The covers for Godzilla: Skate or Die #2 have dropped! The first cover is mine and the second is Juni Ba’s amazing variant cover for this issue. Out in July, make sure you’ve ordered through your local comic store! 🦖🛼🛹🛼🛹🦖

More on the comic here: https://godzilla.com/blogs/news/louie-joyce-godzilla-skate-or-die-comic-book-interview

www.louiejoyce.com

Kaiju Week in Review (February 11-17, 2024)

Warner Bros. unfurled the second trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which seems to be going over much better than the first. There are multiple glimpses of the ice Titan Shimo throughout, and an even briefer look at Mothra reflected in Jia's eye. (My favorite shot, of course, is Kong decking Skar King as he's holding out Suko like a wriggling shield.) The rough shots from trailer #1 still look rough, but at least the new footage is more impressive.

The new issue of Empire (how fitting) has a short article on GxK—the big revelation there is that Godzilla Evolved is pink simply because that's director Adam Wingard's favorite color. Collaborations are also popping up. Circle K is offering a movie-branded sandwich, chocolate bar, and Froster drinks/cups. Godzilla and a seriously wizened Kong are also entering the mobile game Lords Mobile.

I don't know much about Oscar politicking, but Takashi Yamazaki's strategy of bringing a model Godzilla with him everywhere he goes seems like a winner. Both appear in the "class photo" taken of all the nominees at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon. At the same event, Yamazaki and Godzilla met with Steven Spielberg, who told Yamazaki he had seen Godzilla Minus One three times. Posting their photo together on Twitter, Yamazaki said he had "met God."

Toho's English Godzilla YouTube channel also uploaded a six-minute video on Minus One's VFX, with a focus on the various ways the production was able to shave off costs. Officially translated behind-the-scenes featurettes for Toho Godzilla films are a rarity, a sign of how badly they want that little gold statue. It's worth watching just for Yamazaki scooting his chair around the office.

Shout! Factory's onslaught of old Toei tokusatsu films on its streaming service turned out to be a prelude to offering them all on disc. The Classic Tokusatsu Collection Blu-ray set includes Planet Prince (1959; called Prince of Space), Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961), Watari the Ninja Boy (1966), The Golden Bat (1966; called Golden Ninja), Magic Serpent (1966; called Dragon Showdown) , Ninja Scope (1969), and Terror Beneath the Sea (1966). None have ever been released on English-friendly Blu-ray before; some haven't even made it to DVD. The set is $70 and limited to 2,500 copies.

Major caveats seem to accompany every English-language release of vintage tokusatsu these days, and unfortunately this set's no exception. Despite the existence of English dubs for at least some of these films (two of them riffed on Mystery Science Theater 3000), only Terror Beneath the Sea is dubbed; the rest are Japanese-only. And the dubbed Prince of Space well-known to MiSTies was actually an amalgamation of Toei's two Planet Prince films, only the first of which is present here. (Even the first film seems like it's going to be in upscaled standard-def, going off the streaming version.) No special features in the production description either, although one person who got the set early reports that at least one trailer is included (for Invasion of the Neptune Men).

IDW has announced still another Godzilla miniseries, Godzilla: Skate or Die. First-issue description:

It's Australian skater punks versus Varan and the King of the Monsters in this thrilling debut issue by writer/artist Louie Joyce (A Fistful of Pain)! Four years ago, four best friends and die-hard skaters found the perfect location for a DIY skatepark. After months of hard work, they created the world’s sickest spot that they could enjoy for the rest of their lives… That is, until the ferocious Varan appeared in the middle of central Australia and started making a beeline for their beloved park. Why is Varan on a rampage? Why did Godzilla just appear off the coast? What does their beloved skate spot have to do with this? And most importantly…what are these punks willing to do to save it?

Sounds like there's a lot of author appeal here, as Joyce is Australian and calls the tale "inspired by all the amazing DIY spots I've had the privilege of skating[.]" And a meaty role for Varan is a pleasant surprise.

Perhaps inspired by the success of Troll on Netflix, we've got another Scandinavia giant monster movie on the way. Kraken will be directed by Pal Oie (Dark Woods) from a script by Vilde Eide. No cast yet, but here are the plot details divulged by The Hollywood Reporter:

[T]he thriller will follow Johanne, a marine biologist who encounters several strange occurrences while researching a fjord, including the brutal deaths of two local teenagers. “At the bottom of Norway’s deepest fjord rests a mythical monster as large as a mountain, with a myriad of arms ready to crush and devour anything they can grab,” the film’s synopsis reads.

Krakens are certainly having a moment in giant monster stories right now, between Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken and the three that somehow wound up connected to the Monsterverse. (To wit: Na Kika was originally called Kraken, the unnamed antagonist of Skull Island bore the same name internally, and the guardian of Atlantis in the Justice League crossover comic is a Kraken as well.) This seems like a more back-to-basics approach.

