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Fiction Review: ‘Signal Moon’ (2022)

Tony Schaab - Senior Editor — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 16:39:22 +0000

Amazon has been kind enough lately to grace readers with advance copies of select forthcoming titles, and I was lucky to grab a copy of Signal Moon by Kate Quinn, which is releasing wide in August from the streaming giant. This novella-sized tale will be available in eBook only, but it packs a pretty decent punch into a relatively bite-sized story. In 1943, at the height of World War II, Lily Baines works for her country as a “Wren,” the Y-Station listeners of the British Royal Naval Service tasked with intercepting, relaying, and sometimes deciphering the enemy transmissions they hear over the airwaves. Armed with receivers, headphones, and their skill to transcribe as quickly as possible, Lily is but one of a team of women stationed at Withernsea on the English shoreline, working daily to do their part for the cause. Imagine her surprise, then, when she intercepts a truly curious transmission: one coming from a United States Naval officer originating 80 years later, in 2023. This is the main premise the drives this short story from the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Quinn. The author is intimately familiar with the 1940s Y-Station setting, having previously penned […]

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The First Teaser Trailer For Robert Kirkman’s ‘Invincible’ Has Arrived

Tony Schaab - Senior Editor — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 19:39:25 +0000

Robert Kirkman is known to many pop-culture fans as the man who created ‘The Walking Dead’ (technically co-created with artist and longtime collaborator Tony Moore), the Image Comics comic-book series that spawned a hugely successful TV show that is still running into its eleventh season on AMC – and which, in turn, has spawned several other series spin-offs as well. Before ‘The Walking Dead,’ however, Kirkman and artist Cory Walker co-created another title for Image: the son-of-a-famous-superhero-gets-powers-of-his-own tale ‘Invincible,’ and it was a massive hit. Praised as a more realistic take on a superhero story, the series ran for 144 issues from 2003 to 2018. Once set to be adapted into a feature film, ‘Invincible’ finds life as an adult-oriented animated series on Amazon’s Prime Video, coming to audiences next year in what’s reported to be an hour-long each, 8-episode first season. The voice cast for the new series is impressively long, and reads as a “who’s who” of genre stalwarts mixed with several mainstays of ‘The Walking Dead’ TV series. Ranging from recurring roles to one-off appearances, the announced cast includes Steven Yeun as Mark Grayson/Invincible, J. K. Simmons as Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man, Sandra Oh as Debbie Grayson, Mark Hamill […]

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‘The Vast Of Night’ Trailer Takes Us Back To Aliens In The 1950s

Stuart Conover — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 20:43:36 +0000

If you like your science fiction and horror out of something that feels like it could be from the original ‘Twilight Zone’ you’ll need to check out this trailer for ‘The Vast of Night.’ Written by James Montague and Craig W. Sanger, this new film is set in the 1950s and takes place in a small town, which starts being affected by “a strange audio frequency” which will potentially change everything! Andrew Patterson directed the film, and it will be “coming soon to theaters and Prime Video.” Amazon Studios describes ‘The Vast of Night’ as: In the twilight of the 1950s, on one fateful night in New Mexico, a young, winsome switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick) and charismatic radio DJ Everett (Jake Horowitz) discover a strange audio frequency that could change their small town and the future forever. Dropped phone calls, AM radio signals, secret reels of tape forgotten in a library, switchboards, crossed patchlines and an anonymous phone call lead Fay and Everett on a scavenger hunt toward the unknown. You can check out ‘The Vast Of Night’ Trailer right here! The fact that this takes place in New Mexico in the 1950s puts this shortly after the […]

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That Failed Amazon ‘Zombieland’ Series Was A “Bummer”

Stuart Conover — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 14:20:51 +0000

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick had a massive hit with ‘Zombieland’ and did well at the box office with ‘Zombieland: Double Tap.’ Their one major regret is that their ‘Zombieland’ television show with Amazon Studios was never ordered to series by the streaming service. The pilot was released back in April of 2013 at a time when the platform allowed users to vote on which shows would progress into production. ‘Zombieland’ didn’t make the cut. Between production value and the main characters being recast, there just wasn’t an audience who wanted to see the show. RELATED: Marvel’s ‘Deadpool’ Movies Are The Reason Why ‘Zombieland’ Sequel Was Delayed While talking about ‘Zombieland: Double Tap’, Reese also weighed in on the scrubbed Amazon show: “I think there’s a little tiny bit of cross-pollination [between the show and Zombieland: Double Tap] but not as much as you’d think. We didn’t want to borrow from something that’d already been shot. That actually aired on Amazon for a couple of months, so people had already seen it, so we didn’t want to borrow too heavily have one borrowing from the other. That said, it all comes from the same hopper of ideas like […]

