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David Harbour

Teenfish #14 ~ BLACK WIDOW!

July 27, 2021 by Daniel Collins Leave a Comment

Welcome to Teenfish, a podcast series that lets teenagers and young adults speak about media that matters to them in their own voice. Hosted by Daniel Collins, Teenfish airs every month and invites local youth to engage the truth and lies of the shows and films that excite them.

Marvel Studio’s latest masterpiece, BLACK WIDOW, is a phenomenal solo movie about Natasha Romanoff, “a total poser”, aka Black Widow, as she confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. This month, Daniel is joined by Cat, Riley, and Jacob to discuss sexism, family, human trafficking, and some great acting!

You can also stream the episode above on Podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), or Spotify! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Filed Under: Disney+, Featured, Film, Podcast, Reviews, teenFish Tagged With: Best MCU Film, Black Widow, David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Marvel, Rachel Weisz, Scarlett Johansson, Taskmaster, Yelena

Black Widow: Good Hair is a Game Changer

July 13, 2021 by Heather Johnson Leave a Comment

Do I even have to put a SPOILER WARNING here? Because we will be talking about Black Widow, so…yeah…potential spoilers.

I have short hair. Most days I can leave it down and it doesn’t cause any distractions or issues with my day-to-day activities. But, if I’m going to be doing things like cleaning or travelling, I’m going to somehow put it back out of my face and out of the way. The last thing I want to worry about when I’m active is my hair.

Can you imagine fighting to take down the universe’s most terrifying and powerful villains with your hair in your face? Because pretty much until Endgame and this movie, our mightiest female heroes have worn their hair down. And if you’re wondering why I care about this so much, let me explain. But first, a brief summary of where we are now that Black Widow has released.

Eleven years after her first appearance in Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is finally getting her story. Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Black Widow shines the light on the shadows that have been Natasha’s elusive past. We’ve gotten some brief glimpses into her Russian training and connections and we’ve seen hints to the emotional burdens she wears. Since we can’t go back to the very beginning of her story, I wasn’t sure how we were going to see the path between who Natasha was, and who Natasha now is to us.

As she begins her time on the run after breaking the Sokovian Accords, Natasha is pulled back into a mission she long-believed was handled. She describes Budapest (an event she and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) recall during the first Avengers), as the final step to her defection to S.H.I.E.L.D., effectively finalizing the cleansing of the “red in her ledger.” But she was wrong. A mysterious package arrives at her safe house with a clue about who needs her and she has to seek out the very people she once felt betrayed by.

In the later movies, Natasha thinks of the Avengers as her only family. But we quickly learn here that she once had a sister, a mother, and a father. Even though it was artificially made as a cover for a covert Russian operation, there were a few years where Natasha had a normal life. But it was not to last.

Her “father” was actually Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) aka Red Guardian aka Russian Captain America. He and brilliant scientist and fellow Widow (and “Mom”)  Melina (Rachel Weisz) had Natasha and “sister” Yelena (Florence Pugh) under their wing until the time came for the girls to begin their training at the Red Room. Together they must work to finish the mission Natasha started all those years ago.

The target? One of the creepiest villains I’ve seen in the MCU yet, Dreykov (Ray Winstone makes him almost TOO real). Mastermind behind the Red Room – an elite training facility that transforms orphan girls into world-wide assassins that work to keep Dreykov in power over the world’s most influential leaders – Dreykov has perfected a mind-control serum with Melina’s genius that ensures his Widows will deliver on his every command. He exploits both their vulnerability and sexuality and rewrites their reality – until Yelena defects and Natasha jumps in to free the Widows from Dreykov and destroy the Red Room for good.

How does any of this lead into a conversation about hair. Well, let’s think about it. For one, Black Widow’s hair has been a topic of conversation since Johansson brought her to life on the big screen. People complained it was too short, it was too long, it was too curly, it was too straight, it went blonde, etc. Here we have someone who regularly takes out pretty scary and powerful enemies, and we are talking about if her hair is right to the character. Dude – I just always wanted to know why it was down? In Endgame, we finally see her hair up for most of the movie, maybe because in space it’s more acceptable? Or because the scene had been set for years’ worth of searching for ways to undo all that Thanos had destroyed, and suddenly it didn’t matter? For whatever reason, I was thrilled to see exceptionally powerful women go into full battle mode with their hair up in Black Widow.