Godzilla: Skate or Die #1 (IDW, June 2024) variant cover by Juni Ba

This Week’s Horrible-Scopes

It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter.

Aries 

When was the last time you checked the safety devices in your home; specifically the fire extinguishers? Chances are it’s been a while. If it’s 10 years after the manufacturing date, you probably want to replace it. And consider this - with a 2-pack running about $50 they make great holiday gifts… to spray at the feet of all the Trick or Treaters! Actually use the old ones for that instead.

Taurus 

If you’re trying to decide on what movie to watch this weekend, consider some of the campy 1950’s horror flicks! THEM! Is all about radioactive ants, Godzilla is about a radioactive lizard, Creature with the Atom Brain was about radioactive zombies… It Came from Beneath the Sea was a radioactive octopus… Man, they were really worried about atomic bombs in the 50’s Whatever you pick, just don’t make the popcorn in the microwave oven. Use a wok for the best popping. 

Gemini   

All we ever hear from you is, “Gimme a naughty ‘Scope. Make my ears turn red. You’re not being naughty enough.” Well you know what Susan? We keep fucking trying! You know how hard it is to skate that line between PG-13 and NC-17? We’re only allowed one F-Bomb, and we just used it because you’ve gotten us so flustered. So you know what? THIS week you’re getting exactly what you deserve: A big fat NUTHIN’! We’re leaving you in the dark about what’s coming up next. How’s THAT, huh?  

Cancer Moon-Child 

OH! You’re on our shit-list this week TOO, Cancer! Remember back in July when we used the expression, “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”? Well guess what. The whole quote from Oscar Wilde goes like this, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” This week start carving your own pathway instead of doing what someone else’s done. 

Leo 

If you haven’t looked it up, now’s a good time to see where The Rocky Horror Picture Show is playing. The movie is almost 50 years old and it’s still as horrid as you remember it to be… IF you watch it alone. This week, plan on getting out and enjoying a midnight screening, assuming you can stay awake for it. 

Virgo 

The rule of real estate is “Location, Location, Location”, but with interdepartmental corporate drama it’s, “Document, Document, Document”. No you don’t need to have things printed out all the time, but having your information together will really help you when someone’s got it out for you. This week get to know the names of your data storage technicians; they love to help with a good screwing when it’s richly deserved. 

Libra 

Planting your own veggies is all well and good, but you’re not getting any avocados out of that Hass pit for at least three years. Worse yet, they don’t like the cold, meaning if you’re in Hardiness Zone 9, 10, or 11, you’re OK. But we’re betting you have no idea what zone you’re in. This week stop growing weed in your basement and switch to avocado plants instead. 

Scorpio 

Supposedly if you go to sleep thinking, “Tonight I’ll control my dream” you’ll be able to do just that. How cool will it be to live out every fantasy you ever wanted? Be every hero you ever watched on TV. Be the Mad Scientist who beats the good guy and blows up the world. That last one might be a bad idea - if you die in your dream do you die in real life? This week buy a spinner.  

Sagittarius 

It might have been unfair of us, throwing that trivia question at you last week, but at least we gave you the answer. If you’d read the Tumblr post and actually read the whole thing… Including The Hashtags At The Bottom… you might’ve actually seen it. You figured out how to break the ScanTron Answer Key Setting in high school, how could you miss that being right in front of you? This week just accept that your best days were in high school and there’s no going back again.  

Capricorn 

After being all upset with Gemini and Cancer, it’s so good to get to you, Capricorn. You’ve always been our go-to for someone to keep our mood level. Seriously, thanks for that. This week treat yourself to a couple albums on us: “The Music from Peter Gunn” by Henry Mancini and “Johnny Costa Plays Mister Rogers' Neighborhood”. Put them on, get some brandy, and just enjoy the night.

Aquarius 

Halloween season means costume season. Consider something more minimalist than a full-priced expensive one. Maybe revisit a costume you had back in your childhood days - with the crappy mask with no ventilation, minimal eyesight, and glorified rubber band holding it on. Yes, those OLD-OLD Ben Cooper Costume Kits are BACK for 20 bucks and in your size! This week you’ll be playing chicken with the chocolate discount sales. 

Pisces 

You’ll be invited to watch a play this weekend, so you better be on your best behavior. You don’t need to wear a three piece suit, but at least wear a long sleeve shirt… and pants! And no, you can’t sneak someone in under your trench coat. How do you even have a trench coat that tall? You know what? Forget it. Just… Just enjoy the show. And please, please… Theatre is NOT conversational. Just sit back and shut up this time. 

And THOSE are your Hobble-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Discord.

Cornib Bleau Vine Sentence Starters (feel free to change proper nouns, pronouns, etc. to fit your needs)

“I like to roller skate and...throw up”

“I eat at olive garden every day and I die at olive garden every day.”

“I was born a baby and I’ll die a baby”

“I have a question. What’s the best wedding gift? A chia pet? No.”

