Just in time for the holidays, Chris and Jon review and analyze Star Wars: The Force Awakens while watching Trey Parker’s (South Park)Cannibal! The Musical.
WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS
All posts by Chris Butera
Manopera! Episode 7: Giant Sized WWE TLC 2015 & NXT TakeOver: London Review
In the final edition of Manopera of the year, Chris and “Spaceman” Frank analyze WWE TLC 2015 and NXT TakeOver: London.
Bonesaw Podcast – Episode 24: Valence
We sit down with Progressive Mathsterminds Valence just in time for the holidays. During this episode, we discuss Valence’s style, influences winning the 2014 Independant Music Award for their song “The Reckoning” (which is featured) and a whole lot more.
Check them out at www.Valence.band.
Spaceman Frank’s WWE NXT TakeOver: London Predictions
By Frank Lucci
NXT TakeOver: London is in a unique position in many different ways.
Unlike most NXT live specials, this event takes place after a main roster Pay-Per-View rather than before. In addition, that PPV, TLC, was a surprisingly good event.
Instead of giving wrestling fans a high standard to judge WWE specials on, now the shoe is on the other foot. There is no reason to believe that NXT TakeOver: London will fall short, but it will be curious to see how NXT responds to the pressure of TLC’s quality.
Secondly, with the NXT roster in flux and the main roster’s injury woes, the results of the London could be a preview of what NXT will be like in the new year.
Finally, several NXT superstars such as the returning Sami Zayn and the teams of Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake and Jason Jordan and Chad Gable are not booked for the special. These wrestlers could appear on the episode of NXT being filmed before the live portion of the special, but their shadows may loom large if the special fails to live up to the hype. With that being said, here are Spaceman’s Frank predictions for NXT TakeOver: London.
Asuka vs. Emma (with Dana Brooke)
Both of these women have been on a roll lately.
Emma has expertly grown into her heel role and has shown that she is still the great performer we all fell in love with. With her catchy yet dark theme song, goofy half gloves (seriously what possible function could they have) and her pet (I mean friend) Dana Brooke by her side she could be in line for a championship run. On the other hand, Asuka has been a force of nature. Her hard hitting matches are full of moments worth capturing in GIF form and she even made the perpetually stupid Flying Butt in the Face attack look viscous.
Asuka has all the makings of a future superstar, and for that reason I see her getting the win in an excellent match over Emma and continuing her spectacular run.
Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson (c) vs. Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady (with Carmella) (NXT Tag Team Championship Match)
When Dash and Dawson first won the NXT Tag Team Titles, many thought that they would become Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake 2.0. Instead, they have quietly shown flashes of brilliance both in the ring and on the mic. However, they still have a lot of work to do if they are to rise to the level of the The Vaudevillains, Jordan and Gable and their challengers Enzo and Big Cass.If they weren’t the champs they would be lost in the shuffle – which may be why they’re champs in the first place.
Enzo and Cass are perpetually in the title hunt, but have never grabbed the brass rings. They deserve a run with the belts, but Dash and Dawson need a good run to prove their worth. Dash and Dawson win in a decent match.
Apollo Crews vs. Baron Corbin
This match could (and should) be a number one contenders match.
With Crews already having challenged for the NXT title before and Corbin recently spotted working dark matches on SmackDown, both these men look to be moving up sooner rather than later.
While Crews has skyrocketed to the top of NXT with his amazing moves and buckets full of charisma, Corbin has shown incredible attention to the little things that make him a gem. For example, Corbin may have the best punches in the WWE and the former NFL player can throw his body weight around in ways that help sell the force of his moves tremendously. Despite all that, there is no denying Crews’ rise to the top and it looks as though he will pin Corbin for the victory.
Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax (with Eva Marie) (NXT Women’s Championship Match)
Poor Bayley. She went from headlining the last NXT TakeOver event to being in a hastily put together feud with the new monster heel on the block (perhaps Triple H is preparing her for life on the main roster).
Bayley has had several mini-feuds since her epic rivalry with Sasha Banks came to a close and while Alexa Bliss did well, Eva Marie (to put it kindly) served as bait for this new feud.
