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Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Logan Lucky’ Starring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Seth MacFarlane Arrives on Digital and BD

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From Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s trilogy) comes a combustible caper comedy with a twist. Logan Lucky races to Digital on November 14, 2017, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on November 28, 2017, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Logan Lucky stars Channing Tatum (Magic Mike21 Jump Street ), Emmy nominee Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force AwakensPaterson), Seth MacFarlane (“Family Guy,” Ted), Riley Keough (“The Girlfriend Experience,” It Comes at Night), Katie Holmes (All We HadBatman Begins), Katherine Waterston (Inherent ViceAlien: Covenant), Dwight Yoakam (Sling BladePanic Room), Sebastian Stan (Captain America: Civil WarThe Martian), Brian Gleeson (Mother!Snow White and the Huntsman), and Jack Quaid (“Vinyl,” The Hunger Games), with Academy Award winner Hilary Swank (The HomesmanMillion Dollar Baby) and Daniel Craig (Road to PerditionJames Bond franchise).

Hoping to reverse a ‘curse’ that’s hung over his family for generations, Jimmy Logan (Tatum) hatches a plan to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’S biggest race of the year. He convinces his bartender brother Clyde (Driver) and hairdresser sister Mellie (Keough) to help him pull everything off–but first they have to break the bomb-maker Joe Bang (Craig) out of jail in broad daylight. Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank plays a no-nonsense FBI agent determined to bring the Logans to justice and keep them from racing away with the loot in this high speed caper from director Steven Soderbergh.

 

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY, DVD & DIGITAL:

  • Deleted Scenes

 

For more details visit Facebook.com/LoganLuckyMovie

 


Waxwork Record’s ‘Don’t Look Now’ (vinyl review)

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Don’t Look Now is Nicholas Roeg’s (ROAG) 1973 thriller set around a couple’s grief over the death of their daughter.  The majority of the film is set in Venice, Italy, and the setting is as much the star of the film as Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie.

This movie scared the CRAP out of me as a kid, where it aired regularly on Detroit’s TV-50 WKBD Saturday Shocker, or was it WDIV’s Saturday Night Dead?

This film marked the first score from Italian composer Pino Donaggio, who would go on to score countless horror classics including Piranha, Tourist Trap, The Howling and several partnerships with Brian De Palma starting with Carrie.  The Don’t Look Now score shares simular themes to Carrie, though it’s a little more restrained.

Donaggio got his start singing with Paul Anka and quickly became known in the 60s as a singer songwriter.  His biggest hit is known most popularly as You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me performed by both Dusty Springfield and Elvis Presley.

It’s Donaggio’s songwriting background that lends itself best to this particular score. He’s a master at creating melodic themes.

This Waxwork Records release is another fantastic presentation.  Features include 180 gram “Red Raincoat” colored vinyl, old style tip-on gatefold jackets, printed inserts, and all new artwork by Jessica Seamans of Landland. The version I received has more of a translucent disc, with red blotch stain in keeping with the theme from an opening scene in the movie.

You can order the release now here, and watch for more reviews from me on past and future horror soundtrack releases.

 

NYCC To Celebrate ‘DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection’

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A decade of ground-breaking DC Super Hero animation spanning 30 full-length feature films and 5 animated shorts, combined with new bonus features, the complete catalog of prior enhanced content, commemorative extras and exclusive collectible items makes the DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection a must-own when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC Entertainment release the limited edition, numbered Blu-ray box set on November 7, 2017.

The content of the DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection – beyond the 30 animated films – will be discussed during a commemorative panel at New York Comic Con on Thursday, October 5, 2017 in the Javits Center. Panelists included executive producer Bruce Timm, supervising producer James Tucker, co-producers/writers Alan Burnett and Jim Krieg, and a cavalcade of actors who have played essential roles in multiple films in the series – the two prominent voices of Batman in the DCUs, Kevin Conroy and Jason O’Mara; John DiMaggio, who has voiced characters in eight films, including the Joker in Batman: Under the Red Hood; Tara Strong, the voice of characters in seven movies, most notably Batgirl in Batman: The Killing Joke, and the two-time voice of Wonder Woman, Vanessa Marshall.

DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection box set is limited to 20,000, and each box will be individually numbered. This collection is priced to own at $299.99. It is now available for pre-order.

DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection features two collectible items of particular note: an exclusive 40-page adult coloring book featuring key art from all DC Universe films, with artwork designed by renowned artists exclusive for this collection; and exclusive collector coins featuring the DC “trinity” – Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

Launched in 2007 with the landmark release of Superman Doomsday, the DC Universe Original Movies are based on or inspired by storylines and/or characters from within the ever-expanding DC library. Produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the stories range from films based upon iconic DC Super Hero stories (Superman Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: The Killing Joke) to films inspired by themes from within DC history (Batman vs. Robin was inspired by “The Court of Owls,” Superman vs. The Elite was inspired by “What’s so Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way?”) to original stories (Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Batman and Harley Quinn).

DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection will include all 30 films – from Superman Doomsday to the all-new Batman and Harley Quinn, as well as newly released commemorative editions of Wonder Woman and Justice League: The New Frontier. The 32-disc box set will also include all 5 “DC Showcase” animated shorts – The Spectre, Green Arrow, Jonah Hex, Catwoman and Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam.

DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Blu-ray Collection – New Bonus Content


  • Featurette – “The Super Human In Us All” –Some Heroes are born in the pages of DC comic books (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman), some are the real life heroes that have faced life or death, and triumphed against the odds. The quest in this film is to find that common ground, reminding everyone that there is a hero in all of us … waiting to rise!
  • Featurette – A Comic Book History of Justice League Dark – Take a mystical journey through the comic book history of the Justice League Dark: John Constantine, Zatanna, and Deadman, magical heroes who flourish in the shadows – and their specialty, the supernatural side of the DC Universe.
  • Featurette – “Mark Hamill: Finding The Laugh” – This mini-documentary follows the journey of celebrated actor Mark Hamill from his portrayal of heroic Luke Skywalker to the role of one of the most feared DC Super-Villains of all-time, the Joker.
  • DC Universe Original Movies 10th Anniversary Panel at 2017 Comic-Con International – Ten Years. Thirty films. Five shorts. And innumerable fan-favorite moments. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment celebrates a decade of animated DC -infused films with an exciting panel spotlighting the DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection. Filmmakers and an array of luminary voice actors guided fans through an entertaining look into the making of these popular movies. Included in the panel discussion are producers Bruce Timm & James Tucker and co-producers/screenwriters Alan Burnett & Jim Krieg alongside actors Kevin Conroy, Tara Strong, John DiMaggio, Vanessa Marshall and Christopher Gorham.
  • Lookbooks for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Batman: The Killing Joke, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis and Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.
  • Panel Discussion – A Tribute to Darwyn Cooke – Legendary writer and artist Darwyn Cooke left the world far too early. This panel gathering celebrates through personal and professional anecdotes the achievements and heart and wisdom Darwyn brought to his projects, and his life.
  • 2008 Comic-Con International Wonder Woman (Animated) Panel – Harken back to 2008, during the infancy of the DC Universe Original Movies, when the Comic-Con stage filled with some of the key players in the production of the highly-acclaimed animated film, Wonder Woman. Included on the panel is former DC Publisher Paul Levitz, DC Universe executive producer Bruce Timm, Wonder Woman director Lauren Montgomery, eight-time Emmy Award-winning dialogue/casting director Andrea Romano, and geek god himself, Nathan Fillion, who voiced Steve Trevor in the film. DC executive Gregory Noveck moderated the panel.

The 30-film DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection (Blu-ray) will include:

  1. SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY
  2. JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER (COMMEMORATIVE EDITION)
  3. BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT
  4. WONDER WOMAN (COMMEMORATIVE EDITION)
  5. GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT
  6. SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES
  7. JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS
  8. BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD
  9. SUPERMAN/BATMAN: APOCALYPSE
  10. ALL-STAR SUPERMAN
  11. GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD KNIGHTS
  12. BATMAN: YEAR ONE
  13. JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM
  14. SUPERMAN VS. THE ELITE
  15. THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, PART 1
  16. THE DARK KNIGHTS RETURNS, PART 2
  17. SUPERMAN: UNBOUND
  18. JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE FLASHPOINT PARADOX
  19. JUSTICE LEAGUE: WAR
  20. SON OF BATMAN
  21. BATMAN: ASSAULT ON ARKHAM
  22. JUSTICE LEAGUE: THRONE OF ATLANTIS
  23. BATMAN VS. ROBIN
  24. JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS
  25. BATMAN: BAD BLOOD
  26. JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. TEEN TITANS
  27. BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE
  28. JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK
  29. TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT
  30. BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN

The DC Universe Original Movies: 10th Anniversary Collection
is now available on Digital GD.

 

Graphic Breakdown: Four Bat-Titles = Straight A’s, Plus Harley and Ivy Meet Betty and Veronica, & More!

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Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s the first week of October and it’s New York Comic Con time! But before that starts, let’s talk about some of the books coming out today!

 

All-Star Batman #14
Written by Scott Snyder
Illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque

This is the final issue of Scott Snyder’s All-Star Batman comic book.

That’s a shame. The book was a high quality book every month and it’s been quite a ride up until now. How is this last issue?

It’s a great finish to a great series. Snyder is a seasoned professional at this point when it comes to writing unique and involving stories.

He asks an age old question here: what if Bruce has a choice to have true love or lose that love by being Batman?

Snyder answers this question in a way we haven’t seen before and it’s a wonderful button to his work on this character.

The art by Albuquerque is typically awesome. He’s doing the top work of his career.

Pick this up. Complete your run. It’s well worth your time.

RATING: A

 

Batman #32
Written by Tom King
Illustrated by Mikel Janin

Man, Tom King really stepped up as the writer of Batman.

Before this latest storyline, Batman was borderline unlikable. King was writing him very one note and unfamiliar. I’m happy to report that it all changed. And that’s a damn good thing.

Here it is! The ending to the storyline “The War of Jokes and Riddles.” It’s friggen awesome. The Joker and The Riddler are fighting to be the villain who rules Gotham! Their war has been brutal! Here, it all ends!

Plus we get an answer from Catwoman whether or not she will marry Bruce!

This is a great finale. King writes his heart out and it shows. The art by Janin has been spectacular. You need this.

Buy this right away and read it. Or you are truly missing out.

RATING: A

 

Batman: The White Knight #1
Written and Illustrated by Sean Murphy

This excellent first issue of this limited series features the usual excellent art by Sean Murphy. I was unprepared however just how great the writing is. Murphy has laid out an interesting concept and he proves he’s got the chops to carry it through.

The wacky concept here is that The Joker is the protagonist and that Batman has finally gone too far!

The people of Gotham look to the Joker to help them against Batman, the now maniac. This Joker has been cured of his madness. Can he stop the crazy lunatic Batman has become?

The details make this story sing.

Watching the Joker try to reconcile and apologize to Harley Quinn is priceless.

Murphy really looks to be making a classic Batman tale here. This is just plain awesome. Buy it now.

RATING: A

 

Bane: Conquest #6
Written by Chuck Dixon
Illustrated by Graham Nolan

This whacked out miniseries hits the half way point in this issue.

Bane is on a…well, conquest. And he will not be stopped for anything!

This issue focuses on Bane’s fight against the incredible Kobra!

It’s mayhem done in the typical Chuck Dixon bombastic style. It’s over the top and more than a little fun.

The art by Nolan is wonderful.

I feel like a kid again. Mostly because this team hasn’t changed in their style in close to 25 years!

And that’s okay sometimes. I’m enjoying reliving my past with this.

RATING: B

 

Deathstroke #24
Written by Christopher Priest
Illustrated by Diogenes Neves

This storyline is nuts. And I love nutty storylines!

Deathstroke is leading a team called Defiance and he makes for quite an entertaining leader. Priest keeps the storyline fast and fresh and this is a good time indeed.

Kid Flash is on the Defiance team. He is starting to realize the secrets and lies that is involved with the team. Yet, he might be keeping the biggest secret of all.

Plus, a new threat is coming towards Defiance that may destroy them all.

The writing is fast and fun. The art is decent enough. Priest keeps advancing the story on his tenure on this title. It’s great.

This is the way comic books should be done for sure.

RATING: A-

 

Injustice 2 #11
Written by Tom Taylor
Illustrated by Daniel Sampere

So this is the first time for me in reading this title. It’s not a bad read picking it up when you haven’t read an issue before. Taylor makes the story accessible.

Poison Ivy has captured Batman. And she’s angry!

Meanwhile, there are missing children and the Injustice team must try to find them.

Can they do it? Well, let’s hope so!

The story moves at a pretty good pace. Taylor keeps things moving and it’s interesting enough. The art isn’t bad either.

This may be worth picking up from the beginning and reading the whole thing from the start.

RATING: B

 

Batman: The Dawnbreaker #1
Written by Sam Humphries 
Illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver

The Metal tie-ins keep on coming! And I love them all! They are completely bananas.

