Review: "American Ultra" is Impossibly Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

American Ultra (2015)
Running time:  96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexual content
DIRECTOR:  Nima Nourizadeh
WRITER:  Max Landis
PRODUCERS:  David Alpert, Anthony Bregman, Kevin Scott Frakes, Britton Rizzio, and Raj Brinder Singh
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Michael Bonvillain
EDITOR:  Andrew Marcus and Bill Pankow
COMPOSER:  Marcelo Zarvos

ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walter Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, Tony Hale, Stuart Greer, Michael Papajohn, Monique Ganderton, Lavell Crawford, and Sam Malone

American Ultra is a 2015 action-comedy written by Max Landis and directed by Nima Nourizadeh.  The film focuses on a stoner who finds himself targeted for extermination because he is a government sleeper agent, facts of which is he unaware.

American Ultra opens in small town Liman, West Virginia where we meet Mike “Mikey” Howell (Jesse Eisenberg), a stoner and slacker.  He lives with his girlfriend, Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart), in a small wooden house, and he works at a convenience story.  Meanwhile, in Langley, Virginia, CIA section boss, Adrian Yates (Topher Grace), has decided Mike's fate.  Mike is the sole remaining asset of “Wiseman” which was part of the “Ultra” program, and Yates considers Mike a liability, thus targeting him for extermination.

Yates deploys a team of “Toughguy” operatives to kill Mike, but Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton), who once supervised the Wiseman program, is determined to save Mike's life.  She arrives in Liman ahead of Yates' men, but reactivating Mike is a bit more difficult than she realized.  Mike slowly begins to remember his training, but it is a messy and chaotic process... for everyone.

American Ultra's CIA conceits are preposterous, of course.  What sells this is that the screenplay by Max Landis constructs a love that feels real and a relationship that seems genuine between Mike and Phoebe's characters.  Director Nima Nourizadeh takes the time to properly transform Landis' romantic conceit into a true-blue movie romance.  Once you buy the Mikey-Phoebe dynamic, the rest of the movie – the believable, the ridiculous, and the sublime – encourages the audience to suspend disbelief so they can enjoy one of the most inventive action-comedies of the 21st century.

Landis's script offers some interesting ideas, and Jesse Eisenberg's turn as the stoner Mikey distracts the viewer from taking a good, hard look at those ideas.  After all, the fun is in running through the world of secret and sleeper agents, not in examining what is and isn't plausible in that world.  [Of course, how many people actually take that hard look in the real world.]  Landis' concept is perfect for Eisenberg's performance, and Eisenberg's performance makes Landis' concept work perfectly.

I admire how director Nima Nourizadeh maintains the off-beat, slacker charm of this story even as the movie turns increasingly violent, but here, the gore actually has a splattery charm all its own.  In truth, Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables movie franchise could use the Nourizadeh-Landis touch.  I cannot emphasize enough that this movie is just a blast to watch, and it is fresh and imaginative in a genre, CIA-themed films, that is rapidly growing stale.

Any action-movie franchise could use some Kristen Stewart.  There is something about her that goes beyond merely being the spine of a billion-dollar movie franchise (Twilight).  Stewart is authentic in this movie, and her performance is one of the many things that come together like serendipity to make American Ultra one of the best films of 2015.

9 of 10
A+

Saturday, December 5, 2015


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

First Annual "Pure Mich-Con" Announced

Yourcomiccon.com is proud and excited to present the 1st annual Pure Mich-Con show at the Taylor Town Center, 22525 Ecorse Rd, Taylor, MI. 48180. On April 2nd with events running from 1030am to 730pm

The Pure Mich-Con show is playing host to over 60 creators, artists, writers, vendors and inkers, all of the Michigan scene.  With comic book veterans Arvell Jones, co-creator of Misty Knight; Caliber Comics writer and publisher Gary Reed; writer/artist William Messner-Loebs; writer T Casey Brennon; artist Jason Moore, and new publishers like Mess Bucket Comics, No Gravity Studios and Cromwell Green, all comic genres are represented here.

Other guests:  Jay Adams, TNT explosion wrestler and stuntman on the Outsiders TV show; The Great Lakes Ghostbusters Coalition with their Ecto1 Car; Deadworld Zombie Soda and Chips; Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers; A n T Nerdware; plus panels, a comic workshop and Cosplay events ensure there is something for all.

Over 75 tables of comic books, action figures, toys  and collectables for 5.00 per person or only 15.00 per family.

