This March 10th through the 18th, SXSW Film will celebrate its 24th year with movies, panels and breakfast tacos that aren’t just for breakfast anymore. This year’s festival will run simultaneously with SXSW Interactive and, for its later days, SXSW Music. Screening audience members determine the success of each film with a state-of-the-art paper tear, culminating in an award ceremony.

If you’re new to this annual Austin, Texas film festival, and you expect to see at least three films a day, be sure to pack your most comfortable shoes. Venues are spread out, ranging from around the corner to miles away. There are plenty of shuttle buses, but your best bet is by foot or Lyft. When it comes to scheduling your selected screenings, 15 minutes between films is about as tight as you can get.

Luckily the SXSW volunteers are amazing, and everywhere. When you’re lost, bug one, and they’ll get you going. Definitely download the app, star films that look interesting as “favorites” (and their backup showtimes) and take a chance on a movie you have no initial interest in. Some of the best films I’ve seen at the fest were unplanned screenings.

In the meantime, for a more structured stab at SXSW Film 2017, here are fifteen films I’ve marked as must-sees…

78/52

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: DOCUMENTARY
director: Alexandre O. Philippe

Fifty-five years after its initial release shocked an entire generation of unsuspicious moviegoers, the iconic shower murder in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho remains the most significant and influential scene in the history of cinema.

78/52 delves into Hitchcock’s genius, fears and obsessions in unprecedented fashion, to become the first feature-length investigation into the art, craft and influence of a single extraordinary scene — one which forever changed the course of popular cinema, and continues to inspire and challenge some of the greatest filmmakers of our time.

exhibitapictures.com

SONG TO SONG

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: DRAMA
director: Terrence Malick

In this modern love story set against the Austin, Texas music scene, two entangled couples – struggling songwriters Faye (Rooney Mara) and BV (Ryan Gosling), and music mogul Cook (Michael Fassbender) and the waitress whom he ensnares (Natalie Portman) – chase success through a rock ‘n’ roll landscape of seduction and betrayal.

www.songtosongmovie.com

GAME OF DEATH

origin: CANADA, FRANCE
genre: HORROR
directors: Laurence “Baz” Morais and Sebastien Landry

Kill or be killed is the golden rule of the Game of Death, which sucks for seven decent-looking young friends who decide to play one sunny day. They quickly and gruesomely realize that if they don’t murder people, their heads will literally explode. Hence, they go on a killing spree, taking the lives of anyone they meet in their middle-of-nowhere town. The killer-instinct in each of them bubbles to the surface as their search for victims unravels into chaos. Divided, terrified and confronted with their own mortality, their drive to survive blurs with their desire to win the game. Will they turn on each other? “Jumanji” meets “Natural Born Killers”… The Game of Death will blow your mind.

rockzeline.com/our-production-deng/the-game-of-death

SMALL TIME CRIME

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: CRIME/THRILLER
directors: Ian and Eshom Nelms

Ex-cop Mike Kendall (John Hawkes) discovers the body of a young woman and, in an act of self-redemption, becomes hellbent on finding the killer. While his uncouth and quirky detective style helps break open the case, his dogged determination unwittingly puts his sister (Octavia Spencer) and best friend (Anthony Anderson) in danger. Additional cast members include Robert Forster, Clifton Collins, Jr., Michael Vartan, James Lafferty, Daniel Sunjata, Caity Lotz, Jeremy Ratchford, Don Harvey, Stefanie Scott and Dale Dickey.

nelmsbros.com

FLESH AND BLOOD

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: DRAMA
director: Mark Webber

Director and actor Mark Webber explores family dynamics using his real family as the cast and real-life situations for the story to create a film that authentically blurs the line between narrative and documentary. Flesh and Blood tells the story of Mark, a man returning home from prison to live with his mother and teenage brother in the inner city of Philadelphia. Attempts to rebuild his life become frustrated by struggles with sobriety, a strained relationship with his activist mother, the neglect of a teenage brother with Asperger’s and a rehashed cycle of abandonment by addict fathers. A dysfunctional family tree soon emerges whose every branch is not only broken but likely unrepairable.

Twitter.com/fleshbloodfilm

BARBECUE

origin: AUSTRALIA
genre: DOCUMENTARY
director: Matthew Salleh

Barbecue is about more than grilling a piece of meat. It’s a ritual performed religiously across the world. For some it’s a path to salvation. Every culture has a form of barbecue. It is the pride of nations. It brings the world together.

From Shisanyama in South Africa, to Engangsgrill in Sweden, people light the coals, gather, and tell their story. From the Syrian border to an outback Australian town, intimate portraits of those who stoke the flames reveal a bold vision of humanity. Journeying to 12 countries, with glorious cinematic images in 4K and a rich orchestral score, “Barbecue” is a symphony of meat and fire told in epic detail.

barbecuefilm.com

BEHIND THE MASK

10th Anniversary Screening
origin: UNITED STATES
genre: HORROR
director: Scott Glosserman

While fans anticipate a follow up, the 2007 horror-comedy gets a 10th anniversary celebration. In her New York Times review, Jeannette Catsoulis called the film “a killer kid of comedy… If Christopher Guest ever turned his attention to psycho killers instead of folk singers and dog breeders, this is exactly the sort of movie he would make.

Appealing more to the brain than to the gut, Behind the Mask subtly prods at the sick dance between the news media and ubercriminals without belaboring its point or lowering its tone.”

Facebook.com/BeforeTheMask

TRAGEDY GIRLS

origin: UNITED STATES, CANADA
genre: HORROR/COMEDY
director: Tyler Macintiyre

Sadie and McKayla are two social-media obsessed best friends who will stop at nothing to build their online following. The self-titled “Tragedy Girls” kidnap Lowell, an unambitious local serial killer, and force him to mentor them into modern horror legends by committing murders to blow up on the internet. As the bodies fall, the girls become national news and panic in their small town hits a fever pitch — just then, Lowell escapes! Now with the local Sheriff closing in and their relationship on the rocks, the girls must rethink their plan before they find themselves the latest victims of their own killing spree.

Facebook.com/TragedyGirls

MUPPET GUYS TALKING

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: DOCUMENTARY
director: Frank Oz

For the first time ever, five of the original Muppet performers come together to discuss the creation of their iconic characters under the visionary leadership of Jim Henson. With unexpected stories, rare behind-the-scenes footage, and important insights into how Jim led his team, this documentary gives a private glimpse into the true spirit of The Muppets and how a culture of innovation, hard work, and playfulness produced one of the most successful creative endeavors in history.

MuppetGuysTalking.com

THE HERO

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: DRAMA
director: Brett Haley

Lee Hayden (Sam Elliot) is an aging Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking too much weed with his former-co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy, until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte, and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy, all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy.

INFINITY BABY

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: COMEDY
director: Robert “‘Bob” Byington

According to Deadline Hollywood, this Austin-shot comedy is a “lightly futuristic comedy about babies who don’t age.” Kieran Culkin plays a guy who works at Infinity Baby, a company tasked with farming out 3-month-olds. Nick Offerman And Megan Mullally co-star. The indie film was written by Onur Tukel (Applesauce).

Twitter.com/infinitybabymov

BECOMING BOND

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: DOCUMENTARY
director: Josh Greenbaum

A unique documentary/narrative hybrid chronicling the stranger-than-fiction true story of George Lazenby, a poor Australian car mechanic who, through an unbelievable set of circumstances, landed the role of James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), despite having never acted a day in his life. Then after being offered the next six Bond films and a $1 million signing bonus, he turned it all down…

COLOSSAL

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: FANTASY
director: Nacho Vigalondo

Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is an out-of-work party girl who, after getting kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend, is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown. When news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, South Korea, Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to this far-off phenomenon. As events begin to spin out of control, Gloria must determine why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world. Co-starring Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, and Tim Blake Nelson.

Facebook.com/neonrated

PREVENGE

origin: UNITED KINGDOM
genre: DARK COMEDY
director: Alice Lowe

A pitch black, wryly British comedy from the mind of Alice Lowe, Prevenge follows Ruth, a pregnant woman on a killing spree that’s as funny as it is vicious. It’s her misanthropic unborn baby dictating Ruth’s actions, holding society responsible for the absence of a father. The child speaks to Ruth from the womb, coaching her to lure and ultimately kill her unsuspecting victims. Struggling with her conscience, loneliness, and a strange strain of prepartum madness, Ruth must ultimately choose between redemption and destruction at the moment of motherhood. Prevenge marks the directorial debut from Lowe, who is a triple threat, writing, directing, and acting in the film during her own pregnancy.

Twitter.com/prevengemovie

BABY DRIVER

origin: UNITED STATES
genre: ACTION, THRILLER
director: Edgar Wright

A talented, young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. When he meets the girl of his dreams (Lily James), Baby sees a chance to ditch his criminal life and make a clean getaway. But after being coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), he must face the music when a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom. Also stars Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx.

Twitter.com/edgarwright

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Wednesday yet again and we are back talking about Comics!

Here we go!

Teen Titans #5 
Written by Benjamin Percy
Illustrated by Khoi Pham

The art by Khoi Pham is the highlight of this book.

It is deeply rooted in animation and is a tad cartoony. Yet it works very well for this book, and it makes the story flow well. It’s almost too clean but it works and that’s a good thing.