Great news too: This issue is completely bananas, maybe the most bananas yet!

This is the Metal Batman version of the Green Lantern character.

It’s written and Illustrated by two people who have worked on Green Lantern a lot. Here, they seem to be having more fun than they have had previously. It’s a joy to read.

I’m not the biggest Van Sciver fan. His art here however is decent and he’s clearly having a good time. Pick this up.

Metal is awesome and this continues in that vein.

RATING: A

 

Harley and Ivy Meet Betty And Veronica #1
Written by Paul Dini and Marc Andreyko
Illustrated by Laura Braga
Published by DC Comics and Archie Comics

This is a ton of fun.

Watching these characters from both universes collide is a guilty pleasure. It’s a wacky concept and the strong writing makes for a really great comic book experience.

Poison Ivy hires Harley Quinn to kidnap Veronica and her friend Betty.

Things don’t turn out the way they want to however. What follows is a journey of crazy wacky fun.

And it is fun! The writing is well done. The art is decent as well.

Pick this up. It will put a smile on your face.

RATING: B+

 

Harley Quinn #29
Written by Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated by John Timms

Harley Quinn is one of those books that you pick up and you know what you are getting into. It’s fun, breezy and pretty disposable.

And that’s okay.

This is part two of Harley Quinn’s campaign to become mayor of Gotham City.

The Mayor is trying to kill her! But he keeps failing. And with each attempt Harley becomes more and more popular.

The story is cute and the art is very good.

Harley is overexposed these days and that is the only problem this faces. Still, the creative team does good on this book. Give it a read.

RATING: B

 

 

 

Boston Cinegeeks! We’ve Got Passes For ‘The Foreigner’ With Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan!

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The Foreigner is a gripping and relevant action thriller directed by a master of the smart action genre, MARTIN CAMPBELL (Casino Royale and Goldeneye.) Justice, retribution and redemption are at the heart of this provocative story of two men whose hidden pasts explode in the present. The film marks a blazing return to the screen by JACKIE CHAN (the Rush Hour trilogy, Skiptrace) and PIERCE BROSNAN (Tomorrow Never Dies, The November Man), two actors in roles which take full advantage of and build upon their legendary star status.

The film tells the story of humble London shop owner Quan (Jackie Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love — his teenage daughter — is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism.

As he searches for the people responsible, he seeks the assistance of Irish Deputy Minister, Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan), an ill-fitting government official whose own troubled history comes to bear down on him.

As Quan enters into a game of political cat-and-mouse with Hennessy, both men must confront their pasts as they try to identify the elusive killers.

For the chance to receive two tickets to an advanced screening on
Wednesday, October 11that 7:00 PM at AMC Boston Common, click HERE!

Remember seating is first come, first served and not guaranteed so arrive early! 

 

 

FOG! Chats With ‘Buddy Thunderstruck’ Producers Eric Towner and John Harvatine IV!

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John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner are the co-founders and co-creators of Stoopid Buddy Stoodios latest series, Netflix’s Buddy Thunderstruck, which follows the adventures of Buddy (Brian Allen), a semi-truck racing dog and Darnell (Ted Raimi), an albino ferret mechanic. 

The duo took some time to discuss the series, the origins of their partnership and their influences.

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FOG!: Prior to co-founding Stoopid Buddy Stoodios with Seth Green and Matt Senreich, you co-founded Buddy System Studios. How did you meet and as a team, how do you think you complement one another?

Eric & John: We met while animating on season 2 of Robot Chicken WAY back in 2006. Stop-motion animating can be a very lonely experience, so anytime we had adjoining stages we would open up the curtains a little to create what we deemed “The Buddy Hole”. Great way to get to know a fellow animator, and our love began to blossom.

From there we began collaborating on several outside projects and were eventually like, let’s make this official by forming Buddy System Studios! We complement each other all the time.

“Hey Harv, that’s a nice hat.”

“Hey Towner, your smile is infectious today.”

“Hey Harv, thanks.”

“Hey Towner, you’re welcome.”

We’re very polite.

With Robot Chicken, you currently have the longest running stop motion animated series on television. What do you think is the secret to its success?

Like a hot basket of mozzarella sticks, it’s somewhat digestible and easily sharable. Robot hit on our shortening attention spans before we even knew we had shortening attention spans. It’s great because if you get bored of one sketch you just watch for another 10-15 seconds and you’re on to the next thing. Watch long enough and the show will eventually hit on something you get!

Your latest project Buddy Thunderstuck is a bit different. Primarily, it’s geared toward a family audience, which is a departure. What was the genesis of the series?

We love being a part of a series that’s geared towards a younger audience! When kids watch Robot Chicken, you feel like that’s just some poor parenting. With Thunderstruck, it’s GOOD parenting! Show creator Ryan Wiesbrock of American Greetings pitched us this stop-motion series featuring a semi-truck racing dog and his best friend, and we immediately knew we had to be involved. Plus it had “Buddy” in the title, so how could we say no? 6 years later, the stars aligned with Netflix and we were off to the races!

The animation in Buddy Thunderstruck is really wonderful and a but reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. Were there any different challenges in developing the style of the series?

Thank you! Like Fantastic Mr. Fox, we wanted to put a bear-like embrace on everything magical about stop-motion. Using real lights and real cameras to capture real furs and real textures. Not in some “artsy-fartsy” way, but in a way we felt captures the insane comedy and action of the show. Which is just a matter of adding a shot of stop-motion adrenaline to an already hilariously written show.

The series airs on Netflix, and you have an interactive episode. What’s the story behind that?

The future is now!! No really, it’s right behind you. With Netflix being both an online streaming service and an amazing tech company, they created a platform that allows for interactive storytelling. Kind of like a “choose your own adventure” show.

When they approached Ryan about being one of the first shows out the gates to be a part of this, we were all like YEAH OK LET’S PLAY. Queue the montage with lots of thinking and charts and phone calls and high-fives. When the dust settled we were left with Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile. Check it out on your DVD mail-in Netflix service. Just kidding, that wouldn’t work.

Who or what are the biggest influences on your work?

Ray Harryhausen, Art Clokey, Phil Tippet, Nick Park, Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg, John Elway, He-Man, Tim Burton, George Lucas, Don Majkowski, we’re just name dropping at this point, George Miller, our parents, Peter Jackson, Max Fleischer, and the very first cover of Nintendo Power magazine.

What are you currently geeking out over?

Recently been geeking out over a hand-drawn indie game called Cuphead and the idea of installing a keg with an external tap in our ’73 Winnebago.

 

Buddy Thunderstruck is currently streaming on Netflix.

 

 

Dynamite Enterainment Announcements Galore

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With every major convention, you can count on Dynamite Entertainment to deliver a series of announcements.  With New York Comic-Con this weekend, the publisher has released details about a bunch of properties such as Xena, Pumpkinhead, Charlie’s Angels, Battlestar Galactica, Tekken and more.

 

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT SIGNS MEREDITH FINCH TO PEN NEW XENA SERIES!
PROUDLY ANNOUNCES EXTENSION OF XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS PUBLISHING DEAL

Dynamite Entertainment, a leading publisher of English language comic books and graphic novels, is proud to announce the extension of their publishing deal with NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products for comic books and graphic novels based on the Xena: Warrior Princess television series. The first new series is set to launch in February 2018 with Xena #1 from writer Meredith Finch (Wonder Woman, Justice League Saga, Rose)! Finch will be joined by husband David (X-Men, Wolverine), who will lend his legendary talents by serving as cover artist for the series debut issue!

Writer Meredith Finch says, “In an industry filled with strong female superheroes, Xena stands out as a woman who’s only super power is her sheer strength of will and character. She has overcome tremendous obstacles to become a beacon of hope for her people and readers alike. I could not be more thrilled to have the opportunity to add to her mythos.”

Meredith Finch is a comic book writer, best known for her work on DC Comic’s Wonder Woman in 2011. Since, she has worked with a number of top publishers and most recently launched her first creator-owned series, Rose, in 2017.

The Xena: Warrior Princess franchise first expanded into comic books in 1997 with several series published by Topps Comics, including crossovers with their Hercules: The Legendary Journeys comics. Two years later, Dark Horse acquired the rights and published a fourteen-issue series. In 2006, Dynamite Entertainment acquired the rights, publishing Xena: Warrior Princess #1-4 (the “Contest of Pantheons” storyline) and a second series, subtitled Dark Xena. Also, two tongue-in-cheek crossover series materialized with Dynamite’s long-running Army of Darkness series, as both Xena and AOD had roots at Renaissance Pictures and featured actor and cult film hero Bruce Campbell. In 2015, Dynamite reacquired the Xena license, publishing a new core series, an additional AOD crossover (subtitled Forever and a Day), and high-quality reprints of classic Xena comic books from the 1990s and early 2000s.

“We’re proud to be the comic book home for Xena: Warrior Princess, now and for the future,” says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite. “The fit is perfect: between our library of licensed fantasy (A Game of Thrones, Warlord of Mars, Army of Darkness, Wheel of Time, etc.) and penchant for strong, charismatic female protagonists (Sheena, Vampirella, Red Sonja, Barbarella, and more), Dynamite is the perfect arena for the continuing adventures of Xena and Gabrielle! And there could not be a better writer than Meredith Finch to convey Xena’s strength and power, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to work with both Meredith and David on this exciting new launch!”

Xena #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ December 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in February 2018.

 

DYNAMITE PRESENTS THE ULTIMATE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SERIES ALMOST 40 YEARS IN THE MAKING – BSG VS. BSG!!!
Classic 1978 and Reimagined 2003 Series Collide in Award-Winning Author’s Upcoming Comic Book Crossover

Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce the ultimate Battlestar Galactica series that’s been nearly 35 years in the making – The Classic Battlestar Galactica team Vs. the New ones from Ron Moore and Sy Fy Channel! THE crossover project bringing together the continuities of both the classic 1978 and reimagined 2003 BSG series.

In the new Battlestar Galactica miniseries, the discovery of Kali – the last of the reptilian parent race that created the Cylons – serves as the catalyst for a face-to-face meeting between the crews serving Commander Adama (including Apollo and Starbuck, three characters immortalized on the small screen by actors Lorne Green, Richard Hatch, and Dirk Benedict, respectively) and Admiral William Adama (of the 2003 Reimagined BSG series, as played by Edward James Olmos). Sparks will fly as Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, and their fellow Viper pilots meet their strangely familiar counterparts… and discover the threat that two colliding universes of Cylons pose!

“A crossover between the two versions of BSG is an idea that’s been pursed several times before (and no wonder! How could you not want to see this happen?), but never came together for various reasons,” says Matt Idelson, Senior Editor. “I’m lucky to get to be a part of this adventure, and to work with a writer whose work I’ve admired since before I was in the business. In addition to the wonderful sense of mystery and awe that Peter’s bringing to the story, the level of humanity as the two crews meet is wonderful. I can’t wait for folks to see this book.”

Peter David says, “With all deference to Star Trek, Firefly… hell, even Space Cases… I firmly believe the recent Battlestar Galactica series is the best SF series ever. And in reviewing the original series for the first time in decades, I was amazed at how it held up far better than I ever could have believed. Forty years away from it being dismissed as a Star Wars rip-off, the first BSG had a style, story, and characters all its own and deserved far more than the truncated run it received. So I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of this truly historic meeting, which was indeed set up in the new series: All of this has happened before, and it will happen again.”

One of the cornerstones of their publishing line, Dynamite Entertainment has been developing Battlestar Galactica comic books since 2006, focusing on each incarnation of the franchise from the classic continuity of the 1978 television series, to the Galactica 1980 follow-up, and finally to the reimagined series aired on Syfy from 2003 through 2009.

“Peter David is one of the most talented writers our industry has ever had. He has written super heroes, sci fi, prose and so much more. I have been a huge fan of Peter’s going back to his first comic work from the classic Spider-Man story, ‘The Death of Jean De Wolff,’ and his prose novel Knight Life and then his historic run on The Incredible Hulk,” says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment. “He’s an exceptional talent who brings sympathetic humanity to even the most far-flung, cosmic adventures. Finally, the right project has come along, and we’re humbled that Peter has graciously accepted the epic task of teaming up the two generations of Battlestar Galactica. Fans will go wild when they see how this senses-shattering story unfolds!”

Peter David is a prolific author whose career, and continued popularity, spans nearly two decades. He has worked in every conceivable media: television, film, books (fiction, non-fiction, and audio), short stories, and comic books, and acquired followings in all of them. In the literary field, Peter has had over fifty novels published, including numerous appearances on the New York Times Bestsellers List. His comic book resume includes such varied and popular titles as Supergirl, Young Justice, Soulsearchers and Company, Aquaman, Star Trek, The Phantom, and many others. In TV and film, David’s creative credits include Space Cases, Babylon 5, two Trancers films, and Oblivion, to name a few. David has earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award, and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.

The David-helmed Battlestar Galactica project will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release this Fall.

