia on The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
Chrissy Metz as Kate Pearson on This Is Us (NBC)
Thandie Newton as Maeve Millay on Westworld (HBO)
Samira Wiley as Moira on The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Bill Camp as Dennis Box on The Night Of (HBO)
Alfred Molina as Robert Aldrich on Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Alexander Skarsgård as Perry Wright on Big Little Lies (HBO)
David Thewlis as V.M. Varga on Fargo (FX)
Stanley Tucci as Jack Warner on Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Michael K. Williams as Freddy Knight on The Night Of (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Judy Davis as Hedda Hopper on Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Laura Dern as Renata Klein on Big Little Lies (HBO)
Jackie Hoffman as Mamacita on Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Regina King as Kimara Walters on American Crime (ABC)
Michelle Pfeiffer as Ruth Madoff on The Wizard of Lies (HBO)
Shailene Woodley as Jane Chapman on Big Little Lies (HBO)


Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Atlanta (Episode: "B.A.N."), Directed by Donald Glover (FX)
Silicon Valley (Episode: "Intellectual Property"), Directed by Jamie Babbit (HBO)
Silicon Valley (Episode: "Server Error"), Directed by Mike Judge (HBO)
Veep (Episode: "Blurb"), Directed by Morgan Sackett (HBO)
Veep (Episode: "Groundbreaking"), Directed by David Mandel (HBO)
Veep (Episode: "Justice"), Directed by Dale Stern (HBO)

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

Better Call Saul (Episode: "Witness"), Directed by Vince Gilligan (AMC)
The Crown (Episode: "Hyde Park Corner"), Directed by Stephen Daldry (Netflix)
The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Offred"), Directed by Reed Morano (Hulu)
The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "The Bridge"), Directed by Kate Dennis (Hulu)
Homeland (Episode: "America First"), Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter (Showtime)
Stranger Things (Episode: "Chapter One: The Vanishing Of Will Byers"), Directed by The Duffer Brothers (Netflix)
Westworld (Episode: "The Bicameral Mind"), Directed by Jonathan Nolan (HBO)

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Presents Not The White House Correspondents' Dinner, Directed by Paul Pennolino (TBS)
Stephen Colbert's Live Election Night Democracy's Series Finale: Who's Going To Clean Up This Sh*t?, Directed by Jim Hoskinson (Showtime)
89th Academy Awards, Directed by Glenn Weiss (ABC)
Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet to Come, Directed by Jerry Foley (NBC)

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

Drunk History (Episode: "Hamilton"), Directed by Jeremy Konner & Derek Waters (Comedy Central)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Episode: "The (RED) Show"), Directed by Andy Fisher (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Multi-Level Marketing"), Directed by Paul Pennolino (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Jimmy Fallon"), Directed by Don Roy King (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Episode: "Episode 0179"), Directed by Jim Hoskinson (CBS)

Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special

Big Little Lies, Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (HBO)
Fargo (Episode: "The Law of Vacant Places"), Directed by Noah Hawley (FX)
Feud: Bette and Joan (Episode: "And The Winner Is… (The Oscars of 1963)"), Directed by Ryan Murphy (FX)
Genius (Episode: "Einstein: Chapter One"), Directed by Ron Howard (National Geographic)
The Night Of (Episode: "The Art of War"), Directed by James Marsh (HBO)
The Night Of (Episode: "The Beach"), Directed by Steve Zaillian (HBO)



Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Atlanta (Episode: "B.A.N."), Written by Donald Glover (FX)
Atlanta (Episode: "Streets on Lock"), Written by Stephen Glover (FX)
Silicon Valley (Episode: "Success Failure"), Written by Alec Berg (HBO)
Master of None (Episode: "Thanksgiving"), Written by Aziz Ansari & Lena Waithe (Netflix)
Veep (Episode: "Georgia"), Written by Billy Kimball (HBO)
Veep (Episode: "Groundbreaking"), Written by David Mandel (HBO)

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

The Americans (Episode: "The Soviet Division"), Written by Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg (FX)
Better Call Saul (Episode: "Chicanery"), Written by Gordon Smith (AMC)
The Crown (Episode: "Assassins"), Written by Peter Morgan (Netflix)
The Handmaid's Tale (Episode: "Offred"), Written by Bruce Miller (FX)
Stranger Things (Episode: "Chapter One: The Vanishing Of Will Byers"), Written by The Duffer Brothers (Netflix)
Westworld (Episode: "The Bicameral Mind"), Written by Lisa Joy & Jonathan Nolan (HBO)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Presents Not The White House Correspondents' Dinner (TBS)
Louis C.K. 2017, Written by Louis C.K. (Netflix)
Sarah Silverman: A Speck Of Dust, Written by Sarah Silverman (Netflix)
Stephen Colbert's Live Election Night Democracy's Series Finale: Who's Going To Clean Up This Sh*t? (Showtime)
70th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special