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Seth Rogen, David F. Sandberg, And Matt Tolmach Will Tackle Rick Remender’s ‘Fear Agent’ For Amazon

Stuart Conover — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 16:34:39 +0000

Amazon Studios scored a great property when they picked up Rick Remender’s ‘Fear Agent,’ and now the streaming service has added a stellar line up to the project. Seth Rogen, David F. Sandberg, and Matt Tolmach are now all attached to bring this comic to the small screen. Mattson Tomlin (‘The Batman’) is writing the adaptation of Remender’s work while Tolmach (‘Jumanji’) will serve as an executive producer. Sandberg is helping the project and will also executive produce while Rogen is attached as an executive producer as well. This series is the first of Remender’s properties that is coming to the screen from a recently inked three-year overall deal which he signed with Sony Pictures Television. For distribution, Amazon Studios acquired ‘Fear Agent’ after an intense bidding war with Peacock, HBO Max, and TNT, all vying to pick up the property. This new series is long in the making as Tolmach has been trying to find a home for the project about 10-years ago. At one point, Universal was looking to bring the story to the big screen. For those unfamiliar with the series, the logline is below: Interstellar invaders. Time travel. Clones of clones of clones, and lots of […]

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Here Are The Top Fantastic Streaming Shows That Await Us In 2020

Darryl Jasper — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 00:19:43 +0000

Now that we’re into the new year, it’s time to look ahead and see what the wonderful world of streaming has in store for us in 2020. Similar to my list of top streaming shows of 2019, this will be a mix of new and returning series. Sadly, some of the best shows from 2019 — namely The Witcher and The Expanse — won’t make the cut as, based on everything I’ve seen, we’ll be waiting until 2021 before they’re back on the calendar. Well, that’s enough chit-chat from me; time to get into the list. But first, the honorable mentions. Altered Carbon, Season 2 (Netflix)—It’s been nearly two years (!) since season one of this sci-fi gem premiered on Netflix. Based on the novel by Richard K. Morgan, Altered Carbon takes place in a future where death has been all but eliminated. Whereas Joel Kinnaman was the season one protagonist, Anthony Mackie (who’s on this list for another series) will step in as the same character but different body. The concept that bodies are nothing but ‘sleeves’, to be discarded is a fascinating concept as is a world where death is usually nothing more than an inconvenience. Though no […]

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Amazon Studios Is “Optimistic” About ‘The Wheel Of Time’

Stuart Conover — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 21:57:46 +0000

There is a lot of fantasy coming to television and streaming services and one of the upcoming tales is Amazon Studios‘ ‘The Wheel Of Time.’ It is still unclear as to when ‘The Wheel Of Time’ is set to premiere, but Amazon co-head of TV Vernon Sanders was pretty open as to what he has seen so far. For a release date? He let those in attendance know that “I have a quarter I’m thinking of (in regards to its launch), but it’s too soon to say right now.” RELATED: Author Brandon Sanderson Offers An Update On Amazon’s ‘The Wheel Of Time’ At this year’s Television Critics Association winter press tour, Sanders stated that “we’re well underway with production. We love what we’ve seen so far.” This will hopefully be good news for those who are looking forward to this adaptation of Robert Jordan’s iconic series. Sanders went on to state: “As you know, these big world-building shows take some time to craft. There will be news as the year progresses on the series. But we feel incredibly optimistic about the show.” Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke also chimed in on this Sony Pictures Television production: “We haven’t seen […]

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Top Streaming Shows Of 2019

Darryl Jasper — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 14:00:44 +0000

It’s a new year and that means a new you (but not You, the strangely fascinating Netflix drama with a sociopathic protagonist). It’s crazy that we’ve hit a new decade but before conversing about 2020, it’s only fair to look back a bit at 2019. It was a year of some great entertainment and what better place to find it than on the plentiful number of streaming services. From the old staples (Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime) to the new kids on the block (Disney+, Apple TV+, DCUniverse) there’s plenty of great fun to choose from. Yet, everything isn’t a golden halo of awesome thus, it’s only fitting that we single out those streaming shows that brought it to the highest of levels. With this being focused on the streaming space, shows like Watchmen, Game of Thrones, and The Rook are not considered (though, in honesty, none of them would have made my top 8). Also, as genre shows are the focus, brilliant series such as Mindhunters, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, Jack Ryan, and The Handmaid’s Tale (to name a few) were not considered. But before we hit the main course, let’s talk about the appetizer, or those shows that, […]