The final showdown between the Teen Titans and the Demon’s Fist is here!

Will the Teen Titans rally behind their little leader? And will Ra’s al Ghul let anyone walk away alive?

The story by Percy wasn’t half bad. He’s a capable enough writer. I wish there was as much excitement behind the scripts as there is clearly behind the art.

Still, it’s worth a look if for the art alone.

RATING: B-
Detective Comics #951 
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Christian Duce Fernandez

James Tynion IV is really cooking on this title. He’s getting up to the Scott Snyder level. This book has been thrilling month in and month out and this new storyline is killer for sure.

The next big Detective arc explodes here as the League of Shadows goes from mysterious rumor to deadly fact!

What’s their plan for Gotham City? And how will their actions affect Batman and his team?

The story has been damn cool. The art on this works in tandem. By the end of the issue, things get fairly nuts…but in a good way.

Definitely put this one at the top of your reading list. It’s damn good.

RATING: A-
Deathstroke #13 
Written by Christopher Priest
Illustrated by Joe Bennett

Man, I love this title. Christopher Priest is such a fantastic writer. This is comic books at their best. The structure of each issue is so appealing and I applaud the way this title is written.

It’s part two of the Twilight storyline!

In order to obtain criminal evidence against his ex-wife, Adeline, Deathstroke helps Raptor and the Red Lion steal an aircraft carrier! But, will Slade use the evidence to convict Adeline or to save her?

Meanwhile, haunted by a terrible decision, Deathstroke’s son, Jericho, is losing his grip on his own sanity.

The art by Joe Bennett is fantastic as well. Priest’s script and his art work so well together. You can’t help but love it. I say this month in and month out: this is one of he best books on the stands. Pick it up. Well worth your time.

RATING: A
Supergirl: Being Super #2 
Written by Mariko Tamaki
Illustrated by Joelle Jones

Now here is another book that is just plain awesome.

Mariko Tamaki is great. Having her writing mainstream comics is just a joy. I love this and everything about this. The script is truly cool and I can’t wait to read the whole series together.

Midvale has been torn apart by a devastating earthquake, and the death toll has hit Kara Danvers hard.

As she begins to put the pieces of her life back together, Kara’s developing powers kick into high gear, and her memories of a world that shouldn’t exist begin to surface.

The art by Joelle Jones is truly something else. I love her art. It’s genius putting these two creators together. Pick it up and read one of the best book of the year! (already I know!)

RATING: A
Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #15   
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver

I have to say this for this title: this may in fact be Ethan Van Sciver’s best work to date. The art is pretty fabulous here and the storytelling is concise. I liked it for that reason and that reason alone. The story? Wellllll….

Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner’s mission to find the Blue Lanterns brings them to a world on the brink of destruction. How can they find hope in a place devoid of any? Meanwhile, the Green Lantern Corps begins to track down the most dangerous members of the Sinestro Corps, but Guy Gardner flies off to settle his own grudge!

The story makes my anxiety act up. I can’t tell who is what. What’s worse is I hardly care. There needs to be a stronger direction on this series. Otherwise, it’s going to fall down a black hole.

RATING: C
Kamandi Challenge #2 
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Illustrated by Neal Adams

This is the coolest experience In comic books right now: a 12 issue series where each issue has a new set of creators. And every issue picks up from the cliffhanger of the last, using Kamandi, an underused character. This is great! I can’t recommend it enough.

Kamandi must save Tiger King Caesar and his people from impending doom. Will he be the hero they need? Or will he use the chaos of the situation to escape for good?

Tomasi writes an enjoyable story. It puts a smile on your face.

And Adams? Man, he’s still turning out decent artwork after 50 years being in the business. You have to hand it to the guy. He’s showing no signs of slowing down either! Good for him. And good for us to be able to still get quality work from him.

RATING: A-
Suicide Squad #12 
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by John Romita Jr. and Eddy Barrows

Suicide Squad has gotten interesting! Williams is doing a lot better now that Jim Lee is gone from the book. And he’s got two great artists to work with here. The book is definitely headed in the right direction.

Determined to unmake all the world’s institutions of governance and control, someone orchestrates a series of prison breakouts across the DC Universe, forcing Harley Quinn, Deadshot and the rest of the Suicide Squad into their most dangerous mission yet: keeping their former super-villain comrades in jail.

The two stories in each book format has got to go. It’s kind of annoying.

Romita Jr. does good on the art here in the Ford story…but it’s the backup that really shines.

Eddy Barrows really kills it. It makes for some of the more memorable comic book reading of the year.

RATING: B+
Future Quest #10   
Written by Jeff Parker
Illustrated by Ron Randall
Published by DC Comics

Jeff Parker does a great job writing this title. I’ll tell you, I literally can’t stand most of the Hanna Barbera titles. Yet, each month I’m excited to read this.

Parker writes a great story each month and it really is a heck of a read.

Not since the time of Mightor has planet Earth seen titans battle like this! The towering mechanical might of Frankenstein Jr. hurls megavoltage at the largest creature ever to stride the planet’s surface! Race Bannon fights with power no Terran has ever possessed! The Herculoids arrive from the far reaches of time and space to join the fray!

And then, it all goes wrong…

It’s good to see Ron Randall drawing regularly as well. Randall is one of the more underrated artists out there. He also does a great job.

Pick this up. It’s guaranteed to give you an enjoyable read.

RATING: B+
Clean Room #16 
Written by Gail Simone
Illustrated by Walter Geovani

Gail Simone is someone who really has a handle on the comic book medium. She makes this book very interesting, even if you haven’t read it before.

I still have to go back and catch up on this, but what I see I really like.

A  new power player in Washington comes to the Mueller organization for guidance, but journalist Chloe suspects the man holds a secret so grotesque that even Astrid won’t touch him.

Politics, passion and pain collide in “The Fetish.”

The art is pretty good.

The whole series is pretty good of what I’ve read. Still, I should pick this up from the beginning and see the full picture.

RATING: B
And the rest…

Frostbite  #6   
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Jason Shawn Alexander
This exciting, visually striking series comes to its conclusion! The writing by Williamson is very good and the art by Alexander is top notch. Pick up this entire series. It’s a hell of a ride!
RATING: A-

Batman Beyond #5 
Written by Dan Jurgens
Illustrated by Bernard Chang
Another good time by Dan Jurgens and Bernard Chang! The character is awesome the way he should be. This is the issue where they really hit their stride. Pick it up!
RATING: B

The Flash #17 
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Carmine Di Giandomenico, Neil Googe and Davide Gianfelice
This issue was pretty cool overall. The Di Giandomenico Illustrated parts are damn good. The other parts get a little cartoony. Still, this is a fine issue. Pick it up!
RATING: B

Astro City #41   
Written by Kurt Busiek
Illustrated by Brent Anderson
Brent Anderson is back on this title and all is right in the world!  This was a great issue…it’s also the 100th issue of Astro City through all the different series. This used to be my favorite book and this made me happy.
RATING: A

Batgirl #8   
Written by Hope Larson
Illustrated by Chris Wildgoose
The art by Wildgoose is plain awesome and the story isn’t half bad either. I’ve enjoyed these last two issues immensely. Let’s hope it continues!
RATING: B+

Author of The Godless World trilogy: Winterbirth, Bloodheir, and Fall of Thanes, Scottish fantasy writer Brian Ruckley has also written short stories and comic books, starting with Rogue Trooper for IDW Publishing.

His latest comic book series, Highlander: The American Dream, a prequel to the original film, is available today. 

Brian took some time to discuss the series, his desire to explore the character of Rachel and working with artist Andrea Mutti.

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: Brian, besides being a Scottish fantasy writer, how did you get involved writing the new Highlander series?

Brian Ruckley: I’ve been in contact with some of the IDW folks for a while, talking about various things, and I wrote a Rogue Trooper comic for them a couple of years back. Denton Tipton was the editor on that, and I guess when the Highlander assignment landed on his desk he just thought it might be my kind of thing. Which it is. So I pitched an idea, and here we are.

The series is set in 1985 and is a prequel to the original film.  Where do we find Connor when this series begins and how different is he from the character that we meet in the first film?

In terms of timelines, this story more or less begins in the Civil War era and runs all the way up to 1985. I think it’s probably fair to say that early on, Connor doesn’t have his act together quite as much as he does by the time we get to ‘original film Connor’. It’s hardly surprising that someone who lives for centuries, and goes through some of what Connor goes through, would have his ups and downs. Being an immortal, without knowing exactly how or why you are what you are, living – hiding, most of the time – amongst mortals, seeing all that stormy history, it’s bound to put your mental state under quite a bit of strain.

So it’d be fair to say Connor’s not in an entirely fantastic place, mentally and emotionally, when the series opens. Some of what I wanted to do with the story was look at how and why he moves on from there.

Will we see other characters from MacLeod’s past like The Kurgan and Ramirez?

For sure. I wouldn’t want to say exactly who and when, though, for fear of spoilers.

Although one major character that I will call out is Rachel. I don’t think she really got quite as much of the spotlight in the original movie as she probably deserves. She sees, and knows about, more of Connor’s life than almost anyone, so she really should be kind of key to understanding him. I knew from the beginning that I wanted her to have a big part in any Highlander story I told, and as the series goes on she gets steadily more involved.

