In advance of the theatrical release of Inferno (Oct. 28), 
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the global phenomenon by bringing the blockbuster films THE DA VINCI CODE and ANGELS & DEMONS to next-generation 4K Ultra HD and back to Blu-ray Oct. 11. Two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, Academy Award winner Ron Howard, and bestselling author Dan Brown teamed up for both thrillers that followed the exploits of symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks).

Both films feature all-new interviews with Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Dan Brown and Brian Grazer, as well as a first look at the highly anticipated third installment of the franchise, Inferno. Additionally, both include a wide variety of insightful and compelling featurettes that delve into the creation of these thrilling adventure favorites, as well as deleted scenes.

THE DA VINCI CODE

The murder of a curator at the Louvre reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected since the days of Christ. Only the victim’s granddaughter and Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a famed symbologist, can untangle the clues he left behind. The two become both suspects and detectives searching for not only the murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect.

ANGELS & DEMONS

Tom Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church.

And we’re giving away 3 sets of the films to Forces of Geek readers!

What is your passion in life?

When I was in college, literally all I did was write. I had some zines, I published some stuff in this little journal or that. But mostly: I wrote. I wrote simply as an act of existing, being in the Now and creating.

And then what happens is that you leave the rarefied bubble of academia, go into corporate life, and spend the next 10-20 years having it hammered in your head that what you did those 4 golden years of high creativity was naive at best, and has no connection in any way to the reality of the Entertainment Machine.

And that in itself is a kind of startling and soul-killing realization, but here comes the kicker: you are also told over and over again (most especially by yourself) that you might as well not even bother writing anymore. That simply the act of writing—of pretending to be this presumably talented creative entity for a few stolen hours a day—is just a big laugh and waste of time.

And you see Crap™ elevated to godlike status, mass-produced to the point of infinity and de facto worshiped—and Genius slaving away at minimum-wage jobs. You buy the brilliant self-pubbed comic book of some great, raw talent who drifts in and out of your life like smoke; you buy their book, you never hear about them again. Then you have Dreck™ shoved into your face 24/7; and you buy said Dreck™, just to know what is happening, or maybe you just get caught up in the hype. It’s nice to feel a part of Something™.

Whereas with the wraithlike indie creator that popped into and out of your vision for that strange, magical moment…what’s the most you can do with that? You can write a review or endorsement of some kind, I guess. You can buy an extra copy for a friend.

How many of us have given these hopeful new talents our own version of the dream-killing “you’ll shoot your eye out” speech? Be honest—how many here have done it? Aren’t we wizened and clever!

But how many years, weeks, and days do any of us have left on this planet? Seriously, take out your Dayplanner, and figure this stuff out. Give yourself a reasonable estimate on how many Good Weeks you have left, given your age and overall health. Now subtract Possible World Catastrophe and Possible Sudden Accidental Death and Possible Onset Of Chronic-to-Fatal Illness from that total.

At the very End—that last time you cross “GO” on the Monopoly board—what you didn’t do, because you didn’t want to be regarded as this idealistic vulnerable dweeb, isn’t going to make a bit of difference.

What’s going to matter is what you did—what you actually wrote or drew or created, regardless if it’s mass-produced or confined to 15 limited edition hand-printed copies. (Some more points added for creating from the Heart.)

Then you can drift to whatever heaven/DMT-induced momentary Afterlife that is waiting for you, knowing that you have no regrets. Knowing that in The Great Big Balance Sheet of existence, you put some extra scratch-marks in the Goodness/Creation/Evolution column; rather than adding more Dreck™ to the other column, making it harder for other people, closing minds and trapping their attention within prefab memes and cynical idea-viruses.

If you’re not going to make your comic now…then when??? If you are not taking action right now to tell your story, when will it be told?

If Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights don’t provide quite enough time on the turf, may we suggest your best bet for filling the hours between games this football season: the hit HBO comedy series Ballers.

Starring Dwayne Johnson as ex-superstar Spencer Strasmore, who has reinvented himself as a financial manager for today’s players in sun-soaked Miami, Ballers: Season 2 will be available to own on Digital HD Monday, October 24. The complete season download includes all ten Season 2 episodes, plus Inside the Episodes features at select retailers that take viewers behind the scenes of the show.

In Season 2 of Ballers, things are getting more competitive and complicated for Spencer. As the lines between professional and personal blur in his pursuit of lasting success and glory, he must face demons from the past when he goes head-to-head with the biggest business manager on the scene.

Heralded by critics for Johnson’s “movie-star charisma” (The Hollywood Reporter) and co-star Rob Corddry’s “hilarious” performance (TV Overmind), Ballers is a must-see comedy for football fanatics and TV junkies alike.

Ballers: The Complete Second Season is available now on all major Digital HD platforms from HBO Home Entertainment. 

Produced by Zoran Dzeverdanovic
Written and Directed by Tomaz Gorkic
Starring Nina Ivanisin, Lotos Sparovec,
Nika Rozman, Sebastian Cavazza,
Jurij Drevensek, Manca Ogorevc,
Damjana Cerne, Matic Bobnar

Not-bad take on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre/The Hills Have Eyes/Wrong Turn subgenre finds them durn city slickers facing off against backwoods mutant killers.

The chief novelty here is that Killbillies is Slovenia’s very first horror film.

It’s mostly just unpleasant and derivative, but it’s well-paced for the most part, has a fair amount of gore and suspense, and a doozy of a climactic shot.

Zina (Nina Ivanisin) is a jaded, aging fashion model who, after a night of drinking with the girls, heads out into the wilderness for a photo shoot. Annoying up-and-comer Mia (Nika Rozman), as well as Dragica (Manca Ogorevc) and photographer Blitcz (Sebastian Cavazza) are also along for the ride.

Before they know it, they’re attacked and abducted by some mutant hillbillies. Fairly typical torture and stalk-and-slash hijinks ensue.

The motivation behind the hillbillies’ behavior is actually an interesting if bizarre variation on the cannibal horror subgenre, it must be said. But the big problem here is that other than said torture scene, which is fairly effective if stereotypically depressing (well, it IS torture…), the threat here isn’t very strong.

The hillbillies themselves, while disgusting, aren’t overly scary. The abduction scene reminded me of the early scenes of the original Funny Games, wherein two unthreatening preppies overtake a family with a golf club. It pretty much killed Funny Games for me; this movie recovers a bit after the torture scene and makes up for the lack of threat with some decent, if occasionally pretentious, filmmaking.

The acting is fine throughout, but the make-up and effects are uneven. The score is properly unnerving, and the cinematography, while at times too dark, is effective.

There are some cool juxtapositions here; there’s a particularly nice cut from a nightmarish scene to a gorgeous, scenic shot of the beautiful mountains in the countryside, complete with pretty, soothing music.

The last half hour of the film is the most fun: mostly a prolonged chase through the woods. The heroine is crafty and resolved; however, points off for having another character attempt an escape while leaving a perfectly good weapon behind on the ground.

The movie doesn’t add up to much, and the climax reaches for meaning through random events, and it left me cold…until it’s followed by a slightly pretentious but terrific final shot. It’s a shot that would admittedly have been far more powerful if the rest of the film were nearly as good.

Still, kudos for not going for a clichéd, ineffective horror-flick ending and going for an oddly beautiful, poetic denouement.

Which is then cheapened by a mid-credits, low-key “gotcha”.

Killbillies is definitely a case of good-movie/mediocre-movie, but the good makes it worth a look for horror fans.

Killbillies arrives on DVD and VOD/Streaming on October 25, 2016

Sequart Organization is proud to announce the publication of The Best There is at What He Does: Examining Chris Claremont’s X-Men, by Jason Powell.

The X-Men franchise is a sprawling comics mythology, to which hundreds of creators have contributed over the past 50 years. The period from 1975 to 1991 is special, however, as the X-Men universe was guided by the voice of one writer, who wrote every single issue of The Uncanny X-Men during that span. His name is Chris Claremont, and he made the X-Men what it is today.

The Best There is at What He Does is an appreciation of the long-term narrative Claremont lovingly crafted month after month, over the course of nearly 17 years. Proceeding chronologically through the issues, this exhaustive overview analyzes the trends, arcs, and themes that emerge throughout his landmark comics opus.

