Last week, we asked if you could survive in the Marvel universe but how many superheroes and perspective superheroes are concerned about that? After all, most superheroes will sacrifice everything for the greater good and blahdy, blahdy, blah. What many superheroes, including but not limited to the likes of Iron Man/Tony Stark and The Doctor (yes, the one from the BBC TV series), are more concerned about is their look. So just how have various heroes changed their looks over the years? This handy infographic will give you a little guide.
Movies
Would You Survive the Marvel Multiverse? (Infographic)
It seems like we’re hearing about more Marvel movies every other week and new Marvel movies feel like they’re coming out every other month. This month, it’s Doctor Strange which isn’t a high-profile Marvel property but they’ve managed to create a critical and commercial smash hit. So just how would you or I fare in the rather extensive Marvel universe. Well, there’s a handy flowchart infographic to help you find out.
The Cost of Building an AT-AT (Infographic)
We’ve brought you a lot of infographics pricing out the real world cost of some iconic pieces of movie worlds. Since this blog began, we’ve looked at the costs of the Millennium Falcon, Darth Vader’s suit, Yoda’s hut and Jabba’s Palace. Those are just a handful of countless great real world cost infographics that we’ve done. Today, we add to that with the real-world cost of building an AT-AT. Keep this in mind when prepping for Rogue One in three months.
Entertainment Link-Off: Dog Days of Summer
Is it just me or is summer really a dead time for movies. Since I’ve taken up temporary residence on Saturdays doing the entertainment links, I can’t think of massive summer blockbusters apart from family movies. Where are the big budget action movies? Where are the superheroes?
On the plus side, The Secret Life of Pets opens this weekend. Critics really seem to like it but not to the same extent that Pixar’s Finding Dory was adored by critics. The other big release is Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates which is getting middling reviews.
Anyway, it’s Saturday night so it’s time for the links. Let’s kick off with the lead pair from one of this weekend’s movies. Here are Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza.
Entertainment Link-Off: Movies and Music and TV, Oh My
We’re getting into the middle of summer which should be full with all sorts of news and interviews about upcoming movies and TV shows because we’re running up to summer blockbuster movies and a few months from the start of the fall TV season. Unfortunately, it’s the holiday weekend on both sides of the weekend so we’re a bit short on news. The result is a hodgepodge of everything I find interesting. So the status quo, then.
So this weekend, theatres see three big releases. The Legend of Tarzan opens at the lowest Rotten Tomatoes rating of the weekend as we wonder how many Tarzan movies Hollywood has made over the years. The Purge: Election Year might turn out to be decent political satire in hindsight depending on this year’s US Presidential election. And the top movie of the weekend is Steven Spielberg’s The BFG but critical reception says don’t expect an Oscar.
Anyway, let’s kick off the links with Margot Robbie who stars as Jane in The Legend of Tarzan.
Entertainment Link-Off: Power Brokers
This week’s edition of the entertainment links is all about people with power and money and ratings and all the things that matters in the acquisition of power in Hollywood. Not to sound too cynical but everybody wants to rule the world. We have a lot of those people featured in today’s ELO.
So how many of you have heard of The Neon Demon? IMDB has that as the best movie coming out this weekend. Also out this weekend are the far too late Independence Day cash-in, the one where Blake Lively gets eaten by a shark and a biopic with Matthew McConaughey. So let’s kick off with Blake Lively before she gets eaten by the aforementioned shark.
Entertainment Link-Off: Frenemies
After a week off to spam E3 coverage (which isn’t done yet), the ELO is back. I’m in for Jackie who is on some sort of world tour. And by world tour, I mean he’s probably trying to drive through Australia to experience all four seasons in a week.
Anyway, Hollywood brings us two movies on what is an extraordinarily hot weekend in my part of Canada. You have your choice of Finding Dory and Central Intelligence. I’d imagine most everyone will go see Finding Dory because it’s a Pixar movie. I suppose that means that it’s another weekend where no one is going to see Warcraft. Well, there’s always Netflix.
Anyway, let’s kick off today’s post with Katherine McNamara at the Finding Dory Premiere.
The Fastest Cars in Pop Culture (Infographic)
I don’t know if you noticed but we’re pretty fond of cars around here at The Lowdown. We’re fans of the former Top Gear and soon to be The Grand Tour as you can probably tell by the blatant inspiration drawn in our podcast and blog. So when we found this infographic on Reddit, it was a matter of when, not if, it was going up. Just what are the fastest that we’ve seen famous cars go in pop culture? Someone sought to answer that in this infographic.
Sunday Link-Off: Breaking News
Apologies for not doing links earlier this week. I’ve been busy in IRL so I’ve been falling behind on blogging. If you think it’s bad over here, you should see how quiet et geekera has gotten. That being said, I do have a few game reviews coming over the next couple of weeks including a mobile review so business should be picking up.
Anyway, it’s Sunday so it’s time for the links. Since we have a lot of Canadian stories in today’s links, let’s kick off with Nina Dobrev.
The big story in Canada right now is the Fort McMurray wildfire. Here’s a look inside the town right now. (MacLean’s)
Presumptive Presidential nominees Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump has record-breaking unfavourability ratings. (FiveThirtyEight)
Just to remind you, yes, some Americans are very serious about emigrating to Canada to avoid a Trump presidency. (Rolling Stone)
Entertainment Link-Off: I’m Afraid of Those Ghostbusters
I haven’t talked to Jackie about it but I was underwhelmed by the trailer for the new Ghostbusters. It seems like it’s a rehash of the first two movies in terms of plot and characters. I get that they want to revive Ghostbusters for a new generation but couldn’t they have put together something original but keeping the spirit of the classics. Maybe that’s just too much to ask.
Anyway, if you haven’t already noticed, I’ve drawn in for Jackie this week. He’s gone walkabout again. I don’t know what that means but it sounds vaguely Australian. This week’s pop culture links talks a lot about the magic of TV and the internet in various forms. And I thrown in some stuff about the Oscars and Ghostbusters which will be the only time that those two things will be in the same sentence this year.
But before we get to the links, let’s kick off with Tina Fey and Margot Robbie who star in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
The Lowdown 