“Out of the darkness and into light, comes your Horrorscope on this dark and stormy night.”  Director Robert “Freddy Krueger” Englund dials up a gothic tale of high-tech horror in 976-EVIL, debuting on Blu-ray^™ for the first time October 3 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Presented in its original aspect ratio and remastered for high definition, 976-EVIL includes an all-new commentary track for the film by Robert Englund, along with his wife, Nancy Booth Englund, who was the set decorator on the film. In addition, bonus materials on the release include an alternate home video version of the film featuring 12 extra minutes of footage. Starring Stephen Geoffreys (Fright Night), Jim Metzler (L.A. Confidential), Pat O’Bryan (No Holds Barred) and Academy Award winner Sandy Dennis (Best Supporting Actress, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 1966), 976-EVIL is the number to dial to receive supernatural powers and turn into satanic killers. Hoax (Geoffreys) uses the powers the number gives him to exact revenge against everyone who has wronged him, inadvertently allowing his soul to be slowly taken over by Satan.

High school underdog Hoax Wilmoth (Stephen Geoffreys, Fright Night) fills up the idle hours in his seedy little hometown fending off the local leather-jacketed thugs, avoiding his overbearing mother (Sandy Dennis) and dreaming of a date with trailer park temptress Suzie (Lezlie Deane). But, his quietly desperate life takes a terrifying turn when his cousin introduces him to an unusual new hobby – phoning in for his Horrorscope. Hoax is hooked-up with a compellingly hideous demonic force that slowly begins to overtake his entire life and now there’s more than just a phone bill to pay for anyone who ever dared cross “the neighborhood nerd”.

Directed by Robert Englund and written by Rhet Topham and Brian Helgeland, 976-EVIL was produced by Lisa M. Hansen and executive produced by Paul Hertzberg.

Bonus Features on Blu-ray Include:

• ALL-NEW: Commentary with Director Robert Englund and Set Decorator Nancy Booth Englund
• Alternate home video version of the film with 12 extra minutes of footage

976-EVIL has a run time of approximately 92 minutes and is rated R for adult situations/language, nudity, violence.

When one thinks of a smartwatch, the first thing that comes to mind is undoubtedly the Apple Watch or Samsung Gear. Likewise, when one thinks of a traditional watch, brand names such as Rolex, Breitling and, yes, Tag Heuer come to mind. Therefore it’s always a dubious claim when watches claim to be a hybrid combination of both – that they’ve found the perfect balance between technology and aesthetic. The Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45, however, seems to have done just that, displaying all the characteristics of an authentic Swiss timepiece while packing in the functionality and utilitarianism of a smartwatch.

Humble Origins

Released in 2015, the Connected was the first sign that the hitherto traditional and orthodox watch brand was serious about embracing technology. It was a big deal, considering that the watch was something of an experiment for Tag Heuer, a company that has existed since 1860 and focused almost exclusively on producing luxurious analog watches. And while they’ve broadened their production scope to include wearable tech, their classic timepieces are still available if you know where to look. You can often pick them up from watch dealers on online marketplaces like this one or find them in a number of jewelry stores.

Technical Specs

The Modular 45 is the second generation of the Connected line. It retains the tasteful appearance as its predecessor but has had its software overhauled and super charged. Running Android Wear 2.0. and sporting a 400×400 pixel AMOLED display – a huge advancement over the previous low-resolution face of the last model – the Modular 45’s performance is far smoother and faster. And with its Intel Atom Z34XX processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage, it packs a marvelously powerful punch for its moderate size. It’s slick, cool, and the type of gadget you might find in a Bond or science fiction film.

Its true secret lies with its modularity. To stand-out in the burgeoning high-end smartwatch market, Tag Heuer have constructed the watch to be modular, allowing for more than 4000 different configurations. This means it’s rare that two watches will be configured in the same way, meaning the watch can be individually tailored to each wearer’s preferences.

Keeping with Tradition

Despite its high-tech interior, the Modular 45 has kept true to its Tag Heuer roots. The company has designed a timepiece that, to all intents and purposes, is a true Swiss watch with an authentic Swiss movement. The only caveat worth mentioning is that while most of the watch’s moving parts were made in the Switzerland, it was necessary for some of its inner hardware to be imported from Silicon Valley.

With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story explores the vivid life and imagination of Stan Lee, the 91-year-old comic book legend who co-created over 500 legendary pop culture characters including Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Thor and The Hulk. Featuring interviews with both Stan Lee and colleagues including Kevin Smith, Patrick Stewart, Samuel L. Jackson, and Eva Mendes. The film is the tale of one man’s determination to tell incredible stories that have enchanted the world for over 40 years.

And we’re giving away five copies!

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

What is Stan Lee’s real name?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. 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 July 30th, 2017.

Reborn: Book One
Written by Mark Millar
Pencilled by Greg Capullo
Inked by Jonathan Glapion
Published by Image Comics
Diamond ID: FEB170703
ISBN-13: 978-1534301580
Released Date: August 2, 2017

There is lots to love in Reborn, Mark Millar’s highly anticipated team up with Batman artist Greg Capullo. These master storytellers comment on aging, the afterlife, superheroes and large scale fantasy in a way that only Millar can.

Millar’s strength always at the base is taking a genre and re-presenting it to the comic book masses. From Kick-Ass‘ Spider-Man fantasy to Kingsmen‘s James Bond/Nick Fury spy stories, the genre gets inverted in Millar’s world.