Much of MacLeod’s life prior to 1985 hasn’t been chronicled.  Are there any particular eras that you’re looking forward to utilizing?

It’s no exaggeration to say that within seconds of hearing this series was a possibility, I thought ‘Oh, I’d want to do the 1950s’.

Two reasons for that. First – and I’m dead serious about this – I really, really wanted to see immortals dressed in sharp 1950s Mad Men-style suits. You know, nice hats, nice ties, that kind of thing. Preferably dressed like that while wielding swords. Just seemed like an inherently cool visual. And having seen some of the art that’s coming, I still think it is.

Second reason’s a bit more story-related. I always figured World War Two would have been a big deal for Connor. He found Rachel in Europe in the middle of the fighting, he saw just how dark things could get when the wrong guys were calling the shots. For an immortal who hasn’t just heard about centuries of history but lived through it, the first half of the 20th century would probably seem like some sort of insane culmination of all the potential bad stuff in humanity. I wanted to see Connor in the aftermath of that, and see what effect it had had on him.

Artist Andrea Mutti has a tremendous gift for capturing historical periods.  Are you writing anything to his particular strengths or was it just a great match creatively?

My working assumption with Andrea is that he can draw anything, from any time period. As far as I can tell so far it’s an accurate assumption, since nothing I’ve thrown at him seems to have fazed him. He might well be cursing me in private, of course, but you can’t tell from the art!

For a writer, doing a story that takes place over better than a century of vast changes is just fun. For an artist, it’s hard work. But Andrea’s a history fan as well as a talented artist, so he makes it look easy on the whole. Horses, muskets, cars (from a Model T Ford to 1980s NYC taxis), Civil War uniforms, Mad Men suits, a monk or two. It all comes out looking as good as you could ever hope. The guy’s good at what he does.

If you had to entice a Highlander fan to check out the comic in five words, what would they be?

Whisky, swords, Vazilek, Rachel, wrestling.

(Although I suspect you have to be really quite a hardcore fan of the original movie to know off the top of your head where I’m getting Vazilek from …)

What are you currently geeking out over?

Pretty much all my media consumption operates in arrears. I’m almost invariably months or even years behind on stuff, just because (a) there’s too much good stuff around these days and (b) there’s not enough time around these days.

As far as comics are concerned, I’ve got loads of series that I’m gradually working my through in the probably vain hope I might one day catch up to current issues. Semi-random examples: BPRD, various bits of Valiant output, a few Image series like Lazarus and Revival, Jason Aaron’s Thor epic, Paul Pope’s Battling Boy and Aurora West stuff. All sorts, really.

TV, I follow streaming drama series, like everyone else these days. No binge-watching, though. One episode at a time, just like the good old days. Top of the list of stuff I’m working my way through at the moment would probably be The Crown, The Expanse. Also partway through a re-watch of Luther, and being floored all over again by the unanswerable question of how Idris Elba manages to contain so much charisma and screen presence without melting or something. Oh, and I’d also give a shout out to Travelers: enjoyed it way more than I expected to, and thought it was a pretty unusual and occasionally very smart and subtle way of approaching the whole tired old time travel lark.

As far as music and movies are concerned, I’m so out of touch it’s laughable. Lucky if I get to the cinema a couple of times a year, and to be honest generally prefer TV to movies when it comes to streaming. I haven’t even seen The Force Awakens yet. Seriously. Does that mean I don’t get to be a geek any more?

Highlander: The American Dream #1 is available in stores and via digital today.

Visit Brian’s homepage at brianruckley.com

Fueled by cheap whiskey and greed, Willie Soke (Academy Award-winner 
Billy Bob Thornton), teams up once again with his angry sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox), to knock off a Chicago charity run by curvaceous Diane (Christina Hendricks). But the arrival of Willie’s horror story of a mother, Sunny (Academy Award-winner Kathy Bates), and “the kid” – Thurman Merman – may upset their plan. You better watch out, Bad Santa 2 is coming to town!

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “BAD SANTA 2” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

What two cast members from the original film have since passed away?

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 March 5th, 2017.

The Edge of Seventeen follows awkward teenager Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) as she navigates her way into adulthood with her best friend Krista (Hayley Lu Richardson) and her brother Darian (Blake Jenner). The film also stars Woody Harrelson as Mr. Bruner, Nadine’s reluctant mentor, and Kyra Sedgewick as her well-meaning but distracted mother.

And we’re giving away five copies!

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

Hailee Steinfeld was nominated for an Oscar for this 2010 film?

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 March 5th, 2017.

IDW Publishing continues to celebrate the King of Comics’ centennial birthday, this time with the forthcoming release of Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four World’s Greatest Artist’s Edition. Jack Kirby and Stan Lee crafted what is considered to be one of the greatest runs ever in comic book history and this volume makes a solid case to bestow that honor on it!

Clocking in at 168 pages and measuring a huge 15” x 22”—the same size as Kirby’s original art—this book will feature four complete “twice-up” stories from the absolute prime of the run: Issue #33 (“Side-by-Side With the Sub-Mariner”), #45 (“Among Us Hide… the Inhumans!”), #47 (“Beware the Hidden Land!”), and #60 (“The Peril and the Power!”). The last issue is the final chapter of the classic storyline in which Dr.  Doom steals the Silver Surfer’s board!

“People have literally begged for an oversized Kirby Fantastic Four book,” said Artist’s Edition Editor, Scott Dunbier. “This volume will truly live up to the title WORLD’S GREATEST Artist’s Edition!”

“Kirby’s artistic style will always be synonymous with the Fantastic Four,” said Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing, David Gabriel. “It’s an honor to continue working with IDW to celebrate Jack’s artwork with Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four World’s Greatest Artist’s Edition.”

In addition to the four stellar issues presented, there will be what can only be called the greatest Jack Kirby gallery of art ever, one that will include a staggering 22 Kirby Fantastic Four Covers and many incredible pin-ups, splashes, and interior pages from classic issues dating back all the way to Fantastic Four #3! If you thought the first Kirby Fantastic Four book was great, well, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

This essential Artist’s Edition will become available to own this July.

Written by Chris von Hoffmann, Aria Emory
Produced and Directed by Chris von Hoffmann
Starring Aria Emory, Drew Harwood,
Monique Rosario, Anthony Ficco,
Rebecca Fraiser, James McCabe 

Two brothers flee from a crime scene and wind up hiding out in a really f’d-up, desolate town sparsely populated by psychotic weirdos.

So, shouldn’t the title be Drifters…?

Anyway, this one’s a toughie to review.  On the one hand, it’s bleak, cruel, nihilistic and unappealing.

On the other hand, it’s rather well-made, with strong direction and cinematography.

The set-up is intriguing if derivative.  The film opens with a robbery gone bad, and the younger brother, Miles, is shot through the hand.  The brothers soon make a quick getaway.

Yep, that’s right: a direct homage to—cough, ripoff of—From Dusk Till Dawn.

Drifter is even a fairly straightforward getaway film until the midway point when it becomes a horror film. (This is trumpeted in the film’s description on IMDB and nearly everywhere else, so it’s not really a spoiler).

It also, um, pays homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in some rather obvious ways.  This is hardly a terrible notion; both From Dusk Till Dawn and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre are great movies. And the structure works to some extent.

There are some very well-crafted scenes amidst the mess. Director von Hoffmann does a fine job with (most of) his actors and certainly knows his way around a camera.

In fact, the film is, at times, directed within an inch of its life – and beyond. It definitely – and defiantly – screams MOVIE!!! for the entirety of its running time, and considering the lousy script, that’s a major plus.
Showy camerawork, editing and score (which is quite eclectic, using everything from synth to low bass to tolling bells) are the quality components here, but they’re in service of an uninteresting and frankly quite ugly tale.

It’s difficult to give a rat’s hindquarters about anyone here, with the possible exception of Monique Rosario as Vijah, yet the film’s treatment of her is rather off-putting to little effect.

I honestly think von Hoffmann has some interesting work ahead of him; he seems to have film in his blood and he’s certainly no slouch.

So if, like me, you’re interested in seeing a nascent talent strut his imperfect yet compelling stuff, by all means check out Drifter.

Just keep in mind that it’s unpleasant in the extreme and utterly pointless, except as a showcase for von Hoffmann and co. Here’s hoping the gang has a better match next time.

Drifter opens in select theaters today and will be available
on iTunes and On Demand on February 28th

Here’s a first look at All-Star Batman #8 coming from writer Scott Snyder and artist Giuseppe Camuncoli on March 15th!  This issue features Batman taking on one of his most dangerous and deranged foes, the Mad Hatter, in a mind-bending tale!

Created by Bryan Lee O’Malley and Leslie Hung
Script by Bryan Lee O’Malley
Art by Leslie Hung, Mickey Quinn
Published by Image Comics
Available February 22, 2017

Lottie Person is much like her name: she’s a lot of person.

She’s a twentysomething fashionista blogger who can style a selfie like the greatest Kardashian.

But in real life, she’s like everyone else. She’s messy. Messy life. Messy friends. Messy relationships. And big, fat messy allergies that keep her nose running like a facuet.

