S.W.A.T. TAKES AIM
Meanwhile, Maroon 5 returning with the Red Pill Blues, Chris Lackner writes.
MOVIES Big releases on Friday:
Thor: Ragnarok.
Big picture: Thor has no hammer, a lot less hair and slightly less of an Asgard superiority complex. Plus, he shares screen time with a far more likable Avenger, The Hulk (and any time underrated actor Mark Ruffalo is on the screen, things are looking up).
This time around, Thor must also join forces with his evil-ish brother Loki to help save Asgard from an all-powerful (yes, another one) new threat. But first Thor must escape an intergalactic gladiator arena contest that pits him against his big green ally. (Here’s hoping that smug look gets pummelled out of Thor for good.)
Forecast: This Thor sequel — and its hero — benefit from not taking themselves so seriously. Thor fun? Sure. Why not? Next time around, I predict an action romcom co-starring Spider-Man in which the young Spidey schools Thor in how not to be the most boring, brooding super hero at the party, and they hit the trendy Brooklyn bar scene.
Potential sample banter. Spidey: “Is that a hammer in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me, Thor?” Thor (straightfaced and earnest): “It’s a hammer.” Tough crowd, webslinger. Tough crowd.
TV
Big events: S.W.A.T. (Thursday, CBS/Global); Alias Grace (Friday, Netflix/CBC).
Big picture: Must EVERY Aaron Spelling series get a reboot? (And, if so, can the next one be The Love Boat starring Bill Murray as Capt. Merrill Stubing?) As for S.W.A.T., the name says all you need to know. A show based on a long forgotten mid-1970s L.A. cop drama — which inspired a more recently forgettable 2003 film — isn’t encouraging at first glance. But the series does come from The Shield creator Shawn Ryan, and Justin Lin (Fast Five) directs the pilot. Maybe there is hope for the right blend of brains and brawn?
Meanwhile, Alias Grace is the second Margaret Atwood adaptation to jump to the small screen this year (after the award-winning The Handmaid’s Tale). This six-episode miniseries is inspired by a small-town Canadian murder in 1843. Adding its red-and-white pedigree? The series is written by Sarah Polley (Away From Her) and Canadian director David Cronenberg is in the supporting cast. Huh?
Forecast: I’m not the only one who would have preferred a series called Thor: S.W.A.T. “Hulk smash puny humans trying to make money off another derivative cop show.”
MUSIC
Big releases on Friday: Maroon 5 (Red Pill Blues); Sam Smith (The Thrill of It All).
Big picture: Pop-rockers Maroon 5 takes inspiration from this famous Matrix line: “You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
Suffice it to say that America took the red pill last November, and the rabbit hole gets ever deeper every day.
Meanwhile, Sam Smith soothes with his high-pitched coos and croons on the highly anticipated followup to his 2014 breakthrough debut. This time around, let’s hope the English singer doesn’t release anymore songs that sound like hits by the late, great Tom Petty.
However, the album does feature a Tim — as in Timbaland — on the ballad Pray.
Forecast: Sam Smith will thrill. Maroon 5 will inspire an addiction to blue smarties.