News

Sascha photographed this Mogwai for our March postcard. Hopefully, without a flash 😵!

This wonderful retro motif featuring the Punk Mogwai from NECA will definitely trigger a real nostalgia rush – not just for Gremlins fans, but also for anyone who loves »Back to the Future«, the Turtles or the Simpsons. And don't worry: even if the Bat Gremlin stole one of the cards, there's still plenty left for you. You'll receive a free copy with every shipment we send you in March 📦. So browse our shop – you might find something in our sales section.

And be sure to check out Sascha's Insta account for even more cool toy photos 😃!

Last weekend, the manufacturer PRIME 1 STUDIO released their next »Next Level Showcase« on YouTube. And what can we say ... what a bombastic high-end collectibles display - just crazy!

»Age of Titans and Machines« is the thematic subtitle of the 13th episode, which will keep you glued to the screen for a good two hours. In terms of content, the new products shown largely live up to the motto, as you can see a lot of manga and anime hits such as »Attack On Titan«, »Granblue Fantasy«, »Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2«, »My Hero Academia«, »Black Clover«, »Hell's Paradise«, »One Punch Man«, »Ghost in the Shell« and »Evangelion« (»Neon Genesis Evangelion« is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year!) as well as ultra-impressive reveals for »Transformers«, »Pacific Rim« and »Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire«. But there were also a few surprises beyond the titans and machines.

The main focus of the extremely elaborate, technically perfect and stylish presentation was on the relatively new sub-line of Prime 1, the »Real Elite Masterline«, in which the manufacturer promises to raise the bar for its products even higher in terms of details, painting and realism. In our shop you can already find REM statues of Paul Atreides from »Dune: Part Two«, Kratos from »God of War: Ragnarok« and two versions of Superman from »Justice League«. According to the showcase, this line is being pushed very hard and there will be new additions from all kinds of franchises. To pick up just a few highlights, you should definitely take a look at the almost 1 meter tall Wolf Predator from »Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem«, the three mega cool statues of Lucy, David and Rebecca from »Cyberpunk: Edgerunners« or the two hot bats Lilith and Morrigan from »Darkstalkers« - it's unbelievable what Prime 1 is planning here!

However, we were completely surprised and really blown away by the announcement of a 1/4 scale REM statue for a film that many people will probably not know about: One Eye, played by the brilliant Mads Mikkelsen, from the Danish-British Viking film »Valhalla Rising« from 2009! The character design of the main character One Eye is a brilliant template for a collectible with such a high level of detail. Nicolas Winding Refn, the director of the film, explains how the idea for this license and the implementation of this statue came about. What Prime 1 will deliver here is simply breathtaking! You have to see it, even if you don't know anything about the film or the genre. We think that at this point at the latest, the "Next Level" in the showcase lives up to its name. If anyone wants to watch the film and then perhaps succumb to the temptation of this collectible, we have picked out the trailer for »Valhalla Rising« here:
https://youtu.be/mAzCfXEDjYI

In addition to the brutal Wolf Predator, the equally impressive Scorched Xenomorph from »Alien: Romulus« in 1:3 scale from the Alien franchise is also worth mentioning. What a beast - and it's almost 1 meter tall, including an extremely elaborate base! Just as terrifying is the (clearly extremely enraged) Batman: The Berserker "Rage Mode" in 1:4 scale, which is based on the »Batman Berserk« comic. And Batman fans will certainly get a chill down their spine when they see the 1/3 scale Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice statue, which was designed by the artist Carlos D'Anda - wow!

At the end of the show, there were a few new license announcements, including those for »Mighty Morphin Power Rangers« and »Death Stranding 2: On the Beach« - not bad either. By now you should be prime-one-ified and excited about the showcase:
https://youtu.be/S7wryi1rchc

One more thing: As always, we will list all the highlights in our shop for pre-order as soon as there's a concrete announcement from Prime 1. For many of the new products shown, however, this will take a while, as we often saw rough statements such as "Pre-order starts in Q2 2025". We all already knew that you have to be very patient with Prime 1 Studio ;). However, it must be said clearly: it's worth it!

