Shared Universe Syndrome

It seems that nearly every television, film and game developer is establishing their own little personal worlds within their products. This shared universal syndrome that is sweeping across Hollywood and then some is turning into an uncontrollable plague that’s infecting nearly everything attached to a screen. Of course, the appeal for both consumers and the producers is obviously there; it allows for the average Joe to see their favourite heroes – or villains… or even just similar settings – in a variety of different products, projects or outings while allowing the producers another form of “free marketing” to help sell the newer products in a so-called established world.

Despite the rather cynical opening towards this seemingly new-found method, I’m all for a shared universe – if it’s done right, that is. Over the years, movie goers and TV viewers have been subjected by studios to witness the unfurling of their shared universes whether in the form of television crossovers or building on a franchise in the form of a spin-off show.

The Simpsons/Family Guy crossover is scheduled to air this fall.

As highlighted in my previous post about spin-offs, I think they are only worth it if they can stand on their own two feet, are original and… well, check it out for yourself to know how I feel. But a spin-off or a crossover (with the exception of the upcoming Family Guy/The Simpsons crossover which is more like alternate universes) is still considered to be one universe; meaning that it’s not a new-found thing in the form of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) unquestionable success critically and financially.

But before Marvel made it the latest fad, it was still an entity that existed within our lives. You know that show that’s about a man – a Dr – who can regenerate and travel through time in a blue police box or something? I forget who he is at times, but the BBC and the creators of that show established a shared universe, or Whoniverse as it’s known to some fans. This included the Torchwood series, K9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures. This allowed the characters from all these shows that existed within the same universe to crossover into each others separate show to make an appearance and emphasise the connectivity in that world.

Or how about the animation conglomerate that is Pixar Studios? You may have noticed that in each and every one of their movies, there was a little “Easter egg” (references to other franchises) in them. You may have noticed the Toy Story star ball or the Pizza Planet truck in either Wall-E, Cars or even Finding Nemo, or how about a Nemo teddy in Monsters Inc.?  Well, due to extensive research by Jon Negroni, he’s discovered that all the Pixar films are potentially connected into one shared universe and dubbed it The Pixar Theory. This theory presents a working narrative that ties all of the Pixar movies into one cohesive timeline with a main theme from Toy Story to Monsters University. Definitely worth reading over it!

To Infinity and beyond!

 

But because Marvel Studios brought comic book movies to the screen – in the form of good movies – and started their MCU, they should get all the praise, right? Wrong. Yes, they’ve done it right and well and successful beyond what anyone thought was possible but they were obviously not the first. They have just merely relit the fire of continuity while throwing millions of dollars onto it to make it bigger and better while also performing ritual dances around the fire to honour their Norse Gods and offering Edgar Wright as a sacrifice.

Marvel’s success with the MCU is an impressive entity that has spread not just from film to film, but also to TV with the successful(ish) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the upcoming Agent Carter series and the Netflix Defender series; both looking at the different and down-to-earth aspects of the superhero-filled world. Both the different TV and film properties that are owned by Marvel Studios work to one overlying story arc that has been planned out to 2028 with each of the different characters getting their own personal problems to flesh out that story; this all then accumulates to a BIG event where they have to come together, seen in the hugely successful The Avengers and again next year in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Not only that, Marvel is continuously expanding their universe, now onto a galactic front in the form of this year’s coming Guardians of the Galaxy. If successful, it will open a new leg for Marvel to stand on and assert their monopoly on the shared universe game.

Marvel is currently in the Phase 2 plan, which only seems to be expanding from here out onwards

 

But now Marvel not only has company in the shared universe department but also competition in the comic book industry. Remember last year’s Superman flick Man of Steel? Well that was just laying the ground-work for DC’s own cinematic universe where they plan to accumulate to a Justice League movie in the near (but oh, so distant!) future. The next stepping stone for Warner Bros. Pictures however is their highly anticipated Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016 where they’ll not only introduce Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, but the rumours of Aquaman joining the mix just adds to the tension. That almost completes the roster of heroes that comprise the Justice League family but what about the Green Arrow or The Flash?... Or Green Lant- well actually after the dismal Green Lantern movie back in 2011 I'm not sure if I'm ready to see another...

You may have noticed that Oliver Queen (The Green Arrow’s alias) is currently redefining the superhero genre and the action game on the small screen in Arrow, a show that dominates Wednesday nights in America on The CW Network and is about to enter its third season this fall. This also led to the birth and the introduction of another character, Barry Allen, or The Flash, that will also be joining the schedule in his own show this fall. You can check out the trailer below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj0l7iGKh8g

So these two – who are portrayed brilliantly by Steven Amell and Grant Gustin respectively – will just be joining up with the other heavyweights in that Justice League movie soon enough, no?

