Review of Suicide Squad or How To (Almost) Get Away With Bad Filmmaking

When DC comic book fans were disappointed by Batman v. Superman:  Dawn of Justice, they were hoping the next movie, Suicide Squad, would be the one to get the DC-verse back on track and maybe make the MCU look over its shoulder.

That hope continued through Comic-Con and all the promos. If it's gotten to the point that super heroes are battling each other, maybe some villains can be cajoled into helping their fellow man. After all, they can rub it into the faces of the hero that's always bugging them.

Well, it worked as well as B v. S, sadly. Despite really good performances by Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Suicide Squad fell flat because, like B v. S, it was another prologue to the Justice League movie that's really the beginning of the DC-verse. For one thing, the crew faces a villain worse than Zod and Lex Luthor Being the Riddler, and it was sort of the fault of the person who organized the squad. It also inserts two heroes that are featured in the Justice League trailer.

Anyway, the squad is organized by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), who thinks that the best way to deal with an evil Superman is recruit the worst villains to fight against this threat. Along with Deadshot and Quinn (who still misses her Mr. J, played by Jared Leto) the crew includes Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Slipknot (Adam Beach), Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje),   Katana (Karen Fukuhara) and anthropologist Dr. June Moone, or rather the monster that possesses her, Enchantress (Cara Delevigne). The guy directing them on the ground is Rick Flagg, played by Joel Kinneman. He only thinks he's in charge.

Here's where Suicide Squad makes its big mistake.  Waller thinks she can control Enchantress by taking its heart, while Rick thinks he can do the same by loving the human side of her. That's how Waller can get Enchantress to take some key intel from Iran faster than Dr, Strange can travel through portals in his movie trailer. However, she double-crosses them both and revives her "brother." They plan to build a machine that would destroy mankind.
Sound familiar? It's the same Big Bad plan that Batman v. Superman had. It's less complex than Lex Luthor combining his DNA with the body of General Zod to create Apocalypse, but it shows a lack of imagination. Besides, her plan is mostly making soldiers easily broken by Harley's sweet swings with her bat, while dancing in one spot to make her machine like a showgirl. This movie didn't need her, or the romantic angle Waller sort of encouraged.

Waller should have been the Big Bad. It was her idea to create the squad, so have her create a problem to justify her idea and make sure no one knows. Then have the Joker make things more complicated by trying to take over the situation. This would have forced Harley to decide whether to stick with the squad, or go over to Joker...or maybe get him to help when things go really wrong. That would have made things better, just enough to give DC fans hope as we wait for Wonder Woman's movie to be shown.
And why shouldn't Waller be the Big Bad? Viola Davis shows she's about as ruthless as anyone, trying to make her own Injustice League. Still, you have to wonder if Annalise Keating could have done better.

Instead, we have the squad squabbling with each other as they get through the disaster Enchantress has started. In fact, we only get to see her destruction sparingly until the final act. There are pretty good moments, like Diablo explaining how his power has cost him too much, and Harley recalling how she jumped into a boiling vat to show her devotion to the Joker. That was a nice callback to the 1989  Batman movie.

The biggest crime is that the Joker doesn't play a major role. We see him be evil and nuts. Leto's performance takes a bit from Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger's interpretations, but it's basically him being creepy. At least with Ledger, he went the extra mile because of the story. You think Leto will really make things interesting once he comes for Harley, but the story has other ideas. It may give Robbie a great opportunity to make Harley special by herself, but it ruined Leto's chance to show how special his Joker can be,

There are good parts in the movie, especially how the squad members are introduced. They also do a lot to show how Deadshot may be a very bad man, but he's also a loving father. It's because Will Smith plays him, and winds up being the most heroic of the bad guys. Maybe the Justice League will give him a call. You have to wonder if Deadshot would be darker if someone else played him.

Overall, DC fumbled again because Suicide Squad tried to be just like BvS only with bad guys and a Big Bad who was just like Apocalypse. Besides, couldn't Enchantress go all over the city to pick up parts for her Darkness Machine instead of having her "brother" do all the heavy lifting? If they took another route, like Waller causing the catastophe to justify the need for a Suicide Squad, it would have been better.

There is a post-credit scene that shows what the movie really is:  another prologue for the real start of the 'verse, the Justice League movie. At least all Marvel movies may be connected, but they are also their own stories. Warner Brothers and DC better figure that out fast, or the Guardians of the Galaxy will lap them twice.

What MTV Classic Should Also Have

For 16 years, VH-1 Classic was the source for music videos from the 1980's and 90s, the occasional block of Saturday Night Live reruns, and rock documentaries. This week,  it will become MTV Classic, and emphasize music and shows from the 1990's and early 2000's.

