The Small Fries

Greetings everyone! This Movie Monday, I’m sharing my opinions about the newest superhero movie on the block. Everybody’s favorite wise-cracking, fourth-wall breaking anti-hero finally got his own film! For those of you not in the know, I’m talking about Deadpool. Marvel’s very own Merc With A Mouth had an extremely successful opening weekend in February and continues to be a hot ticket among moviegoers.

When they first announced a Deadpool movie was in the works, I was equal parts excited and cautious. The Merc With a Mouth is my all-time favorite comic book character, so although I was excited for him to get his due recognition, I was apprehensive as well. How were they going to pull off Deadpool in all his foul-mouthed, take-no-prisoners glory?

Well I am happy to say that Ryan Reynolds and 20th Century Fox did not disappoint. Deadpool is every bit as raunchy and gory as is to be expected from reading his comics. Making the film R-rated was definitely a risky business move, but it worked to the movie’s advantage. Everything is true to the character and tone of how the comics are written. The jokes never felt heavy-handed or forced and 95% of the jokes landed in Deadpool’s natural cadence.

One additional thing I’d like to mention is the film’s brilliant marketing campaign. This is undoubtedly the best marketing for any movie since possibly Blair Witch Project. Ryan Reynolds filmed a large number of viral videos that successfully introduced the character to those who might not be familiar. In addition, cross-platform marketing took place on Twitter, billboards, and even Tinder. Not to mention the most viewed red band trailer in history. The marketing for this movie undoubtedly helped it to reach a wider audience and make it the box office smash it is.

Deadpool is a great movie both for die-hard fans and those who are new to the character. It provides a plethora of humor and a touching backstory that explains Deadpool’s origin and motivations.

--Julie

It’s Television Tuesday! This week, we are bringing you one-shots of FOX’s hit show, Hell’s Kitchen, and TV Land’s new comedy, Teachers!

Hell’s Kitchen

This season of Hell’s Kitchen marks its fifteenth season, which aired on January 15. For those of you that have never seen this wonderful show, it is a race to becoming the head chef at one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants. Many of you may know him from the funny memes of an angry, blonde, British man yelling profanities at crying chefs and/or restaurant owners. This show is where most of the meme’s come from. There are eleven chefs left in the competition, so it is still just anybody’s game. However, I have yet to see anyone really stick out and shine. Through all the competitions and dinner services they’ve completed so far, everyone has fallen on their face at least once. It is early in the season, though, so maybe within the next few episodes someone will step into the limelight. This season they have made a change in the sous chefs for each kitchen. Season 10 winner, Christina Wilson has replaced Chef Andi Van Willigan as sous chef for the red team. Some of the ladies have already started bumping heads with her, and knowing how Christina works, it won’t end well for them. For the first time in a while, the blue team (the men) are actually doing well in the challenges and dinner services --normally they lose so bad it’s embarrassing. This season is not without its drama and backstabbing, but is off to a slower start than usual. Hopefully as more chefs are sent home, the more it will pick up. Catch Hell’s Kitchen every Wednesday 9/8c on FOX.

Teachers

On January 13 of this year, TV Land aired their new comedy, Teachers. This show centers around an elementary school and its employees, specifically a small group of teachers. However, those that are supposed to be molding and shaping the young minds in their classrooms barely have their lives in order. They are far from ideal role models for the children in their classrooms. The show is written and performed by the acclaimed comedy troupe The Katydids (a group of six women, all who have some variation of the name “Katie”). The show follows these six young teachers through all their mishaps throughout the year from a dead class pet to handling a “hot dad” to losing a student. The first season is set to air 10 episodes with the finale on March 16. Along this group of hilarious women, Alison Brie (Community) and Key and Peele’s Ian Roberts and Jay Martel all play a part in this show’s production. With such a strong production team, and the few episodes I’ve seen, this first season is bound to be a hit with more than just those that understand the struggles of being a teacher. Catch Teachers on TV Land every Wednesday at 10:30/9:30c.

--Kasey

On October 5, The Martian hit theaters. It is the latest sci-fi movie to hit the big screen that involves interplanetary space travel. Since Interstellar came out in fall of 2014, I’ve been looking for a similar movie to obsess over. Interstellar was great in every field: graphics, casting, score, etc. But what drew me to Interstellar was the science behind the plot. Kip Thorne, a theoretical physicist, was even a consultant during the writing and production processes. I knew this movie was a one of a kind. I wasn’t sure I would find a movie that I would like just as much, or more. That is...until I watched The Martian.

From left: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, and Aksel Hannie

Matt Damon stars in this sci-fi drama as Mark Watney, the best botanist on Mars. No, seriously, he grew a crop of potatoes on Mars. He was stranded on the planet after his team had to make an emergency evacuation during a storm that led them to believe Mark was dead. After being stranded for months, logging his experiences, and finding ways to survive he makes contact with NASA - who is under heavy scrutiny for the failed Mars mission. Now begins the fight to bring him home.

Mark and his Martian potatoes

I don’t want to give too much away about the movie, because it’s such a wonderful piece of film that everyone needs to see it for themselves. This star studded cast does not disappoint. Along with Matt Damon we see Jessica Chastain, Sean Bean, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, and Chiwetel Ejiofor making up the majority of the cast. Together, along with several others, they work to rescue Watney. The entire time I was watching the movie my heart was racing. Are they going to get there on time? What if they miss their interception? Jessica Chastain plays Melissa Lewis, their commanding officer, who is in charge of the Ares III Mission. I loved her in Interstellar, so imagine my excitement when I saw she was in this movie as well. She has a knack for playing strong female leads, and in this role she doesn’t back down to any challenge the team faces as they try to bring Watney home.

