Random Nerdery: Wonder Woman, Young Justice, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Kung Fu Yoga
Random Nerdery is a regular Opus feature covering the latest nerdiness from the worlds of film, TV, literature, comic books, video games, technology, web development, and more.
The Latest Wonder Woman Trailer Looks So Good, Y’all!
Do my eyes deceive me? Does Wonder Woman — the next DC Comics feature film — look like it could actually be… fun? If you suffered through Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, then you know the best parts of that movie were whenever Wonder Woman appeared onscreen. And if the trailers are any indication, then the Wonder Woman movie is going to maintain that sense of fun and derring do. (Io9 has some extended analysis of the trailer.)
Gal Gadot looks fantastic as the Amazon warrior princess, the historical set-pieces and action look great, and there are some honest-to-goodness jokes in there. After the relentlessly oppressive “grimdark” of Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman looks like it’ll inject some much-needed lightness into the DC Extended Universe.
Young Justice Is Finally Getting a Third Season
Speaking of welcome, much-needed improvements to the DC Comics universe, io9 has announced that Young Justice will be finally returning for a third season. Production has begun but no release date or network info has been announced. Even so, this is great news because the previous two seasons of Young Justice are fantastic. (One of the main reasons I’ve been so ambivalent towards DC’s live action films is because their animated titles, including Young Justice, are so good.)
Young Justice follows several of the younger heroes in the DC universe — e.g., Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian — as they try to make a name for themselves and step out from under the shadow of their adult mentors. This, combined with the series’ existence outside of DC Comics canon, allowed for some fresh takes on well-known characters. Things really picked up in season two, with a very elaborate and surprisingly mature plot.
The first two seasons of Young Justice are currently streaming on Netflix.
The Latest Trailer for Mass Effect: Andromeda Impresses
I’ve written before about my disappointment with how the original Mass Effect trilogy turned out. I’ve also written about my growing hope that the next Mass Effect series — starting with Mass Effect: Andromeda — would make up for that. Well, after watching this latest trailer, I think I’m all in.
The new Mass Effect game is set hundreds of years after the original trilogy, as humanity and its allies seek refuge in another galaxy. Based on what’s shown in the trailer, Andromeda looks like it’s going to be intense and dark — which is appropriate considering the storyline’s stakes. From a technical perspective, the action, animation, and character designs all look fantastic.
So yes, consider me pretty optimistic. Well done, BioWare. Well done.
Jackie Chan’s Back With Some Kung Fu Yoga
The man can’t quite move like he once did and his recent films don’t really hold a candle to his earlier work. Nevertheless, a Jackie Chan film will pique my curiosity more than 90% of the other films I hear about. Which brings us to his latest globe-trotting action title, Kung Fu Yoga. Chan plays an archaeologist who uncovers a hidden tomb in Tibet, which then leads him to Dubai and India as he tries to recover priceless treasures with the aid of crazy stunts and kung fu hijinks.
Chan is re-teaming with Stanley Tong, who directed several great Chan films in the early ’90s, including Supercop and Rumble in the Bronx. And, as Todd Brown points out, the globe-trotting archaeological kick-assery is reminiscent of Chan’s crazy Armor of God films. Both of which are good signs that Kung Fu Yoga could be another fun diversion from one of the greatest entertainers of all time.