It will start Monday with "Hour One", the videos shown during the first hour of MTV 35 years ago this week. It'll be followed by video music blocks, and episodes of Unplugged that haven't been shown in years. The first batch includes Bob Dylan, REM, Alice in Chains, Oasis and Nirvana. The next wave better include Yo MTV Raps Unplugged, especially for LL Cool J.
They'll also bring back Beavis and Butthead and Daria, both that may be relatable to Millennials as much as Gen X was (and maybe a Baby Boomer or two). The groundbreaking reality shows The Real World and Laguna Beach will also be on the channel, along with Jackass and Punk'd.

However, some old habits die hard. MTV Classic will keep a bit of its old VH-1Classic identity with movies like Ghostbusters 2 and docs like David  Bowie:  Five Years. On the other hand, it will also air The Maxx, a classic animated series that still have its fans.

Well, that's a start, but MTV Classic needs more than that to be a musical version of ME TV, This TV and other digital channels that air dramas and sitcoms from 50 years ago.

AIR OTHER SHOWS ASIDE FROM THE REAL WORLD

MTV didn't live by The Real World and Total Request Live alone. It had a lot of shows that featured future stars. Its classic game show, Remote Control, had early appearances of Denis Leary and Adam Sandler (not to mention some racy game show models).



Jon Stewart had a talk show a few years before The Daily Show. Let's see that, too. If Antenna TV is showing Johnny Carson reruns to remind us that late night TV isn't what it used to be, this makes a lot of sense.

BEST OF TRL

It's a nice nostalgic look at the closest we had to American Bandstand on cable. We can enjoy the early days of artists we know.



RANDOM HOURS FROM THE 80s

It's not too hard to get hour-long chunks of the early days, seeing Alan Hunter, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood and the late JJ Jackson invent the VJ. Let's see them again into videos many of us have long forgotten.



BRING BACK "YO, MTV RAPS"

Showing the early days of rap and hip-hop should be a great idea, and  today's rap fans get a history lesson (and maybe what rap songs were in Star Trek Beyond.

ALSO, 120 MINUTES

While it's a monthly show on MTV2, bring back the old episodes with Dave Kendall, and even some hosted by musicians. The one hosted by Red Hot Chili Peppers is especially good.

RE-AIR OLD VMA SHOWS

This should be automatic, and a reminder of how these shows should really be done. MTV aired the 2011 version last weekend. Who wouldn't want to relive Nirvana's live performance of "Lithium" that ended with Kris Novoselic getting beaned by his guitar and "Hi, Axl"from Dave Grohl...



or Madonna doing her thing, in the 80s and 90's?



SPRING BREAK

When MTV first visited Florida, it was chance for the VJs and up and coming stars to shine and enjoy the sun. It also got pretty race, especially because of the swimsuit contests.




Those are some of my ideas. I also suggest airing footage from Lisa Kennedy Montgomery back in her VJ days. Let's see her try to explain them to her viewers at Fox Business. It should also show the TRL episodes after 9/11,and the second wave of VJs including John Norris and Adam Curry.

MTV has a deep vault of memories, and MTV Classic would be the best way to show them. While it prefers to concentrate on the 90's and early 2000's, why stop there? Besides, it's better than digging through YouTube.

Review: Star Trek Back On Track By Going Beyond

I'm still smarting from Star Trek Into Darkness, not only because Benedict Cumberbatch playing Khan, but the presence of tribbles and Spock saying the one thing he shouldn't have (and yeah, it's what Original Kirk said in Wrath of Khan).

However, Star Trek Beyond is a big improvement over that with a fine story that would have worked in the original series. It's directed by Justin Lin, best known for directing four Fast and Furious movies. He borrows a couple of things from those movies to show that influence.

The story involves the Enterprise's main mission to boldly go where no one has gone before, but this time it comes at a price. The crew heads for uncharted space when an alien asks for their hope after her ship was attacked. They soon get challenged by Krall, played by Idris Elba. This guy doesn't like the United Federation of Planets boldly going in his direction. He and his termite-like ships literally tear through the Enterprise,and plans to do the same for a major space station nearby.

It's also a time for a couple of characters to face crossroads. Kirk (Chris Pine) thinks after nearly three years, the mission has become a bit tedious, and is thinking about being Vice-Admiral. Spock (Zachary Quinto), meanwhile, finds out Spock Prime has died, and is thinking about heading to New Vulcan. The conflict of Krall puts those subjects on the back burner, though.

Krall is one pretty nasty guy. He goes to great lengths to find an artifact that will put his plans into motion. He also shows he's willing to dissolve as many people are possible to make sure his plan works, including a crew member who tries to keep the item hidden until one of his minions threatens Sulu.

One of the best things about the movie is how they pair off characters to advance the story. Spock and McCoy was the best example. McCoy (Karl Urban)  is annoyed by Spock's logic, even when the Vulcan is injured, but they share a good moment when Spock tells him Spock Prime (Leonard Nimoy) is dead.

The other main pairing is Scott Simon Pegg, who co-wrote the screenplay) and Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), who lost her family because of Krall. She's reluctant to help out at first, but soon joins the cause. She also has a "house" that's really a star ship that's the equivalent of a Tin Lizzie. It will become very helpful.