Last weekend, Max dropped a very atmospheric and turbulent trailer for the second season of »The Last of Us«. The live-action series, based on the video game of the same name, will be available to watch from April 13 on the streaming site with new episodes every week. The gamers among you may recognize a scene or two in the trailer. Check it out:
https://youtu.be/_zHPsmXCjB0

After the first season already leaned heavily on the original storyline, fans of the video game series are happy to see that some more familiar elements appear in the second season. In addition to the spores and fungal creatures as new threats hinted at in the trailer, you'll see Ellie's nemesis Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) for the first time. We're excited and don't want to anticipate too much.

An intense encounter between Ellie and Abby from »The Last of Us Part II«, the second part of the video game series, has been realized in great and suspenseful detail by manufacturer Prime 1 Studio. The 1/4 Scale Ellie »The Theater« statue and 1/4 Scale Abby »The Confrontation« statue from the Ultimate Premium Masterline are available now as bonus versions in our shop.

50 years ago today, »Profondo Rosso« was released in Italian cinemas. The Giallo is also known under the English title »Deep Red«.

The jazz pianist Marcus Daly (David Hemmings) witnesses the brutal murder of a clairvoyant and is drawn into a complex web of secrets together with the journalist Gianna Brezzi (Daria Nicolodi) ...

»Profondo Rosso« is considered one of Dario Argento's best works. The visually stunning film combines many typical Giallo elements. The unleashed camera delivers spectacular, carefully calculated images that leave nothing to chance. Argento practices the simple art of murder with disturbing elegance.

The film is certainly drawn out in some parts and impatient viewers are recommended to watch the export version, which has been shortened to remove the humorous elements and makes the film a little crisper.

»Profondo Rosso« also made film music history as the first collaboration between Argento and the progressive rock band Goblin. A soundtrack for eternity! The main theme also underlines this trailer for the 4K version of the film from Arrow Video:
https://youtu.be/wSgK9W9baN4

It really makes us want to watch »Profondo Rosso« again. What about you? Are you Giallo fans?

We have waited a long time for »Mickey 17«. The film was originally supposed to be released in March 2024, but due to the strikes in Hollywood and a longer post production period the release was postponed several times. The long wait, the very entertaining trailers and, last but not least, the fact that this is the new film by Bong Joon-ho, the creator of masterpieces such as »Snowpiercer« and the four-time Oscar-winning »Parasite«, increased the anticipation and expectations almost immeasurably. In short – we awaited no release as eagerly as »Mickey 17«. Can a film still live up to these expectations ...?

Robert Pattinson plays Mickey Barnes, an expendable on a colonist spaceship. Whenever there is a dangerous alien planet to explore, Mickey is sent out. If something goes wrong and Mickey dies on the mission, a new Mickey clone is simply created using a bioprinter. When Mickey 17 returns alive from a mission, he discovers that there is already a Mickey 18 ...

Most of the reviews on YouTube expressed disappointment with the result. Although no one thinks the film is bad and everyone discovers something praiseworthy, everyone was just hoping for more. So we're going to the cinema with slightly lowered expectations to see for ourselves.

Toy Fair took place in New York City at the Jacob K. Javits Center for the last four days - finally again! In fact, this important event in the toy industry became a bit bizarre, because due to the pandemic the event had to be canceled twice, then in 2023 the actually fixed date at the beginning of the year (similar to what is usual at the Nuremberg Toy Fair) was set for fall. This apparently led to very little attendance, so that last year's fair was even canceled ...

We were accordingly pleased and, above all, excited about this year's New York Toy Fair, which usually has much more to offer in the collectibles sector than the German Spielwarenmesse . There were actually numerous manufacturers from our branch present (Pure Arts, McFarlane Toys, Mattel, Hasbro, Jazwares, and many more). We'll round up a few notable highlights for you below that caught our eye as particularly positive and worth mentioning:

DIAMOND
Although Diamond filed for Chapter 11 earlier this year, it actually looks pretty good regarding the overcoming of the industry dinosaur. Diamond Select Toys (including Gentle Giant) was on site with a great booth and presented a couple of novelties from their existing licenses like »House of the Dragon«, »Muppets«, »Lord of the Rings« and »Hobbit«, »The Walking Dead«, »Jean-Claude van Damme«, »Star Wars«, »AEW«, »BRZRKR«, »Planet of the Apes« and many more. There was really interesting stuff to see, especially for fans of the Select figures. Fortunately, things are continuing at Diamond - and that's great!