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Robert Aramayo Returns To Fantasy With ‘Lord Of The Rings’

Stuart Conover — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 18:06:12 +0000

Robert Aramayo (‘Nocturnal Animals’,’Galveston’) has just returned to the realm of fantasy TV by joining the cast of Amazon Studios‘ upcoming ‘Lord of the Rings‘ series. The actor previously might be recognized by playing a young Ned Stark on HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ and has gone from one blockbuster series to what will likely be another. The actor is set to replace Will Poulter (‘The Maze Runner,’ ‘Midsommar’), who was initially set to play the young hero of the series. The character is being referred to as Beldor, and Poulter passed on the role due to scheduling issues. Amazon has yet to confirm the cast, but Aramayo is said to be joining Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, and Morfydd Clark, who are also rumored to be part of the production. The series has J.D. Payne, and Patrick McKay set as the co-showrunners. RELATED: Poulter Pulls Out: Will Poulter Departs As The Lead Of Amazon’s ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Series This billion-dollar adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic novels has already received a Season 2 renewal before we’ve even seen any marketing material which shows the streaming giant’s keen interest in the series. It was also announced that there […]

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Your Alexa Device Can Now Curse You Out With The Samuel L. Jackson Voice Package!

Jax Motes — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:36:04 +0000

First announced in September, Amazon’s celebrity voice program for Alexa devices is now available, and the first celebrity voice you can download is Samuel L. Jackson. And yes, he curses! (If you want him to.) He’s in the cloud baby! Hollywood legend Samuel L. Jackson is here to add some fun to your Alexa experience. Just ask and Sam will give you the weather, play your favorite music, tell jokes, and more. To get started, just say, “Alexa, introduce me to Samuel L. Jackson.” Then, choose whether you’d like Sam to use explicit language or not. If you change your mind later, simply go to the settings menu of the Alexa app to toggle between clean and explicit content. After purchasing, try saying: “Alexa, ask Samuel L. Jackson where he is from.” “Alexa, ask Sam to wake me up at 7am.” “Alexa, ask Sam Jackson to sing happy birthday.” Although he can do a lot, Sam won’t be able to help with Shopping, lists, reminders or Skills. Here is a quick promotional video: Yes, the introductory price is only 99 cents! It will later go up to $4.99, which is still a decent price to have the legendary Samuel […]

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Weekend Box Office (12/6-12/8): ‘Frozen 2’ Pushes Disney Past $10 Billion For The Year

Jax Motes — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 07:25:25 +0000

There is very little to report this weekend. No new films debuted in the Top Five. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest of the year, so the major studios usually take the weekend after off. ‘Frozen 2’ was #1 again, but it “only” made $34.7M. That’s a higher third weekend than the previous ‘Frozen’, not to mention ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’, ‘Moana’, and ‘Coco’. The success of ‘Frozen 2’ has pushed Disney past the $10 billion mark for the year, a first for any studio. Once again, ‘Knives Out’ is #2, followed by ‘Queen & Slim’, ‘Ford v Ferrari’, and ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’. Last week, ‘Queen & Slim’ debuted at #5, behind ‘Ford V Ferrari’ and ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’, but this week it’s #3. It’s not that it’s picking up, it’s just that the other two have been out longer and are winding down. TOP FIVE Frozen 2 (Disney) – $34.7M Knives Out (Lionsgate/Media Rights) – $14M Queen & Slim (Universal/Media Rights/Bron) – $6.5M Ford V Ferrari (20th Century Fox/Disney) – $6.4M A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Sony) – $5.2M Mature drama ‘Dark Water’ from Focus Features, starring Mark Ruffalo, expanded to […]

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‘The Feed’ Episodes 8-10 Review: A Massacre, A Sister, And A Finale

Anthony Isaac Bradley — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 19:34:30 +0000

The final episodes of The Feed bring nightmare fuel. Ben’s assistant Natalie (Anneika Rose) finds a Taker in her home but survives the nonviolent encounter. There’s the haunting image of a masked man (Hello, Mr. Robot) who sprays a video where two people fight to the death. “This was my wife last night,” he says, as her brains are bashed out across the Feed. “What are you doing, where are you going?” The Feed asks its audience. Its characters pretend to know the answer to this question. Meredith (Michelle Fairley) flees to President Quan for asylum after learning that her company doesn’t care about the victims of the “sleep virus,” an outbreak that’s responsible for hundreds of murders (this show has a gigantic body count if you think about it). She ends up in the middle of a coup, with the President’s sister taking over in violent fashion. Meredith bargains to create Feed tech for the new administration, in return for safety. As long as the Feed doesn’t crash, that sounds like a plan. But before she leaves, she attempts to make Ben (Jeremy Neumark Jones) fess up to his deceptions. He’s admitted to planting the Virtual Companion app that […]

