Comic Years |
- Top List of The Most Popular Films for Students
- Top 5 Fun Craft Hobbies you can try in the Lockdown
- With I, Excretus The Borg Isn’t The Biggest Threat On Star Trek: Lower Decks
- Titans Takes Useless Detour Into Troubled Water In Latest Episode
- Doom Patrol Shows It’s As Amazing And Strange As Ever With Zombie Episode
- Sable Review – A Rare Case of Calming Exploration
- What We Know About the Super Nintendo World Donkey Kong Expansion
- Shang-Chi Becomes Highest Grossing Box Office Hit In 2021, Can Anyone Unseat Him?
- Midnight Mass Review
| Top List of The Most Popular Films for Students Posted: 30 Sep 2021 08:31 AM PDT Movies are an incredible source of education. They can help students visualize information and study critical concepts. Movies are an excellent way to help students identify with multiple perspectives and develop strategic thinking abilities. Historical events can be better understood by watching films and empathizing with the characters. If you're lost or not sure what your life path is, watching a movie can clarify this for you. The list of movies we'll present is mostly addressed to students and might restore your motivation. You will be inspired to continue the hard work that college requires. Before we begin, let's see why watching movies is important. Why Are Movies Important for Students? Movies play an important role in our society and can educate the future leaders of our generation. By watching movies in a classroom environment, students can assess information and debate upon it, which can bring discussions to another level of depth. Here are just some of the most relevant reasons why watching movies as a student is a helpful resource.
Top 7 Best Movies for Students
A 20-year-old genius gifted with mathematical talents cannot understand what life can offer him until one day, when he meets his mentor. This can help students rediscover their talents and stay true to their work. It can keep up the motivation to find your potential and rediscover your true call.
Rules are good when they make sense, but they're immoral when they harm us. In a world that has forgotten what freedom is, Robin Williams helps us rediscover it. He does not obey but instead, brings faith and courage back into discussion by saving the souls of troubled young boys.
Giving up is never a solution, not even when you're 40 and got fired. If that happens, you must make it work, even if that means starting all over… with an internship! The digital age is upon us so we can accept it and move on or reject it and withdraw.
To bring down the house, you need a talented student from Harvard and a math teacher willing to take risks. This duo will get you in and might even get you rich.
Calculating risks is important when you're climbing Everest. Time is of the essence. To get out of the experience alive, you must learn to follow rules. This movie is inspired from real life events and shows the hopes and doubts of mountain climbers.
When medicine tells you that you've only got two years left, you're taking precautions and living life to the fullest, even as a brilliant Astrophysics student.
The life of Chris Garner, an entrepreneur whose dreams become reality once he decides to take his life into his own hands. Wrapping Up It's critical that all students watch the movies above – you could write a short summary about each one of them and see how they've helped you. Are you thinking of becoming a better person? Do you understand a specific historical event in more depth? Do you feel more motivated to attend college? Answer these questions for yourself and start planning the next movie you'll watch! Author Bio: Mary Spears is a freelance writer and blogger. She helps international students submit their homework on time. Mary also works for a popular marketing magazine and is currently writing her own book. Top List of The Most Popular Films for Students  |
| Top 5 Fun Craft Hobbies you can try in the Lockdown Posted: 30 Sep 2021 08:24 AM PDT The current pandemic has bought one good thing for us, and that is spending time with our beloved ones at home. However, if you find your spouse too held up with work from home and kids busy with online school and tuitions, you may be the one who feels lost out. Over one year, I am sure, you must have already experimented with cooking and tried almost all the dishes out there. Perhaps, you have now run out of ideas to kill your time. So, here, I present hobbies which you can develop from the comforts of your home. These will not only keep you engaged but will make you proud for using your time wisely. It's never too late to start with something new and crazy that could not only lighten your mood but also help you explore your creativity. So, let's get started! Knitting Knitting gives you the freedom to create almost anything. The best part is that you can begin this hobby with just two things: yarn and knitting needles. The cost of the materials will not go beyond $20, though a lot will depend upon the type of yarn and quantity you choose to buy. To begin with, you should keep