Side note: If you think that Eva Marie’s ability to garner jeers somehow makes her a standout performer then shame on you. The woman cannot perform in the ring and her matches are either short exhibitions done at a quarter speed or dangerous (as seen when she gave Carmella a concussion). She showed in her promo challenging Bayley for the Women’s Championship that she also cannot handle live promos as she just attempted to repeat the same lines over and over again and her attempt to combat the crowd was pathetic. Being a manager is a better fit for her, but she does not need to be paired with another newbie. She should be managing a veteran who can show her the ropes. She is not a grand-meta example of brilliant commentary on the modern heel, she is a reality TV star that will be gone the moment Total Divas ends.
Anyway, with little build up besides Nia Jax throwing Bayley through a door, expect the champ to retain in a match that could either be good or expose Jax for the green wrestler she is.
Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe (NXT Title Match)
Balor and Joe are sure to put on a great showing here, but the build to this match has been on and off.
The parts of this feud that don’t involve the combatants getting physical have been great, but besides Joe’s initial attack on Finn the physical portion of this feud has been subpar. We already know how much of threat Joe is, so having him choke out Balor repeatedly signals (to me at least) that he will not win the championship.
Both these men will deliver a hard-hitting match that sees Joe and Balor beating the holy hell out of each other, but Finn will walk out champ to set up a rematch. Perhaps before Wrestlemania 32? We shall see.
F*ck Mondays! Episode 5: The Big, Fat Trailer Show
It’s a trailer bonanza on this episode of F*ck Mondays! Chris and Jon talk about X-Men: Apocalypse, the latest Batman v Superman trailer, Independence Day: Resurgence and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows.
The boys also discuss Connor McGregor’s 13-second victory over Jose Aldo and review Krampus as well as the first half of second and fourth seasons of The Flash and Arrow.
Trailer Feedback: X-Men: Apocalypse
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” – Revelation 22:13
Apocalypse is coming.
We start with a cold open. Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) has a bleak vision of the end of the world, which no one seems to believe until it’s too late.
Enter Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), who looks like a menacing, Egyptian Ivan Ooze (but in a good way).
Professor X assembles his team (with nearly if not all the Days of Future’s Past cast reprising their mutant roles alongside a few newcomers), backed by Magneto and Mystique to discuss this matter and figure out how to stop him. Unfortunately, they soon find out that they’ve bitten off more than they can chew when they realize the true nature of Apocalypse’s awesome power (which the trailer does a nice job of sprinkling throughout its two and a half minute tease).
One thing that’s been altered is Apocalypse’s four horseman. While they are not the same from the comics (let alone the Bible), it’s interesting to see that they are ambiguous and can seemingly change on Apocalypse’s whims. It’s also possible that they are under his control the entire time seeing as he possesses Magneto at some point. It seems that two of his riders are Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and Archangel (Ben Hardy) with the other two being surprises.
Nightcrawler’s (Kodi Smit-McPhee) inclusion is also a nice touch and it’s nice not knowing if he will join either side or become caught in the crosshairs.
The trailer itself is well done. Nothing seems out of place, nor is Bryan Singer giving anything significant away. The right amount of dread, suspense and excitement permeate the scenes to build proper hype for this film. Seeing James McAvoy sporting the iconic Professor X look in the closing moments is a nice touch that a lot were hoping to see at some point in the Singer directed franchise.
If the latest trailers for 2016’s comic book movie lineup feature any recurring theme, it’s war.
We cant’t wait.
Spaceman Frank’s WWE TLC 2015 Predictions
By Frank Lucci
I could start this prediction article with yet another tirade about how poorly the WWE has booked their programs and how the lazy writing from the creative team has made what should be an exciting Pay-Per-View into another mediocre event. Instead, I’ve decided to list three positives to keep in mind while watching TLC.
- They have gotten rid of the incredibly stupid stairs add on from last year.
- The Big Show is not set to appear.
- NXT is holding another Takeover event later in the week.
With this in mind, here are Spaceman Frank’s TLC 2015 predictions.
Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Jack Swagger – Chairs Match for the United States Championship
With a stairs match no longer able to provide people with a bathroom break, the WWE has reverted to having the Chairs match as the least hyped match on the PPV.
Alberto Del Rio has done nothing since returning to the WWE, despite beating John Cena clean for the championship, being managed by Zeb Coulter, joining the already ill-fated League of Nations stable and then (thankfully) ditching Coulter. With Swagger having the same amount of momentum as his opponent (aka zero) and an awkward stipulation to work in, this match is sure to disappoint. I see no reason for Del Rio to lose the belt here or anytime before Cena returns.