I don’t know.

Including Constantine (Far right) a new show coming this fall, just throw in Wonder Woman and you have your Justice League!

As much as I would love to see these two to battle alongside Batman and Wonder Woman, with these two shows slotting right into Warner Bros.’ DC universe, I’m not sure how likely it’ll be. There are rumours that WB has constructed two separate universes – a TV universe and a film universe. This to me would seem rather foolish as – in the case of Arrow – it has an impressive following and we’ll just have to wait until this fall to see if that same success is emulated on The Flash. Or even the upcoming Gotham series which will focus on the origins of the famous characters in the Bat-verse… For all we know that could be connected to the larger DCCU (DC Cinematic Universe). If all goes well, it would be easier for WB to just move Arrow and the Flash to the big screens, adopting the shows’ continuities and characters, only making their franchise and Justice League film more appealing to viewers. Effectively, this’ll be a reverse of what Marvel achieved with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The biggest movie of the year (...So far)

Without trying to drag on too much about comic book movies, it’s hard not to mention the X-Men films or the Amazing Spiderman films that have established – or establishing – their own shared universes. The latest X-Men film Days of Future Past attempted to correct the continuity errors that were seen in the original X-Men trilogy and 2011’s X-Men: First Class and establishing a fully operational shared universe. How successful – Just shy of $100 million in its opening weekend in America successful. A little behind the pack is The Amazing Spiderman franchise, with the latest installment setting up the building blocks of their world to spin-off into a Sinister Six movie and of course more Spiderman films down the line. And who knows by 2030, we might even witness these studios with Marvel properties working together into a crossover film/s. The real Civil War story arc anyone?

Now you’ve probably read enough about all these different shared universes that are trying to aspire to the model that Marvel has now created, but there’s another platform I just want to briefly touch upon, and that’s the world of Gaming. Possibly the most obvious shared universe or platform is the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Each game takes place in a different city with some returning to those same cities, like the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto V; this even dropped in familiar faces from other games in the series. This is obviously easier as they’re still the same property/concept and you can just transfer one to the other. But what about something a little more complex between different properties and interlocking like The Pixar Theory…?

Enter Ubisoft. Ubisoft is a renowned games developer of such franchises as Assassins Creed, Far Cry and the newly released Watch Dogs. However, what could have been seen as just mere Easter eggs in their games, it has come to the attention of the internet and fans of the games that these three properties might be connected into one universe. What’s worth noting is that Ubisoft currently has film adaptations of all three properties in the works, with Assassin's Creed scheduled for a 2015 release date. What would be interesting to see is a form of interconnectivity between these films, these games and their different properties that can co-exist in one universe – this doesn’t require them to crossover characters or story ideas like in the MCU however, as they all work on their own. Still an interesting concept and fun speculation!

"Everything is Connected"? Well lets hope so Ubisoft...

 

And so, to wrap it all up, it’s worth noting that although Marvel has hit gold with their model, other properties may have potentially established their own shared universes in a less obviously successful way. But this does however seem to be the latest craze within our culture and something that looks to be around for a while! Not only that, with the use of the internet, fans of certain films, games and TV shows will continue to connect the dots of certain properties. Like the theory that AMC’s Breaking Bad is essentially a prequel for The Walking Dead series. So if you’re not infected by the ever-mutating Shared Universe Syndrome then you’ll need to get out now!

That's it for today! Thanks for getting to the end. Let me know what you think about shared universes and your favourites. Look for me on Twitter @Miarls for more up-to-date goings on.

Greatest Toy Films Ever Made

After recently re-watching The Lego Movie, I got the idea to reconsider some of the greatest toy movies out there… Seeing as I had fun coming up with a similar list about my choice of the Greatest Movie Monsters earlier this week. Check out the toys that rock the silver screen below:

RULES:

The toy/s in question must have been portrayed in a film

The toy/s in question must have had their own consciousness

The toy/s in question must have come to life at some point in the film

8^th – Labyrinth 

Goblin King! Goblin King!

A classic 1980s film, Labyrinth is a good place to kick off this list.

The plot of the film is about the teenage girl Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) and her unforgettable journey to rescue her baby brother, Toby, from the Golbin King, Jareth (David Bowie). She’s aided by allies made up of the toys in her room, which come to life and help her on her journey. In the opening scenes, you can actually see the stuffed animals, bookend, Escher poster and the toy maze as the camera pans her room, ending at a likeness of the conjuror himself, standing right by her bedroom mirror.