Contact John Eggenberger at 734-258-5026, yourcomiccon.com or shazamkalel1fan@gmail.com for more information

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VIZ Media Moves to Develop Live-Action Programming Based on Its Titles

VIZ MEDIA AND UNITED TALENT AGENCY ANNOUNCE NEW CONTENT DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP

Nation’s Leading Manga & Anime Company Will Work Closely With Premier International Talent Agency To Develop Live-Action Content Based On Popular Japanese Entertainment Properties

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has partnered with the premier global talent and literary agency, United Talent Agency (UTA), to develop a diverse range of live-action programming based on titles from VIZ Media’s extensive catalog of manga and anime properties.

The partnership will create significant new opportunities to further capitalize on the strong interest in Japanese pop culture and entertainment brands expressed by the Hollywood and international film studio communities, the broadcast industry, and a burgeoning range of emerging multimedia and online content producers.

“We are excited to start this partnership to push the boundaries of storytelling, innovation and character through VIZ Media’s prolific portfolio,” said UTA’s Howie Sanders, Co-Head, Book Department.

“The UTA partnership represents an important new direction for VIZ Media and our colleagues in Japan,” says Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer of VIZ Media. “Bringing the rich stories of manga and anime to life in new ways is an exciting opportunity with tremendous potential. UTA is an innovator that shares our vision, and their proven track record and strong relationships throughout the domestic and international entertainment sectors will be important factors as we move forward.”

VIZ Media is the industry leader in international manga and anime publishing, distribution and licensing. The company’s substantial roster includes massively popular titles such as BLEACH, DEATH NOTE, NARUTO, ONE-PUNCH MAN, ONE PIECE and TOKYO GHOUL, which are routinely featured on the BookScan Top 50 and New York Times bestseller lists. VIZ Media is the top manga publisher in the U.S. and one of the top three graphic novel publishers overall. Founded in San Francisco in 1986, VIZ Media marks its 30th Anniversary this summer.

For more information on anime and manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About United Talent Agency
United Talent Agency is a premier global talent and literary agency representing many of the world's most acclaimed figures in every new and emerging area of entertainment and media, including motion pictures, television, music, digital, broadcast news, books, theatre, video games, fine art and live entertainment. The agency is also globally recognized in the areas of film finance, film packaging, branding, licensing, endorsements and representation of production talent. UTA additionally provides corporate consulting, venture funding and strategic advisory services to companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. In 2015, UTA acquired The Agency Group, the world’s largest independent music agency, to form UTA Music, a leading music touring and representation practice. UTA has offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Nashville, Toronto, Miami and Malmo, Sweden.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premiere company in the field of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at www.VIZ.com.

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Dark Horse Announces "Hellboy in Hell Volume 2"

Dark Horse Comics Unveils Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart’s Cover for The Trade Paperback of HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 2

Legendary comic book writer/artist Mike Mignola will conclude his critically acclaimed series HELLBOY IN HELL in 2016, when Dark Horse Comics publishes the final and tenth issue on June 1 and the trade paperback, HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 2 which collects issues 6 through 10, in October. In advance of the release of the series’ conclusion, Dark Horse Comics has released the cover to HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 2 by Mignola and award-winning colorist Dave Stewart. Following the conclusion of HELLBOY IN HELL, Mignola will take a year off from illustrating interior comic book pages in order to focus on fine art painting.

“Doing the cover to this collection was tough and of course I overthought the hell out of it,” said Mignola. “It's the end of the series and so much happens. How do I get that onto a cover? In the end, after doing two self-rejected covers, I decided to just illustrate the title of the book. THE DEATH CARD. There is also a fairly subtle nod to the climax of the book in there, but mostly it’s illustrating the title while trying to do a composition very similar to the cover of the first collection. Since the two books do make one story, I really wanted to design the book covers so they would work well side by side.”

After facing off for a second time against the Vampire of Prague, Hellboy, dead and in Hell, comes down with a fatal illness, and seeks the help of an incompetent team of doctors. As he explores the geography of Hell, learning little from a confused pair of map makers, Hellboy gets a glimpse of the new World Tree that he helped to create, stands accused of murder by his own sister and, in a way, brings about the destruction of Pandemonium itself.

While 2016 will see the conclusion of HELLBOY IN HELL, ABE SAPIEN (which concludes in August) and B.P.R.D.: HELL ON EARTH (which concludes in November), Dark Horse Comics will publish new issues of HELLBOY & THE BPRD co-written by Mignola and iZOMBIE co-creator Chris Roberson and illustrated by fan favorite artists, as well as unannounced titles which Mignola will co-write, but not illustrate.

HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 2 is available in comic shops October 5 and bookstores October 18.

HELLBOY IN HELL Volume 1 is now available from all major retailers.

HELLBOY IN HELL #9 and HELLBOY IN HELL #10 will be available in comic stores May 4 and June 1. 