SUPER IMPULSE
MOTU fans know this manufacturer through their funny »World’s Smallest« action-figures. They made a deal with Hasbro and will release “Mr. Potato Head«-like PopTaters, as well as the smaller Tots - and doing that, they also reached into the Mattel license box. There will be potato He-Man and Skeletor figures - but do we need them? That's very special, isn't it?

NACELLE TOYS
The relatively new player in the action-figure game, Nacelle Toys (or The Nacelle Company), was highly motivated and represented at Toy Fair with an astonishing number of new products. The 2nd wave of their most successful license »Biker Mice from Mars« was on display - here you can look forward to 5 or actually 6 new characters (Fred the Mutant will be included as an accessory with Karbunkle). This all looks really cool - and Brian Volk-Weiss (The Toys That Made Us) underlined that the figures will be very lavishly equipped!
The »Sectaurs - Warriors of Symbion« figures also exude full retro charm. Then there will be a new line called »Nacelle Mini«, similar to the ReAction figures from Super7 - and here they start with the first line-up for »The Great Garloo«.
The array of Nacelle's »Star Trek« action-figures was very impressive. The series finally doesn't start with the next Spock or Kirk, but with a great mix of supporting characters - and with great details and accessories.
The line of figures of the TV series »The Expanse« also continues - and if we let Nacelle's performance take effect, we firmly believe that the team around Brian Volk-Weiss will still have a lot to say in the industry in the future. Awesome!

MATTEL
The main topic at Mattel is and remains of course »Masters of the Universe«. For all Origins collectors, the next dream when it comes to playsets will - hopefully - come true: Mattel is bringing the Fright Zone of the Evil Horde, in a significantly expanded version than the one we had - or didn't have - as children.
We have the impression that the Masterverse figures are getting better and better. Terror Claws Skeletor, for example, looks stunning!
But the community was particularly excited about the first "real" look at the »ThunderCats x MOTU Crossover«. The first 7 figures were shown, which all come with swappable parts so that you can set up the characters in either a classic or crossover look. How cool are Battle Cat or Skeletor, for example - or even Lion-O's Eternian armor! We think they look damn cool and are looking forward to your reactions.
Another interesting thing to mention at Mattel: The new label »Brick Shop« apparently replaces the outdated »Mega Construx«. Apparently there is now an untamed attack on Lego - exciting!

McFARLANE TOYS
We couldn't find any completely new licenses at McFarlane. A lot was shown for »Warhammer 40.000«, »World of Warcraft« and »Diablo 4«, the »DC Multiverse« and the »DC Super Powers« figures.
The »Movie Maniacs« line will be getting some really cool new additions like Tony Montana from Scarface or Po, the Kung Fu Panda. But the other McFarlane classic, »Spawn«, is also getting some new releases on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.
McFarlane, like Diamond, has a »BRZRKR« license (for the comic created by Keanu Reeves, among others). And the relatively new »Marvel« line-up is also going strong, with many 1/10 and 1/6 scale figures to be added. We think that Beast was an outstanding announcement and really well done!

