[Monday, 19th of December, 2022]
AMC Lincoln Square 13.
Standing tall on Broadway, its iconic marquee glowed as it announced the grand premiere of [Tech Wiz: Year One].
Despite the subtle shower of snow, the streets outside were alive with energy as fans and paparazzi alike pressed against metal barricades and posters behind, their voices mingling in a cacophony of excitement as their cameras flashed.
Sleek black SUVs, alongside a plethora of high class vehicles rolled up as celebrities, alighted from them and stepped onto the crimson-red carpet that stretched towards the entrance.
And in expected fashion, the paparazzi and fans alike were there to bombard them with their screams and requests.
However, things weren’t exactly at peak buzz until the main cast began arriving;
"Xavier! Cass! Look over here! How does it feel to be one of Hollywood’s Power Couples?!"
"Sharon! Lily! You’re both stunning! Over here, give a pose for the cameras!"
"Oh is that the Clint Rockwood guy?! Oh yeah it’s him! He plays Malakai in the movie!"
"Jeffrey! Give us a cool pose like you always do!"
As the main cast shuffled their way into the theatre whilst briefly indulging in the requests of the press, other involved individuals in the movie’s production soon showed up.
Bruce, Mark, Hank and Oliver who came with Tiana, alongside the rest of Kyle’s team and some his employees at SpawnPoint Studio also arrived on ground.
The same could be said for a bunch of movie critics, journalists, reporters and influencers alike who quickly made their way into the theatre.
However, it didn’t take long before everyone watched as a familiar Ford Mustang pulled up on scene.
Despite his immense fame and wealth, it had always painted a very humble image to the press and fans alike that Kyle only had two vehicles— one in Canada and the other in New York— both also being of the same model as he frequently shuttled between both locations.
Alighting from the vehicle in sleek, black, leather Chelsea boots, his form-fitting, well-tailored, dark-grey suit sticking to his body like second skin, coupled with his gelled-hair now back to its normal shade of raven-black, Kyle was dazzlingly handsome.
And in turn, paparazzi and fans alike bombarded him with a plethora of questions and requests while flashing their cameras in a frenzy!
"Kyle! Kyle! Over here! Over here!"
"How does it feel knowing hundreds of fans are here just for you?!"
"Are you confident in the movie being a box office blockbuster?!"
"KK! Any message for the Tech Wiz fans?!"
Yet, instead of walking straight down the red carpet in response to their blaring flashes of camera lights, Kyle instead gave a warm smile, waved over slightly and then, walked to the other side of his car.
Audible murmurs began to surface from the press as their thoughts churned, seemingly in a mix of disbelief, delight and palpable anticipation as they seemed to imply what was going on.
"Wait…"
"Don’t tell me…"
"A date…?"
As the press, watched the young star gently open the door to the front passenger seat, a lady’s high heels gently alighting from the car, they soon watched as she fully stepped out.
Dressed in a long, sexy, backless, sequined-grey formal dress to match Kyle’s was Christina, her hands gently tucking the front pieces of her intricate, up-do blonde-hair behind her ear.
Holding his arm out for her to cuff with, the lady beamed slightly at him while mouthing the words;
<Thank you.>
"You’re welcome." Kyle reciprocated with a soft smile as he led her down the carpeted walkways.
And as one would expect, the response from the press was rabid-like as they instantly began blurting out all their thoughts and burning questions in intense and frenzied curiosity;
"Oh oh oh! I’m gonna print dollar bills today!"
"Christina Aubert! Kyle?! When did this happen?!"
"Kyle! Kyle! Who is she? Is this your official red carpet debut as a couple?!"
"Christina, you look stunning! How long have you two been seeing each other?"
"Kyle! Are you two matching outfits on purpose? Is this a statement?"
"Is this a one-time red carpet appearance together, or should we expect more?"
"Kyle! A quick pose together for the cameras, please! Can we also get a kiss?!"
Yet, through it all, Kyle simply maintained a warm smile with a light wave, as he felt Christina’s grip tighten around his arms.
