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Disney’s ‘Lady and the Tramp’ Wags Its Way into the Walt Disney Signature Collection on Blu-ray Feb. 27; Digital HD Feb. 20

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This February, Disney’s cherished animated classic, “Lady and the Tramp,” joins the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection. Every member of the family will treasure this timeless tale—loaded with three versions of the film, classic bonus material and three all-new features—when it heads home on Digital and on Movie Anywhere Feb. 20 and on Blu-ray on Feb. 27.

The Walt Disney Signature Collection edition offers three exciting ways to watch “Lady and the Tramp”—the original theatrical version, sing-along mode and Walt’s story meetings—both Digitally and via the Multi-screen Edition (formerly the Blu-ray Combo Pack). The Multi-screen Edition includes Blu-ray, DVD and a Digital copy, giving in-home consumers the flexibility to watch the film on different devices. In addition to classic bonus features, all-new extras invite viewers to enter Walt Disney’s original office suite on the Studio lot, discover Walt’s personal passion for pups, and receive a celebrity-hosted spaghetti and meatballs cooking lesson.

As one of the greatest love stories ever told, “Lady and the Tramp” is sure to melt the hearts of generations with its beloved characters, brilliant animation, memorable music and sweet sentiment. The animated treasure tells the story of Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel, and Tramp, a freewheeling mutt with a heart of gold. Through the Signature Collection edition, viewers can relive the pair’s thrilling adventures, sing along with the film’s unforgettable songs like “Bella Notte,” and swoon over one of the most memorable movie moments of all time—the iconic scene in which Lady and Tramp share a plate of spaghetti and an accidental kiss.

“Lady and the Tramp” is the sixth title to join the Walt Disney Signature Collection, which includes groundbreaking films created or inspired by the imagination and legacy of Walt Disney, featuring timeless stories and characters that have touched generations. The film takes its place alongside “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi” and “The Lion King.”

Bonus Features:

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL:

Film Versions

  • Original Theatrical Edition – Enjoy this cherished Disney classic that captivates audiences of all ages.
  • Sing-Along Mode – Sing along with all your favorite songs as you watch the movie.
  • Inside Walt’s Story Meetings – As you view the film, hear reenactments of Walt’s story sessions with animators and see how their ideas were realized on-screen.

New Signature Bonus

  • Walt & His Dogs – Through archival recordings and photos, hear the tales of the dogs Walt Disney owned and loved over his lifetime.
  • Stories from Walt’s Office – Take a tour of Walt’s office suite on the Studio lot, carefully re-created to look just as it did when he occupied it.
  • How to Make a Meatball and Other Fun Facts About “Lady and The Tramp” – Watch a delicious lesson on how to make perfect meatballs with teen chef Amber Kelley and Oh My Disney Show Host Alexys Gabrielle.

Songs

  • “Peace on Earth”
  • “What Is a Baby/La La Lu”
  • “The Siamese Cat Song”
  • “Bella Notte”
  • “He’s a Tramp”

Classic Bonus Features

  • Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad – Walt’s daughter shares memories of her father and Disneyland’s early days, as well as a look at his apartment above the firehouse.
  • Never-Recorded Song – “I’m Free as the Breeze” – Take a listen to a song originally meant to be sung by Tramp.

Deleted Scenes

  • Introduction of Boris – Tramp wasn’t always meant to be Lady’s only suitor. Meet Boris the aristocrat and Homer the peasant in this deleted scene.
  • Waiting for Baby – Lady watches as Jim Dear plans out his new son’s future in this early storyboard.
  • Dog Show – See the storyboards for this deleted scene in which Lady and Tramp unexpectedly find themselves in the middle of a dog show.

Classic Bonus Features on Digital Only*

  • Lady’s Pedigree: The Making of “Lady and the Tramp” – A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film based on an original story.
  • Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard – Explore the origins of the storyboard and how they’re used by filmmakers today.
  • Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film – View a unique presentation of the original 1943 storyboards for “Lady and the Tramp.”
  • PuppyPedia: Going to the Dogs – Wild and wacky comedian Fred Willard takes us on an outing to the dog park to learn all about dogs and their owners.

Deleted Scenes

  • Turning the Tables – In this story-reel presentation, Tramp dreams of a world where dogs run the show and humans are on the other end of the leash.
  • The Arrival of Baby – In this alternate scene re-created from original storyboards and with original voice talent, Lady makes way for a new arrival.
  • Baby Arrives – Lady is baffled by the strange goings-on in the house—the arrival of a squealing bundle only deepens the mystery.
  • Lady’s Sweater – Lady gets a new sweater for her birthday and must figure out an ingenious way to lose it for good.

Trailers

  • 1955 Original Theatrical Trailer – More than just a trailer, this preview features several minutes of footage from the film and introduces each major character.
  • 1972 Theatrical Re-Issue Trailer – This trailer from the 1972 rerelease heralds Disney’s “happiest motion picture.”
  • 1986 Theatrical Re-Issue Trailer – Released theatrically for the 1986 holiday season, this trailer highlights the love story between Lady and the handsome Tramp.

*Bonus features may vary by retailer

Movies.Disney.com/Lady-and-the-Tramp

 


Boston Cinegeeks! We’ve Got Passes For ‘Den of Thieves’!

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Den of Thieves is a gritty Los Angeles crime saga which follows the intersecting and often personally connected lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank of downtown Los Angeles.  The film stars Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Brian van Holt, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.

And we’re giving away passes to an advance screening of the STX film Den of Thieves on Wednesday, January 17th at 7:00 PM at AMC Boston Common.

For the chance to receive two tickets please visit- http://stxtickets.com/JCcpj85962.

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

 

‘Batman: Nightwalker’ by Marie Lu (review)

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Batman: Nightwalker
Written by Marie Lu
Published by Random House
ISBN-13: 978-0399549786
Released 1/2/18 / $18.99

 

Gotham City is under attack. The city’s wealthiest and most powerful are being slaughtered in the cover of night while in the safety of their own homes. Their accounts have been drained as single message is burned in the darkness: an image of the a coin set aflame. The Nightwalkers are coming for them all.

This message is both literal and figurative. The 99% is tired of the oppression by the corrupt upper class. People are being held down from reaching their potential because of the lack of opportunities given to them, the poor are unable to afford life saving medicine, food, housing and basic necessities while billionaires like are throwing parties for each other.

And one of those billionaires is Bruce Wayne, who at the age of eighteen just inherited Wayne Corp.

Life at 18-years old is often a confusing time; barely out of adolescence and fresh into adulthood, it can be slightly overwhelming. The pressures of wanting to please your parents and finding your own path of happiness can be stressful but for Bruce Wayne. Not only is he expected to take over his family’s billion-dollar business but he’s also dealing with fake friends who are there for a handout instead of hanging out.

When his birthday party goes awry, he makes an impulsive choice and is sentenced to community service at Arkham Asylum; the infamous prison that holds the city’s most nefarious criminals including the brilliant killer, Madeleine Wallace.

She’s a woman of no words, and Wayne is drawn to her and her connection to the Nightwalkers. He has an inner struggle with wanting to help her. However, the secrets she carries are enough to bring down all of Gotham City; including the boy who would be The Dark Knight.

Fresh off her first installment of the Warcross series, Marie Lu has managed to breathe life into a franchise that dates back to 1939. Improving on well established characters like Lucius Fox, Alfred and Harvey Dent she has also introduced readers to new characters that feel part of the DC brand. While these new additions are a pleasant surprise to a reader familiar to Wayne, the expansion and relationships they have with our teenage hero is where the story finds its own voice, bringing realism and heart to the characters.

Before Two-Face became a terror in Gotham City and a pain in Wayne’s side, he was simply Harvey Dent; a adolescent kid trying to please his often abusive and alcoholic father. Daily beatings and night’s spent trying to protect his mother he developed a nervous tic (flipping coins as a distraction) to help him cope. But no matter how photogenic his smile was, he couldn’t hide his troubles from Wayne whose friendship often pulled him out of the darkness. Forming a bond with each other and his other best friend Dianne, they form support system; and without their help, I’m sure Wayne would have been the mopey kid we would have expected. Instead of still crying for his parents, Wayne is a well-adjusted young normal young man who just has to weed those who want to use him for his money and connections (a plot that plays heavily in the story).

Then there’s Madeleine Wallace, one of Wayne’s first villains who is a psychological delight to read. While serving community service for committing a very Batman-like crime, Wayne takes an interest in the mysterious girl locked away with Gotham’s hardest criminals. Quite, mysterious and creative, it’s hard to forget she’s a murderer directly involved with the Nightwalkers as Wayne seems enamored by her presence.

