Count Wade Merrick (aka Unparalled Universe) hangs out with the ATKM crew to spew our Most Anticipated Action Figures for the New Year! On Episode 153, we also talk to Wade about his crowdfund smash, Odious, among other topics in the action figure world!
Moody ranks his Top 10 Best WWE Elite & Ultimate Edition Wrestling Figures of 2023! Inside, rankings are divided by the Elite Series, Legends/PLE (Premium Live Event), and Ultimates. Agree with Moody? Any glaring omissions?
On Episode 152, ATKM and special guest @TheArtistShArK (aka G.I. Shark) dive into the deep currents of G.I. Joe Classified for 2024! What are our most anticipated Classifieds? Who do we want to see in the line? Who’s missing? Will there be any surprises in store for 2024?
“El Sacerdote” J.L. Caraballo Letterboxd @captzaff007 Topping off what has probably been his most character-driven performance in the recent Dream Scenario, Nicolas Cage returns to his thespian form in Butcher’s Crossing, a small-stakes, epic-scale Western directed by Gabe Polsky (Red Penguins; The Motel Life), and adapted from the 1960 novel of the same name written by John Edward Williams. Buoyed by Cage’s performance and making great use of its Montana setting, and moving at a brisk pace. I had missed this in theaters — truthfully, this might not have even had that large of a theatrical run — but was lucky enough to catch a blu-ray, which proved to be enjoyable. Even on the small screen, the sense of Western adventure, and the beauty of the terrain, came through perfectly.
Set in the early 1870s, the film focuses on Will Andrews (Eighth Grade‘s Fred Hochinger), a Harvard student who drops out of the prestigious school and heads West, into the titular Kansas town, hoping to make it rich in the buffalo hide trade. Naive, yet ambitious, Will tries in vain to partner with his pastor father’s friend, MacDonald (Paul Raci), who is among the last of the dwindling buffalo suppliers of the town; rebuffed by the family friend, Will then partners with Miller (Cage), experienced, grizzled, determined, and more than just a little bit intense for the trade. Despite warnings from locals about teaming with the buffalo trader, Will saddles up with Miller, Hoge (Xander Berkeley, Terminator 2, The Mentalist) — a one-armed, Bible-spewing drunk — and Schneider (Jeremy Bobb, The Knick) — an experienced “skinner” who is doubtful of Miller’s boasts. Together the team (financed fully by Will’s money) are committed to tracking down one of the few remaining massive buffalo herds out in Colorado, hoping to make a fortune before winter rolls up.
That’s the set-up, and it plays it very close to the chest. What sells the film are the performances; Hochinger, more than anyone else in the cast, really, was a surprise; this was a role very unlike the one for which he’d made his breakout some five or six years ago. He’s got some range to him, and he sells Will’s naivety really well, but makes the character compelling enough so that his transition at the end feels real and organic. Cage, for his part, is the main sell of this film however; this is a more subdued performance more akin to his turn in Pig than in, say, last year’s Renfield, or even Dream Scenario, which find him playing within the surreality of dream logic. With a close-cropped beard and bald head, he even visually evokes his late-year performance, although Miller’s obsessive, exacting, determined, capital-M-Masculine character could not be more different from Dream Scenario‘s nebbish Paul Matthews. Somehow, Cage makes sitting in the snow and shaving his head with a straight razor entertaining and compelling.
Cinematographer David Gallego‘s keen eye is another winner in Butcher’s Crossing: even on the small screen, the rolling, expansive frontier is lush, at once seemingly never-ending, and yet crushing in its remorselessness. And once the violence occurs (there is plenty of it, once Miller and gang come upon their prize buffalo), the film turns at points both thrilling, and, somewhat paradoxically, mournful. Knowing what will eventually become of the American buffalo over the decades, the camera never pulls away from showing just how brutal poachers and cowboys once were to these animals. From the warm daylit hues to the harsh, stark cold hues of the encroaching winter, Gallego manages to turn the Western setting, itself, into a character just as real as Will and Miller. Director Polsky — having cut his teeth mainly working as a documentary director — brings a keen sense of realism to the performances and storytelling, making Butcher’s Crossing feel as a real as any other old-timey Western town.
