5 Surprises of 2015

2015 is coming to an end! And to end the year, let's take a look back at a few of the surprises from the past year in the realm of movies, TV, and Geekdom at large!

Daredevil is Marvel's Best Story of the Year

Marvel might have sent us the Avengers and Ant-Man this year, but none of their big screen heroes could match the high quality and brutal storytelling of Netflix's Daredevil. Capitalizing on the uncensored violence and grim tone that Netflix allows, Daredevil set a new standard for comic book storytelling on the small screen. If Marvel and Netflix can continue this type of success with future projects, we may have a new frontier for Marvel to dominate. For more about Daredevil, please read my full review here.

The Martian: Sets New Standard for Realistic Sci-Fi

While many were hyped after reading the book, having no knowledge of the hype surrounding it, The Martian came as a huge surprise to me. Realism and science-fiction do not go together all that well, and somehow, The Martian was only relatively accurate according to scientific theories, but it was one of the best sci-fi films of the past decade. Excluding sci-fi fantasy like Star Wars and Marvel, The Martian is a true gem in one of my favorite genres. For more about the Martian, please read my full review here.

Spider-Man Joins the MCU

After years of teasing us with speculation and rumor, Sony and Disney finally decided to let Spider-Man join the MCU! Tom Holland as Spider-Man is set to cameo in Civil War next year and Jon Watts will direct his first solo flick for 2017. Considering the difficulties both studios have had over the years, who would have expected Sony to finally agree to a deal? Granted, after the simi-failure of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, this is definitely the best option for the studio at this point, and of course, the fans are certainly pleased!

Man in the High Castle Proves that Amazon Prime is Legit

After falling behind to Netflix for years in quality original content, Amazon Prime's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel of the same name proved that Amazon Prime can deliver worthwhile television if they try. While The Man in the High Castle had its flaws with some pacing issues and a lack of focus, overall, it showed us a terrifying world of what life could have been like if the Axis Powers won WWII. Thankfully, the series made up for its issues with stellar acting, high production value, and a fascinating and frightening exploration of the "What If."

One-Punch Man: Best Superhero of the Year

Marvel and DC might be battling it out for the top superhero in cinemas, but over in Japan a little 12 episode TV series, titled One-Punch Man, about an average guy named Saitama turned superhero with the ability to win any battle with One-Punch flipped the superhero genre on its head. While the concept sounds boring, in practice, it is an ingenious comedy with some of the most insanely awesome action sequences in animation. If you like superheroes, you should check out the most fun superhero adventure of the year, which you can watch on Hulu for free (click here).

What surprised you this year? What were some of the highlights of the year for you? Please comment below and let me know!

Note: I have yet to see Star Wars. However, chances are, by the time you are reading this, I might be in the theater watching it.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Marvel's Jessica Jones and The Man in the High Castle

Two days ago, the two most highly anticipated TV series on instant video have arrived! And those series are Marvel's Jessica Jones on Netflix and The Man in the High Castle on Amazon Prime. Chances are, you have already seen the trailer for Jessica Jones or even watched an episode of it already. Currently, I am putting it on hold until I catch up to the shows on my DVR after stopping everything to marathon Breaking Bad, which I will review soon, but a review for Jessica Jones is likely on the way within the next month or so. 

While you may have heard of Jessica Jones, you may not have heard of The Man in the High Castle. The series is based on a 1962 novel by Philip K. Dick, the novelist behind the original novel that movies like Blade Runner and A Scanner Darkly are based on. The Man in the High Castle is set in an alternate 1962 where the Axis Powers of Nazi Germany and Japan won WWII and now occupies the United States. Last month, Amazon Prime released the first two episodes of the series, and after watching them, I have to say that this is going to an intriguing watch. Right from the start, there is an eerie tone because even the thought of the Axis winning the war is absolutely terrifying! American Jews are executed, the old and sick are euthanized, and there is a crushing sense of despair and hopelessness. Of course, the series is not for the faint of heart and it is rated TV-MA, and therefore recommended for mature audiences. However, if this concept intrigues you, give it a watch. There is a twist towards the end of the first that makes me have to know how this story is going to end. Are you going to watch either series? Please comment below and let me know!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.