the quantity to a minimum but choose a strong yarn. A knitting book especially meant for beginners is a pretty good option. With its help, you could create something easy, like a scarf or a mini blanket. As this involves using a single color yarn and just one type of stitch, you will be able to master this skill pretty soon. Once your confidence gets boosted, you can now move on to the next level of learning more knitting styles. Another significant aspect of knitting is that it helps in releasing stress. Most often, people go through a lot of issues and feel worked up. Knitting could be their get away from the daily hassles of life. Diamond Painting Diamond painting is yet another hobby that can be fun either individually or together as a family. It is fascinating and you can enjoy your time working on it without worrying about your kids getting up if they are fast asleep, as it doesn't make any noise. The best part with diamond painting is it allows you to multi-task. It doesn’t need you to leave everything aside and sit with it alone. In today’s day and age, everyone is anxious and stressed; this hobby helps you distress. It also builds up on your patience. Learning a new activity is fun, significantly when it doesn’t hurt your pocket. The best diamond painting kits come with all-inclusive and all you need to know about diamond art. You would require small crystal-like stickers to create this art form. These crystals are called diamond drills that have a symbol on them. You place the drills on the canvas onto the corresponding signs. I can assure you that you will not let go of it once you start this hobby. Sewing Sewing seems like a highly complex task, but it isn’t that a big deal. It is an excellent way of building new and beautiful pieces. You could start with basics such as alterations of clothing you own. Once you learn a few techniques, you would be able to make clothes as well. It also creates a significant impact on the environment. If you are a full-time mom, you could also make cute dresses for your kids. Back in time, sewing was considered a profession only, but now you could learn it for fun. There are also many health benefits of sewing. For instance, it improves your hand-eye coordination, lowers high blood pressure, etc. Another great benefit of sewing clothes is that you could even sell them if needed. Either way, you get to learn a new hobby and invest your time wisely. Cricut If you have loved craft as a kid, then Cricut is just the thing for you. You could cut crafting essentials as well as other items such as leather, cloth, etc. The only investment that you have to make here is buying the Cricut machine. You could create beautiful artwork, designer tools, and much more. In the beginning, you might find it a bit time-consuming, but trust me, the satisfaction you get at the end is worth it. Once you get hold of the machine, you can design mugs, print beautiful t-shirts, and much more. Cricut as a hobby is excellent. It helps in bringing out your creative side. There are also many other benefits of having a Cricut machine. You can use it for various purposes. Some machines also have a slot where you could place your marker or pen, and the machine does the writing work for you. There are a lot of things you could do with a Cricut machine; the list is never-ending. A few standard works are scrapbooking, handmade gifts, designing t-shirts, monogram pillows, etc. Collage Art You might have heard of collage art in your schooling days. It is a mixture of various paper cuttings, ribbons, paints, etc., which helps create a whole new piece of art. Collage art takes quite a lot of time to make, but the results will not fail to shock you if you have the love for it. Both the technique and the outcome are a process of extreme dedication and joy. It is considered one of the topmost arts in terms of relieving stress. It calms you down and inspires you to learn more. During the pandemic, many people struggle is having peace of mind or even a little bit of “me” time. Creating collage could be the best way of leaving all things aside and enjoying some time for you. There is zero investment needed in this hobby. You could start with the papers, paint, glue, etc., you have at your place. Conclusion Life is too short to waste it stressing and worrying, so give yourself some time, and you will enjoy every bit of it. These hobbies mentioned above could be your starting step towards a more stress-free and happy life. It’s never too late to explore your talents. I hope you find the article helpful in some way or the other. Good Luck! Top 5 Fun Craft Hobbies you can try in the Lockdown  |