 

BANDAI NAMCO’S TEKKEN JOINS DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT’S
BESTSELLING VIDEO GAME ICONS LINE OF ART BOOK RETROSPECTIVES
Celebrate the History and Artistry of the Groundbreaking
Tournament-Style Fighting Game with a Stunning Hardcover Retrospective!

Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce that the world-renowned video game franchise TEKKEN will be celebrated in a gorgeous hardcover retrospective, via a new licensing deal with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. The TEKKEN art book joins Dynamite’s critically acclaimed Video Games Icons line, and is slated for release in 2018!

Since its original release in 1994, TEKKEN – one of the first games at the time to incorporate 3D animation – garnered a worldwide following and spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs. Structured around the fictional King of Iron Fist Tournament as sponsored by the Mishima Zaibatsu corporation, TEKKEN tells the story of the Mishima ancestral curse, pitting the series protagonist Jin Kazama against members of his villainous lineage, while incorporating the colorful stories and aspirations of a wide cast of additional fighters.

The new TEKKEN retrospective from Dynamite Entertainment will feature in-depth interviews and exclusive, behind-the-scenes looks into the making of the games, as well as the iconic art, design, and imagery from across the TEKKEN universe. Oversized and hundreds of pages in length, printed on high-quality glossy paper to perfectly capture the vibrant colors of high-res photographs and scans, this commemorative collectible makes the perfect coffee table book or addition to a hardcore gamer’s bookshelves.

TEKKEN 3 is the one that got its hooks into me… when I really started appreciating how fun and brilliant of a fighting game series it was, with its own personality and crazy-awesome cast of characters,” says Rich Young, Director of Business Development for Dynamite. “We’re now at TEKKEN 7 and the franchise is still going as strong as ever! It’s an honor to be working with BANDAI NAMCO on this project, and to present this amazing retrospective to the dedicated and passionate fans worldwide!”

Dynamite’s TEKKEN art book retrospective will be available at major bookstore chains, online booksellers, and independent bookstores courtesy of Diamond Book Distributors, and to consumers through the comic book specialty market.

 

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT AND WRITER TODD MATTHY PARTNER TO PUBLISH
2018’S MOST ANTICIPATED CHILDREN’S COMIC BOOK SERIES, ROBOTS VS. PRINCESSES

Following an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, comic book writer Todd Matthy, along with artist Nicolas Chapuis will bring fans the unique and enchanting four-issue children’s fantasy tale, Robots vs. Princesses, courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment! This story about courage, friendship, and acceptance will appeal to readers of all ages when the first issue hits stands in April 2018!

Robots vs. Princesses, the fun, action-packed, pop-culture mash up of fairy tale princesses and giant robot anime follows the beautiful Princess Zara as she sets off on her quest to find a dragon. But along the way, she instead crosses paths with a robot named Wheeler. The two join forces, and along with Zara’s friends, the pair must repel an impending robot invasion. Robots vs. Princesses is an all ages sci-fi/fantasy mash up that aspires to be the greatest animated movie never made!

Writer Todd Matthy says, “I am beyond happy that Dynamite picked up Robots vs. Princesses. Dynamite’s publishing line includes revised classic heroes like The Shadow and Green Hornet, rock stars like GWAR and KISS, creator-owned work like The Boys, all-ages fare like Grumpy Cat, and of course, the graphic adaptation of Game of Thrones. Such a diverse array of titles and creators makes Dynamite the perfect home for Robots vs. Princesses.”

Todd Matthy is an elementary school teacher who has had articles and interviews published with various top news and entertainment websites, and has self-published his own short fiction and comics. Robots vs. Princesses is his first work for a major publisher, and certainly not his last!

“All of us at Dynamite find great pleasure in publishing creator-owned pieces, and Robots vs. Princesses is one we’re exceptionally proud of,” says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher for Dynamite Entertainment. “Creator Todd Matthy has such passion for his project, and worked incredibly hard to turn his dream into a reality throughout his successful crowdfunding campaign. Robots vs. Princesses will appeal to young, old, male, and female alike with a little bit of something for everyone, and will be a perfect fit here at Dynamite alongside our already successful all-age tiles like Animal Jam, Boo!, and Grumpy Cat!”

Robots vs. Princesses #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ February 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in April.

 

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES JAMES BOND: THE BODY
Ales Kot Named Writer for the All New Six-Issue Comic Book Mini-Series

Dynamite Entertainment is pleased to announce that Ales Kot, the Czech-born writer best known for his work on the popular series Zero and Secret Avengers, has been tapped to helm the latest entry into the James Bond universe with James Bond: The Body. The latest tale of international intrigue and espionage will feature six issues, each with an original story line that will unite the full series, and is set for a January 2018 launch!

As Bond undergoes a post-mission medical examination, he relays the story of his previous mission to the examiner. Each cut, bruise, and broken bone connected to a specific event of the mission. A connection is made between two people with different purposes: one to save lives, the other to take them.

Writer Ales Kot says, “I’m honored to be working on the original James Bond — a complicated character that reflects my interest in war, violence and power. I took the project on because I was encouraged to explore these interests and take Bond to places and situations he rarely, if ever, experienced in fiction — and see what truly makes him tick.”

Ales Kot is a Czech-born writer, director and producer currently living in Los Angeles, CA where he specializes in the film, comic book, television, and video game industries. Kot has worked with a number of the largest publishers in comics, and is best known for his work on Zero, Secret Avengers and Generation Gone. He has received wide critical acclaim from publications such as The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, and Entertainment Weekly, just to name a few!

“We’ve been putting this together with Ales for some time now and it’s rewarding that we’re finally there,” says Joseph Rybandt, Executive Editor for Dynamite. “He’s got a grand vision for Bond that is unlike anything we’ve done to date, which bespeaks of his innovation and creative place in comics.”

In 2014, Dynamite Entertainment made headlines across the comics industry and beyond with the news that the New Jersey publisher had secured the license from Ian Fleming Publications Ltd to produce the first James Bond comics in 20 years. The first series, written by Transmetropolitan writer Warren Ellis, launched the following year to widespread critical acclaim, and was a breakout success in the comics specialty market. Subsequent James Bond story lines include Diggle and Casalanguida’s Hammerhead and Kill Chain, James Robinson and Aaron Campbell’s Felix Leiter, Benjamin Percy and Rapha Lobosco’s Black Box, and Kieron Gillen and Antonio Fuso’s Service.

James Bond: the Body #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ November 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in January 2018.

 

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT SIGNS LICENSE FOR ALL NEW CHARLIE’S ANGELS ADVENTURES
The Angels Reunite for All New Comic Book and Graphic Novel Adventures
in 2018, Thanks to New Partnership with Sony Pictures Television

Once upon a time there were three very different little girls who grew up to be three very different women with three things in common: they’re brilliant, they’re beautiful, and they work for a mysterious man named Charlie. Thanks to an exciting new partnership between Dynamite Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television, they now have something new in common: they will all reunite for brand-new adventures in Dynamite’s upcoming Charlie’s Angels comic book series, slated to hit shelves in 2018!

The 1976 Charlie’s Angels television series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, with industry legend Aaron Spelling serving as Executive Producer for the show during its 5-season run. The iconic series followed the crime-fighting adventures of three powerful women working in a Los Angeles private detective agency for the mysterious and unseen Charlie Townsend. The smash-hit series saw more than 100 episodes, and became a cult hit for decades to come thanks to subsequent syndication and DVD distribution deals.

“We could not be more excited to have the opportunity to work with the team at Sony Pictures Television, the premier name in television programming for decades,” says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher for Dynamite Entertainment. “The team at Dynamite all grew up watching the adventures of these strong female role-models, and we’re proud to present the upcoming Charlie’s Angels comic book series to an entirely new generation of fans!”

 

THE HORROR OF PUMPKINHEAD DESCENDS ON DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Leading Publisher Signs Cullen Bunn Set to Bring Cinema’s Legendary
Vengeance Demon to New Comic Books and Graphic Novels

Dynamite Entertainment is proud to announce their new agreement with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures to develop original comic book projects based on the cult classic Pumpkinhead film franchise. The ever-talented Cullen Bunn (Deadpool, Micronauts, Monsters Unleashed) has been tapped to serve as writer for the terrifying horror tale, slated to hit shelves in February 2018.

In the original Pumpkinhead film, a group of teenagers inadvertently kill a young boy in rural Appalachia, and his father seeks the powers of a backwoods witch to bring the child back to life. Instead, she invokes The Pumpkinhead – a monstrously clawed demon which, once reborn, answers only to Harley’s bloodlust. As the creature wreaks its slow, unspeakable tortures on the teens, Harley confronts a horrifying secret about his connection to the beast – and realizes that he must find a way to stop its deadly mission before he becomes one with the creature forever. A “vivid, stylish, atmospheric” film as described by The Hollywood Reporter, the Pumpkinhead film features a hypnotic, heart-rending performance by Lance Henriksen and the directorial vision of special effects master Stan Winston, and spawned three sequels.

“I watched Pumpkinhead on opening night in a little two-screen movie theater outside Berkeley Mall in Goldsboro, North Carolina,” says writer Cullen Bunn. “To say it helped cement my love of horror (and, in particular, ‘rural horror’, which I write a lot of these days) would be an understatement. I can recite the poem from memory. I even play the soundtrack while writing my own stories. The pacing, the eeriness of the setting, the interplay of weird light and shadow. These are all elements I hope to capture in the comic. As a longtime fan of horror, I hold this movie in high regard, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be contributing to the backwoods mythos of Haggis and Bunt Wallace and the Demon of Vengeance his own self.”

Cullen Bunn grew up in rural North Carolina, and now lives with his wife and son in the St. Louis area. Over the years, Bunn has worked several odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler, before serving as a Career Consultant, Product and Project Manager, and Director of Marketing. Bunn began writing full-time writer in 2011, and has worked on several comic book series and graphic novel projects for Marvel, DC, Oni Press, and Dynamite Entertainment, including The Sixth Gun, The Damned, Fearless Defenders, Deadpool, Venom, Wolverine, and Spider-Man: Season One. In addition, Bunn has written many short fiction stories and novels including Crooked Hills, as well as his collection of short horror fiction tales, Creeping Stones & Other Stories. His short stories and non-fiction have appeared in dozens of magazines, anthologies, and e-zines.

“The 1980s was a renaissance for horror films, introducing thrill-seeking audiences to so many iconic murderers and monsters. Pumpkinhead is not only one of the most visually terrifying of the breed, but also one of the most tragic – it’s the very definition of a Revenge Tragedy,” says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite. “There’s a human story to it that affects us so deeply, so profoundly – how grief can unlock an insatiable darkness within even the noblest person. Dynamite’s proud to resurrect this demon of vengeance, to explore the murky depths of the human soul in all-original comics, coming soon!”

 

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT TO LAUNCH NEW DEJAH THORIS SERIES AT 25-CENT INTRODUCTORY PRICE
Writer Amy Chu Set to Bring the Princess of Mars Back to Dynamite this January!

The Princess of Mars is set to return to her throne this January, as Dynamite Entertainment announces the relaunch of one of their most beloved characters, Dejah Thoris. Writer Amy Chu (Poison Ivy, Red Sonja, KISS) will bring the strong, iconic character back to the comics in the debut issue Dejah Thoris #0, which will retail for 25 cents and allow fans to join the adventure at this introductory price. This replicates the outstanding debut of Sheena #0, which broke 120,000 sales. Retailers can confidently stock their shelves with extra copies of this red-hot new series.

This exciting prequel to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ beloved book, A Princess of Mars, will delve into the untold story of the classic Red Martian princess! After learning of the legendary Gardens of Mars from her grandfather, Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, sets off on a dangerous scientific expedition to save her dying planet. But things don’t go the way she planned when she encounters a mysterious Green Martian prisoner.

Writer Amy Chu says, “Dejah Thoris has always been a complex character, with the bearing of a princess, the mind of a scientist, and the heart of a Red Martian trying to save her dying planet. This new series is a Dejah Thoris story, not a John Carter story, and could be considered a prequel to The Princess of Mars – an adventure of the purest sort, like Indiana Jones, but on Mars.”

Amy Chu writes comics – and only – comics! Following a successful run heading the first-ever Poison Ivy mini-series for DC Comics, Chu began crafting multiple series for Dynamite Entertainment including Red Sonja and KISS. Chu also writes and produces comics for several non-profits including The New York Historical Society, The Baltimore Museum of Art, Pop Culture Classroom, and The Museum of Chinese in America. In her spare time, Chu can be found serving as a frequent speaker/panel moderator/guest at the top industry conventions including San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con, Heroes Con, and the Emerald City Comic Con and Fan Expo.

“Amy has spearheaded two of our best-selling series with Red Sonja and KISS,” states Dynamite CEO/Publisher Nick Barrucci. “Dejah Thoris has been one of our strongest characters who has headlined her own series. Bringing Amy’s voice to Dejah was a natural choice. And to ensure the largest audience possible, we’re launching this with an introductory price of 25 cents. As I’ve mentioned before, the introductory priced books allows retailers to stock up at minimal risk, and fans can sample a great series at the most affordable price possible. I cannot wait until fans see our new ongoing adventures of the Princess of Mars.”