The contrast between Yelena wearing her hair up from the beginning but Natasha evidently having had to take a journey for it to be acceptable to wear her hair up is hopefully a glimpse into the future treatment of female super heroes in the MCU. Yelena has the same sarcastic wit of Captain Marvel, the same desire for what was fake to be real as Wanda, and the same moral compass of Gamora’s change of heart. She is set up to take on the mantle of Natasha and she’s not here to play games. And as silly as it’s going to seem to people, seeing her with her hair up throughout the film gives me confidence that female superheroes are being equipped to fight the same battles as their male counterparts. In continuation of illustrating this point, I give you the original Avengers:

  1. Captain America. Helmet. I don’t know how effective it is but it’s there. And he’s enhanced.
  2. Iron Man. Obviously. And he’s enhanced.
  3. Thor. Yes his hair is down but he can also fly and call lightning to his very hands. And he is a god.
  4. Bruce Banner. One word: Hulk. And he’s enhanced.
  5. Hawkeye. No head covering, but he mostly fights from a distance…because you know, #bowandarrows.

Captain Marvel had a helmet and a much more protective suit but, to this day, people condemn her character – even though she has been the closest one to receiving equal treatment. And she’s enhanced. Natasha fights on the ground, hand-to-hand, and her hair is curled and flowing the whole time. Now I don’t know much about the comics, but, as an average movie-watcher, it’s always bothered me. So forgive me if such a trivial detail has had such an impact on me. Because it demonstrates strength. And it’s just one piece of how Black Widow successfully created a storyline laced with vulnerability in such a way that made the women stronger as opposed to needy. Hair down to hair up is a key element of this transformation.

For years, Dreykov (Ray Winstone and one of the creepiest villains-to-date) exploited the emotional vulnerability and the sexuality of orphaned and discarded girls and controlled them in order to maintain his power over the world’s most influential leaders. We know this because we have seen Natasha use it in previous films, whether she is using staged modelling photos to distract Tony from her identity or secretly interrogating Loki by using her past as a tool to get what she wants out of him. She was trained to do that, and so were the hundreds of Widows trained after her. The ponytail, the braids, even the earrings…all of them work together as a visual representation of the strength of these women to do what needs to be done. In Black Widow, they are being freed from the constraints of how they have been viewed and used by those around them.

And for me at least, it’s about dang time. If I’m not going to clean with my hair in my face, I sure as heck ain’t saving the world with it in my face. And now my heroes don’t have to either.

Black Widow is now available in theatres and on Disney+.

Filed Under: Disney+, Featured, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Black Widow, David Harbour, Disney, Disney+, Florence Pugh, Marvel, MCU, ray winstone, Scarlett Johansson

Black Widow: Spinning Her Own Web

July 7, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Marvel makes movies.

Of course, you could be forgiven if you’d forgotten this. With the recent push to extend the MCU into the world of streaming with buzzy series like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and (now) Loki, it might seem like they’d forgotten about their status as the Crown Jewel of the Box Office.

Even so, while this heavy emphasis recently may have been (partially) inspired by the lack of movie screens during the pandemic, Marvel refused to budge on the release of Black Widow. For Kevin Feige, the intent was always to bring people back to theatres with a bang. So, we saw release dates pushed back further and further. (So much, in fact that there are 4 films coming in the next 6 months…)

Now, with the release of Black Widow, we can finally see why.

Immediately following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow follows Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) as goes out on the run. Hunted by the US government, she takes a step into her old life with the hope of disappearing into the night. However, when Romanoff is forced to confront a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past, she must re-assemble the estranged members of her family and deal with her own broken story in the process.

Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow is absolutely something to behold. Part James Bond and part Mission: Impossible, Widow is a globe-trotting adventure that gives Widow her due. In Black Widow, Johansson steps out on her own with a film that takes itself more seriously than many other films in the MCU. Anchored by a solid script by Jac Shaeffer and Ned Benson and some marvelous action scenes, it’s easy to see that the ‘cinematic’ side of the MCU is where they believe their emphasis (read: money) lies. In Black Widow, set pieces simply feel… bigger. Avalanches crash, floating buildings fall, and motorcycles rumble through the streets of Budapest in scenes that are are absolutely eye-popping. When compared to WandaVision’s climatic magic snowball fight or Falcon’s final showdown, it’s clear that these are action sequences are designed to be experienced on the big screen.