Ares III crew headed back to get Mark

The soundtrack was fun and full of disco hits with a few ABBA songs thrown in. Watney kept mentioning his dislike for the type of music, but Lewis’s musical tracks left behind were full of the “great” disco oldies. It gave his time on Mars, although serious, a lighter feeling. Though the thought of his immediate peril was always in the back of my mind, hearing the light and bouncy music made it easier to accept the dangers Mark was facing on a daily basis.

Mark waiting for the solar panels on the Rover to recharge

Under the direction of Ridley Scott, the cast flawlessly pulls off this wonderfully written script that has a healthy balance of serious and humor. We always have the dangers and the risks underneath the much needed comedic relief. Honestly, I think without some of the witty one-liners and comical situations, I think The Martian would have been too dark. It shows that you should make the best out of any situation, because you never know when it’ll end in the violent vacuum that is Outer Space. Though it won Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes this year, I do believe that it was more than just a comedy and has the potential to pull through as the year’s Best Motion Picture at the Academy Awards. However, it does have some tough competition that we plan on reviewing up until the Oscars on February 28, 2016.

The Martian is now on Blue-Ray and DVD!

--Kasey

I hope you all are enjoying your Super Bowl Sunday. I’m trying to write this sneak peek for you while paying attention to the game. We’ve got a lot in store this week as we cover several different things for you!

Monday: For our Movie Monday, we are continuing our race to the Oscars as we bring you our review over Best Picture nominee, The Martian. This was a movie I missed while it was in theaters, but I bought it as soon as it came out on DVD and Blue-Ray. I was obsessed with Interstellar last year, and I’ve been told that I will be just as obsessed with The Martian. So, keep an eye out for our review over this “comedy” (according to the Golden Globes).

Tuesday: We will be covering several shows in our Television Tuesday oneshots such as Teachers and Hell’s Kitchen. I will also be giving you a follow up with the season finale of The Expanse, because it was that intense.

Wednesday and Thursday Julie has Top Five and Retro Rewind surprises in store for us on top a predicitions list of who will take the Grammys, which are taking place next Monday; followed by Friday Favorites. Depending on how the week goes will depend on what makes our favorites list!

Keep checking back everyday for new reviews from your favorite Small Fries!

--Kasey

This week we’ve got a lot in store for you, Small Fries, and we are really excited! Starting today we will be introducing themed days to you with quick one shots of Television Shows, Movies, Retro Rewinds, and Top Fives. Be sure to keep checking back every day to see new reviews posted! Today is a combination of our “Sneak Peek Sunday” and “Movie Night Monday.” We’re going to give you some insight into what we’ve got cooking this week and a list of movies to watch for the Oscars!

Sneak Peek

This week, we’ve got a special treat for you. We have our second featured writer, Sarah Geerling, making her debut as an honorary Small Fry. She will be doing a special over Syfy’s newest series, The Magicians, and trust me when I say she’s got a lot to say about the show. If you’re a fan of the book series or are just really interested in the show, check out her review over the first episode!

We’ve also got two reviews over the current episodes of Syfy’s The Expanse and MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles. They will be covering all the episodes that have aired so far. Trust me when I say The Expanse is going to be your TV’s newest obsession! This week we’ve also got a new Retro Rewind coming your way over the popular 90’s Sitcom, Full House, with a speial surprise on Wednesday! Also, watch out for one shots over popular TV Shows that have returned or premiered this year!

We are really excited to be sharing our new format with you as we start off the new year with a new batch of Fries!

Movie Night

With the Oscar’s just around the corner, we’ve decided to start prepping ourselves. This week, we’ve decided to do a very relaxed Movie Monday. Instead of giving our reviews over Oscar nominated movies, we decided to give you a list of the movies we’re most excited for and will be reviewing over the next few weeks:

Bridge of Spies

Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan

In 1957, in the midst of the Cold War, New York insurance lawyer James Donovan is enlisted to provide a pro-bono defense for Rudolf Abel, who is accused of spying for the Russians. The CIA then sends Donovan to East Berlin to conduct precarious negotiations with the Soviets to exchange Abel for a recently captured U.S. Air Force pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

The Martian

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Eljiofor, Kristin Wiig, Jeff Daniels

Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead and left behind when an unexpected storm hits Mars, forcing his crewmates to abandon their mission. Watney, a botanist, must engineer ways to feed himself and survive the harsh environment, and after he reestablishes communication with NASA, scientists around the globe race against time to rescue him.

The Revenant

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, Domhnall Gleeson

While on a danger-laden journey through the American wilderness in the early 1800s, frontiersman Hugh Glass is badly mauled by a grizzly and abandoned by his fellow trappers. Barely surviving his wounds, Glass is driven by thoughts of his family and a desire for revenge as he endures the frigid winter and pursues the men who left him for dead.

Room

Starring: Brie Larson, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jacob Tremblay

A young woman who has been held in captivity in a small shed for seven years tries to make as normal a life as she can for her five-year-old son, Jack, who knows her only as "Ma." When Ma and Jack escape their captor, Old Nick, they must cope with the outside world and forge relationships with Ma's conflicted family.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Starring:Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult

Years after an apocalypse has devastated the world, Australia has become a wasteland ruled by outlaws hoarding fuel, water and other resources. Desperate to escape a tyrant called Immortan Joe, loner Max Rockatansky joins forces with Imperator Furiosa, who is fleeing from Joe and his fanatical followers with a precious cargo that she has smuggled from Joe's stronghold.

All synopses pulled from: http://oscar.go.com

For a complete list of Oscar nominations and more movie synopses visit: http://oscar.go.com/news/nominations/oscar-nominations-2016-the-complete-list-of-nominees

--Kasey