Much like her histamine balance, Snotgirl is a little out of sorts.

She is an emotionally fragile scribe who is easily sent into hysterics.

Add a new allergy medication to the mix, and poor Lottie finds herself teetering on the edge of crazed and dangerous and every other self-involved hottie living in Los Angeles.

In her hero’s journey, she’s plagued by ex-boyfriends and former interns, terrible best friends and handsome detectives, all attempting to pull Lottie from her path towards the truth. But in the end, it comes down to one bad night in one bad bar…and the confusion that follows.

Despite the warm feel-good fuzzies that covers the glossy pages of the fake-it-til-you-make-it blogger tale, Snotgirl offers shades of Jamie Hewlett’s iconic Tank Girl. Perhaps a somewhat shallow, egotistical version of the iconic punk rock ass kicker, but still, there are some slight similarities.

In Snotgirl’s world, guns, bazookas and all weapons of mass destruction have been replaced with iPhones and keyboards. The foul-mouthed debauchery of Lady Tank is swapped for biting quips about style and dress. Instead of Tank Girl, Sub Girl and Jet Girl, we are given Cutegirl, Coolgirl and Normgirl.

But most importantly lies a keen self awareness of the world in which the main character resides and the people who surround her. She understands she is a parody of what she represents…and she doesn’t give a fuck.

Artist Leslie Hung keeps the colors brights and girl, much like the way our heroine wishes to be seen by the public. Filled with pinks, lilacs and the soft green of Snotgirl’s hair, the color of the comic oozes girlie girl, hiding the dark nature behind a palette of pastels.

Snotgirl. She’s not the hero we deserve, but the hero we need. Along with a Benadryl.

From executive producers Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings you the animated feature, VIXEN: The Movie, on Digital HD on May 8, 2017, and on Blu-ray (including Digital HD copy) and DVD on May 23, 2017. VIXEN: The Movie is priced to own at $19.98 SRP for the Blu-ray and $18.94 SRP for the DVD.

VIXEN: The Movie combines the first two seasons of the CW Seed digital series into a single uniform story and includes 15 minutes of all-new, never-before-seen content. The special features include a brand new featurette and two Vixen-focused episodes of Justice League Unlimited handpicked by super hero animation icon Bruce Timm.

Produced by Warner Bros.’ digital studio Blue Ribbon Content, VIXEN: The Movie features Megalyn Echikunwoke (CSI Miami, The 4400, Damien) as the voice of Vixen/Mari McCabe. She is joined by the voices of Stephen Amell (Green Arrow), Grant Gustin (The Flash), Emily Bett Rickards (Felicity Smoak), Carlos Valdes (Cisco Ramon), Katie Cassidy (Black Canary), Victor Garber (Martin Stein) & Franz Drahmeh (Jax) collectively as Firestorm, and Brandon Routh (The Atom), reprising their roles from Arrow, The Flash and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

Originally from Africa, Mari McCabe grew up an orphan after her parents were killed by local greed, corruption and wanton violence. But Mari refuses to succumb to the terrors surrounding her. Inheriting her family’s Tantu Totem, Mari can access the powers of animals – anything from the strength of a gorilla to the speed of a cheetah. As Vixen, she fights valiantly to protect the world from threats like those that claimed her family.

“VIXEN: The Movie gives fans the action sequences and the characters that they all fell in love with in Arrow and The Flash,” said Rosemary Markson, WBHE Senior Vice President, Television Marketing. “We are very excited to release VIXEN: The Movie for fans of the hit series and DC collectors, featuring never-before-seen content available exclusively to owners of the Blu-ray, DVD or Digital HD.”

With Blu-ray’s unsurpassed picture and sound, VIXEN: The Movie Blu-ray release will include 1080p Full HD Video with DTS-HD Master Audio for English 5.1. The 1-disc Blu-ray will feature the Blu-ray disc and a Digital HD copy of the movie.

VIXEN: The Movie is produced by Blue Ribbon Content and is based on DC characters. Executive producers are Greg Berlanti (Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Supergirl), Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) and Andrew Kreisberg (Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Supergirl). James Tucker (DC Universe Original Movies, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) is the producer; Tucker and Curt Geda (Beware the Batman, Batman Beyond) are the directors. It was written by Wendy Mericle (Arrow), Keto Shimizu (Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Brian Ford Sullivan (Arrow), Lauren Certo (The Flash), Nolan Dunbar (Arrow), Sarah Tarkoff (Arrow) and Marc Guggenheim, with Guggenheim and Shimizu serving as story editors. VIXEN Season 1 debuted on August 25, 2015 on The CW’s online streaming platform, CW Seed. Season 2 debuted on October 13, 2016.

BLU-RAY & DVD FEATURES
•    Vixen: Spirit Animal featurette
•    Bruce Timm’s Top Picks:

•   Episode from Justice League Unlimited, “Hunter’s Moon”
•   Episode from Justice League Unlimited, “Grudge Match”

DIGITAL HD
Vixen: The Movie will be available to own on Digital HD. Digital HD allows consumers to instantly stream and download the film to watch anywhere and anytime on their favorite devices.  Digital HD is available from various digital retailers including Amazon Video, CinemaNow, iTunes, PlayStation, Vudu, Xbox and others. A Digital HD copy is also included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs for redemption and cloud storage through participating UltraViolet retail services including CinemaNow, Vudu and Flixster Video.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees.

About DC Entertainment

DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games.  Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

About Blue Ribbon Content
Formed in 2014, Blue Ribbon Content (BRC) is Warner Bros.’ digital studio. BRC develops and produces live-action series for digital platforms, tapping the creative talent already working at the Studio while also identifying opportunities for collaboration with new writers and producers. In addition to live-action programming, BRC produces animated content and is also experimenting with emerging platforms such as virtual reality. BRC programs include the live-action comedy Now We’re Talking, an UNINTERRUPTED Original Series for go90; the live-action comedies JoJoHead and Beerfest, as well as the animated Vixen plus the upcoming Freedom Fighters: The Ray and Constantine for CW Seed; and the animated Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles for Machinima. BRC also produces the Batman: The Animated Series virtual reality experience with OTOY Inc. for the Mattel View-Master, among others.

From former FOG! contributor Steve Belgard comes Schlitzie: One of Us, a love letter to the 4-foot-tall performer, who was born with microcephaly and made his most notable cultural impact via the 1932 classic Freaks.

The doc examines how he touched the hearts of many people and made an impact on pop culture while imparting a hopeful message.

There is a fan base out there, but others will appreciate the tone of acceptance and tolerance, and that everyone deserves a chance to live and be a part of society, no matter how different you look, talk or act.

Not only will the documentary be entertaining, it should appeal to those who are different: those with Autism, Down Syndrome, the LGBT community, children who are bullied, those body shamed, etc.

Your donation, will allow the production to continue, paying for such necessities as the travel, the equipment, music licensing and of course, making sure the crew gets paid.

To help support the film, click HERE!

Donald Glover is on one hell of a roll.

Not only did he release the wonderful TV series Atlanta, which did so well that Glover landed an exclusive production deal with FX. He also found time to put out the Funkadelic sound-alike album Awaken, My Love! in the same damn year!

And then he had the nerve to go and get cast as a young Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Han Solo movie. Lando! The coolest black dude in the galaxy! Well, there were, maybe, three of us before Finn showed up.

But Lando still had a conk and a cape.

“Lando’s a big deal to me,” Glover said at the Golden Globes. “It was literally the first toy I ever got.”

While many of my nerd pals’ hopes rose, I have to admit my heart sank a little.

I can’t be the only person a little disappointed that Glover is gonna spend most of this year pretending to be a retread of a character in a prequel film. Atlanta isn’t coming back until 2018.

And Glover’s production schedule just got fuller. Disney is prepared to throw Glover even more nostalgia bucks, as he will voice Simba in the live-action film of The Lion King.

Get that money, Donald Glover! I would too! And it still is a bit disappointing.

Glover is out here making really dope, original content right now, and I’d rather he keep at that more than feeding the member berries. He most likely will be very good at doing all of this stuff. I’ll most likely go see him do all of this stuff.

I’m just really digging the new, original work more and don’t want that progress to slow.

I don’t know how good Glover will be playing Lando Calrissian.

In my mind, Lando was born fully formed and didn’t have to build that persona. He was that cocksure as a young man, and had the same political flair that he could parlay a smuggling career into running a trade city in the clouds.

To me, Glover never has shown that kind of cool. He has tons of artsy, sensitive, nerdy charm bolstered by his gifts as a singer and writer. Notice how, in Magic Mike XXL, he is brought out to make the shy, quiet woman smile at Rome’s mansion of black man-flesh.

That lane is far from the one occupied by Billy Dee Wiliams. That’s a square-jawed swagger combined with pretty-boy handsomeness. Williams didn’t look like a regular guy. Glover does, even with that lean-muscled body. Two different men, two different styles of sexy cool.

So it will be interesting to see what Glover does with the role, and I sincerely hope it’s not him doing a Billy Dee impression akin to how Ewan McGregor spent the prequels giving us Alec Guinness reborn.

I hope this Young Han Solo Adventures it’s a one-off rather than another franchise for Disney/Lucasfilm’s aggressive expansion, so Glover can get back to his FX and Childish Gambino projects.

