Produced by Fred Berger, Eric Garcia,
Ben Pugh, Rory Aitken
Written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing
Directed by André Øvredal
Starring Emile Hirsch, Brian Cox,
Olwen Kelly, Michael McElhatton,
Ophelia Lovibond, Parker Sawyers

The claustrophobic atmosphere of an old, rundown morgue is one of the creepier horror settings in recent memory, one that is exploited to its full potential in this unsettling, extremely effective horror film from the director of Trollhunter.

The film begins with small-town police trying to figure out what caused a brutal family massacre —  and why there’s a partially buried nude body of a young woman in the basement.

From the first we see of Jane Doe, who doesn’t have a mark on her alabaster skin, we know there’s a troubling history here, one that is slowly revealed by local mortician Tommy Tilden (Brian Cox) and his son, Austen (Emile Hirsch).

The film gets its R rating from “bloody horror violence, unsettling grisly images and language” as well as “graphic nudity.” The camera hovers over every detail of Jane Doe’s body in a way that at first feels exploitational, but the film takes a surprisingly feminist twist as the Tildens uncover conflicting clues about her cause of death.

When the police deliver the body, Austen is heading out for a date with his girlfriend and Tommy says he can handle the rush job alone. Austen, who’s been waiting for a way to tell his father he wants to quit the family business, decides to postpone his date and lend a hand. Of course, that’s a fateful decision he soon regrets.

Because we first see the Tildens conducting a routine autopsy, it’s all the more disturbing to see just how bizarrely Jane Doe’s post-mortem unfolds. Lights begin to flicker. The radio begins playing the same song over and over. The body bleeds when it’s first cut into, which we all know isn’t supposed to happen. And then the elevator stops working…

The film, which checks in at a brisk 86 minutes, is perfectly paced. The scares start small and build to a truly terrifying finale.

This is a film that could easily have cast unknowns in the lead roles of father and son, but it’s a smart enough script that gives actors like Cox and Hirsch room to do more than just peek around dark corners in terror.

If you’re looking for a pre-Christmas scare, this will do the trick nicely.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Autopsy of Jane Doe will arrive in theaters in limited release
on December 21 and on VOD platforms on December 20

I’ve always liked Lou Ferrigno.  He was born in Brooklyn, like my dad.  He’s hard of hearing, like my wife.  I loved him as the Hulk, watching him on TV when I was a kid in the late 70s.  In Pumping Iron when Arnold Schwarzenegger gets the best of him, I feel a little bad for him.  I met him once at Comic-Con in San Diego, back in 1999.

Three of his feature films are among the dumbest of their decade – but I swear that these dumb films, in their own way, are lovable too.  Let’s set some context for these films and then celebrate them for their lovable camp.

The 80s started out promisingly for Ferrigno after The Incredible Hulk TV series ran its course (1977-1982).  He landed starring roles in two decent peplum revival films made in Italy: The Seven Magnificent Gladiators and Hercules (both 1983).

Both these pictures are unfairly maligned.  Gladiators is by no means spectacular, but it’s brisk and unpretentious, satisfying at the very least.  Hercules is inconsistent, but at its best it’s very exciting, especially as Ferrigno’s Hercules fights some amazing stop-motion monster machines like in Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans.

It’s after these two features that Ferrigno’s films get dumb.  Why are the movies so dumb?

It’s tempting to blame Ferrigno’s poor acting skills for the poor movies, but he’s not really that poor of an actor (he’s average).

In one case – Desert Warrior – he might be the best thing in the movie.

Did he make poor choices?  Perhaps, but each of these cinematic disasters probably sounded good when originally pitched.  So why did they come out so bad?  Did the guy just have bad luck?

Whatever the case, Ferrigno starred in what might be the three greatest “So Bad They’re Good” genre pictures of the 80s.

Let’s love him for that.

ADVENTURES OF HERCULES II (1985)

Ferrigno’s 1983 Hercules had some dumb moments, like when Hercules hurls a defeated bear into space where it promptly transforms into a constellation.  But it’s only 10% dumb and 90% good.

This sequel has the opposite proportions.  Hercules fights seven monsters, each of whom guards a stolen thunderbolt, but each monster is cheaper and uglier than the last.

No frightening beasts like in the previous film, no stop-motion monster-machines.  This time it’s just actors wearing obvious rubber or shaggy suits.

And Hercules never needs to do anything special to beat the monsters; he just punches them a few times or spears them with tree limbs.

At the end, the film makes an epic leap into epic camp: to prevent the moon from colliding with the Earth, Hercules simply grows to planet-sized proportions and extends his arms to push the celestial bodies apart.

You’ll stare, slack jawed, as a giant glowing Lou Ferrigno separates the Earth and the moon with his bare hands.

DESERT WARRIOR (1988)

As I noted above, Lou Ferrigno is probably the best actor in this movie.  So you can’t blame him.  Instead, you can blame everybody else, or the ridiculous plot, or the cheap props, or the “you’ve got to be kidding me” ending.

I can’t bring myself to spoil it, but I can say that Desert Warrior‘s ending is about as bad as that of Adventures of Hercules II.  It’s a totally different type of ending, but it’s just as jaw-droppingly ridiculous.

The little-known Desert Warrior is a very low budget post-apocalyptic action flick.  In the movie, Ferrigno plays a likeable thug.  He looks pretty scary with his shaggy hair and eye patch.

Perhaps it’s his bad guy looks that help him act more convincingly when he plays bad guys.  But you still like him by the end of the movie when he turns into a good guy.

In fairness, I should admit that two extended battle sequences are pretty fun.  We watch the good army and the bad army fighting across the desert wasteland.  They have bullets, laser beams, RPGs, and explosives.  The body count is very high.

The filmmakers seem to have fought a battle themselves: a valiant fight to entertain the audience despite an obviously minuscule budget.

But everything just feels silly… REALLY silly if you can make it all the way to the ending.

SINBAD OF THE SEVEN SEAS (1989)

Unlike the first two films on our list, this one seems to have had a high budget.  It tries to combine Clash of the Titans with The Princess Bride in a lighthearted, family-friendly way.  Ferrigno plays Sinbad, the hero.

With the high production values comes a high percentage of action and spectacle.  Sets, locations, costumes, and props are gorgeous.

But like Desert Warrior before it, the dialogue and plot are ridiculous.  Everybody speaks like an idiot.  Simple dialogue is one thing, but here we get lines like “what’s with you guys?  you look like a bunch of weirdos!” or “after I defeat you, I’ll be the most powerful force in the uuuuuniverse!”

Also ridiculous is the mishmash of characters.  Sinbad’s crew includes several Arabian-looking sailors, which is fine.  But he also sails with a kung fu master from China and with a Viking whose weapon is a giant mallet!

The bad guys are likewise ridiculous.  At one point, Sinbad fights a dripping blob-man who shoots lasers from his fingers.  What were they thinking?  It’s like they took DC’s Swamp Thing, then turned him really ugly, and then granted him magical laser powers.

The best dialogue comes from the villain.  He can’t extract enough power from a magic gem to make his evil machine work right, so he yells at the gem like it can hear.  “Budge!” he yells to the inanimate object.  “BUUUUDGE!”

Season 1 of the “wildly entertaining” (TV Guide) Cinemax series Quarry, loosely based on the novels of Max Allan Collins set in and around Memphis, is set to make its home entertainment debut on February 14, 2017. Starring Logan Marshall-Green as Mac Conway, this “impressively flawless” (Washington Post) series follows two soldiers’ return home from a second tour of duty in Vietnam. Quarry: The Complete First Season will be available to own on Blu-ray ($34.98) and DVD ($24.98), packed with bonus content including more than two dozen deleted scenes and new footage of interviews where Mac and his comrades testify to the events that led up to their discharge from the Marines. DVD and Blu-ray will also include a Digital Download copy.

Set in and around Memphis during the early 1970s, Quarry is a thrilling action drama that centers on the character of Mac Conway, a Marine who returns home from a second tour of duty in Vietnam.  With his relationship with his wife Joni growing tenuous, Mac finds himself tempted by a lucrative offer from The Broker, a shady criminal involved in a network of killing and corruption that spans the length of the Mississippi River. After a series of events, Mac – whom The Broker codenames “Quarry” – finds himself conscripted against his better judgment into The Broker’s crew, a turn of events that has dire consequences for both himself and Joni. Gripping and “startlingly good” (Yahoo! TV), with action packed storytelling, the first season of Quarry promises to not disappoint.