Big Little Lies, Written by David E. Kelley (HBO)
Black Mirror (Episode: "San Junipero"), Written by Charlie Brooker (Netflix)
Fargo (Episode: "The Law of Vacant Places"), Written by Noah Hawley (FX)
Feud: Bette and Joan (Episode: "And The Winner Is... (The Oscars of 1963)"), Written by Ryan Murphy
Feud: Bette and Joan (Episode: "Pilot"), Written by Jaffe Cohen, Michael Zam & Ryan Murphy
The Night Of (Episode: "The Call of the Wild"), Written by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian

On the latest edition of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, host Tony Mango breaks down the hits and misses of Spider-Man: Homecoming.

What were the positives and negatives of Spider-Man: Homecoming? Did it live up to the hype or was it a disappointment?

Check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe and tell us your thoughts on Spider-Man: Homecoming in the comments below!

Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.

On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, Spider-Man: Homecoming is given as full of a spoiler-free 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 Spider-Man: Homecoming!

Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.

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 2017?

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Synopsis: Following the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016), Peter Parker attempts to balance his life in high school with his career as the web-slinging superhero Spider-Man.

Will I watch? = Yes

A Ghost Story

Synopsis: In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss, and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.

Will I watch? = Maybe

City of Ghosts

Synopsis: A documentary that follows the efforts of "Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently," a handful of anonymous activists who banded together after their homeland was taken over by ISIS in 2014. With deeply personal access, this is the story of a brave group of citizen journalists as they face the realities of life undercover, on the run, and in exile, risking their lives to stand up against one of the greatest evils in the world today.

Will I watch? = No

Patti Cake$

Synopsis: PATTI CAKE$ is centered on aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a. Patti Cake$ who is fighting an unlikely quest for glory in her downtrodden hometown in New Jersey.

Will I watch? = No

Santoalla

Synopsis: A Dutch couple, Martin and Margo Verfondern, move to a remote Spanish village of Santoalla to start a new life. There is conflict with the Spanish residents resulting in the disappearance of Martin.

Will I watch? = No


War for the Planet of the Apes

Synopsis: After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Wish Upon

Synopsis: A teenage girl discovers a box that carries magic powers and a deadly price for using them.

Will I watch? = No

Lady Macbeth

Synopsis: Set in 19th century rural England, young bride who has been sold into marriage to a middle-aged man discovers an unstoppable desire within herself as she enters into an affair with a work on her estate.

Will I watch? = No


Dunkirk

Synopsis: Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire, Canada, and France are surrounded by the German army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

Will I watch? = Yes

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Synopsis: A dark force threatens Alpha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

Will I watch? = Yes

Girls Trip

Synopsis: When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there's enough dancing, drinking, brawling, and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.

Will I watch? = No


The Emoji Movie

Synopsis: Gene, a multi-expressional emoji, sets out on a journey to become a normal emoji.

Will I watch? = No

Atomic Blonde

Synopsis: An undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.

Will I watch? = Maybe

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power

Synopsis: A decade after An Inconvenient Truth brought climate change into the heart of popular culture comes the follow-up that shows just how close we are to a real energy revolution.

Will I watch? = No

Menashe

Synopsis: Within Brooklyn's ultra-orthodox Jewish community, a widower battles for custody of his son. A tender drama performed entirely in Yiddish, the film intimately explores the nature of faith and the price of parenthood.

Will I watch? = No

From the Land of the Moon

Synopsis: In 1950s France, Gabrielle is a passionate, free-spirited woman who is in a loveless marriage and falls for another man when she is sent away to the Alps to treat her kidney stones. Gabrielle yearns to free herself and run away with André.

Will I watch? = No

The Midwife

Synopsis: A midwife gets unexpected news from her father's old mistress.

Will I watch? = No


Which films make the cut?

6. A Ghost Story — This looks like the most oddball movie of the month and I've always been interested in ghosts, so since I don't have any stronger options to take it out of the running, why not, right?

5. Atomic Blonde — Admittedly, I think this is trying a bit too hard, but it does still look kind of cool. I like the spy genre and the trailer did enough to make me go "yeah, sure" at least as far as picking six films this month would go.