Why? I don’t want to see Glover turn into Justin Timberlake: a multitalented, nerdy cool guy who spent his prime creative youth doing stuff that didn’t really matter.

Sure, Justin Timberlake is beloved and funny, still making hits. But let’s go back to 2006, when he was 25 and released FutureSex/LoveSounds. It was the breakthrough of Timberlake leaving behind his teenybopper, Britney-fied past, when he found Prince and Timbaland and sex.

It was awesome. Timberlake toured and set stages on fire. He appeared on other sexy jams such as “Ayo Technology” with 50 Cent and “Bounce” with Dr. Dre and Missy Elliott. Remember “Bounce”? When he sings, “I got the remedy, it’s you on me and me on you / It’s you on me and me on you and you on her”?

ICE. COLD.

And then, after all that, what did Timberlake do? He decided to go act in a bunch of stuff and host SNL a few times, and we didn’t get an another album until 2013’s The 20/20 Experience. He was 32.

That’s seven years he gave up. The prime seven years of pop stardom. Timberlake came back with a midtempo-but-bubbly “Suit and Tie” about wearing nice clothes and taking your wife out. Weighed down by a drastically diminished, early-40s Jay Z.

That’s the music of a married dude in his 30s. Which is fine, because that’s what Timberlake is now. But we like to see artists grow into that, yes?

At age 35 last year, Timberlake was already making the mid-tempo wedding reception classic “Can’t Stop The Feelin’” for the soundtrack to an animated movie about Troll dolls. Sigh. Was The Love Guru and In Time worth it?

Glover is 33. So far he’s a long way from the Trolls soundtrack. I think he’s yet to peak.

There’s more to my trepidation on Glover. From Community and his stand-up specials, from the autobiographical song “Outside” on his first Childish Gambino album, I see a lot of myself in Glover, and I have for years. Not only as a black nerd, traversing cultures you don’t quite feel at home in or fully welcome to, but as someone, frankly, who can do a lot of things pretty well.

I write. I work in TV. I have a cabaret singing career on the side. I can draw, I can dance, I can act. I’m an intellectual with the degrees on the wall to prove it. When the mood’s right, I’m a talker and a joker. I’ve been the guy whose name everyone knows when I walk in a room. I love sports and Shakespeare. I kickbox and Zumba. I like to integrate it all, and live it all.

However, this means I can wind up very overextended.  There are many days in which I should say no. I should turn things down. I should walk away. Some days I do. Other days, I don’t. And, four nights out in a row later, I am wiped, but I gotta keep going anyway.

I wonder if Glover goes through the same cycles. I wonder what he has turned down. But I’m confident he can handle it, even as I question everything he’s taking on.

I’m glad that Glover is feeling himself on apparently all the levels, and keeps widening the net. And I hope these giant roles in mainstream pop culture will draw larger audiences to his solo work, and that his authentic, black art continues unfiltered and unvarnished.

But just as importantly, I hope the brother is getting enough sleep!

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Friday so let’s talk about some comic books not in the DC Universe!
Black Hood Season 2 #3 
Written by Duane Swiercynski
Illustrated by Greg Scott
Published by Dark Circle Comics

Man, it feels like a long wait between issues! That’s because it has been! But that’s okay…this is one of those comic books that is totally worth the wait. This is part three of the storyline “The Nobody Murders” and things are really heating up here!

Where The Nobody goes, death follows! But Greg Hettinger, a.k.a. The Black Hood, has no choice but to trail the psychotic assassin all the way across the United States, hoping to stop him before the body count climbs any higher.

Greg steels himself for the worst — but nothing can prepare him for the shock waiting for him back in Philadelphia.

Swiercynski is one of my favorite writers in the field. His stories always go into places I never expect and he nails this character perfectly.

Greg Scott is a good artist on this as well. I just wish it came out faster. Still, this is pretty great and I’d rather wait for each issue if they are this high in quality.

RATING: A
Britannia TPB 
Written by Peter Milligan
Illustrated by Juan Jose Ryp and Cary Nord
Published by Valiant Comics

Well, this is a nice surprise. Peter Milligan has always been a good comic book writer.

Putting him in the Valiant Universe is a very smart move. He always has interesting m stories and strong characterizations. And this comic series is no different.

On the fringes of civilization, the world’s first detective is about to make an unholy discovery… Ruled by the Fates. Manipulated by the Gods. Commanded by Caesar. In the year 65 A.D., one’s destiny was not his own. At the height of Nero’s reign, a veteran of Rome’s imperial war machine has been dispatched to the farthest reaches of the colonies to investigate unnatural happenings… In the remote outpost of Britannia, Antonius Axia – the First Detective – will become Rome’s only hope to reassert control over the empire’s most barbaric frontier…and keep the monsters that bridge the line between myth and mystery at bay.    

The story is well crafted. The art by Ryp and Nord complete the package and round it out. This is a very good comic book series and I enjoyed every second of reading it. Pick up the trade as it is well worth your time.

RATING: A-
X-O Manowar #1  
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Tomas Giorello
Published by Valiant Comics

How cool is it that Matt Kindt is writing X-O Manowar?

It’s super cool! Kindt has a flair for the Valiant Universe and we are lucky he is creating in it. This was one of the books I’ve been eagerly awaiting…and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a well written book from start to finish!

Now, far from home on a strange and primitive new world, Aric has begun a new life. Liberated from his past, he tends to his crops. Free from war. Free from violence. Free from the armor.

But the machinery of death marches his way once again. Conscripted into an alien army and thrown into an unforgiving conflict, the fury inside him finds voice as he is forced to embrace the armor once more.

With it, he will decimate armies, topple empires and incite interplanetary warfare.

The art by Giorello is top notch as well. Looking to get into Valiant’s line of books but not sure where to start? Here is your opportunity. This is one of the top releases of the year thus far.

RATING: A
Rough Riders: Riders on the Storm #1
Written by Adam L. Glass
Illustrated by Patrick Olliffe
Published by Aftershock Comics

It’s good to see Patrick Olliffe drawing comic books this good again.

I loved his work years ago and kind of lost track of where he’s been. His work is as fine as ever on this title.

It’s beautiful to look at and he’s a consummate professional.

Led by a young Theodore Roosevelt, a motley crew of soon-to-be American legends must work together to solve a mystery that threatens life itself. Harry Houdini — street magician and master of misdirection. Annie Oakley — a washed-up entertainer, eager for a chance to prove herself in a real war. Jack Johnson — an undefeated brawler and the son of ex-slaves, determined to get his shot at the heavyweight championship…When a terrifying alien technology destroys the USS Maine, these unlikely allies set sail for bloody Cuba, into the heart of a brewing conflict, to wage a shadow war against the greatest threat mankind has ever known. Before they were famous, they were…ROUGH RIDERS.

Glass writes a hell of an inventive tale as well. This is a great start to what is sure to be a good time. There are a ton of creative touches in this. Pick it up. You’re sure to love it as much as I did.

RATING: A

Bill Paxton was a constant ball of energy and talent and his smile lit up any room he was in. And when we woke up for Oscar Sunday, we were all devastated by the news that he’d been taken from us too soon at age 61.

Let’s take a look back at some of the light Paxton brought into our lives with these memorable roles.

BILL HENRICKSON | BIG LOVE (2006 – 2011)

Before plural marriage was the controversial subject matter of a reality TV show, it was the controversial subject matter of a fantastic HBO drama lead by Paxton, who was nominated for a Golden Globe three times for his part. In his stead, the Henrickson family taught us love, loyalty, patience and even tolerance amid storylines that involved everything from young love and homosexuality to politics and violence. They made it possible to root for polygamists and even love them despite their many, many flaws.

DAD MEIKS | FRAILTY (2001)

Paxton also directed Frailty, an under-appreciated horror film about the strange relationship between two young boys and their fanatically religious father, who believes that he has been commanded by God to kill demons disguised as people. It was well received by press and holds up rather well in these troubled times.

In fact, it’s alarmingly timely.

BILL HARDING | TWISTER (1996)

Twister is one of those “guilty pleasure” movies you often come across flipping channels on a weekend afternoon that you have to finish watching. Oh sure, the cow provides the most talked-about moment in the film, but it holds up as a matinee action flick and Paxton, as a storm chaser torn between conflicting impulses toward safety and adventure and his feelings for the women in his life, is the icing on the cake.

SIMON | TRUE LIES (1994)

With only a small chunk of screen time as a used car salesman masquerading as a spy to lure in lonely women (and who wets himself under pressure), Paxton became the film’s most beloved character.

MORGAN EARP | TOMBSTONE (1993)

Everyone who watches this movie roots for Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday but they fall in love with misguided-but-sweet Morgan Earp portrayed by Paxton. He backs his brothers to the end and we he ultimately takes a fatal bullet, it’s heartbreaking.

JACK BELSTON | INDIAN SUMMER (1993)

A group of ex-campers, now in their twenties, return to their old summer camp for a reunion. In a role he’s not since come close to copying in genre, Paxton demonstrates that he is a capable physical comedian as “Belston.”