NECA
Of course, the horror section is a very strong topic also at Neca (»Evil Dead«, »Texas Chainsaw Massacre«, »Chucky«, »Halloween« etc.), although the »Terrifier« license will probably give most of you the greatest joy. We can look forward to Ultimate and Toony Terrors figures for all three parts - fantastic!
Two Ultimate versions on »Beetlejuice Beetlejuice« will be coming as well as really cool accessory sets for the first Beetlejuice film.
The new Xenomorph as an Ultimate figure literally is a killer - probably the best alien from Neca to date!
Did you know that »Jaws« would be 50 years old this year? We did - and we actually speculated on new figures and stuff for this particular occasion. Neca is busy and is finally bringing Ultimate figures for Sam Quint and Matt Hooper (but where's Chief Brody?), as well as a remake of the legendary "The Game of Jaws" game including a really well done Bruce - that is jaw(s)dropping news indeed!!!
We think that the "Elvis" Stitch Ultimate figures are super sweet und designed in a really creative way, with all the "mix and match" features.
As always, a large part of the space at the booth is taken up by the four popular turtles - so there was a flurry of new »Turtles« products in New York. We were particularly blown away by the three »Universal Monsters« crossover reveals: Krang as Metaluna Mutant (wow!), finally a Dracula - embodied by Shredder, of course - and Mikey & Donnie as a two-headed monster, based on »The Manster«. What an epic-bad-ass-action-figure - amazing! Actually, Bebop and Rocksteady are just as cool in their concept version of the 1990 Turtles movie, which is 35 years old this year. Probably nobody expected these two dudes.
After the first Ultimate and Toony Classics figures for »Sesame Street« being such a success with you, the story goes on. Of course, The Count should not be missing, but Oscar the Grouch (with super funny accessories including elephant trunks), Big Bird and Herry Monster were also shown.
Yes, we are busy aswell and will list all the new products in our shop as soon as we have information and prices. You can already pre-order many of the Neca announcements from us!

THE LOYAL SUBJECTS
M.A.S.K. is back! One of the absolutely hottest toylines of the 80s is experiencing a revival thanks to The Loyal Subjects - unbelievable! We all knew for quite some time that the rather small and insignificant manufacturer had signed the license. To be honest, we had expected the characters to be implemented in a more simplified or even differently proportioned way ... But we were proven wrong - fortunately!
The Loyal Subjects gives us a renaissance of the old vehicles with their figures (and of course masks) - but pimped a bit, with a few more elaborate details here and there (pegs for the holes in the feet, smoke or gunshot effects for the vehicles, mask effect effects for the masks, etc. ;). The childhood flashback army has been dancing tango with us since the weekend and we're sure many of you feel the same way.
Of course, Thunderhawk, Condor, Switchblade and two versions of Rhino have been announced for the first wave. But we expect it to be a huge success and of course hope that The Loyal Subjects won't be overwhelmed by this task. This will probably be one of the top topics of the year - crazy! When we will be listing the M.A.S.K. line-up, we cannot tell you yet. But they will come ...


For more input around New York Toy Fair we recommend you the YouTube channel of Pixel Dan or the full coverage with many images on Toyark.com -  have fun!

MARVEL fans will be looking forward to the launch of »Daredevil: Born Again« on Disney+ with a great deal of excitement. The latest MCU series follows the events of the popular NETFLIX series »Marvel's Daredevil« (2015–2018) and is also part of phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

We think the trailers looked really promising and had the usual Daredevil harshness. So this could be really good, not only because of the reunion with Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock or Daredevil, Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk or Kingpin, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page and last but not least Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle or Punisher 💪!

The series kicks off today (in the US - and tomorrow in Germany) with two episodes - the 9th episode ends the first season on April 15th. A second season has already been confirmed or is even in production and will probably bring us 9 more episodes from Hell's Kitchen from the middle of next year 🤘 ... because:
The devil's work is never done 😈!

Our current product of the month has an interesting history - especially from today's perspective:

Batgirl originated in the 1960s as a kind of emergency solution: previously, rumors were circulating that Batman and Robin might be in a homosexual relationship. In the conservative America of that time, of course, this was a business-threatening accusation. So what do you do as a creative writer who has to absolve a pantyhose-wearing superhero from suspicion of homosexuality? That's right, you create a female counterpart! After Batwoman was born in 1959, Batgirl was designed as a love interest for Robin in 1961.

The workaround turned into an institution: Batgirl soon developed her own identity and was gratefully accepted by the audience. In the course of the extremely diverse Batman history, we were able to witness various Batgirl iterations. One of the most popular outings is probably the embodiment by Barbara Gordon. Barbara not only has skills in combat, but also has brains: whether it's about computer technology or criminalistics - she is the right contact person!

Within Sideshow's Premium Format line, we've already seen quite some highlights over the years. However, it's impossible not to recognize that the Batgirl Premium Format Figure is truly something special! This collectible showcases our justice warrior after her victorious battle against Clayface. She poses very self-confident with a crowbar atop the defeated monstrosity, whose maw glows blue thanks to the electrified Batarangs. Naturally, Sideshow seized this opportunity and equipped the statue with a proper LED-powered lighting feature, offering two modes: steady light and pulsating light.