4. War for the Planet of the Apes — I'm ashamed to say I haven't yet watched the previous two films, although I did see the original and Tim Burton's awful remake, and bits and pieces of the old sequels. This new trilogy looks so good and I really want to sit down and watch Rise and Dawn before seeing this one.

3. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planet — I feel like this is going to tank at the box office, but I'm going to try to see it anyway. The visuals alone are cool and I know nothing about the source material, so this could be an interesting sci-fi film that comes under the radar and turns into a very enjoyable new series. I'm not so pumped about it to make it a guarantee I'll check it out, or to start reading the books or anything beforehand, but I'll give it a shot. At the very least, when it comes out to rent, I'll watch it.

2. Dunkirk — I was disappointed in Interstellar but we're still talking about Christopher Nolan here. Even though this particular story isn't something I care about, and he fell short of expectations with The Dark Knight Rises, he's still responsible for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Memento and Inception so he gets a pass until his filmography starts becoming an uneven ratio. For the record, The Prestige and Insomnia are just kind of meh like Interstellar. Four awesome movies, four that didn't live up to the hype but were still okay, and no "bad" ones.

1. Spider-Man: Homecoming — Fuck. Yes. I'm so worried about a few of the choices they've made with characters like how Flash Thompson is totally not Flash Thompson and such, but this is Spider-Man we're talking about, which is my #2 favorite superhero of all time. I bought 16 tickets for this immediately when I could in May.

We're back with another unboxing video from SuperHeroStuff.com to celebrate the release of the Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 6th. This edition of the HeroBox is the Spider-Man: Box of Spiders Radioactive Arachnid Edition!

With Spider-Man: Homecoming hitting theaters this July it only seems appropriate that our newest box pay homage to the AMAZING, the SPECTACULAR, the REBOOTABLE Spider-Man!

The box is overflowing with mystery items featuring Peter Parker's webbed-exploits from the past 55 years! Watch out...we're filling the box with Spiders that may or may not be radioactive!

The box is limited to 300 and is broken down into two editions depending on your level of needed awesomeness. The Radioactive Arachnid Edition Edition is priced at $69 has a value over $100, while the Arachnid Edition is priced at $49 and has a value of $70. Below is a breakdown of what’s in each edition.

Every Box Includes...

A superhero t-shirt
Spiders (maybe even a radioactive one!)
Outerwear like a hoodie, jacket, or fleece.
Web crawling apparel like socks and underwear
Friendly neighborhood accessories like buttons, keychains, magnets, and wallets.

If you want to get in on the fun and reserve yourself some cool stuff for next month, place your order at SuperHeroStuff HeroBox and use the code 15-HERO-BOX to save 15% off your order of $40+.

Thanks again to SuperHeroStuff for sending this our way!

LGBTQ themes have been historically omitted in mainstream media, particularly within comics, though representation has been steadily increasing since the 1990s. However, several steadfast tropes have often left members of the marginalized community lacking proper portrayal.

Green Lantern, Earth 2

As Pride History Month fills June with rainbows and glitter from parades and LGBT-centric events, comic writers are at work writing stories that both universally inspires and entertains readers with the extra goal of reaching at least one that says, "This is me."

Sexuality and gender identity has had an upwards battle throughout the years, and it wasn't until 1989 were lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans* characters even allowed in print. The comic book industry began in the 1930s, though between the early 1950s to the end of the '80s, mainstream American comic book publishers established rules against portraying LGBT characters, enforced by the Comics Code Authority. As a private company overlooking from within, it doesn't necessarily fringe on the First Amendment and publishers weren't required to follow the rules, though you wouldn't have seen a same-sex superhero kiss yet.

During the LGBT Voices In Comics panel at Orlando's MegaCon, panelists and audience members held a creative open discussion on how to write LGBT characters into storylines. With representation of queer characters almost invisible and LGBT people of color even further marginalized, a common undertone remains. Too often, gay and lesbian characters are featured as supporting figures in stories, with transgender and non-binary people having far less inclusivity.

You may have seen several not-so-subtle tropes throughout mainstream media—from the "gay best friend" that appears to only be useful for fashion advice, to sexualizing primarily lesbian couples—but other common themes feature dominant, gay, caucasian men with a submissive minority husband and using the death of an LGBT character to progress the story plot without the significant need for it.