The ECW Originals (Bubba Ray Dudley, D-Von Dudley, Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno) vs. The Wyatt Family(Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan) – Elimination Tag Team Tables Match
It is a sad state of affairs when it is disappointing that Spike Dudley is not booked into a feud. ECW reunions are played out beyond belief, but yet again we got to see the four or so semi-functional originals trotted out for a nostalgia pop. The Dudleys have fallen off the map hard since their return over the summer and the Wyatt Family has not fared much better.
That being said, much of the talent in this match should make this an entertaining affair as long as creative does not overbook things. I also like that we finally get all the members of the Wyatt Family involved in a PPV match and Rhyno has shown in NXT that he can still go.
My biggest issue is with Dreamer’s involvement with the match. Dreamer is a veteran performer and is still a decent hand in the ring, but the man has a lengthy history of concussions. Why the WWE would book him into a match that involves massive dudes throwing each other into tables yet Daniel Bryan cannot be booked in any capacity in the WWE despite being medically cleared by independent neurologists is beyond me. With so little star power on Raw and Smackdown these days, Bryan would be a welcome addition to the show as a wrestler, authority figure or even a manager.
Back to the actual match now. With both the Wyatt Family and the Dudley’s hurting for a win this match will be hard to call. I believe the Wyatt Family will pull out a win by taking advantage of the part timers on the ECW team along with the fact that they are massive fucking dudes.
Charlotte (c) (with Ric Flair) vs. Paige – Divas Chapionship Match
It’s mind boggling how badly the WWE has botched this feud. Since creative can’t decide what to do with Charlotte, I would not be surprised to see her turn heel on both Paige and her dad, then immediately turn face and join The New Day for five minutes before forming a new faction with Bo Dallas and Barry Horowitz called “The Charleston Chews.”
Anyway, Charlotte seems to be set to give in to her inner Flair and cheat her way to victory. This would be much more impactful if Becky Lynch was her opponent for the title instead of Paige, who seemed to appear out of nowhere to challenge Charlotte. A placeholder feud between two talented women, Charlotte will retain and most people will remember the likely heel turn more than the in ring action.
The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston and/or Xavier Woods) (c) vs. The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) vs. The Lucha Dragons (Kalisto and Sin Cara) – Tag Team Triple Threat Ladder Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships
Perhaps the best reason to watch TLC, this match seeks to emulate classic ladder matches between several teams and should give these hungry high flyers ample opportunity to steal the show. Granted, the booking leading into the match has been bland besides The New Day’s usual shenanigans, but considering the talent and exciting stipulation here fans can expect some fireworks. The New Day will retain and hopefully get even more chances to get ridiculous on Raw.
Kevin Owens (C) vs. Dean Ambrose – Intercontinental Championship Match
Another potential show stealing match pitches two savvy grapplers against each other for the IC belt. While the pair’s Survivor Series match disappointed, this can be chalked up to the tournament forcing Ambrose to save his energy for his later match. Owens and Ambrose have had a chance to develop chemistry since their previous encounter. If given the right amount of time, these two can definitely give fans something to cheer about and remind people why we enjoy wrestling in the first place. Owens retains and keeps the feud alive for another PPV.
Sheamus (c) vs. Roman Reigns (TLC match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
WWE almost had me getting behind Sheamus as champion. His Sheamus 5:15 gimmick and his braggart style was fairly entertaining and showed why he was more deserving of the title than Reigns. In addition, him forming the League of Nations using several underutilized wrestlers almost had me thinking the internet wrestling community might back him. Then on the go-home Raw before TLC, the WWE booked Sheamus to look pathetic and revealed they have little faith in the man.
The only person looking worse than Sheamus is Reigns, who delivered yet another terrible promo that revolved around casual racism and testicle jokes. And yet WWE still wants us to view Reigns as a sympathetic character despite the fact that:
- Reigns has challenged for WWE World Heavyweight Championship on PPV five times (including TLC) in 2015 (and had two additional championship matches at PPV’s if you include Money in the Bank cash ins).
- He also headlined Fastlane in February and won the Royal Rumble.
- He partners with Dean Ambrose, who goes from nearly winning the belt to being kicked back down to sidekick status yet again.
Out of 13 total PPV’s in 2015, Reigns has been in the main event seven times. It is time to end the experiment and for WWE to realize that Reigns simply is not main event material at this time. During this time of record low ratings the WWE cannot hope that the mixed reaction Reigns gets will somehow morph into a John Cena style pop (as there is no time to wait for Reigns to figure it all out while ratings tank).