Bonus Features include:

• Deleted Scenes – A fascinating selection of more than two dozen deleted scenes from Season 1.
• “Inside Quarry” – Get an inside look at each episode of Quarry with the cast and crew of the acclaimed series.
• “Quan Thang Inquiry Scenes” – Check out declassified interview footage in which Mac (Logan Marshall-Green) and other soldiers testify to the events of the Quan Thang tragedy.
•  “About Quarry” – Delve inside the setting, characters and storylines of Quarry with the cast and crew.
• “Music of Memphis” – Join the cast and crew for an inside look at the classic R&B soundtrack and live music seen in the show.
• “Recreating 1972” – The cast and crew of Quarry reveal how they turned back the clock to recreate the sets and styles of Memphis in 1972.
• “Love Letters” – Hear the recorded correspondence between Mac and Joni while he served in Vietnam.
• “Car Chase Picture in Picture” – Join Quarry star Logan Marshall-Green for this action-packed look at the staging of a rough-and-tumble car chase from the series.
• Music Videos – Watch a collection of music videos featuring some of the blistering tracks from the series’.

Other cast members include: Nikki Amuka-Bird (“Luther”) as Ruth, a hardworking mother who is Joni’s close friend; Damon Herriman (“Justified”) as Buddy; Edoardo Ballerini as Karl, and Mustafa Shakir as Moses, three of The Broker’s most capable and ruthless henchmen; Jamie Hector as Arthur, Ruth’s husband and Mac’s best friend, who is also a Vietnam vet; Ann Dowd as Naomi, Buddy’s doting but unconventional mother; Skipp Sudduth as Lloyd, Mac’s father; Josh Randall as Detective Tommy Olsen, a dedicated member of the Memphis Police Department; and Kurt Yaeger as Suggs, who has fallen within The Broker’s sights.

The Arts and Sciences division of USC Dornsife decided to share how scholars view trees. From the landscape of forests in the American West to sustainability to trees designed to study algebraic functions, our academic endeavors connect to a sturdy trunk of curiosity and explore issues across a broad canopy of disciplines.

So there.

Watch this video so you can learn more about trees and impress some know it all at a holiday party.

Revenge and redemption make uneasy bedfellows in STAGECOACH: THE TEXAS JACK STORY, a hardscrabble period Western loosely based on the real-life exploits of 19th-century American outlaw Nathaniel Reed, starring country music superstar Trace Adkins, Judd Nelson and Kim Coates.  Following its limited theatrical release, the frontier thriller is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

After retiring from his life as an infamous outlaw, livery owner Nathaniel Reed (Adkins) quietly leads an honest existence on the Texas frontier with his devoted wife, Laura Lee.  But his gun-slinging past suddenly comes back to haunt him when he learns that Calhoun (Coates), the man he once maimed during a stagecoach robbery, is now an unhinged U.S. Marshal who’ll stop at nothing to exact vengeance.  After a violent shootout brings tragic consequences, Nathaniel partners with his original gang, returns to his lawless ways and becomes Texas Jack: the most wanted outlaw in the West.

An action-packed quest for redemption, STAGECOACH: THE TEXAS JACK STORY is filled with gunplay a’plenty, galloping getaways, a beautiful bounty hunter — and the possibility of a second chance.

And we’re giving away three copies of the Blu-ray!

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

Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story co-star Kim Coates played Alexander ‘Tig’ Trager on this FX 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 January 8th, 2016.

The iconic story of Baby and Johnny’s summer love, Dirty Dancing returns to the big screen on January 29 and February 1, 2017 for a 30^th anniversary presentation from Fathom Events and Lionsgate. This memorable experience will also treat fans to an exclusive never-before-seen 15-minute sneak peek of the brand-new special feature “Happy 30^th Birthday, Dirty Dancing,” from the upcoming Dirty Dancing 30^th Anniversary home entertainment release, available February 7, 2017.

A worldwide box-office sensation originally released in 1987, and generating over $213 million, Dirty Dancing captured hearts worldwide and took home the Best Original Song Oscar for “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.” The beloved film, starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in their most iconic roles remains one of Lionsgate’s top performing catalog titles with over 14 million DVDs and Blu-rays sold, and is continually referenced in pop culture.

In January, Fathom Events will bring Dirty Dancing 30^th Anniversary into more than 550 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. Tickets for the Dirty Dancing 30^th Anniversary screenings, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time both days, can now be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com, or participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

“Dirty Dancing is one of the quintessential classics in our film library, and we are thrilled to commemorate its 30^th anniversary by bringing it back to movie theaters,” said Michael Rathauser, SVP Marketing of Lionsgate Home Entertainment. “2017 will have an array of exciting activations for all fans with this big screen experience, specialty home entertainment release, television event and more.”

“Dirty Dancing is one of those really rare films that feels just as fresh and fun as it did the first time you saw it,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas added. “As an Eighties classic set in the Sixties, it’s a double-dose of cinematic nostalgia and we couldn’t be more delighted to welcome Baby and Johnny back to the silver screen.”

Lionsgate will continue the year-long celebration with the Dirty Dancing 30^th Anniversary Blu-ray, DVD and limited edition Collector’s Edition box set; an ongoing North American tour of “Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage”; a new consumer products program; a new mobile game and a network television presentation of a reimagined, captured-live Dirty Dancing musical event. In addition, Legacy Recordings will honor the 30^th anniversary with celebratory editions of the original Dirty Dancing soundtrack, scheduled to be released in the spring of 2017.

The Dirty Dancing 30^th Anniversary Limited Collector’s Edition box set includes the Blu-ray and DVD in collectible, numbered packaging along with exclusive memorabilia. The box set, Blu-ray and DVD releases all feature over six hours of special features including never-before-seen moments from Patrick Swayze’s last in-depth Dirty Dancing interview, “Patrick Swayze Uncut,” and interviews with celebrity fans reflecting on the anniversary. Additional special features include deleted and extended scenes, outtakes, cast interviews, music videos, filmmaker commentaries and more.

Produced by Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark,
Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson,
Hutch Parker, Dorothy Aufiero,
Stephen Stapinski, Michael Radutzky
Screenplay by Peter Berg,
Matt Cook, Joshua Zetumer
Story by Peter Berg, Matt Cook,
Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson
Directed by Peter Berg
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon,
John Goodman, J. K. Simmons,
Michelle Monaghan

April 15, 2013 is a day that will live in infamy for Bostonians and runners the world over.

On this day, three people lost their lives and 264 others were injured at the finish line of the world’s oldest marathon.

Days later, an MIT police officer by the name of Sean A. Collier was shot and killed in the line of duty as the bombers tried to steal his gun. Nearly a year later, Dennis Simmonds, a Boston Police Department officer died of complications from an ensuing firefight with the terrorists.

These cowardly acts continue to have an affect on the Boston community, and on the other side of it, the chant of “Boston Strong” made it to the lexicon as a symbol of resilience, strength, pride and inspiration in the face of adversity.

Director Peter Berg’s Patriot’s Day captures the city’s reaction to the bombing that spurred an unprecedented ‘shelter-in-place’ declaration as the murderers made more sinister plans and plotted their way to New York City for more destruction.

Spliced in with real surveillance footage from the blast site on Boylston Street and other sources such as ATM cameras, Whole Food’s Market and the gas stations after the carjacking, the film does an amazing job with storytelling. Local CBS affiliate WBZ’s broadcasts were also used to great effect. For those not living in Boston at the time, or for those that still cannot grasp the timeline of what happened that day, Patriot’s Day fills in the gaps.

Starring Mark Wahlberg as Boston Police Officer and homicide detective Sgt. Tommy Saunders with supporting roles from Hollywood’s A-List (who, to no fault of their own can’t control their Boston accents for a Large Extra-Extra regular from Dunks) including J. K. Simmons as Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, John Goodman as Commissioner Ed Davis and Kevin Bacon as Longmeadow, Massachusetts native Richard DesLauriers, the Special Agent in Charge for the FBI. An underused Michelle Monaghan plays Wahberg’s wife Carol Saunders.

New talent of note in the movie is Jake Picking’s depiction of MIT Officer Collier, Alex Wolff as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and an unexpected appearance of Melissa Benoist  as Katherine Russell, the older Tsarnaev brother’s wife. Elijah Guo plays UMASS Dartmouth student Dias Kadyrbayev.

As a person who was sheltered-in-place only 2.5 miles away from where Dzhokhar was captured inside of a boat in Watertown, and was working less than two miles away from the bomb blasts, these days are still very real to me.

In a way that could sound like a backhanded compliment (it isn’t), I couldn’t wait for this movie to be over.

