Author Archives: Jesse Schaffer

Daredevil Season One: A Lovely Stroll through Hell’s Kitchen

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I’m not seeking penance for what I’ve done, Father. I’m asking forgiveness… for what I’m about to do. 

When I first heard that Marvel Studios was adapting Daredevil into an original series for Netflix, I was skeptical. Agents of Shield hadn’t exactly filled me with confidence regarding Marvel’s ability to make a good TV show (though it has since improved dramatically), and last time someone took a crack at Daredevil, we got Ben Affleck and… well, you know how that went.

But maybe that was the problem. Not every superhero needs a big screen treatment and a budget to match it. It doesn’t always work to pick a famous actor to play the title role. For an unassuming vigilante like Daredevil, a blind kid from Hell’s kitchen who just wants to make his city a better place, it enhances the role to pick a relative unknown and let us peel back his layers over 13 episodes rather than stuff it all into a two-hour action flick.

And sometimes, certain material deserves a second chance to find an audience. The first season of Daredevil was a revelation and season 2 is hitting Netflix this Friday. If you are a Marvel fan or just like good television, you best be watching.

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Mark Sanchez Won’t Ruin the Broncos Next Season (Probably)

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A day after the Broncos introduced Mark Sanchez as their most notable offseason acquisition, it’s understandable if there is a general feeling of angst permeating throughout Denver. That’s what happens when a future Hall of Famer rides off into the sunset, his supposed successor walks out the door and the next signal caller brought in is the infamous Butt-Fumbler. It’s a good time to mention that the Broncos are the defending Super Bowl champions.

Although defections are taking place all over the roster, quarterbacks always draw the most attention and set off the loudest alarms. That’s why Brock Osweiler’s desertion hit the hardest and why Sanchez’s arrival is treated with the most scrutiny. Never mind the fact that Osweiler and Peyton Manning quarterbacked the Broncos to the second-worst passer rating in the league last season. Those guys are gone, Sanchez is here and everything is horrible, right?

Well, not really. Truth be told, there are a few ways the Broncos can improve on offense even if Sanchez is under center next season.

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The Price of Going Back-to-Back

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John Elway spoiled Broncos’ fans during free agency his first few years on the job. There were always huge, splashy signings to look forward to and he had a knack for signing the biggest names available on the market, like a kid playing Madden with the salary cap off. That changed last year when the most notable players who came to town were Owen Daniels and Darian Stewart. Don’t get me wrong, those were two solid players, but it was a far cry from the days of reeling in Peyton Manning, Wes Welker, DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib. That’s what happens when you draft and develop great players and then have to resign them.

Like last year, a lot of those players will be leaving us. Here’s my look at what our free agents should do, even though we all know what they will do.

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Olympus Has Fallen: Wait, Did I Read that Right?

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You did. This is not to be confused with London Has Fallen, the sequel to this movie that was released today. There are a lot of sequels coming out in 2016, so I thought it would be fun to take a look back and review some of these older movies in these franchises.

And in essence, that’s what Olympus Has Fallen is at its core: FUN. Here we have a silly, noisy action movie that is surprisingly gripping. My girlfriend suggested that we watch it and was totally into it.

Me: So this is basically Die Hard at the White House, right?

Her: I guess? I never saw Die Hard. 

Oh boy. There may be a series of retro reviews coming your way later this year.

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Eddie the Eagle: As Familiar as a Cold Glass of a Milk

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One of the old adages of life is that everyone loves an underdog. Underdogs like fellow underdogs. Normal people like underdogs. Talented, privileged people? They turn their nose up at inferior beings initially, but ultimately the underdog wins their respect. At least that’s what I’ve learned from every feel-good story that’s been released over the past 25 years or so.