Photograph by Seth Kushner

The book is available in print and on Kindle. (Just a reminder: you don’t need a Kindle device to read Kindle-formatted books; you can download a free Kindle reader for most computers, phones, and tablets.) It runs 296 pages and features a foreword by Geoff Klock and a cover by Steven Legge. Find out more on the book’s official page.

About the Publisher

Sequart Organization is devoted to the study of popular culture and the promotion of comic books as a legitimate art form. Sequart has released twenty-five books, seven documentaries, and thousands of online articles. Its documentaries include Neil Gaiman: Dream Dangerously, and its books include The British Invasion: Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, and the Invention of the Modern Comic Book Writer.

Not until the mid-late 1950s did Hollywood realize there was a distinct teen audience for edgy genre films.

Historians usually credit Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson for being the first to recognize – and exploit – this audience of teens.  It was American International Pictures (AIP), the company co-founded by Arkoff and Nicholson in 1954, which produced the first and greatest teen hits of the era.

The cigar-chomping Arkoff always enjoyed talking about himself.  In his later years he spelled out (with, we presume, some exaggeration) his “ARKOFF formula” for a successful B-movie:

Action (which could mean high drama or a fast pace)
Revolution (controversy or originality)
Killing (at least a little violence, and each death has some meaning)

Oratory (well-written and quotable dialogue)
Fantasy (vicarious wish-fulfillment for the viewer)
Fornication (sex appeal)

He also explained the refinement of the teen audience and why AIP movies tended to skew toward male teens:

a) A younger child will watch anything an older child will watch.
b) An older child will not watch anything a younger child will watch.
c) A girl will watch anything a boy will watch.
d) A boy will not watch anything a girl will watch.

So, at least for low budget B-movies, market them to a hypothetical 19-year-old male, and you’ll attract the largest number of viewers.

The formula worked well for 20 years and AIP found itself imitated many times, sometimes by big studios like Paramount.  Eventually AIP was sold to Filmways, and Filmways itself was acquired by Orion.  But AIP’s pioneering teen legacy remains a key component to 20th century genre film history.

What sorts of teen hits did AIP and its imitators produce in the 1950s?  Some of the hits were hotrod pictures like the original The Fast and the Furious (1955), and a few were sci-fi pictures like Teenagers from Outer Space (1959).  But most were teen horror.

I count nine 1950s teen horror films in total, the first five coming from AIP and the latter four coming from independent producers who jumped on AIP’s bandwagon.

I’ve written more about these films in my Claws & Saucers guidebook, but I wanted to group them here and consider how they were crafted especially for teens.

I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF (June 1957)

Nearly all AIP’s horror hits were written, produced, or directed by either Herman Cohen or Roger Corman.

This first one, the trendsetter, the first picture to have the word “teenage” in its title, was a Cohen production.  It originally played with Invasion of the Saucer Men, a sci-fi film also pointedly aimed at teens.

The best-remembered performance is that of Michael Landon (the Bonanza/Little House on the Prairie Guy, only 20 at the time).  He’s very sensitive yet also very tough.

But the other great performance is Whit Bissell’s.  Bissell is known (when he’s known at all) as a supporting character actor, but his cold-hearted authority figure was the perfect choice for a villain in a teen genre film.

I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN (November 1957)

After Werewolf was a monster hit (so to speak), it took AIP only a few months to create this follow-up.

Again it was a Cohen production, and again it featured Whit Bissell as an unscrupulous authority figure (a scientist) out to exploit America’s youth.

But it’s no hack job.  The dialogue and acting are excellent.  As in the Hammer Frankenstein films starring Peter Cushing, you’ll sympathize with the poor beast, but you’ll remember the mad doctor the most.

Several gory images – including a severed head – are among the most extreme of the decade.

BLOOD OF DRACULA (November 1957)

This one shared its original billing, its producer, and its director with I Was a Teenage Frankenstein.  Again an insensitive authority figure (a teacher) toys with the life of an unsuspecting teen, turning the teen into a monster.

The key difference: it’s all female.  The evil teacher is an amoral feminist and the teen victim is a high school chemistry student.

Unfortunately, the picture doesn’t know quite what to do with itself… is it scientific?  …is it supernatural?  The evil teacher isn’t developed enough.

But when the girl transforms into bat form (she’s more of a were-bat than a typical vampire), she looks impressively hideous.

HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER (July 1958)

Riding high after a year of hits, AIP got a little full of itself for this one.  How so?  It put “itself” into the picture by depicting tourists visiting AIP studios the same way tourists would visit Paramount, MGM, or Warner Brothers.  Of course in real life, AIP was a tiny fraction of a large studio’s size.

As for the story, it’s another unscrupulous adult (this time a disgruntled ex-employee) abusing America’s teens for his own sinister purposes.

He controls the teens with hypnotic makeup, so, yeah, this one’s pretty campy.  For teen appeal, young John Ashley (later famous for exploitation films made in the Philippines) sings “You’ve Got to Have Ee-ooo” with sexy gal dancers.

It originally played with Teenage Cave Man, a sci-fi fantasy also (obviously) aimed at teens.  It was co-produced by Cohen and had the same director (Herbert L. Strock) as the Frankenstein and Dracula films mentioned above.

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EARTH VS THE SPIDER (a.k.a. The Spider, September 1958)

This very fun picture was produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon (“Mr. Big” who just turned 94 as of this writing in October 2016), but distributed by AIP.

It’s filled with teen characters, dialogue, and songs.  Famously, some of the slang is incorrect (e.g. “having a blast” is taken to mean having a bad time, when of course a “blast” really means slang for a great time).

But the action and special effects hold up well.  The good guys spray the giant spider with DDT, back before they knew DDT was an ecosystem-destroying poison.  But even the DDT isn’t enough!

ARVE Error: no id set

THE BLOB (September 1958)

The famous Blob was an independent production, and it’s the only color film on our list unless you count the brief color conclusion to How to Make a Monster.

It features Steve McQueen in his first leading role – playing a teenager at age 28.  The small-town teens get rousted (good naturedly) by a local cop.  Later, their concerns about a space monster get dismissed by the authorities.

But, wouldn’t you know it, after the monster grows large enough to threaten the whole town, it’s the teens who find the One Thing that can beat it.

Catering to the target audience, The Blob also featured a dancy theme song by Burt Bacharach who later wrote “Close to You” and “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.”

FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER (December 1958)

This independent Astor production is the first teen horror film to get notably exploitative and sleazy, at least in comparison to its predecessors.  The monster is plainly gross and gory looking.  And several good-looking ladies are ogled by the camera in revealing outfits.

But just before the hour mark it’s got an incredible teen BBQ dance party with a jazzy Beat band that makes the film feel good-natured and sweet.  The mix of hideousness, sweetness, and campiness is perfect.

So it’s not a high quality production, but it’s possibly the most entertaining movie on our list.  It features John Ashley from How to Make a Monster.

THE GIANT GILA MONSTER (June 1959)

This one sounds fun, but it’s the second worst picture on the list, second only to Teenage Zombies covered below.  The gila monster never appears giant, and it gets scant screen time (compare it to the spider from Earth vs the Spider which seems to be on screen as much as possible).  There’s too much boring talking.

But for teen appeal, it’s got hot rods, auto shops, and handsome Don Sullivan who sings two fun songs, the first one a capella while working on a car, the second one with a ukulele to entertain a girl with polio.  It’s got occasional fun dialogue, like teens grumbling about “Old Man Harris” and other adults.

As with other movies on the list (The Blob, most notably), it’s got nostalgic appeal with the classic Middle America small town setting.

TEENAGE ZOMBIES (April 1960)

Another independent production.  Yes, it was released in Spring 1960, but it was filmed in 1959 so let’s include it as the last film on our list.

The main appeal is handsome Don Sullivan from Giant Gila Monster, but he doesn’t get to sing here.  Actually he doesn’t get to do much of anything, since almost nothing happens.

Some teens get captured by unscrupulous adults – but here it’s Eastern Bloc agents, so the film doesn’t really fit the teen horror pattern.