In addition to the visually stunning Batgirl (look at the great sculpt and paint finish, especially on the head, but also all over the rest of the figure!), we are particularly impressed by the base, which is largely formed from Clayface. The product's incredible attention to detail is further reflected in the fact that the faces of Batman, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon can be spotted within Clayface's squishy body mass.

We didn't have to think long to pick the Batgirl Premium Format Figure from Sideshow as the 💥 product of the month 💥 for March 2025. An equally heroic and sensual collectible that will definitely enrich your DC/Batman collection! You also better not think too long: the statue is limited to 2,200 units, was actually pre-sold out in the meantime and came back in stock in a very small quantity 👌🦇🤩!

Last night, the 97th Oscars were awarded in the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The big winner was the independent film ANORA. The tragic comedy was nominated 6 times and won 5 awards - and Sean Baker also made Oscar history: Never before had a single person received four of the coveted golden boys. Baker's ANORA was awarded "Best Film" and won "Best Directing", "Best Original Screenplay" and "Best Film Editing"! Mikey Madison was also awarded "Best Actress". Everyone was expecting Demi Moore to win the Oscar for her performance in THE SUBSTANCE, which we would have loved for her.

The movies with the most nominations were able to win comparatively few awards. The controversial EMILIA PÉREZ, nominated 13 times, only received two Oscars. It was no surprise that Zoë Saldaña was awarded "Best Supporting Actress" The actress gave the most emotional acceptance speech of the evening, amid tears of joy. »El Mal« was also awarded "Best Original Song". And speaking of supporting actors: Kieran Culkin was awarded "Best Supporting Actor" on the male side for his role in A REAL PAIN.

The big favorites included THE BRUTALIST and the musical WICKED - both were nominated 10 times each. Three Oscars went to THE BRUTALIST for "Best Cinematography" and "Best Original Score". Adrien Brody was the favorite for "Best Actor" and his win was hardly surprising, although Timothée Chalamet for A COMPLETE UNKNOWN also had a chance of winning the trophy after his win at the SAG Awards last week. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN though came away empty-handed despite 8 nominations. For Brody, this is his second Oscar after THE PIANIST in 2003. WICKED won in the categories "Best Costume Design" and "Best Production Design".

CONCLAVE, the film by German director Edward Berger, was nominated 8 times like A COMPLETE UNKNOWN and at least won the award for "Best Adapted Screenplay".

DUNE: PART TWO was nominated 5 times and won the Oscars for "Best Sound" and "Best Visual Effects". We are pleased about the German participation of Gerd Nefzer, who has already won his 3rd Oscar! THE SUBSTANCE was one of our favorite movies of last year. Like DUNE: PART TWO, it was nominated 5 times and deservedly won the Oscar in the category "Best Make-up and Hairstyling". Unfortunately, the 4-time nominee NOSFERATU also went home empty-handed.

The award for "Best Animated Film" went to Latvia for the wonderful FLOW. The award for "Best International Film" went to Brazil for FOREVER HERE.

Last but not least, a few more side notes: Late-night talker Conan O'Brien hosted the evening. His presentation was relatively tame and largely apolitical, apart from a few small allusions. We expected more, considering the current political situation in the world. The only speech that was really political and clearly addressed was the acceptance speech for NO OTHER LAND by the Israeli-Palestinian team which was awarded "Best Documentary".

We really liked some of the presentations, such as the laudation for the nominees' costume designers. That was well done. The JAMES BOND tribute show made us frown, as it seemed a bit wildly thrown together. The award for the "Best Song" was presented by Mick Jagger. Man, he's still in great shape at 81 years old!

Here are all the nominees and winners at a glance:
https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2025

Did you also party all night long? Are you happy with how your favorites performed?

The new month is off to a great start - especially for the bargain hunters among you 🤑:
Our regular ⚡ DEALS OF THE WEEK ⚡ can take rest for the next four weeks - instead, there is our mega cool 50 COLLECTIBLES - NOW 50% OFF promotion for you throughout March!

Yes, you read that right: from today on you have a permanent selection of 50 collectibles in our SALE SECTION that you can pick up at half price 🥳!