Despite the numerous foes Wayne faced across in his cannon, Madeleine is one of the few who can confuse and outmatch Wayne. Part villain/part foe, she has the ability to draw sympathy from anyone, gain their trust and use it against you before you’re even aware of what she’s doing. She’s able to suck Wayne in by pulling at his heartstrings and making him believe that she’s on his side, but confuses Wayne so much he doesn’t know what he’s fact or fiction. Watching her character unfold is a masterclass in psychology. Her ability to read body language, analysis conversations, and vast knowledge in tech has clearly inspired Wayne in his future detective lifestyle.

Much like Warcross, Lu’s rich technological knowledge helps drives the story. Wayne goes through a series of training techniques in a virtual reality simulation that mirrors much of the tech in the real world. There’s a heavy usage of police-driven drones and the ever popular frequency scrambles that’s made its way into may Batman video games. Despite being only 18 years old, the novel is full of action sequences, fight scenes, gun fights and car chases.

What makes Batman Nightwalker so enjoyable is Wayne’s sense of uncertainty and inner conflict. He sees the good and bad in people; either with Madeleine or with one of his classmates who hates him for his wealth. Instead of seeing the world in black and white, he wants to understand why someone decided on their actions. While he’s a well-adjusted for someone who lost his parents years ago, their deaths still drives him into wanting justice for all but he’s also aware that justice comes at a cost for some.

Batman Nightwalker is one of the most enjoyable iteration of the franchise. Full of fresh ideas and a page-turning story. It’ll keep you guessing until the very end. Even if you’ve never heard of Batman, this story is a great introduction to the franchise while also embracing die-hard fans.

Win ‘Friend Request’ on Blu-ray!

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Laura (Alycia Debnam-Carey) is a popular college student who lives her college life to the fullest and gladly shares it with her 800 Facebook friends. But when she accepts a friend request from her mysterious classmate Marina (Liesl Ahlers), she unwittingly sets a terrible curse in motion. The dead girl’s impenetrable profile begins to drive Laura into isolation. It takes control of Laura’s virtual world and her real life as well. One after another, her closest friends die horrendous deaths, leaving Laura with only a few days to solve the enigma of this haunting curse to save the few friends she has left, as well as her own life. Also starring William Moseley, Connor Palo, and Brit Morgan.

And we’re giving away a copy!

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

What was the first social media network that you used?

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

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

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on January 21st, 2018.

 

 

Spider-Man’s Journey Through Film

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Images Courtesy Sony/Marvel Studios

Over the last 16 years we have seen multiple incarnations of Spider-Man, and despite the many differences between the various series, its success has been consistent. The world famous web-slinger first swung onto the big screen in 2002 with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, and the cultural phenomenon has been a consistent commercial hit through to the most recent on-screen adventure, Spider-Man: Homecoming, which debuted in 2017 and grossed $880 million at the box office.

With the exception of some choppy 80s television features, the first long-form adaptations of the Spider-Man comics were Sam Raimi’s three films with Tobey Maguire in the iconic red and blue suit after Sony finally secured the rights to some big screen action. Despite the first two movies being met with positive critical reception, a lukewarm response to the final entry in 2007 and creative differences brought about a natural end to the original series.

Five years later the franchise was rebooted with Marc Webb at the helm and Andrew Garfield donning the mask. Relativity Media, a unique next-generation studio headed by CEO Ryan Kavanaugh, has made more than 200 motion pictures, and was the driving force behind the Amazing Spider-Man, which was released in 2012. However, a year after the sequel, Marvel struck a deal with Sony, and the hit superhero was swiftly introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Tom Holland being the next to take on the role. This version of the character has appeared in two films in the MCU so far and is confirmed to appear in another three.

16 years, three Peter Parker’s, seven films and only the one iconic hero. So, how well do these adaptations match up to the comics and what are the differences? Despite all being quite recognizably Peter Parker, the three versions have variations that make them unique. Parker is a distinctive character. He’s funny, he’s outcast for his intelligence, and he has strong moral values but also possesses an (usually withheld) anger that tends to manifest itself as normal teenage angst. All three Parkers are true to these tropes in varying degrees.

Spider-Man movies are not just about the titular character though, as the world is made up of a rich tapestry of friends, acquaintances, love interests and villains. As each of these major players changed by each film, so did Peter. The different struggles driven by Harry Osborn, The Green Goblin, Venom and Doctor Octopus, the happiness and conflict set up by Mary Jane, and the domestic challenges anchored by Uncle Ben and Aunt May drastically shaped the different versions of Peter.

Tobey Maguire was a seemingly perfect pick for the role, mixing geek chic and charm with obvious intelligence. However, one substantial change was Maguire’s lack of humor. He was caring and held his values through turmoil, but quips and jokes were not a core component in Raimi’s vision. Given the enduring levity of the comics, this was quite an obvious distinction.

Next up was Andrew Garfield. The Social Network star brought about a subtle but notable change. Spidey was now outcast not for his obvious geekiness but for his countercultural attitude. He was a rebel. He was still smart, thoughtful and funny, but his nerdiness was replaced by a vaguely hipster-ish tendency. Audiences found this portrayal engaging and both Amazing Spider-Man entries fared well at the box office, but yet another change was on the horizon.

Tom Holland was announced as Marvel’s new star in 2015 and is arguably the truest to life comic adaptation. Spider-Man is young again. Not battle hardened but fresh-faced and unrefined. The previous two were never truly believable as teenage students, but as young men attempting to embrace adulthood. Holland’s Parker is rooted in college life and encounters all the challenges it brings. He apologizes if he slaps a bad guy too much and cracks a joke every second he’s on screen. The more grounded tone was supported by ‘everyman’ villain, Vulture, played by an excellent Michael Keaton.

Quite a journey then for just one character in such a short space of time, and Marvel is sure to have further development in mind as it prepares for more mainline movies and spin-offs. The masked hero is set to star in Avengers: Infinity War, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 before the end of 2019.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse / Image provided by Sony

However, whatever is in store in celluloid (or digital) form, Spidey’s core qualities of kindness and humor, and the hope he instills in new and old generations alike will ensure his popularity endures and he will remain universally loved across the globe.

 

Sequential Snark: Palmiotti and Conner Bid Harley Goodbye, Superman Learns Booster’s Backstory, Superwoman Ends and More!

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Be it a storybook reimagining, a recollective regret, or a running self narrative there is storytelling withing the frame of the storylines in this week’s books.

They tell a tale, within an account being told, further interpreted by the reader’s own experiences – and I’m not going any father down that Matryoshka rabbit hole.

 

Action Comics #995
Words – Dan Jurgens
Pictures – Brett Booth,
Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse

Just when you think you’ve averted a time singularity a killer robot tags along.

Such is the continued lack of luck for our favorite Booster Gold.

But they have reached Earth, so Supes is powered up again and can wail on the Zod-bot.

Unfortunately the ruckus invites the interest of the local (and of Booster’s original time) authorities who arrest Michael on the spot.

It’s “very special episode” material when Skeets explains to Superman that Booster’s entire suite of equipment was “borrowed” without permission.

Any chance he could be talked into a good ole’ jailbreak?

 

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #18
Words – Julie Benson, Shawna Benson
Pictures – Marcio Takara, Jordan Boyd

A fun trip to Paris for Huntress, Black Canary and Batgirl?

You know this isn’t that simple a book.

Huntress needs their help to uncover the plot of Zin Bast, a black market arms dealer attending a Parisian clean energy conference.

He seems the regular type of rich, slimy, heavily body guarded dude (that hits on Canary waaay too hard) until during the demonstration of a self-sustaining power source it, it’s creator, Zin and all his crew disappear!

Now it’s up to our three dynamic ladies to save the day before Paris get wrecked with unstoppable wicked weathers.

The art and writing of this book is full of expression and action, it’s a fun quick read.

 

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #36
Words – Robert Venditti
Pictures – Jack Herbert, José Ĺuiś, Herbert,
Mick Gray, Cam Smith, Jason Wright

The Guardians are brought to the brink of death as our four Lanterns (Hal, Kyle, Guy and John) fight the Controllers in a bid to free them.

It gives Ganthet a moment to think about what the Guardians have done, what history they’ve left and if they escape (spoiler: they do, with lots of green willpower ring punches. The book isn’t called Wacky Adventures of the Controllers) what they can personally do to make the universe a better place.

Believe me, his plan is a doozy, and I look forward to seeing if it’s followed up in the next issue.

 

 

 

 

Harley Quinn #34
Words – Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner
Pictures – John Timms, Chad Hardin, Alex Sinclair

I thought Harley needed a chance to take it easy, but she’ll need a vacation from this vacation!

First page, jail (o.k. a holding cell, but a far cry from Florida fun with beach mojitos).

A few hours earlier they had stopped by a truck stop motel, and the nearby bar – with some very suspicious local ladies. (bar fights can’t be helped on a buddy adventure comedy trip like this, right?)

