Ten Actors That Would Be A [WAY] Better Gambit Than Channing Tatum

I'm usually not upset about a casting decision. I didn't even blink when they announced Ben Affleck as Batman. However; recently there was an official announcement that Channing Tatum is slated to play Gambit from X-Men. I almost can't even say that without heaving. I have never been so upset about a casting decision...EVER! So as part of my self-imposed therapy, I have compiled a short list of actors that would have been a MUCH better choice than Tatum.

 Some on this list don't have very good acting skills but all of them are far and away better at acting than...you know who. 

This is not in order of preference.

NUMBER 10: Stephen Amell

Heartland (tv) & Arrow (tv)

He would bring a harder side to Gambit. He's got the body,  the jawline, and great physical ability too. I'm not sure how people would react to him playing two comic book characters at the same time (Green Arrow), and also not sure if there is any kind of back story intertwining Green Arrow and Gambit in the DC vs Marvel Universe battles. I know that fans have created mock battles between Green Arrow and Gambit so... *shrug*

NUMBER 9: Theo James

Golden Boy (tv), Divergent (film), Underworld: Awakening (film)

He's got the Gambit sex appeal and he's probably the best actor on this list.

NUMBER 8: Kellan Lutz

 Twilight series ("film") I know I know. He's not my favorite choice but I would still rather have him than Channing Tatum.

NUMBER 7: William Levy

Latin tv actor & DWTS runner up. He does have a noticeable Cuban accent. Although it wouldn't be the first time an actor had to learn a new accent for a role, he might have a hard time pulling it off.

 

NUMBER 6: Ashton Kutcher

That 70's Show (tv), Butterfly Effect (film), Two and a Half Men (tv)

He's probably a surprising pick to most but he looks like Gambit & he would most likely have the best chance of getting the accent spot on.

 

NUMBER 5:Matt Barr
One Tree Hill (tv), Hellcats (tv)
Not sure about his acting ability, but he's got the right...ahem...build.
 

NUMBER 4: Jamie Dornan
Once Upon a Time (tv), The Fall (tv)
He has officially been confirmed to play Christian Grey in The Fifty Shades of Grey. Need I say more?

NUMBER 3: Josh Duhamel
Las Vegas (tv), Transformers series (film)
Granted he might a little too old to be playing Gambit now, but he's only about 5 years older than Tatum.

NUMBER 2: Alex Pettyfer
I Am Number Four (film), Beastly (film), In Time (film), & -.- Magic Mike ("film")
I think he would be a great Gambit. He's got the acting ability and the look.

NUMBER 1: Jared Padalecki

Gilmore Girls (tv), Supernatural (tv)

Okay...so...he's not the greatest actor but O.M.G. he looks exactly like Gambit.

 I could list another 10 but you get the idea. #XMenFail

Gravity (2013)

I originally had no desire to watch this but the award's season got me. After winning so many awards for it's visuals and directing, I couldn't resist.

So far as the visuals, sound, and directing are concerned, I would agree with most of their assessments regarding those subjects. For instance, there is a moment when Sandra Bullock is crying and instead of her tears running down her face, they float away. It seems like an obvious detail that is needed, but the stunning part is the way these details mesmerize you. I attribute that to the director, Alfonso Cuaron. He wants you to see the details and so you see them.

It's not just teeming with visuals but with artistic expression as well. There is a religious undertone that, if you so choose, can interpret the symbology from beginning to end.

The details in the visuals almost make up for the lack of detail in the story. The story is awfully plain. It's as if Open Water (2003) turned into "Open Space" and was given a much much larger budget. I'm not at all surprised it wasn't even nominated for Best Screenplay at the Oscars.

What isn't surprising is Sandra Bullock. She rarely misses and she certainly doesn't miss here. Even her breathing is top notch. On the other hand, her counterpart George Clooney, is a little wonky. His performance doesn't detract that much so he's forgiven.

It's not a long movie, clocking in at 91 minutes, so give it a go! I would recommend it if you're looking for interpretation in art.

Gravity Trailer...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454468/?ref_=rvi_tt

Prisoners (2013)

Prisoners is not as good as I had hoped. It tries valiantly to be a clever puzzle but it's all too predictable. I see what they were trying to do but unfortunately Ben Affleck didn't direct this and it turns out too light.

The main focus is on Hugh Jackman's character, Keller Dover, as he desperately looks for his missing daughter, Anna, and her friend, Joy. The heavy focus on one girl is odd. There isn't enough screen time for Joy and her family; they're an afterthought, which is another disappointment because they had the powerful acting skills of Viola Davis as Joy's mom.

The first half of the movie is much faster than the second half. It's a noticeable drop off that would be forgivable if the storyline got stronger, but it runs out of steam quickly. I especially despise what they did with Maria Bello's character, Grace Dover, Anna's mom. Her very fast and over-dramatic decline is mostly unnecessary.

With the exception of Hugh Jackman, Viola Davis, and Paul Dano as Alex Jones, the acting leans weak. Jake Gyllenhall as Detective Loki, aka seemingly the only detective in town, doesn't do a bad job but just isn't good for this role.

Overall, I still wish for so much more from this movie. I do not recommend it.

Prisoners trailer:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392214/

Riddick (2013)

Riddick is the most recent installment in The Chronicles of Riddick franchise. Of the three major films, Pitch Black (2000), The Chronicels of Riddick (2004), and Riddick (2013), this most recent is definitely the one that needs the most viewer knowledge from previous movies. In other words, RIDDICK MARATHON! Watch the others before this one, it will make much more sense if you do.