The “zombie” stuff is really mind control.  A non sequitur gorilla makes the picture feel like it’s from the 40s.  It’s very bad and boring, but the final minute features a decent convertible.

So the last on our list is the least, but almost all the other Teen Horror Films of the 50s are still fun today.

Lauded as “unexpected and wildly compelling” (Adam Chitwood, Collider) and “brutal and harrowing” (Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair), director Andrew Neel’s gripping drama GOAT arrives on DVD December 20, 2016 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  Based on Brad Land’s memoir, with a screenplay by David Gordon Green, Neel and Mike Roberts, the film had its world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival where it was a critical success.  Produced by Killer Films and Rabbit Bandini and executive produced by Robert Halmi Jr. and Jim Reeve for Great Point Media, GOAT has been Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes and stars actor-musician Nick Jonas (“Kingdom” on Starz), Ben Schnetzer (Pride, The Book Thief) and James Franco (127 Hours).

GOAT follows a 19-year-old Brad (Schnetzer), newly arrived to college and desperate to belong.  Taking a cue from his older brother Brett (Jonas), Brad decides to pledge a fraternity.  At first, it’s all parties and girls. But as Brad enters into the final stretch of the pledging ritual—known as “hell week”—things take a violent, humiliating turn.  What occurs in the name of ‘brotherhood’ tests both boys and their relationship in brutal ways.

The GOAT DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, French and Spanish subtitles.

For over 30 incredible years, Carson paved the way for a late night TV revolution that will never be equaled.  And THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: THE VAULT SERIES will give Carson fans, TV historians and late night aficionados alike the chance to once again watch an amazing talent and true American icon at the height of his powers.

And we’re giving away 3 copies of the amazing 6-disc collection!

Check out an exclusive clip from GIRL IN WOODS below and enter to win one of three copies we’re giving away!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “GIRL IN WOODS” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

In addition to her role as Cordelia Chase on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel, Charisma Carpenter played Kendall Casablancas on this cult television series?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on November 13th, 2016.

Produced by Paul Currie, Bruce Davey,
William D. Johnson, Bill Mechanic,
Brian Oliver, David Permut, Tyler Thompson
Screenplay by Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan
Directed by Mel Gibson
Starring Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn,
Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer,
Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Richard Roxburgh

Mel Gibson’s invigorating, infuriating and inspirational Hacksaw Ridge opens on assaults of orange flooding the screen.

First, flames and explosions, then, human bodies within them being hurled directly at the camera. We cut from the haunting and horrific to the hopeful—a young Desmond Doss in his youth, where a juvenile incident provides the child with an early perspective on the value of human life.

Doss stares at his family’s artistic display of the Ten Commandments, zeroing in on “Thou Shall Not Kill.”

It’s this connection between Doss, his God and this specific commandment that carries us through the remainder of the film.

Doss grows up, falls in love with a beautiful girl and enlists in the war because he refuses to stand around while others bleed on the battlefield for his freedom. It’s an honorable approach that many took back then, but Doss differs once he’s among his fellow soldiers by directly refusing to carry or discharge a weapon during combat, choosing rather to be a medic in the field. This is met with confusion and contempt by Doss’s contemporaries and command, some believing him to be acting superior through his faith while others attribute his actions to pure cowardice.

Regardless, Doss never budges, and Hacksaw Ridge is the story of how this particular soldier went on to save 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa without ever once firing a gun or taking another human’s life.

This is a remarkable story told in remarkably visceral ways through Gibson’s approach.

The first hour or so of the film builds and builds on Doss’s story, delivering an Old Hollywood-style cheesiness that may indubitably prove off-putting for many a moviegoer. But we need this hokey escalation to highlight the humanity before the horror. From Andrew Garfield’s effortlessly appealing smile and charm as Doss, to his compelling love story with Dorothy (Teresa Palmer), to his hard-earned comradery amongst his peers, the actor carries the weight of the movie’s first half with the single best male performance so far this year and a highlight of his evolving career.

However, as soon as we enter the battlefield, this is Gibson’s movie through and through.

The director composes scenes of carnage with such excruciating expertise that the experience becomes intolerable—as it rightfully should be. The combat never feels like Hollywood heroics, contrasting grandly with the many moments that preceded it. There is blood and anguish and guts and gore and tears and desperation—men become animals and lose the essence of their souls. Gibson constructs some of the most stomach-churning war scenes I’ve seen put to screen, and the fact that these scenes repelled me so much means the filmmaker is doing everything exactly right.

War is ugly as all hell—nay, war is hell, to use a tired expression—and Gibson uses this fiery landscape to produce a piercing exposé of our most basic moral compositions and how war snatches these away like an effortless assassin. At one point, I simply burst into tears.

Hacksaw Ridge delivers just a brief pause before diving back into the warfare, and it all feels so relentless until hope enters the picture once more, as a stranded Doss remains on a vacated battlefield to save the lives of all the wounded men who were left for dead. Doss’s heroics are emotional and powerful, a reminder of how humanity can reign in even the darkest of times.

As the film nears its final minutes, Gibson admittedly lays on the Christ imagery a tad thick, but it works well in this particular story where “God” and “Good” are essentially inseparable. The goodness shines throughout the entire film, even in its ugliest moments and regardless of how you feel personally about this particular filmmaker.

I’m a sucker for films about good people, and Desmond Doss is one of the great ones.

Not counting anything written by Shakespeare, you’d be hard pressed to name another bit of literature that has been adapted into a movie as many times as Jack Finney’s 1953 story The Body Snatchers.

Finney’s novel of alien pod-people taking over a small town is a reflection of the paranoia of the 1950s, and a barely-veiled allegory for McCarthyism and the national fear that the Commies were coming to take over.
The story stands up remarkably well today—as all significant and resonant sci-fi will do—because its themes of personal identity, infiltration, loss of emotion, and fear of contamination can be readily applied to the terrors of the world, no matter what era.

This explains why this particular bit of sci-fi has been filmed and remade so many times (four official versions so far). The first black-and-white film adaptation from Don Siegel in 1956 came at the tail end of the McCarthy era, but its Cold War paranoia was palpable then and remains chillingly persuasive today.

Philip Kaufman’s 1978 version is a remake as well as a continuation. The same ideas that were in 1956 an allegory for the Cold War are expounded on for a different era—a post-Vietnam, post-Watergate age of cynicism, distrust, narcissism, ecological pollution, and sexual revolution. There are nods aplenty to Siegel’s adaptation, but when Kevin McCarthy from the original film bounces off Donald Sutherland’s fender and rants and raves about how “They’re already here! Help! You’re next! They’re coming!,” it is a clear suggestion that this is the same guy from the black-and-white movie, still on the run from the pod-people of Santa Mira and now being chased by a mob in San Francisco.

Moments later, he’s flattened by a car—a fiendishly twisted and multi-pronged homage to the film and to actor McCarthy, and one that is somehow appropriate given the bleak original ending of the 1956 movie (ultimately softened with studio-mandated bookend bits).  Kaufman’s film isn’t solely homage, however: several distinctive signature elements of Body Snatchers lore were born here, most memorably the elaborated life cycle of the pods and the alien-pig-squeal shriek of a pod-person, cribbed without shame by director Abel Ferrara in his 1993 remake.

As for the action being transplanted from small-town Americana to the streets of San Francisco, perhaps no other American city in the 1970s—with its eclectic population of flower children, freaks, geeks, and stiffs—could have served as a more ideal base of operations for “Pod Central.” The city itself serves as a character, and it really lends the film tremendous production value and gives it an epic scale. The two subsequent remakes in 1993 and 2007 are pricier and flashier, yet neither movie feels as “big” as Kaufman’s version.

Technical aspects are top notch, and the film’s seething organic-and-synthetic musical score, its squishy sound design, the fascinating and gruesome practical pod effects, and the darkly lit film-noir-style camerawork all coalesce into one giant dreamscape of dread.

If you haven’t actually viewed Kaufman’s 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and you’ve somehow avoided spoilers, be warned, as I’m going to dwell a bit on the shocking ending.

Just like in the film noir of the B&W days and the classic conspiracy thrillers of the 1970s, the climax is a downer—the biggest of all downers: the ending of the world has commenced and life as we know it will never be the same again. The final blood-curdling shriek is the most wrenching turn of the screws, a bleak resolution that assures us unequivocally that we are doomed.