Of course, the special offers are only valid while our stocks last. If an item sells out, we will immediately send the next one into the race. So be sure to take a look and treat yourself to something nice out of the ordinary 🤩 ...

Starting today, it's going to be a wild time for all fans of the very popular »Monster Hunter« game series. »Monster Hunter Wilds« is currently #1 on Steam's best-seller charts. The game has grabbed this title even before the actual release day. It's available for PC, PlayStation 5, and the Xbox Series.

With »Monster Hunter: World« from 2018, Capcom created a world that continues to be visited by a steady number of players. The beta testing of the latest part of the action-role-playing series confirmed that the developers are not only live up on their earlier success, but making their job even better.

In »Monster Hunter Wilds«, you create your own character to fight various monsters from a third-person perspective. There's plenty to explore in the open world, and for your quests you can choose between 14 different weapon types. Especially the co-op mode, with up to four players in the party, is a big plus and already known from »Monster Hunter: World«. Here's the trailer:
https://youtu.be/a_wNFT4j6qI

So who's already slaying monsters?

Our format 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫 is celebrating a small anniversary! In the brand new and now 25th episode, Sven and Joanna are once again serving you a colorful variety of collectibles. Included are, among others, the impressive Batgirl Premium Format Figure as well as the super hot Bettie Page statue from Sideshow, the T-800 in the 2.0 version and Seong Gi-Hun (Squid Game) from Hot Toys or the blood-sucking Vampirella 1/12 figure from the manufacturer Frazetta Girls. It's worth taking a look - at the weekend at the latest 🥳!

You can now watch NADFU episode 25 on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/LDn_-HUtIdc
 

The Bob Dylan biopic »A Complete Unknown« is opening in cinemas today. In Germany it is being shown under the title »Like A Complete Unknown«. Apparently, the distributor does not trust German cinema audiences to discover without this extension, that the title refers to the song »Like A Rolling Stone«. This is considered one of the most influential songs in rock history and was voted the best one of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2004. It makes sense to refer to it, but it is also just as obvious to refer "Complete Unknown" to Dylan himself, because somehow this Robert Zimmerman, Bob Dylan's real name, is also a lasting mystery despite all his fame.

Musician biopics have been very popular in recent years, whether it's Freddie Mercury in »Bohemian Rhapsody«, Elton John in »Rocketman«, or most recently Robbie Williams in »Better Man«: the biographies of famous rock and pop stars form a genre of their own that has produced a whole series of films worth seeing, even if there are also weak or even annoying examples like »Back to Black«. The genre is also not unknown to the director of the Dylan film, James Mangold, who brought us a much-noticed Johnny Cash portrait in 2005 with »Walk the Line«.

»A Complete Unknown« is devoted to the early years of Bob Dylan's career, from his arrival in New York, his rise to become a celebrated poet of the folk scene and idol of the protest movement, to his switch to rock music, when he picked up the electric guitar and was booed for it at the Newport Folk Festival.

The film is nominated for 8 Oscars, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director". Timothée Chalamet got a nomination for "Best Actor" in his role as Bob Dylan. Just last weekend he received the Screen Actors Guild Award exactly for this title. In the film critics, Chalamet's performance, both acting and musical, is repeatedly praised as the best thing about the biopic.

We are looking forward to the evening at the cinema and the music of an exciting era. We are also curious about the cinematic and musical encounter with Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) and Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook). From today on, we can find out in the cinema whether we get closer to Bob Dylan or whether he remains a mystery and a complete unknown.

And that party will take place for all STAR WARS fans on April 22nd - because that's when the second season of »Andor« finally starts on Disney+! The long-awaited trailer was released yesterday:
https://youtu.be/AE4wxt70aUM

Yes, the music is absolutely atypical and not really epic - but why not. And the first visual impressions we get in the preview are amazing, aren't they?! We assume that not only the story but also the look of season 2 will be a hit. In any case, we in the S.P.A.C.E Crew are really looking forward to seeing Cassian Andor again (and wow, apparently with a new, groomed Johnny Cash memory hairstyle)! And by the way, yes, dear folks from Hot Toys - it is your turn to surprise us, too. Absolutely 😁😍!