The first 20 minutes of this movie is lonely. It's almost too long and you begin to wonder if any other human is going to join the party.

Riddick plays out like a Resident Evil movie. It's given leeway on the quality of the script so long as it progresses our beloved storyline. This script however, relies too heavily on that notion. Which brings me to those cheesy lines. Aw lawd the cheese is abundant in this one. Some of the lines are just down right perplexing. David Twohy does a fine job directing, but he should have definitely had someone else revamp his script. It reads like a draft instead of a final product.

It's not my favorite Riddick movie, but I still enjoyed it and look forward to the next.

The trailer below is edited really well and is a good introduction to the movie; especially if you haven't seen the previous ones.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1411250/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

Runner Runner (2013)

Runner Runner is about the dirty underbelly of the online gaming community. It's entertaining and you don't have to be familiar with poker to understand what's going on; however, it helps to be familiar with it to grasp its entirety. I happen to find the evolution of online gaming fascinating, so I found many more redeeming qualities about this movie than it probably deserves.

The bones are there, but Runner Runner misses by a few feet. It's categorized as an "American crime thriller," and it almost is. There isn't enough suspense for me to call it a "thriller." This could have been the new generation The Firm (1993) ala Tom Cruise, but the writing and editing butcher it. The storyline is sloppily put together, there's weak cohesion, and most of all a lack of character and relationship development.

Ben Affleck as Ivan Block is surprisingly good, but it's toward the end of the movie where he shines. The one time he raises his voice and the crocodile scenes are ones to watch. This Affleck kid is growing on me.

Justin Timberlake as Richie Furst, is like the movie...almost good. He's getting there, but his timing and energy still needs some polishing. The hardest thing about this film is that Timberlake doesn't let you sympathize with Richie, so there's really no one you're rooting for.

Gemma Arterton plays Rebecca Shafran. Unfortunately, her role is typical female support/love interest. Although, for this movie being so male dominated, she brings a great amount of sultry confidence. She does however dwarf Timberlake's abilities and it's unconvincing that she finds such a weak presence so endearing. This is only the second film I have seen Arterton, the first being Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013). I have to admit, I'm fangirling her a little and she will be a deciding factor in whether to watch any particular movie in the future.

The great version of this movie lives in my head. In the meantime, this one is decently entertaining.



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2364841/?ref_=rvi_tt



30 for 30: The Price of Gold (2014)

30 for 30 is an ESPN series that plays out like documentaries; sports related of course. Fittingly it aired just in time for the 2014 Winter Olympics. This "episode" focuses on the most talked about scandal in sports history: the over-hyped mess of the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding saga.

This production is a strange one. It's intriguing to watch if you remember the hype when it originally happened, but if you only know their names through pop culture and don't really understand any details, this documentary is not a good representation. I imagine it's partly due to the fact that Tonya Harding agreed to be interviewed for this while Nancy Kerrigan declined; which means they could only use archived footage. They do however use the archived footage to make it seem as though Kerrigan was being interviewed for this show; which further portrays Kerrigan in a darker light. The editing is heavily in Harding's favor and they clearly attempt to downplay and excuse her behavior.

Another portion that this film glosses over is the more damning issue of figure skating judges, but I suppose that needs its own documentary.

They do give details that I never knew and the quick updates of the major players is oddly fascinating. The one thing this film is missing is a SHRINK! They have the commentators, the former olympians, the media, and even the prosecutor, but no psychologist to analyze Harding's behavior. A psychologist would have filled in the gaps and made this film more fulfilling to watch.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3417870/?ref_=ttexrv_exrv_tt

Sherlock (TV-BBC) Series 3 (2014)

My long overdue review of Sherlock Series 3! But hey, with the way things are going, I have a year and a half before series 4 airs! Grrr. That's probably the most frustrating part of the entire show; it takes SO long between seasons. With each series only having 3 episodes makes the wait so much more agonizing. I love this show but it frustrates me to no end! It makes you feel like you're chasing after someone who doesn't love you as much as you love them. :/ Hmm...it's like being in a relationship with Sherlock himself! Sigh...

Series 3 is paced quickly; especially in the second episode. Honestly, I feel like they're cheating. In 'The Sign of Three' they go through a montage of past cases. Every flashback scene is a teaser to an episode that doesn't exist! You want nothing more than to watch each of those flashback scenes in full blown episodes.

With all my frustration, I will still wait for series 4...and 5...and 6...and it better go on forever!

Sherlock Series 3 Trailer...

There is a mini episode for this series called 'Many Happy Returns.' It's technically series 3 episode 0. It's only 7 minutes, but a fun little intro into series 3. In case you missed it...

Here's a little trick I'm excited to try for Sherlock Series 4. Download the extension 'Hola Better Internet' on Google Chrome. If you set the country to the UK, you can watch a lot of British shows on their iplayer service. That's not the most exciting part! BBC UK airs Sherlock BEFORE PBS airs it in the US. BBC aired the premiere on January 1st while PBS aired it on January 19th. I know, it's only 18 days but still...it's 18 DAYS!!!

Beyond that, there isn't much to say that I haven't said already about the past 2 series. The acting, directing, and writing are simply superb. Although I will admit series 3 is my least favorite thus far; again, mostly because it runs fast and on the edge of chaos. Otherwise, I'm excited to see how Mary will fit into future series and hoping they will keep Sherlock working is abductive magic.

When will BBC start upping the ante? We want more!!!
Here's more!
Dr. Watson's Blog!
http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/