Reborn, is more Excalibur meets Dungeons & Dragons and Conan The Barbarian meets Willow, than it is a story of what might happen when you die. In the battle between Adystria vs. The Dark Lands we’re immersed in a colorful fantasy world with a hero’s journey.

Greg Capullo, recently completing an epic run with Scott Snyder on Batman, returns to the independent side of comic book publishing at Image that started his career years ago as the artist for McFarlane’s Spawn. Drawing on his experience of creating levels of the dark underworld and levels of hell in Spawn, Millar taps into that mystical artistry that the artist doesn’t get to explore in his work on the Dark Knight. Capullo is also an undeniable master of current comic storytelling. He’s allowed to draw creatures, talking Man-Cats, battle armor and beautiful ladies in Reborn. It would be hard to imagine another artist take this one. (Though, stylistically, this book reads more like Saga than it does Savage Sword of Conan!)

This tells the story of Bonnie Black at the end of her life and what happens to her after she dies.

Bonnie is reborn at the prime of her life, searching for the husband she lost to an assassin’s bullet long ago.

When she arrives in the afterlife, she is joined by friends, her pet dog Roy-Boy and her father. This isn’t a realm of ghosts and spirits, it is a realm of real people fighting the evil undead in the Dark Lands. An old friend of hers is a giant shapeshifter. Her husband is out there and the forces of evil are attacking her loved ones.

When she arrives, she is greeted as the savior of Adystria. Her father and others have been waiting her arrival in the afterlife. She has special powers, but like a Jedi, these skills are innate but need some development. The first few issues have her head out on a hero’s journey with her dad and her cat

Back to the story we have Bonnie getting the sword as the hero. In a typically male role (we never see Princess Leia get Jedi training) of the classic hero’s journey is the real twist and hook. Bonnie has the entire experience of her long life on Earth, to carry over into this new world. Her body is what has changed back to her prime in her twenties. Who among us over thitry doesn’t wish to revisit those days with what we know now?

Bonnie’s father explains that how a person has lived their life back on Earth determines powers and abilities in their afterlife. She is their savior because she always did the right thing. In a heartbreaking moment after she reunites with her husband and his new family, she embraces her husband’s kids and promises things will be O.K.

Her selflessness is god-like with forgiveness and also the fearless love she has for her family and extended family makes her an admirable hero and I want more! As with most of Millar’s books, this volume ends but is left open for more adventures possible. That must have something to do with wanting to develop for television or movies!

Just as Bonnie is joyfully reunited with her loyal and friendly dog, a past cat of hers, now known as General Frost is a big man in the Dark Lands. He seeks revenge on Bonnie with his ice powers because he holds a grudge about her removing his testicles. Those that know cats might not be surprised that a cat would exact revenge in the afterlife, and we get to see how Bonnie deals with this Kold Kittie!

The story wraps up in an epic battle with an enemy to be revealed, a majestic griffin, and hordes of the Dark Lands versus Bonnie and her friends. No spoilers here, except that this is one of the most exciting and action packed series of panels and pages that I can only compare to the epic finale to Frank Miller’s Ronin.

I mentioned Star Wars as a point of reference because I believe there to be deliberate parallels to Luke’s journey, but truly for fans of fantasy, sci-fi and even real life crime stories there is a lot to unpack here in Reborn. Best read as a trade because it is hard to put down! As someone who has dealt with loss, this is a great story of the afterlife because of all of the adventures that could be possible for those that are no longer in this realm.

Hopefully those we have lost are holding aloft a great sword and facing off against jerky cats in the afterlife. That provides a small comfort to keep death in that perspective!

If you saw author Fred Shahadi, you’d wonder where you recognized him from.  Although you’d likely think maybe you went to high school with him, chances are you didn’t and had seen him in one of his many commercials or from his role as host of the CBS series Recipe Rehab on CBS.

What you should know him from is from his work.  In addition to his work on television, Fred is an award winning playwright.  Now, he’s written his first book, Shoot The Moon, and I’m even more excited that audiences everywhere can enjoy his work. I’ve known Fred for well over twenty years and his talent is only secondary to his intelligence, humor and kindness (So, his talent comes in fourth, that’s still pretty good).

Shoot The Moon is an alternate historical thriller chronicling the journey of one hapless Apollo Astronaut through the ultimate time-bending trip through the sixties racing to right history before it’s too late. Shoot the Moon creates an world where JFK never died, NASA lost the Space Race, and Lee Harvey Oswald becomes an international hero. Or is that all wrong? And can it be figured out before it’s too late?

Check out the opening of the book below:

PROLOGUE

You know the story. Motorcade rounds the turn. It’s a weird turn. The entrance to the freeway is right in front of them. The crowds are thinner here. Not like before. Only one block away are mobs of blissful cheering, but not here. There’s a few dozen people, some families, some waving from blankets, some holding signs; a man with a camera is up by that knoll, another man has an umbrella—

BLAM. BLAM . . . BLAM.

You know the story. It starts here in the shadow of a book depository and ends in a police parking garage. A small man kills a great man who is in turn killed by a patriot.

Except that never happened.

Would you like to know the real story? It has never been told and you won’t believe it. It started before the Russians landed on the Moon on 22 November, 1963. Yes, that is correct. Pay close attention. Forget what you know. This is my only chance to get this out before we change it, hopefully for the last time this time.