We meet the people you never expected to bail them out, it’s Harley’s parents!

Then it gets sweet, full of kisses and love and old friends (if you saw the animated series you’ll remember I promise) and maybe just a touch of – meta?

A great issue for those who’ve rode with and admired this pale lady throughout her incarnations.

 

Justice League of America #22
Words – Steve Orlando
Pictures – Neil Edwards, Daniel Henriques, Hi-Fi

Easy advice for me to give is; If you’re part of a highly powerful meta-human group and some random stranger wants to solve your life threatening problems, please talk to your friends before saying yes.

But if Caitlin had done that we wouldn’t have a new arc.

Last night she was dream messaged that her powers would soon go so out of hand that EVERYONE will die, unless she lets a mystery woman (Tsarita) help.

So instant cure (yay) and Caitlin is no longer a threat (yay), but Tsarita pops out of Caitlin’s noggin and has world conquering on her mind.

What’s that old joke about the cure being worse than the disease?

 

Scooby Apocalypse #21
Words – Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Ron Wagner
Pictures – Andy Owens, Hi-Fi
Back-Up Story, Secret Squirrel! in… Bikini Bloodbath
Words – Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis
Pictures – Phil Jimenez, Hi-Fi

The gang’s next move after celebrating a most depressing holidays is to set up a fortified base of operations in a mall. I’d make the obvious Romero reference, but trust me the book’s self-aware enough to do it for me.

Unfortunately the mall is as popular a place now as it was before the monster-izing plague, so they break into city hall (monsters aren’t big on civics) to get the building’s blueprints.

If you guessed sewer entrance, you’ve read this type of adventure before. Shaggy stays above to not tell Daisy he’s crushing on her.

Fred and Daphne go below to bicker about their feelings and whether sewer homeless exist.

Maybe we’ll get to see the mall next month?

The back-up story moves that plot along by inches. Assassin bimbos are robots (so o.k. to kill?), and it brings up questions this story will not answer. Like, was the mole too dumb or oblivious to realize he hired three robots?

There’s action and arguing and Morocco agrees to work with the two to save the world only if Agent Honey Bea is in charge. It’s basic and passable, but getting it in five page segments every month stretches the pace well past fun.

 

Scooby-Doo Where Are You #89
Words – Rob M. Worley
Pictures – Scott Gross
Back-up Story, Good Ghost Haunting
Words – Brett Lewis

Pictures – Anthony Williams, Dan Davis, Paul Becton

This looks and feels like an episode from the 90’s.

Lighthearted, tight, and the twists are planted far into the beginning of the chapter. The art is very on-model with the occasional pop of photo art to fill a background detail. You’ll know immediately if you’ll enjoy this.

A pizza parlor Shaggy and Scooby are very familiar with just changed hands to the next generation, but a spooky ghost doesn’t appreciate the new “trendy” take the current owner is trying.

The back-up story’s title will become apparent as soon as you read the piece. Art is in a looser pencil style but is still true to the source.

A ghost is haunting the tech fair at the “Plymouth Institute of Technology”.

It’s a good thing the crew is there scoping out new equipment to help them against monsters, because the professor in charge of it was too embarrassed to ever ask for help.

Can they solve this case of a supernatural burglar in a haven of science?

 

Supergirl #17
Words – Steve Orlando, Jody Houser
Pictures – Robinson Rocha, Julio Ferreira,
Daniel Henriques, Michael Atiyeh

We learn Deceilia’s backstory. She was tried harshly as a child for a small bit of revenge-tantrum killing (it was after her parents got smooshed), the punishment was expulsion from the planet. Since then she’s had a problem with anyone who’s the powers-that-be.

So when Supergirl tries to save the ship of rich people, Deceilia’s confused. Deceilia only sees their status not the lives she put in danger.

With the boat floatable, the fight goes to the sky and Deceilia can share details (mid-fight) Supergirl didn’t know. She was ripped from her space capsule and tortured by humans into becoming their weapon.

She almost gives a name too, but a well aimed shot from a D.E.O. soldier stops that.

And a semiformal dance, Supergirl (as Kara) wants to go.

 

Superwoman #18
Words – K. Perkins
Pictures – Max Raynor, Jamie Mndoza, Scott Hanna, Hi-Fi

Lana made the deal with Midnight, everyone (including John Henry) who were trapped are now free.

That was the part that went as planned, but Lana and Midnight are now trapped in her body, unable to hurt each other with anything more than words.

Senses and abilities slowly return, but it’s now a joint experience.

For Midnight, a machine that’s never had the ability to experience anything like this before it’s overwhelming.

Through the eyes of someone new to everything Lana gets the chance to see herself.

By the end of the book, in a rather lovely way both are able to become free.

It’s the last issue, last stop, maybe last time we’ll see some of these characters but that doesn’t make it sad.

A book that can conclude it’s story at the stopping place that suits it?

We can all hope to be so lucky.

 

Wonder Woman #38
Words – James Robinson
Pictures – Emanuela Lupacchino,
Ray McCarthy, Romulo Fajardo Jr.

What of a story with only the author as it’s audience?

One that warps and twists with feelings of slights and abandonment from one that falls into the cracks of their own anger and despair.

Vanessa was an innocent bystander to a criminal/superhero fight and the thing that defined her (her dancing career) was taken from her when a fallen wall crushed her legs.

Wonder Woman befriended her (she’d also saved her life in that fight) and gave her motivation to work to regain the ability to walk (with nano machines, but it’s still a lot of physical therapy), even to explore other creative outlets (a picture book of the two of them having super hero adventures).

But Diana has many responsibilities, and after Vanessa’s only family dies she feels alone and abandoned. Seeing Wonder Woman on the news having saved a now happy family only fuels her disenchantment.

Vanessa retools the fairy tale, goes to visit the family she just watched on t.v., and shares with them her desperate feelings of how unfair it all is with sharp brutal strikes.

(Wonder Woman’s loser brother is also in this issue taking up space)

 

Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Arrives on 4K and Blu-ray 3/6; Digital on 2/20!

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Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” the God of Thunder’s third installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, electrified both audiences and critics alike reaching over $845M at the global box office. Now the colorful cosmic adventure, loaded with action, humor, drama and spectacle, bursts into homes Digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD, and Movies Anywhere, on Feb. 20 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand on March. 6.

In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) – and grapple with his silver-tongued adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the fierce warrior Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and the eccentric Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum).

Fans who bring home the Ultimate Cinematic Universe Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) of “Thor: Ragnarok” will experience all the thunderous action and lightning-fast wit in stunning 4K Ultra HD with next-generation high dynamic range (HDR) visuals and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. Exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features include deleted scenes; hilarious outtakes; an exclusive short: part three of the mockumentary “Team Thor,” retitled “Team Darryl” and featuring an eccentric new roommate; the evolution of MCU’s heroes culminating in “Avengers: Infinity War;” numerous making-of featurettes which explore the unique vision of director Taika Waititi; the story’s unstoppable women; the effortlessly charismatic Korg; the tyrannical leader of Sakaar, the Grandmaster; and the film’s comic-book origins;  audio commentary by Waititi; and more.

 

BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):

Blu-ray:

  • Director’s Introduction
  • Deleted/Extended Scenes – Deleted Scenes: The Sorcerer Supreme, Skurge Finds Heimdall & Hulk Chases Thor Through Sakaar and Extended Scenes: Thor Meets the Grandmaster, Stupid Avenger vs. Tiny Avenger & Grandmaster and Topaz
  • Gag Reel – Watch a collection of goofs, gaffes and pratfalls starring the cast
  • Exclusive Short/Team Darryl – Fresh off being unseated as the ruler of Sakaar, the Grandmaster makes his way to Earth to start a new life. It’s been over a year since Thor left Australia and Darryl has been struggling to pay his rent. Now Darryl needs a new roommate to help make the monthly payments. Unfortunately for Darryl, the Grandmaster was the only one who answered Darryl’s “Roommate Needed” ad and with no viable options, the Grandmaster moves in.
  • Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years – The Evolution of Heroes – Marvel’s universe is vast and transcends both time and space. We’ll examine the Cinematic Universe as a whole and revisit each of our heroes’ current location and their place in the current MCU timeline, as it all leads up to the one culminating event: “Avengers: Infinity War.”
  • Getting in Touch with Your Inner Thor – “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi has brought his unique sensibility and sense of humor to the film in a great many ways but it is the evolution of Thor’s own sense of humor, which stands out the most in the new film. This piece explores the impact Chris Hemsworth has made on the development of his widely-loved character and celebrates the mighty cast and crew who reveal the fun and hard work that went into assembling Thor’s eccentric counterparts.
  • Unstoppable Women: Hela & Valkyrie – This piece explores the strong female characters in “Thor: Ragnarok,” their importance in the MCU, their incredible casting and their epic comic origins.
  • Finding Korg – A tongue-in-cheek interview with Taika on casting Korg. He describes the difficult search for just the right evolution of the character design, and the nuances of this instantly classic character in the MCU. This conversation will also delve into all the extraordinary visual effects that brought Korg, Sakaar and the worlds of “Thor: Ragnarok” to life.
  • Sakaar: On the Edge of the Known and Unknown – Sakaar is the collection point for all lost and unloved things. This documentary will answer all known and unknown questions while also exploring the hard work and creativity that went into creating the look and feel of Sakaar. From design inspired by Jack Kirby’s classic artwork to the dedication of the visual development team to the awe-inspiring physical and digital production, you will see this distant world come alive.
  • Journey into Mystery – A deep dive story piece with the writers, director and producer Kevin Feige about the inspirations for “Thor: Ragnarok” within the comics. Most notably, the contest of champions limited series where the Grandmaster pitted our favorite heroes against one another as he does in the film. This piece also further explores Thor’s comic book origins and classic arcs through interviews with some of the most important comic creators, such as Walt Simonson and Jack Kirby.
  • 8bit Scenes – Final Bridge Battle + Sakaar Spaceship Battle. Dive into these climactic sequences presented in retro video-game format.
  • Directors Commentary