“We’re extremely happy to see Dejah Thoris gain a new audience among contemporary readers,” says Jim Sullos, President of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. “Mr. Burroughs created a timeless heroine that has enthralled and inspired generations of readers for more than a century.”

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic characters, Dejah Thoris, the Princess of Mars, and her beloved hero, John Carter, debuted in 1912, and ever since, science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts have dreamed of the faraway Red Planet and all of its wondrous sights and monstrous perils. While Dejah initially appeared as the love interest of John Carter, the strong and talented royal always stood on her own, and never on the sidelines, often venturing into danger or battle — and thus serving as a template for later strong, independent science fiction heroines such as Princess Leia of Star Wars and Neytiri of James Cameron’s Avatar. Since her comic book debut in 2010, she has constantly served as an adventurous mainstay at Dynamite.

Dejah Thoris #0 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ November 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated is for release in January 2018.

 

J. SCOTT CAMPBELL, COMIC BOOK ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE,
INSPIRES ALL-NEW WOMEN OF DYNAMITE: DEJAH THORIS DIORAMA STATUE
Magnificent Cold-Cast Resin Statue, Sculpted by Steve Kiwis, Available for Sale in January 2018

By popular demand, the Warlord of Mars comic book artwork of renowned comic book illustrator J. Scott Campbell serves as the inspiration for the latest Women of Dynamite statue: the Dejah Thoris Diorama Statue.

Dejah Thoris, the timeless science fiction heroine who debuted in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 1912 serial A Princess of Mars, has long been a cornerstone of the Dynamite Entertainment brand, both as a featured character in the Warlord of Mars series and solo character in a self-titled series of comics.

Sculpted by Steve Kiwis of Rvckvs International, the Women of Dynamite: Dejah Thoris Diorama Statue is inspired by Campbell’s cover to the seminal 2010 Warlord of Mars #1 comic book. Measuring approximately 8.75″ in height, with a base measuring 9″ by 6.5″, this cold-cast resin statue comes with gold-colored micro-link metal chain details. This highly-detailed masterpiece in three dimensions ships in a full-color display box with a Certificate of Authenticity, individually numbered as part of a limited edition run.

J. Scott Campbell rose to stardom in the 1990s with Wildstorm’s Gen 13 and Danger Girl, co-created with Andy Hartnell. With a penchant for drawing dynamic action poses and vivacious ladies, Campbell quickly became one of the industry’s most sought-after cover artists.

Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment, says, “The exotic beauty of Dejah Thoris – the original heroine of sci-fi/fantasy – will steal your breath away with this piece marvelously sculpted by Steve Kiwis, translated from the printed page as illustrated by my good pal, J. Scott. Our Women of Dynamite line of statues has turned quite a few heads since our debut Vampirella statue back in 2015, and frankly, the creative team at Rvckvs International keeps upping the ante with each release. Collectors, rejoice!”

“Steve Kiwis has done a great job of bringing J. Scott Campbell’s Dejah Thoris to life,” says Jim Sullos, President of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. “His work really embodies Edgar Rice Burroughs’ heroine. We are fortunate to have top industry talents contributing to Mr. Burroughs’ legacy.”

The Women of Dynamite: Dejah Thoris Diorama Statue, inspired by J. Scott Campbell, will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ November 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, corresponding with a sale date in January 2018.

 

For more information, please visit www.dynamite.com

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit comicshoplocator.com

Stream On: New To Hulu For October 2017

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Where Netflix fails in terms of the spooky and scary, Hulu seems to have in spades, has the Great Green Giant of streaming brings an impressive selection of terror-filled tales for the Halloween season.

Offering include Cabin Fever, Pet Sematary, The Amityville Horror, Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000, Carrie, Ghoulies, High Tension, Hostel and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, just to name a few.

Want more? Well, do you like large green lizards who like to stomp around Tokyo? How about an even dozen of classic Godzilla pics? That would keep any fan of creature features happy.

In addition to handfuls of sinister specials and monster movies, Hulu is also in full force with it’s streaming TV selections, as the new season of Prime Time heads into the new year. Highlights include The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers premiere on Oct. 2, Lucifer premiere and The Gifted debut on Oct. 3 and new Scandal on Oct. 6.

Hulu also makes good use of Netflix-weary folks looking for their TV comfort food, as it picks up all seasons of 30 Rock.
 

TV SHOWS

OCTOBER 1

30 Rock

  • 30 Rock (Season 1-7, NBC)
  • 60 Days In (Seasons 1-2, A&E)
  • Alone (Seasons 1-2, History)
  • American Pickers (Seasons 1 & 11, History)
  • Ancient Aliens (Season 11, History)
  • Ax Men (Seasons 1 & 9, History)
  • Born This Way (Seasons 1-2, A&E)
  • Bring It! (Seasons 1-3, Lifetime)
  • Chopped (Seasons 14-16, Food Network)
  • Counting Cars (Season 1, History)
  • The Curse of Oak Island (Season 1, History)
  • Dance Moms (Seasons 1 & 6, Lifetime)
  • Escaping Polygamy (Seasons 1-2, A&E)
  • The First 48 (Seasons 6, 16-17, A&E)
  • Forged in Fire (Seasons 1-3, History)
  • Hoarders (Season 4, A&E)
  • House Hunters (Season 7, HGTV)
  • Hunting Hitler (Seasons 1-2, History)
  • Prison Break (Seasons 1-5, FOX)
  • Property Brothers (Season 5, HGTV)
  • The Rap Game (Seasons 1-2, Lifetime)
  • Saving Hope (Season 5, eOne)
  • Tiny House Hunters (Seasons 1-2, HGTV)
  • Worst Cooks in America (Season 4, Food Network)

 

OCTOBER 2

The Simpsons

  • Bob’s Burgers (Season 8 Premiere, FOX)
  • Family Guy (Season 16 Premiere, FOX)
  • Ghosted (Series Premiere, FOX)
  • The Last Man on Earth (Season 4 Premiere, FOX)
  • Shark Tank (Season 9 Premiere, ABC)
  • The Simpsons (Season 29 Premiere, FOX)
  • Ten Days in the Valley: Series Premiere, ABC)
  • The Toy Box (Season 2 Premiere, ABC)

 

OCTOBER 3

The Gifted

  • American Horror Story: Roanoke (FX)
  • The Gifted (Series Premiere, FOX)
  • Lucifer (Season 3 Premiere, FOX)

 

OCTOBER 4

The Mayor

  • Black-ish (Season 4 Premiere, ABC)
  • Fresh Off the Boat (Season 4 Premiere, ABC)
  • Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (Series Premiere, ABC)
  • The Mayor (Series Premiere, ABC)
  • The Middle (Season 9 Premiere, ABC)

 

OCTOBER 6

  • Scandal (Season 7 Premiere, ABC)

 

OCTOBER 7

Once Upon a Time

  • Once Upon a Time (Season 7 Premiere, ABC)

 

OCTOBER 9

  • America’s Funniest Home Videos (Season 28 Premiere, ABC)

 

OCTOBER 11

  • Chance (Season 2 Premiere, Hulu original)

 

OCTOBER 12

  • I Love You, America (Series Premiere, Hulu original)

 

OCTOBER 18

  • Freakish (Season 2, Hulu original)

 

OCTOBER 21

Adventure Time

  • Adventure Time (Season 9, Cartoon Network)

 

OCTOBER 26

  • Neon Joe (Season 2, Adult Swim)

 

OCTOBER 28

  • Blindspot (Season 3 Premiere, NBC)

 

OCTOBER 29

  • Catfish (Season 6, MTV)

 

 

MOVIES

OCTOBER 1

Cabin Fever

  • 1492: Conquest of Paradise
  • 50 First Dates
  • 6 Dead Souls
  • A Fistful of Dollars
  • A Long Walk Home
  • Abduction of Jennifer Grayson
  • Across the Great Divide
  • Across the Universe
  • The Adventures of Panda Warrior
  • Alice
  • The Amityville Horror
  • Another 9 ½ Weeks
  • Arlo: The Burping Pig
  • Arthur’s Missing Pal
  • Asylum of Darkness
  • Bananas
  • Bethany
  • Blood Ransom
  • Blue Chips
  • The Bounty
  • Broadway Danny Rose
  • Broken Mile
  • Brotherhood of Justice
  • Bubba the Redneck Werewolf
  • Butterfly Girl
  • Cabin Fear
  • Cabin Fever
  • Care Bears: Friends Forever
  • Care Bears: Magical Adventures
  • Carrie
  • Carrie 2: The Rage
  • Clueless
  • The Confession
  • Congo
  • Covenant
  • The Creature Below
  • The Crying Game
  • Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest
  • The Cutting Edge
  • Deliver Us from Evil
  • Deuces Wild
  • The Devil’s Advocate
  • The Devil’s Double
  • The Disappearance of Alice Creed
  • The Disembodied
  • Election
  • Elephant Kingdom
  • End of a Gun
  • Enemy at the Gate
  • Escape From Alcatraz
  • Escape From L.A.
  • Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007
  • The Faculty
  • Fall Time
  • Fargo
  • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
  • Fierce People
  • The Final Cut
  • Fire in the Sky
  • A Fistful of Dollars
  • Fly Me to the Moon
  • Frances
  • Frog Kingdom
  • From Dusk till Dawn
  • Gandhi
  • The Ghost and the Darkness
  • Ghost World
  • Ghosts of Darkness
  • Ghoulies
  • Ghoulies II
  • The Glass Coffin
  • Godzilla
  • Godzilla 2000
  • Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
  • Godzilla Vs. Destroyah
  • Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah
  • Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla II
  • Godzilla Vs. Megaguirus: The G Annihilation Strategy
  • Godzilla Vs. Mothra
  • Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla
  • Godzilla, Mothra, And King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
  • Godzilla: Final Wars
  • Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
  • Grease 2
  • Guess Who
  • Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
  • Hatchet
  • Heaven Can Wait
  • Hellboy
  • Hemingway’s Garden of Eden
  • High Tension
  • The Holiday
  • Hostel
  • Hostel 2
  • Hot Pursuit
  • The Human Stain
  • The Hunted
  • Hunting Grounds
  • Invasion of the Body Snatchers
  • Jesus’s Son
  • Kalifornia
  • Kill Bill: Volume 1
  • Kill Bill: Volume 2
  • Little Shop of Horrors
  • A Long Walk Home
  • Love Finds You in Valentine
  • Love Hurts
  • The Maddening
  • The Madness of King George
  • March of the Penguins
  • Mousehunt
  • New Year’s Evil
  • Ninja III: The Domination
  • The One
  • Oogieloves: The Big Balloon Adventure
  • Out of Time
  • Paulie
  • Pet Sematary
  • Philadelphia
  • Pi
  • Pieces of April
  • Postcards From the Edge
  • Pride
  • The Punisher
  • Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman
  • Reds
  • Rent
  • Road House
  • Scream at the Devil
  • Snake Eyes
  • Southwest of Salem
  • Space Guardians
  • Species III
  • Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
  • Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • The Station Agent
  • Swingers
  • Teenage Ghost Punk
  • This Binary Universe
  • The Uninvited
  • Under Siege
  • U.S. vs. John Lennon
  • The Velveteen Rabbit
  • Volver
  • Warpath
  • Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000
  • What Lies Beneath
  • The Whistleblower
  • Yellowbird

 

OCTOBER 4

Colossal

  • Bad Frank
  • Colossal
  • Frontera
  • Rapture-Palooza
  • The Reagan Show

 

OCTOBER 5

  • The Fog

 

OCTOBER 7

Blair Witch

  • Blair Witch

 

OCTOBER 9

  • A Long Way Down

 

OCTOBER 10

  • Brotherhood of Blades

 

OCTOBER 11

  • Folk Hero & Funny Guy
  • The Lookalike

 

OCTOBER 12

  • Blind
  • I Love You Both

 

OCTOBER 14

  • Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

 

OCTOBER 15

The Crying Game

  • Bounce
  • Cruel and Unusual
  • The Crying Game
  • The Fly Room
  • Get Rich or Die Tryin’
  • Jersey Girl
  • Like Water for Chocolate
  • Mamaboy
  • The Other Dream Team
  • Orthodox
  • This Is Meg
  • Undisputed
  • Unzipped
  • The Whole Truth

 

OCTOBER 18

  • Arctic Adventure: On Frozen Pond
  • In the Radiant City
  • Isolation
  • No Way to Live
  • Phoenix Forgotten
  • Skating to New York

 

OCTOBER 21

  • Too Funny to Fail (Hulu Original Documentary)

 

OCTOBER 22

  • 2:22

 

OCTOBER 28

Arrival

  • Arrival

 

OCTOBER 29

  • Priceless
  • That Sugar Film

 

OCTOBER 31

  • Midnight Express

 


‘Blade Runner 2049’ (review by Sharon Knolle)

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Produced by Andrew A. Kosove, Bud Yorkin,
Broderick Johnson,
Cynthia Yorkin
Screenplay by Hampton Fancher, Michael Green
Story by Hampton Fancher
Based on Characters from Do Androids Dream
of Electric Sheep?
by Philip K. Dick

Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford,
Ana de Armas,
Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright,
Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri,
Lennie James,
Dave Bautista, Jared Leto

 

The original Blade Runner has long been my Desert Island Disc, a film I’ve watched many, many times in all its different versions. It’s as close to “sacred” as a movie gets for me.