Breezy, epic, and with real, compelling performances, Butcher’s Crossing is a sleek ride through the West of the past. Perfectly paced, beautifully shot, and brisk in length (the entire film is maybe an hour and forty-five minutes), this is another in the late-stage portfolio of compelling Nicolas Cage performances. And although I haven’t seen it yet, I imagine this would make a great double feature with last year’s OTHER Nicolas Cage Western The Old Way.
4/5 buffalo hides
Butcher’s Crossing is available on blu-ray and streaming.
Just in time for spooky season, director André Øvredal‘s latest film, The Last Voyage Of The Demeter, has hit blu-ray and streaming. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy for review, and was surprised at how lean and unforgiving this film is. It fits right in the mood of the spirit of the season, although it is a bit more punishing than expected. Still, for gorehounds, or as an amus bouche to prepare you for more artistic or unique takes on the vampire genre, this movie will more than satisfy.
Adapted from the excerpt from Bram Stoker‘s eponymous novel, Dracula, which describes — through a series of entries from the captain’s log — the ill-fated journey of the Demeter, this film is atmospheric enough to get a sense of foreboding, but seems to suffer from a lack of levity (which I’ll get into in a bit). Focusing on Doctor Clemens (Corey Hawkins) — a wayward doctor who sets sail aboard the Demeter, which has been hired to transport several dozen crates from Transylvania to London — we get a clear sense of the Demeter’s crew, from her captain, Elliott (Liam Cunningham), to first mate and quartermaster, Wojchek (David Dasmaltchian), to Toby (Woody Norman), Captain Elliott’s grandson and keeper of the livestock. The film jumps right in as we see the ship being loaded up for its journey, and as Clemens gets hired for his medical skills. Soon enough the ship is underway for a journey of several weeks’ travel, and in even shorter time, the crew finds themselves being stalked by a creature that has been secreted aboard: none other than Dracula himself. Pretty straightforward stuff.
Director Øvredal has an eye for iconic imagery and knowing how to conceive of a great shot, and the cast manage to imbue their respective characters with enough of a personality to make themselves distinct from one another, but never quite emerging as “real” people with dimension or depth. Elliott, for example, is introduced as the grizzled yet wise captain who is on this, his last voyage aboard his vessel (“He was only THREE days from retirement!”), and my wife had the sense to note that Liam Cunningham has the “grizzled old man” schtick down pat. Wojchek is wary and suspicious of Clemens, tries hard to rationalize the supernatural happenings aboard the vessel…until he has to no longer do so. A mysterious stowaway, Anna (Aisling Franciosi), speaks in riddles when she isn’t in a coma, until the third act starts up and she becomes Action Girl; and the ship’s cook, Joseph (Jon Jon Briones), is the penitent, religious type, and doesn’t stray much further from that trait. The only character, strangely, who shows any depth or inner life is Toby; actor Woody Norman is quite convincing as a child who is trying hard to impress his grandfather, and is a member of the crew, but still has moments that remind us, the audience, that he is indeed just a child. After the ship’s animal compliment gets slaughtered, Toby feels not just for the loss of the ship’s dog, Huckleberry, but also for having let down his grandfather, since his responsibility was to the animals. Of all the actors, he was the most compelling.
There’s a sense here that director André Øvredal might have been somewhat constrained by the limitations of studio filmmaking; his prior films play very fast and loose, and have a playful sense of humor about them that feels lacking here. Troll Hunter works not just as an adventure yarn, but also as a playful mockumentary, and showcases a lot of his talents. Perhaps the constriction of the setting worked against his instincts, but aside from a few well-conceived stalking scenes of Dracula hunting down the crew during some foggy scenes, the action seems derivative. He has a keen sense of relaying location to the audience, though: the layout of the Demeter itself is clear, so at no point was there confusion as to where characters were in relation to each other.