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‘The Feed’ Episodes 5-7 Review: A Stellar Trio Of Episodes

Anthony Isaac Bradley — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 15:00:41 +0000

Not exactly an ideal couple’s retreat, both Tom (Guy Burnet) and Kate (Nina Toussaint-White) find themselves on gurneys. Tom’s retrieving mundles from poor dead Sara whose Feed turns out to belong to a mysterious Frenchman. Kate’s attempting to have the Feed surgically removed. Once Tom makes it to Kate’s location, he’s quick to shut the removal down. The Feed’s too ingrained, and Kate could suffer brain damage if removed. But that’s not even the worst part. When little Beau’s examined, the doctor can’t find a transmitter for the Feed. Again, that new parental terror is evoked by subtle lines like, “When’s the last time you connected to your baby?” The highlight of episode 5 is a family dinner where things come to light. Tom and Kate confront Lawrence (David Thewlis) about their baby’s privacy. To their horror, he explains that the Feed wasn’t installed, it was inherited. Using “polymeric conductors,” Lawrence made the Feed genetic, part of human DNA from conception. In his defense, he exclaims, “She’s not a science experiment, she’s progress!” RELATED: The Feed Episodes 5-7 Review: A Stellar Trio Of Episodes Ben (Jeremy Neumark Jones) is forever jealous of Tom rather than concerned about his […]

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‘The Feed’ Episodes 2-4 Review: A Virus Has Evolved

Anthony Isaac Bradley — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 06:51:31 +0000

The Feed‘s premiere episode established a detached existence for common people like Danny (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah), and a chaotic one for those in the know, like Hatfield family members Tom (Guy Burnet) and Kate (Nina Toussaint-White). Everyone owns a Feed, but not everyone’s willing to be plugged “in” with everyone else. After the virus attack, I can understand the hesitation. As creators of the Feed, Meredith (Michelle Fairley) and Lawrence (David Thewlis) gather their children for a family photo PR opportunity. Following the recent hack, the tech giants must present like everything is under control. It isn’t. Kate’s now the proud mother of Beau. Tom views each interaction between mother and child–which should be a beautiful thing–as sinister. Laws are in place to keep randos from digging around in other’s mundles, so Tom can’t confirm that something’s wrong. When Kate suddenly returns to awareness, they ask Feed employee Evelyn (Clare-Hope Ashitey) to help. Who was inside Kate’s head, and what did they remove? Things turn ugly once the intruder is revealed as father-in-law Lawrence, who claims he was only worried about his grandson. Probably true, but he also enabled her “in-ute!” Not cool, Grandpa. Tom visits the incarcerated Sara and Anton, […]

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‘The Feed’ Episode 1 Review: Time To Get Online With Amazon’s Answer To ‘Black Mirror’

Anthony Isaac Bradley — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 23:58:53 +0000

Meet the Hatfields! Led by Meredith (Michelle Fairley, Game of Thrones) and Lawrence (David Thewlis), this family is one to watch. If you’re tapped into the Feed, then you already know this. No doubt their children, Tom (Guy Burnet) and Ben (Jeremy Neumark Jones), are oft-mentioned in your mundles (that’s your memories, silly). Yes, Tom’s happily married to the expecting Kate (Nina Toussaint-White), but Ben’s single again, and boy is he handsome. Everyone trilling the Feed knows that! Obviously, because you can’t disconnect—unless you wanna be uncool and imprisoned, like those pesky “Resisters,” who hate everything the Feed offers. Now there’s a bunch that just doesn’t understand what a gift the Hatfields are to the world. But you do, yes? Amazon’s The Feed opens with a flashback to the wedding of Ben and Miyu (Jing Lusi), where Tom skateboards in, his feed playing Ska music that only he’s privy to. For some reason, this charms Kate, and the two get busy in the study room, but not before Kate saves Ben from an attacker with a knife. This would-be assailant is Sara (Milly Thomas), a chef for the wedding feast. Her brain-implanted Feed is presented as a POV shot; “bubbles” […]

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