Watching the movie, I felt every emotion and relived those days. I experienced deep sadness, fear and all the way to elation when the suspect was captured. I’m filled with pride when I see and hear of the real-life accomplishments of the survivors Jessica Kensky (Rachel Brosnahan) and Patrick Downes (Christopher O’Shea).

I hope that people across the world are empathetic toward what happened in my beloved city and can be inspired similarly. This movie was sometimes tough for me to watch because of the great acting and story based on true events.

Sure, here were famous actors playing the roles of Boston’s Finest to the best of their ability, but Patriots Day truly had me lost in it. This is a dramatization, but with the documentary footage I was put right back to those days in April of 2013, trying to download police scanner apps on my phone and streaming news online. I was in Cambridge the night Officer Collier was slain, picking up an order at FedEx. On our way home, barreling towards Cambridge in opposite lane were patrol cars speeding faster than I’ve ever seen a cop car move, even on the highway, responding to the call. Everything was so surreal.

Jimmy O’Yang (Silicon Valley) portrays one of the most sympathetic characters and true heroes of the film, Dun Meng. Dun bravely escaped his carjacked SUV and urged the gas station clerk to call 911.

There were some tensions between the interdepartmental law enforcement agencies that were later criticized, but Patriots Day reveals some information not known to the public at the time of the investigation, such as a command center called Black Falcon Terminal by the Seaport District. Bacon commands his investigative team, recreating the blast with real evidence as his team steadfastly analyzed every bit of video, cell phone info and eventually identifies the suspects. A scene where Russell (Benoist) is interrogated by unidentified agents is terrifying.

Patriot’s Day achieves what it sets out to do. Bostonians may complain about the accents (they always do) but they cannot deny this tribute to those that died, that sacrificed limbs, and a city that won’t let you mess with them on a day of celebration and accomplishment.

I felt and relived every emotion from laughter to pain with Patriots Day, every Masshole minute the thing. The small talk at Dunkin Donuts contrasted with learning about the real life Kensky and Downes and other survivors in HBO’s Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing documentary. This film is a reflection of home in 2013 and how we live today with bomb sniffing dogs at sporting events feeling safer and proud of the tough jobs our first responders face.

The Patriot’s Day charity fund picks up where the 2013 One Fund left off to benefit the first responders, medical professionals and survivors of the 2013 Marathon bombing.

Be Boston Strong by giving this film a chance, and for the majority of you out there, you will get a glimpse into what it feels like to live in “Our fucking city”. Thanks, Big Papi, for that everlasting quote!

Produced by Jean-Julien Baronnet, Gérard Guillemot,Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley, Michael Fassbender, Conor McCaughan, Arnon Milchan
Screenplay by Michael Lesslie,
Adam Cooper, Bill Collage
Based on Assassin’s Creed by Ubisoft
Directed by Justin Kurzel
Starring Michael Fassbender,
Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Michael K. Williams

Video game movies usually fall into two categories; Campy or serious.  Assassin’s Creed definitely checks the serious box.

Based on the video game franchise by Ubisoft, Assassin’s Creed is the story of Cal Lynch (Michael Fassbender) , a man on death row, who taken after “death” to become a part of a scientific experiment.

Through a series of experiments Cal becomes linked to his ancestor Aguilar, a master assassin.  With each memory of Aguilar that is revealed, Cal becomes entangled the Assassin’s centuries long battle with the Knights Templar for the freewill of all humanity.

It’s video game grandiose plot brought to the big screen.  I haven’t really played any of the Assassin’s Creed video games, so I can only judge the movie on it’s merits as a film.

Director Justin Kurzel has helmed an action, fantasy/sci-fi film that holds it own.  No prior videogame experience required to enjoy it.

Assassin’s Creed is surprisingly chock full of award winning talent.  Oscar winning Marion Cotillard plays Sofia, the head scientist that you are never quite sure if she is a naive academic or something more sinister.  Fellow Oscar winner Jeremy Irons is her conniving Templar father.  Fassbender brings plays Cal with the dedication he brings to all his roles.  The three together bring a gravitas to the film that was unexpected. The cast is rounded out by a number of excellent character actors included Brendan Gleeson and Essie Davis that will tickle the back of your mind until the credits roll.  I spent a good deal of time wondering how the heck this cast ended up in a videogame movie.

Although the story’s linchpin is based on some pretty silly pseudo silence, it is refreshing to have a filmmaker who doesn’t treat their audience as the lowest common denominator.

In an era where even George Lucas won’t subtitle his movies because Hollywood believes audience won’t want to read (let’s face it, Jar Jar would have been so much better with an alien language and subtitles), the film takes a chance by having a third of it take place in the past in Spain with it’s dialog in Spanish with subtitles.  It’s a brilliant move to make the story feel more real.

The action is dynamic and well choreographed. From what I have observed of the video games, fans should be pleased to see the look and the feel of the worlds created in the games brought to the silver screen.  Much of the film reads like an origin story, and if the film is financially successful, I see many sequels in the future.

There have been many terrible live-action video game films; Street Fighter (it’s a tragedy that it was Raul Julia’s last film), Super Mario Brothers (I was so embarrassed for Bob Hoskins), Bloodrayne (If you haven’t seen it, don’t. If you did, I’m sorry).  Resident Evil and is one of the few that have been able to build a strong franchise with a devoted fan base. Although Warcraft did poorly in the US, the overseas market take proves that the international box office is as integral to domestic profits.  Assassin’s Creed has all it needs to grow into respectable series.  The games have road mapped story arc’s for several films.

If the same creative team of actors, writers and everyone behind the camera can execute future moves, they will have me happily returning to see the fate for Cal Lynch.

Produced by Neal H. Moritz, Stephen Hamel,
Michael Maher, Ori Marmur
Written by Jon Spaihts
Directed by Morten Tyldum
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt,
Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne,
Andy García

There is never a convenient time to have an equipment malfunction while on a trip.

Inevitably, it will happen while between two places and lead to calling for help or a long walk to the nearest service station.

In Passengers, Jon Spaihts has attempted to write the ultimate intergalactic inconvenient breakdown story. Peppered with a fair amount of cheesy popcorn blockbuster moments and roll-your-eyes space dilemmas, Passengers shot for the moon but landed just barely within reach of the stars.

Who would not jump at the chance to start over? Not just with your own life, but civilization itself? That is the lure for those on the luxury space liner headed for a colonization planet over 120 years of travel away. Unfortunately for Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) they are awakened a full 90 years ahead of schedule.

As the two navigate their fate together, their budding relationship takes a backseat as the danger of a ship systems collapse threatens the lives of everyone onboard.

Given the premise, it is no surprise that this is a minimalist movie as far as casting. As such, it requires that Lawrence and Pratt carry a considerable amount of responsibility to drive the story forward. It is clear that this burden is not equally shared, as Chris Pratt ends up doing the majority of the heavy lifting in each scene. He completely steals the show as far as affability and strength of character. From the moment Jim first wakes and debates with the mirror about what to wear for the first day of training, he is the kind of likable guy-next-door that is easy to root for and typical of many roles the actor is known for. However, as he explores Jim’s wavering sanity at the realization of spending 90 years on a ship where over 99% of the other occupants are still in stasis, he is given a small chance to show his ability at imparting a sense of emotional complexity.

Lawrence is a good fit in her role as the distant but attractive Aurora Lane, who takes a longer time to come around to both her fate and shipmate. Her best work comes from roles where she is able to play someone either above or apart from it all so she is playing to her strengths in much of the movie.

Just as important as our two leads is the glossy high-tech setting for their journey. The production value of the sets is immediately visible. There is nothing without agency or that appears plucked from a tacky fantasy novel. Each element, from the sleek cafeteria to the lush bar area (staffed by Michael Sheen as the ever-charming and available android bartender) seems like Elon Musk may have been approached as a consultant. Holograms and digital interfaces are flawless representations that reflect the futuristic minimalism we have come to expect from the genre.

Additionally of note are the views of space and zero gravity scenes that are brought about by contrived situations but fun to watch unfold.

There in fact is the main failing of the movie: the actual plot and interaction of characters. While I am loathe to spoil anything, the way in which the two come together (and are driven apart, and come back together) can be seen light years away.

Unfortunately the charm of Chris Pratt and attractiveness of Jennifer Lawrence cannot help the fact that they have a lackluster chemistry together. The only way to be satisfied with their pairing is to remember that they literally have no other choices for the rest of their lives. Even then, their intimate scenes are perfunctory at best.