PRIVATE WILLIAM HUDSON | ALIENS (1986)

In Aliens, Paxton, who played the anxious, trigger-happy Private Hudson, was given one of cinema’s most famous catchphrases in history: “Game over, man. GAME OVER!” The film also added to his prestigious movie death repertoire – on screen he’s been killed by a Terminator, a Predator and a Xenomorph.

CHET DONNELLY | WEIRD SCIENCE (1985)

Who didn’t love to hate this menacing, malicious, gassy older brother that took delight in tormenting little brother Wyatt? And who didn’t also love it when fantasy girl Lisa turned Chet into a shit-covered lizard troll?

Paxton’s career included several iconic films – not limited to the ones listed here, of course – and for a few more weeks there is more of him to come — we can tune into CBS to see him on CBS’ Training Day. No doubt he’ll always live on in those channel-surfing Saturday moments.

IMAGE COMICS

IMAGE COMICS’ 25TH ANNIVERSARY BLIND BOX TO HIT STORES THIS JULY
Box to include randomized mix of 25 polybagged variants

In celebration of Image Comics’ 25th Anniversary, Image Comics is printing 1,992 blind boxes in commemoration of the company’s founding year in 1992. The IMAGE COMICS 25th ANNIVERSARY BLIND BOX will be available in comic stores on July 19th.

Each IMAGE COMICS 25TH ANNIVERSARY BLIND BOX will contain an assortment of 25 polybagged comics comprised of 17 all-new 2017 series and featuring limited edition variant covers only available in this box. Each comic will be bagged in opaque black poly to keep every comic a surprise.

Each box may include a randomized mix of the following variants:

• 25th anniversary variant cover
• B&W 25th anniversary cover
• Virgin 25th anniversary cover
• Virgin B&W 25th anniversary cover
• Blank wraparound sketch cover
• Extremely rare sketch covers drawn by each series artists—25 copies per series of the 17 selected launches
• Exclusive THE WALKING DEAD: HERE’S NEGAN! #1 limited to 500 copies—the first 24 pages of Negan’s origin story printed in single-issue-format for the first and only time.

Retailers interested in ordering the IMAGE COMICS 25TH ANNIVERSARY BLIND BOX must use Diamond Code MAR170900.

YOUNGBLOOD IS BACK

Image Comics is pleased to announce the return of Rob Liefeld’s YOUNGBLOOD—the blockbuster hit series that launched the Image Revolution and turned the comics industry on its head—with story by Chad Bowers (X-Men ‘92, Deadpool: Bad Blood) and art from Jim Towe. YOUNGBLOOD is reborn with an all-new cast and a bold new mission with YOUNGBLOOD #1 issue—set to hit stores this May.

“Youngblood has had outstanding talent contribute to its amazing history,” said Liefeld. “Alan Moore, Robert Kirkman, Keith Giffen and Mark Millar are a few who have left their mark. Chad Bowers and Jim Towe are four issues into their run and are producing stories that will be held as some of, if not the best Youngblood tales ever told. It honors the best of the past and forges exciting new paths for these characters!”

In this YOUNGBLOOD #1, an uber popular self-protection app called HELP! is changing how we stay safe—“HELP! lets you decide who saves you.” But when a high-rated young hero on the app goes missing, his best friend’s search for answers gains the attention of some unexpected allies, and together, they’ll do whatever it takes to find him… even if it means resurrecting the world’s most hated super-team, Youngblood.

“Trust me, you’ve never read a Youngblood story like this,” said Bowers. “I’m so incredibly proud of what Jim and I are doing on this book, and can’t wait for readers, especially those who’ve maybe never picked up a Youngblood comic, to see what all the fuss is about!”

Jim Towe added: “I’ve been having the time of my life with Youngblood. The combination of so much creative freedom along with having a fantastic writer like Chad has really made this an artist’s dream book to draw. We’ve crafted an incredibly fun and exciting modern day reimagining of these characters that I think both new and old fans are really going to enjoy.”

The series will also feature jaw-dropping alternate covers by Rob Liefeld, David Finch, and Chris Daughtry—so, gear up, strap in, and get ready to rediscover comics most Extreme universe.

YOUNGBLOOD #1 Cover A by Towe (Diamond Code MAR170637), Cover B by Liefeld (Diamond Code MAR170638), Cover C by Finch (Diamond Code MAR170639), and Cover D by Daughtry (Diamond Code MAR170640) hit stores on Wednesday, May 3rd. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, April 10th.

MARVEL COMICS

Sins And Secrets Revealed in THE UNWORTHY THOR #5!

This is it! A mystery years in the telling will finally be unfurled! Once upon a time, the God of Thunder was rendered unworthy. Not by a great and terrible foe, but by a mere whisper. At long last, the contents of that whisper will be revealed! Today, Marvel is pleased to present your look inside THE UNWORTHY THOR #5 – the senses-shattering final issue! Superstar creators Jason Aaron and Olivier Coipel bring the thunder and give fans the answers they’ve been waiting for – just HOW did the Odinson become unworthy of his magic hammer Mjolnir? Is redemption on the horizon for the fallen son of Asgard? No matter what happens next, life will never be the same for the Odinson. No fan should miss out on the blockbuster conclusion – THE UNWORTHY THOR #5 – on-sale in comic shops everywhere on March 22^nd!

THE UNWORTHY THOR #5 (JAN170975)
Written by JASON AARON
Art by OLIVIER COIPEL w/ PASCAL ALIXE & KIM JACINTO
Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Variant Covers by LEINIL YU (JAN170976) and CHRIS STEVENS (JAN170977)
FOC – 02/27/17, On-Sale – 03/22/17

Eddie Brock is Back This May In The Oversized VENOM #150!
Oversized Anniversary Spectacular!

Reunited, and it feels so good! Or, is it bad? Either way you swing it, Eddie Brock is back, and he’s bonding with the symbiote once more ahead of the can’t-miss VENOM #150 – the oversized anniversary spectacular coming this May! Series writer Mike Costa is joined by superstar guest artist Tradd Moore for an oversized main story featuring Eddie’s return to the pages of Venom. Bonded together again, Eddie and the symbiote are web-slinging their way across New York City. But, is their relationship as harmonious as it once was? Or is their bond more sinister than ever?

But that’s not all! In addition to a brutal main feature from Costa & Moore, VENOM #150 features the return of iconic past Venom creators! First up, secrets will be revealed! How did Flash Thompson come to lose the symbiote before it found its way to former Army Ranger Lee Price? The Venom: Space Knight creative team of Robbie Thompson and Gerardo Sandoval have the answers! Then, it’s back to the mean streets of San Francisco as fan-favorite creators David Michelinie and Ron Lim present a tale set between the pages of their iconic Venom: Lethal Protector series!

It’s all happening this May as a parade of Venom creators past and present bring you the must-read VENOM #150 – on sale digitally and wherever comics are sold!

VENOM #150
Written by MIKE COSTA, ROBBIE THOMPSON & DAVID MICHELINIE
Art by TRADD MOORE, GERARDO SANDOVAL & RON LIM
Cover by GERARDO SANDOVAL
On Sale May 2017!

IRON FIST #1 Packs a Mean Punch This March – Your First Look!

This March, prepare for a hard-hitting, fist-flying, high-octane epic as Danny Rand faces a gauntlet of deadly kung-fu masters in the all-new IRON FIST #1! Creators Ed Brisson (Bullseye) and Mike Perkins (Deathlok) put the titular hero through the wringer as he squares off against foe after foe – each more lethal than the last!

Danny has always straddled two worlds – Earth and the mystical realm of K’un-Lun. Now, with K’un-Lun in ruins, he’ll question his place in both more than ever. The chi fueling his fists is wavering, yet still he fights on. Fighting to prove his worth, he’ll push himself to his breaking point. But a bigger battle than he can handle may have found him first. Whisked away to the mysterious island of Liu-Shi, he’ll come face-to-face with the fight of his life! With nothing but his fists and his feet, the Immortal Iron Fist will step into the ring with the island’s deadly Seven Masters! Each possessing mystical power and each with their own vendetta against the Iron Fist, what hope does Danny stand against the Bull, the Bear, the Eel, the Rabbit, the Rat, the Snake and the Wolf?!

A trial of mythic proportions awaits, True Believer. Fists and feet will fly when IRON FIST #1 comes to comic shops and digital devices everywhere on March 22^nd!

IRON FIST #1 (JAN170951)
Written by ED BRISSON
Art by MIKE PERKINS
Cover by JEFF DEKAL
Variant Covers by MIKE PERKINS (JAN170954) and ALEX ROSS (JAN170952)
Hip-Hop Variant by KAARE ANDREWS (JAN170955)
Alex Ross Black & White Variant Also Available (JAN170953)
FOC – 02/27/17, On-Sale – 03/22/17

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT AND PAIZO PUBLISHING FOLLOW THE BESTSELLING WORLDSCAPE CROSSOVER WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THE PATHFINDER FRANCHISE: RUNESCARS!

Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce the next series of canonical comics tied into the popular Paizo RPG game, Pathfinder! Debuting in May, Pathfinder: Runescars is written by Pathfinder co-creators F. Wesley Schneider (Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain, Pathfinder Tales: Bloodbound) and James L. Sutter (Pathfinder: Goblins, Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain), with art from Ediano Silva (Grimm Fairy Tales, Hellchild: The Unholy).