Eddie the Eagle feels right at home with the rest of those underdog tales because it is one. While it won’t win any points for originality, the story of Eddie Edwards won me over because of the performances by Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman and because I always appreciate a feel-good story that’s done right. Even if I feel like I’ve seen it before.   Continue reading →

Why the Oscars Need Leo More than Leo Needs an Oscar

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Leonardo Dicaprio’s quest for an elusive Academy Award has become somewhat of a running gag. Despite turning in one great performance after another and being nominated for an Oscar on a number of occasions, Leo always gets robbed by the Academy. It’s gotten to the point where this is a real conversation that takes place between Kevin and I.

Me: I’m finally seeing The Revenant today.

Kevin: Which one is that again?

Me: Leo’s newest Oscar snub.

Sad, I know. But you know what, it doesn’t matter if Leo gets overlooked yet again on Sunday for the recognition he rightfully deserves. Hit the jump to find out why.  Continue reading →

Deadpool: About Time Someone Got it Right

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Remember back in 2009 when comic book fans were thrilled that Deadpool was finally going to be in a movie? And then that movie turned out to be X-Men Origins: Wolverine and we all died a little on the inside? But then Ryan Reynolds said we were going to get an actual Deadpool movie and we all backed away from the ledge a little bit?

Well that was almost seven years ago. I was beginning to lose hope that they would ever do the “Merc with a Mouth” justice on the big screen. Even when Deadpool was FINALLY greenlit and Reynolds was all excited about how it was turning out and the trailer looked very promising, I was still pessimistic. This is the 20th Century Fox after all, who just released this abomination last summer. And movies that loiter in development hell for that long rarely turn out to be good.

So how was Deadpool? Well, in short it was… huh. So THAT’S what it’s like to see the perfect Deadpool movie. Radical.

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How to Be Single: The Guide to Independent Misery

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I know what you’re thinking. A week has passed since Valentine’s Day and still no Deadpool review. “But Pegboards loves comic book movies,” you say, “so what gives?” Alright, I said that so you didn’t have to.

The truth is I haven’t seen Deadpool yet. I don’t know if Kevin has seen it yet because I haven’t asked him. What I do know is that when your girlfriend asks you to go see a chick flick with her, you put on a smile and secretly hope that it’s actually good so that you don’t have to pretend that you liked it.

So how did How to Be Single turn out? Well, after the movie, my girlfriend asked me if I liked it and when I said yes, she smirked and said, “You don’t have to lie, but thanks for putting up with it.”

Full spoilers follow.

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Kung Fu Panda 3: If It Ain’t Broke, Please Don’t Try and Fix It

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Sequels in Hollywood are a dime a dozen. For every original idea that gets adapted into a feature length film, we get 20 sequels or spinoffs based on existing properties. It’s easier to go with what worked before rather than come up with something new. Unsurprisingly, this approach fails as often as it succeeds, particularly in animation (Shrek the Third, Cars 2 and Minions all come to mind).

I’m happy to report that this isn’t the case with Kung Fu Panda 3. While it won’t make you forget about Toy Story 3 any time soon, it completes one of the better animated trilogies of our time. It all feels very familiar, but that’s okay.

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“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Review

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I thought it was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. A magical power holding together good and evil? The Dark Side? The Light? The crazy thing is, it’s true. All of it. The Jedi? They’re real. 

There are some things in life that are indescribable. One of the most endearing effects that a movie can have on us is how they make us feel, for that is how we truly measure what they mean to us and how much we enjoy them as an audience. Maybe that sounds a little corny, but being corny is one of the time-honored traditions in Hollywood. The frenzy that surrounds the release of a new Star Wars movie is another one.

As I sit here and at long-last share my opinion on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it’s important to keep this in mind. I will analyze and critique the film to the best of my ability, but one thing I could never do justice to is describe the overwhelming feeling of joy I had while once more returning to a galaxy far, far away. It’s more than just nostalgia or the emergence of my inner-child. It’s the kind of feeling that takes place when you are experiencing something you know that you’ll remember forever, and so I could never accurately convey to you in words what that’s like. You just have to live it for yourself.

I lived it. I still have the smile on my face to prove it.

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