| With I, Excretus The Borg Isn’t The Biggest Threat On Star Trek: Lower Decks Posted: 30 Sep 2021 07:04 AM PDT The latest episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks is called "I, Excretus," which is a direct reference to Locutus of the Borg. The classic episode of The Next Generation was a big part of Star Trek: Picard season 1. But just because Jean-Luc is still traumatized by it, that doesn't mean that the rest of us can't have some laughs at the expense of the Borg. The other thing "I, Excretus" does is show how the crew on Star Trek: Lower Decks is becoming a live-action series-class team. Yet, this is still the Trek comedy show, so the threats they have to face are not exactly life-threatening. In fact, the main and most pressing conflict is over the Starfleet careers of all the parties involved. On the heels of Boimler finally saving Mariner, the affable bumbler and badass saves the entire USS Cerritos crew. Spoilers to follow. ‘I, Excretus’ Is Boimler's Borg Name on Star Trek: Lower Decks Image via CBS Interactive It's training day on the USS Cerritos, and there is a fun new alien running the drills. The crew files into holodeck-style pods and has to overcome deadly scenarios. If they score too low, the crew risks being reassigned, demoted, or even the whole ship ended up decommissioned. One thing that Star Trek: Lower Decks does that the live-action series haven't is showing people in Starfleet who are just hateable jagoffs. The alien, who can split her body into three discrete parts, is rigging the game against the Cerritos crew in order to justify her job. Thus, the crew has to convince the alien to un-rig the tests. While everyone else on the ship failed their tests, Boimler aced his over and over again. In fact, he kept redoing the test to get a 100% score. Now, the game may have been rigged incorrectly. But, if not, that means that Boimler was able to single-handedly survive the Borg over and over again. He only ended up being assimilated when his fellow crew encouraged him to stall for time. Thus, I, Excretus of Borg was born on Star Trek: Lower Decks. This episode continues to show the crew growing and gaining new insights into each other. This is risky on a cartoon comedy, because it changes dynamics. Boimler is no longer a bumbling-knucklehead, but rather a clearly capable officer of Starfleet. The show will have to balance that against the bottomless put of comedy is that is incompetence. Still, it's another excellent episode of Lower Decks in an incredible season is so far.  Image via CBS Interactive Star Trek: Lower Decks debuts new episodes on Thursdays on Paramount+.
What do you think of Lower Decks this year? Share your thoughts about this episode or the season so far in the comments below Featured image via CBS Interactive With I, Excretus The Borg Isn't The Biggest Threat On Star Trek: Lower Decks  |
| Titans Takes Useless Detour Into Troubled Water In Latest Episode Posted: 30 Sep 2021 03:02 AM PDT This season of Titans on HBOMax is a high point for the series, but latest episode "Troubled Water," is the low point. At the center of the episode is a premise that's so preposterous it rips you right out of the story. And that's saying something in a show where two characters came back from the dead last week. Honestly, with What If also airing right now, I am wondering if I didn't slip into a new universe. Because this felt like an episode of a different TV show, just with the same characters. That said, there are some great moments in the episode, particularly from Vincent Kartheiser's Jonathan Crane. With everyone acting so mad in this episode, it almost makes sense that the psychotically disturbed character is the most interesting. Last week's Titans was the first episode with Raven in season 3, and she's also mostly absent from the action. I am loathe to call any episode of television "filler," because those self-contained stories are often very entertaining. Yet, this episode does feel like filler, but it's just that significant changes occur that alter the character dynamics in huge ways. In short, I feel somewhat blindsided by much of what this episode does. Still, even at shaky moments in seasons past, Titans storytellers are excellent at driving the characters together against the villain in the home stretch leading up to the finale. If you can chalk the events of this episode up to just something in the water, the season should be able to get back on track very quickly. Spoilers for the episode to follow. "Troubled Water" Is an Episode of Titans Centers on a Legitimately Terrible Idea Image by Ben Mark Holzberg via HBOMax Diving right in, Dick Grayson makes a terrible decision during the course of this episode. This is immediately followed by each member of the team, all of whom should hate this idea, signing on with no complaints. Watch the scene with the sound off, and it's a great moment of the Titans coming together. Yet, this is completely undercut by the inane premise. After Crane somehow hijacks every phone and television screen in the city, he broadcasts Red Hood propaganda. Thus the Titans are now blamed for the sci-fi poison dumped into the water last episode. It's weak, but I'm buying it. It gets worse. In the midst of this city-wide crisis, Savannah Welch's Barbara Gordon meets Brendon Thwaites' Grayson for a solo dinner in a restaurant. These two are on a date while hundreds of thousands of people are raging because of Crane's anti-Fear toxin. It's at this dinner he suggests that the Titans turn themselves in to the authorities. Then post bail and "work from the shadows." Literally, what? When they ultimately do this terrible plan, there is no media present. So, the "it's just for show" thing doesn't make any sense. (Although, this show routinely uses its well edited fight footage for news reports.) The Red Hood then pays off some cops (again, why?). A fight breaks out when the Titans turn themselves in. All this is done to get the Titans "wanted" and lead them to eventually either clearing their names or remaining wanted and working from the aforementioned shadows. Also, Barbara shoots a cop to save Dick, getting herself arrested. It's Not Just Nightwing Who Has Bad Ideas This Episode