Cinematographer Tom Stern‘s work is luscious on the blu-ray release. The blues of the ocean, the shadows stalking in the fog, the dim recesses of the Demeter’s interior…all of it is beautifully transferred on the disc. This is perhaps the crispest of André Øvredal’s films, and on an OLED screen, everything pops. Perhaps more than any other sequences, the scenes of Dracula stalking through the fog is best rendered here: just the barest outline of a shadow can be seen, the briefest movement tracked. Watching at home was a blast due simply to how well the film was transferred. Equally impressive are the practical effects by designer Göran Lundström: it’s great to see and almost FEEL the practical gore effects and blood spill. And on that note: I always give props to any movie willing to kill off kids, but DAMN this movie goes all in on that front.
Ultimately, this is a straightforward film that gets in, gets out, and doesn’t seem to bother itself with any subtext, metatext, or anything of that sort. Just good, old fashioned ultraviolence. That might be enough to sate the goriest of gore-hounds, but those looking for something a bit deeper or memorable that does more than just look crisp on a home TV set might have get a bit restless by the end.
3/5 blood transfusions
The Last Voyage Of The Demeter is now available on home video and streaming
Mortal Kombat 11 was a fantastic time. It’s Krazy to think that it’s already been over 4.5 years since the critically-acclaimed release of the last MK title, and there was only one way to follow up on all that greatness: start over again.
Thankfully, Mortal Kombat 1 also serves as a sequel of sorts following the triumph of now Fire GOD Liu Kang over the “Keeper of Time” Kronika — with the help of a very selfless Raiden, now mere mortal saint. Kang rewrites the universal timeline (and, no, I’m not talking about that Kang — however ironic in the name) and delivers peace to the 6 realms, and ay’thang in MK land is reset, refreshed and ready to Kontinue…
That brings us to a seemingly perfect amalgomation of sequel and reboot and kharacters from games like MK4, MK: Armageddon and MK: Deadly Alliance have returned. I’m excited since I Kompletely missed the MK lore from games four through eight and all the spin-offs in between. Tanya, Li Mei, Darrius, Khameleon, and Kountless fighters from the 3D era are all new to my eyes, but the fact they have a history with longtime diehards makes them all the more fascinating.
Are you playing the Mortal Kombat 1 Beta? In a smart “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” vibe, MK1 plays so much like MK11 and that pleases me deeply. Enter the all-new Kameo system and now we have a shake of the dice that doesn’t shake up the quality. But the Kameo system does shake up the balance, and there’s no doubt it’s going to take even the Maximillion Dudes, EVO Pros and GVO Joes plenty of practice, especially since the fighter movement feels slower here than in MK11 but the Kombo system is so much faster. Strange dichotomy there.
For those not in the know, Kameo fighters are just that; they don’t completely tag in like Tekken Tag or Marvel vs. Capcom and your Kameo kombatants are called in for a special assist. There is a timed limit to using your Kameo again, so there is definite strategy behind the helping hands & feet. Chuck fire as Liu from the bottom and call upon Sonya to soar across the skyline with her Square Wave kick. Good luck avoiding either. Enter the returning Kenshi with his trusted spirit slicing low and throw a Kano kniving high into the mix and you’re basically *&^#%$! Each Kameo has 3 special moves with the addition of a charge or cancel.
Speaking of GVO, I’ve hosted plenty of hotly Kontested gaming sessions with buddies and our most recent prime time fighter choices have been Kombo-heavy (Guilty Gear -Strive-, Street Fighter 6, King of the Fighters XV, etc.). Mortal Kombat once again has that element in spades with Mortal Kombat 1! In the Beta, you can also change your Kontrol settings so your Kameo can appear with either bumper button your little Kano’s klenching heart desires. The timely Kameo can help you juggle the opposition with bombastic kicking and puncing sequences (i.e. you can Kombo Kitana’s fan blades with OFFSCREEN BLADES from Kano; insane!). Timing is definitely going to be the throughline in both MK1‘s narrative and gameplay.