I’m Bill. William Anders. Major General William Anders to be exact. At least that’s one possibility. I’m dictating this into the tape dump from my new and sadly permanent home around the Moon. Bill Anders. Do you know my name? It’s likely you don’t. Chances are you’ve never heard of me unless you’re a space buff or Tom Hanks. But I’ll get to that. You should know my name the way you know Neil’s. You know Neil. You know that story. He stepped off the Lunar Lander and said the words people in every culture know: That’s one small step for man. . . . You know the rest.

Except that never happened.

Neil died on 6 May, 1966 in a training accident when he failed to eject from the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle in time. Could have happened to any of us. I liked Neil.

No, this isn’t a “We faked the Moon landing” story. We landed on the Moon, a lot. In your history I was one of the first three guys to orbit the Moon in 1968. It was Christmas. We read from the Bible. We were on the cover of Time Magazine. Men of the Year! We even got our own commemorative stamp. It’s true, we did. Who’s we? Yours truly, and our crew, Frank Borman, (you don’t know his name either unless you’re Tom Hanks), and Jim Lovell. That last name sounds familiar, right? Tom Hanks played him in APOLLO 13. Ron Howard directed it; he was the little kid on The Andy Griffith Show. It was nominated for an Oscar.

Of course none of that happened either. Tom Hanks never became an actor. Ron Howard never became a director. They were both just kids when they died. When everybody died. The day we set the world on fire.

You don’t know this story and you never will. Not if we get it right. This is the story of how the three of us saved the world. Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Civil Rights, Gay Rights, Star Wars (the movie and the missile defense system), a Black President, a Woman President… it’s all because of us.

We didn’t get everything right. Not even close. There were still genocides, natural disasters, war, lotta war.

But we made it. We’re here. You’re welcome.

To find out what happens next, click HERE!

Free Fire is an electrifying action-thriller about an arms deal that goes spectacularly and explosively wrong. Set in 1970s Boston, the film opens with Justine (Brie Larson), a mysterious American businesswoman, and her wise-cracking associate Ord (Armie Hammer) arranging a black-market weapons deal in a deserted warehouse between IRA arms buyer Chris (Cillian Murphy) and shifty South African gunrunner Vernon (Sharlto Copley). What starts as a polite if uneasy exchange soon goes south when tensions escalate and shots are fired, quickly leading to a full-on battle royale where it’s every man (and woman) for themselves.

And we’re giving away five copies!

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

Cillian Murphy portrayed this DC Comics villain in this movie trilogy?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. 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 July 30th, 2017.

On Preview Night at 2017’s San Diego Comic Con International, Jeff Smith announced his plans to publish his debut picture book, SMILEY’S DREAM BOOK (ISBN: 978-0-545-67477-5) with Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic. David Saylor, Vice President, Creative Director of Trade Publishing, and Editorial Director of Graphix acquired the book with English language publication rights in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. SMILEY’S DREAM BOOK will be the first of two picture books featuring Smiley Bone and the Bone cousins, and is slated to publish in Summer 2018.

Jeff Smith is the award-winning creator of the New York Times bestselling BONE series. This epic story about three Bone cousins lost in a valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures is loved by readers young and old, and was named by Time as one of the top ten graphic novels of all time. Today, there are millions of BONE books in print in the United States, and they have been translated into thirty languages worldwide. Smith started drawing stories about the BONE characters before the age of ten. In 1991, he launched the comic book BONE and began to create the serialized epic fantasy story that was eventually published in nine volumes. Smith was the subject of a documentary called The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE, and the Changing Face of Comics. Smith lives (and dreams) in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Vijaya Iyer.

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Comic Con Week! I’m in San Diego!

Let’s review some of DC’s new books!

Aquaman #26
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Stjepan Sejic

I’m amazed at this title. It was at a place that slowly was getting better issue after issue. Then issue #25 came out and, pardon the pun, the creative team blew it out of the water.

This has turned from a solid book to one of the best on the stands and that is due to the top notch creative team.

This is part two of the “Underworld” storyline. King Rath is very angry! He finds out Aquaman is still alive in the slums of Atlantis and this does not sit well with him!

Aquaman runs and hides from King Rath’s Secret Police and then meets someone who is also on the run from them as well.

Who is it?

A character named Dolphin.

This is a bold new direction for Aquaman and I’m impressed.

Abnett has taken the writing up a notch. Sejic also has finally given this book the strong visual identity it has always needed. Pick this up. This is a book that has morphed into a “top of the pile” reading experience.

RATING: A

Batman #27
Written by Tom King
Illustrated by Clay Mann

Tom King is making his masterpiece on the Batman title these days. This newest storyline, “The War of Jokes and Riddles” is something great. King has finally come into his own here. He does a great job just by writing in his style and I can’t say enough about it.

This is an interlude from the storyline and it works. The issue is called “The Ballad of Kite Man” and it’s a strong interlude.

This focuses on Kite Man, and his rise to be a super villain. King could have made it goofy but it’s decidedly not. Its rather emotional and it draws you in.

Clay Mann is one of my favorite artists currently working. He’s incredibly underrated and makes consistently great artwork. The storytelling is unbelievable.

Pick this up. It’s awesome.

RATING: A

The Wild Storm #6
Written by Warren Ellis
Illustrated by Jon Davis-Hunt

This issue concludes the first story arc of this title. It’s been an amazing ride thus far. This reinvention of the Wildstorm universe has been thrilling. This issue continues in that vein.