“No one knew Steve Jobs like I did. I’m the only who knew that he could suck and fuck like a bad girl.”

“In middle school I tongue wrestled Keith Urban for a churro.”

“It’s so sad all the old people being murdered by God.”

“Got kicked out of church. I farted in an envelope and sent it to God”

“I’m not allowed in my house because my mom says I have stinky knees.”

“I get kicked out of Starbucks every day because I walk in and look at the barista and say good morning coffee bitch.”

 “I don’t have to brush my teeth every day!”

“If Elvis was still alive I’d make him take me to Panera. Make him pay for me.”

“My doctor just found out he has cancer. Guess he’s not a very good doctor.”

“I think Godzilla is a beautiful man. I don’t care that he’s so big. I wanna take him to Red Robin.”

“Just got the news. I’m going to Disney - to Walt Disney...’s grave. To mourn.”

“I eat my teeth for breakfast every day.”

“I just got a girlfriend. Her name’s Titty Pussy.”

“I’m mad! My mom just threw out all my David Spade scented candles.”

“This is my impression of a whale: ‘I’ve been dead for so long.’ It’s a ghost whale.”

“This is my impression of Pitbull: ‘Please help me! I’m so bald!’“

“I pooped during my school picture.”

“Can dinosaurs get periods?”

“I got blacklisted from Dave and Busters ‘cause I molested myself in laser tag.”

“I had a panic attack at the Apple store.”

“I’ll give you a jalapeno so spicy the mushroom will pop off your dick and run circles around you.”

“Please download my new app it’s called ‘Mom’. It raises you from birth.”

“Always remember to achieve your dreams...by 7 p.m. Thanks.”

“Look at my little feet! But please stop asking to see my legs. My legs are for family only.”

“I’m in a committed relationship with a ghost. His name’s Brad. We met at Panera.”

“I have a request for a show. I want to see the episode where Drake milks Josh.”

“My sister just had a baby boy. She let me name it. I named it Fuck Truck Lesbian.”

“I’m mad! I just got kicked out of Men’s Warehouse because I peed in my own shoes.”

“What’s a guy gotta do to get his cock hobbled and gobbled by a bus full of church elves?”

“Do not text message Garfield the cat! He’s racist as shit!”

“Please download my new app it’s called ‘Rachel. Please come home your parents are worried.’“

“I just found out I have heart worm.”

“I came up with a riddle: Jack and Jill went up the hill and fucked and fucked and fucked and fucked.”

“I’m looking for a thick girl wearing Heelys to come over and sneeze in my mouth.”

“Knock knock. Who’s there? No one, it’s just a joke. It’s just a joke!”

“I hate Taylor Swift ‘cause she stays out too late! Stays out too late.”

“I hope you fall down a flight of steps and bust your reptile face Adrian Brody, you fucking iguana!”

“I’m lookin’ for a busty old bitch to slap me around. Make me snort like a hog.”

“What’s a guy gotta do to get his cock hobbled and gobbled by a trolley bus full of church elves? Huh?”

“Always remember it’s better to have loved and lost than to have accidentally outed your gay nephew on Reddit.”

“I said I can’t come to your party, Alan ‘cause my sister’s a goat and I have to milk her every single minute.”

“I have a riddle: What’s red?...Blood.”

“I’m looking for a cool dog who can buy me alcohol.”

“My neighbor Casey died. I’m throwing a dance party in his house. No cops!”

“This is my impression of God. ‘Ooh your son made varsity? My son died - for everyone.’“

“How come there’s always a bird in Home Depot?”

“I have a riddle: How do you get pennies out of your stomach? Well, it’s not a riddle - I need advice. How do you get pennies out of your stomach?”

“People are telling me I’m never gonna find true love, but guess what? I’ve been fuckin’ Shrek! So I don’t wanna hear it!”

“Please strangle me on a sailboat.”

“I got kicked out of a restaurant. They said it was because I elbowed a baby, but I just think they’re sick and tired of me and my farty ass.”

“This is my impression of John Stamos: ‘Watch the - watch my hair, please.’“

“I’m lookin’ for a new baby sitter and not some lame ass Safety Town fucker. I’m talkin’ someone who’s not afraid to jerk my dick on a Segway without a helmet.

“Guess what? My best friend’s a judge and guess what? He just invited me to jail.”

“Please hire me to do tricks. I’ll make you money. I’m working on a trick called cock splash!”

“Serious inquiries only: I’m lookin’ for an abandoned barn where I can find a musty busty bitch to slobber and gaggle over my pork knob.”

“This is urgent! Please donate to my Go Fund Me. I’m trying to get Ryan Seacrest to swallow his own load.”

“True Life: I’m allergic to my own goddamned dick.”

“True Life: I have 10 sons and they all smell like sex.”

“Hello! ‘Bout to watch American Idol. Please no spoilers! I’m only on season 2. Thanks.”

“Uh, bad day! Not one person on the bus highfived me for catching my throw up in my hand.”