While digesting that final morsel of terror, the end credits roll in stark silence. No spooky theme, no skittering sound effects, nothing; the film doesn’t even let us off the hook with exit music, apropos for a movie scored by a one-shot film composer who was so exhausted after the grueling mixing sessions that he quit Hollywood and vowed to never work on another motion picture again.

Alas, you cannot appreciate the vastness of the 1978 film’s greatness without having seen the subsequent inferior remakes—one progressively more dispiriting than the next, though both have their well-earned moments of queasy tension and icky viscera.

Abel Ferrara’s 1993 film Body Snatchers uses the military as a microcosm for society, and lurking beneath the alien invasion is the tale of a military brat enduring her parents’ divorce, and a rumination on how soldiers are reconditioned during combat training and in war. With Gulf War I still very recently headline news at the time of the film’s release, the themes of Ferrara’s version are muddled, and I never feel an emotional attachment to any of its characters like I do with the 1956 and 1978 versions. I’m still not quite sure if the ultimate pod takeover is supposed to be viewed as tragedy or triumph.

The 2007 remake The Invasion is not quite a fiasco, but it’s a big hot mess. Its gravest misstep is in tinkering with the plot, turning it into an Outbreak-type virus thriller, only here the virus is from outer space. For no apparent reason, the film is set in Washington, D.C.—an intriguing locale ripe with politically themed possibilities, all of them squandered.

In jiggering the formula, the screenplay jettisons one of the signature elements of the book and three previous films—the actual duplicate bodies along with the associated garbage truck imagery and ooey-gooey pod-person effects. (Note no corporeal thievery is referenced in the 2007 film’s truncated title.)

Even with the sour memory of the 2007 version still in mind, I am anxiously awaiting the inevitable next iteration of Finney’s novel. Were it filmed today, I trust its themes would serve as a fitting metaphor for how people allow themselves to be brainwashed by mass media, influenced by ugly political discourse, and provoked to hostility. In which case, heaven help us all, because “They’re already here! Help! You’re next! They’re coming! They’re coming!!”

As for Kaufman’s immortal 1978 interpretation, perhaps I wouldn’t go so far as to proclaim it the best remake ever, but it’s certainly the crown jewel of scary movie reboots, and gives the whole concept of Hollywood movie remakes a good name.

Take some time to revisit it again. But be careful—“They get you when you sleep!”

And…Happy Halloween.

A boy and his two friends venture into the tough streets of East Oakland to retrieve a pair of stolen sneakers in the edgy drama Kicks. The gritty tale from Focus World, available now on Digital HD and On Demand, comes to Blu-ray and DVD on December 6, 2016 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Blu-ray and DVD feature bonus content, including interviews with the cast as well as an official photo gallery that gives viewers an in-depth look inside the film’s unique style – which earned it the Best Cinematography award at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival – and a deeper understanding of the story.

15-year-old Brandon (Jahking Guillory) longs for a pair of the freshest sneakers that money can buy – to help him escape the reality of being poor and picked on by everyone. Working hard to finally get the new kicks, he finds they have made him a target after they are promptly snatched by a local hood. Brandon and his two best friends embark on a dangerous and exciting journey where nothing is as simple as it seems in this unique and memorable coming-of-age story. The cast includes Mahershala Ali (Marvel’s Luke Cage).

The film will be available on Blu-ray and Digital HD with UltraViolet and DVD.

• BLU-RAY unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6x the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
• DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet lets you watch movies anywhere, on any device. Users can instantly stream or download movies to watch on iPad , iPhone, Android, smart TVs, connected Blu-ray players, game consoles and more.

BONUS FEATURES ON BLU-RAY, DVD AND DIGITAL HD

• Kicks: One-on-One – The cast discusses the story at the core of Kicks.
• Photo Gallery

For more details visit The Official Website
Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
#KicksFilm

Of the 75th anniversary specials we’ve had over recent years, this is my favourite. So called controversy over Wonder Woman being elected a UN ambassador is laughable, mainly because those asked to comment clearly hadn’t read about the character, or gone beyond the surface image.

Poignant then that this special is released, as some of the ill informed or opinionated would do themselves a favour by reading it.

There are too many stories packed in to ‘review’ and would give the impression that they are in competition but in truth each story is as strong at the last and will touch and inspire you. This I can promise.

PIN UPS & COVERS: 5/5

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

*****

GIVES US STRENGTH

Writers: Rafael Scavone & Rafael Albuquerque
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque

A young child in France prays for help against the forces of the invading Nazi army. A hooded woman is with the hiding citizens in a decrepit church and urges them to follow her lead. She unmasks herself as a warrior woman and fights the forces of evil till they retreat. The little girl looks up to the woman  mistaking her for Joan of Arc.

Later, as the woman arrives in London she smiles reading a newspaper that France had begun liberation.

PREDATORS

Writers: Brenden Fletcher & Karl Kershl
Artist: Karl Kershl
A devastated tiger begs for Diana’s assistance.

A man, a poacher has arrived and is racing through the jungle with his spoils.

Diana stops his escape and he tries to fight his way to freedom. When it proves futile Diana asks the poacher if he has anything to say. He cries forgiveness but Diana steps aside for him to address the widowed tiger.

ONE SIDE ALONE

Writer: Mairghread Scott
Artist: Riley Rosmo

Giganta, is a rage at being incarcerated is taking revenge by smashing up the city. But when Wonder Woman is able to stop and shrink her, the civilians demand that she step aside so they can reap their own brand of justice but Diana will not just stand by.

WONDER WOMAN IN CONVERSATION

Writer: Lois Lane, transcription by Greg Rucka
Photography: Liam Sharp & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Layout: Lori Jackson

Lois Lane, world famous reporter gets to know Princess Diana of Themyscira.

The interview is a candid personal look at the Warrior Princess and offers an insight into Wonder Woman no action story, nor comic adventure could really allow.

OH, THEMYSCIRA

Writer/Artist: Liam Sharp

Diana, now on the shores of man’s world looks out across the ocean. Reminiscing of home, the island and the hunt, the warrior princess dreams of her past and her life before Wonder Woman.

WONDER WOMAN: 75 SONG

Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Marguerite Sauvage

Bombshell Wonder Woman leaps out ready for action with a song celebrating her life and showcasing her history as the powerful symbol of hope.

THE LEGEND OF WONDER WOMAN

Writer/Artist: Renae De Liz

Above Poland in 1945, Diana faces gets ready to fight Baroness Von Gunther and her metallic soldier Red Panzer. With the aid of her Lasso, Diana is able to get the name Gerta before being forced off the airship to protect some damaged fighter planes.

Diana drops the planes off at a nearby airfield and upon her return she spots a woman searching through the dirt for jars containing an amazing secret. Diana goes on a quest to confront Baroness but instead of a fight Wonder Woman finally sets Von Gunther free…

WONDER WOMAN: THE TRUE AMAZON (PREVIEW)

Writer/Artist: Jill Thompson

A preview of The True Amazon. Sees a young Diana confronting an octopus woman on Themyscira that was abducting amazons and dragging them to an underwater cavern.

DEMOCRATIC DESIGN

Writer: Hope Larson
Artist: Ramon Bachs

Etta is taking on a trip around the big home depot store ‘Idea’ but it is cut short by the villain Human Tank. There is a rampage through the store until Diana binds him in her lasso of truth. He reveals a broken heart and the pain of starting over. Diana empathizes with him but justice must be done.

BIG THINGS ONE DAY COME

Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Colleen Doran

Professor Verdant has implanted Toto the ape with rage enhancing implants and fed him a cocktail of steroids and drugs. As Titano, his kryptonite powers are making him more than a match for Superman.

Step in Wonder Woman and without Superman to be his foe Verdant and Titano are no match for the Amazon.