The film itself holds not only original songs written and performed by Bowie, but countless riddles, optical illusions and conundrums, Labyrinth is a brilliant collaboration of some of the finest talents in filmmaking, with timeless themes and humour enhancing the feel of the 80s. 

Definitely worth watching… Mainly because of the feel-good factor of the film but of course David Bowie himself.

7^th – Small Soldiers

Gorgonite scum!

Placing missile technology into toys was never going to be a good idea... So when a batch of toy soldiers, The Commando Elite, decides to go on the rampage against a group of peaceful alien toys, the Gorgonites, obvious chaos and comedy only ensue.

Released in 1998, Small Soldiers acts as an enjoyable watch for all ages that have a heart. I mean, when the two leagues of action figures are instilled with critical thinking, the Commando Elite go all evil A-Team on the Gorgonites, who prefer hiding to fighting, mix that together with a bit of comedy in a live action setting with other actors, you have a good film on your hands!

The animatronic design and effects are still rather impressive today and when people say “opposites attract” well the two different action figures here are completely opposite and, bringing them together into this film make it an enjoyable watch and something that is associated to a lot of kids childhood’s in the 1990s.

6^th – Child’s Play

God that's terrifying...

Chucky. Just the name alone of that notorious murderous doll is enough to make anyone cower away in fear. 

Now being one of the most iconic and recognisable horror icons, Chucky is the titular antagonist of the slasher Child's Play series. Chucky is portrayed as a notorious serial killer whose spirit inhabits a Good Guy doll and continuously tries to transfer his soul from the doll to a human body. 

Seeing this film as a child scared me so much that it has put me off even looking at any sort of doll ever again. Arguably, this film shouldn’t be on my list at all because of the doll is inhabited by the spirit of another but that really seems all relative to me. It’s on here because the doll is his identity and so, its own conscious.

The reason this film is so high up also is because it made a toy frightening and turned it into a recognisable pop culture icon.

5^th – Jumanji

Play the game Peter!

The 1995 fantasy adventure film based on a supernatural board game that makes wild animals and other jungle hazards materialize upon each player’s move, Jumanji makes a grand entry onto this list at number 5.

Technically still a toy (yes, board games are still toys) this film has turned into a classic Robin Williams film. Jumanji starts in 1969, where 12-year-old Alan Parrish is trapped in Jumanji whilst playing the game with his friend Sarah. Twenty-six years later, siblings Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce) begin playing and unwittingly release the now-adult Alan (Robin Williams). After they track down Sarah (Bonnie Hunt), the quartet work together in order to finish the game to undo all of its consequences. The movie also stars David Alan Grier as a hapless shoemaker-turned-police officer and Jonathan Hyde in a dual role as both Alan's father and Van Pelt, a big-game hunter intent on killing Alan.

Jumanji is – at least it should be – considered to be a classic with brilliant special effects, amalgamated dynamics and animatronics and an original storyline that was based off a book. Not to mention a huge box office haul of $262 million upwards.

4^th – Ted

Ok, speed round...

Because Ted is a film about a teddy bear coming to life in an R-rated comedy (That is now the highest grossing original R-rated comedy of all time) this is just one of the reasons why it’s so high up on this list.

Created, produced and directed by Family Guy genius Seth MacFarlane, Ted tells the story of John Bennett, a Boston native whose childhood wish brings his teddy bear friend Ted to life, but Ted keeps John and his love interest Lori Collins from moving on with their own lives. 

Starring Marky Mark and the Fuzzy Bunch (Mark Wahlberg and a teddy bear, voiced by MacFarlane himself), Mila Kunis, Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi, this film has that raunchy humour in its actors alone.

This film, despite being a critically and financially successful, is something of an acquired taste; if you’ve ever laughed at a joke in Family Guy or any other stupid (yet hilarious) comedy or if you’ve ever dreamt of one of your teddy bears coming to life, then this is the film for you! A sequel to this film will also be hitting cinemas on June 26^th 2015.

3^rd – Pinocchio

I'm a real boy!

Being the second animated feature-length film ever made by the conglomerate Disney, Pinocchio comes in on my list at number 3.

Released in 1940 and produced by one of the greatest visionaries of our time, Walt Disney, Pinocchio focuses on an old wood-carver named Geppetto who carves a wooden puppet named Pinocchio. The puppet is brought to life by a blue fairy, who informs him that he can become a real boy if he proves himself to be “brave, truthful, and unselfish”. Pinocchio’s efforts to become a real boy involve encounters with a host of unsavoury characters. 