“If I was your man I’d lay spread eagle on your hover board waiting for you to get home so I can pop, lock, and cock ya.”

-

1. I live on the Eastern Hemisphere. 2. My nails are painted a dark color. 3. There is someone else in the room with me. 4. It’s one of my relatives’ birthday today. 7. I ate breakfast this morning. 8. My favorite color is purple. 9. I have at least one sister. 10. I use Degree deodorant. 11. I live in a big city. 12. I hate the way my bedroom is decorated. 13. I would never have white walls unless there’s color in some of the furniture. 14. I still have braces on my teeth. 15. My birthday is in winter. 16. I usually read for fun. 17. I use Post-Its a lot. 18. I’m a vegetarian or a vegan. 19. I live in a really small state. country. 20. There is nothing to do in my town. 21. My parents are divorced. 22. I cannot stand when little kids curse. 23. I’m going out with my friends tonight. 24. I actually like staying at home sometimes. 25. One of my favorite things to wear is hoodies. 26. I follow sports, but I don’t play them. 27. My favorite color is unpopular. 28. I’m attending my first year of college this school year. 29. I hear a dog barking right now. 30. I have seen a dog and a catfight. 31. I drive a red car. 32. My laptop, or computer, is black. 33. One of my friends is really annoying. 34. I don’t smoke weed or do any other stupid drug. 35. I don’t have a job at the moment. 36. One of my friends has a baby of their own. 37. I have a boyfriend/girlfriend. 38. I go to parties often. 39. I’d rather use a fan than an air conditioner. 40. I watch a lot of YouTube videos. 41. I have a piece of jewelry that I wear all the time. 42. Sometimes I wish I can move far away. 43. I want to be a doctor when I’m older. 44. My siblings and parents fight all the time. 45. You can find my favorite animal at a zoo. 46. I brush my teeth three times a day. 47. My mom and I are really close. 48. I’m secretly really jealous of my sibling. 49. I love to take showers in the morning. It wakes me up. 50. I hate flip flops and I never wear them.

-

[1990]

Home Alone  Ghost Dances With Wolves Pretty Woman Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Hunt For Red October Total Recall Die Hard 2: Die Harder Dick Tracy Kindergarten Cop Back to the Future III Presumed Innocent Days of Thunder Another 48 HRS. Three Men and A Little Lady

[1991]

Terminator 2: Judgement Day Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Beauty and the Beast The Silence of the Lambs City Slickers Hook The Addams Family Sleeping With the Enemy Father of the Bride The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear Fried Green Tomatoes Cape Fear Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II Backdraft Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country

[1992]

Aladdin Home Alone 2: Lost In New York Batman Returns Lethal Weapon 3 A Few Good Men Sister Act The Bodyguard Wayne’s World Basic Instinct A League of Their Own Unforgiven The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Under Siege Patriot Games Bram Stoker’s Dracula

[1993]

Jurassic Park Mrs. Doubtfire The Fugitive The Firm Sleepless In Seattle Indecent Proposal In the Line of Fire The Pelican Brief Schindler’s List Cliffhanger Free Willy Philadelphia Groundhog Day Grumpy Old Men Cool Runnings

[1994]

Forrest Gump The Lion King True Lies The Santa Clause The Flintstones Dumb and Dumber Clear and Present Danger Speed The Mask Pulp Fiction Interview With the Vampire Maverick The Client Disclosure Star Trek: Generations

[1995]

Toy Story Batman Forever Apollo 13 Pocahontas Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Goldeneye Jumanji Casper Seven Die Hard: With A Vengeance Crimson Tide Waterworld Dangerous Minds Mr. Holland’s Opus While You Were Sleeping

[1996]

Independence Day Twister Mission Impossible Jerry Maguire Ransom 101 Dalmatians The Rock The Nutty Professor The Birdcage A Time To Kill The First Wives Club Phenomenon Scream Eraser The Hunchback of Notre Dame

[1997]

Titanic Men In Black Jurassic Park: The Lost World Liar Liar Air Force One As Good As It Gets Good Will Hunting My Best Friend’s Wedding Tomorrow Never Dies Face/Off Batman and Robin George of the Jungle Scream 2 Con Air Contact

[1998]

Saving Private Ryan Armageddon There’s Something About Mary A Bug’s Life The Waterboy Doctor Dolittle Rush Hour Deep Impact Godzilla Patch Adams Lethal Weapon 4 The Truman Show Mulan You’ve Got Mail Enemy of the State

[1999]

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace The Sixth Sense Toy Story 2 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me The Matrix Tarzan Big Daddy The Mummy Runaway Bride The Blair Witch Project Stuart Little The Green Mile American Beauty The World Is Not Enough Double Jeopardy

-

amsterdam: messy hair, open-minded, old notebooks, the color black, smudged eyeliner, eye bags, gentle kisses, bruised knuckles, black coffee, sneaking out at midnight, starry skies, holding hands, blushing, wandering through cities /7

tokyo: soft smiles, looks intimidating, intelligent beings, mirror selfies, watching horror movies, rainy days, great sense of fashion, photography, writing poems, misty forests, fantasy books, the scent of vanilla, cats, green tea /6

london: powerful presence, conspiracy theories, astronomy, believes in fate, cares but doesn’t show it, late night talks, fuzzy socks, hot chocolate, genuine laughs, trying to be the better version of themselves, introverted /5

paris: oversized sweaters, roses, indie songs, coffee shops, longing after romance, nostalgia, ponytails, rosy cheeks, painted nails, taking polaroid pictures, pretty handwriting, playing the ukulele, thrift-shopping, freckles /6

I am: Amsterdam. 