“Since introducing Hellboy in March of 1994, Mike Mignola has built a huge comic-book universe around the character on par with what Stan Lee and Jack Kirby accomplished in the Silver Age of Marvel Comics.. . .  Each new visual is like a master class in establishing mood, and Mignola’s skill increases as he refines his line, proving that less is more when it comes to his pulp-inspired fantasy horror universe.”

—THE AV CLUB

“Iconic.”
—ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

“One of the most beloved characters in the comic book community.”
—IGN

“An inspiration to creators hoping to achieve similar success with their own characters and ideas.”
—MENTAL FLOSS

“Seminal.”
—THE NERDIST


About Mike Mignola
MIKE MIGNOLA’s fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age; reading Dracula at age twelve introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore, from which he has never recovered. Starting in 1982 as a bad inker for Marvel Comics, he swiftly evolved into a not-so-bad artist. By the late 1980s, he had begun to develop his own unique graphic style, with mainstream projects like Cosmic Odyssey and Batman: Gotham by Gaslight. In 1994, he published the first Hellboy series through Dark Horse. As of this writing there are twelve Hellboy graphic novels (with more on the way), several spinoff titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien, and Sir Edward Grey: Witchfinder), prose books, animated films, and two live-action films starring Ron Perlman. Along the way he worked on Francis Ford Coppola’s film Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), was a production designer for Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), and was the visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004), and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). Mike’s books have earned numerous awards and are published in a great many countries. Mike lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, and cat.

About Dark Horse
For 30 years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

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Essence Empowerment Experience Welcomes Stellar Line-Up of African-American Women

The Nation’s Largest Gathering of African-American Women Welcomes Tyra Banks, Misty Copeland, Patina Miller, Iyanla Vanzant & More to the Empowerment Experience Stage at the 2016 ESSENCE Festival

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) ESSENCE Festival New Orleans announces its star-studded daytime lineup for the signature event’s ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage, taking place Fourth of July Weekend, July 1–3, 2016, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.

Free and open to the public, the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage will feature conversations and keynote addresses with influencers such as Tyra Banks, Misty Copeland, Cookie Johnson, Iyanla Vanzant, Terry McMillan, Phaedra Parks and Rev. Al Sharpton, plus performances from Tony© Award winner Patina Miller, Travis Greene, Tasha Paige Lockhart, Kierra Sheard and Yolanda Adams, who will lead an All-Star Gospel Tribute to the Clark Sisters sponsored by Walmart. Additional speakers and talent to be announced soon.

“The ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage remains the heartbeat of Festival weekend with its diverse and impactful programming aimed at enlightening and inspiring our community,” said ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Vanessa K. De Luca. “The current social climate has brought to light highly important issues, and we plan to continue these conversations at this year’s ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans. Not only will our programming emphasize topics such as love and relationships, personal finance and entrepreneurship, but we will also take a deeper look into our community’s most pressing political concerns to prepare ourselves for the upcoming presidential election.”

In addition to conversations on the 2016 election, the Empowerment Experience Stage provides a national strategy session for the day-to-day lives of ESSENCE’s community of 14 million women. Talent will address a wide range of topics, including: Creating Your Dream Business, Leading with Purpose, Protecting Our Daughters & Sons, and Building Your Own Brand.

Last year’s successful “Hour of Power” will return to the ESSENCE Empowerment Stage on Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2, when emerging and established talent will perform roof-raising inspirational music.

The ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage offers curated content from ESSENCE's editorial team, extending conversations that have moved from the page and screen to the stage. The daytime experience culminates on Sunday with an all-star, soul-stirring gospel tribute to the chart-topping group the Clark Sisters. For a full lineup of this year’s daytime speakers and artists, visit www.essencefestival.com.

For more information, visit ESSENCE Festival www.essencefestival.com. Join the festival community on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2016 ESSENCE Festival on Facebook. Media applications for the 2016 ESSENCE Festival New Orleans are now live. Please visit here for more information and to submit your application to cover both Daytime and Nighttime events.

The 2016 ESSENCE FESTIVAL is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc., and is produced by Solomon Group. GeChar is the executive producer of the 2016 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience.

Sponsors of the 2016 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, major sponsors Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm, Walmart and official Beauty & Style Sponsor ESSENCE Beauty Box.


About Essence Communications Inc.
Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media company dedicated to African-American women, with a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events and online. The company’s flagship publication, Essence magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women, generating brand extensions, such as the Essence Festival, Essence Black Women in Hollywood and Black Women in Music, Window on Our Women and Smart Beauty consumer insights series, Essence.com and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For 45 years, Essence, which has a brand reach of 14.2 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information and specific solutions relating to every area of African-American women’s lives. Additional information about ECI and Essence is available at www.essence.com.