Separately assessed, all of the standard elements of a formulaic romantic space thriller are there: android companion, perilous journey, good guy with a secret, beautiful woman thrown into action, sleek spaceship: accounted for. But the pieces never completely come together in a way that is truly satisfying. Passengers sits right in the middle of the intergalactic road.

 “…cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature”

Keeping in mind the current global context, the importance of cultural diversity cannot be ignored. As the above statement of the UNESCO declaration states, cultural diversity is essential and benefits the human race. Homogeneity and monoculture will ultimately spell doom for our race.

This pushes us to explore venues to learn and celebrate cultural diversity through interactive learning. A high school students ability to understand and appreciate diversity must be fostered not by didactic theory but by genuine exploration.

For this, a simple game of bingo has proven most effective. Although bingo is viewed as a game of gambling, the leisurely pastime of the blue brigade, it has various applications.

Used in an educational environment, a game of cultural diversity bingo is perfect for students to explore each others culture.

A card is prepared which contains questions in stead of numbers as is usually the case. Questions like the following seek to explore the cultural heritage of students.

“Who knows three languages?”

”Who has travelled to the East?”

“ Who has attended a Cinco de Mayo celebration?”

Each student is handed over a bingo card bearing these questions in a traditional 5×5 grid, and go around the classroom asking all students to write their names under a maximum of two boxes. This helps both the one who asks and the one who answers aware of the diversity between one another, and can stimulate further questioning which should be encouraged.

Ultimately, a student who has managed to fill an entire row, or pattern or a Full House can be handed over a present. He/She may also make a speech about new things they learned from their classmates.

This type of interaction with the use of bingo for learning is increasingly popular, to break the ice in new classrooms, to drive learning and cultural acceptance. While it is one of the best games to stress bust in it’s online bingo traditional form, its applications in other areas are interesting. Visit GameVillage for a quick game of online bingo.

Earlier this year, Dynamite Entertainment further solidified claim to the industry’s leading publisher of licensed comics with news of an exclusive arrangement with Simon & Schuster to bring the beloved characters Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys to comics with all-new adventures!

Writer Del Col, a big fan of the characters, conceived this unique take years ago and worked to find and secure the license with Dynamite to bring this tale to life.

“I often come up with a lot of bizarre ideas, and two years ago I had this vision of a modern-day noir story with femme fatale Nancy Drew aiding accusing criminals the Hardy Boys,” says writer Anthony Del Col. “It was an idea that, upon further thought, actually wasn’t that bizarre. And now Werther, Dynamite, and I are using it as a launching pad to examine who these characters really are, and why they’re still so beloved.”

“We wanted to do a take on the iconic characters the world grew up on unlike any that had come before,” says Dynamite Entertainment CEO and Publisher Nick Barrucci. “Anthony Del Col had a true passion for the source material that Werther Dell’Edera was able to bring through perfectly. This series does the characters justice, with a modern take that fits perfectly alongside Dynamite’s other popular crime titles!”

Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ January 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in March. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies with their local comic book retailers. Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.

If you are like me and 2016 has killed the last of your remaining humanity, you are no in the mood to be jolly. Or cheery. Or merry.

So, might as well embrace your newfound take on existence and enjoy the holidays the only way a person ravaged by pure evil can: Give up and join the dark side.

Why fight it? Turn into the skid and enjoy the horrible ride before the crash.

Now, as the holidays approach, end 2016 on a dark and horrifying note. Here is a list of horror and slasher movies to match your dark holiday mood:

Black Christmas (1974 and 2006)

Plot: Sorority sisters are killed one by one over the holiday season by a crank caller. The remake features more gore, as well as incest, cannibalism and deadly icicles.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: In the original, Barb is killed with a glass unicorn as carolers sing outside. In the remake, a little boy enjoys Christmas cookies made of momma’s flesh.

Is There A Santa Claus?: In the original, no. In the remake, there is a mall santa, so I guess that counts.

Christmas Evil (1980)

Plot: Corporate cog goes nuts, believes he’s Santa and begins killing all the bad boys on his naughty list.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Killing preppies as the exit a midnight mass.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yep

A Christmas Horror Story (2015)

Plot: Horror anthology featuring ghosts, changelings, zombie elves and Krampus.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: “Santa” taking care of the evil hordes of “zombies” that have overtaken the mall.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yep. Santa is featuring predominantly in the fourth tale.

Dead End (2003)

Plot: Family on a car trip to visit granny for the holidays are sidetracked by evil forces, seemingly innocent hitchhikers and their own little versions of Death on the Highway.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Not a lot of holiday cheer or fear in this one.

Is There A Santa Claus?: No

Don’t Open Until Christmas (1984)

Plot: Santas are slayed left and right and it’s up to the cops to figure out who is behind the yuletide homicides.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: A random mall Santa gets his jingle bells cut off.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yes. Santa slayings a plenty in this gorefest.

Elves (1989)

Plot: A demonic elf works with Hitler to bring forth a master race of half-human, half-elf and it’s up to emo teenagers and a former cop with a past to save us all. Who will win? Who will lose? Only one thing is for sure: There was a shit ton of cocaine floating around Hollywood writer’s rooms  in 1989.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Toss up between the monstrous elf stabbing folks with a Christmas tree topper or a candy cane. Tough call.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yes. The ex-cop with something to prove is actually a mall Santa when not fighting crime.

Gremlins (1984)

Plot: Billy’s dad gets him a Mogwai for Christmas, but he doesn’t heed the warnings as he proceeds to prove himself one of the worst pet owners of all time.

Perhaps the best pic on this entire list, this Steven Spielberg-produced gem deserves to be watched one a year.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: So many to choose from, but perhaps the best is when Mrs. Deagle (aka Flo from Mel’s Diner) goes to throw water on some pesky carolers only to be met with a doorstep filled with horror.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Briefly. He’s being attacked by the little critters though.

Home for the Holidays (1972)

Plot: Made-for-TV scarer starring Sally Field as one of four sisters who return home for the holidays to find out their father may or may not have been murdered by their stepmother.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Takes place on Christmas, but not a lot of “death by ornaments and/or candy” in this one.

Is There A Santa Claus?: No.

Jack Frost (1997)
Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000)

Plot:

• Part 1: A serial killer is transformed into a mutant killer snowman. Warning: Movie features human-on-snowman sexual assault scene.

• Part 2: Jack’s back, and he’s pissed. This time, he’s brought the kids.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Not really a Christmas movie, but it is snowy, so it gets a pass.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Nope.

ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

Krampus (2015)

Plot: Horror comedy about a dysfunctional family trapped in a house by the legendary beast of Christmas.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Dragging one of the more obnoxious kids up the chimney with care…

Is There A Santa Claus?: No.

The Melancholy Fantastic (2011)

Plot: A holiday tale about a grief-stricken young woman and her creepy life-size muslin doll BFF who tells her to kill.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: The holidays stay in the background, used to bring out the depression in young Melanie, not the murderous nature of the doll.

Is There A Santa Claus?: No.

O’Hellige Jul! (aka Christmas Cruelty!) (2013)

Plot: A serial killer Santa and his merry band of miscreants prepare for the holidays with killing galore. Well done shocker that impresses and distresses.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Any time Santa picks up a chainsaw.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yes.

ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

One Hell of A Christmas (2002)

Plot: An ex-con get thrown into the world of the occult when his attempt to make a quick buck for Christmas goes awry.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: A few attacks with a Christmas tree

Is There A Santa Claus?: No.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

Plot: Fab little Finnish horror fantasy tale that turns the myth of Santa on its head, re-inventing jolly Old St. Nick as a nightmarish ancient evil who devours reindeer…and kids, both naughty and nice.

After Gremlins, this is the second best pic on this list.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Not really scary, but just a fun little twist on an old myth: the excavation crew that is digging out Santa much follow a strict list of rules, which they deem as insane but the audience will quickly realize are all old school items that will get your ass on the Naughty List.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Hell yeah!

Santa Claws (1996)

Plot: A stalker dresses up like Santa and wrecks havoc on his neighbor’s life.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: Nothing really. For a title like this, I was hoping for a great noel nightmare monster, not a dude with a hammer and discount Santa threads. Dullsville.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Sure.

Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972)

Plot: Lloyd Kaufman’s fun little schlock horror pic about a lawyer who inherits his granddaddy’s digs on Christmas Eve. Little does he realize that the manor use to be an insane asylum with a devilish past.

Best Scary, Merry Moment:  Adorable Christmas story about what happened in 1935 when all the lunatics escaped the asylum. Merry Christmas!