“Black Sunday” - Review

In the past year, I’ve seen a fair number of terrific movies, but most of them have been smaller indie fare that would benefit from the shared audience experience of being in a theater, but don’t strive for the awesome spectacle that demands theater sound and picture. For the most part, the blockbusters like Fast 9 and Black Widow got pushed back until theaters were viable options while others like Godzilla vs Kong will undoubtedly lack the impact a massive kaiju fight demands when I stream it from my couch. I’ve never turned my nose up at more bombastic popcorn fare (much to my friends’ dismay, I’m a known defender of Michael Bay), and I feel myself especially longing for a parade of big, loud blockbuster fare. I especially lament not getting to see something that promises big action but clever construction like No Time to Die seems to have considering the directing and writing talent attached. I can always rewatch class-A comfort food like Fury Road or Point Break, but the hunger for new surprises persists. This past weekend, my starved appetite for big budget, well-crafted movies was satiated with an under-the-radar espionage thriller from 1977: Black Sunday.

Based on the novel of the same name by Hannibal Lecter scribe Thomas Harris, the movie is about the Palestinian splinter group Black September organizing an attack at the Super Bowl. The mission is headed by Dahlia Iyad (Marthe Keller from Marathon Man) who enlists the help of former POW Michael Lander (a crazed but sympathetic Bruce Dern) to use his position as the pilot of the Goodyear blimp which films the games. We see that Iyad has directed Lander’s bitterness in life from having been presumed dead and left by his wife toward her cause. A testament to the characterization of the movie, it’s a manipulation that also comes from his infatuation and her pity that turns toward genuine care. Working with the FBI to prevent the attack that they know to be imminent are Mossad agents David Kabakov (Robert Shaw) and Robert Moshevsky (Steven Keats from a personal favorite The Friends of Eddie Coyle). Robert Shaw is absolutely dialed in as an Israeli agent whose reputation for finishing every job by any means necessary has earned him the nickname “The Final Solution.” It feels like a combination of what are likely his most iconic roles as the clever and ruthless agent of action Red Grant in From Russia with Love and the world-weary but vindictive and obsessive Shaw in Jaws. Also in the cast are character actors Michael Gazzo (Oscar-nominated for The Godfather II), Fritz Weaver, and William “Mr. Feeny” Daniels. Produced by the legendary/notorious Paramount exec Bob Evans, it starts to make a little more sense how they were able to get the approval of both the NFL and Goodyear to use their names and logos.

What’s most impressive about the movie, likely obvious from the plot description, is that it combines pulpy spy thriller elements and incredibly complicated geopolitical politics and somehow threads the needle. By focusing more on Iyad and Lander as a two-man operation without the support of her government, it tries to skate around the Israel/Palestine conflict. The perceived success of that task will likely vary - I would understand anyone’s objections to it as a piece of xenophobic fear-mongering. Hell, even the tagline is “It Could Be Tomorrow!” Yet, somehow it feels like it rises above that fray to be a rock-solid potboiler with a real sense of empathy for all of its characters and a priority of saving innocents. There seems to be no intentions to demonize, but there is a condemnation for violence of any kind. That may be due to the fact that the script is credited to three writers who each have their own pedigree. Most famous is Ernest Lehman whose versatility can be seen in films like Sabrina, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, West Side Story, Sweet Smell of Success, and North by Northwest. The guy was certainly no slouch at plot construction, dialogue, and adaptation. The other writers, Ivan Moffat and Kenneth Ross, penned Giant and The Day of the Jackal, respectively. It’s not hard to connect those scripts to the one for Black Sunday which has great pleasures in the hyper-detailed procedural elements and compelling characters that lead to the climactic attack. That it all goes down smoothly is in no small part a testament to the skill and craft of the film’s director.