Michael Cray(Deathblow anyone?) has refused to kill an innocent person.

This leads to a hell of a situation for him.

Angela Spica meanwhile is starting to discover that people in this world may not be people after all. This is all leading to a crazy confrontation that will shock the reader.

Ellis is a master of the weird at this point and this title is indeed weird. It’s a good time though. He writes with a bent look at comics and I just love it. The art is tops.

This is one of the best debuts of the year for sure.

RATING: A

Superman #27
Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
Illustrated by Scott Godlewski

This is another great issue of the Tomasi/Gleason Superman run. In it, Lois gets a camper and decides to take the family on a vacation. That vacation involves going to different places in America and spending time there.

It may not seem like a standard heroic tale but that is part of the point. Tomasi and Gleason have turned this Superman into one that is relatable, full of joy, and all together human.

I love picking this up and following his adventures now.

My favorite bit here is when they go into the town of Sharon Massachusetts. Sharon is my old stomping ground so it was nice to see it included. It was also nice to see the writers really think out their story.

Pick this up. It’s a classic run.

RATING: A

Batman ’66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes #1
Written by Lee Allred
Illustrated by Mike Allred

It’s another all Allred affair from DC Comics. This is a great issue and I just loved it. Lee Allred has really come into his own as a writer and in this book he just nails it.

Good for him!

So the Batman from 1966 does just what the title says: He meets the Legion of Super-Heroes!

Batman is chasing the time traveling villain Universo. Then, his nemesis Egghead steals a time bubble and Batman travels to the future.

And…it’s nuts. And I loved it.

Mike Allred is definitely the artist for this. He does what he always does: he draws his Comics in a fun way. The whole thing is just plain awesome.

Pick this up. It’s a good time for sure.

RATING: A-

Trinity #11
Written and Illustrated by Francis Manapul

This title is less thrilling than the other ones reviewed here. I just don’t feel Manapul is a compelling writer. He’s a compelling artist for sure. The writing however leaves me cold.

This is part three of the “Dead Space” storyline.

Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman have to defend the Watchtower from the Justice League and a bunch of aliens.

It’s standard comic book fare and nothing very interesting happens.

Some people like this book. I feel it’s okay at best with a ton of room for improvement. I hope it turns around but at this point it’s unlikely.

RATING: C

DC Comics Bombshells #31
Written by Marguerite Bennett
Illustrated by Aneke

I hadn’t heard of this title until last month and it was already 30 issues in. So, I picked it up not knowing anything before.

It’s not bad, it’s just hard to get into as a new reader starting out. Still, there’s a lot to like.

The selling point here is Bennett’s writing. She’s a solid writer who intrigues the reader. I especially like her take on Supergirl.

In this issue, Supergirl can feel her father is still alive, and joins Harley’s traveling circus, where Power Girl and Superman have now become part of the show.

Bennett keeps it interesting throughout. The art is decent as well. I just wish it was more accessible to new readers.  Still, it’s readable and I was able to get some enjoyment out of it.

RATING: B

Nightwing #25
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Miguel Mendonca

It’s another issue of Nightwing. That’s the best I can say about this issue.

I’ve been saying for months that Tim Seeley needs to take a break from writing this title. This issue it really shows too.

This issue is part four of the “Blockbuster” storyline.

In this issue Nightwing combats Blockbuster in a battle of wits and strength. It’s hard to get through. It’s especially hard because it’s an oversized issue.

Seeley’s writing is subpar these days sadly. He needs to take some time and recharge. The art is fairly generic on this issue. It feels kind of rushed.

That makes me sad because Nightwing is a great character and this could be a top tier title.

RATING: C

DC KFC Presents #3:Green Lantern and Colonel Sanders
Written by Tony Bedard 
Illustrated by Tom Derenick

So, it’s come to this.

Green Lantern teams up with Colonel Sanders. This is the third comic featuring the Colonel mixing it up with DC heroes.

How is it, you ask? Well, it leaves you with the same feeling as if you’ve had too much KFC: It’s completely stomach churning.

Green Lantern and the Colonel team up for some godforsaken reason. I basically read this issue with my mouth wide open like I just experienced some unknown trauma.

I just couldn’t believe my eyes.

Even worse, the writer and artist are completely talented individuals. Hopefully they made a buck on this.

The only thing this comic book succeeds in is making me never want to eat KFC ever again.

And that, my friends, is a healthy thing indeed.

RATING: D+

The much-anticipated epic space adventure Valerian: City of Alpha is now live on iOS and Google Play.

It is the official mobile game of Luc Besson’s upcoming sci-fi movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets starring Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne. The legendary director is famous for creating sci-fi blockbusters including The Fifth Element and Lucy.

Valerian: City of Alpha was built from the astonishingly intricate backstory created for the movie. Gamers get to explore that super cool universe for themselves.

“Spil Games has successfully captured our movie in a mobile game,” says Virginie Besson-Silla, the movie’s producer. “What we see is an immersive experience that Valerian fans will have fun with.”

The movie is set on the astonishing City of Alpha — an ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and culture with one another. 

The mobile game begins 590 years earlier when Alpha is still just a space station. The aim is to explore and discover the aliens and planets that will come to be featured in the movie. Players must complete exciting missions, connect with alien species and come up with strategies to help them create the knowledge-sharing metropolis. The ultimate objective is building for themselves the biggest and best version of the City of Alpha.