Starting today we can once again watch the epic finale of the magnificent anime »Attack on Titan« on the big screen and with proper dubbing! »Attack on Titan: The Last Attack« combines the two »The Final Chapters« specials into a monumental and emotional 145-minute epic. So if you haven't seen the two specials yet, this is the perfect opportunity to experience the hopefully worthy end of the Titans.

Have you already secured your ticket? In addition to popcorn and cola, you'll probably need a good supply of tissues - we're excited!

By the way, there's the ultimate fun fact from S.P.A.C.E's homeland on the topic of »Attack on Titan«: The inspiration for the walls of Paradis - the historic city wall of Noerdlingen - is just 5 minutes away from us. Maybe we need to take a nostalgic walk along the wall after going to the movies 😁.

Today we have three new trailers for you that excited us. Even though there is no international release date for two of the three films yet, we have already put them on our watchlist in foresight.

»Bring Her Back« is the new film by Australian twins Michael and Danny Philippou, who landed a real horror hit with their debut »Talk to Me«, which makes us inclined to be optimistic. The teaser for the film doesn't reveal anything yet, but exudes an ominous atmosphere. According to the description it's about a pair of siblings who discover a terrifying ritual in the remote house of their new foster mother:
https://youtu.be/RsKygtA2DMY

Coulrophobia refers to the fear of clowns. The most prominent representative of the subgenre of bloody clown films is certainly Pennywise from »It«, and Art the Clown recently made a name for himself in the »Terrifier« films. Now Eli Craig, whose humor we already learned to appreciate in »Tucker and Dale vs Evil«, sends the killer clown Frendo on the run in »Clown in a Cornfield«. This could be a very amusing popcorn slasher. If so, Frendo certainly qualifies for a cool action figure. The film is expected to be released in May:
https://youtu.be/MpQkdPyG4uc

The mystery thriller »The Actor« tells the story of Paul Cole, who wakes up in a mysterious small town and cannot remember who he is or how he got there ... The trailer promises us "An unforgettable cinematic odyssey" and right away reveals excellently photographed images that seem to confirm this. We are definitely hooked and want to find out the secret surrounding Paul:
https://youtu.be/Q4cf6DqIYl4

Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the theatrical release of »Brazil« in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, Terry Gilliam's opus is currently not included in any flat rate offer from the common streaming services, but we think that the film should be part of any well-stocked collection anyway. Of course, we've also put the DVD in the player again to celebrate the anniversary. This movie has lost none of its power, beauty and bite.

The dystopian world building in retro-futuristic sets reminiscent of the 1940s still works (perhaps even better today) with a view of a totalitarian system sometime in the 20th century. Borrowing from George Orwell's »1984«, the film depicts the Kafkaesque monstrosity of a system in which bureaucracy can safely be described as one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

A bug in the system is to be taken quite literally here and leads to a fatal typo. “Tuttle” becomes “Buttle”, which then costs the unfortunate Mr. Buttle his life and sets a chain of events in motion.

The film is bursting with creative ideas - the set design, the camera work, the lighting, the fantastic dream sequences... Everything is portrayed with a great sense for the absurdities of the world, which is ultimately also a mirror of our own, viewed with biting Monty Python humor.

And then there is the hand-picked cast with Jonathan Pryce as a cog in the machine, romantic and everyday hero Sam Lowry, a sad and tragic figure who rises above himself. Pryce is supported by Robert De Niro as a plumber who rebels against bureaucracy; Katherine Helmond as Lowry's mother, who is addicted to plastic surgery; Kim Greist as Lowry's dream woman; Ian Holm as the incompetent boss Mr. Kurtzmann; Bob Hoskins as a malicious plumber and Michael Palin as the loving family man and torture specialist Jack Lint.

In 1985, »Brazil« created images that are deeply etched in our memories. It is, without a doubt, a movie that has a significant influence on dystopian cinema - and for us a lasting 5-star masterpiece!

We already know that filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck can create films with an authentic yet fresh '70s and '80s vibe—just look at »Mrs. America« or »Captain Marvel«. But going full-on brutal and bloody, that’s new.