John Frankenheimer is a gunslinger. Known best for The Manchurian Candidate and Seconds, he’s also got some certified action classics with their own cult followings like Ronin and The Train, and while it’s not as great as its original, The French Connection II is far better than it has any right to be. His work in the genre feels akin to Michael Mann for how it can be appreciated by the art house and multiplex crowds alike. His action is exciting, but the violence (most notable here is an exploding head and a swiss-cheesed man waiting for a photo op) is blunt and has real weight to it. He not only gives his actors the room to work both in terms of blocking and the actual length of the scenes themselves, but he also has an innate sense of coverage and clarity in big action set pieces that cut together perfectly in the editing room. In Black Sunday, John A. Alonzo’s Panavision photography is sensational, using handheld in key moments to ground the story so that even the movie’s most illogical story points seem plausible. It also features a really crackerjack John Williams score that mostly works to juice the action set pieces, but also has a nice thread of suspense and intrigue throughout. It’s kind of insane that Williams was able to make this score so effective in the same year he created two of the most iconic film scores of all time with Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

  The movie runs at 143 minutes, but never drags. It doesn’t take long between verbal chess matches and shootouts, keeping the pace and the pulse of the film up. The final hour of the movie is entirely set on the day of the big game, intercutting between multiple levels, locations, and characters, but everything that came before it has perfectly laid out the plans and motivations of both teams so that the audience is keyed directly into the tension. We’ve loaded the quarters into the slot machine, and it pays out a jackpot. Replete with still-impressive process and trick photography to achieve the special effects, it’s exactly the type of big movie magic I was missing. To attempt to describe the organized chaos would drain the pure visceral sensation of seeing Frankenheimer’s orchestra crescendo complete with countless extras.

If this gushing praise isn’t enough to sell what may feel like an old, long action movie, it might sweeten the deal that the final act was a clear inspiration for Christopher Nolan. Potential spoilers ahead. As for Nolan, it feels like a direct inspiration for Dark Knight Rises in that a massive terrorist threat endangers a Pittsburgh Steelers (fine, Gotham Rogues, but that’s Hines Ward and Ben Roethlisberger in the scene) game and both Batman and Kabakov hook a bomb on a wire to drag it over the ocean and spare the city. While it may not quite have been the sensory experience of seeing the latest blockbuster in theaters, watching Black Sunday scratched a long-untouched itch. It doesn’t solve the lack of safe theatrical exhibition of upcoming big-budget thrill rides, but it did more than a fine job tiding me over until that time comes again. Like any sort of scratching, it doesn’t get rid of the problem, but it sure does feel good.

Black Sunday is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Thanks for reading.

ok in honour of ryan’s dumb nightmare, let me tell you about the nightmare i had last night. i’d been home sick for a few days (irl) and was going back to school, but then i’d forgotten my ice skates! oh no. for some reason i’d brought a purple hoodie and sweatpants though??? so yeah suddenly it was warm outside i guess and i went for a jog instead. then, BOOM. godzilla appears. and bc i don’t wanna die i think to myself: “aw man, i hope i don’t die.” just... a great reaction. so anyway, (1/???)

(2-4/4)

i then run away from godzilla and it’s like.. “darn it. can’t i just hide behind this huge statue of an apple(???). he probably won’t see me...” yeah he does and i just want to slow down and not run anymore??? because i don’t like running??? what. so i run into my house and hide there, but i have to go back to school to get my normal clothes??? and i remember thinking “i hope godzilla doesn’t kill me. that would be bad.” ... yeah it would be.

then i forget about getting my clothes because dream logic, of course. so my cousin and i get onto a bus going to the city (not a very big city, i live like 5 min from it) but then we actually climb on top of it??? why?? so we follow godzilla because we’re kinda curious, i guess. then we get to the city and we get thrown off, right into a huge pile of snow and i hear from a radio or something: “news! godzilla just killed the norse god thor. yeah it’s probably the end of the world. :(“

bonus analysis: everyone was really passive about the world probably ending and my depression was really bad, so yeah that probably says something about my worst fears HAH -embarrassing anon who’s scared of not being anon but might reveal themselves in like, a while idk

and i just wrote all of this instead of getting ready for school nice one lmao

“aw man i hope i don’t die” OH JEEZ I KNO U WERE IN A DANGEROUS POSITION IN UR DREAM BUT THAT’S JUST HILARIOUS. this is so fatalistic and passive and so deadpan kdjfsfksdf god i usually ust dream abt having arguments with ppl LMAO

i woke up bleary-eyed from some wackass dream that i can’t remember and i’m in bed rn dopily grinning bc this is kinda funny and cute thank you sm for sharing my lovely anon!! 

It’s time to ‘Skate or Die’ with … Godzilla?

Louie Joyce brings the big green kaiju to Australia to battle Varan.

The best movies and TV shows coming to iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, and more in October

The streaming giants have released the new titles that will be coming to their services in October, and there will be a lot of movies and TV to choose from. 

From the comfort of your home, titles like "War for the Planet of the Apes" and the documentary "Spielberg" — on the legendary director — will be available, as well as a new season of the Amazon original "Red Oaks" and the long-awaited return of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm." 