 Rather than just adapting the film to a game, Valerian: City of Alpha allows the player to not only create the Alpha metropolis, but also explore the entire universe in which the movie is set, connecting with mind-blowing alien cultures and snagging their technologies

Valerian: City of Alpha is free to play on iOS and Google Play. For more information visit the Valerian mobile game website or connect on Facebook.

And to celebrate the release of this exciting new game, we’re giving away a Valerian limited-edition mouse pad.

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

Who created Valerian?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. 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 July 30th, 2017.

This November, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Ghostbusters reunite for an inter-dimensional comic book adventure (and probably a large pizza!) in the upcoming weekly crossover event series from IDW Publishing.

Our story begins when an old adversary traps the Turtles in a ghost dimension, as old adversaries are wont to do. However, all hope is not lost for our Heroes in Half-Shell, as New York City’s resident experts on all things spooky quickly answer the call.

The dream writing team of Erik Burnham (Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe) and Tom Waltz (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, editor for Ghostbusters) are back to tackle scripting duties and will be joined by lead Ghostbusters artist Dan Schoening, whose animated art style has come to define the look of the Ghostbusters comics. An array of multi-talented artists with Turtles credentials are also getting in on the mass hysteria including Pablo Tunica (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe), Tadd Galusha (TMNT: Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything), Mark Torres (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and C.P. Wilson III (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters).

“When Erik and I first broached the idea of joining the TMNT with the Ghostbusters way back when, it felt like a wonderfully impossible dream,” said co-writer Tom Waltz.  “Well, that dream came true with the first volume in a big way, and now I’m absolutely ecstatic to have the opportunity to once again help bring my two favorite quartets together for another massive comic book crossover event! And, like the first go-around, the events in this story directly flow out of and affect the storylines in both ongoing series.”

“I had such a blast working on the first crossover with Tom, and in the years since, we’ve talked about what we might do if we ever got a crack at a sequel,” said co-writer Erik Burnham. “When the opportunity came up, we didn’t even use a single one of those plans! Instead, we grabbed villains from both universes and mixed them together to form the foundation of a fun story that furthers the ongoing stories of both the Turtles and the Ghostbusters. Even better, we get some more one-on-one scenes, allowing their complementary personalities to shine and we’re beyond excited to share!”

When last the Turtles and the original ‘Busters crossed streams in 2014, the Turtles got stuck in the Ghostbusters dimension… along with a brand-new, all-powerful, all-crazy ghost from centuries past! It was met with enthusiasm from both fans and critics with IGN declaring the mash-up of proton packs and ninjutsu “hugely entertaining.”

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 #1 hits stores Wednesday, November 1, 2017. Let the ectoplasm fly, dude!

Produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan
Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney,
Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard,
James D’Arcy, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh,
Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy

Christopher Nolan’s latest film is a visually engaging fight for survival from its opening frame until its last, but ultimately fails to resonate emotionally.

During the beginning stages of World War II, 400,000 Allied troops found themselves stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk, France surrounded by the German Army facing certain annihilation. Unwilling to surrender and with the waters too shallow to allow bigger naval vessels to approach, the British call upon its civilian boat owners to help bring the soldiers home.

26 miles never felt so far away.

Nolan structures the action by breaking it down into three parts that play out over the course of three different time frames.

Land (One Week): the allies waiting to be evacuated, mainly following young British soldier Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) who’s willing to do anything to get off the beach and escape the impending doom.

Sea (One Day): civilian boat owner Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance) who, along with his son and his son’s friend, honorably answers the call to make the perilous journey across the Channel.

And lastly, Air (One Hour): Royal Air Force pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy) and his wingman Collins (Jack Lowden) trying desperately to protect the ships aiding in the evacuation while dealing with their own restrictive fuel limits.

The film is at its best when the three storylines finally converge in the last twenty minutes or so.
But aside from a few moments of overlap in the early-goings that don’t have much impact, you could easily remove the time tags and the audience would be none-the-wiser. And while it’s by no means a blow to the film, it’s a choice that doesn’t necessarily pay dividends and sometimes lends an air of wonkiness to the whole affair.

These more intimate portraits of courage, honor, and survival, help focus our attention on the smaller details. From a young soldier refusing to go below deck on a hospital ship knowing damn well they could be torpedoed or bombed at any moment and doesn’t want to be trapped. Or a pilot losing his fuel gauge and having to rely on his wingman calling out fuel expediture at intervals so he can note the time and keep track of it. Only to eventually lose his wingman.

While it’s the little moments that truly shine in Dunkirk, the characters fall flat. The talented cast (yes, that includes Harry Styles) breathe as much life into their personas as possible, but we never truly get to know any of them, making it hard to be invested in their fate. Essentially sapping the emotional core from the film. That doesn’t mean you won’t shed a tear or two. There are genuine moments of triumph and raw emotion you can’t help but react to, but they’re fleeting.

Overall, Dunkirk is a beautifully shot film that demands to be seen on the big screen. It’s unrelenting from start to finish in the best way possible. My biggest complaint is I wish it was longer (and that Interstellar was shorter). Because even though it didn’t fully come together for me, I could easily watch another hour of it.

Produced by Luc Besson, Virginie Besson-Silla
Based on Valérian and Laureline
by Pierre Christin & Jean-Claude Mézières
Written and Directed by Luc Besson
Starring Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne,
Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke,
Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Rutger Hauer

When I saw the first trailer for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets  based on the groundbreaking and oft imitated French comic Valerian and Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Méziéres, I literally yelped in my seat.