A young fan races in to help Wonder Woman she is Star Blossom with the power to make flowers do anything she wants. With the little girl in danger Diana damaged the implants and reaches out to the animal, Toto, underneath. She talks to him, relaxes him and frees him as she destroys Verdant’s drone device. Star Blossom is full of questions that only Wonder Woman can answer and perhaps one day when she’s ready, you’ll read the adventures of Star Blossom as well…

Also featuring a gallery of superstar art by: Phil Jimenez, Marcio Takara, Marcello Maiolo, Claire Roe, Jordie Bellaire, Sebastian Fumara, Nathan Fairbairn, Yanick Paquette, Brian Bolland, Annie Wu, Jenny Frisson & a cover by Jim Lee.

This weekend, five and a half years after signing the lease, the anticipated Alamo Drafthouse opens its doors to embrace cinephiles of New York City.

Located at 445 Albee Square West in the continuing renovation of Downtown Brooklyn, this newest chapter of the indie theatre chain’s growth is located on the top floor of City Point.  On the fourth floor.  Past the Century 21, and still-in-construction Trader Joe’s and Target.

That might not seem as authentically kitschy in exterior as some of Alamo’s other locations, but once you reach your destination, you’re in for a transformative escape.

Once inside, 7 theaters (796 seats) host a selection of classic films,cult favorites and of course select first-run releases.  CEO Tim League promises there will be a broad mix of programming for New York audiences.  For their Friday launch they’re putting the spotlight on a “NEW IN TOWN” line-up that includes Muppets Take Manhattan, Mean Girls, The Tenant, Coming to America and even The Coca-Cola Kid.

Before purchasing your tickets, you’ll be tempted to do your best King Kong impression on their recreation of the famous final scene from the 1933 version.  It’s recommended you turn on the black and white filter on your photo first.

There are other distractions before you get to your seat, so you’ll want to get to your movie early.  You definitely don’t want to get to it late, as the theater has a strict no-late-seating policy.

Movie-going at an Alamo Drafthouse is an immersive and celebratory event.  Greeting you past the ticket counter is a long carpet with a familiar pattern.

Rather than leading you to room 237 or a ghoulish pair of twin girls, you’ll be tempted to make a stop at the House of Wax.  The bar is positioned as a museum with cocktails, not to mention 44 (with even more beers to select from once you get to your theater).  The draft selection is 100% all local, New York State derived.  Cocktails are themed into anatomicals, pathologicals and geographicals.  Try the Butcher of Hanover, if you dare.

House of Wax is a full-service bar based on the panoptica touring attractions of the late 1800s.  This isn’t your cheesy Times Square assembly of the latest celebrities and past historical figures.  You’re surrounded by a macabre selection of waxwork sculptures, all life-size, often in select body parts.  There are even death masks of famous and infamous celebrities.

A peak behind the red curtain at the back of the bar will satisfy your fix for wax demonstrations of corsetry, infectious diseases and more. There are over 140 pieces focusing on medical, ethnographic, and sensationalized characters from the 19th century.

Though the bar takes its name from the classic Vincent Price 3D thriller, it’s also a nod to the Alamo’s vinyl record labels Mondo and Death Waltz.  A selection of those albums are beautifully displayed in the bar, but also available for sale.

On your way to your cinema, you’ll be distracted by the gallery treatment of some spectacular movie poster art from over the decades.

League is particularly proud of Alamo’s large collection of Turkish movie posters, many of which are on display in the main hallway to the auditoriums.  The Alamo founder/owner is quick to point out the company has a large vault of 35mm prints (over 4000) including the only known copy of the Turkish unofficially licensed remake of Star Wars.

Bring your appetite to the Alamo as well.  New York native Chef Fernando Marulanda, greeted us inside for a loving description of the food.  The menu features a variety of flavors representing the variety of people in New York.  From Cuban to West Indian, Marulanda promises it’s all comfort food but also part of the escape of moviegoing.  For those of you familiar with Alamo’s menu elsewhere, you’ll be relieved he’s kept their queso recipe intact.

Tech specs in the theatres are top notch.  The largest auditorium features a 50 feet screen, there’s capability to play 35mm, 3D and of course everything is crystal clear in 4K digital projection.  At our press preview, the trailer for Rogue One, as well as a Dolby sound check, ensured that.  Of course, all pre-show entertainment (another reason to come to the film early) is always programmed to the theme of the feature presentation.

New York Creative Manager Cristina Cacioppo notes “to most New Yorkers, this is their first time experiencing an Alamo Drafthouse, so in many ways this represents the efforts of 19 years of programming. It sounds cliché, but there will be something for everyone.”

Though a lot of the expected policies and programming are carried throughout all Alamo Drafthouse locations (25 total, 190 screens), League promises he doesn’t want to treat it like a chain.  Localized events will cater to the Brooklyn/New York crowds, but he doesn’t view nearby repertory and art houses to be competition.  “I love what the Nitehawk Cinema and Metrograph do,” explained League, “and they’re friends because the community of programmers is small.”  This camaraderie over competition is part of the success story of Alamo.  The brand is eager to partner with festivals, and bring programming to satellite movie houses, for special events (recently at Anthology Film Archives and the Kings Theater).

The best way to get to the new Drafthouse is public transit, as it’s centrally located to serve the Long Island Rail Road and the subway system (via the B/Q/R and 2/3 trains).

The official opening is Friday, October 28th, but you can head over to the new Alamo as of today for a variety of screenings (including classics like The Dark Crystal and new releases like Kubo and the Two Strings.  The House of Wax bar is also open for business.

The Alamo Drafthouse features a full-service bar and kitchen, in-theater dining and a strictly enforced no-talking/no-texting policy.

Upcoming programming highlights include:

The Addams Family  party (October 29th)

Join us for a fun family party with props and the chance to quote your favorite lines. And of course we will dance the Mamushka! It’s the perfect way to celebrate the Halloween season. We’ll also have a costume contest with prizes for individuals and family costumes.

The Monster Squad  party (October 31st)

With star Andre Gower live in person! Mondo will also be joining the fray with copies of The Monster Squad score – its first ever release on vinyl – available to guests to purchase on site.

Heavenly Creatures (November 4th)

Star Melanie Lynskey in person!

Suburbia (November 5th) in 35mm

Director Penelope Spheeris in person for post-screening Q&A!

Hard Target (November 28th) in 35mm

An action movie can be a thing of beauty, and John Woo’s first Hollywood film is nothing less than that.

For all showtimes and more information visit drafthouse.com/nyc.

For more Grand Opening news, free movies, exclusive invites and more, join Victory, Alamo Drafthouse’s simple and free rewards program: https://drafthouse.com/victory/join

Bait: Off-Color Stories for You to Color, is bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk’s first ever coloring book for adults, available today from Dark Horse Books.

Bait is both the coloring book debut and the second short story collection for Palahniuk, containing eight bizarre tales, each paired with pieces of colorable original art, nearly 50 in all from artists Lee Bermejo, Kirbi Fagan, Duncan Fegredo, Alise Gluskova, Joelle Jones, Steve Morris, Tony Puryear and Marc Scheff.

The  8.5 x 11 inch hardcover album, with uncoated and white interior paper stock, accompanied by a cover illustrated and colored by Duncan Fegredo and designed by Nate Piekos and features Palahniuk’s  provocative and intense writing. 

Chuck discussed Bait and his recent graphic novel, Fight Club 2, also available from Dark Horse.

*****

FOG!: When I first heard that you had written a coloring book, I was both surprised and also thought it was a strange idea.  But in your introduction, you write a really interesting explanation of why it exists, “ Maybe between your colors, the artists’ designs, and my stories we can create something that endures. Something worth keeping. Let’s create a well-bound book that can sit on any shelf and be available for a new generation to discover and enjoy.”   What was the genesis for the idea for the coloring book?

Chuck Palahniuk:  Maybe it goes back to the many amazing tattoos I’ve seen inspired by my books.  Maybe it was my desperate ploy to eke out one more project with some of the terrific team that created Fight Club 2 in all its variant glory.  Publishers are so wary about story collections, maybe I just wanted to hitch a bunch of stories to the shooting star that is coloring books and show publishers that stories can still find an audience.

The book features eight original stories with an amazing line-up of artists providing multiple illustrations for each tale.  How involved were you in selecting the artists and did you have any input as to which artist illustrated each tale?