Is There A Santa Claus?: Nope.

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

Plot: Poor Billy had a rough childhood. After he watched the death of his parents, he was sent to live in an abusive orphanage. As an adult, the a mild manner stock boy is loses his grip on sanity during the holidays and begins to don a Santa suit while he goes on an epic killing spree.

A classic slasher pic for the ages.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yes.

Also:

• Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 (1987) – Ricky, Billy’s little brother, goes into the family business.

• Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out (1989) – Ricky teams up with a blind clairvoyant girl.

• Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990) – No killer Santas this time. Instead, you get witches, deadly insects, cults, curses and Clint Howard. This is the Halloween III of the Silent Night series, but awful.

• Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1991) – Killer toys, more larvae and Mickey Rooney!

• Silent Night (2012) – Loose remake where the killer takes part in a Santa parade

Sint (2010)

Plot: Saint Nicholas is a murderous bishop who kills bunches of kiddies whenever there is a full moon on November 5.

Best Scary, Merry Moment: A nice reimagining of the classic Santa look, with the old man himself looking like a warmed over zombie in clothes found in the Popemobile.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yep!

To All A Goodnight (1980)

Plot: Over-sexed sorority girls are once again the target of a deranged man in a Santa costume

Best Scary, Merry Moment: The dude is in a Santa suit. That’s really all you get. But it make up for the lack of Christmas spirit with plenty of boobies.

Is There A Santa Claus?: Yes.

Special mention:

Treevenge (2008)

Sentient Christmas trees get their revenge on mankind for dressing up their corpses in lights.

Slay Belles (???)

It’s not out…yet, but this little indie number gets special mention for using an abandoned Santa’s Village theme park.

Yes, it’s only been a few months since the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, yet rumours and speculations are starting to increase over the new iPhone 8 in 2017.

If you know nothing about the iPhone then you might wonder what all the excitement is about, well it takes a few words to explain that one, and perhaps the first word should be ‘revolutionary.’

It seems almost inconceivable that it will be ten years since the first generation iPhone was introduced to the  public, since then the iPhone has revolutionized the way we communicate, browse, shop and pay for goods, monitor our health, source entertainment, playing at sites like SwankyBingo.com where you can meet like minded people, have a laugh whilst enjoying a great classic game anywhere and at anytime you want to.

The amazing applications we can get either at no cost at all or for a small fee opens up the world to us in ways never thought of as long as we can get a WI-FI connection.

So what can we look forward to in 2017?

Ten years in production is a big year for Apple and so it’s a little more difficult to predict what we shall be offered. With big design changes being mentioned those could include and edge-to-edge OLED screen.  It’s also quite possible that the new iPhone 8 won’t have the existing home button, instead there will be a fingerprint sensor built right into the display.

Apples usual pattern is a major re-design each two years with the iPhone 7S due out next year, but with it being such a celebratory year for the company it is expected that Apply will do something really special for the occasion. It’s even a possibility that the new iPhone 8 will also be renamed for the celebrations, but for now we shall keep on calling the iPhone 8 .

Expected Specs and New Features

• It is rumoured that there could be a curved OLED screen
• An bezel-less design is expected
• The screen itself could be made from plastic and not glass
• LG is said to be working on a foldable screen for 2018
• Apple apparently has been asking their suppliers to make a screen with resolution better than Samsung which effectively would mean that the iPhone 8 would boast a resolution higher than Quad HD, a big jump from the iPhone 7
• The camera could possibly be front facing on the new iPhone 8
• The new phone may well have an A-11 processor
• Colours could include red this time round
• Wireless charging is on the cards

The price for the new interactive phone is going to be somewhat higher than before with the expected prices to be in the range of $1200. £827.07 and 1069.38 Euros.

Cave Carson, Cyborg, Green Arrow and Justice League all deliver some fantastic issues to see in the holidays with only the Super Powers back-up in Cave that misses the mark.

Then we have the first part of the big versus crossover… is it a winner?

Let’s find out!

This is my look into the DC Universe this week!

CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE #3

Deep Issues
Writer: Gerard Way & Jon Rivera
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
Cover: Michael Avon Oeming & Nick Filardi
Variant: Paul Rentler

EBX assembles the new Mighty Mole II team to apprehend a ‘delusional’ Cave Carson and his daughter in a rescue mission, unaware of the evil intentions of their boss.

Meanwhile Cave, Wild Dog and Chloe are racing away from the giant creature and dive underground in the Mighty Mole until Cave finds a depository of radioactive minerals that has farmed some colossal vampiric worms, who promptly eat their pursuer.

They catch a breather in one of the old Team Carson underground cache bases, where Cave explains that Chloe is half Muldroog and that EBX is intent on using her to gain access to a vault in her mother’s kingdom.

Chloe is understandably upset at being lied to but relents when Cave offers to take her to the palace. Any excitement is short lived when they discover the citizens of Muldroog dead and the once glorious kingdom, silent and broken…

To Be Continued…

ART: 5/5
Everything about the book is just stunning. Everything.

The art continues to take you by surprise, yes it has a young feel to it, but when you really sit down and go through the book you realise at the books heart are the pangs of nostalgia and a real effort to capture a pulp action serial. I would love it so much of DC considered this for their next animated feature.

COVER: 4/5
I like what they’re going for this issue, and you can see where the book is going. The ripped edging gives it an old ‘second-hand bookshop’ feel, the inks are very light and with the bright pastel wash colouring it feels a little faded, obviously intentional but I just wish it was a little darker.

ISSUE RATING: 5/5
Gerard Way, Jon Rivera and Michael Avon Oeming are perhaps the best team in DC Comics right now. I’m not exaggerating, this book is pure gold, I honestly look forward to every issue and its getting better each month.

I never read Cave Carson before this title launched, never even picked up a back issue, it was one of those books that just never appealed to me and to be honest I think even DC forgot about heroes such as this in favour of their more colourful line up.

If you know someone that isn’t reading this, do them a favour and buy them the issues so far for Christmas. They’ll love you for it.

BACK UP FEATURE

SUPER POWERS #3

The Wonder Twins/Green Arrow
Writer: Tom Scioli
Artist: Tom Scioli

A interloper names Arin is soaring through Exxorian space and is attacked for his cargo, parts of which appear to be a Superman robot.

Zan and Jayna begin exhibiting their shape shifting powers in the most bizarre ways.

With Gleek in tow they see what they believe is a shooting star crashing to near to their home, instead of a star they find Arin crying for help.

Elsewhere, Green Arrow recounts his origins. How he fell off a ship and was stranded on an island teaching himself to hunt with a bow & arrows.

Then comes the twist that the island was actually Starro the conqueror who had fallen into a deep sleep and foliage had grown over him.

An inter-dimensional traveller named Xeen Arrow appears and offers Oliver Queen the chance to become a new Xeen Arrow in our dimension and fight greed  in all its forms.

The press stupidly changes Xeen to Green and the rest is history.

To Be Continued…

ART: 1/5

I’ve officially has enough of this back up, its confusing, dull and the narrative is all over the place. I appreciate it is trying to look like acid worn pages, I get that it is trying to look like a book from a bygone age. But three months in its lost the charm.

STORY RATING: 1/5
When you have to decipher a story rather than enjoy it, you have lost me.

This is the opposite to Cave Carson – everything that the main story does to reinvigorate the character, this back up does to kill off the enjoyment of Super Powers. Who is it for?

What is it for? Not me at least. I’d rather have three extra pages of Cave Carson.

CYBORG #7

The Imitation of Life – Part 7: Bionic Betrayal

Writer: John Semper Jr.
Artist: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Tony Kordos
Cover: Mike Choi
Variant: Carlos D’Anda

Variant turns against Cyborg and the double agent reveals that the goal was to steal the Boom Tube technology all along.

Attempting to steal more of his technology Variant bridges the two of them but when she does so Vic reveals he had installed a back up program into her to shut her down.

With the plot foiled Terrence reveals that he had planned to kill Scarlett anyway and escapes in a helicopter. Vic repowers Variant and the two join forces to recapture Terrence and return to S.T.A.R. Much to Vic’s anger they shut Scarlett down as if she was just a machine. Though the mission ended a success and Variant redeemed herself she is given to S.T.A.R. for technology storage.

With the government gone and the lab shut for the night secretly ‘Silas’ begins to interface with Variant as his plan begins to take shape. Vic still seething, returns to question his father and discovers the truth that Silas is really a doppelganger. Worse still, the mystery foe reveals he implanted a kill code just like Variants into Vic himself… and activates it!