Along with all the Gotham stuff, a plot this season focused on Anna Diop's Starfire and her sister Blackfire, played by Damaris Lewis. In the first Titans episode with Blackfire, she and her sister had a full-on fight. Starfire is super-strong, and Blackfire was taking those punches. In this episode, she is apparently vulnerable to bullets. All season, Starfire experienced episodes in which she'd lose herself in visions only to wake up in a different place. Rather than explaining this, the show deepens the mystery. Because Blackfire is dying, Starfire uses her power to "heal" her. (Sure, why not? Tamaranians are made-up.) However, in the process, Blackfire takes possession of Starfire's powers. Even though she was on board with Dick's terrible plan, Blackfire then tries to convince Starfire to abandon the Titans. It seems no storyline is safe in the "Troubled Water" episode of Titans. Meanwhile, Conor Leslie's Donna Troy is stuck outside of Gotham, and has to some other "resurrection crucible" before rejoining the team. This does actually facilitate the best part of the episode. Donna realizing that she's not "hated" by the Amazons is a big moment. It's just overshadowed by so much silliness. It also could have been avoided, had she had this conversation with this woman in Themyscira rather than on the side of a highway on the outskirts of Gotham. Another highlight was the few seconds we got of Teagan Croft's Raven at the end of the episode. She's definitely much more in control now. The finale team-up will be something. Lastly, if Donna's back, that means Iain Glen's Bruce Wayne is probably back, too. I hope with my whole heart that he walks in on Curran Walters' Jason Todd and Crane kicking it disrespectfully in his house.  Image by Ben Mark Holzberg via HBOMax Titans debuts new episodes on Thursdays on HBOMax.What did you think of the "Troubled Water" episode of Titans on HBOMax? Am I being too harsh? Did Dick Grayson's plan to turn himself in make sense to anyone? Share your thoughts, theories, and defenses in the comments below. Image by Ben Mark Holzberg via HBOMax Titans Takes Useless Detour Into Troubled Water In Latest Episode  |
| Doom Patrol Shows It’s As Amazing And Strange As Ever With Zombie Episode Posted: 30 Sep 2021 12:01 AM PDT The season 3 premiere episodes of Doom Patrol did double-duty. They wrapped up the story from the season 2 finale and set the residents of Doom Manor on a new path. (They also worked in a backdoor pilot for the Dead Boy Detectives series coming to HBOMax.) In the new episode of Doom Patrol, called Undead Patrol because it's a zombie episode, the series shows its still as delightfully odd as ever. Since shifting from the now-defunct DC Universe streaming service to HBOMax, the shortened season in 2020 left some fans worried. Let's face it, this show is weird. It is not your typical superhero series. There is also no guarantee that the DC folks at HBOMax believed in this series as the DC Universe folks did. Even if that is the case, Undead Patrol is a strong case as to why Doom Patrol is so special. Spoilers for the episode to follow. The Zombie Episode of Doom Patrol Is the Show at Its Grossest (and Sweetest) Image by Bob Mahoney via HBOMax One of the best gags in the last episode of the show was when an agent of Death, played by Ruth Connell of Supernatural fame, spits on them. She sends a high arcing shot of some kind of green slime at them. They celebrated after it hit because it was "just vomit." Yet, that proves not to be the case. The vomit is magic (Comic Books!), and it turns the Doom Patrol into zombies. Another veteran of Supernatural, Mark Sheppard returns as John Constantine-alike Willoughby Kipling. In the first scene, we see Kipling in possession of the head of the Chief, Niles Caulder. (Timothy Dalton doesn't appear, but did some voice work for this episode.) It's all part of some plan for him to woo the spectral horsehead Baphomet. Yet, he instead encounters an old foe from Season 1. Jon Briddell returns as Darren Jones, an agent of the Department of Normalcy that was last seen being subsumed by carnivorous butts. (Doom Patrol!) The fight between Jones and his, uh, allies is hilarious and gross at the same time. Only the Doom Patrol could still do some "minor superhero-ing" while infected by a zombie virus. Yet, the real grossout comes at the end of the zombie