Here's everything coming to your favorite streaming platforms in October. We've highlighted some standouts in bold:

SEE ALSO: The 10 biggest US box-office winners of 2017, so far

iTunes

Available October 3

“13 Minutes” “Girl’s Trip” “Land Line” “Under an Arctic Sky”

Available October 10

“War for the Planet of the Apes” “The Emoji Movie”

Available October 17

“Girl’s Trip” “The Dark Tower”

Available October 24

“Atomic Blonde” “Cars 3” “Annabelle: Creation” “Ingrid Goes West” “The Glass Castle”

Amazon Prime

Available October 1

“Abandoned Mine” “Alcoholist” “Apartment 1303” “Bunker of the Dead” “Clueless” “Election” “Escape from L.A.” “Fargo” “Ghost World” “Ghoulies” “Ghoulies II” “I Believe in Unicorns” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” “Jug Face” “Margot at the Wedding” “Needlestick” “Pet Sematary” “Pet Sematary Two” “Pi” “Queens and Cowboys” “Scareycrows” “Snake Eyes” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre II” “The Machinist” “The Whistleblower” “Unlimited”

Available October 2

“Beauty and the Baker” (Season 1) “Family Guy” (Season 16) “The Last Man on Earth” (Season 4) “Song to Song”

Available October 3

“American Horror Story (Season 6)

Available October 4

“Blood Hunters” “Save My Seoul”

Available October 5

“The Americans” (Season 5)

Available October 6

“The Fashion Edge” ( Season 1, Amazon Original)

Available October 7

“Blair Witch” “Megan Leavey”

Available October 9

“Inside Edge” (Season 1, Amazon Original)

Available October 11

“5150”

Available October 12

“Mr. Robot” (Season 3)

Available October 13

“City of Ghosts” (Amazon Original) “Lore” (Season 1, Amazon Original) “Sigmund and the Sea Monster” (Season 1, Amazon Original)

Available October 14

“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”

Available October 15

“The Other Dream Team” “The Whole Truth”

Available October 17

“Kidnap”

Available October 18

“Fight for Space”

Available October 20

“The Wall” (Amazon Original) “Red Oaks” (Season 3, Amazon Original)

Available October 24

“Cars 3” “The Emoji Movie”

Available October 25

“Awaken the Shadowman” “The Liberators”

Available October 28

“Arrival”

Available October 29

“Priceless”

Available October 31

“The Dark Tower”

Hulu

Available October 1   “60 Days In” (Complete Seasons 1-2) “1492: Conquest of Paradise” “50 First Dates” “6 Dead Souls” “A Fistful of Dollars” “A Long Walk Home” “Abduction of Jennifer Grayson” “Across the Great Divide” “Across the Universe” “The Adventures of Panda Warrior” “Alice” “Alone” (Complete Seasons 1-2 ) “American Pickers” (Complete Seasons 1 & 11) “The Amityville Horror” (1979) “Ancient Aliens” (Complete Season 11) “Another 9 ½ Weeks” “Arlo: The Burping Pig” “Arthur’s Missing Pal” “Asylum of Darkness” “Bananas” “Bethany” “Blood Ransom” “Blue Chips” “Born this Way” (Complete Seasons 1-2) “The Bounty” “Bring It!” (Complete Seasons 1-3) “Broadway Danny Rose” “Broken Mile” “Brotherhood of Justice” “Bubba the Redneck Werewolf” “Butterfly Girl” “Cabin Fear” “Cabin Fever” (2002) “Care Bears: Friends Forever” “Care Bears: Magical Adventures” “Carrie” (2002) “Carrie 2: The Rage” “Chopped” (Complete Seasons 14-16) “Clueless” “The Confession” “Congo” “Covenant” “The Creature Below” “The Crying Game” “Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest” “The Curse of Oak Island” (Complete Season 1) “The Cutting Edge” “Dance Moms” (Complete Seasons 1 & 6) “Deliver Us from Evil” “Deuces Wild” “The Devil’s Advocate” “The Devil’s Double” “The Disappearance of Alice Creed” “The Disembodied” “Election” “Elephant Kingdom” “End of a Gun “ “Enemy at the Gate” “Escape From Alcatraz” “Escape From L.A.” “Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007” “The Faculty” “Fall Time” “Fargo” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” “Fierce People” “The Final Cut” “Fire in the Sky” “A Fistful of Dollars” “Fly Me to the Moon” “Frances” “Frog Kingdom” “From Dusk till Dawn” “Gandhi” “The Ghost and the Darkness” “Ghost World” “Ghosts of Darkness” “Ghoulies” (1984) “Ghoulies II” “The Glass Coffin” “Godzilla” (1998) “Godzilla 2000’ “Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla” “Godzilla Vs. Destroyah” “Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah” “Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla II” “Godzilla Vs. Megaguirus: The G Annihilation Strategy” “Godzilla Vs. Mothra” “Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla” “Godzilla, Mothra, And King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack” “Godzilla: Final Wars” “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.” “Grease 2” “Guess Who” “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” “Hatchet” “Heaven Can Wait” “Hellboy” “Hemingway’s Garden of Eden” “High Tension” “The Holiday” “Hostel” “Hostel 2” “Hot Pursuit” “Hoarders” (Complete Season 4) “House Hunters” (Complete Season 7) “The Human Stain” “The Hunted” “Hunting Grounds” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978) “Jesus’s Son” “Kalifornia” “Kill Bill: Volume 1” “Kill Bill: Volume 2” “Little Shop of Horrors” “A Long Walk Home” “Love Finds You in Valentine” “Love Hurts” “The Maddening” “The Madness of King George” “March of the Penguins” “Mousehunt” “New Year’s Evil” “Ninja III: The Domination” “The One” “Oogieloves: The Big Balloon Adventure” “Out of Time” “Paulie” “Pet Sematary” “Philadelphia” “Pi” “Pieces of April” “Postcards from the Edge” “Pride” “Prison Break” (Complete Seasons 1-5) “Property Brothers” (Complete Season 5) “The Punisher” “Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman” “Reds” “Rent” “Road House” “Saving Hope” (Complete Season 5) “Scream at the Devil” “Snake Eyes” “Southwest of Salem” “Space Guardians” “Species III” “Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams” “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over” “The Station Agent” “Swingers” “Teenage Ghost Punk” “This Binary Universe” “The Uninvited” “Tiny House Hunters” (Complete Seasons 1-2) “Under Siege” “U.S vs. John Lennon” “The Velveteen Rabbit” “Volver” “Warpath” “Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000” “What Lies Beneath” “The Whistleblower “ “Yellowbird”