My priority was to work with artists who’d done variant covers for Fight Club 2.  People like Duncan, Lee and Joelle.  There was a slight glitch with artists who opted out in fear that this project might get them banned from future work on children’s books.  My editor, Scott Allie, suggested we include one new name, that would be Alise.  Worried that I’d burnt them out with Fight Club 2, I hesitated to approach Cameron Stewart or David Mack, but David got wind of the project and provided the final, crowning illustration.

I read Fight Club when it first came out in paperback, long before the film, and it blew me away.  And even though I like the film, I love the book.  I also really enjoyed Fight Club 2.  Were you a fan of comics prior to writing Fight Club 2 and what prompted the decision to write a sequel for comics rather than prose?

Frankly, I hadn’t read comics since the horror ones like Ripley’s Believe It or Not were cancelled.  The original Fight Club book and film were so popular that I didn’t dare attempt a sequel.  Then a cabal of writers, including Chelsea Cain, Brian Bendis and Matt Fraction ambushed me at a party.  If I was going to tackle a graphic novel, I wanted to depict characters that were already known to readers.  And a new, third medium seemed like the best way to revisit the Fight Club story without desecrating the original versions.

Both the film and book have a fervent fan base.  Did you feel like you had to service the film fans when writing a sequel?  Would you want to revisit the world again in another book or comic?

Service film fans?  That sounds so… lurid, but no, I didn’t want to pander to anyone.  Cameron Stewart gets chided for being “too cartoony” and I knew that aspect of his work would allow me to depict things that would be overwhelmingly sad in a film.  For instance, my army of noble, dying children would never work in the literal world of film.  And describing them would drag down the plot in a novel.  So in comics I wanted to play to the strengths, the reality and unreality, of this storytelling form – a place films couldn’t go.

Unlike most coloring books, Bait, is in hardcover and intended to be a part of one’s home library; essentially creating a new medium.  Would you ever want to see a version published utilizing images colored by fans?

That would be terrific.  Still, the glory of Bait is that every volume will eventually be unique, and there’s no correct, approved way to complete the artwork.  To ultimately select “ideal” executed pictures might dampen the freedom of future readers.  My dream is that people complete the book as a gift for other people.  So often what we give is merely a purchase and contains nothing of the giver.  Bait becomes a vehicle for the giver to express something to the receiver.

Your work is notable for being both provocative and intense.  Do you think that the tone of the stories in the book can be affected any way by how the illustrations are colored?

Golly, I hope so.  Whether the stories are colored “realistically” or the Scotch fold-ear cat ends up colored purple, those details will shape the future interpretations of anyone who ever reads a particular copy.  I love that.

What do you have coming up next?

A nervous breakdown?  A stint in a rehab clinic?  Launching two books in the span of four months is exhausting.  I’m compiling the stories for a second coloring book, and I’m a few chapters into a new novel, and the film work continues on several fronts, but I’m looking forward to a quiet winter of thoughtful writing and surfing porn.

What are you currently geeking out over?

This is so dull, but I can’t stop. I’m obsessed with the “weight sled” at the gym.  It’s similar to the blocking drills players practiced in high school football.  You pile a million pounds on a heavy metal platform then shove the whole outfit a hundred feet across an Astroturf-y floor.  Turn around and shove it back.  It’s grueling and mindless, but addictive.  Unlike deep squats or heavy straight-leg dead lifts, you don’t have to focus on perfect form.  You just duck your head, drive with your legs and shove the stupid sled.  I could do this all day.

Bait: Off-Color Stories For You To Color is available now

This year, Tenacious D’s Jack Black and Kyle Gass invite you to join them…in space! The 4th Annual Festival Supreme is returning Saturday, Oct. 29th at the Shrine Expo Hall & Grounds in Los Angeles, and it’s going to be even better because we’ll all be able to leave this confusing planet, if only for one day, and laugh and shake our asses off (preferably in costume, since it’s Halloween weekend)! Creators and curators Black and Gass had this to say about this year’s festivities:

For more details visit festivalsupreme.com

Tickets available HERE!

In the aftermath of a mysterious explosion that tears through a major metropolitan area, five coffin-like stasis tubes are discovered, each branded with a woman’s name. Blasting off this December from critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling comic book writer Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun, Harrow County) and up-and-coming artist George Kambadais (A Place in The Heart), Grave Lilies is a riveting, Joss Whedon-esque Sci-Fi series — and the first superhero title from boutique New York publisher Z2 Comics.

In Grave Lilies, readers follow five mysterious women as they escape disaster without a scratch, and with no memory of who they are. They each discover that they possess a remarkable ability: the ability to charm the masses, the power to control plant life, the gift of healing, supernatural senses, and unbelievable physical strength. The women will need these powers, too, as they are pursued by sinister agencies that want to apprehend them before they learn the shocking truth of their origins and the destiny that awaits them.

Cullen and George took some time to discuss the new series, it’s origin and it’s characters.

*****

FOG!: Congratulations on the new book, Grave Lillies, which is a mystery/thriller/sci-fi/superhero tale.  What was the genesis of the book?

Cullen Bunn: Thanks so much! I’m really excited for the release of Grave Lilies. This is book that George and I have been toying with for a couple of years now. I think this is one of those stories that started with a title. I wrote “Grave Lilies” in my notebook a long while ago and started noodling around with ideas for a story with that title. I went through a number of possible stories, but nothing felt right until I stumbled on this notion of five young women with strange powers waking up in the wake of a disaster. I felt like the idea might go against what you might expect, but the story still has so many strong connections to the title.

How did you both come to work together on this book?

Cullen: If I recall correctly, I first met George when he started posting some artwork and commissions for a Marvel series I did titled Fearless Defenders. I really, really loved his style and, after exploring some of his other art, I realized we had a lot in common in terms of the kind of stories we love. I reached out to him and asked if he’d be interested in collaborating on something.

George Kambadais: I’m a big fan of Cullen’s work. Around two years ago I was at my apartment in Greece doing fanarts and commissions and trying to make a living out of it. I think Declan Shalvey, the artist on Venom, who I really admire and respect, saw a fanart of Mania, a character that he and Cullen created for Marvel and sent it to Cullen.

After that, Cullen contacted me and told me that he wants to work with me on something. Of course I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to work with one of my favourite writers, so I said yes, and in the next days he sent me some character descriptions. I instantly fell in love with the girls.

The book features a team of teen heroes, which in comics, can almost be considered it’s own mini-genre. What were the inspirations in both the story and the visual designs?

Cullen: I’m a big fan of a science fiction sub-genre I call “kids with powers on the run from shadowy agencies”. I think Stephen King’s Firestarter is the first thing that pops into my mind when I think of that kind of story, but there are plenty of examples. I wanted to tell a story that featured characters with super powers who were not necessarily superheroes. And I wanted to build up a big mystery around these characters, something that would continue to grow over the course of the series. And I wanted the book, despite all the seriousness of the situation the characters are in, to be fun.

George: Visually I got inspired a lot by European comic artists like Matthieu Bonhomme and Alessandro Barbucci and Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira.

George, your color palette and depiction of how the characters use their powers is pretty unique. As the series progresses, will you continue with the limited color, or are there plans for it to evolve in some capacity?

George: I’ll probably add a color or two, but I’m going to use mostly the same palette. I’m having a couple of things in mind that I want to try in the future to show that they’ll be better with their powers then.

You’ve both worked with indie companies as well as the Big Two. What made you bring the project to Z2?

Cullen: George and I met with the Z2 team to discuss what we might do with a book like Grave Lilies, and they were just so excited about the possibilities with the book. It was impossible not to get hyped with their plans. It’s always a pleasure working with people who are excited about your ideas and who really want to explore some interesting angles with everything from the look of the series to the way the book will be marketed.

George: I’m not as experienced as Cullen with companies. When we talked with Z2 I really felt that they loved Grave Lilies as much as we do. I think that we couldn’t find a better place than Z2 for our story.

The cast features a primarily all female cast. Is there one particular character that you feel especially connected to or identify with? Why?

Cullen: That’s a tough one. I dearly love each and every one of these characters, and if I have a “favorite” it changes from one day to the next. If you had asked me this morning, I would have told you that Celeste, the “leader” of the group was my favorite character, because I was working on a scene in which she was coming to grips with her powers. Celeste is the kind of person who really just wants to be left alone by everyone but her closest friends, but she has this ability to make other people like her and be drawn to her. I think that’s a fun dynamic to play with. But if you had asked me a few days ago, I might have said the mysterious Elsie was my favorite. I love the mystery that surrounds her.