episode, when the Doom Patrol has no choice but to devour the reanimated head of their leader. It's both disgusting and remarkably sweet, especially considering how the show destroyed the relationship these characters had as main tension point of the series. There's logic (so to speak) in this, as the unique magical qualities of Niles' situation is the cure for the rest of the Doom Patrol. However, this self-sacrifice (of sorts) brings a kind of emotional closure as well, especially considering that Chief's death was very sudden. Madam Rouge and the Sisterhood of Dada Image by Bob Mahoney via HBOMax This was also a breakout episode for the character played by Michelle Gomez, Madam Rouge. After discovering a video of herself in the manor, she wants to seek out the Chief to ask him about it. She does get her answers, but it's pretty clear that Niles thinks she's a villain. Hilariously, because they're so upset with him, this fact endears her to them. While the members of the Doom Patrol grunt out subtitled dialogue, a kind of zombie speak, Gomez carries the episode. She drives the story from place to place and give Sheppard an actor to play directly off of. Yet, it's also the character's emotional journey that hooks us throughout the episode. She is seeking her identity and, unlike the rest of the Doom Patrol, seems to be delighted that she also has powers of some kind. When she discovers what Niles thinks of her, she's crushed. It seems pretty clear that she's set up to be related to the Sisterhood of Dada, a gender-swapped version of the Big Bad Group from the Doom Patrol comics. However, it's this Doctor Who fan's hope that she's set-up to be "redeemed" and perhaps stay on in the mansion as a replacement for Niles Caluder. Of course, a huge part of this is that any show that gives us more Michelle Gomez is one that understood the assignment.  Image by Bob Mahoney via HBOMax Doom Patrol is debuts new episodes on Thursdays on HBOMax.What did you think of the zombie episode of Doom Patrol? Was it funny, touching, too gross? Tell us your thoughts, reactions, and theories about what's to come in the comments below. Featured image by Bob Mahoney via HBOMax Doom Patrol Shows It's As Amazing And Strange As Ever With Zombie Episode  |
| Sable Review – A Rare Case of Calming Exploration Posted: 29 Sep 2021 06:51 PM PDT There’s something really cool about games like Sable. At first glance, you can assume what you will experience when playing this sort of game. The art style emphasizes minimalism, as does the desert setting. The entire game itself is a lesson in what isn’t required to make an experience worth playing. There’s so much freedom in Sable that my 8ish hour run is both shorter and longer than others’ playthroughs. So, what can we make of this unique game? Let’s dive into a review of Sable for Xbox Series X to explore why this game is capturing people’s attention. Sometimes Less is More Image Credit: Raw Fury As soon as I heard that Japanese Breakfast, the moniker for artist Michelle Zauner, was working on music for a game, I was sold. I love Zauner’s work, and I wondered how her introspective approach to sound would work in a game. As it turns out, the experience Sable offers players is perfect for this moonstruck, otherworldly ambiance in which Zauner specializes. Sable doesn’t ask you to kill anything, won’t force you to follow a single path, or really even encourage you to keep going. If there’s one word that drove me to finish Sable, then it would be curiosity. The desolate desert in which your character finds themself is riddled with sci-fi tones and eerie environments. Overall, the game sort of shows its hand within the first 30 minutes. The ruined technology sprawled across the world isn’t explained. There’s not even real dialogue performed by your character, just written inner thinking. Puzzles and platforming move you from one task to the next. For some, that might be too much space in which some might decide other games are more worthy of our limited playtime. That was my instinct until I saw more. A lot of comparisons to Breath of the Wild will lead people to think this is something that it’s not. In reality, Sable is about slow, steady progress towards a goal you don’t quite understand. It’s rewarding not in its eventual completion but in the journey. A better comparison is Animal Crossing, where players enter a space in which they can choose how to spend their time. There are steps to take to “finish” Sable, but that’s not what resonated with me during work for this review. It’s more how you get there that feels so engaging. Sable Review Score Image Credit: Raw Fury I review games on a scale of 1-10; Sable is an 8. While bugs do exist in this game, that’s not why I feel the game is imperfect. Unfortunately, I never had that emotional moment with Sable. I think a lot of it is due in part to the lack of story and the slow-minded platforming and puzzles. It’s okay that I didn’t resonate with the underlying themes of this game. That’s not the game’s fault nor mine. What I will say is that I loved playing