To Be Continued…

COVER: 5/5
When Cyborg’s tech is being showcased sometimes some artists go a little overboard with his intricate weaponry. On a cover it can become irritation figuring out which parts connect to which which leads to confusion rather than spectacular. Here you have two cyborgs and that possibility doubles but Choi does a great job of showcasing Variant! I hope this isn’t the last we see of her!

ART: 5/5
Pelletier is back and he’s been missed. Cyborg’s art has been a real rollercoaster over the last seven issues but this issue reminds you why you should be sticking around.

ISSUE RATING: 5/5
Wow, this storyline has had it’s ups and downs, but when Semper wants to drive the story forward and really kick things into high gear he really knows how to do it.

GREEN ARROW #13

Emerald Outlaw Part 2
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Otto Schmidt
Cover: W. Scott Forbes
Variant cover: Neal Adams & Dave McCaig

Ollie and Dinah arrive to find newscaster Victoria Much barely alive being taken way by paramedics.

The offer of their assistance in the case is met with anger, not just for the suspected attack on Much but also the attack on the aggressive cop. While elsewhere that very same cop is being reprimanded by his superior officer it appears he is also a vigilante as part of a violent team ’The Vice Squad’.

Back at the base in the Ranier Wilderness, Diggle, Henry, Dinah and Ollie are trying to figure out who has framed Ollie. Shado, Emiko, Tommy Merlyn, the Dark Archer or even Ollie’s former partner.

Henry points them towards the targets rather than the assassin, pointing out they all have been critical of Green Arrow at some point. With some calculations he tells Team Arrow that Cy Samson, the Hawks Quarterback could very well be the next target.

Dinah disguised as a police woman sneaks into the evidence locker at the local police station while Ollie has Cy Sampson under surveillance at a football game.

The mysterious archer catches Ollie unawares knocking him directly into the crowd in the stadium while also killing Sampson. Ollie looks at the angry audience and realises he has no way out and now there is another victim.

To Be Continued…

COVER: 4/5
The spoiler of Cy Sampson’s murder can be overlooked for a really chilling cover. It provides far more of an atmospheric ‘fugitive’ feel than last issue and the story inside really benefits from this issue primer.

ART: 4/5
The jump to another artist was a little jarring last issue but now the arc is in full swing Otto Schmidt has taken on the art chores with superb skill and coupled with Nate Piekos’ unique lettering style you have a fantastic looking issue. The light and dark of Seattle is really nicely illustrated with the light humour and the dark action.

ISSUE RATING: 5/5
The first issue was all set up, literally and figuratively and as this issue moves forward, we see there is more to the storyline than just a Green Arrow imitator running riot in Seattle. I love the character moments, everyone gets a little spotlight in Team Arrow and we find that violent cop has more to offer for the future too. I’m not sure Ollie would have gone in so blindly and unprotected to watch Cy Sampson but it was one hell of a cliffhanger.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #10

Outbreak Part 4: Conclusion
Writer: Bryan Hitch
Penciller: Neil Edwards
Inker: Daniel Henriques
Cover: Fernando Pasarin, Matt Ryan & Brad Anderson
Variant cover: Yanick Paquette & Nathan Fairbairn

The villains make mincemeat of Denver as they try to defeat the Justice League.

It is an even match with neither side able to best the other and Superman is unavailable due to a Phantom Zone breach in the Fortress, so with the two sides pitted against one another, PSImon wonders what three civilians and an iPad are doing in the centre of the fight.

He discovers the Genie programme and orders his fellow villains to focus their attack on grabbing the iPad.

Simon Baz tries reaching out to Jessica Cruz as their combined might may make up for the loss of Superman and when she arrives Batman and Lily formulate a plan with the Genie programmes help using Scarecrows fear mist for inspiration.

With Cyborg as a walking transmitter they use the iPad to reprogram Amazo into believing the Justice League are really his villain friends and with that trickery the android joins forces with the League to take the villains down.

Batman promises to make Wayne Industries help rebuild Denver and alos to fund Bobby and Lily’s education, making things right with the Palmer family.

Diana comments that Bruce is showing signs of sentimentality but he points out that the Genie programme was the product of Lily’s revenge. Imagine what she could accomplish with the right guidance?

THE END

COVER: 5/5
One of the best covers on Justice League to date. The CGI on Flash is fantastic, the colouring is perfect and the promise of action is definitely delivered. A downside is that Superman (who would have made mincemeat of all the villains in the issue) doesn’t appear in the entire storyline but is here on the cover. Still the wow factor makes up for it. No cheese here!

ART: 5/5
Action is the key! Last issue art errors were an issue for me and I see that’s because of ‘stillness’ or dramatic moments. This issue because it really is action from beginning to end with barely a moment to breathe, the art takes on a spectacular new life.
Loved. Every. Single. Panel.

ISSUE RATING: 4/5
There has to be a dip and it’s here in the writing, not because this was badly written by any stretch of the imagination but because there was no story this issue at all, everything was delivered in the last few issues so there was nothing left but a big climax. I DID thoroughly enjoy the book, I just wish it was more than just a big fight.

JUSTICE LEAGUE vs SUICIDE SQUAD #1

Justice League vs. Suicide Squad Part One
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Jason Fabok
Cover: Jason Fabom & Alex Sinclair
Variant: Amanda Conner & Laura Martin
Variant 2: Gary Frank & Brad Anderson

A mysterious man capable of mental manipulation enters ‘The Catacombs’ a top secret prison and instructs the staff to release the prisoners contained within.

With a team of villains at his side he leads them out to freedom.

Elsewhere the Suicide Squad are on a mission in Badhnisia to recover a Quake Pulsar stolen by the Brimsone Brotherhood with new recruit Killer Frost much to the annoyance of Rick Flag.

Flag insists on joining the team of Killer Croc, El Diablo, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Enchantress and Deadshot to stop Apex leader of the Brotherhood.

Elsewhere Batman is briefing the League on what the Suicide Squad is. Villains forced into missions with the offer of reduced sentences for their crimes if they succeed. The League wonder just how many of Waller’s missions they’d foiled and how many were genuine criminal acts. Cyborg begins scanning for villains grouped together and tells them of sightings in Badhnisia.

Back at the mission the team confront Apex but just as tries to activate the Pulsar Deadshot kills him from a neighbouring building. The Pulsar is deactivated but too late for the building Deadshot is on. He says goodbye to a photo of his daughter and attempts suicide by jumping off the building.

Superman arrives and saved the assassin while Simon Baz stabilises the building and the other Leaguers rescue civilians.  Batman talls the squad that ‘Task Force X’ is over by order of the League. The villains insist that they aren’t to blame for the destruction and Batman highlights the accompanying destruction to their ‘success.’ The League offer to help release them from Waller’s rule.

Baz mocks Captain Boomerang and Deadshot radios Waller for advice.

Waller insists that if they allow the League to take them in she’ll kill them. With their lives on the line the Squad attack so they can escape.

Elsewhere the villains that were released from The Catacombs have reconvened in the Swiss Alps, they are: Doctor Polaris, Emerald Empress, Lobo, Johnny Sorrow and Rustam. Their liberator offers to help them get revenge on Amanda Waller and reveals himself to be Maxwell Lord!

To Be Continued…

COVER:5/5
A pretty cool ‘montage’ cover highlighting all the combatants in this six part story. I’m not usually a fan of these as they always feel like the cover to the trade paperback but it does promise something cool is on the way.

ART: 5/5
Fabok ruled the DCU this issue.

I can’t praise the book enough, if there was one critique it would be the have some larger panels so the text didn’t feel like it was competing with the artwork for the spotlight.

ISSUE RATING: 5/5
In past experience these versus issues never really live up to the promises. There have been some terrible event books in the past where teams fight each other but happily I can say that at least part one has the potential to make this a crossover event that will be remembered for the right reasons.

There are an awful lot of characters in this book so a little more spotlight time to flesh people out rather than just a character credit would benefit the reader, but as it is only part one I’m reserving judgement for now.

Critical and consumer reaction to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story varied even before the film was released.

Fans, hungry for every detail out of Disney, were worried by rumors of reshoots, and quick to pounce on its general disturbance in the episodic force of the saga.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

I found the first half of the film hard to warm up to, probably influenced by the pre-release anxiety, and definitely influenced by the lack of strong characters, choppy story structure, and uninspired decisions by director Gareth Edwards. The film gets better though, and is more emotionally powered to the franchise than The Force Awakens.