George: I agree with Cullen. That is a tough one. I love all of them but I think I’m leaning more towards Elsie. I love the mystery that surrounds her and how isolated she is from the everything and everyone around her.

What are you currently geeking out over?

Cullen: I’m enjoying a lot of television right now. There are so many great options. I watched Stranger Things over the summer and loved it. That show falls firmly into the sub-genre that inspired Grave Lilies. I’m also watching (and loving) Luke Cage on Netflix. Of the new fall shows, Designated Survivor has really grabbed me. And I’m going to start watching Westworld soon.

George: Right now I’m really excited about the Walking Dead Season 7. I’m going to watch the first episode after I finish answering these questions. I’m also binge watching the Netflix Marvel series that I haven’t watched when they came out and Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD and a lot of horror movies.

Grave Lilies, which retails for $3.99, is slated to hit stores December 7, 2016. The order code for the first issue of the title, is: OCT162100. For more information, please visit http://www.gravelilies.com/.

Called “enigmatic and fathomless” (IndieWire) and “acutely unsettling” (Twitch Film), this October, take a dip in the deep end of terror with THE MIDNIGHT SWIM, a faux-documentary shot in the style of The Blair Witch Project from award-winning filmmaker Sarah Adina Smith.

Spirit Lake is unusually deep. No diver has ever managed to find the bottom, though many have tried. When Dr. Amelia Brooks (Beth Grant) disappears during a deep-water dive, her three daughters — sensible Annie (Jennifer Lafleur), quiet June (Lindsay Burdge) and exuberant Isa (Aleksa Palladino) — travel home to settle her affairs. They, however, find themselves unable to let go of their mother and become drawn into the mysteries of the mysterious lake. Enabled by an old friend from the neighborhood, Josh (Ross Partridge), they invoke the spirits of the Seven Sisters from folklore derived from Greek mythology. And when the unexplainable begins to occur, the psychodrama becomes what the New York Times calls “a chiller with one foot in that genre and one in a whole other, and wonderful, place.”

Check out an exclusive clip from THE MIDNIGHT SWIM below and enter to win one of three copies we’re giving away!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “MIDNIGHT SWIM” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

This 1988 film starring Rosanna Arquette, Jean-Marc Barr and Jean Reno focused on the sport of freediving?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on November 13th, 2016.

From the violent defender, Vigilante, the symbol of peace, Wonder Woman, the inexperienced teen, Blue Beetle, to Earth’s greatest champion, Superman… The Rebirth movement continues and in a myriad of fantastic stories.

Lois Smith adds familiar challenges to her new ones in motherhood.

Jaime Reyes finds out his mother has a secret.

Donnie Fairchild threw his life away but maybe it isn’t too late.

Diana finally meets someone that is a match for her on and off the battlefield.

Comics aren’t perfect, we know that from arcs such as Grounded, the Clone Saga and Truth… ok, I jest, but why did Vigilante & Wonder Woman beat the rest for a 5* score? What went right? What went wrong? Do you feel the same?

This is my look into the DC Universe this week!

ACTION COMICS #966

Lois Land, Back At The Planet – Part 2
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Stephen Segovia
Inker; Art Thibert
Cover: Clay Mann, Tomev Morey & Dan Jurgens
Variant: Gary Frank & Brad Anderson

Clark and Jon return home to find Lois hasn’t gotten home from Metropolis yet. While Clark is more concerned that Jon’s powers seem to me fluxing Jon is more stressed that him mother isn’t home. Clark tells him that because of their work they won’t always be at home as much as they once were.

In Metropolis, Superwoman is questioning Lois Smith on her impersonating Lois Lane but as Superwoman becomes more imposing Lois secretly calls home. Jon reluctantly agrees to stay at home and Clark races to the rescue but instead of finding trouble, he discovers Lana Lang!

Lana explains how she got her powers and they unlock Lois Lane’s laptop to discover a message from her that distresses them all. Lois knew her powers as the second Superwoman were killing her, but she had an intense feeling that anyone wearing the ‘S’ is going to suffer the same fate. Before she signs off Lois begs her counterpart to assume her life so that her loved ones wont suffer.

Lana tells Lois and Clark that Lois suffered the same ‘burn out’ death that the other Superman did. Lois decides to fulfill her “New 52”-er’s dying wish and keep an eye on the human Clark at the same time.

The next day, the man in a baseball cap arrives on the outskirts of Metropolis  and summons a portal through which a huge gladiator called Zade arrives swearing to punish the criminal wearing the ‘S’ shield!

To Be Continued…

STORY: 4/5

A nice ending to the arc that really cements Lois Smith in her new role as ‘herself’ It’s also a fitting goodbye for the original Lois on this earth. We now know she was dying just as Lana is but also that she was every bit the reporter Lois was. I like that Lois, Clark and Lana have chosen to honour the dying woman’s wishes while also giving Lois Smith new purpose.

There are a few mysteries like Jon’s powers fluxing, who the third Clark is, the wearers of the ‘S’ facing a terrible fate and also this new character Zade but that will have to wait!

The scenes with Lois facing up to Lex and then to touching surrogate father moment with Perry were pure gold.

ART: 4/5

There is clearly a lot of effort for the art to match the paper stock of older comics, the colouring process, hand lettering. It looks great, again with that nostalgia running through it. I don’t feel I can give the art a full rating, it is just so crushed into the three pages. As time goes on and there are more pages perhaps I can give a fairer analysis but so far it’s going in the right direction.

COVER: 4/5

Superman is front and centre, with Clark literally soaring over the bustling Metropolis. The inking style is a little patchy, and the digital effects take a little away from the art but it still looks fantastic.

VARIANT COVER:  5/5

Gary Frank delivers a superb Superwoman and both are smiling, something seldom seen on comic cover art.

The cover still doesn’t top issue #961 but it’s a close second. More a Superwoman cover than Superman but I’ll take it!

BLUE BEETLE #2

Blurred
Writers: Keith Giffen & Scott Kolins
Artist: Scott Kolins
Cover: Scott Kolins
Variant: Cully Hamner

Root, Blur, Nightcatcher, Sphish, Blot & Smokey are now reunited, they form the street kid super team, The Posse and for the moment they are Blue Beetle’s allies. They reveal that holes in the ground have been appearing all over town and with them, super powered teens have been vanishing. Jaime is surprised to hear that his mother had been helping to treat them when injured.

As Blur decides to scour the skies, Blur, using her teleport power, gives chase. Blur flirts with Jaime but he’s more interested in cracking the case.

Elsewhere Paco & Brenda bump into a teenager after school but are horrified as he vanishes right before their very eyes.

Blur chases Beetle all across town but when she makes physical contact the suit protects itself. The counter measures take out Blur and Jaime finally warms to the headstrong girl. They share a kiss by way of an apology but unknown to Jaime, Root has been watching and signals Blur to disappear.

A puzzled Jaime returns home and confronts his mother. The family watch the stand off with neither backing down. Jaime hugs his mother and the Reyes household get ready for supper.

The End.

STORY: 3/5

The story descended into nothingness unfortunately.

There were plenty of character moments throughout and some fun dialogue between Ted and Jaime but unfortunately the story fell flat aside from this. Blur took up the bulk of the issue but was more an annoyance than a progress in character or story. The main action was Jaime climbing down a hole and then the teleport tiff fight between Blur. Nothing that was set up in the first issue was really looked at a bit disappointed, as the first issue was so good I  am hoping the story gets better as it progresses because snappy dialogue isn’t enough.

ART: 4/5

The art is as energetic as ever. Blur artistically isn’t as spectacular as Sphish but there are some great looking scenes nonetheless. I think the inking perhaps did too much; I would have liked to see Romulo Fajardo Jr. play a little more with the colouring.

COVER: 4/5

Like the interior art, the cover is bursting with energy and fun, but just as before it feels like the colouring is taking a back seat to the inked artwork.