Available October 2   “Bob’s Burgers” (Season 8 Premiere) “Family Guy” (Season 16 Premiere) “Ghosted” (Series Premiere) “The Last Man on Earth” (Season 4 Premiere) “Shark Tank” (Season 9 Premiere) “The Simpsons” (Season 29 Premiere) “Ten Days in the Valley” (Series Premiere) “The Toy Box” (Season 2 Premiere)

Available October 3   “American Horror Story” (Complete Season 6) “The Gifted” (Series Premiere) “Lucifer” (Season 3 Premiere)   Available October 4   “Black-ish” (Season 4 Premiere) “Fresh off the Boat” (Season 4 Premiere) “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” (Series Premiere) “The Mayor” (Series Premiere) “The Middle” (Season 9 Premiere) “Bad Frank” “Colossal” “Frontera” “Rapture-Palooza” “The Reagan Show”   Available October 5   “The Fog”   Available October 6   “Scandal” (Season 7 Premiere)   Available October 7   “Once Upon a Time” (Season 7 Premiere) “Blair Witch”    Available October 9   “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (Season 28 Premiere) “A Long Way Down”   Available October 10   “Brotherhood of Blades”   Available October 11   “Chance” (Season 2 Premiere, Hulu Original) “Folk Hero & Funny Guy” “The Lookalike”   Available October 12   “I Love You, America” (Series Premiere, Hulu Original) “Blind” “I Love You Both”   Available October 14   “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”   Available October 15   “Bounce” “Cruel and Unusual” “The Crying Game” “The Fly Room” “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” “Jersey Girl” “Like Water for Chocolate” “Mamaboy” “The Other Dream Team” “Orthodox” “This is Meg” “Undisputed” “Unzipped” “The Whole Truth”   Available October 18   “Freakish” (Complete Season 2) “Arctic Adventure: On Frozen Pond” “In the Radiant City” “Isolation” “No Way to Live” “Phoenix Forgotten” “Skating to New York”   Available October 21   “Adventure Time” (Complete Season 9) “Too Funny To Fail” (Hulu Original Documentary)   Available October 26   “Neon Joe” (Complete Season 2) “2:22”   Available October 28   “Blindspot” (Season 3 Premiere) “Arrival”   Available October 29    “Catfish” (Complete Season 6) “Priceless” “That Sugar Film”   Available October 31   “Midnight Express”

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Well the giant Kaiju cat’s outta the bag! I’m writing and drawing a Godzilla mini series set in Port Kembla! ‘Godzilla: Skate or Die’ #1 from IDW Publishing, this June 12. It’s the King of the Monsters vs. Varan vs… teenage Australian skate punks?

Also featuring an unbelievably rad variant cover from one of my favourite cartoonists: Juni Ba! 😍😍😍

More info: https://godzilla.com/blogs/news/godzilla-skate-or-die-idw-publishing-comic

Godzilla: Skate or Die! Issue 1 cover process. 🦖🤙🛼🛹🛼🛹🤙🦖

www.louiejoyce.com

First interview and interior art for Godzilla: Skate or Die! Read here: https://godzilla.com/blogs/news/louie-joyce-godzilla-skate-or-die-comic-book-interview

My inks for the cover to issue #1 of Godzilla: Skate or Die! Having such a great time drawing these covers! First issue out June 12th. Order through your local comic store! 🛼🛹🤙💥🦖🖋️

www.louiejoyce.com