In an effort to ease her nerves, he then whispered slightly, his voice teasing;
"Alright blondielocks—"
Christina looked up at him with widened eyes before he could even complete his sentence, the pupils of her evergreen irises seemingly saying;
That’s a new one!
"You like it?" Kyle then asked with flexed brows, a light smile forming on his lips.
The lady bobbled her head with a blooming smile, one that had the young man laughing softly.
Considering Christina had very much grown to adore all of Kyle’s pet names for her, a new addition to the catalogue had her noticeably excited.
Yet unknown to the lady, she didn’t even realize when they’d completely left the carpeted walkways, her nervousness having long vanished.
But for the press whom had been within vicinity, they couldn’t help but stare at some of the mesmerizing shots they had taken of the new couple.
In it, both individuals looked completely smitten with the other as Kyle sported a happy laugh and Christina’s smile, bloomed like a firework in the night’s sky.
* * *
Making their way into the dazzling and luxurious lobby fitted with giant LED screens that cycled through the [Tech Wiz: Year One] posters, Kyle and Christina, soon dispersed to meet various familiar faces.
There was a scent of high class wine and freshly popped popcorn in the air, one that mingled with the hum of excited conversations.
The main cast, alongside other celebrities, filmmakers and invited industry peers weaved through the space, pausing at branded backdrops where reporters and journalists on ground eagerly awaited soundbites.
As for the movie critics, they simply lounged around, most waiting for the main attraction of the premiere to begin.
One of such movie critics was Elena Whitmore who worked for a popular publication company that went by the name of Daily Burglar.
Being one of their top movie critics, one that was dedicated solely to giving an objective view to Hollywood movies without any of her emotions involved, the lady couldn’t wait to do her job…
The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.
… even if she was a geek whom had read through every possible issue of the comics in her spare time in preparation for its release.
Having reviewed [Fables & Legends] after their Premiere a few days back at the TCL Chinese Theatre in LA though, the lady could confidently say, that despite all the backlash Atlas International had suffered over the past month, their movie still had a potential to be a hit.
’If only they didn’t split the first book into two parts, just to milk the franchise though…’ Elena mused to herself as she watched Christina Aubert, giggling and conversing with Lily Lockhart and Sharon Winters alongside Jasmine Faye and Tiana Rivers, both of whom had been invited to the Premiere.
Considering the movie critic had no idea Kyle and Christina were an item though since she had arrived earlier, she couldn’t quite place a finger on why all four were being so animated.
In any case, as she snatched up a glass of wine from one of the caterers moving about, her gaze soon cascaded over the venue till it landed on Clint Rockwood whom was being interviewed at the branded backdrop as the old Hollywood star, Jeffrey Dickson, soon joined in.
As for Kyle Kestis, the man of the hour whom she spotted much later, he was currently posing for the cameras alongside a smiling Xavier and Cassandra Cage.
About a half-hour later though, everyone was soon guided over to the IMAX auditorium for the screening to commence.
Eyes perking up with purpose, Elena swiftly downed another glass of wine, the empty glass placed gently atop her table.
Briskly, she moved alongside the crowd to reach the auditorium which was complete with plush, reclining seats that filled its stadium-style arrangement, a crystal-clear projection system, and a surround sound setup that was sure to make every explosion, whisper, and electrifying moment in the superhero movie feel visceral.
And after a few minutes of shuffling around the auditorium and settling into their seats, the house lights dimmed, signifying the start of the movie as the projector came to life, its projection displayed on the high-resolution IMAX screen.
With a hushed anticipation thick in the air, the logo of SpawnPoint Studios appearing on the massive screen which was then followed by Dot Productions logo, the movie finally began.
And as the first scene with Catherine, Malakai and the scientists played out, Elena, just like everyone else in the room, strapped themselves in.
The movie had very much kicked off to a strong start.
’Now, can it maintain it?’ Elena mused to herself, her attention rapt.
Her answers?
Well she got them in the next two hours and thirty minutes.
…
…
…
By the time the credits finally rolled, complete with a shocking post credit scene that shook the very framework of everything that they’d been experiencing, Elena found herself, much like everyone else in the auditorium, applauding like there was no tomorrow!