As mentioned before, the movie is directed by the same guy who directed Fast and Furious 3-6, and that influence is in this movie. For one thing, Jaylah is a fan of classical artists as Public Enemy and Beastie Boys (this is the distant future, after all). Kirk also uses an old motorcycle to set off a diversion, and his stunts look a little familiar,

Krall's motivations against the UFP may be puzzling, until the third act when Uhura finds an old video log from the ship. That's part of one of the trailers, which is why the twist wasn't much of a shock. The final battle between Kirk and Krall is very exciting, and also Fast and Furious.

There's also the fact that it's revealed Sulu is gay, but that moment is shown in a low key manner. He's still the sharp navigator, and even shows confidence he can get the ancient star ship off the ground...but only just.

Star Trek Beyond is a good story about how seeking out what's in uncharted space does have its risks. It also shows that sometimes the urge to explore can trump ambition.
Besides, it wouldn't be the same without those guys on board.
One more thing, they do the traditional "space, the final frontier" speech at the end, but it the best way possible.

Back From Comic-Con: Pretty Good Visit To Sauna Diego

This was the view from my hotel room at Comic-Con, and I still wonder why those two towers weren't forced to be a billboard for something, while the Marriott Marquis wasn't so lucky.

Actually, it was a pretty good Comic-Con aside from the heat. I was able to snag some bargains and won a couple of prizes, too. I was also able to actually provide some good video for Whedonopolis through covering a couple of panels on MST3K and Agents of SHIELD. I also was able to get inside Hall H and saw the Preacher Read-Through of last Sunday's episode.
Thing is, I got inside because Joss Whedon didn't sell out Hall H. There were actually many empty seats. That is almost as tragic as whatever happened at the Republican Convention that same week. Whatever project he has cooking, I sure hope it gets him back on top again.

My favorite moment was the MST3K panel where Joel revealed the new era will be at Netflix, also home to Marvel and House of Cards. That could be enough for me to dump my Amazon Prime subscription. It also inspired this..

Dr. Erhardt is so upset he's now the Brian Dunkleman of MST3K

If I'm disappointed about anything it's not getting into the premiere of Star Trek Beyond. I always wanted to know if an IMAX drive-in was possible. Since it turned out to be a hit, they're bound to try it again next year. The other bummer was not getting a ticket to a taping for Conan. I did manage to get one of his POP figures, so it worked out. I prefer to get one by being at the show, though. What surprised me is this..

Since Conan will be back next year, expect people to try to trade the 2015 Conan POPs for what's coming next year (like maybe a Conan Star-Lord maybe?).

Here's some of my other photos:

The last picture is the picture of irony, isn't it?

To be honest, I really wish Reno had a Wizard World even this year because it's not so crowded, and I can hammer out stories faster with better wi-fi from my house. I'll have to wait another year for that.
Still, I am pumped for next year. 2017 will be the year of the Slayer, and the 40th anniversary of Star Wars, among other things. D23 or not, Disney should show up for Comic-Con next year because that movie is the reason why San Diego's covered in Times Square-sized ads for a week.

Back at Comic-Con, How Things Have Changed

So far this is my favorite picture from Comic-Con. Just in case I can't pose next to Tom Servo and Crow, at least I have this.

Things have changed. As I have noticed, a basement at the US Grant Hotel was enough to house Comic-Con. Now, San Diego is barely able to house Comic-Con. It's wall-to-wall advertising with the hotels and restaurants being the billboards. It's like downtown is more Times Square than Times Square.

But we love it. We love seeing 20 feet tall Powerpuff Girls. We love a group of Mr. fSociety guys giving us their faces. We love having a chance to see a big movie early, rising dehydration to see Star Trek Beyond in Imax outdoors. That's never been done, and it will be enough to make Ghostbusters of any gender afraid.

It's just too bad it's almost impossible to see the panels we want because the lines are longer than Disneyland at the height of summer. Where else can people line up for Hall H panels for the next day before noon?? We all want that chance to see our favorite stars in person, and that's what made Comic-Con big.

I've been disappointed so far, but there's been good things. While I couldn't get a proper press pass (but can still help out with the annual "Once More With Feeling" showing with some very special added attractions), I still got some bargains and the Marvel posters I wanted, I missed out on Star Trek Beyond but saw SyFy's attempt to give fans nationwide a live taste of the event. Thanks to some quick thinking, I can still see the Con Man cast and Joel Hodgson thanks to special events. It'll be a miracle if I can see Joss Whedon at Hall H

The best thing, though, is that some big celebrities will be smart enough to appear in events where people don't need a Comic-Con badge. This will be helpful for Agents of SHIELD, who hopes this coming season won't be the last. MST3K also is going this route, although it doesn't need it that much.

So, my next plan for Friday is hoping to get a Conan figure by drawing the right ticket at the Hyatt. If that doesn't pan out, it's not too bad. I already have one. After that, I'm hoping to get a Time Lord's autograph, and who knows that else.