So I can with absolute certainty that this long-in-the-making sequel is not the masterpiece that Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi noir is.

However, it has moments of stunning grandeur and a visual scope that is every bit as worthy as the original film — and delivers its own emotional wallop by the end. It’s much like the old piano that figures in the film: It can still play a magnificent tune, but there is the odd, off note that is unexpectedly jarring.

The film is far more bleak than the original, with grimmer landscapes. And it can’t help but lack the dazzling newness of the first film’s vision.

The production design, as well as the gorgeous cinematography and Vangelis-inspired score, effortlessly recreates the same futuristic world in loving detail that dovetails beautifully with the first film. Fans of the original will smile that the same digital ads are still running, even for defunct companies like Atari and Pan Am.

It is, in its own way, a deeply philosophical film that expands on the first movie’s (and Philip K. Dick’s) musings about what it is to be human. Which is, after all, the essential question of all science-fiction, especially in a world where lifelike replicants live and work among humans.

In this sequel, the replicant rebellion in the first film led to their being outlawed. Decades later, a newer more obedient line has been introduced and it is the Blade Runner’s job (including Gosling’s Agent K) to hunt down the older, dangerous models.

Agent K is not as world-weary as Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard, but he is as conflicted about his job, even if he is completely clear-eyed about his role in society. Like any classic noir protagonist, including Rick Deckard, he is battered and bruised by film’s end as he fights his way to the truth.

If he doesn’t have the same noir ennui (there is no voiceover, by the way), then he has a modern kind of numbness and despair. K. does his job, then goes home to his virtual girlfriend, who feels more like something out of Spike Jonze’s “Her.”

Without getting into spoilers about the film’s plot, I loved how it honored both noir and sci-fi tropes: K’s latest assignment sets him on a course in which he may or not be hunting himself. If sci-fi’s biggest question is “What does it mean to be human?” then noir’s essential conflict is often one of personal guilt. And in this film, those are almost the same thing.

The film’s most obvious weakness is its villains. There is no one as memorable or as hypnotically compelling as Rutger Hauer’s Roy Batty. Although the key female villain, Sylvia Hoeks, is also Dutch, her butt-kicking replicant has far more in common with countrywoman Famke Janssen’s Xenia Onatopp — and she’s every inch as cartoonish as a Bond villain.

Everyone’s favorite critical punching bag, Jared Leto, is suitably sinister and elegant as Niander Wallace, who has taken over for Tyrell in manufacturing replicants. He’s unfortunately handed some of the film’s most clunky dialogue that drives home the theme’s just a bit too heavy-handedly.

There is also the fact that we were rooting (at least a little) for the replicants in the first film, who, understandably, only wanted to live. That same desperate, sympathetic impulse isn’t there for this film’s bad guys, so we never feel the same moral dilemma as the Blade Runner ourselves.

When Harrison Ford finally shows up (more than halfway into the movie), he’s the same gruff guy we know and love. Although, older Rick Deckard isn’t really much different from older Han Solo at this point. But he brings the emotional connection and continuity that the film sorely needs and doesn’t always manage to achieve without him.

I’m still deciding how I feel about the plot that connects the sequel to the first film. With both Blade Runner director Ridley Scott and co-screenwriter Hampton Fancher on board, it’s clearly as close in spirit and intent of the original as one could hope. And yet… I never got fully on board with the “secret” that K unearths.

(I can’t help but note, of course, that a character named “K” and later dubbed “Joe” is a tip of the hat to Kafka’s “Josef K,” who is a small cog vying against a giant, dehumanizing bureaucracy.)

The lengthy running time was not an issue for me, apart from a fight scene that goes on far too long and the unnecessary scuffle when Rick and K first meet, that is also needlessly drawn out.

With the film’s finale appearing near, I was saddened that there apparently wasn’t going to be a moment as beautifully poetic as Roy’s “tears in the rain” rooftop farewell. And then, in the final moments, there was something that came close enough for me.

In the end, I was left in tears and a little breathless. I will doubtless see it again. Although it can’t match the original Blade Runner, it’s a stunning film on almost every level.

Villeneuve was absolutely the right director for this challenging task, but, for me, Blade Runner 2049 didn’t match his brilliant Arrival, a dizzying intellectual film with a real emotional impact.

Still, this is a movie we will be talking about for a long time. And one that I hope finally wins cinematographer Roger Deakins an Oscar.

 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

‘Blade Runner 2049’ (review by Benn Robbins)

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Produced by Andrew A. Kosove, Bud Yorkin,
Broderick Johnson,
Cynthia Yorkin
Screenplay by Hampton Fancher, Michael Green
Story by Hampton Fancher
Based on Characters from Do Androids Dream
of Electric Sheep?
by Philip K. Dick

Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford,
Ana de Armas,
Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright,
Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri,
Lennie James,
Dave Bautista, Jared Leto

 

LOS ANGELES 2049

30 years after the events of the original Blade Runner and after the great Black Out of 2022 (See the three mini film prequels released previous to this films release. They can be found on YouTube), the world is back on its feet again and rebuilding thanks to the innovation and genius of one man, Niander Wallace.

Wallace like his predecessor, Dr. Eldon Tyrell has created new Replicants as well as other innovations to assist mankind in discovering new world to colonize to help mankind sustain its ever growing population. These new replicants are completely subservient to their human masters in every way and are programed to do anything they are asked. Most importantly they can never revolt.

This is where Blade Runner 2049 picks up.

Blade Runner, Officer K (Ryan Gosling) has the unenviable job of retiring the last of the Tyrell Nexus-8 replicants that were outlawed after the Black Out and while on his current assignment he discovers a clue to what may be the greatest, most dangerous key to the evolution or destruction of mankind ever.

This is all I will say about the plot. Any more will reveal too much. Keeping the complete story and character shrouded in a haze of mystery will not only enhance your experience but it was actually asked for by director Denis Villeneuve at the beginning of the screening via message read to us by our rep. I am usually not one to present many, if any, spoilers in my reviews because like Villeneuve, I too, want the audience who reads my review to go in as free of spoilers as I did so as to not ruin the experience of seeing it for the first time. I feel that that is a responsibility of any reviewer though one not often held by many of my fellow writers sometimes, myself included.

With that, I will say is this.

Blade Runner 2049 is the perfect sequel. It does NOT fall into the trap of the “remakequel” like Jurassic World, Terminator: Genesys or even The Force Awakens. It is its own film while it carries the torch of the original. It holds true to the feel, the themes, and the overall patina of what came before it without rehashing over old ground too much, only where it propels the new story along. It definitely is not a new version of the old movie in a flashier new package.

I once wrote a paper for my art history class in 1994 on how Raging Bull(1980) and Blade Runner(1982) are the best films of the 1980’s based on cinematography, composition, color, lighting and editing. So know that I hold the original Blade Runner in the highest regards when I say this is a perfect continuation to the thoughtful story originally created by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Loosely based on characters from the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, Fancher is back as writer on this film along with Michael Green (Logan, American Gods, Alien: Covenant) this time. It only holds true that he continues what he began in 1982. And he does a damn great job doing it.

Clocking in at just shy of two and three quarter hours this is definitely a lot of film. The story is engaging, emotional and kept me guessing throughout. Like most films, sure there were things I could have done without, but overall I really enjoyed it. It made me feel like it used to feel going to the movies as a kid. Wonder and excitement and awe filled my being throughout the viewing. So much so that I ordered tickets to see it Thursday night with my wife, also an avid Blade Runner fan, immediately after I got out of this screening.

Specific things that stood out were the cinematography and the soundtrack.

Cinematographer, Roger Deakins BSC, ASC,(Skyfall, True Grit, The Man Who Wasn’t There) may have outdone his best work to date as Blade Runner 2049’s greatest strength is its photography.

The look, composition of shots and color palette not only are perfectly matched to its 35 year old original, but he has taken it to a next level of gorgeous with new locations and set pieces to photograph, having to make it new but keeping it connected is a daunting task but one Deakins was more than up to the task of surpassing. Never overpowering the cinematography was ever so important to Villeneuve in the telling of this tale.

Then there was the soundtrack.

Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch’s (Dunkirk) soundtrack was almost the exact opposite and was mediocre at best. When they harkened back to the amazing music created by the wonderful, Vangelis it was serviceable.

Mostly though, it was overbearing and bombastic. Zimmer’s instance of using a single note to punctuate a scene may have worked in the Dark Knight and even Dunkirk. It built tension and a sense of anxiety, but here, his use of the low rumbling “brown note” under huge chunks of this film not only did not work but it created an assault on the senses that not only didn’t fit the emotion of the scene it scored, it became distracting and downright annoying to me as a viewer.

Having a collection of low resonating instruments resounding in your ear the whole time was definitely a detraction to an otherwise great movie. I wonder though, if some of this had to do with the theaters sound mix not being calibrated correctly because at different times throughout the screening background sounds and dialogue were as loud and sometimes louder then the actual dialog happening in the front speakers. I’ll know more after my second viewing on Thursday, I hope.

It makes me wonder what original, and Villenueve’s usual composer, Johann Johannsson might have come up with before exiting the film (though I heard it was because his ideas didn’t have the same feel as the Vangelis original film composers soundtrack, but then why not just hire Vangelis to compose this one?)

I was happy to be surprised at the performance by Ryan Gosling as K. I an not a huge fan of “The Gos” and when I first heard he was cast I had a lot of misgivings about it. I am very happy to be mistaken and I thought he was absolutely perfect for this role. It was also refreshing to see Harrison Ford act. This may be one of his best performances in a very long time. Gone is the “phone it in” performance of The Force Awakens and there are some genuinely moving moments in his performance of the retired Blade Runner looking for peace and quiet.

Jared Leto was another actor I was not a fan of the casting of in this film. He is usually just so “extra”, as the kids call it these days, and cringe worthy in everything I see him in. It is no different here except the his screen time is minimal as to not ruin the rest of the film for me. It was heartbreaking to find out recently that David Bowie was Villenueve’s first choice for the roll of Niander Wallace and that his death ushered in “The Leto” and his “method” acting BS. The supporting cast of Robin Wright, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Wood Harris Mackenzie Davis and Dave Bautista all were excellent as well. Special call out to Dave Bautista who still surprises me in every role he takes that his range of acting is seemingly endless.

While the film is not perfect, I still hold to my original claim that it is a perfect sequel. It finds a way to balance the nostalgic with the new and uncharted. New characters and storylines mesh seamlessly into the original already dense story without taking away from or overshadowing it. It also can stand on its own as a film. It is a well thought out mystery and thriller as well as a fantastic piece of science fiction film that does it’s source material proud. Denis Villeneuve was the right choice by Ridley Scott to helm this film and to usher in a new audience while satiating those familiar with the world in which it lives.

I am excited to see this again on Thursday. As a fan of the original Blade Runner I had more emotion and hopes hanging on this film then I did with The Force Awakens and that is saying something as I am also a huge Star Wars fan.

Blade Runner 2049 had a pretty high bar set to surmount. I love Blade Runner so much. I like this sequel almost as much as the original. As someone who usually finds sequels to be lacking, with the exception of a few elite films, Blade Runner 2049 can take its place among them in my book. A task not often accomplished.

 

‘The Mountain Between Us’ (review)

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Produced by Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark,
David Ready, Jenno Topping
Screenplay by Chris Weitz, J. Mills Goodloe
Based on The Mountain Between Us
by Charles Martin
Directed by Hany Abu-Assad
Starring Idris Elba, Kate Winslet,
Dermot Mulroney, Beau Bridges

 

There are few things certain in life outside of death and taxes, but one of those items is that if Kate Winslet or Idris Elba is in a film, there is going to be a romantic angle.

It should be no surprise that The Mountain Between Us ends up being just the kind of vehicle that feeds into what any fan of the actors would want: beautiful sweeping scenery, a commanding but also vulnerable Winslet, low stakes danger, and the chance for Elba to charm his co-star.

When Dr. Ben Bass (Idris Elba) cannot get back to perform a surgery due to a snowstorm cancelling all flights, photojournalist Alex Martin (Kate Winslet) overhears him and suggest they split a chartered plane so that she can get back for her wedding. After the plane tragically crashes in the mountains with no one know where the two are, they realize they must strike out to find civilization, depending on the near-stranger beside them if they wish to live.