An exciting new Pathfinder adventure begins! The Pathfinder heroes receive a desperate plea to unmask a killer stalking the chaos-gripped city of Korvosa. A new queen has ascended the city’s Crimson Throne, and now deadly armored Hellknights and Gray Maidens clash in the streets. With the help of a cagey adventuring detective, the heroes race down the perilous trail of a brutal murderer – only to realize that the next target might be one of their own! Dare the magic and monsters of gothic Korvosa in the first sword-swinging issue, complete with pull-out poster map and official Pathfinder RPG bonus encounter.

“I’m extremely excited to be getting two-thirds of the Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain writing team back together for Pathfinder: Runescars!,” says James L. Sutter, Paizo Senior Editor. “Wes and I have been writing together for a decade now, constantly pushing each other to create better plot twists and funnier jokes, and I think you can see that synergy at work from the very first issue of this new series. We’re going to be revealing some secrets in this one that fans have been asking about since the very beginning of the game, so I can’t wait to see people’s reactions!”

“Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain gave us a chance to explore the Pathfinder world from inside the dungeon. With Pathfinder: Runescars, Sutter and I are taking that same approach to the streets,” says F. Wesley Schneider, Paizo Editor-in-Chief. “We’re totally jazzed to explore Korvosa, not just because it’s one of Pathfinder‘s most adventure-packed cities, but because we’ve been detailing the place with Paizo’s incredible creative team for more than ten years! While we’re visiting, we’re absolutely planning to show off as many fan-favorite creatures and characters as we can – like notorious Gray Maidens and merciless Hellknights! We’re also revealing a few schemes we’ve had in the works for quite a while now. No sword-and-sorcery reader – and certainly no Pathfinder fan – should miss it!”

“Our publishing partnership with Erik Mona and the team at Paizo has been as rewarding for fantasy comics fans as well as fans of the game itself,” says Dynamite CEO and publisher, Nick Barrucci. “What makes this line of comics so unique is that each series not only ties into the game’s story, but makes the stories themselves playable to enhance the gaming experience. With the game’s co-creators handling the writing duties on Runescars, you can bet this is going to be one of the best Pathfinder adventures yet!”

“Dynamite’s Pathfinder comics present a great opportunity to learn more about the Pathfinder world’s iconic adventuring heroes, as well as more depth and detail about the world of Golarion itself,” says Paizo Publisher and Chief Creative Officer, Erik Mona. “This time, world co-creators F. Wesley Schneider and James L. Sutter weave a tale of mystery and high magic that finally unlocks the secret of the sorcerer Seoni’s magic tattoos! I’m excited to find out the answer to the riddle myself!”

Pathfinder: Runescars #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ March 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in May. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies with their local comic book retailers. Pathfinder: Runescars will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF THE ATARI POSTER BOOK!

Publisher Announces an All-New Collection of Frameable Artwork, the Follow-Up to the Essential Art of Atari Hardcover Compendium!

The film that both captured and defined a generation celebrates its 40^th anniversary with the Director’s Cut of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER arriving on Blu-ray and Digital HD for the first time ever on May 2, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  With John Travolta’s electrifying Oscar-nominated performance, the Bee Gees’ explosive soundtrack and, of course, the unforgettable dancing, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER captured the angst and brio of the time and had an indelible impact on popular culture.  40 years later, the film about a Brooklyn kid with no prospects who lives for Saturday night continues to be revered and celebrated.

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER features an unforgettable soundtrack, composed and performed primarily by the Bee Gees, featuring mega-hits including “Stayin’ Alive,” “Night Fever,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “More Than A Woman” and “If I Can’t Have You.”  The album has sold more than 40 million copies and was ranked number 132 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2012.

The SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Blu-ray includes both the Director’s Cut and theatrical version of the film, commentary by director John Badham, a five-part look at the film entitled “Catching the Fever,” deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, a ‘70s Discopedia, and more.

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER 40^th Anniversary Blu-ray

The SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital (theatrical version only), Spanish Mono Dolby Digital (theatrical version only), Portuguese Mono Dolby Digital (theatrical version only) and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The Blu-ray includes the following:

• Director’s Cut in high definition
• Theatrical Version in high definition
• Commentary by director John Badham (theatrical version only)
• ‘70s Discopedia (theatrical version only)
• Catching the Fever
• Back to Bay Ridge
• Dance Like Travolta with John Cassese
• Fever Challenge!
• Deleted Scenes

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER 40^th Anniversary DVD

The SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital (theatrical version only) and Spanish Mono Dolby Digital (theatrical version only) and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD includes the following:

• Director’s Cut
• Theatrical Version
• Commentary by director John Badham (theatrical version only)
• ‘70s Discopedia (theatrical version only)
• Catching the Fever
• Back to Bay Ridge
• Dance Like Travolta with John Cassese
• Fever Challenge!
• Deleted Scenes

Produced, Written and Directed by Charlie Siskel
Featuring William Powell, Ochan Powell

The revealing documentary American Anarchist, about the writer of The Anarchist’s Cookbook, has a special relevancy for our current age for two reasons.

Our society in an eerily similar boat as it was in the early 1970s when the book—basically a how-to guide for making improvised explosives and other supplies for the budding revolutionary—was first published, and there are broader issues regarding free speech woven into the film that have a particular and immediate significance to our contemporary culture.

Here is the dilemma, in short: does freedom of expression cover material and commentary that has been proven to incite violence in others?

American Anarchist traces the history of The Anarchist Cookbook through a series of photos and archival videos, but the bulk of it takes place in the house of the its author William Powell as he is grilled off-camera by the relentless interviewer (who I assume is the documentary’s director Charlie Siskel). Don’t let the sedate surroundings and deceptively simple set-up mislead you—this is some of the most tense and stomach-turning interview footage you will ever watch anywhere.

Powell, now a special education teacher in his sixties, is confronted by a long and harrowing list of mass murders and terrorist acts committed by folks who had the book in their possession. Does Powell feel remorse over these acts? Should he share responsibility for the deaths and injures? And did he really try hard enough to pull The Anarchist’s Cookbook out of circulation?

One of the most suspenseful aspects of the documentary is to see how much of a grilling Powell can take before he breaks and throws Siskel out of his house. The filmmaker does not give this man a “free pass” by any stretch of the imagination.

Yet, the complexities of Powell himself—and the utterly tragic absurdity of his situation & the havoc his 19-year-old self inflicted upon the world—are brought to the surface as the interview progresses, and are endlessly fascinating.

The man whose book might have at least partially inspired and instructed the Columbine killers, Oklahoma City bomber Tim McVeigh, and Aurora “Dark Knight” murderer James Holmes was also a disaffected young man, feeling alienated and angry in a world that seemed brutish and nonsensical. In addition, as he admits towards the end of the documentary, he was sexually assaulted as a teenager at his boarding school.

And so all that gets poured into this incredibly anti-social DIY terrorist handbook, which the FBI referred to in a memo as “one of the crudest, low-brow, paranoiac writing efforts ever attempted.”

That The Anarchist’s Cookbook has been implicated in many violent acts is indisputable.

One could even say that if it didn’t outright “create” a veritable army of Columbines/McVeighs/Holmeses it sure as hell “kicked off” a bloody trend in younger mass-murderers that has unfortunately continued to the present day. So should it, and other writings that encourage violence, be “banned?”

Aren’t we facing a variation of this question right at this very moment, with internet personalties and pundits (and…uh…leaders of the free world) whose incendiary words seem to “set off” some of the more unstable people in their audiences to be incredibly cruel to others and even proceed to commit violent criminal acts? Again, is the answer to “shut up” these people, to limit the wider world’s access to their ideas?

Or…is it a better solution to try to figure out where all this rage and cruelty came from? What creates a James Holmes or a Dylann Roof or a Eric Harris or a Tim McVeigh? What creates people like Powell and others who do not go out and kill but instead use their gift of communication to encourage hatred and strife? And what has created the significant masses of disaffected young people out there at the moment who are open to influence by both categories?

I’m gonna have to ask, because it was recently on my mind from even before watching this documentary…what part has the lack of public dialogue regarding the sexual abuse of males played in at least some of these scenarios and situations? I remember from high-school all throughout college and beyond there being immediate access to, dialogue about, and resources for issues of sexual abuse and exploitation of females—but very little regarding that of males, to the point where I assumed that men rarely ever got raped or assaulted.

And yet it is unfortunately becoming clearer and clearer to me that there has been a “silent” epidemic of male abuse, spanning many many many decades. This is just one of numerous other issues (lack of economic opportunities being another), that to me should be sufficiently researched and explored before thinking that merely banning books, videogames, websites, and etc. is going to make a big difference in reducing incidents of violence or anti-social online behavior.

It is Powell’s life-arc to have went from The Anarchist’s Cookbook to being a special education teacher and helping young people all over the world. It is not a matter of “erasing” guilt, or making anyone “pay,” or turning back the clock, or banning books, or anything so simplistic as that. Rather, it is about: what productive, healing, and effective thing can we do right now to make the world a better place and to definitively stop these cycles of violence and abuse?

And I think American Anarchist provides some interesting (and, at times, gut-wrenching) perspectives on this topic.

American Anarchist will be in Theaters & available On Demand 3/24; you can preorder it on iTunes.