Directors, producers and the likes, soon flocked towards the main cast— Kyle, Clint and Sharon, receiving the most attention!
Director Cage, alongside his wife, were also in the spotlight as they were immediately surrounded by a plethora of industry peers.
There was no denying it.
[Tech Wiz: Year One] was set to be 2022’s superhero blockbuster despite releasing so late into the year.
That said, a few hours later when the movie critic had finally reached her home, she had been so excited that she immediately kicked off her shoes to the side and pulled up her laptop as she settled onto her bed.
So many words to convey what she had experienced a few hours earlier, came to mind.
Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that only a couple words were needed to convey exactly how [Tech Wiz: Year One] made her feel.
And with speedy taps of her laptop’s keyboard, she dropped her unbiased review;
-
Daily Burglar - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
[Tech Wiz: Year One], a loving homage to the comics like no other.
-
* * *
Screening reviews of [Fables & Legend] had long hit the internet, two days before superhero blockbuster’s premiere.
-
Cinema Flix - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
[Fables & Legends] delivers on its promise of adapting Martin O. Ronan’s epic dark-fantasy adventure in a way that feeds escapism that feels personal and profound. Yet, it also takes its dark plot very seriously as it tackles some serious themes involving loss, war, and heroism.
-
Entertainment Weekly - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
With so much passion on display, [Fables & Legend] is cinematic masterpiece that had me immediately captivated and transported to the Lands of Threnodia from the very first scene. The film’s sweeping vistas, meticulously crafted sets, and stunning visual effects are a feast for the eyes, but it’s the characters, story, and themes that truly make it a great adaption of a widely beloved franchise.
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Daily Burglar - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Now [Fables & Legend] might’ve started off really strong, especially with how lovingly crafted each scene is alongside its stellar cast of actors who actually seem to have read the source material but, where it falls short, is its insistence on drawing out the story in the last hour. Still, I’d recommend the movie to anyone hoping to have a good time at the cinemas.
-
Seeing the mix of four to five stars on their reputable Mashed Potatoes website, as opposed to the typical plethora of five stars across the board that most action-adventure fantasy blockbusters typically had, gave most fans of the books a ray of hope.
It at least painted the image that the reviews were genuine and they could at least hope to have a great time at the cinemas, despite the hot mess Atlas International had found themselves in a month and a few weeks back.
However, when the reviews of [Tech Wiz: Year One] began popping up on the site after its premiere, with only the rare and occasional four star, fans of the comic books, couldn’t help but be a bit wary.
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Den of Nerds - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
My goodness, where do we start?! There’s so much to talk about from the stellar acting to the CGI, the vibrant artistic direction, the soundtrack (gods, the soundtrack!!) and especially the plot, everything about [Tech Wiz: Year One] is just bursting with unbridled passion (like umami in your favorite cooking anime!), you can’t help but want to book a second screening immediately!
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Critical Hit - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Whereas most superhero blockbusters focus solely on the spectacle— and mind you [Tech Wiz: Year One] has some truly mind-blowing ones— this movie, has just as much of a compelling storyline that solidifies what it means to be a superhero.
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Hollywood Bugle - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
[Tech Wiz: Year One] starts off generic… but, by the time you’re viewing those credits, trust me, the only thing you’ll be wishing for, is that it never ended. It’s beautiful, it’s stunning, it’s emotional, sometimes hilarious, definitely compelling, and just an all-round love letter to fans of the comics. Definitely, one of the best superhero movie in years!
-
When things seemed too good to be true, they usually were.
This was a mantra a lot of people, knowingly or unknowingly, tended to live by.
Yet, at the same time, humans at their core, are hopeful souls.
And that was why, for the millions of fans around the world whom had been eagerly waiting for the movie to drop for close to a year+ now, they hoped that truly, [Tech Wiz: Year One] was as good as it was lauded to be.
After all, tomorrow, it would land in cinemas for all and sundry to make their own verdicts as to whether it deserved all the accolades it was getting or not.