Author: Shmee

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Shmee Casts Supergirl!

It has been a long time since I have cast something, mostly because they announce the casts for movies so quickly now, but with DC’s latest flick Supergirl no lead was attached, so the time was right for me to pick the first girl of Krypton.  I know a lot of you are pulling for the CW’s Melissa Benoist, but pulling from DC TV has not been DC Film’s MO thus far, so I am leaving her off the table.  Here are my top five actors in reverse order!

5: Chloë Grace Moretz

Chloë is a talented actor with great comedic timing, and if Marvel has taught us anything, it is that comedians make great superheroes.  Not to mention at 21 she could play this character for a long time.  The only downside is that she might be a little short at 5’4″.

4: Lily James

Lily James just looks like Supergirl: the smile, the hair, and the figure.  Her biggest downside is her age.  At 29, she would be 30 by the time Supergirl started filming, not to mention any sequels.  So she wouldn’t really be a ‘girl’.  However, thanks to ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ we know she can do action, and I think she would be great for the role.

3: Zendaya 

I know Zendaya is locked in to a contract over at Sony playing ‘Not Mary Jane’, but she could bring a lot to Supergirl.  She can act, she can fight, and at 5’10” she can stand tall with the boys.  Zendaya would be a fun casting, and one with her notoriety that could really bring some interest to the picture.

2: Kiernan Shipka

Kiernan my be busy bringing Sabrina Spellman back to the small screen, but it might be time to bring all her talent to the big screen with Supergirl.  The teenage Mad Men alum as been great in everything she has been in.  There is no reason to think she wouldn’t soar as Kara.

1: Saoirse Ronan

The biggest reason not to cast Ronan is that no one can pronounce her name, but other than that she has everything that Supergirl needs.  A background in action with Hanna, she can probably out act the rest of the DCU, and at 24 she can act younger or older depending on what is needed for the script.  She would be great as last Kyptonian woman.  I would watch her anyway.

So that is my list.  I think it is pretty good, but I know you think I am wrong, so I would love to hear your list.  Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.  Until next time!

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Shmee Witnesses The Power Of The Witch’s Flower!

‘Mary and the Witch’s Flower’ is the first feature film from Studio Ponoc, but the visual style may seem familiar to fans of Studio Ghibli (Spirted Away, My Neighbor Totoro) since Studio Ponoc was founded by long time Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura and directed by former Studio Ghibli animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi.  While I don’t think ‘Mary and the Witch’s Flower’ is as good Studio Ghibli’s classics, it is still a great debut for this new studio and well worth watching.

The story is based on the short children’s fantasy book ‘The Little Broomstick’ by Mary Stewart, and follows a lonely young girl named Mary (Ruby Barnhill) who is led to a magical flower by some local cats.  This flower takes her on a fantastic journey.

Considering this is Studio Ponoc’s first solo outing it would have been nice for them to try something outside Studio Ghibli’s wheelhouse, everyday girl being brave and all that, but none the less it is a gorgeous movie.  It is no wonder that Hiromasa Yonebayashi was chosen to be Studio Ghibli’s youngest director for the ‘Secret Life of Arrietty’ before moving over to Studio Ponoc.  Plus the story is very sweet.  My wife and daughter loved it, and I can’t say I disagree.  Though their red hair probably gave them an even greater affinity for this film.

‘Mary and the Witch’s Flower’ was one of the rare anime movies to get a major push here in the States, and given its pedigree and quality it is easy to see why, but if you were like me and missed it when it came out, now is the time to give it a watch since as of mid-July it has been added to Netflix.  It is more than worth your time, and I would love to see more of Mary and her fantastic world.  If you have any frizzy red heads in your life, then this is a must watch.  I am thinking a Blu-Ray copy of this film may end up in my daughter’s collection at some point.

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Shmee Goes To The Movies With The Teen Titans!

‘Teens Titans Go!’ has always had strained relationship with nerds.  On one hand their jokes at the expense of the DC Universe have always been brilliant.  They somehow know how to point and laugh at everything wrong with DC’s properties, while also celebrating what makes them great.  On the other hand there are a lot of poop jokes.  Not to mention the cartoon that came before it ‘Teen Titans’ was a pretty great take on the source material, so it being replaced by a bunch of goofs making fart jokes was a tough pill to swallow, and ‘Teen Titans Go!’ revels rubbing it in those fans faces.  I enjoy the show immensely, and I thought ‘Teen Titans Go! To the Movies’ did a great job of taking something built for a fifteen minute format and turning it in to an hour and half movie.

In the movie, the Teen Titans are upset that no one takes them seriously.  Even though they rarely fight crime and spend more time practicing their songs than their combat.  The only way to be taken seriously, much like the real world, is to get a movie made about you, so the Titans are off to Hollywood to get a picture made about them.

Just like the TV show, ‘Teen Titans Go! To the Movies’ is meta joke layered on top of meta joke with a poop punch line, so the more you know about the greater DC Universe, the more you will like, or hate, the movie.  However, my daughter who is four and who knows nothing about the Challengers of the Unknown loved the movie.  She sang along to their catchy tunes, and laughed at their toilet humor.  In other words, you don’t need to know everything DC to enjoy this movie, it just helps.

Considering DC already has a cartoon movie franchise that satirizes themselves, a ‘Teen Titans Go!’ movie was always odd proposition.  However, I am glad they made it, and it justifies its length by telling a fun story and never feeling like Star Trek: Insurrection.  I think you should do yourself a favor and check out ‘Teen Titans Go! To the Movies’!  Even if it is just for the songs and the Challengers of the Unknown.

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GLOW Shines Bright In Season 2!

I really enjoyed the first season of GLOW, and I think it gets even better in season two.  It doesn’t take any time to get going, we know all these characters now, so there is no need for introductions or motivations.  It just gets right down and dirty with these ladies as they try and make a women’s wrestling show work.

While season one was about them trying to get a show, season two is about them trying to keep it, and of course trying to keep their sanity at the same time.  All the while diving deeper in to their interpersonal relationships.  Which of course for Ruth (Alison Brie) and Debbie (Betty Gilpin) continues to be very complicated, but the rest of the cast get some great moments as well.

I think the writers did a good job with this season of GLOW.  There didn’t seem to be any wasted episodes.  I can’t think of one the series would have been better without.  Of course the fact that there are only ten thirty minute episodes is probably the reason for that.  Five hours is not a lot time for a dramedy like this.

While series stars Brie and Gilpin do most of the heavy lifting, Marc Maron as Sam Sylvia and Britt Baron as his newly reunited daughter deliver a fun to watch and touching story as well.  In fact for as large as the cast is, most still got a moment or two in the spotlight, which is good to see.

All this to say, if you enjoyed season one, season two of GLOW doesn’t regress at all.  It is still the fun and emotionally complicated show from last season.  There are just now ten more episodes.  Which I think is exactly what fans of the series were hoping for.

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The Kids Aren’t Alright In DC Universe’s Titans!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5dIwGAYcWk&t

So DC Universe dropped their first trailer for Titans which is going to headline their new streaming channel, and wow, it is a departure from what the Titans are known for these days.  The kids are killing people and using the F-Word.  Right in the trailer!  I mean if this is what they thought was safe to show us, I wonder what they are holding back.  I guess if we become subscribers we will know this fall, but this was a rough introduction.