Certainly, the peril of freezing or starving to death seems like a dreaded fate hanging over the protagonists’ head, but director Hany Abu-Assad makes their possible end secondary to the gorgeous setting. The two rarely see a serious storm or devastating avalanche. Instead, the views are crisp and clean to the point that each character stops simply to take in the scenery, too overcome with beauty to remember the ever-present prospect of a lonely icy death in the mountains. Like much of the movie, it is both understandable and incredulous at the same time.

With that said, there are certainly worse final views than Idris Elba against a majestic snow covered landscape reminiscent of a Christmas card.

The beauty of the setting complements the superb acting of Elba and Winslet who have been given a rather formulaic movie. The moment that they embark on their quest it is simply a waiting game to see when they will end up together. Their chemistry is grand and individual monologues are strong and heart-wrenching, but there just isn’t a lot to hang it on without the peril of sudden challenges to throw a wrench in this straightforward disaster love story.

The most interesting parts may be at the last 30 or so minutes of the movie, addressing the aftermath of the journey. I will not spoil it here, but it was interesting to have the movie continue at a point where most directors would have been fine rolling the credits.

The main problem to The Mountain Between Us is also its greatest strength.

The movie is simply too beautiful to make the viewer feel any real drama or urgency. Many a disaster film has been made where the relationship between the characters moves in and out of primary focus as avalanches, predators, mishaps, and bitter fights threaten to take the life of a traveler. At no point was it believable that either would die. The most anxiety that I felt was wondering whether or not they would have to consume the dog that accompanied them after the crash.

While nothing new is brought to the table in this love story, Elba and Winslet are absolute powerhouse actors that grip the attention of anyone watching. Winslet’s portrayal of Alex’s increasing vulnerability as the situation starts to wane on and spirits dampen is complex, while Elba’s slow thaw of Ben’s standoffish nature is the most rewarding of all the performances. Together, they are completely believable as apprehensive travel companions turned situational lovers.

The movie is worth seeing simply to watch the moments where they are able to transcend the writing and turn something factory made into an intimate love story set against the snow.

 

‘The Last Jedi’ Trailer: Fear is The Path to The Dark Side

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The official trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released on Monday night, along with the official movie poster.

There are some beats borrowed from The Empire Strikes Back, however, it appears that they will be molded into something different.

Yes, there will a Jedi master reluctant to train the newbie with the refusal based on fear as opposed to doubt. Sleight of hand plot points round out the highly anticipated two minute and thirty-five second preview of the Rian Johnson directed film.

An ominous voiceover from Supreme Leader Snoke looms over the trailer containing space battles, Luke Skywalker looking like an old hermit, a Finn/Phasma fight, a cute squawking Porg and Rey being Force tortured.

“I’ve seen this raw strength only once before. It didn’t scare me enough then. It does now.”

Luke Skywalker was frightened when he saw Rey break the ground using The Force. The next scene shows Luke’s robotic hand breaking through a fiery rumble at what is presumed to be the moment his new Jedi Order was destroyed. That was also the turning point where Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren, turned to evil.

Sounds like Luke saw the same power in Rey that he saw in his nephew years earlier. Who is he actually referring to? We’re assuming he means Kylo Ren but could he mean Darth Vader or maybe his electric boogaloo with Palpatine in Return of the Jedi?

Speaking of Kylo Ren, we see him kneeling down in a red room surrounded by Snoke’s crimson-clad Pretorian Guards as he grabs his lightsaber. His broken helmet that was seen in the teaser trailer is shattered by Ren in a rage augmented by his desire to purge the past…or kill it.

In a bold move, the trailer teases Kylo blowing up his mother, Princess Leia, in his sleek new tie silencer. This was surprising since the passing of Carrie Fisher still aches in the minds and hearts of Star Wars fans. The Last Jedi will be Fisher’s final appearance in her infamous role. While it would be foolish to think that Disney would give that away in the trailer, what if Leia does meet a tragic end?

The electrifying clip of Finn attacking Captain Phasma was a great way to tell audiences that Phasma will get a lot more screen time this time around. The idea of Finn using the same weapon that was used against him in The Force Awakens adds, even more intrigue to the confrontation.

Imperial Walkers are back! The gorilla styled AT-M6 (All Terrain Megacaliber Six) are seen marching on an icy planet (Crait) towards a Resistance hold out. The First Order definitely pumped these mechanized monsters full of some serious performance-enhancing drugs. From the looks of them, it should take more than a harpoon and tow-cable to take them down.

Speculation is our best source for what to expect in The Last Jedi. The trailer delivers an onslaught of exciting footage while making people question what’s real and what’s not. The biggest of those moments is the ending where Kylo Ren extended his hand to Rey.

Could this be the forging of an alliance? Is Rey going over to the dark side? Will Kylo go over to the light? Maybe it’s a simultaneous role reversal of sorts for both characters who Johnson referred to on twitter as “almost two halves of our protagonist.” I didn’t think it was possible to be any more excited for Star Wars: The Last Jedi as December 15th can’t get here soon enough!

Is ‘Pac-Man’ Making a Comeback and Heading to The Casino?

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Over the past year or so, we’ve seen a number of classic games making a comeback.

Like card games, retro games are easy to pick up even for those who are unfamiliar with video games because they are so simplistic in nature.

For those that aren’t able to pick up the mechanics of the game, classic games are so well known that there are numerous online guides, such as the Ladbrokes 21 card games videos. Pac-Man is one of the most iconic games of our time; it’s so simple yet fun to play for hours. In the near future, Pac-Man could be making a comeback.

A number of re-made retro games have already made their way onto consoles, including Tetris and Streetfighter. The popularity of retro video games remains high even though there are more complex video games, with better graphics and characters, currently on the market. Nostalgia is a key factor in the popularity of retro remakes.

Various different versions of Pac-Man have already been remade for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation 3 and even the Google homepage in the past. The Pac-Man World games received positive reviews but the 3D world didn’t quite capture the same essence of the original. Now, the classic version that we know and love may be coming to the casino.

A competitive version of Pac-Man is being developed for the casino, it’s known as Pac-Man Battle Casino. The game will see between two and four players going head to head to navigate the maze we are all so familiar with.

Although the game is designed to capture the fun of the classic game, a cash prize will also be up for grabs. The casino edition of Pac-Man will be based off the arcade game Pac-Man Battle Royale, which had a similar premise. The main difference is that instead of putting money into the arcade machine, you are instead putting a bigger sum of money down with the chance of winning your investment back. There are not many retro games which have already found their way into the casino, so this will be arguably the first of its kind. For this reason, the game is expected to be a big hit.

Unusually for an arcade game, Pac-Man Battle Casino will look similar to an air hockey table instead of the stand-alone machine you would expect. Instead, Pac-Man Battle Casino will look similar to other table top casino games, such as blackjack and roulette. Players will stand around the edge of the table to navigate their character through the maze and place their bets.

This development is the first of many arcade-like casino games. As online casinos become increasingly popular, casinos need to find new and innovative ways to attract customers. Gambling is becoming more interactive and skill-based than ever before, in the future we might see more retro games joining Pac-Man in the casino. Virtual Reality technology is another development that’s been tipped to transform the future of the casino.

Boston and Hartford Cinegeeks! Win Passes To ‘Geostorm’ and Watch The End of The World!

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After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threatened the planet, the world’s leaders came together to create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate and keep everyone safe. But now, something has gone wrong—the system built to protect the Earth is attacking it, and it’s a race against the clock to uncover the real threat before a worldwide geostorm wipes out everything…and everyone along with it.

And we’re giving away passes to Forces of Geek readers!

BOSTON
For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of GEOSTORM on Wednesday, October 18th at 7pm at AMC Boston Common, click HERE.

HARTFORD
For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of GEOSTORM on Wednesday, October 18th at 7pm at Buckland Hills, click HERE.

 

Remember seating is first come, first served and not guaranteed so arrive early!

 

Welcome to The Planet: Girls Rule

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The girls rule the world this week.

Velma Dinkley has her chance to shine in several stories that will take you by surprise. Supergirl gets to grips with her powers with the help of a face from the past. Agent Bea has to put Secret Squirrel in his place. Wonder Woman discovers a lie to be a truth. Lana Lang is still procrastinating. Lois Lane smells a rat in the family and uncovers a mystery in Gotham, while a powerful armada of warrior women team up to save all men from certain death.

Just so you know, there are men in the books this week, too!

Here’s my glimpse into the highs and lows of the DC Universe this week!

 

WONDER WOMAN #32
Children of the Gods – Part 2
Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Sergio Davila

Dr. Peril at an ARGUS facility calls in Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor to view the body of Hercules. Peril reveals that Apokoliptian energy signatures were detected at the murder scene and that he was not the only victim in recent weeks drained of life energy.

The recent rise in Parademon activity around the world supports their findings. An appointment with Mr. Hooper leads Diana on a trail of mystery as a letter she has inherited reveals some shocking secrets…

… Diana has a twin brother!

Diana’s brother, Jason, was hinted at a while back and Diana was unsure whether to trust the stories she heard and his arrival feels a little strange.

A natural sequel to The Truth & The Lies, The Apokolips subplot is almost irrelevant to that of Hercules and Diana.

They barely had a relationship so it’s strange to me she would inherit his worldly goods out of the blue. I suspect James Robinson has more up his sleeve and this mix of beautifully rendered art and emotional script has definitely elevated the book.

 

SUPERWOMAN #15
The Midnight Hour: Part 1
Writer: K Perkins
Artist: Sami Basri

Maxima alerts the Steelworks of black holes appearing all over Metropolis seemingly retracing Lana’s movements.  Meanwhile, Lana is having a crisis of confidence, so John Henry calls Lois Lane for help despite Lana’s misgivings.

The black holes manifest as a female android hunting down any connection to Superwoman. Traci 13, Natasha, Lana and Maxima try to locate the source of the black holes and are stunned when an injured Lois seeks them out and reveals Steel has been taken hostage.

Lana never struck me as stupid, so this mystery of where her powers come from seems to be going around in circles. Anxiety and insecurity as a tool to exasperate her ‘character’ seems unnecessary. It also seems to me that she played second fiddle to Midnight and Steel, I hope they redress the balance that was there when the book began.

 

SUPERGIRL #14
Heaven to Earth (Read this week’s New Super-Man #11 first)
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artists: Jose Luis & Norm Rapmund

Supergirl’s powers may have stabilized after the recent surge but they are still at levels she is struggling to control. Some advice from Clark leads Kara to China to meet Kenan; aka New Super-Man.

Kenan takes Kara to meet I-Ching so she can learn the ancient techniques of focus and Qi. A disaster in Mongolia halts their training and opens the eyes of a Russian soldier to see things more clearly.

In National City Cat Grant decides to expose the secrets of Supergirl and charges Kara and Ben with the task.

I’ve never been a fan of New Super-Man but he was used to great effect in this story that was all about embracing change. The Red Rocket subplot in Mongolia reinforced changes and remade the man under the armour.

It was excellent to see there were lasting effects for everyone in the issue and having I-Ching back in the limelight was brilliant for the cult comics fans. There was great artwork here, with some of the scenes saving civilians in Mongolia looking particularly fantastic.

 

SCOOBY-DOO! WHERE ARE YOU? #86
Medical Mystery Tour; It’s A Mystery!
Writers: Ivan Cohen & Paul Kupperberg
Artists: Randy Elliott & Fabio Laguna

Velma suffers a bee sting that hospitalises her, leaving the team without their greatest detective. The guys visit her regularly to consult on cases but while there, Velma realises that the case landed her in hospital may have been a ruse to get her out of the way. Will she be able to rally the rest of Mystery Inc in time to stop a master criminal?

It’s Velma’s birthday and she is late for her own party. A woman seeks out Velma’s help by chance and reveals she is in a race against time to find the antidote to a slow acting poison she is the victim of. Why is Velma’s party a major clue to the mystery?

A double whammy of stories centered around Velma Dinkley.

Neither are typical Scooby-Doo stories, but both definitely show how integral she is to the team.

The first highlighted Velma’s ease with mysteries and how the team couldn’t help but rely on her, despite illness. I think the second story, was the more interesting tale as it deviated from the formula so much.

Somehow it still felt like pure Scooby. A fun issue for the family.

 

SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #18
Haven!; To Bea Or Not to Bea!
Writer: Keith Giffen & J. M. DeMatteis
Artists: Ron Wagner, Andy Owens & Ben Caldwell

Scrappy is missing in action and the team now whole, plan their next move. Cliffy and Scooby bond over memories of Scrappy while the rest of the team gather supplies. Has Scrappy really died? They dare not dwell on it as they near a town called Halcyon. The group of friends are taken in by the citizens and are stunned to find a town unaffected by the monster plague. Are things as they appear to be or is this town hiding a dark secret?

In Secret Squirrel, our hero and Agent Bea are quarrelling over the direction of their investigations, when a helicopter suddenly begins chasing them down and spraying a flurry of bullets. Will the world’s greatest secret agent survive to save the day or will Agent Bea be the one to kill him?

Scooby Doo or Walking Dead?  Remember the Terminus storyline from the Robert Kirkman’s zombie comic serial?