this game because it presented a new perspective to an exploration-based game. Rather than looking for the next challenge, I was constantly caught up in the areas around me. I wondered about things, I hypothesized about things that might have happened before my character’s journey began. Overall, I got curious about everything, and no, it’s not a perfect game. But hell, instead of spacing out as I do with some games, I was locked in the entire time. The game is gorgeous and it lets you interact with its offerings in a completely organic way. That speaks to a purposeful decision to let the game’s space take center stage. For some, that won’t hit the mark. For me, I’m grateful I didn’t give in after the first hour and saw things through. Sable is available now for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. If you play the game, then come back here and drop a 3-sentence review in the comments! Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things gaming, comics, and pop culture. A digital review code was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review. Featured Image Credit: Raw Fury Sable Review – A Rare Case of Calming Exploration  |
| What We Know About the Super Nintendo World Donkey Kong Expansion Posted: 29 Sep 2021 03:11 PM PDT Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan is a dream come true for gamers. There’s nothing quite like it in the world. Sure, we have theme parks that feature Mickey Mouse, Looney Tunes favorites, and even the Peanuts gang. Nintendo World is entirely different simply because theme park immersion and video games feel like a match made in heaven. If you’re planning a trip to Japan to check out the park, then consider this. Nintendo of Japan announced this week that a new Super Nintendo World Donkey Kong expansion is coming in a few years. The good news is that it’s coming just a few years from now. The bad news for U.S. citizens is that it’s going to still arrive faster than Super Nintendo World at Universal Orlando. Here’s everything we know about the expansion. When Will the Super Nintendo World Japan Donkey Kong Expansion Open? Image Credit: Nintendo Japan Nintendo of Japan announced in a press release that a major Donkey Kong expansion is coming to the Super Nintendo World park in Osaka. The area will feature a roller coaster, interactive experiences and themed merchandise, and food. The latter is one of the elements of Super Nintendo World visitors have praised most highly. Guests will also be able to take a walk on the wild side through the lush jungles where Donkey Kong and his friends live. The new area is set to open in 2024, one year ahead of the opening of Super Nintendo World Orlando. Super Nintendo World opened earlier this year to positive feedback. While some of the rides didn’t live up to total expectations, the overall consensus on theme park Twitter is positive. That’s right, I’m on theme park Twitter. Couldn’t you tell from the weird obsession I have with covering all theme park news for Comic Years? The Universal creative team and the Nintendo creative team jointly choose how to implement these iconic characters into the park. One key member of the creative team: Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Super Mario series. The iconic game developer shared in the press release that Donkey Kong’s role in the park won’t just be for diehard fans. “It will take some time until it is completed, but it will be a unique area for not only people who are familiar with Donkey Kong games, but for all guests,” explained Miyamoto. Overall, the Donkey Kong expansion should add even more Mushroom Kingdom fun to Super Nintendo World Japan. If you’re excited to see what comes of this new project, then let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things gaming, comics, and pop culture! Featured Image Credit: Nintendo Japan What We Know About the Super Nintendo World Donkey Kong Expansion  |
| Shang-Chi Becomes Highest Grossing Box Office Hit In 2021, Can Anyone Unseat Him? Posted: 29 Sep 2021 12:22 PM PDT It's official, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the highest grossing box office movie in the US for 2021. The Master of Kung Fu unseats his Marvel Studios compatriot, Black Widow, who previously held the title of highest grossing box office movie in 2021. At the time of this writing, Shang-Chi brought home about $198 million in domestic receipts, fairly far above Black Widow who earned around $184 million domestically. (Though, Black Widow still has a slight edge over Shang-Chi in the international numbers, where he lags almost $30 million behind.) Also, Marvel's newest Avenger has topped the Box Office each weekend since its release. However, it will almost certainly be unseated by the next Venom movie, Venom Let There Be Carnage. The new Venom film is eagerly anticipated, especially since leaks from the premiere have suggested that Sony Pictures is taking steps to connect their Marvel Universe to the larger MCU. Only, unlike Shang-Chi, it will have some real competition from the final Daniel Craig film as James