 

Digital Exclusives:

  • Evolution of Thor and Hulk’s Bromance – We’ll examine this Super Hero friendship, which has spanned through several Marvel films. From their original Helicarrier fight match to the now iconic Hulk punch from The Avengers, see how Marvel’s most powerful Super Heroes become the most extraordinary Super Hero buddies.
  • Additional Deleted Scenes – Travel to Asgard & Race To The Wormhole

 

Graphic Breakdown: ‘The Flash’ and ‘Mister Miracle’ Shine in An Unremarkable Week

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Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

Here are some titles to make the cold days of winter better!

Detective Comics #972
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Miguel Mendonca

This is the fourth part of the “Fall of the Batman” storyline.

It’s less than exciting. I feel Tynion has been impressing me less and less as this series progresses. His characterization of Batman is dreadfully dull and doesn’t excite me much.

In this issue, Batman has just beaten the Victim Syndicate.

The Syndicate however, has one last big ploy to take Batman down. They have made one of his enemies more powerful than anyone ever thought possible.

This should be more exciting than it is. I got bored. The art doesn’t help as it’s been really inconsistent these past few issues.

Pick it up if you’re a completist.

Right now it’s not terribly exciting.

RATING: C+

 

The Flash #38
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Scott Kolins

This is a heck of a finale for an interesting arc. Joshua Williamson has written a great storyline that has kept the reader on their toes, ending on a high note.

“A Cold Day In Hell” ends here! The Flash goes around with one of his enemies and tries to figure out who killed one of his rogues in Iron Heights prison.

The twist comes when there is an enemy blocking his way out.

That enemy? It’s none other than Captain Cold himself!

The story keeps moving and works well in tandem with the art. This has been a consistently great title.

The art here is nice as well by Kolins and really moves well with the story.

Pick this up.

RATING: A-

 

Mister Miracle #6
Written by Tom King
Illustrated by Mitch Gerads

This is one of the best titles to debut from DC in the last year. Tom King just rocked writing this series.

This issue concluded the first “arc” of the title. It’s satisfying and it’s exciting. It also gets you pumped for what is coming in the final 6 issues.

Scott Free returns to New Genesis to face his punishment. The problem is though his whole world has been turned upside down!

Mister Miracle and Big Barda now battle all of these monsters and New Gods in trying to reach the Highfather. But there is a surprise there that they didn’t anticipate.

The writing is strong as can be. The art is pretty spectacular as well. I love this take on the character. It’s at the top of my reading list month in and month out.

Pick it up if you haven’t read it yet. It’s awesome.

RATING: A

 

Suicide Squad #33
Written by Simon Spurrier 
Illustrated by Fernando Pasarin

Holy wow! Suicide Squad finally gets a new writer! Simon Spurrier is such a breath of fresh air that I couldn’t help but jump for joy. He has a handle on these characters that has been sorely lacking since this launch. I hope he sticks around for longer than this.

This issue is the start of the storyline “The Chosen One.” In it, an apocalyptic new threat is on Earth. And guess who is called into action?

That’s right, kids! The Suicide Squad!

And they have a new member! His name is Juan! But what is this guy all about anyway?

The story plays fast and fun. Spurrier knows what he’s doing right out of the gate and it shows.

The art isn’t as good as I would have liked.

Still, this is a lot better than this book had been. It’s a lot more grounded. And that’s always a good thing.

RATING: B

 

Titans #19
Written by Dan Abnett 
Illustrated by Paul Pelletier

I have to come right out and say it: I have never been a big Paul Pelletier fan. I always have found him to be a watered down version of Alan Davis.

His doesn’t do much for me here either.

This issue focuses on the question of who is Troia?

The Titans are settling in after a big conflict! But the Justice League wants answers about Donna Troy’s real nature.

This leads to the two teams coming into conflict!

The story by Abnett is fairly strong. He writes all of the characters well and I was engaged throughout. So there are a lot of positives.

The art just brought it down for me.

RATING: B

 

Wildstorm: Michael Cray #4
Written by Bryan Hill
Illustrated by N. Steven Harris

This has turned out to be a nice spinoff title. Warren Ellis has turned a line of books that were forgotten and made something new out of it.

He then handed this series over to Bryan Hill who has been doing really nice work here.

Michael Cray and his team try to befriend Barry Allen.

The reason?

So they can turn him in! In this reality Barry is a killer and they must bring this guy down! But can they do it?

This is a fast and furious issue!

Hill keeps the story moving and moving quickly! The art is great for this title as well!

This was a book I wasn’t crazy about reading but has now turned into a nice little surprise.

RATING: B

 

Red Hood and the Outlaws #18
Written By Scott Lobdell 
Illustrated by Sergio Sandoval

This is another fine issue that Scott Lobdell has written. He has taken these lesser known DC characters and made a really nice story for them with this comic. I look forward to it every month with a smile.

This is part five of the “Bizarro Reborn” storyline.

There is a mystery going on here! Artemis is trying to figure out how Bizarro got intelligence all of a sudden.

Meanwhile, the H.I.V.E. queen is tearing apart Gotham City. Everything is coming to a head and it’s quite exciting.

Lobdell keeps the pace and momentum moving in this comic. He also has a great flair for writing these characters. The art is decent here though I miss Dexter Soy.

Still, there is a lot to like. Pick this up. It’s DC’s best kept secret!

RATING: B+

 

Deadman #3
Written and Illustrated by Neal Adams

You have to admire Neal Adams.

He’s been in the comics field for so long, one can almost take him for granted. Adams has always put himself out there, hell or high water. It’s cool to see.

Sadly, I’m not that big a fan of his latest work.

This issue focuses a bit on Deadman’s father. There are some secrets to be figured out! It also becomes of interest to The Spectre, Etrigan the Demon, and the Phantom Stranger! There’s a bunch of plots here and they don’t add up to much.

Adams is still drawing away. At this point, he may just want to focus on that. His art isn’t what it used to be but it’s still powerful.

I love Deadman. But I wish this was a whole lot better.

RATING: C

 

Harley Quinn: Be Careful What You Wish For #1
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Connor
Illustrated by Amanda Connor

Amanda Connor is awesome. She has been very closely associated with Harley Quinn these past few years. That’s a great thing because she has an expert handle on the character.

That’s certainly the case on this comic.

This comic book is a reprint of the Loot Crate comic that was an exclusive only.

The cool part is it has 18 more pages of original story and art by various other artists. What more can a reader ask for?

And the story?

Harley gets herself into a bunch of hijinks. And it becomes crazy and it breaks the fourth wall! If you’re a fan you’ll love it. It’s breezy and it’s well drawn and it’s worth picking up.

RATING: B+

 

Ragman #4
Written by Ray Fawkes
Illustrated by Inaki Miranda

This is a title that has such a strange creative team on it but it somehow works. Fawkes has taken this character and somehow made him the most interesting he has been since the early Joe Kubert days.

It’s very interesting.

Ragman sees that there is a bunch of evil headed towards our world. So what does he do?

He teams up with Etrigan the Demon to try to stop it.

But Etrigan has his own plans!

So, what’s Ragman to do? Who does he trust? And what will happen from this point on?

The story is quite good and weird. But I like this kind of weird!

Fawkes rocks as a writer and tells a good story. The art by Miranda is pretty damn decent as well. I can’t wait to see how it ends.

RATING: B


Win ‘Blame it On Rio’ on Blu-ray!