It is a film lush in Star Wars detail, and the special effects are integrated naturally, which Edwards is known for.

Let’s just forget about the Peter Cushing in the room. You may fire when you’re ready at that movie misstep.

From Rogue One, here are my favorite observed details on screen…

BLUE MILK

It’s one of the first details the movie gets right, right after its “long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” starter.

Sure, there was also an appearance of blue milk, or whatever that is, in The Force Awakens, but you know what wasn’t as prominent in the three prequels before it? Blue milk.

FREAKIN’ DR. CORNELIUS EVAZAN

One of the more obvious winks to the audience (more so than the repeating of the word “hope” about twenty times) is the appearance of this familiar bad-tempered grouch. Best yet, he’s pals with Ponda Baba, a.k.a. Walrus Man, and probably on his way to pick more fights at the Cantina Bar, which speaking of which…

CENTRAL CASTING FROM THE CANTINA BAR

There are scenes with hundreds of non-CGI extras, which means a lot of folks dressed in a mix of generic and specific costuming. This is the Star Wars I was looking for.

At one point, I believe I spotted a couple background humanoid extras wearing simply bucket on their heads and leftover robes from that new Ben-Hur movie. I am sure of it.

PROBE DROID ON HOLIDAY

Sure the AT-ATs in a new tropical setting makes for a killer battle sequence in the new film, but look closely for the rogue probe droid shopping in the Jedha Marketplace. I mean, really, what do you get for the probe droid that has everything?

RALPH McQUARRIE

This film felt at times more like the worlds created in conceptual art by McQuarrie, which we fell in love with in book-tie ins as kids, than any of the saga’s episodes. The set piece in Rogue One getting most buzz and attention is the look into Darth’s castle.

This once dreamed location for Empire Strikes Back, was clearly designed by an architect with more than a nod to the popular functional-living deco trend on Mordor.

WEAR AND TEAR

Those older white Clone Trooper costumes apparently fade into the same shade of yellow as your original Stormtrooper figures did in time. Perhaps the newer model of Stormtrooper was made with better, longer-lasting white armor? Whatever the reason, I tip my pointy Death Star helmet to them in approval, but still can’t get my vintage figures pearly white.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

We’ve all been there. You finally got the zip drive containing the plans for the Death Star’s G-spot, and you forgot to adjust the satellite for transmission. Where’s galactic IT when you need them? It’s kind of humbling to realize that even in a galaxy far, far away, WiFi availability can be iffy.

RESPECT

If the imitative nature of The Force Awakens was the greatest form of flattery, then Rogue One succeeds as a tribute in other, more respectful ways. There’s no opening crawl, as this isn’t an episode. There are no trademark visual scene transitions (circular nor vertical wipes). What Michael Giacchino’s score lacks in originality (especially new themes), it channels the prior efforts of John Williams.

Also, it does it at exactly the right moments, feeding our nostalgia and possibly siphoning out tears. Especially that end credit celebration that makes you want to watch A New Hope again asap.

Dynamite Entertainment announced today that it has made a deal with Lionsgate to publish a comic book series inspired by the studio’s popular John Wick feature film.

John Wick introduces a retired hitman thrust back into the underworld following his wife’s death and subsequent theft of his 1969 Mustang, as well as the killing of a dog she left to help him cope with her passing. These tragic events lead to John Wick seeking retribution in the darkest depths of the Russian mafia in pursuit of Iosef, the leader of the gang of Wick’s assailants. As this pursuit leads him deeper into the Russian crime syndicate, a trail of dead bodies — including some of his closest friends and allies — begins to follow behind.

John Wick grossed $86 million dollars at the worldwide box office when it was released in 2014. The highly anticipated sequel John Wick: Chapter Two will be in theaters February 10, 2017.

“John Wick was such an exciting film, mixing martial arts action with snappy dialogue and smart writing,” says Dynamite CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. “As the credits rolled, you were left wanting more, and it was obvious that they had the makings of a franchise. We were quick to pursue the opportunity to develop a comic book series, and are thrilled to have been granted the rights to tell all-new stories with the character!”

“A comic series is the perfect vehicle to engage in a different way with fans as well as expand the John Wick universe. We found a great partner in industry leader Dynamite Entertainment who shared our passion and enthusiasm for the franchise,” says Sheila Clarke, SVP Global Consumer Products Lionsgate Entertainment.

Dynamite Entertainment will introduce all-new comics starring John Wick in 2017, with details on release date and creative team to be announced in the coming months.

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

The holidays are here! But we can’t celebrate them until we review some comics first!

Aquaman #13
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Scot Eaton
Published by DC Comics

Part two of the “Deluge” Storyline is here and it’s actually fairly decent.

It did get a tad boring at one point where it felt like scene after scene of talking and talking heads.

However, it does pick up and it ends up being a good read.

The war between the United States and Atlantis takes a turn for the worse when the U.S. activates its newest weapon to assassinate Aquaman and dismantle his undersea kingdom: the Aquamarines, super-soldiers who have been biologically enhanced to combat the abilities of any Atlantean.

It’s good to see this book being consistent finally after a wobbly first 10 or so issues.

Abnett may have found his groove here. The art by Eaton is pretty good too and one page in particular near the end was really impressive. A good issue to end the year on!

RATING: B

Batman #13   
Written by Tom King
Illustrated by Mikel Janin
Published by DC Comics

Well, it’s been a slow four issues here in Tom King’s Batman title, but finally we made a little headway here.

Batman faces off against Bane and there seems to be a resolution of sorts. I wasn’t too thrilled with the story as a whole…I kept waiting for something to happen.  And then this being the conclusion….well, I don’t even know if we got started.

Batman and the remains of his team come face to face with Bane and the Psycho-Pirate in a final battle at Santa Prisca—and learn whether this was truly a suicide mission!

The art by Janin these past four issues has been really superb. He draws the title nicely and it would be great to see him stick around.
I heard this was supposed to tie into the Watchmen DC tie in…so I’m guessing it’s the Psycho Pirate that has the connection?

All I have to say is DC better start trucking on that storyline in the New Year….they really left us hanging thus far.

RATING: B-

Harley Quinn #10
Written by Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated by Various
Published By DC Comics

This issue has short stories to celebrate the holidays with. I am not the hugest Harley Quinn fan, but I am a fan of Connor and Palmiotti and what they have done with this character.

They have decided to have fun, try new things out, and get some great artists to work on this title.

The best two artists on this issue for me were Joseph Michael Linsner and Bret Blevins, two artists who are always a delight. The art is great and the story is wonky. It’s comics at their silliest.

Connor and Palmiotti have some more great artists coming up with Neal Adams and Simon Bisley. Let’s hope they never stop.

RATING: B

Superman #13   
Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
Illustrated by Doug Mahnke
Published by DC Comics

I said it before and I’ll say it again: Doug Mahnke is one of the best artists working in comics.

Anytime he illustrating a book, I know I can expect a high quality job. Here he is again, doing a great job on Superman. I really wish he would draw the book full time. He’s great.

Superman is in a fight in this issue. Who is he fighting against? Well, Here comes the Bride and her four arms are loaded with weapons.

And on what side of those guns is Lois Lane going to be?

The mystery of one of the citizens of Hamilton will be exposed with monstrous consequences for all.

This creative team here is a pretty good one. I think they should keep it overall. They could really develop the story (the three of them) and make something worth lasting, rather than it being okay for a few issues, then great for two, then back to being okay.

Then this book would be truly as excellent as it deserves to be.

RATING: B+

Raven #4 
Written by Marv Wolfman
Illustrated by Allison Borges and Diogenes Neves
Published by DC Comics

Let’s hear it for Marv Wolfman!

He still writes with a great flair and he’s been in this business forever.

Yet he keeps the quality up issue after issue. And that’s just damn impressive.

Wolfman is one of the greats and here he does great work yet again.

When a strange new group of masked villains takes credit for the glowing orb and holds the entire city of San Francisco for ransom, Raven is forced to confront them head-on!

Are they any match for the daughter of Trigon? And is there more going on here than meets the eye?

The story is awesome and the art has been good as well. I pick this book up each time knowing that the quality will be top notch. And I’m never disappointed. Pick this up yourself to see how it’s done. Go Wolfman!

RATING: B+

He-Man/Thundercats #3 
Written by Lloyd Goldfine and Rob David
Illustrated by Freddie Williams II
Published by DC Comics

The year’s guiltiest guilty pleasure rages on! The Masters of the Universe are back and this time they are in the same comic book as the Thundercats! How cool is that? You can’t help but love this title. I love it.