Bond, No Time to Die. Also, interestingly, Shang-Chi will still be building on its total box office grosses for another 20 or so days. And, since this film is not available on streaming until November, it's possible that more than a few folks will want to see it one more time on the glorious big screen. Still, the path to Shang-Chi becoming the biggest box office grossing movie in 2021 was a complicated one. While Black Widow held the title most the year, it was both a look into the past and simultaneously available on Disney+. Yet, as you know if you read our review, Shang-Chi was also a cultural moment, particularly for folks of Asian-American and Pacific Islander descent. How High Will the 2021 Box Office Go for Shang-Chi? Image via Marvel Studios It seems that Shang-Chi will never be released in China which will undoubtedly hurt its global box office numbers. So far, worldwide, Disney holds five of the top ten spots. And Black Widow still ranks highest at the fifth spot. Still, along with F9, the top three spots are held by films released only in China. Yet, even though Black Widow was on Disney+ it still earned at least $13 million at the box office from its 9th week of release through the present. In fact, it earned more than $1 million in box office receipts during the week of Shang-Chi's release (and in only 750 theaters). So, it seems as long as a Marvel movie is in theaters, people will show up to see it. Shang-Chi made what Black Widow made over that time just last weekend. So, it seems that Shang-Chi will easily cross the $200 million domestic mark and could close in on $225 million by the end of it's 45-day run. If the film ever did hit the Chinese box office, it would likely earn at least $100 million more. (And that's if it performs on average for Marvel films there, given the Chinese influence in this film it could go even higher.) Yet, the earning power (at least domestically) appears to be waning. On Monday, Shang-Chi fell just short of a $1 million day, the first time that's happened since its release. The only other films to present major competition to Shang-Chi are the other two Marvel Studios films and possibly Bond. Still, Shang-Chi will probably take the highest box office gross title for 2021, unless Spider-Man: No Way Home does Star Wars: The Force Awakens numbers during the two weeks of 2021 it will be out. Who Are the Other Contenders for 2021? Image via Universal Pictures. 2021 will ultimately be Marvel's year at the box office, from Black Widow to Shang-Chi to the Sony films. Venom: Let There Be Carnage will (hopefully, for Sony Pictures' sake) win its opening weekend. Then, so long as it stays a strong second to No Time to Die, it should find its way into the top ten films this year. Other than Bond, maybe Dune could do serious box office numbers, especially if Denis Vileneuve truly delivers a big screen spectacle. Yet, that it will be concurrently streaming on HBOMax is sure to dig into its box office earning potential. And, for Warner Bros., at least, that could be okay so long as HBOMax subscriber numbers keep climbing. They hoped to get 67 million subscribers by the end of the year, and they seem to have already hit that number. Along with theater exclusivity, the other thing helping Shang-Chi win the highest box office of 2021 is that it had positive buzz and word-of-mouth. Marvel Studios delivered a fun origin story that breaks the MCU origin formula, and this kept people going back to the theater. Those who might have been inclined to wait until it hit Disney+ could have changed their plans based on the reception. The only film I think poses any chance of unseating Shang-Chi this year is Eternals. It's a big epic cast that touches on the entire history of the MCU. There are plenty of Big Name Stars Shang-Chi is currently in theaters and will hit Disney+ on November 12, 2021.What do you think? Do you think Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will retain its position as the highest grossing box office winner in 2021? Share your thoughts, theories, and reactions in the comments below. All box office data via BoxOfficeMojo.com Shang-Chi Becomes Highest Grossing Box Office Hit In 2021, Can Anyone Unseat Him?  |
| Posted: 29 Sep 2021 10:30 AM PDT If you’re familiar with Mike Flanagan’s previous work, then you probably think you know what to expect from his newest show. After all, his earlier Haunting miniseries…es had two big things in common. They were both scary, yes, but they were also tear-jerkers. I’ve actually mentioned this before, in my review of Doctor Sleep, because that’s kind of Flanagan’s thing. But will the new show leave you just as emotionally devascared? Let’s review Midnight Mass and find out. After Midnight: We’re Going to Let It All…You Know the Pun I’m Going ForAs I’m kind of the de facto Senior Mike Flanagan Correspondent here, I’ve already told y’all that he was working on an adaptation of Stephen King’s Revival. I’ve also had to tell y’all that unfortunately, those plans fell through. However, despite Flanagan’s own reveal that Midnight Mass predates his Revival plans, you can’t help but see similarities. And not just because we see a Mass character reading Revival. After all, both follow what happens when men of faith come to town. (Spoiler: It ain’t great.) In Midnight Mass, it’s a new priest, Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater). And the town is actually an island, Crockett Island, home to a population of about 130. The local religious leader had been a Monsignor Pruitt, but Father Hill comes to the congregation with bad news. After his recent pilgrimage to the holy land, Pruitt became ill. He’s now convalescing on the mainland. While he recovers, Hill will lead Pruitt’s flock.  