Graphically, Mortal Kombat 1 Kontinues the superb visual performance of MK11 with pure development for current/now-gen (i.e. PS5, Xbox Series). Kinda. There is a Nintendo Switch version Koming later and I don’t see how that is possible, but I’m definitely Kurious. So far we only have two stages to gawk at, but the new Johnny Cage Mansion setting is gorgeous in all its Malibu sunset view glory — the beautiful lighting, the moving fire pit, the windy palm trees, the bobbing ducky float in the pool, flocks of seaguls in the background, traffic on the PCH. It’s Kolorful, and even has a Day/Night sequence.
Another thing super worthy of note: no more Kharacter variations. While I loved learning the different versions of, say, Sub-Zero and altering mah dude with upgrades and Kustom looks, I’m cool with learning THE ONE. In MK11, many of my MK fighters were turned into DC superheroes/villains and it was a blast. But with NetherRealm deciding to keep things simplified this time around with their Kombatants, it’s Klear that what you’re getting in MK1 is the best possible version of every fighter on the roster.
Finally, my biggest disappointment with the Beta isn’t the slower movement or Kameo spamming or netcode or anything game-related, really… it’s the fact that, barring the inclusion of Li Mei and Johnny Cage, this Beta is literally the same as the Stress Test from one month ago. Major bummer. My excitement for the Beta almost had me throwing another GVO! You Kan’t Kouch Ko-Op. The only options are the Towers and Online play, which I’m very MID at so I just take turns with the fighters in the towers. Yeah. Li Meh is right.
Some of the news from the Resetting Mortal Kombat: A New Beginning With Mortal Kombat 1 SDCC panel held a few weeks ago:
–MK1 spurns an intriguing new narrative that sees former friends now bitter enemies Li Mei and Tanya as friends now turned foes, with new Edenia, now princess of Umgadi, Mileena and Baraka now affected by a mutant-disabling disease called Tarkat. Series creator Ed Boon referred to this Tarkat as “Hulking out”, with Baraka suffering from this viral detriment longer than the still kinda sexy Mileena.
-More narrative beats in the panel included a lengthy clip that expaanded upon the Lin Kuei trailer, showcasing Smoke going full on trios/six-man tag with Scorpion and Sub-Zero. That said, I don’t expect this dream team to last forever, especially with Subzy wanting to lead EarthRealm rather than defend it, the old tradition style that Scorp prefers. Smoke chose a hot stove plate over a frozen TV dinner with these idealogies, so Kount me intrigued.
-Speaking of story, Boon and Kompany promised a new, far more expansive single player experience for “those who get sick of getting their butt kicked online”. We already have the Kampaign Tower experience, which you can try now in the current Beta (if you pre-ordered and/or dealt with shenanigans from some of WB’s retail partners *cough* GameStop *cough*), and this SP mode should also be different than the usual Story Kampaign.
-If you haven’t been living under a molten lava shrine the past few weeks, then you already know about the Kombat Pack reveal with the likes of Omni-Man (voiced by J.K. Simmons!), Highlander and Peacemaker joining the Premium & Kollector’s editions of the game. Quan-Chi and Ermac are the less celebrated but no less important additions to the Pack.
-Joining Darrius and Khameleon as Kameos is the wildly popular Goro, back from the dead of MK9, and Ferra, Johnny Cage (yes, classic JC), Mavado & Tremor. As far as the armored Shao Kahnesque Reiko and the Minotaur Motaro, both shown in the clip concerning Li Mei and Liu Kang, it’s YTBD if they will be full-fledged fighters or Kameos moving forward.
-Lastly, The Living Forest will make a return. Stage Fatalities are unknown at this point, but Boon confirmed that we will see some “alities” — be it the returning Babalities, Animalities, Friendships, etc.