This issue was a twist on that storyline and honestly didn’t really attempt to hide it. If you haven’t read that story, or how it turns out, you’ll enjoy Haven.

Perhaps if you have, you’ll enjoy the homage, but I suppose the theme was in Z for Zachariah before either story so I shouldn’t be too harsh. The one thing I found really touching was the loss the team has felt since Scrappy sacrificed himself. I found the scenes particularly heart breaking with Shaggy, Scooby and Cliffy suffering so much. I’m not sure Scooby Doo is the right place for such depressing themes.

The Secret Squirrel story was a series of barbed comments and enjoyable banter. The story needs a little more fleshing out I feel,but that artwork was fantastic You should definitely check it out just for the visuals.

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #16
Panic in The Microverse: Part 5
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artists: Felipe Wantanabe & Ruy Jose

The story of how Ray Palmer was lost in the Microverse finally comes full circle as we learn that Aron Aut is not the friend to the League they were led to believe.

As Ray worked to repair the cracks at Ignition Point he discovered the natives were not as keen to save reality. As the villain; The Null reveals himself, the Justice League realise by finding their lost colleague they have caused the destruction of existence.

This storyline is perhaps the best of the JLA stories do far. It was fantastic to see Ray Palmer front and centre in a story again and his battle over adversity was thoroughly enjoyable. Aron’s transformation from eager student to his ultimate fate felt like a natural journey. The page where Ray was finally betrayed was foreshadowed brilliantly in the artwork and still retained the shock value despite it being a flashback. I love this book.

 

HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #30
Mind Games Part 1: Rude Awakening (Read Superman #29 & #30 first)
Writer: Robert Vendetti
Artist: Patrick Zircher

The Justice League contact the Corps and formally hand policing of Sector 2814 to the Green Lanterns, but as they do so an alert comes through from Superman for a Lantern’s immediate attention. John, Hal, Kyle and Guy are all eager to return to Earth but Hal is elected for his long-term friendship with Superman.

Superman reveals the events with Sinestro and Parallax and returns the yellow ring to his friend. Hal is curious and upon investigation is horrified as his mind manifests a Yellow Superman.

To Hal, Superman is possessed by Parallax, but as he fights frantically to save his friend he falls to the Yellow Superman’s powerful combination of powers and ring energy. Hal is about to die but at this point he wakes up.

A puzzled Superman questions what prompted Hal to ‘shadow box’ so frantically. Hal realises it was all an illusion and someone was reaching out psychically, triggering, the visions in his search. Who could be powerful enough to do that?

Mind Games is a sequel to A Minute Longer and though it may not be what I expected it was still a fantastic read.

I was hoping for the fight between Hal and Clark to be real, but it was still pretty awesome. Zircher’s art packs as much a punch as Parallax! The psychic responsible is not a favourite character of mine but I am interested to see how the elaborate illusion links into the rescue.

 

BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #15
Manslaughter Part 1: Quarantine
Writers: Julie Benson & Shawna Benson
Artist: Roge Antonio

It is the battle of the sexes. Sort of. A mysterious flu has suddenly swept over Gotham City and done the unthinkable, defeated Batman. When Commissioner Gordon is struck down too, Barbara and her friends become worried as more men of Gotham fall ill. Lois Lane is in Gotham and stumbles onto the same findings, warning Superman to stay away until they know more.

Soon the Birds are joined by Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Batwoman, Orphan, Gotham Girl and Spoiler. As Gotham City is quarantined by order of the President, the women cast aside their differences and band together. One last woman joins the cause but will even her power be able to save ‘Men’ kind?

In solicits this sounds like a pretty lame idea.

When I read the blurb I let out a groan as it felt like the plot of a straight to DVD sequel.

Happily, after finishing Part 1, I’ve discovered this was not the case.

The Benson’s have clearly thought out this story and how to bring such a diverse cast of women together for one goal… to defeat the common cold. Once you get over the concept and discover the writing you’ll see there is much more to the premise and it’s actually a very strong action story and emotional drama hook.

 

ACTION COMICS #989
The Oz Effect Part 3
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Dan Jurgens, Viktor Bogdanovic & Trevor Scott

Clark and Jor-El are in the Fortress when news of a civil war in Logamba reaches them and Clark races to intervene. While this goes on, a man arrives in the Daily Planet newsroom and takes everyone hostage.

He mentions to Lois that he is a follower of Oz and this sends Lois’ mind racing. With Superman busy half a world away, Jor-El steps in and saves Lois, defeats the terrorist leaving Lois more puzzled than ever.

While both parents are distracted, Jor-El whisks Jon away to the Fortress. What manipulative ideas is he filling his grandsons head with?

Mr. Oz/Jor-El is clearly not a good person and for me this is way too soon after the storyline with Manchester Black manipulating Jon to have it happen all over again.

I know there is more to this story but this issue felt quite disappointing especially after the first two chapters. I know it won’t end well for Jor-El but I hope this doesn’t deteriorate into soap opera.

There was a hint from the terrorists co-conspirator that this might not be the case, but that’s the optimist in me.

 

RAGMAN #1 of 6
Ragman Part 1: Return Fire
Writer: Ray Fawkes
Artist: Inaki Miranda

Rory Harper is a war veteran plagued by the deaths of his entire team in Israel. They were raiding a tomb at the time of their demise and Rory inadvertently brought something back to Gotham with him.

Whatever the magical life form is that has bonded with Rory it is being hunted. Some mysterious creatures have followed Rory across the globe and are adamant the life form is taken back, whether Rory lives or dies.

Originally created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, this is an intriguing retelling of Ragman’s origin. Over the years Rory has switched religions, fought in different wars and had a variety of different powers. This issue goes back to the beginning and offers a fresh perspective. It was a strong atmospheric script backed up with art that complimented its darkness. The only time I can think of a similar balance was The Vigilante miniseries.

 

 


‘G.I. Joe’ Recruits Steve Austin, ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’ For New Comic Mini-Series!

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Yo, Steve! The Six Million Dollar Man (aka Steve Austin) and G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero, are teaming up for a 4-part comic book crossover from IDW and Dynamite Entertainment beginning January 2018.

The series will be scripted by rising star writer (and FOG! alumni) Ryan Ferrier (TMNT: Dimension X, Rocko’s Modern Life) with art by SL Gallant, who has achieved an epic run on G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero, alongside legendary G.I. JOE writer, Larry Hama, for over 75 issues.

“To say Shannon and I are having fun with bringing these two iconic properties together would be a massive understatement,” said Ferrier. “We are going full-tilt and no-holds-barred with this story. It’s everything we love about G.I. JOE, the classic characters, and massive action, colliding face-first with the steel-infused, secret agent coolness of The Six Million Dollar Man. We are chomping at the bit for everyone to read this comic with a kung fu grip.”

“Ryan and Shannon have found the perfect story to tell,” said IDW’s Editor in Chief, David Hedgecock. “Fans both new and old are going to be amazed at what this creative team is putting together. This series beautifully blends all the classic tropes of the characters while simultaneously creating something exciting and fresh. We are thrilled to be working with this team and with the fine folks at Dynamite to bring this series to the fans.”

“G.I. JOE and Steve Austin, The Six Million Dollar Man, are two pop culture mainstays who have influenced the comics industry for years,” said Dynamite CEO/Publisher Nick Barrucci. “We’ve had great runs with our Six Million Dollar Man series, and long been admirers of IDW’s ongoing G.I. JOE series. Now is the time for these two to cross-over and we couldn’t be more excited to be collaborating on this event series, and working with our good friends at IDW.”

Variant covers will be provided by John Cassaday, Ken Lashley, and Mike Zeck. Special action figure covers will also be may orderable from your local comic shop. Subject to availability while supplies last.

The action-packed cross-over event of 2018 kicks off this January!

 

‘Blade Runner 2049’ Astounds, But Stumbles, at The Box Office

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Blade Runner 2049 opened in the coveted #1 spot at the box office with a reported $32.8 million weekend tally—that’s more than the original Blade Runner earned in its initial theatrical run (in 1982 dollars, mind you) but it falls so short of the pre-release estimates of $50-65 million that the movie is being deemed a dud. Being the sequel to a film that divided critics and audiences and disappointed at the box office, this seems somehow fitting—though it doesn’t sting any less that a movie I love is in danger of getting buried at the multiplex.

Yes, I said it: I love Blade Runner 2049 and have already seen it twice. It is a terrific companion piece to the original 1982 film, well worth all the hype and delivering on its giant promise, honoring the first film’s legacy and lore while expanding upon it. It’s not perfect—as in the original movie, there are some glaring plot holes and familiar issues with characterization, pacing, and tone, and film-to-film comparisons of technical aspects such as cinematography, music, sound, visual effects, costumes, editing, and set design vary this time around. But this is for another Spasm when I deign to discuss the film in more detail (after another viewing, naturally).

The first Blade Runner didn’t merely disappoint at the box office—it outright bombed—but its subsequent ascension from the cinematic scrap heap to the upper echelon of “hard” sci-fi cinema has become the stuff of legend.

The film’s influence endures even to this day, inspiring artists, musicians, and movie-makers alike, not to mention fashionistas, architects, marketers, and techies.

Blade Runner’s revered cult status owes itself to the increased prevalence of videocassettes and cable TV in the 1980s, followed by analog laserdisc and then digital compact discs in the 1990s.

Without home video, there would likely never have been a 1992 “Director’s Cut,” nor would there have been a further “Final Cut” in 2007. It took Blade Runner years to gain the appreciation of movie-goers and film scholars, so I doubt the makers of Blade Runner 2049 were truly expecting a blockbuster opening.

For such a risky venture as Blade Runner 2049, for a movie that demands a patient audience willing to be challenged by big ideas rather than being spoon-fed artificial spectacle, and at a nearly 3-hour running time to boot, its $32+ million opening weekend gross is actually pretty good. This is especially true considering the Transformers crowd—let’s call them the “X-Box Generation,” shall we?—was conspicuously absent from marketing and attendance demographics.

Feverish cult appeal and enduring cinematic influence aside, the original Blade Runner has never been considered a money machine. It has performed well enough on home video and through multiple director-adjusted reissues that the producers of Blade Runner 2049 willingly took a calculated risk on a sequel to a 35-year-old film whose fans are loyal and legion but, unlike a sure-thing property such as Marvel/DC, or Star Wars, or Cars, or Transformers, or any other modern-day big-budget film of epic scope and ambition, good or bad, the appeal of Blade Runner as a monument of modern cinema has never been diluted by merchandising tie-ins or television spin-offs. The producers could very easily have carbon-copied the first script and updated the visual effects; they could have fallen into temptation and dumbed it down for the X-Box Generation; instead, they should be applauded for daring to make such an ambitious and contemplative film that not only exists on its own merits, but enhances our appreciation of and affection for its returning characters.

Like this year’s hit Logan, Blade Runner 2049 proves a genre picture can indeed be paced more deliberately, be about challenging ideas, and also deal with complex characters not readily slapped onto a Happy Meal.

It always sticks in my craw when a fine film fizzles or doesn’t catch on right away because too few movie-makers nowadays take the sort of chances as the creators of Blade Runner 2049, and so I feel a personal tinge of regret that the film is being qualified as a bomb so rapidly. Movies like Blade Runner 2049 do not follow the same rules as your typical tentpole wannabe blockbuster, and the sequel is light years beyond the spate of cynical cash-grab remakes and reboots of similar pedigree and fan appeal (just try not to shudder when you recall the risible latter-day versions of Ghostbusters, Poltergeist, The Mummy, The Thing, Total Recall, RoboCop, and so forth).

Audiences ought to be embracing and celebrating a cerebral adult-oriented film like Blade Runner 2049—too few of them come around anymore—and so its tepid first-weekend performance is a head scratcher. If there is any justice in the cinema universe, Blade Runner 2049 will eventually find a wider and more appreciative audience, and perhaps even justify a third film (the final scene is surprisingly poignant, so much so that I didn’t immediately clock it for sequel bait).

The new model for Hollywood is that a movie must open strongly and maintain a good hold through its second weekend, otherwise it’s adios by week three to make room for the next batch of new releases. There’s simply too much junk in the distribution pipeline, and it’s sad when a worthy film like Blade Runner 2049 gets drowned out in the mix. Scarce are the days when a movie could linger in theaters for weeks on end, gradually finding its audience as word of mouth spread. It happened recently with Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver—my first viewing was on opening day and I saw the film with a sparsely populated but very enthusiastic audience; my second viewing occurred nearly eight weeks later, in the same exact auditorium, and the theater was filled to capacity. I can’t recall the last time I revisited a movie in theaters so far along into its initial run and saw such a turnout. I doubt a challenging film like Blade Runner 2049 can pull that kind of slow-burn momentum with ADHD audiences nowadays, but if by some miracle the second weekend decline for the movie is not too steep, the industry will be singing a different tune this time next week and be calling the film a sleeper hit.