The latest trailer for »Freaky Tales« oozes Tarantino-Kill-Bill attitude and definitely grabbed our attention. This anthology-style film, a homage to Ryan Fleck’s childhood in 1980s California, weaves together various stories across different film genres into one larger narrative and it's packed with stars.
Leading the cast is Hollywood’s current golden boy Pedro Pascal (»The Last of Us«, »Game of Thrones», and soon »The Fantastic Four - First Steps«), whose insane work ethic has basically become a meme at this point. Also on board: Ben Mendelsohn (»Captain Marvel«), Jay Ellis (»Top Gun: Maverick«), former Fifth Harmony singer Normani in her feature film debut, Ji-young Yoo (soon in »Until Dawn«), and Tom Hanks (»Forrest Gump«, obviously).

The film premiered last year at the Sundance Festival, where excited audiences described it as a wild genre mixtape.
Check out the nostalgic and insane trailer here:
https://youtu.be/-2e8SYmofZM

As for whether and when we’ll get to experience this trip in German cinemas, that’s still up in the air. But in the U.S., the film hits theaters on April 4.

Today, »The Monkey«, the new film by Osgood “Oz” Perkins II, opens in German cinemas. Our Mick took the opportunity to watch the film yesterday in a preview screening. These are his impressions:

Oz Perkins, the eldest son of actor Anthony Perkins, whose portrayal of Norman Bates in »Psycho« cemented his place in horror film history, has carved out his own path in the genre. He made his first appearance in front of the camera when he played the young Norman Bates in 1983's »Psycho II«. He made his directorial debut in 2015 with »The Blackcoat's Daughter«. I saw his second film, the Netflix production »I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House« from 2016, which I found just plain boring. Even though his third film in 2020, »Gretel & Hansel«, didn’t fully win me over, it did showcase his keen sense of atmosphere. Then, last year, came »Longlegs«—a film that generated buzz even before its release thanks to clever marketing. It ultimately debuted to mostly positive reviews, earned multiple festival nominations, won the Saturn Award for Best Screenplay … and, to my surprise, I found it quite appealing.

Accordingly I was quite excited about »The Monkey«. I had often read beforehand that the film was a horror comedy and completely different to »Longlegs«. The film, based on a short story by Stephen King, tells of an evil toy, a drumming wind-up monkey. Whenever it swings its drumsticks, the most absurd deaths occur in the environment of the twin brothers Hal and Bill.

Given its inherently absurd premise, the film does well not to take itself too seriously. The deaths evoke the spirit of the »Final Destination« films, though they often feel underdeveloped and, at times, excessively over-the-top for my taste. There were a couple of clever moments and some well-executed gore effects. But the story doesn't provide enough material for the entire running time of the film and the short story would probably have been better suited for a short film.

Naturally, humor is always a matter of taste. I saw a whole series of YouTube reviews in which many critics raved about how funny the film was. Unfortunately, I for one didn't even have to laugh. I found the film neither funny nor scary.

Among the cast, only Tatiana Maslany (»Orphan Black«), who plays the twins' mother, was truly convincing to me. Almost all of the supporting characters are exaggerated caricatures, often reminiscent of the cringiest moments from the worst »Scary Movie« sequels. Performances that were often beyond my pain threshold.

The film's heavy-handed father-son conflict also fell flat for me. There wasn't a moment I connected with the protagonists of the story; they simply left me cold.

»The Monkey« is a film that divides opinions. There are certainly reviews that give it 5 out of 5 stars. Unfortunately, the film didn't win me over. Admittedly, it has a few nice gore scenes, but that's only enough to pump it up to 2 stars sadly.

But maybe this film will better suit your sense of humor and taste than mine. Let us know how you liked »The Monkey« and what qualities you discovered.

Today, »Win or Lose«, the first original long-form animated series from Pixar Animation Studios starts streaming on Disney+. The series follows the Pickles, a co-ed middle school softball team, in the week before their championship game.

Each episode focuses on a different character and offers an insight into life off the field - what moves the players, their parents and the umpire?

It's not just since »Inside Out« that we've known Pixar excels at subtle, intelligent, charming and wise stories with wit and heart. We think »Win or Lose« will be no exception and we'll definitely tune in. The first two episodes drop today with a new one being added every Wednesday.

Warm up with the trailer:
https://youtu.be/AhxGObicnPs