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Welcome to the most exciting and sensual city in the world… Rio de Janeiro! The ultimate naughtiness of Brazil’s hottest town is captured in this wild and wacky, zany screwball romantic comedy with a red-hot cast that includes Michael Caine (The Holcroft Covenant), Joseph Bologna (Cops and Robbers), Michelle Johnson (Waxwork), Valerie Harper (Rhoda) and Demi Moore (Ghost).

Upon arriving in exotic Rio, longtime friends Matthew (Caine) and Victor (Bologna) and their teenage daughters (Moore & Johnson) barely unpack before this infamous pleasure spot begins to cast its torrid spell. Matthew quickly succumbs to Cupid’s arrow, but when guilt gets the better of this married man, he vows to end the affair and keep it a secret… even from Victor. But as his white lies grow, so does his libido, and Matthew continues his indiscretions… until his wife shows up! Legendary filmmaker Stanley Donen (Singin’ in the Rain, Charade, Funny Face) directed this romantic comedy, the final feature film in his glorious career.

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, send an email with the subject header “BLAME IT ON RIO” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Co-Wwriter Larry Gelbart was best known for developing this long running property for television?

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

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

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on January 21st, 2018.

 

 

 

‘Phantom Thread’ (review)

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Produced by Paul Thomas Anderson,
Megan Ellison, JoAnne Sellar, Daniel Lupi
Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville,
Vicky Krieps, Richard Graham,Camilla Rutherford,
Harriet Sansom Harris, Brian Gleeson

 

“Whatever you do, do it carefully”.

Paul Thomas Anderson directs Daniel Day-Lewis in his final acting role in Phantom Thread opposite Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville.

The film focuses on The House of Woodcock, a fashion house in England run by Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis). Woodcock is a talented, depressed and genius designer of dresses and couture.

While taking breakfast one day he plays a flirty game with waitress Alma Elson (Krieps) and asks her out to dinner.

This is the spark that drives the rest of the beautiful film, with Alma as Woodcock’s inspiration and muse and Woodcock as the difficult artist whose genius makes for a difficult day to day life, but one covered in pearls and lace.

Both Anderson and Day-Lewis are auteurs and the beauty of the movie and performances cannot be understated. Anderson takes no credit for the cinematography directly, but attributes this to a collaborative effort. From a dizzying display of the runway scene, taking place in the house to a simply framed but beautiful quick shot of a car driving through the dark streets encroaching the frame lit with trees as cathedral ceilings, this film is amazing to look at and wash over you.

Fans of a more elegant time in society where dresses for coming out season were fitted to exacting measurements and colors that complement the skin will get their fix of fashion and costume drama that they may be seeking in this movie. However, the clever thing is that this story isn’t about the clothes or the canvas or the runway. Nor is it about hiding messages in the cloth as foretold in the previews for the movie.

Phantom Thread is a more clever title about how relationships are carefully threaded together between people, invisible, with thoughts, actions and deeds that weave a story of the day. An invisible thread might pull someone’s thoughts or actions toward a piece of ribbon that makes the day more special. Or, this thread might be holding up some support for a bosom but isn’t meant to be seen from the outside. A thread may be only seen by the wearer of the garment in recognition of its role. Woodcock, Alma, his sister Cyril (played by Lesley Manville) and the women of Woodcock house all play a role in threading the fabric of Reynold’s life, often only to be seen and certainly never straying off of pattern.

Reynolds Woodcock prefers silence so that he can work, he prefers to sleep in his own bedroom while his lover lusts for him two doors away. He prefers to tell people what to do and will not take criticism the other way, nor are people inclined to give it. As a respected fashion designer he is rich, hard working and caters to royalty. In the post war decade of the 1950s, he himself is on his own pedestal. That is to say, he recognizes his own genius.

Upon meeting Alma, he isn’t swept away or changed by her. He cloaks her under his wing and takes her from her waitressing job to be his model, his mannequin, his inspiration. Not to say he does not love her, he does. They love each other, but it is not what each person is expecting from a relationship. Alma pictures loving her husband and against sister Cyril’s advisement surprises Reynold with a dinner one Thursday evening after he takes a walk. Woodcock takes this not as a nice gesture but an affront to his routine, a disturbance and interruption to his workflow and an attack meant to ruin his evening or perhaps to ruin his entire life’.

Woodcock cannot bear any disruption of this kind. Yet, Alma was expressing her love in a way she thought was kind and a big surprise by sending the chef and the servants home to make dinner herself. This melts down like the butter on the asparagus in the scene (Woodcock prefers oil and salt on the vegetable) into a gaslighting scene and argument that nearly ruins them.

It is Alma’s reaction to this disastrous meal that turns something over for her. She seeks to answer the question of why he has control over everything in the house and what she can do about it. All out of love, she wants to love him in her way, not the way he demands it.

Being a movie set in the 1950s and with Woodcock being very respected and rich, he’s expected to be acting the way he is, strict about table manners, distractions and determining how people act toward him. This leaves may leave a bad taste in the mouths of modern audiences as to how demanding he is but this also acts as a great portrait of the time. The domineering, insulting male way of speaking to his wife, sister (and business partner) and his help is a bit much by today’s manners. Alma is a strong woman though, and how she approaches her absolute love for him and her devotion to him never goes unnoticed by Woodcock even as he criticizes her.

Her ultimate resolution to the couple’s problems after they marry is one of the most unexpected surprises in Anderson’s oeuvre. The sexual tension, the beauty of the shots in the movie including an elaborate New Year’s Eve party scene and of course the costuming are second to none. The movie moves a bit slow but I didn’t mind as I was completely drawn in to this world and fascinated not only by Daniel Day-Lewis, but also Vicky Krieps putting on career defining performances. As an unintended trilogy of films, this fits in nicely with There Will Be Blood and The Master. I highly recommend this movie, as it may be the last time you will see Daniel Day-Lewis who is claims that he is retiring from acting and if this performance is truly his last, it’s unforgettable.

Phantom Thread isn’t for everyone, but those seeing a classic cinema experience should get woven into the lives of these three strong people in the Woodcock house live a hard working and exquisite life and to watch the masters Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis make truly exceptional art.

 

‘Abe and Phil’s Last Poker Game’ (review)

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Produced, Written & Directed
by Howard L. Weiner

Starring Martin Landau, Paul Sorvino,
Maria Dizzia,
Pamela Dubin,
Molly Bettencourt, John Cellini

Pretty lousy title for a pretty good film.

Uptight Dr. Abe Mandelbaum (and you’d better call him Doctor!) checks into an assisted living facility due to his wife’s debilitating condition. He’s very unhappy about it, but perks up a bit upon meeting Phil, a former womanizer prone to dropping f-bombs and un-PC observations.

They become fast friends, but their relationship is tested when a nurse at the home makes it clear she took the job upon receiving an anonymous note claiming that her natural father, whom she’s never met, is living at the facility.

Both Abe and Phil have reason to believe they are her father.

Meanwhile, Abe and Phil discuss impotence and sex with abandon, something I wasn’t expecting from a genteel sounding title and premise. I also wasn’t expecting two sex scenes and a masturbation scene from two elderly actors.

On Golden Pond this ain’t. And while overall it’s not even remotely polished as Pond, I actually appreciated the honesty (and lack of mawkishness) on display here.

The big draw, of course, is watching two old pros – Martin Landau and Paul Sorvino – acting up a storm together. They’re both superb, and carry the film over its bumpy moments.

Writer/director Howard Weiner is by trade a neurologist/neuroscientist/immunologist and his background comes in handy with the gentlemen’s ailments and diagnoses. The truth is, he’s a good storyteller, too, though he is certainly no poet when it comes to filmmaking.

The film feels truncated; there are ellipses wherein it’s tough to figure out character motivations (some of which are never clarified) and there are more than a few scenes that really should have gone on longer.

There’s an almost haphazard style here, with scenes seemingly stopping in the middle. It’s mostly negligible, but several sequences end up being frustrating in their brevity.

Another debit is the treacly, Hallmark-ish score. It’s quite unimaginative and rote, and detracts from some otherwise solid moments.

Still, this is an entertaining, if flawed, drama with two terrific actors at the top of their game. Landau appeared on an absolutely riveting WTF with Marc Maron podcast last year – a few months before he passed away – and deemed this film to be his best work. I beg to differ…but it’s up there.

And extra points for a surprising, quite satisfying coda, one example of when Weiner nails the brevity thing.

 

Abe and Phil’s Last Poker Game
is playing in theaters and is available On Demand

 

New Comic Book Asks “What if Ivanka Got Woke?”