Since the current theatrical distribution model does not allow for a movie like Blade Runner 2049 to stretch out its engagement and gradually allow audiences a chance to discover it, a lot depends on a strong hold during the film’s second weekend of release. That’s this weekend.

Do the movie-loving world a favor and go see Blade Runner 2049 this weekend before it disappears from big screens forever and is relegated to an afterlife of small-screen viewing on a flat-screen TV or on a ridiculously tiny tablet.

Consider it your fiduciary duty as a movie lover to support an ambitious epic like Blade Runner 2049 while it’s still playing in theaters. If Blade Runner 2049 manages to eke out a profit, maybe more serious and mature-minded movies like it will continue to be made—perhaps even additional Blade Runner sequels—and superficial junk-food flicks like Transformers and Saw and Resident Evil and The Fast and the Furious will happen less frequently.

We can only hope.

Graphic Breakdown: Dark Nights, Negative Flash, Darkseid Is & More!

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Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s a heck of a fall season so far for DC. Let’s get talking about some books that came out this week!

 

Dark Nights: Metal #3
Written by Scott Snyder
Illustrated by Greg Capullo

Metal is just plain awesome.

It is so whacked out and wild that you can’t look away. Yet, Snyder grounds the entire story with strong characterizations and dynamic action. I just can’t get enough of this storyline.

In this issue, we find out that there may be a weapon that could combat the dark forces. So, the Justice League sets out to find this weapon. We also see more of that Dark Multiverse. It feels like Snyder has been holding onto these ideas since childhood and finally has a place to let them loose. It’s wonderful to see.

The art by Capullo is superb . Capullo is a great accomplice. He and Snyder are clearly just throwing in every idea they can think of, and it all works.

Metal is one of the top books of the year. Pick it up now and read it and enjoy.

RATING: A

 

The Flash #32
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Howard Porter

Joshua Williamson is killing it here.

The Flash is has been unlike any Flash series that has come before it. That’s an excellent thing for readers. He’s keeping the story fast and fresh and the whole experience is just great.

Barry is still the Negative Flash.

All of this is starting to take its toll on his life. Barry has to figure something out and quick. Meanwhile, Black Hole has finally made a move and they have taken over S.T.A.R Labs.

Can Barry all of these problems? Yes he can!

Maybe!

The story has been great and this is another fine issue. The art by Porter is awesome. He is one of those artists I love every time.

Pick this up as it’s one of the better books on the stands.

RATING: A-

 

Mister Miracle #3
Written by Tom King 
Illustrated by Mitch Gerads

Tom King continues to push what can be accomplished in a comic book.

This issue of Mister Miracle is both surreal and exciting.

King is killing it here. He and Gerads have created one of the best new series of the year.

There is a war happening on New Genesis!

Darkseid and Orion’s armies are fighting mad at each other and chaos is in order. Scott and Big Barda try to escape the maze of war and make it to safe ground.

But can they?

The art by Gerads is amazing. He proves himself to be the perfect artist for King’s mad writing. The two make one hell of a comic book.

Pick up this series and read it! It’s damn exciting!

RATING: A

 

The Wild Storm: Michael Cray #1
Written by Bryan Hill 
Illustrated by N Steven Harris

Michael Cray aka Deathblow gets his own series here!  I was intrigued to see what it was like. My hopes may have been a little high since The Wild Storm is a great series, but I was a little bored with this sadly. I wanted it to be better than it was.

Michael Cray is one of the world’s deadliest assassins. He’s been betrayed by his bosses and now he has an alien life form in his head that’s either killing him or transforming him.

Or both!

So, to get over his troubles, he does the one thing he does best! You guessed it! Kill people.

The story is just okay and the art isn’t bad. It just didn’t move me the way I wanted it to. It’s not horrible by any means but it could have stood a bit more oomph.

Maybe it’ll pick up as this is just the first issue. We shall see.

RATING: B-

 

New Superman #16
Written by Gene Luen Yang 
Illustrated by Brent Peeples

I like this comic.

Yang’s endless enthusiastic writing makes it a real treat.

This issue is no different. Everyone should give this series a shot.

Kenan’s battle with the Suicide Squad ended in a really bad way. He lost big time to everyone!

So when he wakes up, he wakes up in Gotham City!

Then he has to gather himself together to stop All-Yang’s sinister plan.

The writing is fun and lively. The art is a little too second rate for my tastes in this issue. It brought it down a little for me to be honest. Still, you should check out this series. It’s definitely worth a look.

RATING: B

 

Suicide Squad #26
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by Eleonora Carlini

Here we go!

The storyline is entitled “The Secret History of Task Force X.” This is a good first part of that storyline. Williams takes his writing up a notch and it’s actually pretty damn cool.

Somebody knows all of Amanda Waller’s secrets! They know everything! And they let Waller know too! What is she going to do?

Well, turns out this it of news is coming from outer space! So guess where the Suicide Squad is going?

You guessed it! Outer space everyone!

Williams writes a pretty solid issue. It’s typically nuts. It has more suspense for sure this go around. The art is just okay and again brings the issue down a bit.

Still, it’s much better than usual. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

RATING: B

 

Detective Comics #966
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Carmen Nunez Carnero

This is a great storyline here in Detective Comics.

James Tynion IV is writing his heart out and it shows.

Tim Drake is loose in Mr. Oz’s dastardly prison and finds himself in one challenge after another! Holy Hannah!

He’s trying to find a way out.

But can he?

Also, he’s trying to escape this godforsaken place while Superman fights Mr. Oz. There also maybe another prisoner on the loose.

Tynion writes a tight storyline. The art isn’t as good as Eddy Barrows, but it’s not terrible. It’s a good solid issue overall.

This is one of the highlight books of the Rebirth line.

RATING: B+

 

Gotham City Garage #1
Written by Collin Kelly
Illustrated by Brian Ching

I had read a little bit of this before, but not the entire issue as presented here.

This is a comic based on the DC Comics Collectibles statue line. It has a story that is pretty out there and different and I always like those.

So Governor Lex Luthor has saved Gotham City while the rest of the world is a damn wasteland. It seems it is a modern utopia!

But this utopia isn’t for everyone. If someone give any lip, the Bat comes around and restores the order. It’s up to young Kara Gordon to fight the power and try to change the way life is.

The story is whacked out beyond comprehension and I love it. The art isn’t half bad too.

Pick this up as it may be a sleeper. Worth a look for sure.

RATING: B+

 

DC Bombshells United! #3
Written by Marguerite Bennett
Illustrated by Marguerite Sauvage

The all Marguerite team up continues in this issue!

Honestly, it’s been so much fun I’ve been reading with giddiness!

It’s such a fun series and it’s good to see women superheroes in the spotlight.

World War 2 has started!

It’s 1943 and Cassie Sandsmark and Donna Troy have to put on their Wonder Girl costumes to fight in the war! Do they have what it takes?

Of course they do!

Bennett writes with passion. The art is truly awesome.

This is all you need for a solid series. Pick it up. Worth a read.

RATING: B+

 

 

Red Hood and the Outlaws #15
Written by Scott Lobdell
Illustrated by Joe Bennett

Lobdell continues writing one of the most underrated and underappreciated series out there.

This is the second part of the Bizarro Reborn storyline and it’s a good one. Things are really taking off!

Bizarro’s war on crime has taken a dark, dark turn in this issue. Red Hood and Artemis have to figure out what the heck to do with him. In the meanwhile, Batwoman and her team are closing in on the Outsiders!

Things are tense!

The story is strong and the art by Bennett is especially good. Pick this up.

It’s a damn fine funny book indeed!

RATING: B+

‘Marshall’ (review)

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Produced by Paula Wagner,
Reginald Hudlin, Jonathan Sanger
Written by Michael Koskoff, Jacob Koskoff
Directed by Reginald Hudlin
Starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad,
Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown,
James Cromwell, Keesha Sharp, Sophia Bush

 

Adding humor to a serious subject is quite the cinematic tightrope.

Will it make it fresh, or trivialize the issue?

Does it make the problem more palatable to others, or does it offend those affected?

In Marshall, writers Jacob and Michael Koskoff show us the strength that a wry wit can lend someone in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, such as trying a case in an unfriendly court where not a smile can be found.

In 1941, a young Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) travels to Connecticut in order to defend a black chauffeur (Sterling K. Brown) accused of raping a white woman (Kate Hudson). As he is not local, he depends on neighborhood insurance lawyer Sam Friedman (Josh Gad) to assist him in the case. The two lawyers must try to defend a client who is already guilty in the court of racially biased public opinion in order to prove that justice can be served, no matter the color of your skin.

This is one of the smaller cases of Justice Marshall’s long and illustrious career. As such, the gravity is less and allows for more levity and less suspense than one might find in a normal courtroom drama. Many of us already know the outcome of the case, and many of the best parts of the movie come outside the courthouse.

The handful of scenes at home and in clubs round out Marshall’s personal life and help to show the audience something soft and new about the confident smooth-talking lawyer. As he answers a tragic call about his wife’s health shortly after reveling in her recently revealed pregnancy, we can see some of the man behind the legend. But be certain, the vast majority of the film gives us a portrayal full of swagger and sharp barbs thrown without reserve at opposing counsel, the press, and anyone who dares question him.

Marshall also details the personal life of Friedman, who was a reluctant partner through most of the ordeal.

As murmurs abound when he walks into synagogue shortly after taking the case you can sense the tension that he must have dealt with in a time when Jews were barely more welcome than Blacks. Josh Gad was affable, even in his reticence. Over the 118 minutes he grows visibly warmer towards both Marshall and the cause. The two are a strange pair but the comedic rapport works without a single flat joke.

There are certainly moments that are charged with violence, anger, and heated exchanges but they are side items simply there to remind us of the time period. Who wouldn’t expect the obligatory scene where both lawyers are confronted and attacked by neighborhood racists who would like to put them “back in their place”?

It is the exchanges before and after, heavily laced with the gallows humor the oppressed know so well, that endear Marshall and Friedman to the audience.

While there is change and growth in Gad’s portrayal, Boseman spends the majority of the film showcasing the unflappable public face of Thurgood Marshall. He is certainly making a name for himself as the go-to actor for larger than life Black historical figures, but I cannot help wishing for more of those moments where we see Boseman tap into the man’s vulnerability. This is a very minor critique, however, because even though Marshall was written as a mostly one-note character, that note is strong, clear, and very enjoyable. In her supporting role Kate Hudson manages to evoke some sympathy for her character, an amazing feat considering the deplorable nature of the charges. Another strong supporting performance is James Cromwell’s turn as the bitter judge, who makes a stern adversary to Marshall.

There are bound to be more dynamic and multifaceted movies covering the life of America’s first Black Supreme Court Justice, but Marshall is an enjoyable look at one of his seminal cases. The lack of gravitas for the film gives way to a bright and engaging performance that reminds us that occasionally, the right people are able to get the last laugh.

 

‘The Foreigner’ (review)

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Produced by Jackie Chan, Wayne Marc Godfrey,
D. Scott Lumpkin, Jamie Marshall, Arthur M. Sarkissian
Screenplay by David Marconi
Based on The Chinaman by Stephen Leather
Directed by Martin Campbell
Starring Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan,
Michael McElhatton, Charlie Murphy, Liu Tao,
Orla Brady, Dermot Crowley, Rufus Jones

 

The Foreigner is a fantastically taut action-drama starring, Jackie Chan as a quiet restaurant owner in Britain who’s only daughter is killed in a terrorist bombing by a new faction of the IRA.

Pierce Brosnan plays a former IRA soldier turned Irish Government official and liaison to the British Government whom, Chan’s character, Quan goes to for answers. Quan, with quiet determination that turns volatile,
wants to know who did it and he hounds the former IRA threatening his life and political position to get to the bottom of who killed his only surviving daughter.

This film was NOT what I thought it was going to be.

Jackie Chan was phenomenal as the restaurant owner with a dark past. He not only flexes acting muscles as well as his action ones as the distraught father hell bent on finding justice for his slain child. I sometimes forget that he is a really good actor because usually he is usually joking around and using his comedic brand of martial arts in his films and doesn’t get a chance usually to show off his acting chops.

The film is a slow burn to the climactic end. Directed by James Bond and action film veteran, Martin Campbell (Goldeneye, Casino Royale) the story is much more dramatic then we are used to with Chan.

Going for a more Taken (2008) approach over Rush Hour (1998), it takes into account 63 year old Chan’s age, so the fighting while intense, definitely takes a toll on his character and he isn’t as spry as he used to be so he takes a more tactical approach to his fighting and stunts.

I have to say that I am a huge fan of this film. It was an engaging political thriller and personal tragedy drama mixed with an amazing action film. It is not your usual Jackie Chan kung-fu/chop sockey fun and fighting film we are used to. Based on the 1992 novel The Chinaman by Stephen Leather, my appreciation for the film has already put the book on my “to read” list. The supporting cast is excellent and the reunion of Brosnan and director Campbell is an added bonus. As a longtime fan of Chan, I definitely plan on seeing it again.

 

 

 

 

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