LGBT Voices in Comics panelist, Tana Ford (Silk), interjected that queer characters are often used as fodder to the story, quickly being killed off as means of plot progression. "Stop killing us!" she said exasperated.

Sadly, it is a story arch that is painfully not far from reality and not isolated to media. Last year, 49 LGBT partygoers were fatally shot and 53 more were injured in a mass shooting at the popular Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Following the shooting, a group of over 300 comic writers and artists came together in a unique comic anthology co-published by DC and IDW. Love is Love contains a heartfelt message while both honoring the victims, supporting the survivors, and celebrating the LGBTQ community. Over $165,000 in sales were donated to Equality Florida, a non-profit organization dedicated to the social justice and equality of the LGBT community in Florida, according to the Washington Post.

MegaCon Orlando paid tribute throughout the weekend, hosting a gallery space featuring art from the project and a Love is Love fundraising event in honor of the victims. The cocktail reception and book signing included comic talent Tom King, Scott Snyder, Phil Jimenez, and others.

While Ford actively breaks ground by focusing on tearing down barriers and the stigma of mental health, showing Cindy Moon in several therapy sessions, it also features two of Cindy's co-workers in a romantic relationship.

"I am a person that writes and draws authentic queer lesbian characters for fun and pleasure, and I also get to do representation inside the pages of Silk, and I think that there's value there," Ford said.

Possibly one of the most well-known queer characters, Batwoman drew widespread attention after the redheaded Kate Kane was outed in 2006 when it was revealed that she was the former lover of Gotham detective, Renee Montoya. Although the New52 erased many narratives and the wedding between Kane and her longterm girlfriend, Maggie Sawyer, was cancelled, the pair can be seen together in DC's Bombshells comic.

DC Comics continues to uphold its stance on representation with the inclusion of bisexual villains such as Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and Aqualad coming out as gay, though the far less representation of trans characters remain. A single issue of Batgirl changed the dynamic, featuring best friend Alysia Yeoh marrying her longtime girlfriend, Jo. Alysia came out as trans in 2013 and has remained a strong supporting character for Barbara Gordon.

Last year DC delivered another new narrative, delivering critical acclaim with Wonder Woman: Earth One. Aside from her BDSM undertones, much has been argued on the Amazon Princess' sexuality, and comic creator Greg Rucka confirmed that she is in fact bisexual. Inspired from the legalization of same-sex marriage, Australian writer, Jason Badower, presented Wonder Woman as an officiator of gay marriage in Sensation Comics #48. Her big-screen debut last week doesn't dive into her sexuality, but we can assume that DC's continuity of representation is not far from gone.

Although lacking in comparison, Marvel Comics doesn't stray from its diversity, most recently seen in the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four. X-men has essentially been a metaphor for accepting who you are, regardless of how others view you, so with Iceman portrayed as gay and the lesser-known mutant, Karma, a lesbian, representation is everything.

As more queer characters are being written, Ford exclaims, "I am so excited about gay Iceman. For me, he's always going to be gay Iceman, and not just like, Bobby Drake just so happens to be gay. It is important to me that one of the foundational members of the X-Men comes out as gay."

Where representation in comics still has much room to grow, it seems as though DC is at the forefront of the LGBT movement off the page. In 2015, the MCU portrayed a queer character on Jessica Jones, a few years behind DCTV establishing Sara Lance as bisexual. Known as the Black Canary (Arrow) and later the White Canary (Legends of Tomorrow), she initially formed a romantic relationship with Nyssa al Ghul during the second season episode "Heir to the Demon" on Arrow. Legends of Tomorrow showrunners further explored her sexuality in "Night of the Hawk" and "River of Time."

As the longest-running LGBT character in DCTV, Sara is not alone. The Flash and Supergirl both feature gay and lesbian characters respectively, with Supergirl introducing detective Maggie Sawyer in Season 2.

LGBT narratives in comics, film, and television are extremely important, especially for queer youth who are at the most vulnerable stages and require a sense of validation. Stemming from comics, television, and film, cosplay has often been a way to immerse oneself in fandoms, allowing many to cross-play in a free and accepting community.

One transgender cosplayer at MegaCon that goes by Cinder Venus, has found solace within the cosplay community, though coming out was a tough experience.

"A year and a half ago I went to the Center, I was in boy-mode, and I was kind of researching and finding resources for me to come out, and I was basically insulted by saying I was 'not gay enough, I wasn't 'trans enough," she said.

According to Cinder, she was not recommended a counselor and was forced to go through nine different therapists, paying a high cost for lack of insurance and unknowingly going under conversion therapy for two months.