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What if the children of the .0001% rejected their family legacies of global brutality and tore down the billionaire patriarchy? That’s the concept behind BILLIONAIRE KILLERS, a new comic book series created by writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Soo Lee about corruption, conspiracy, and what happens when the next generation vows to burn it all down. On sale this March, BILLIONAIRE KILLERS is the latest comic book series from Black Mask Studios, the progressive, Los Angeles-based indie publisher of acclaimed titles including BLACK, THE DREGS, KIM & KIM and 4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK.

“BILLIONAIRE KILLERS is about a new generation assessing the terrible things done by the previous generation,” said writer Matteo Pizzolo. “In simplest terms, BILLIONAIRE KILLERS asks: what if someone like Ivanka Trump became radicalized?”

In BILLIONAIRE KILLERS, the CEO of ExxonMobil is America’s Secretary Of State, a hedge fund manager worth $300 million is the Secretary Of The Treasury and a lawyer who sued the EPA 14 times is head of the EPA. It’s a world where the President stops even bothering to hide the fact that America is ruled by corporations; a world where the next generation declares: enough. The series follows two young women, Sera and Pru, heiresses to their industrialist fathers’ empires, who come to learn the patriarchs of their families earned their fortunes by causing global suffering, and then decide to go to war against their own parents.

BILLIONAIRE KILLERS is a standalone, ongoing comic book series that expands on YOUNG TERRORISTS, the acclaimed comic by Pizzolo and artist Amancay Nahuelpan. “You can think of BILLIONAIRE KILLERS as YOUNG TERRORISTS: YEAR ONE, but it also completely works as an altogether new narrative. If there’s one thing we’ve learned in the past 5 years at Black Mask it’s that readers love wild, fearless, passionate comics, and that’s what Soo Lee and I are aiming for here.”

In addition to the debut of BILLIONAIRE KILLERS, 2018 will also see the return of CALEXIT, the acclaimed comic book series by Pizzolo and artist Amancay Nahuelpan, which sparked international headlines and acclaim in 2017. Following a hiatus, CALEXIT returns on February 14 with the release of the much anticipated second issue as well as a new, third printing of the debut issue which features a cover by Ashley A. Woods. “Issue 2 is our Valentine’s Day love letter to Trump just when he’s declaring war on California,” said Pizzolo. “And then, in March, with issue three, we will bring the first CALEXIT storyline to an explosive close.”

In CALEXIT, the citizens of California struggle to seize power back from an autocratic government after a fascistic President takes over the United States. “From its history as a breakaway state with the Bear Flag Revolt to becoming the home of rebel fiction like Star Wars and NWA, California has represented the spirit of resistance for almost two hundred years. The first arc of CALEXIT tells the tale of a U.S. President going to war against the Golden State, and, with California being the fifth largest economy on Earth, things escalate pretty quick. Although we conceived this story back before the 2016 election, California’s defiance of Trump’s policies and the Trump Administration’s new policy war against California has us scrambling to keep our speculative adventure a step ahead of the real world.”

The third printing of CALEXIT issue 1 by writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Amancay Nahuelpan, featuring a cover by Ashley A. Woods,  goes on sale on February 14, 2018.

CALEXIT issue 2 by Pizzolo and Nahuelpan goes on sale on February 14, 2018.

CALEXIT issue 3, by Pizzolo and Nahuelpan, the conclusion of the series’ first story arc, will be published on March 14, 2018.

BILLIONAIRE KILLERS issue 1, by writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Soo Lee, is 36 pages and will retail for $3.99 when it goes on sale on March 28, 2018. BILLIONAIRE KILLERS issue 1 will have 3 covers — by Soo Lee, Alexis Ziritt and Amancay Nahuelpan.

 

Mirror, Mirror: Ranking Season 4 Of ‘Black Mirror’

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It is difficult to rate a series that set a new standard for television. This is a show that debuted out of the gate with a Prime Minister making sweet love to a pig. This is a show that other shows reference.

In essence, Black Mirror is quite simply one of the best series on the small screen right now. Probably ever.

This is because the sci-fi-er successfully walks the line between real life and the not-so-distant future with is both terrifying, yet so close to actually happening thanks to modern technology, that it makes us squirm in our Tweets.

And unlike its predecessor The Twilight Zone, Friday The  13th: The Series, Tales from the Crypt, or any other anthology show in which people were taught valuable lessons thanks to objects and trends in modern society, not everyone who is punished is an asshole. Some are innocents. Others are just attempting to survive.

It can be very hard to watch. But that is where the best television can come from: a place that sits uncomfortably on the line between entertainment and cringy.

Yes, Black Mirror deserves every accolade it deserves…but that isn’t to say it isn’t without the occasional miss.

For every “Nosedive” (Season 3, Episode 1), there is a “The Waldo Moment” (Season 2, Episode 3). And for every “San Junipero” (Season 3, Episode 4) there is a “Men Against Fire” (Season 3, Episode 5).

From someone who watched every episode of Black Mirror several times, as well as The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Tales from the Crypt AND Freddie’s Nightmares, here is a ranked of the season four’s episodes, best to worst:

Um. Spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned.  Artwork via Butcher Billy

 

1.  “USS Callister” (Episode 1)

 

The fourth season begins with a bang as fan fiction takes a dark and twisted turn when geek-by-day Robert Daley (Jesse Plemons) uses his coworkers as inspiration in his online simulation. The Star Trek-esque costumes and bright colors are just a facade for the horror of the reality, in which the online bully is actually trapping their very, very real consciousness forever in an endless loop of shitty sets, badly scripted dialogue and horrible abuse at the hands of their captain.

 

2.  “Hang the DJ” (Episode 4)

 

Tinder, Grindr, Plenty of Fish, J-Date, Coffee Meets Bagel…how far are you willing to go to meet the perfect soul mate? Are you willing to settle down with a person you despise for a year with the hope that the next match is perfect? How about give up the perfect soulmate after a brief 12 hour date?

Frank (Joe Cole) and Amy (Georgina Campbell) meet through a dating “program,” and while it isn’t exactly perfect, there is something there. But they much wallow through a complicated system of set dinners and co-habitations and mindless sex with strangers to get to each other once again in this futuristic dating app that combines Happn with AirBnB and possibly Grubhub.

 

3. “Arkangel” (Episode 2)

 

Kids today will never get chicken pox, never know reruns or sit through endless commercials during Saturday morning cartoons. They will never know Saturday morning cartoons. They will never try to unscramble porn from Cinemax late at night or have urban legends about the scary house at the end of the block. They will never ride in the back of a pick up.

Maybe this is an exaggeration.

But let’s say it’s not. “Arkangel” looks at this further with the idea of tracking devices in children, monitoring not only their whereabouts, but what they see and process, and how that sheltering will help or hinder them.

And more importantly, what will happen to those children when they are no longer little…

Rosemarie DeWitt stars as a mother we all know and understand, yet struggle to like.

 

4. “Black Museum” (Episode 6)

 

The final episode is a mini trilogy of horror that wraps everything in a nice little bow. Three fun little stories of horror mixing technology with the old proverb, “Arrogance is knowledge minus wisdom.” A story about a doctor who can feel the pain of his patients, the tragic tale of a coma patient give a second chance and the account of a man who sells his soul are all bookended in a sideshow attraction of the Black Museum.

A fun episode, but lacks the moral center and heart of other Black Mirror episodes.

 

5.  “Crocodile” (Episode 3)

 

Andrea Riseborough plays a woman whose past won’t remain buried in the third episode of the fourth season. And while it has a promising beginning, the violence of the episode soon becomes the focus of the episode instead of the technology, overshadowing lessons learned and becoming more and more absurd as the episode progresses.

In the end, the more endearing and fascinating parts of “Crocodile” are eliminated and the audience is left with nothing to cling to in as far as character development and drama.

 

6. ”Metalhead” (Episode 4)

 

Director David Slade’s vision of the future in the fourth episode of Black Mirror fourth season was dark, dystopian and beautiful.

At first.

Filled with fear and flight, this vision of the future showed a group of survivor on the run from “dogs,” metal robots with a single mission: Kill. Them. All.

And there is only one way to survive. Run.

The journey at first is astounding. From the escape to the small battles.

However…

That final scene.

Oy.

It ruins the whole episode and renders the plot absurd.

I would rather just not know.

 

‘Paddington 2’ (review)

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Produced by David Heyman
Written by Paul King, Simon Farnaby
Based on Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
Directed by Paul King
Starring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins,
Brendan Gleeson, Julie Walters,
Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi,
Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw

 

In 2014, the first film about Michael Bond’s lovable, jam-obsessed bear managed to impress both audiences and critics alike with its sincere charm and heartwarming themes. As everyone knows, a sequel rarely lives up to the original, and it was therefore understandable that many would have low expectations when settling into their seats for the bear’s second set of adventures in London. However, for those who have already had the opportunity to see Paddington 2, the general consensus is thankfully that the sequel not only lives up to its predecessor, it does, in fact, also surpass it.