Dark Horse is excited to offer fans a never-before-seen look at Adult Swim’s The Venture Bros. animated series with artwork and original sketches by Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer.

In Go Team Venture!: The Art and Making of The Venture Bros., writer Ken Plume sits down with series executive producers Publick and Hammer to have an in-depth conversation about the creation of every single episode, from the pilot through season six and beyond. It’s all here, the earliest sketches of Hank and Dean scribbled in a notebook, pitching the series to Adult Swim, learning the ins and outs of animation, character designs for each season, storyboards, painted backgrounds, behind-the-scenes recollections of how the show came together, and more.  This oversized book is the comprehensive companion to the art and making of the The Venture Bros. and includes a foreword from the voice of fan-favorite character Wonder Boy, Patton Oswalt!

“The Venture Brothers is one of those shows, like Archer, 30 Rock, and Arrested Development, that stands up to repeated viewings,” said Oswalt. “It practically demands them. And this book more than enriches your repeated visits.”

Created and directed by Publick, and written and executive produced by Publick and Hammer, The Venture Bros. is an irreverent but affectionate animated television series that chronicles the hair-raising adventures of Hank and Dean Venture, the not-especially-bright twin sons of pill-popping “super-scientist” Dr. Thaddeus “Rusty” Venture. The show premiered as a pilot on Adult Swim in 2003, followed by a full first season in 2004.

Go Team Venture!: The Art and Making of The Venture Bros. hardcover hits shelves August 23, 2017, and is now available for preorder at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound, Things From Another World, DarkHorse.com, and more!

The time is 4:45 and I’m at my Homegirl Claire’s apartment (she’s got a big screen TV with stereo sound) where we’ve just begun to drink and have a nosh.

We just turned on E! (Where I’m sure they’ve been at it since noon east coast time) and what do we see…it’s ROSS, the funny Queen who owes Jay Leno his career – remember when he made fun of him on The Tonight Show? He was “Ross The Intern” back then, fat, insecure, somewhat closeted, and seemingly very clueless.

BUT LOOK AT HIM NOW, he’s thin, living his life, and in a designer tux from head to toe, and giggling through it all, GOOD FOR YOU ROSS, you’ve come a long way baby!

Oh shit, here he is with some young gal, killing time in the worst way…creating an Oscar acceptance speech via a MAD LIB (someone get Fallon on the line!)

Ugh, the result

MIND NUMBING

Oh boy…A FASHION SEGMENT!

It’s the blonde girl again, with Brad what’s-his-face from the Rachel Zoe reality show, AND the very interesting Makeup Artist, Jeffrey Star. They’re wonking on and on about some Drag that Brad picked, and the makeup Jeffrey did to match.

YAWN

Okay, I’m gonna get something to eat now. And I might need some booze.

Okay,

We are back, and so is Ryan Seacrest!

THE STARS ARE ARRIVING ON THE RED CARPET!

This stopped me in my tracks

Apparently she just gave birth to triplets yesterday, or a few weeks ago.

This is how she used to look…

More fashion, Fashion, FASHION!

Janelle Monae!

Great dress but PUT A DAMNED BRA ON!

Dakota Johnson

The hair is HORRID, and the dress…horrific!

Busy Phillips

Interesting dress

Casey Affleck, skid row bum

OH MY GOD,

HALLE BERRY

Michelle Williams

Is she trying to look transparent on purpose?

Lara Spencer from Good Morning America…did she let a 6 year old girl braid her hair?

JEEBUS, it’s 8:07 pm, the vodka is wearing off.

Okay, it’s 8:27.

Waiting waiting waiting

Okay, Justin Timberlake opens the show with his song from Trolls – nice.

Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue was pretty zingy

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
MAHERSHALA ALI!
MOONLIGHT

BEST MAKEUP
SUICIDE SQUAD

BEST COSTUMES
FANTASTIC BEASTS

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
OJ SIMPSON, MADE IN AMERICA
Bummed Ava didn’t win.

SOUND EDITING
ARRIVAL

SOUND MIXING
HACKSAW RIDGE

Its 9:30 and I’m exhausted

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
VIOLA DAVIS!
FENCES!

They gave her a standing ovation!

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE SALESMAN

The winner couldn’t be here because of the ban instituted by the 45th President.

The woman who accepted it for him read his great statement.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
PIPER

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
ZOOTOPIA

PRODUC...oh hell, you don’t care – time for another drink.

Oh we’re back!

Kimmel is doing a lame stunt from his show – a tour bus of unsuspecting rubes were let in the show and walked down the front, meeting Denzel, Halle and her wigs, Meryl, and others…YAWN

Oh, here’s a bunch of film clips of French people talking about American cinema and how great film is.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
THE JUNGLE BOOK

FILM EDITING
HACKSAW RIDGE

the time is now 10:36

I’m half asleep

It’s 10:58

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
LA LA LAND

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
LA LA LAND

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
LA LA LAND

Oh, Jennifer Aniston – announcing the Death Parade.

She really needs to do something with her hair…HEY JENNIFER, MARSHA BRADY CALLED, SHE WANTS HER HAIR BACK!

It was short, with more people you don’t know (Makeup Artists, Cinematographers, etc.) than those you did (Prince, Debbie & Carrie, Gene Wilder)

Odd.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Well, it’s official – La La Land has been “snubbed” I guess.

MEAN TWEETS!

Hysterical!

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
MOONLIGHT!

Great speech!

Oh, here’s something funny – Matt Damon went on with Ben to announce an award and they GOT PLAYED OFF by Kimmell in front of the orchestra, hahaha!

Okay, FINALLY, THE BIG AWARDS

BEST DIRECTOR
DAMIEN CHAZELLE
LA LA LAND

BEST ACTOR
CASEY AFFLECK

BEST ACTRESS
EMMA STONE

BEST PICTURE
LA LA LAND

It’s 12:09 am

The show is over

See ‘ya next year!

WAIT

HOLY SHIT

MOONLIGHT WON!

Okay, so Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are announcing Best Picture, La La Land…

Everyone claps, the director, cast, etc all all go to the stage -the producer starts to give the acceptance speech, after a minute or so, random guys with headset mics start walking around on the stage – people with Oscars in their hands are looking confused…the second guy is giving his speech, and I see a guy snatch an envelope from Warren, lots of confusion, then I hear,

“Sorry, there’s been a mistake – Moonlight won”

HOLY SHIT!

People’s faces are CRACKED AND ON THE GROUND, gobsmacked and shocked – LOTS OF CONFUSION!

Then Warren is about to explain what happened…here, just watch the videos (thank you Claire for having a DVR!)

I’m still shocked and wondering who’s ass is being handed to them right now, WHOAAAA!

Get Price Waterhouse on the line!

Okay, now it’s REALLY OVER.

Oh, don’t forget to look at this when you have a chance… @HalleBerryHair

SEE YOU IN 2018!

Produced by Tony Glazer, Summer Crockett Moore
Written and Directed by Anthony Tarsitano
Starring Ralph Macchio, Gina Gershon,
David Zayas, Jeff Kober, Paul Sorvino,
Summer Crockett Moore, Tom Wopat,
Sean Young, Anthony Ruivivar

Ralph Macchio (who still looks young for his age) does a fine job as a lifelong timid guy who married his high school sweetheart, a woman who obviously loves him but definitely – and with great zeal — wears the pants in the relationship.

When her beloved cat gets out and goes missing, she flat-out demands that Macchio scour the neighborhood until he finds the critter.

This quest leads to plenty of unforeseen confrontations and adventures that causes Macchio to examine his past choices and current temperament.

Lost Cat Corona is an entertaining comedy/drama that follows several parallel storylines that eventually interconnect.

The film begins with Macchio and best friend Ponce (familiar character actor David Zayas) mapping out a search plan. Hijinks and believable, funny best-friend banter ensues. Macchio and Zayas have an appealing, easy rapport here.

Macchio crosses paths with various characters throughout, including shady friend Adam Ferrara, unhinged creep Jeff Kober, his affable Uncle Sam (Paul Sorvino) and honorable veteran Tom Wopat, who has just had his Purple Heart stolen after his home was ransacked.

Meanwhile, his wife (a fun Gina Gershon) is mostly waiting at the hospital where her mother is about to have surgery, intermittently calling her husband to let him know that he damned well better find her cat.

The feel of Lost Cat Corona was oddly nostalgic to me. Back in the nineties, I reviewed hundreds of films for the TLA Video Guide and website, and it seemed every third movie I watched was an indie comedy/drama that involved a protagonist thrown into a quest that found him or her unwillingly involved in at least one criminal act and running into a stew of quirky characters.

Lost Cat Corona would fit squarely in with this subgenre, and is actually better than most of them. It ain’t perfect; some vignettes are stronger than others, and it goes slack here and there.

But the excellent cast is uniformly good and seems to be having fun. Sean Young is a hoot in a small role (she’s also loads of fun in the very worthwhile recent indie Future ’38), and Macchio seems to be relishing a lead role, but everyone does a fine job.

Nothing to write home about but nothing to sneeze at, either, Lost Cat Corona sets out to entertain, and it does just that.

Lost Cat Corona is now playing in limited release and
is also available on VOD and HD Digital.