VARIANT COVER:  5/5

A slick piece of art by Cully Hamner that really makes you feel like you know Jaime Reyes and want to read his adventures! The best part of this so/so issue so I’m making it my phone wallpaper!

VIGILANTE: SOUTHLAND #1 of 6

Part One
Writer: Gary Phillips
Artist: Elena Casagrande
Cover: Mitch Gerads
Variant: Tony S. Daniel, Sandu Florea & Tomeu Morey

At Del Pueblo University while Donny is playing basketball his girlfriend is taking part in a campus protest and as the evening comes to a close, Donny heads home to smoke weed while his girlfriend Dorrie Smallwood sneaks onto campus and photographs confidential blueprints.

The next morning Bobby complains about Dorrie and her activist ways, his cocky attitude doesn’t win him brownie points amongst his friends but while he complains Dorrie is deliberately mowed down on her cycle to work.

Donnie is in shock when he is told it is an accident.

At the wake, Nina Smallwood approaches Donnie and asks him to help her to go through her daughters’ things later. As Donnie leaves he bumps into Mike Regalado, a scientist on the board of the company Nina works for.

Later a hitman named Spectros tells his boss that Dorrie is dealt with, and her confidantes, Donnie, a washed up sportsman turned a pothead janitor poses no threat but her mother might know what Dorrie had found.

Spectros has underestimated Donny as he heads to The Stairstep Club to meet with its owner, Percy ‘Pop’, and ask for a favour; to investigate Dorrie’s death. When Pop reveals he’d already gotten hold of the police report and there seems to be a bigger cover up at hand Donny is more worried than ever.

Heading to Dorries apartment he finds a metal box hidden away and when he unlocks it he finds a spandex jumpsuit and a double-ended mace bola delivering a literal shock.

Soon Pop and Donnie are interrogating witnesses to the hit and run find a homeless man they convince to talk with the aid of the ‘meteor chain’. Days go by with each night delivering more and more information. A young street kid watching from the shadows calls in a tip for cash.

As Donnie heads home a noise catches his attention and seconds later, his apartment explodes…

To Be Continued…

STORY: 5/5

A really good story. Engaging from start to finish. A very cinematic read and a really good reinvigoration of the character who has been no less that six characters before him. This version is as far removed as possible from his other mantle holders. Whether Donnie Fairchild can live up to the legend of the Vigilante remains to be seen.  I love a comic that can make you feel like you are in on the action too. The only negative is that there aren’t enough narrative boxes to give you more information and figure out who is who and what exactly is happening.

I’m sure the Luke Cage parallels will be drawn but aside from skin colour and fighting for the people, they are really nothing alike.

There is a resonating feel that this story is personal.

ART: 5/5

It is all about that film feel from start to finish!

The book is a real page turner! Elena Casagrande has the feel of the script down to perfection. As with a lot of books recently the narrative boxes seem to be at a minimum, I’m not after spoon feeding but some background info would make some scenes flow better.

COVER: 4/5

The main cover looks great but to me it doesn’t tell you what he’s all about. Great action but it doesn’t tell the story. Still a really superb piece though!

VARIANT COVER:  5/5

I love this cover. It really has that man of the people feel to the book.

Tony S. Daniel hits a home run!

WONDER WOMAN #9

The Lies – Part 5
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Liam Sharp
Cover: Liam Sharp & Laura Martin
Variant: Jenny Frisson

While Steve delivers a mission report to ARGUS’ Director Bordeaux along with the Urzkartaga sapling, Barbara Minera, (formerly Cheetah) Wonder Woman and Commander Etta Candy are shopping in Virginia but their trip is cut short as the shopping mall fills up with Wonder Woman fans eager to see the heroine.

At Empire Enterprise, Veronica Cale is being filled in on information of Wonder Woman’s recent exploits. When Cale discovers Diana can’t find Themyscira her eyes light up. Finally she has a plan and with Wonder Woman unwittingly doing the work for her.

At The Picket, ARGUS facility, Wonder Woman and her friends are trying to track down the paradise island but have no clue to its geo location. Even with Dr. Minerva’s expertise they are drawing a blank. Diana reveals she was just always able to find it as if by magic and leaves them to their work.

Diana arrives at a secluded beach only to meet Steve Trevor for a long awaited date, Steve and Diana have always loved one another but he took the role of friend when she was with Superman. When Clark and Diana split and he subsequently died in action, things changed for both Diana and Steve. Now, finally they can explore their long hindered romance.

Babara calls them back to The Picket and reveals that they’ve been concentration on where the island is, not how to reach it. Minerva further theorises that Diana was able to ‘shift’ between the divine plane and ours but something has prevented that from happening.

Diana, with Steve in tow decide to head to a place they know where the barrier is weak, the place where Steve was once able to pass through, and as luck would have it, suddenly Diana and Steve find themselves on Themyscira and greeted by none other than Queen Hippolyta herself.

Is Diana’s quest finally over?

To Be Continued…

STORY: 5/5

Greg Rucka has been turning heads with this run on Wonder Woman and deservedly so. I know Rebirth is a way to repair the kneejerk damage that the New 52 did to the mythos, heritage and adventures of some of the characters but this run alone shows there is much more to ‘The Lies’ than that.

I am enjoying this story immensely, it is some of Rucka’s best work.

I like that the Cadulo mission had some gravitas to the story and continues to, sometime when an issue ends its completely forgotten but I see from the sapling more is in store for both Barbara Minerva and Urzkartaga.

I am not sure where the conclusion will lead us, and the suspense is killing me, but I can’t wait till the finale and what it means for Diana.

ART: 5/5

I noticed not only the shout outs in the mall to all the creative’s past on Wonder Woman but how truly detailed and lush the artwork is on the book.

The scenes between Diana and Steve were fantastic. Kudos to the art team.

COVER: 5/5

Pretty H.R. Giger-esque and with a feeling of dread here. Just as Diana and Steve have gotten together after years of missing out, just as they seem to be truly happy and content, something dark and mysterious threatens to take it all away.

VARIANT COVER:  5/5

Yet another stunning variant. A winsome, pondering, determined Diana embracing nature but also ready for combat.

Jenny Frisson continues to ensure Diana is a wonder!

For MST-ies, Turkey Day celebrations go beyond the traditional large meal and watching of a football game. Once a year, they also give thanks for turkeys of the cinematic variety.

This November, get ready to feast on four never before on DVD episodes: The Human Duplicators, Escape 2000, The Horror of Party Beach, and Invasion of the Neptune Men with the release of Mystery Science Theater 3000:Vol. XXXVII  on DVD November 22^nd, 2016 from Shout! Factory.

This 4-DVD collectible tin box set is also stuffed with bonus features, including new introductions by Mary Jo Pehl, MST Hour Wraps, August on Neptune with Japanese film historian August Ragone, Leave The Bronx: Making Escape 2000 featurette, Return to Party Beach featurette, theatrical trailers and four exclusive mini-posters by artist Steve Vance.

The first 1,500 orders placed on ShoutFactory.com will receive an exclusive bonus disc featuring the MST3K Fancy Hollywood Awards Preview Specials.

Volume XXXVII  brings us The Human Duplicators, a 1965  science fiction film about an alien, the cybernetic physicist he controls and the blind girl he falls for;  Escape 2000 (aka Bronx Warriors 2 and Escape from the Bronx), wherein generic and nefarious corporation gentrifies a Bronx neighborhood to death in the service of creating the city of the future. But when they kill the parents of the first movie’s hero, they are in for some action, low-budget 80s style; Teens and monsters have always had a complicated relationship status in the movies, but The Horror of Party Beach kicks it down a notch or eight, as a coastal town grapples with mutated fishmen who crash a beach party in hideous fashion; and Invasion of the Neptune Men, which stars martial arts legend Sonny Chiba as Space Chief, a superhero of sorts, in this 1961 kids movie of sorts about an alien invasion of sorts.

Volume XXXVII Bonus Features:

• New Introductions by Mary Jo Pehl
• MST Hour Wraps
• August on Neptune featurette with Japanese film historian August Ragone
• Leave The Bronx: Making Escape 2000 featurette
• Return to Party Beach featurette
• Theatrical Trailers
• Four exclusive mini-posters by artist Steve Vance

For information, visit shoutfactory.com.