From the beginning of the film, director Paul King continues in the same playful, slapstick vein of the first film. Ben Whishaw also continues to prove that he is the perfect choice to voice the eponymous bear, and all the recurring characters are as welcome a sight as they should be. However, once we have been reminded of the things that made the first film so enjoyable, the main storyline comes into full effect, and it is at this point that Paddington 2 truly reveals itself as something very special.

Much like the first film succeeded due to the sincerity of its charming narrative – which  prevented it from falling victim to relying on the kind of schmaltz so often overused in family films to provoke a response – the greatest strength of Paddington 2 is that very same sincerity of the original. Without relying on emotional manipulation, the sequel is brimming with warmth thanks to the combined efforts of the talent both behind and in front of the camera being committed to competently bringing the essence of the endearing source material to life.

As previously mentioned, one is once again thankful that Colin Firth volunteered to step down to allow Ben Whishaw portray the Peruvian furball, however, another standout is Hugh Grant in the role of a self-obsessed, has-been actor. Stating that Grant is superb at portraying a failed actor may sound like a snarky dig, but the enthusiasm with which he portrays this character only attests to his talent and wit. Brendan Gleeson also has great fun portraying the initially intimidating Knuckles McGinty, however, the entire ensemble of prisoners during the films lengthy time spent in jail make this portion of the film so engaging that it is rather unsurprising that it has earned Paddington 2 the nickname The Pawshank Redemption.

Aside from its unadultered Paddington-esque qualities causing equally amusing and charming set pieces and character arcs, the moment our furry protagonist lands himself in jail is also where the technical aspects of the film truly shine. While the film as a whole is brightly colored comfort food for the eyes, the prison sequences are on another level; with visuals reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, the craftsmanship applied showcases the kind of stunningly beautiful work that elevates a film when set decoration, cinematography and color grading all come together perfectly.

The family film has always been an incredibly tricky genre to master, as achieving a balance that ensures a film can engage and entertain across all ages for the duration of its runtime is an ungrateful task. With more misses than hits in this genre not only in general but also in recent memory, Paddington 2 is therefore a remarkable feat as it manages to tick all the boxes, both in terms of technical aspects and narrative strength. And I am not ashamed to admit that the film is so utterly charming and compelling that I would frankly feel inclined to take Paddington’s example and give anyone who disagrees a very hard stare indeed.

Verdict: 10 out of 10.

 

‘Murder on the Orient Express’ Arrives on 4K UHD, Blu-ray & DVD on 2/27; Digital HD on 2/20

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Everyone has a past. Everyone has a secret. Everyone is a suspect. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents the ultimate case of whodunit when MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS arrives on Digital February 20 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD February 27.

Kenneth Branagh directs and leads an all-star cast, including Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench and Leslie Odom, Jr., in this stylish, suspenseful and thrilling mystery based on the best selling novel by Agatha Christie. Everyone’s a suspect when a murder is committed on a lavish train ride, and a brilliant detective must race against time to solve the puzzle before the killer strikes again. MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is a timeless classic that “will keep audiences guessing” (Peter Debruge, Variety).

Produced by Branagh along with Ridley Scott (Alien: Covenant), Simon Kinberg (Logan), Mark Gordon (Molly’s Game), Judy Hofflund (As You Like It) and Michael Schaefer (The Martian), MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is loaded with bonus material that dives into the making of the film including an eight-part documentary, eleven deleted scenes, commentary by Branagh and much more.

4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD BONUS FEATURES
  • Agatha Christie: An Intimate Portrait
  • Let’s Talk About Hercule Poirot
  • Unusual Suspects (Part One, Two and Three)
  • The Art of Murder
  • All Aboard: Filming Murder on the Orient Express
  • Music of Murder
  • Deleted Scenes (with and without Commentary by Kenneth Branagh and Michael Green)
    • Alternate Opening
    • Newsreel (Extended)
    • Breakfast
    • Hotel Check-In
    • Arasta Bazaar (Extended)
    • Train Montage
    • Departure
    • Poirot Bedtime Rituals (with two alternates)
    • Pierre Michel Interview
    • Luggage
    • Dreamscape
  • Director commentary by Kenneth Branagh and Michael Green
  • Theatrical Trailers
  • Gallery

 


Win ‘The Adventurers’ on Blu-ray!

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In this slick, high-stakes action-adventure, the world’s top thieves—the infamous and charismatic Zhang Dan (Andy Lau), his former partner in crime, Chen Xiao-Po (Yo Yang), and beautiful chameleon Red Ye (Shu Qi)—join forces to pull off the heist of a lifetime. But when they find themselves pursued across Europe by a legendary French detective (Jean Reno), they’ll have to take their game to the next level.

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

The Adventurers is a remake of which 1991 John Woo movie?

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

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

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on January 21st, 2018.

 

‘Mech Cadet Yu Vol. 1 Discover Now’ (review)

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Written by Greg Pak
Illustrated by Takeshi Miyazawa
Published by BOOM! Studios
ISBN-13: 978-1684151950
Released 1/10/18 / $14.99


Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot
was a 1960s TV series that I probably would have loved but to the best of my knowledge it never played in my market. With the advent of the Internet, though, I have been able to catch some episodes in recent years.

The basic premise is that there’s this giant, powerful man-shaped robot that can be completely controlled by the first person whose voice it hears.

That voice turns out to belong to a little boy who, of course, uses him to help people and fight bad guys rather than take over the world. Great fun!

Mech Cadet Yu is also great fun! It’s not the same story by any means but one can trace a pretty direct line.

At the heart of this saga, we have the title character, Yu, who bonds with a giant space robot to fight aliens.

Actually, it’s a little more complex than that.

You see, years ago, a giant robomech arrived on Earth from who knows where and teamed with a young Boy Scout named Tanaka. Every four years now, a group of three new giant robots arrives on Earth and bonds with a young person.

In fact, by the time our story opens, it’s become pretty regimented in that there’s actually a military academy designed to prepare its cadets for the bonding.

Yu is not a cadet, though. Rather, he’s janitor. In fact, he’s more an apprentice janitor to his mother. But in the time-honored way of Androcles and the Lion or The Iron Giant, he helps one of the new giant robots and it chooses him rather than the cadet who trained for it!

The story then moves rapidly along as we see the training of the cadets, the return of Tanaka, the return of the giant alien monsters, and the first home grown robomech.

Paced for the long haul, though, each issue is a mostly self-contained part of a bigger story that’s only starting to reveal itself in these first four issues and Greg Pak’s writing is right on target.

Takeshi Miyazawa’s art and storytelling are not so much manga-inspired as they are anime-inspired. His robots remind me a bit also of the many robots from England’s various 2000AD series. Yu, himself, choosing to wear his old red cap even after becoming a cadet, perhaps purposely bears more than a passing resemblance to Ash from Pokémon.

Continuing the recent trend of the best comics these days coming from anyone BUT Marvel or DC, I’d say it would be tough for any reader of any age not to enjoy this series but anime fans, Iron Giant fans, and old-fashioned kaiju fans like myself will get even more out of it.

Booksteve recommends.

 

Graphic Breakdown: ‘The Divided States of Hysteria’, ‘Bingo Love’ and ‘Incognegro’ Are Pure Comic Magic

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Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Friday! Let’s review some amazing books starting with one of my favorites of the last year.

 

The Divided States of Hysteria Volume One
Written and Illustrated By Howard Chaykin
Published by Image Comics

Howard Chaykin is one of the best creators this industry has ever had.

He’s been great for years. And this book is one of the best of his career.

He’s not afraid to keep trying or reaching with his work and the results are staggering.

In this book, there is a major terrorist attack and an even bigger looming threat. A man who failed at preventing the big attack is now charged with recruiting a team to combat the next one. Problem is, they are all misfits prone to extreme violence. Can this ragtag team save the world?

There was a lot of controversy surrounding this book when it came out.

Ignore it.

Follow the story instead.

Read it.

Chaykin’s writing is the sharpest it’s ever been. His art is great and expressive too. I’m glad he’s out there still pushing things.

And with the promise of the third book of Time2 coming this year (finally) we have a lot to look forward to from Chaykin.

RATING: A

 

Bingo Love OGN
Written by Tee Franklin
Illustrated by Jenn St-Onge
Published by Image Comics

This was absolutely wonderful! I didn’t know this book even existed and then I read it and was completely moved. Tee Franklin has written one of my favorite books I read this week and I’ll have to revisit it again. It’s lovely!

Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray meet at church bingo in 1963. These two fall in love immediately. They are forced apart by their families and by the society at the time.

Later on in their lives while in their mid-60s, they find each other again. They then realize that they still love one another. And then they take steps to be actually be together.