Not only was it being made, but it was being made by The Fifth Element writer and director Luc Besson. This was like saying “Ridley Scott is coming back to direct a new Alien film!…”

At first, I couldn’t believe it.

The visuals were stunning. The sets looked amazing and the effects were going to be spectacular.

Not knowing anything about the writing and the actual story that would unfold in the film I was intrigued by the mystery and I clamored for more.

However, when it came to watching the actual film, much like Prometheus and definitely with Alien: Covenant by Scott, I was immediately excited and then almost as immediately very much disappointed in what Besson had done to this beloved comic book.

My initial reaction was that I loved it.

I was stunned by the sheer magnitude of the worlds presented to me. The overused epithet of “epic” was characteristically apropos to this film. The effects, the sets and design were an artist’s wet dream. The color palette and textures, the costume designs as well as the character designs were breathtaking. I was in love. I could sit and watch this film with the sound off and like a technicolor Blade Runner, I would be in Nerdvana.

Then, I thought about the actual story and the main cast of actors; my Nerdvana became Alderann when the Tarkin came to visit.

The two main leads were, at best, awful. At their worst, they were… okay, they were the worst.

Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) and Cara Delevingne (Paper Towns, Suicide Squad) were like two 1980’s terrible voice over actors in a sub-par anime trying to figure out what the English language is while figuring out the nuance of the Japanese language by reading a translation in French. Stilted and unemotional, their Valerian and Laureline are like bad 60’s sci-fi B-Movie without the charm or talent. Clive Owen (Sin City) was in an entirely different film altogether and Ethan Hawke was brilliant. Oh, and Rihanna was in there somewhere trying to act and really served no purpose whatsoever.

This movie is like if The Fifth Element starred Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman during all the romance scenes in Attack of the Cones and that last scene of them together on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith… but worse.

It has the unfortunate distinction to be a direct adaptation of a comic book that not only influenced a generation of film makers and sci-fi comic book artists. I say unfortunate because so many equally great creators have taken the source material and created way more interesting stories with better acting. I feared, as I approached the day of the screening that Besson may have been “too close” to the source material and in the end faltered because he failed to “see the forrest for the trees”. My fears were realized when I watched a completely miscast Valerian and Laurelne in a story that adapts a specific story Ambassador of the Shadows.

Valerian is the mold that Lucas created Han Solo from. Here DeHann comes off as smarmy as opposed to roguish, annoying instead of cocky and egotistical instead of a lovable scoundrel. Delevingne’s Laureline is one part vapid, one part snarky, one part know-it-all, and one part kick ass hero; all the things Laureline should be. However, with the casting of Delevingne and her horrendous acting none of that translates well because she has two acting modes; talking and not talking.

Do I recommend this film?

Yes, with some caveats. Know this isn’t going to be anything close to intellectual. It is a fun, epic, summer sci-fi romp. Even given that, when I said earlier that I could watch this film with the sound turned off, I kinda wasn’t kidding. What is going to kill this film, in the end, will be the terrible terrible lead actors and the need for another rewrite of some of the dialog.

Sure the original comic book was very wordy but in the immortal words of Robert “Rusty” Ryan, “Don’t use seven words when four will do.”.

Luc Besson’s love and influence of this beloved and respected classic comic book is the culmination of a lifetime of work that by all means should be one of the best sci-fi films of this and/or any generation. What he ends up with, at the end of the day, is a visually stunning and beautiful dumpster fire of a film. He is so focused on bringing the world of Valerian and Laureline to the people of Earth that he forgot to make the two main characters a part of his vision.

I had never seen an episode of Teen Titans Go! until last week.

I know, shame on me.

Since then, I have tried to catch up on the series, since my daughter loves it and I love her. Well that, and I had a chance to interview them at a round table discussion on Thursday at San Diego Comic Con. What would these actors and actresses be like I wondered?

It turns out they are the friendliest human beings in the world. “We have a nice family atmosphere on set,” said actress Tara Strong who voices the Titan, Raven. “We’ve been working together all these years and we still like each other.”

That’s because of the tone established by the producers and creative team. “People leave their egos at the door,” said producer Aaron Horvath. That includes guest stars such as Weird Al and Fall Out Boy. “Every guest star has been wonderful,” Horvath continued. “They’ve all approached us and asked us to be in it, and are fans of the show.”

“This is the best gig I’ve ever gotten,” said Greg Cipes, who plays fan favorite Beast Boy. He’s especially happy casting director Andrea Romano picked him for this and he doesn’t have to go back to McDonalds commercials. “I like their toys but that’s about it.”

Cipes is a whirlwind of energy. He needs it though, with the Titans grueling production schedule and the upcoming full on musical episode. Cipes wrote and performed a few songs for it.

The Titans have been on television for awhile at this point and show no signs of slowing down. Their popularity is growing. Scott Menville, who plays Robin, hopes that this series lasts a long time to come. “I’m on it for as long as they’ll have me.”

Everyone in the cast and crew seem to echo that sentiment. They all seem dedicated to be there until the end. Tara Strong summed it up best: “We are all here because we love it. I’ve said it many times how much I love this job. Heck, I would do Titans On Ice if they asked me.”

