This week we discuss the uber-profitable but utterly forgettable (according to consensus) superhero flick Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, another superhero movie we’re actually much more excited about, The Lego Batman Movie, Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding, and so much more. You can also listen to the podcast version below, or add us via RSS or Stitcher to take BtS on the road!
Things are looking bleak for Batman v Superman
The barometer is dropping sharply for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which premiered on Rotten Tomatoes at 40 percent after around 50 reviews, and has since made a steady decline into the doldrums, now resting at just 30 percent. To get an idea of how bad that is, consider that Jennifer Garner’s new movie about a sick girl who falls out of a tree and gets better, Miracles from Heaven, is resting 20 points higher at a solid 51 percent. That’s not to say Batman v Supe won’t make money — in fact, it’s likely to be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) superhero movie openings of all time.
But this latest critical failure raises some real questions: Is the creation of a steady diet of forgettable flicks that are all brawn and no fun how Warner wants its take on the hallowed DC universe to be remembered? Does the studio even care? Why is Marvel raking in cash and critical praise, while DC movies haven’t had a critical winner since Christopher Nolan finished his Batman trilogy?
This week’s poll puts things in more tangible terms: Should Warner Bros. finally fire Zack Snyder and bring in someone else to helm its superhero tentpoles?
Reader Poll
Would you pay $50 to rent a movie the day it comes out in theaters? Let us know why in the comments.
Posted by Digital Trends on Friday, March 18, 2016
The Lego Batman Movie
Warner’s animated superhero movies seem to be in much better hands than its live-action flicks, with The Lego Movie director Chris McKay returning to his brilliant block-based world to focus on a Batman who’s pretty much all fun. That’s thanks, in part, to the voice antics of Will Arnett, who dominated the first trailer for the film that aired this week. Arnett is joined by an A-list ensemble that also includes Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, and Zack Galifianakis as the Joker. Yeah, it’s weird, and will probably be fantastic.
Margot Robbie is … Tonya Harding?
Margot Robbie is gearing up to play Tonya Harding in a new biopic called I, Tonya. There are so many ridiculous angles to this story we don’t know where to start, not the least of which is the difference in looks between the real world skater and the drop-dead gorgeous movie star. That said, while there’s a definite movie-of-the-week vibe going on here, you can’t Harding’s isn’t a compelling back story to explore. Harding, who grew up poor in Portland, Oregon, and entered a world of rich girls and high society to become the first female skater to complete the triple axel in competition. By all accounts, Harding and media darling Nancy Kerrigan were the top American contenders to take home the gold in the ’94 Olympics.
Harding got a little distracted, though, when her deranged ex-husband conspired to take Kerrigan out, as it were, by attempting to break her leg. Harding ended up getting an eighth place finish and a banishment from professional skating, while Kerrigan took the silver medal. And that’s just the bullet points of this odd real-life story.
Finally this week, we choose our weekly Between the Cracks title, which explores a fantastic show or movie you may not be familiar with, as well as our official Highlight of the Week, and so much more, so check out the video and be sure to subscribe to our podcast!