With Cena, at least respect is there. As far as Reigns is concerned, he is headlining the majority of the year’s PPV’s and cannot gain any traction with fans. It was very telling that Reigns got jeers instead of cheers when shown crying after Survivor Series. Even worse is that WWE has sacrificed Sheamus (who could have used his upcoming role in TMNT 2 to gain a new level of popularity and mainstream recognition while being champ) to try to get us to feel bad for a bland guy who gets yet another chance at the gold.
Sadly enough, I see Reigns winning to end the Sheamus experiment and Brock Lesnar finally coming back at the Royal Rumble to set up a WrestleMania rematch between the two.
Trailer Feedback: Captain America: Civil War (Trailer 1) & Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Trailer 2)
Within the past few weeks there has been quite the buzz among comic book nerds and movie buffs alike. Thanksgiving week saw the debut trailer for Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War while last week DC retaliated with the second trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
While comparing the two would be another anticlimactic round of apples and oranges, going over them in the same piece is sacrilegious enough for everyone.
Captain America: Civil War (Trailer 1)
This has potential to be one of the best comic book films of all time.
Civil War’s first trailer is packed with plenty of action, suspense and plot details without giving too much away. While most fans know the Civil War storyline, it’s nice to see that Hollywood has not begun squeezing the life out of Captain America and the changes have been reworked to fit the main story rather nicely so far.
One major example of this is the prominent display of Black Panther and Falcon filling the shoes of Spider Man and/or The Punisher (Spidey is now rumored, but will more likely be a post-credits Easter egg than in the actual cast and Punisher will debut on Daredevil). While they are supporting characters, their inclusions feel like they are more of a major role than what’s on paper. Black Widow however, takes a back seat (but that’s okay, we know how bad-ass she is).
The tension of Captain America and Iron Man can be cut with a knife. Watching the two bicker before duking it out is one of the highlights of the trailer and the teamwork of Caps and The Winter Soldier could be one of the most iconic scenes in the Marvel movie universe.
Although many questions remain, one stands out above the rest.
Will the Marvel cinematic universe stay true to the comic by killing Captain America?
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Trailer 2)
There is too much going on.
Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent at a party we can assume is being held by Jessie Eisenberg’s goofball Lex Luthor. Neither get along with not only each other but their costumed counterparts as well. Rather than agree to disagree, their alternate personalities decide to fight. During this battle, Luthor seemingly experiments with and/or alters General Zod’s corpse to create Doomsday – a surefire way to rid the world of both of them. Facing this new terror, Batman and Superman agree to disagree when Wonder Woman appears. The three are set to face off against Doomsday where we can only assume either a) Superman dies to set up a real Superman sequel b) the three heroes emerge victorious, Luthor goes to jail (and hopefully bald) to set up a real Superman sequel or C) Doomsday and/or Luthor get away to set up either a real Superman sequel and/or the long overdue Justice League movie.
If at any point that summary felt like a “walk into a bar” joke it’s because the trailer is simply that. While the initial trailer’s hype was built on mystery, shock and awe – this one took all of that away.
Rather than give us tiny bits of information that leave us with questions Warner Brothers has chosen to present the entire plot of the movie in a three minute presentation.
Not only does it feel like a dead giveaway but we are also introduced to a non-threatening Luthor using Zod’s death as a plot device, Wonder Woman basically saying “hi” and Doomsday (who looks like a Ninja Turtle concept Michael Bay rejected).
The only saving grace is Wonder Woman’s inclusion and the exchange between Kent and Wayne (which are brief, as they should be).
Talk about putting all of your eggs in one basket.
Bonesaw Podcast – Episode 23: JC Autobody’s Jonathan Newby
We get down with Jonathan Newby to chat about his one man/jam Experimental Blues Rock project JC Autobody. We get into Horror, the Indiana Scene, JC Autobody’s newest release “Witches” and more.
For more cool content, check out Bonesawzine.com.
Manopera! Episode 6: Everyone is Gob Bluth at Survivor Series
Not only do Chris and Frank review Survivor Series 2015, but they do so with guests Marques “Box” Younger and Nicholas Jason Lopez of prowrestlingopinion.com for this heated and rambunctious debate.
The Bonesaw 