Of course, the greatest victory in the film is that it finally gives Johansson a chance to shine without the help of her fellow men in tights. (“I’m better on my own,” she argues.) Whereas Widow’s other appearances in the MCU have either sexualized her (Iron Man 2) or forced her into various relationships with other Avengers (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Widow portrays her character every bit as heroically and confidently as her super co-workers. (In fact, several of the film’s best jokes are at the expense of her previous portrayals.) Here, Romanoff is depicted with intelligence, strength and—most importantly—individuality.

Although it has a global scale, the film itself feels very personal and, surprisingly, small in its scope. In other words, this is not a film where the fate of the world is at stake but instead focuses on Romanoff herself as she attempts to work out the traumatic events of her past. Though it has been referenced in previous films, much of her history has only been mentioned in brief segments, such as ‘Budapest’ or ‘having her surgery’. While Natasha’s rage has been the motivating factor for her character, the MCU has never taken the time to properly explore it.

With Widow though, Romanoff finally has the opportunity to face the demons of her past. By reconnecting with her ‘family’, she begins to navigate the complex nature of their relationships. By revisiting her old life, she has a chance to reconnect with the story that made her the invaluable member of the Avengers that she has become.

Then, of course, there’s the Red Room itself.

Having been moulded from childhood into a weapon by the Red Room, Romanoff has long spoken of the fact that she’s got ‘red in her ledger’. Although she has managed to walk away from the psychological torture of the Room, she still remains somewhat controlled by its abuse. Without any spoilers, there remains shadows in her mind that continue to haunt her. As a result, Black Widow is a film that is very much about reclaiming power and control. By confronting the Room, however, Romanoff has the opportunity to finally do battle with that evil influence and release herself (and potentially others) from it in the process. 

For her first (and I think it’s fair to expect more) solo adventure, Black Widow is wildly entertaining. Fueled by heart, humour and action, the film has the style and scope that you would expect from Marvel without ever losing its soul. Most importantly though, Widow finally gives Johansson the starring vehicle that she deserves and sets a standard for female-led superhero films moving forward.

Black Widow is available on in theatres and on Disney+ on Friday, July 9th, 2021.

Filed Under: Disney+, Featured, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Black Widow, Cate Shortland, David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Jaa Shaeffer, Kevin Feige, Marvel, MCU, Natasha Romanoff, Ned Benson, Rachel Weisz, Scarlett Johansson

5.14 Raising HELLBOY

April 21, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

This week, That Shelf writer Victor Stiff joins us to bring the apocalypse with HELLBOY, the much maligned reboot by Neil Marshall. Starring Stranger Things’ David Harbour and Milla Jovovich, HELLBOY finds himself torn the world of monsters and humanity as he attempts to prevent the ancient Blood Queen from unleashing… well… hell on earth. Rated a distasterous 11% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a tonne of detractors but is it really a sign of the End of Days? Or is there something redeemable in the half-demon? In a fun conversation, Victor and I attempt to discern what makes Hellboy a hero and what he’s looking for in the film.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

5.14 HellboyDownload

Thanks Victor for joining us!

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Filed Under: Film, Podcast Tagged With: David Harbour, Hellboy, Mike Mignola, Milla Jovovich

Hellboy: The Beast With Burden

April 12, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Based on the Dark Horse comics by Mike Mignola, Hellboy sees the legendary half-demon superhero (David Harbour, Stranger Things)called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants when he soon discovers that the ultimate evil, The Blood Queen Nimue (Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil), is returning to avenge her past. All of a sudden, Hellboy, caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an ancient sorceress bent on revenge with the hope that he doesn’t accidentally trigger the end of the world in the process.

Directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent), Hellbo serves as the return of the lovable half-demon caught between two worlds who we met previously in two cult favourite films from the mind of Guillermo Del Toro. With Del Toro struggling to get a third film in his planned trilogy made due differing visions, the production team opted for Hellboy’s resurrection to become a hard reboot.