Gilford and Siegel, image via Netflix Whether or not he’s a good shepherd will be answered quickly, through a series of events that will force the little community into a reckoning. At the same time Hill comes to town, Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) returns there. So does Erin Greene (Kate Siegel), once Riley’s high school sweetheart. They have different reasons for their return, but Flanagan isn’t too self-conscious to have them refer to each other as prodigal. Take Heart! I Have Overcome the WorldI say that, because religion and religious devotion are at the beating heart of all of this. The folks of Crockett Island are varying degrees of devoted. You have your regular church-goers, for example, like Riley’s parents, Annie (Kristin Lehman) and Ed (Henry Thomas). There’s also Mildred Gunning (Alex Essoe), as well as the Scarboroughs: Mayor Wade (Michael Trucco), his wife Dolly (Crystal Balint), and their daughter Leeza (Annarah Cymone).  Cymone and Linklater, image via Netflix Then you have the folks who don’t attend church, like the newish Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli) and his son Ali (Rahul Abburi). They don’t attend because they’re Muslim, although Ali is tending toward Christian-curious when we meet him. And of course, there are people who just don’t care either way. Then at the very opposite of the spectrum is a Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan), a person who cares entirely too much. Some people are just prime for radicalization, and fascism, for that matter. You can usually tell them by their marked adherence to rules. Is it any wonder, after all, that a classic German proverb is Ordnung muß sein (“there must be order”)? (I’m part-German; I can say that.) Anyway, that’s Bev. You can tell she’s going to be trouble when she condescendingly checks Father Hill regarding his choice to wear a gold chasuble for an ordinary church service. There are also hints that she’s comfortable with violence if she believes it serves a purpose. And there’s no purpose greater to her than glorification in the name of the Lord. Midnight Mass ReviewFirst of all, if you’re looking for quick thrills, then this ain’t it. Midnight Mass is perhaps the slowest burn of a slow-burn writer-director. That sometimes works to the show’s detriment, as several scenes depend on characters talking at each other at length. Gore junkies may zone out before the blood begins to pool. Further, these scenes play more like something from the stage than from a TV show, or even real life. There’s an artifice to them that reminds me of The Haunting of Bly Manor, how I kept wondering why the wedding guests would sit and listen to Carla Gugino’s character’s long story. Gugino is here, too, by the way, in an unseen cameo.  Kohli and Longstreet, image via Netflix Because if there’s one thing Flanagan loves as much as sad terror, it’s reusing his dependable and growing stable of actors, who excel at bringing his work to life. There’s Thomas, Sloyan, Essoe, and Kohli, of course, along with Annabeth Gish and Robert Longstreet. And unsurprisingly, there’s Kate Siegel. If I were married to Siegel, then I’d try to write her a part in everything I made, too. It’s Siegel as Erin who delivers the central thesis of this work. And this is where this story really departs from Revival. The latter ended with a revelation that was, as Flanagan himself described it, “bleak and mean.” Midnight Mass, on the other hand, does not. There’s a lot of suffering and torrents of blood, but the series ultimately ends in a kind of hopeful melancholy. Things seem dark in America and in the world, but we have choices. We can choose to work for the light. We can hold on to hope, because there’s more coming. Death is not the end, and we can overcome the world. Midnight Mass is now available on Netflix. Tell us your thoughts in these comments or on our social media. featured image via Netflix Midnight Mass Review  |
, and they will likely play a big role in the Marvel Universe going forward. However, it's a big and complex movie, so there are more places where the storytellers could misstep. I am confident that the film will be "good" (your mileage may vary), but I am not convinced that it will win the year.| You are subscribed to email updates from Comic Years. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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