That is something this writer would love to see. And who knows? Maybe we will see Titans On Ice one day. If there was was such a thing? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was with this very cast. They all love what they do and it shows. I have nothing but respect and love for them all. Give the series a chance if you can. The people behind it are all lovely, hard working and passionate human beings. That’s to be commended.

Teen Titans Go! airs on The Cartoon Network
CartoonNetwork.com/video/Teen-Titans-Go

“Will Smith. Libra. I like long walks on the beach. I’m around if you’re around.”

The star of Netflix’s latest endeavor into sci-fi wasn’t shy when it came to meeting the scribes at the small press panel for Bright, the streaming service’s latest big-budget foray into original long-form content.

He also wasn’t shy about his respect for what Netflix was attempting to accomplish with it’s model and services.

“I have a 16-year-old, a 19-year-old and a 25-year-old at home. Their viewing habits are almost anthropological. It’s a great study to be able to see how they still go to the movies on Friday and Saturday night, and they watch Netflix all week. It’s two completely different experiences. But it’s definitely a different experience.

“I was on the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and people would see me on the street and scream, ‘Will! Will!’ Then Independence Day came out. That Monday was the first time anyone referred to me as Mr. Smith. So there is something about that big screen that penetrates people in a very different kind of a way. But it’s a different medium.

“My son invites his friends over and they watch films that they project on the wall,” said Smith’s co-star Noomi Rapace. “He watches Netflix almost every single day. When they don’t have money to go to the cinema, they say, ‘Oh, I’ll watch a Netflix film instead.’ It opens up opportunities.”

“I’m sure it’s the same kind of vibe when the transition happened from theater acting from when you would see a play to when someone decided to film it and put together a movie to show in a movie theater,” said Smith,  “This is almost a new artform.”

“I got a lot more freedom and creativity to make this,’ said director David Ayer. “Netflix is just another cool place to now make movies.”

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Stargate SG-1, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) unveiled plans surrounding its popular Stargate franchise during a panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego. At the forefront of the announcement is Stargate Origins, MGM’s first 10-episode premium digital series, following fan-favorite character, Catherine Langford. In addition to the series, MGM announced a new dedicated digital platform and fan experience, Stargate Command, the exclusive home for the new original series.

Stargate Origins will explore a brand new chapter in Catherine Langford’s early history surrounding the extraordinary portal. Young Catherine embarks on an unexpected adventure to unlock the mystery of what lies beyond the Stargate in order to save Earth from unimaginable darkness. This 10-episode mid-form event series, produced by MGM’s Digital Group and entertainment studio New Form, will be directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan (“Virtual Morality”) and written by Mark Ilvedson and Justin Michael Terry. Stargate Origins is slated to begin shooting this August with production and development being handled by New Form.

Stargate Command will provide new and existing fans exclusive access to a variety of Stargate assets and content from the franchise’s nearly 25-year history. At the core of the experience for subscribers will be the most comprehensive collection of Stargate content ever offered in one place, an unparalleled community experience, and behind-the-scenes look at to the first new Stargate production in years – Stargate ​Origins. More details for Stargate Command will be available in the coming weeks and the new Stargate fan experience will launch this fall.

“We’ve been eager to revisit the Stargate franchise, and create an all-new story that honors the founding mythos and gives loyal fans more mystery and adventure,” said Kevin Conroy, President of Digital & New Platforms at MGM. “We view Stargate Origins as a thank you to fans who have been keeping the spirit of the franchise alive for nearly 25 years. With the increasing popularity of digitally native content that can be streamed to any device, MGM is committed to the production of premium linear mid-form content and are proud to launch with Stargate Origins.”

“We saw a need for a definitive hub for the Stargate fanbase to continue to enjoy news and content, both old and new,” adds Chris Ottinger, President, Worldwide Television Distribution & Acquisitions, MGM. “Stargate Command will open a new door for the community to celebrate and interact with all content in a way that has never been done before.”

“We couldn’t be more excited about our partnership with MGM and their trust in us as a leading digital-first studio to deliver the next compelling chapter of this fantastic Stargate franchise,” said New Form COO JC Cangilla.

With more than 380 episodes spanning nearly 20 seasons, the Stargate franchise is an award-winning, cultural phenomenon. Stargate SG-1 is one of the longest-running science-fiction series in U.S. television history, while the original Stargate film went on to gross almost $200 million worldwide and spawned three live-action spin-off series.

For more information, please visit: www.stargatecommand.co

This thrilling action-adventure series centers around a mysterious criminal (Goran Višnjić) who steals a secret state-of-the-art time machine, intent on destroying America as we know it by changing the past.

Our only hope is an unexpected team: a scientist (Malcolm Barrett), a soldier (Matt Lanter) and a history professor (Abigail Spencer) who use the machine’s prototype to travel back in time to critical events. While they must make every effort not to affect the past themselves, they must also stay one step ahead of this dangerous fugitive.

Can this handpicked team uncover the mystery behind it all and end his destruction before it’s too late?

The TIMELESS: SEASON ONE DVD set includes four discs with all 16 episodes, along with seven deleted scenes and a gag reel.

TIMELESS: SEASON ONE was created by Eric Kripke (TV’s “Revolution,” “Supernatural”) and Shawn Ryan (TV’s “The Shield”) who serve as executive producers along with John Davis (TV’s “The Blacklist”), John Fox (TV’s “The Blacklist”), and Marney Hochman (TV’s “The Get Down”).