And ‘hard reboot’ isn’t an exaggeration. Fans of Del Toro’s films should know that this incarnation of the hornless beast is definitely an R-rated take on the property, with all the blood and gore that comes with that. (While that’s not a shock by any stretch, it’s worth noting that given that Del Toro’s films were comfortable in PG-13 territory.) Marshall’s film has no problem unleashing the beast (so to speak) but keeps the Big Lug’s trademark humour in the process. David Harbour brings a humility and inner conflict to his character that brings him to life in a relatable way. Moreover, while Milla Jovovich’s Blood Queen doesn’t have the same emotional depth to her as our titular hero, she clearly relishes the chance to play the epitome of evil and attacks her role with a devilish glee.

In the midst of the blood and gore, there’s a charm to this vision of Hellboy that carries throughout the film. Burdened by a toxic relationship with his father (Ian McShane, John Wick), Hellboy is a man trapped between two worlds. Feeling that he doesn’t belong amongst the humans due to his demonic nature, he’s also committed to being a part of mankind. He wants to belong. Whether it’s shaving his horns down to the nubs or wearing a trenchcoat to blend in to the crowd, Hellboy wishes to break free from his demonic nature and live a peaceful life amongst those around him. Carrying the weight of his inner darkness around like a millstone around his neck, he yearns to be accepted but can’t seem to find where he belongs.

Though he is tempted to unleash his inner beast, Hellboy’s humanity is what draws him to do good. In some ways, one might consider this ironic given mankind’s tendency to do evil in the world as they serve their own interests. Still, in contrast to the devil inside Hellboy, his humanity is what has given him the desire to do the right thing. In the face of unimaginable evil, Hellboy wants to stand up for those who cannot. He’s broken… but he also wants to be better than the way that others view him. Better than how he views himself. For Hellboy, redemption is about owning the past and setting things right in the future. 

WhileHellboyisn’t for everyone, he has a following that will be excited about what Marshall brings to the table. Similar to his Dark Horse comic roots, this incarnation of the beastie balances humour with horror in a (bizarrely?) endearing manner. Still, the most appealing thing about the film isn’t the gore or the special effects. At its heart, Hellboyis really about one (half-)man’s desire to be more than the sum (or the sins) of his past.

Hellboy unleashes in theatres on Friday, April 12th.   

To hear audio of our time with stars David Harbour and Milla Jovovich, click here.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: comic book, David Harbour, graphic novel, Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy, Ian McShane, Mike Mignola, Milla Jovovich, Neil Marshall

Giveaway (Toronto Only): The Canadian Premiere of HELLBOY!

March 31, 2019 by Steve Norton 17 Comments

This April, raise some Hell!

ScreenFish is thrilled to be giving away three double passes to the Canadian Premiere of VVS film’s Hellboy… with stars David Harbour and Milla Jovovich in attendance!

Hellboy is back, and he’s on fire. From the pages of Mike Mignola’s seminal work, this action packed story sees the legendary half-demon superhero (David Harbour, “Stranger Things”) called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants. There he discovers The Blood Queen, Nimue (Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil), a resurrected ancient sorceress thirsting to avenge a past betrayal. Suddenly caught in a clash between the supernatural and the human, Hellboy is now hell-bent on stopping Nimue without triggering the end of the world.

Hellboy also features Ian McShane (John Wick), Daniel Dae Kim (“Hawaii Five-0” and “Lost”), and Sasha Lane (American Honey).


When: Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00 pm (Doors: 6:00 pm)
Where: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto (259 Richmond St. W)
Q&A with David Harbour and Milla Jovovich to follow directly after the screening.

 To enter, simply write your city in the comment section and like or share our post on Facebook! For a bonus entry, like or share the post on Twitter and Instagram.

Entrants must be 18 and over. All entries must be completed by 11:59am on Monday, April 8th, 2019.

 

A special thanks to VVS Films for their support.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSEY-y5ZByw

Social: @vvs_films, #Hellboy

 

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Giveaways, Premieres Tagged With: Daniel Dae Kim, David Harbour, Hellboy, Ian McShane, Mike Mignola, Milla Jovovich, Sasha Lane

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