The ThunderCats team up to combat a new foe: Skeletor!

And as young King Lion-O battles this evil from another world, he distracts Skeletor from an important fight against Mumm-Ra.

With the Power of Grayskull hanging in the balance, who can possibly turn the tide of battle?

The writing? Who cares! It’s He-Man! It’s Skeletor! It’s the Thundercats! You can’t go wrong. Williams is the perfect artist for this as well.

A delightful treat through and through.

RATING: B

Nightwing #11 
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Marcus To
Published by DC Comics

Nightwing’s latest storyline going back to Bludhaven plods along in this issue.

I loved this book a few years back…now it seems to be spinning it’s wheels in a circle…a circle leading nowhere.

They call themselves the Run-Offs! And now, this group of villains that Batman and Nightwing ran out of Gotham City plan to do the same to the former Boy Wonder! But can he find the serial killer terrorizing the city before the Run-Offs catch up with him?

Seeley writes this tale in a kind of boring way and To does what he can.

But the whole thing comes off rather unexciting both in the story and visually. This could be a better title. I think even with this creative team.

Right now? It just isn’t there.

RATING: C

Trinity #4 
Written by Francis Manapul
Illustrated by Emanuela Lupacchino
Published by DC Comics

You’ve got a comic book with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in it.

And it’s not bad.

It suffers from the same problem as Nightwing, in that there is a good creative team on this, and it doesn’t really go anywhere.

Which is a complete and total shame, because this could be great.

The trio’s tribulations have turned the Black Mercy’s gift into a world of nightmares that give birth to a horror that can only be called the White Mercy.

And what scares Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman could destroy the world!

I actually really love the art here. It’s fairly great. Manapul just never excited me as a writer so it’s a bit flat. Still, Lupacchino is a good artist. If there was a better writer (Matt Wagner? Hope! Hope!) I think this would soar to the top of everyone’s reading lists.

RATING: B-

And the rest…

Green Lanterns #13 
Written by Sam Humphries
Illustrated by Ronan Cliquet
Published by DC Comics
The writing is fairly standard but this issue is actually fairly decent thanks in part to Cliquet. His art has a lot of creativity to it, and great imagery and gets us over the hump of the standard story.
RATING: B

Lucifer #13 
Written by Holly Black and Richard Kadrey
Illustrated by Marco Rudy and Ben Templesmith
Published by DC Comics
I have never been a reader of this book but this issue had two stories. The first was okay with some damn good art by Ruby…and the second story by Kadrey with Templesmith art called “Secret Santa” is fantastic. One of the best short stories of the year. Kudos.
RATING: B+

Teen Titans Go! #19 
Written by Paul Morrissey and Heather Nuhfer
Illustrated by Marcelo Dichiara
Published by DC Comics
I truly couldn’t read this book. So I gave it to my 7 year old daughter Callie to review. She’s a fan of the show and we read it together. At the end, she gave it an “awesome.” And then went to sleep.
CALLIE’S RATING: A+

Suicide Squad: Most Wanted #5 
Written by Jai Nitz and Vita Ayala
Illustrated by Cliff Richards and Matt Merhoff
Published by DC Comics

This Suicide Squad series is definitely better than the current one on the stands. Yet, I miss the John Ostrander stories. Bring those back. Still, the stories here are decent enough and the art, especially by Richards, is pretty decent too.
RATING: B-

“Tom Cruise is better than ever” (Pete Hammond, Deadline) in the “breathlessly exhilarating”(Simon Thompson, Forbes) action-thriller JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK, which hits the road on 4K Ultra HD^™, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and
On Demand January 31, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  Hailed as “a fun action-packed ride” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), fans can be the first to get it two weeks early on Digital HD January 17.

Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) returns to enforce his bold brand of justice in the action-packed sequel based on author Lee Child’s best-selling series. When Army Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) is framed for treason, Reacher discovers she’s the target of a massive government conspiracy. With help from Turner and a mysterious new ally, Reacher risks everything to take down a powerful organization that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets.

The JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Combo Packs are loaded with over 80 minutes of exciting bonus content, including in-depth interviews with the cast and crew, plus detailed explorations of Lee Child’s iconic character, filming on location in Louisiana, the intense action sequences and much more.  Buy JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK on Blu-ray Combo Pack and get an exclusive illustrated version of Lee Child’s short story “Everyone Talks” for a limited time only.  The film also boasts a Dolby Atmos soundtrack* remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Blu-ray Combo Pack

The JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD compatible), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray

• Feature film in high definition
• Bonus Content:

o   Reacher Returns
o   An Unexpected Family
o   Relentless: On Location in Louisiana
o   Take Your Revenge First: Lethal Combat
o   No Quarter Given: Rooftop Battle
o   Reacher in Focus: With Tom Cruise and Photographer David James

DVD

• Feature film in standard definition

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack

Fans can enjoy the ultimate viewing experience with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which includes the Blu-ray detailed above, as well as an Ultra HD Disc presented in 4K Ultra HD with English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD compatible), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Combo Pack also includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film.

The Blu-ray Combo Pack and 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack available for purchase include a Digital Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Single-Disc DVD

The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

JackReacherMovie.com

Before the highly-anticipated final season kicks off this winter, check out the “spectacular” (Vulture) fifth season of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning HBO comedy Girls.

Starring and created by Lena Dunham and executive produced by Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner, the hit series follows the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their mid-20s—each facing new challenges in life and love. GIRLS: The Complete Fifth Season will be available on Blu-ray and DVD January 3rd, 2017.

The Blu-ray and DVD sets both feature a free digital download of all 10 episodes, plus exclusive bonus content including more than two dozen never-before-seen deleted and extended scenes.

As Season 5 begins, Hannah (Lena Dunham) has put her writing ambitions aside and is teaching alongside Fran (Jake Lacy), her new boyfriend. Marnie (Allison Williams) realizes that she needs more space after her honeymoon with Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). While working towards becoming a therapist, Jessa (Jemima Kirke) also manages a budding relationship. And Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) is thriving at her new job in Japan, flirting with her boss despite her long-distance relationship with Scott (Jason Ritter). Honest and uproarious, with unexpected surprise turns, the fifth season of Girls promises to maintain the series’ place as one of the most talked-about shows on television.

And we’re giving away a copy on Blu-ray!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “GIRLS 5” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Which GIRLS cast member plays the son of a Rebel General and the Princess of the Alderaan Royal Family in Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

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 January 8th, 2016.

Casino based scenes and locations have been used throughout cinema for generations, in some cases they are purely incidental to the action while on other occasions they are integral to the plot. Poetic license gives writers the freedom to exaggerate their stories and making them larger than life.

As a viewer or consumer of such content, we are expected to suspend our sense of belief throughout the period of the story. Here we take a look at a number of top casino scenes throughout cinema history and judge just how authentic and accurate they are.

Casino

Perhaps one of the most popular casino based movies of all time, this 1995 feature reunited director Martin Scorsese with actor Robert De Niro for the eighth time in their respective careers. Also featuring Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent, the majority of the characters are based on real people, especially De Niro’s character of Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein who is based on Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal. With much of the film set in a casino, there are a number of iconic casino scenes to choose from, but the most memorable may well be when Rothstein has a cowboy kicked out of his establishment for having his feet up on the table. Casino etiquette is very strict, especially in Vegas, and you probably would get kicked out for having your feet on the table, making this scene appear very authentic.

Rain Man

The original, and arguably the best, when it comes to card counting movies. Directed by Barry Levinson, Rain Man focuses on estranged brothers Charlie (Tom Cruise) and Raymond, (Dustin Hoffman) an autistic savant with a photographic memory. Charlie utilises this and convinces Raymond to count cards at a Vegas casino so they can win big at blackjack. The pair are successful and win a large sum of money. There are a number of people who are very skilled at counting cards so the concept is entirely plausible. However, this film depicts the common Texas Hold’em that card counting is illegal in the United States, this is entirely false and therefore inaccurate, it is however, frowned upon.

Casino Royale

For many people, Casino Royale is the best ever Bond movie, which is very big praise considering Sean Connery left behind big shoes to fill. Casino Royale reboots the series and shows us Bond’s first ever mission as the iconic 007. Much of the film revolves around a high stakes poker tournament, in which Bond must win to defeat Le Chiffre and prevent the funding of terrorism. Texas hold ‘em poker is more about psychology and strategy, anybody can win a game of poker, even have a diabolical hand, as long as they can believably bluff. Of course, because this is Hollywood, Bond wins the entire tournament, and he does it with all the style of a nut flush.