DVD Special Features include:

• Deleted Scenes
• Gag reel

Produced by Sandy Collora, Eric Dow
Written and Directed by Eric Dow
Featuring Sandy Collora, Eric Dow, Neal Adams,
Clark Bartram, Kurt Carley, Henry Alvarez
Sean Clark, Andrew Koenig,Joseph Collora,

In 2003, writer/director Sandy Collora and his crew made an ambitious, 8 minute fan film called Batman: Dead End. Collora made it as a calling card but it was born of his passion for comic books and genre film.

Much to his delight and surprise it absolutely killed during its premiere (and subsequent showings) at that year’s San Diego Comic Con.

Collora started taking meetings and seemed poised to embark on a major directing career.

But, alas, it didn’t pan out that way.

I vividly remember hearing about and then seeking out Dead End in 2003. While there’s little story to speak of, Dead End is incredibly impressive for an unauthorized fan flick. The costumes and effects are especially effective. It’s a cool short and well worth tracking down.

Still, when I saw that Behind the Mask was a 99 minute documentary about the making of an 8 minute film, even one as lauded as Dead End, I was very skeptical of the doc maintaining interest for its entire running time.

I’m pleased to say Behind the Mask is an entertaining, interesting and at times fascinating film. The pace never lagged for me, as director Eric Dow wisely crafts the film as much more than a standard making-of.
Certainly, the gestation and aftermath of Dead End is the backbone of the doc, but the real subject is Collora. An extremely talented artist and sculptor, Collora got a job at a young age at Stan Winston’s studio. He made some friends there, but alienated others due to his inexperience coupled with arrogance.

Mask does indeed posit the question of whether Collora is his own worst enemy, á la Overnight, the fascinating doc about Troy Duffy (Boondock Saints’ writer/director). Collora certainly receives warmer reactions from his colleagues here than Duffy does in that film, but nearly everyone, including Collora, admits he could be quite abrasive and obnoxious in his younger days. No one questions the guy has talent, though, and the present-day Collora comes across as someone who has mellowed with age yet still is quite passionate about movies and comics.

Mask also does work as a straightforward behind-the-scenes doc. There are some very interesting stories here: two very well-known acting icons were close to taking the Batman and Joker roles, for example. The on-set footage is very cool, as well, including Collora’s and other crew members’ vocal reactions when a shot really works.

Behind the Mask was a very pleasant surprise. It’s a niche doc that should appeal to a much wider audience than its subject matter might suggest.

Behind the Mask: The Batman Dead End Story
is available on DVD and Digital HD.

After an epic seventeen-year journey through the entirety of human culture – the biggest cross-continuity ‘universe’ that is conceivable – Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill will conclude both their legendary League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and their equally legendary comic-book careers with the series’ spectacular fourth and final volume, The Tempest.

Tying up the slenderest of plot threads and allusions from the three preceding volumes, The Black Dossier, and the Nemo trilogy into a dazzling and ingenious bow, the world’s most accomplished and bad-tempered artist-writer team will use their most stylistically adventurous outing yet to display the glories of the medium they are leaving; to demonstrate the excitement that attracted them to the field in the first place; and to analyse, critically and entertainingly, the reasons for their departure.

Opening simultaneously in the panic-stricken headquarters of British Military Intelligence, the fabled Ayesha’s lost African city of Kor and the domed citadel of ‘We’ on the devastated Earth of the year 2996, the dense and yet furiously-paced narrative hurtles like an express locomotive across the fictional globe from Lincoln Island to modern America to the Blazing World; from the Jacobean antiquity of Prospero’s Men to the superhero-inundated pastures of the present to the unimaginable reaches of a shimmering science-fiction future. With a cast-list that includes many of the most iconic figures from literature and pop culture, and a tempo that conveys the terrible momentum of inevitable events, this is literally and literarily the story to end all stories.

Commencing as a six-issue run of unfashionable, outmoded and flimsy children’s comics that will make you appear emotionally backward if you read them on the bus, this climactic magnum opus will also reprint classic English super-team publication The Seven Stars from the murky black-and-white reaches of 1964. A magnificent celebration of everything comics were, are and could be, any appreciator or student of the medium would be unwise to miss The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume IV: THE TEMPEST.

a 6-issue mini-series, each issue 32 pages in (mostly) full color, saddle stitched, 6 5/8” x 10 1/8” (standard comic-book size), $4.99 (US). Issue #1 is scheduled for June 2018.

Co-Published by Top Shelf Productions (US) and Knockabout (UK).

In 2008, stockbroker, investment adviser and financier Bernie Madoff made headlines around the world when he was arrested for perpetrating the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history. HBO Films’ The Wizard of Lies chronicles the events that led up to Madoff’s admission and the devastating aftermath.

Starring two-time Oscar-winner Robert De Niro as Bernie Madoff and three-time Oscar nominee Michelle Pfeiffer as his wife Ruth, this HBO Films drama dissects the events that led to the Wall Street financier’s stunning downfall in December 2008 for defrauding investors of over $65 billion in the most infamous Ponzi scheme in U.S. history. Directed by Oscar-winner Barry Levinson, The Wizard of Lies vividly recounts Madoff’s audacious deceptions that culminated in his vilification while catapulting his wife and two sons into a harsh and unrelenting spotlight, with tragic consequences.

And we’re giving away two Digital HD codes!

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

The Wizard of Lies is the third film co-starring De Niro and Pfeiffer.
What were the other two?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. 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 July 30th, 2017.