"I've always loved superheroes," she said. "I love the difference of heroes, especially when I saw female heroes such as Batgirl or Super Woman, I just admired them so much."

Starting as a photographer at conventions, she slowly began to gender-bend cosplay favorite anime characters such as the tomboyish character from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Becoming more comfortable with herself, she began to cosplay primarily female characters, crediting cosplay for being a huge support in her transition.

On the latest edition of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, host Tony Mango breaks down the hits and misses of The Mummy from the Dark Universe series.

What were the positives and negatives of 2017's The Mummy? Did it live up to the hype or was it a disappointment?

Check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe and tell us your thoughts on The Mummy in the comments below!

Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in the modern era, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.

On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, The Mummy is given as full of a spoiler-free 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 Mummy!

Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in the modern era, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.

On the latest edition of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, host Tony Mango breaks down the hits and misses of Wonder Woman.

What were the positives and negatives of Wonder Woman? Did it live up to the hype or was it a disappointment?

Check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe and tell us your thoughts on Wonder Woman in the comments below!

Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that's raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.

On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, Wonder Woman is given as full of a spoiler-free 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 Wonder Woman!

Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that's raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.

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 June 2017?

Wonder Woman

Synopsis: Before she was Wonder Woman she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true destiny.

Will I watch? = Yes

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

Synopsis: Two overly imaginative pranksters named George and Harold, hypnotize their principal into thinking he's a ridiculously enthusiastic, incredibly dimwitted superhero named Captain Underpants.

Will I watch? = No

Dean

Synopsis: A comedy about loss, grief and the redemptive power of love, Dean is an NY illustrator who falls hard for an LA woman while trying to prevent his father from selling the family home in the wake of his mother's death.

Will I watch? = Maybe

3 Idiotas

Synopsis: A group of friends embark on a fun adventure determined to find a college roommate who disappeared without a trace on graduation day.

Will I watch? = No

Past Life

Synopsis: Past Life tracks the daring late 1970s odyssey of two sisters - an introverted classical musician and a rambunctious scandal sheet journalist - as they unravel a shocking wartime mystery that has cast a dark shadow on their entire lives.

Will I watch? = No

Band Aid

Synopsis: A couple who can't stop fighting embark on a last-ditch effort to save their marriage: turning their fights into songs and starting a band.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Vincent N Roxxy

Synopsis: A small town loner and a rebellious punk rocker unexpectedly fall in love as they are forced on the run and soon discover violence follows them everywhere.

Will I watch? = Maybe


The Mummy

Synopsis: An ancient princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension.

Will I watch? = Yes

Megan Leavey

Synopsis: Based on the true life story of a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq.

Will I watch? = No

It Comes at Night

Synopsis: Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son, but this will soon be put to test when a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The Hero

Synopsis: An ailing movie star comes to terms with his past and mortality.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Beatriz at Dinner

Synopsis: A holistic medicine practitioner attends a wealthy client's dinner party after her car breaks down.

Will I watch? = No

My Cousin Rachel

Synopsis: A young Englishman plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.

Will I watch? = No


Cars 3

Synopsis: Lightning McQueen sets out to prove to a new generation of racers that he's still the best race car in the world.

Will I watch? = No

Rough Night

Synopsis: A group of friends are horrified when the male stripper they hired for a wild bachelorette party in Miami winds up dead.

Will I watch? = Maybe

All Eyez on Me

Synopsis: Tells the true and untold story of prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur.

Will I watch? = No

47 Meters Down

Synopsis: Two sisters vacationing in Mexico are trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean. With less than an hour of oxygen left and great white sharks circling nearby, they must fight to survive.

Will I watch? = No

The Book of Henry

Synopsis: Sometimes things are not always what they seem, especially in the small suburban town where the Carpenter family lives. Single suburban mother Susan Carpenter works as a waitress at a diner, alongside feisty family friend Sheila. Her younger son Peter is a playful 8-year-old. Taking care of everyone and everything in his own unique way is Susan's older son Henry, age 11. Protector to his adoring younger brother and tireless supporter of his often self-doubting mother - and, through investments, of the family as a whole - Henry blazes through the days like a comet. Susan discovers that the family next door, which includes Henry's kind classmate Christina, has a dangerous secret - and that Henry has devised a surprising plan to help. As his brainstormed rescue plan for Christina takes shape in thrilling ways, Susan finds herself at the center of it.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Maudie

Synopsis: An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the community.