Critical analysis of Pinocchio identifies it as a simple morality tale that teaches children of the benefits of hard work and middle-class values. It eventually made a profit in its 1945 reissue and today it is considered among the finest Disney features ever made, and one of the greatest animated films of all time… It even holds a rare 100% rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes!

Because of its cultural significance and ground-breaking achievements in effects animation, Pinocchio wholeheartedly deserves this spot on my greatest toy movies list.

2^nd – The Lego Movie

Great! I think I got it. but just in case... Tell me the whole thing again, I wasn't listening

 A movie that’s based entirely on AND made of Lego… Of course it’s going to be good!

The Lego Movie comes from the minds of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the two who brought you Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street and their respective sequels. The film tells the story of an ordinary Lego minifigure named Emmet who is prophesied to save the Lego universe from the tyrannical Lord Business who plans to use the “Kragle” to glue everything in place.

The movie was a critical success, with many critics highlighting its visual style, humour, voice acting and its heart-warming message. As well as earning more than a worldwide total of over $460 million, the film proved to be a commercial success too, with a sequel already in development.

One of the best things about the film is its extremely strong cast of actors voicing the Lego figures. The cast includes the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Charlie Day and Morgan Freeman. As well as this, there are cameos of not just famous Lego minifigures but also other actors such as Cobie Smulders, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Billy Dee Williams and even Shaquille O’Neal.

If you’re going to make time for a toy film to watch, I would highly recommend this one; enjoyable to watch with constant gags throughout you’ll not be disappointed.

1^st – Toy Story

It's not a laser! That's just a little light bulb that blinks!

When you think of toy films, the first film and the best film that comes to mind (at least to me) is of course Disney Pixar’s first major hit, Toy Story.

 

Toy Story was the first feature-length computer animated film follows a group of anthropomorphic toys who pretend to be lifeless whenever humans are present, and focuses on the relationship between Woody, a pull-string cowboy doll, and Buzz Lightyear, an astronaut action figure. The film boasts not only an incredible cast of actors to voice the toys (Tom Hanks, Tim Allen & John Ratzenberger) but it gave the toys egos, hurt feelings and a heavy dose of kid-friendly sass with plenty of wise-cracking in the first film alone.

If you haven’t seen this film by now – or the two sequels that followed – then there must be something wrong with you…

That's it from me again! Let me know what you think and  who you would have on your list in the comments. Follow me on Twitter @Miarls for more up-to-date film & TV news and when new content is hitting the blog.

Helix Season One Review

Play God. Pay the price...

Finishing back in March, Syfy’s science-fiction thriller Helix proved to be a worthwhile watch. Only thirteen 40 minute episodes to its freshman season, the series sets up a number of plot twists and reveals in a way that it doesn’t feel forced.

The series follows a group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who travel to a research facility deep in the Arctic in order to investigate a potential outbreak of a new disease’ the Narvik strand. Throughout the season, the scientists find themselves stuck in a life-or-death situation that could decide the fate of the human kind.

Proscribed genetic engineering research is taking place at the base, and the company running the research station seems more interested in containing knowledge of their activities than in resolving the outbreak. Attempts at a quarantine result in mutiny and attempted escape, and communication with the outside is mysteriously cut off. It is unclear at first whether the goal is a bio-weapon or to transform humans in some way and there are two variants of the virus, Narvik-A and Narvik-B. The first is immediately fatal with no cure. Those infected with the second virus become dangerously violent zombie-like “Vectors”, spreading the infection to others, making matters only worse.

The series holds strong scientific merit (how accurate it is in real life, I’m not entirely sure) and a jump-in-your-seat thriller that will have you question the motives of characters you thought you knew.

If infected with the A Strand there was a high probability of death

The acting at times may seem a little bland from a number of cast members but when it counts, they can pull off enough emotional connections for you to feel and fear for them. An original storyline (aside from the zombie-like vectors, but the way they act/etc. is rather different) accompanied by a entrancing musical score throughout all formatted into in-universe time. This means that the entire thirteen episodes take place over the course of just thirteen days.

This show is not really for the light-hearted and does require you to focus throughout each episode, because if you miss one line, you’ll have no idea what’s going on! Definitely worth your time however with an epic season finale that leaves the door open for a lot of questions to be answered in season 2. If you're a fan of Battlestar Galactica (2004 series) or even The Walking Dead, then this is a show that you should think about looking in to.

Let’s hope that we don’t have to wait till winter 2015 to find out what happens!

Follow me on twitter @Miarls for more Movie news & TV blues and to keep up to date with new content coming to the blog!