About Time Inc.
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is one of the world's leading media companies, with a monthly global print audience of over 120 million and worldwide digital properties that attract more than 150 million visitors each month, including over 60 websites. Our influential brands include People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Time, Real Simple and Southern Living, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom.

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Warner Bros. Expands Jeff Nichols' "Midnight Special"

Jeff Nichols’ Sci-Fi Thriller “Midnight Special” Expands U.S. Theatrical Release April 1st Amidst Enthusiastic Early Reaction

Film garners rave reviews and strong numbers in early engagements

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following impressive critical and audience response, the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special,” from acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, will launch the second wave of its North American release on Friday, April 1st, 2016. The film earned an outstanding $38,000 per-screen average across only five theaters in its March 18th, 2016 debut in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, for an approximate opening weekend total of $190,000 in only five theaters, making it one of the year’s most successful limited openings.

“Midnight Special” will next expand to approximately 55 screens in 17 total markets, with additional openings set for Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland, Little Rock, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

The film, starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, first played to overwhelming acclaim at its February 12th, 2016 world premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, and again at SXSW on March 12th. Stellar reviews have top critics calling it “brilliant,” “gripping,” “spell-binding” and “ambitious,” citing great performances and proclaiming Nichols “a master filmmaker.”

Beyond its April 1st expansion, “Midnight Special” will continue its theatrical rollout with additional screens and markets on April 8th, April 15th and April 22nd, 2016.

Writer/director Jeff Nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time with the sci-fi thriller “Midnight Special.” A provocative, genre-defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human, it follows a father, Roy (Michael Shannon), who goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), a boy with mysterious powers that even Roy himself cannot comprehend. What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Risking everything, Roy is committed to helping Alton reach his ultimate purpose, whatever that might be and whatever it costs, in a story that takes audiences on a perilous journey from Texas to the Florida coast, while exploring the bonds of love and trust, and the nature of faith.

Midnight Special” stars Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“99 Homes,” “Revolutionary Road”), Joel Edgerton (“Black Mass”), Kirsten Dunst (TV’s “Fargo”), Adam Driver (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”), Jaeden Lieberher (“St. Vincent”) and Oscar nominee Sam Shepard (“The Right Stuff,” “August Osage County”).

Jeff Nichols (“Mud,” “Take Shelter”) directed the film from his own screenplay. It is produced by Oscar nominee Sarah Green (“The Tree of Life,” “Mud”) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (the “Insidious” films, “Sinister”), who previously collaborated with Nichols on his critically acclaimed thriller “Take Shelter.” Glen Basner, Hans Graffunder and Christos V. Konstantakopoulos served as executive producers.

Also reuniting with Nichols behind the scenes were director of photography Adam Stone, production designer Chad Keith and editor Julie Monroe. David Wingo composed the score.

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Faliro House Productions, a Tri-State Production, “Midnight Special,” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. midnightspecialmovie.com

“Midnight Special” has been rated PG-13 for some action and violence.

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Image Comics Announces "Alpha King" from Brian Azzarello and Simon Bisley

CHEERS TO ALPHA KING

A tall glass of intoxicating fantasy adventure

One thing that legendary cult microbrewery 3 Floyds is consistently is “not normal,” and in celebration of this originality, pub-crawling creators, Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, Dark Knight III: The Master Race) and Simon Bisley (Hellblazer, Lobo) have teamed up with 3 Floyds founder and brewmaster Nick Floyd along with colorist Ryan Brown and letterer Jared K. Fletcher to delve into the twisted mythos behind the brand in ALPHA KING. Issue #1 will be on tap this May.

“This book is what happens when beer and comics conceive on a barstool,” said Azzarello. “I'm a proud poppa."

ALPHA KING is set a long time ago in a metropolis far, far away (Hammond, Indiana), where Brewer and CiCi are producing a home-brew so distinct that it attracts the attention of a monstrous king and his horrid minions from another dimension. Swords are unsheathed, lines are crossed and sieges are laid for the rise of the Alpha King.

Featuring the insanity created by 3 Floyds—from their bottle washers to head brewers—this all-new series is a heavy metal mad mash-up through a futuristic medieval apocalypse. Zombies? Check. Barbarian hordes? Check. An Arctic Panzer Wolf? Sure, why not?

“I love the smell of hops in the morning…” added Floyd. “It smells like victory.”

As any Beer Geek can tell you, 3 Floyds brews some of the best and instantaneously memorable beers going today. Azzarello and Bisley bring their vision to the strange and wild characters created by 3 Floyds... guaranteed to be a hardcore epic that is "not normal" from the first page to the blood-and-beer-soaked conclusion. Cheers!

ALPHA KING #1 (Diamond Code MAR160510) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, May 4th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, April 11th, 2016.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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