Will I watch? = No

I, Daniel Blake

Synopsis: After having suffered a heart-attack, a 59-year-old carpenter must fight the bureaucratic forces of the system in order to receive Employment and Support Allowance.

Will I watch? = No

The Journey

Synopsis: A fictional account of the extraordinary story of two implacable enemies in Northern Ireland - firebrand Democratic Unionist Party leader Paisley and Sinn Fein politician Martin McGuinness - who are forced to take a short journey together in which they will take the biggest leap of faith and change the course of history.

Will I watch? = No


Transformers: The Last Knight

Synopsis: Humans and Transformers are at war, Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving our future lies buried in the secrets of the past, in the hidden history of Transformers on Earth.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The Big Sick

Synopsis: A couple deals with their cultural differences as their relationship grows.

Will I watch? = No

The Beguiled

Synopsis: At a girls' school in Virginia during the Civil War, where the young women have been sheltered from the outside world, a wounded Union soldier is taken in. Soon, the house is taken over with sexual tension, rivalries, and an unexpected turn of events.

Will I watch? = No

The Bad Batch

Synopsis: A dystopian love story in a Texas wasteland and set in a community of cannibals.

Will I watch? = Maybe


Despicable Me 3

Synopsis: Gru meets his twin brother Dru he never knew about.

Will I watch? = No

The House

Synopsis: A dad convinces his friends to start an illegal casino in his basement after he and his wife spend their daughter's college fund.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Baby Driver

Synopsis: After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Amityville: The Awakening

Synopsis: A single mother moves her three children into a haunted house, unaware of its bloody history.

Will I watch? = No

13 Minutes

Synopsis: In November 1939, Georg Elser's attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler fails, and he is arrested. During his confinement, he recalls the events leading up to his plot and his reasons for deciding to take such drastic action.

Will I watch? = No

The Little Hours

Synopsis: A young servant fleeing from his master takes refuge at a convent full of emotionally unstable nuns in the middle ages.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography

Synopsis: A look at the life and work of photographer Elsa Dorfman.

Will I watch? = No


Which films make the cut?

Honorable Mentions: While I don't think I'll actually watch all of the movies which are in the Maybe category, I do think it's worth mentioning them here just for the positive vibes. It Comes at Night, The Bad Batch, Dean, Vincent N Roxxy, The Hero, The Little Hours and even Band Aid to a certain extent all made me interested enough to put it on my temporary list before I sorted out the final six (well, seven). Out of those honorable mentions, the one that I'd rank closest to making the cut would be either Vincent N Roxxy or The Bad Batch which mostly get the nod because I'm not too sure what I'm in store for with those movies.

6. The Book of Henry — To be honest, the first half of this trailer where the kid is gifted and it just seemed like a standard drama had me more intrigued than the more thriller aspect of it which came out of nowhere. Still, just because it looks different and I admire their balls for switching it up mid-trailer, it gets a spot on the list.

5. Rough Night / The House — Honestly, I can't decide between these two for which gets this spot. They both look about on par with each other in terms of whether or not I'd like them, and they have the same target audience, same genre, everything. Both could have some big laughs or they could be those types of movies that fall flat with me even though someone out there will consider it their favorite film of all time. Let's find out.

4. Baby Driver — I'm not a big Edgar Wright guy. I know a lot of people absolutely love everything he does, but his style isn't a guaranteed hit for me just by default, so I'm not going into this with the same sort of fervor most people would. Despite this, the film did catch my eye, and the more positive word of mouth I hear, the more it becomes a solidified thing I want to check out.

3. Transformers: The Last Knight — Uuuugggghhhhhh I really liked the first one, but the second was bad, the third wasn't much of an improvement, and the fourth was fucking awful. I'm probably going to end up seeing this, though, aren't I? What a waste of $20. Damn it. I hate myself.

2. The Mummy — Already bought my tickets, even though this doesn't look particularly amazing. These characters aren't something I'm the biggest fan of, but the concept of bringing them all together in a crossover film scope is interesting, so I figured I'd support its first endeavor. If this film sucks, then I probably won't bother with the rest.

1. Wonder Woman — Already bought my tickets for this, too, but I legitimately want to see this more than anything else. I don't get why there's such a big stigma about how men aren't going to watch a female-driven superhero film. It's Wonder Woman, for God's sake, and just because I'm a dude, I'm instantly going to have zero interest in a movie because the lead protagonist isn't a guy? Insane. I think this movie looks awesome and I hope it's the best DC film yet.