The writing is strong and heartbreaking. It wins you over within the first few pages and keeps you there. The art compliments the writing quite well.

I loved this.

Buy it immediately. This one is a keeper.

RATING: A

 

Bonehead #1
Written by Bryan Hill
Illustrated by Rhoald Marcellius
Published by Image Comics

Bryan Hill is a fairly decent writer. I’ve been reading more and more of his work and it’s not half bad. It’s a techno-thriller that actually works pretty well.

This book takes place in the near future.

There is a rise in activity from the Boneheads. The Boneheads use a wacky helmet to enhance their parkour like abilities. Then a gang war starts erupting.

It is now up to one mysterious Bonehead to quell this gang war.

The story by Hill is quite fun. He gets a lot of information into this one issue but it never drags or overwhelms you. The art is fairly cool too.

Overall, this a nice debut.

I’ll be reading to see where it goes.

RATING: B

 

Elsewhere, Vol. 1
Written by Jay Faerber
Illustrated by Sumeyye Kesgin
Published by Image Comics

Man, I wanted to like this book.

It had such an interesting concept. Sadly, Faerber never really has thrilled me as a writer.

I felt like this this book was trying to be clever the entire time, but fell dangerously short.

Faerber’s story boasts to show what really happened to Amelia Earheart!

She has been transported to a crazy new world with flying beasts and aliens. Amelia spends the book desperately trying to escape this world.

And sadly, so did I.

The art doesn’t help the cause. It was a little too cartoony for my tastes.

This could have been much more interesting. Sadly, it didn’t work for me as much as I had wanted it to.

At least they tried.

RATING: C-

 

Incognegro: A Graphic Mystery (New Edition)
Written by Mat Johnson
Illustrated by Warren Pleece
Published by Dark Horse Comics

This was one hell of a strong book.

Congrats to Dark Horse for re-publishing it and to Mat Johnson for writing it. I read this years ago from Vertigo and loved it. It’s a book that’s timeless.

In the early 20th century, there was a time when African-American men could “pass” as white folks due to the light color of their skin. Zane Pinchback, a reporter, goes to investigate the arrest of his own brother.

His brother was charged with the murder of a white woman. A mob is forming.

Can he go undercover long enough to solve this horrible crime and save his brother?

Johnson is one hell of a writer. And Pleece is an amazing artist. I’d even call him an elder statesman. I love this book. Buy it and cherish it.

RATING: A

 

Incognegro: Renaissance #1
Written by Mat Johnson
Illustrated by Warren Pleece
Published by Dark Horse Comics

To finish up the week, we have a new Incognegro series. This series brings Zane Pinchback into a new series. It starts off just as good as the first book. I am glad this is coming out.

A black writer is found at a scandalous interracial party dead. Zane is determined to solve the murder. All he has is a mysterious manuscript to go on. Well that and a beautiful woman as a murder witness. But can she even be trusted?

This issue gets off to a rousing start.

I said it in the previous review but Pleece is damn awesome.

Ten years has gone by since the previous installment but he hasn’t missed a beat. In fact, he may be better. I can’t wait to see where this series goes. I know I’m in good hands.

RATING: A

Disney•Pixar’s ‘COCO’ Arrives on 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray on 2/27; Digital HD and Movies Anywhere on 2/13

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Disney•Pixar’s “Coco”—the story of a 12-year-old aspiring musician’s extraordinary journey to the magical land of his ancestors—won a 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Motion Picture, topped the domestic box office Thanksgiving holiday weekend, became the highest grossing film of all time in Mexico, broke records in China and earned widespread praise, receiving 96 percent from critics and 97 percent from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Now this vibrant tale filled with love and laughter arrives home Digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD and on Movies Anywhere on Feb. 13, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand on Feb. 27.

In Disney•Pixar’s “Coco,” Pixar Animation Studios’ 19th feature film, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt)—despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Héctor (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.

The voice cast of “Coco” includes characters from the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead. From the Land of the Living, Anthony Gonzalez (“Ice Box,” TNT’s “The Last Ship”) lends his voice to Miguel, Renée Victor (“Weeds,” “The Apostle”) provides the authoritative voice of Abuelita, and Jaime Camil (CW’s “Jane the Virgin,” Disney Junior’s “Elena of Avalor,” “The Secret Lives of Pets”) is the voice of Papá. Lombardo Boyar (“Happy Feet,” TNT’s “Murder in the First”) voices a town mariachi, and Ana Ofelia Murguía is the voice of Miguel’s cherished great-grandmother Mamá Coco. Sofía Espinosa (“Gloria”) provides the voice of Miguel’s loving Mamá, and Luis Valdez (“Which Way Is Up,” director “La Bamba” and “The Cisco Kid”) lends his voice to Tío Berto, Miguel’s hardworking uncle.

From the Land of the Dead, Gael García Bernal (Amazon’s “Mozart in the Jungle”) helps bring to life charming trickster Héctor, Benjamin Bratt (Fox’s “Star,” “Doctor Strange”) is the voice of Miguel’s idol Ernesto de la Cruz, and Alanna Ubach (“Meet the Fockers,” Bravo’s “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce”) provides the voice of Miguel’s great-great-grandmother Mamá Imelda. Alfonso Arau (“¡Three Amigos!” director/ producer “Like Water for Chocolate,” director “A Walk in the Clouds”) is the voice of Miguel’s late great-grandfather Papá Julio, Herbert Siguenza (“Larry Crowne,” “Ben 10: Alien Swarm”) lends his voice to both Tío Oscar and Tío Felipe, Miguel’s late identical twin uncles, and Gabriel Iglesias (“Planes,” “The Nut Job,” “The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature”) lends his voice to the Clerk. Natalia Cordova-Buckley (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D”) provides the voice of legendary artist Frida Kahlo, Selene Luna (“My Bloody Valentine,” “Celebrity Wife Swap”) voices Miguel’s aunt Tía Rosita, and Edward James Olmos (“Blade Runner,” “Stand and Deliver”) lends his voice to Chicharrón.

Also lending their voices are Carla Medina, Dyana Ortelli, Blanca Araceli, Salvador Reyes, Cheech Marin, Octavio Solis and John Ratzenberger.

Directed by Lee Unkrich (“Toy Story 3”) and co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist “Monsters University”) from a script by Molina and Matthew Aldrich (“Spinning Man”). Darla K. Anderson (“Toy Story 3”) produces, and John Lasseter is executive producer. “Coco” features an original score from Oscar®-winning composer Michael Giacchino (“Up,” “Rogue One”), a song by Oscar winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (“Frozen”), and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco (“Dope,” “Shovel Buddies”) and Molina. Also part of the team is musical consultant Camilo Lara of the music project Mexican Institute of Sound, as well as cultural consultants Lalo Alcaraz, Marcela Davison Avilés and Octavio Solis.

Through fresh and fascinating bonus material, adventurers of all ages will tag along with filmmakers as they soak in Día de los Muertos in Mexico; explore the essential role of music in “Coco;” and learn how the cast and crew personally connect with the film’s message. They’ll step behind the scenes to discover the inspiration behind the film’s creative costuming; Miguel’s beautifully complicated family; Dante the loyal Xolo dog; and the stunning worlds of both the dead and the living. Features also include deleted scenes, insightful filmmaker commentary, the music of Coco and more.

“Coco” is packaged several ways to ensure viewers get the most out of their in-home viewing experience. The Multi-screen Edition (formerly the Blu-ray Combo Pack) includes Blu-ray, DVD and a Digital copy, giving viewers the flexibility to watch the film on different devices. Those with 4K Ultra HD capability may opt for Digital 4K Ultra HD or the 4K UHD Combo Pack, which includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray and a Digital copy. 4K Ultra HD provides four times the resolution of HD, bringing the rich color, textures and sounds to life and immersing viewers in two fantastically animated worlds. Dolby Atmos audio heightens the memorable score created by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino and his 83-piece orchestra, as well as original songs like “Remember Me” by the Oscar-winning team behind “Frozen,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

BONUS FEATURES

Blu-ray & Digital:

  • Deleted Scenes with Introductions – Director Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina talk about the deleted scenes and the part they played in the development of “Coco.”
    • Día de los Muertos – In this musical extravaganza, the colors and excitement of Día de los Muertos come to life as we meet superstar Ernesto de la Cruz.
    • The Way of the Riveras – A musical number in which Abuelita and Miguel prepare their Día de los Muertos celebration while she teaches him Rivera family history and traditions.
    • Celebrity Tour – Héctor, a Land of the Dead tour bus guide, agrees to help Miguel, revealed to be a living boy, on his quest to find de la Cruz.
    • The Bus Escape – The Rivera family catches up to Miguel and Héctor and attempts to halt their mission to find de la Cruz.
    • Alebrije Attack – Miguel and Héctor are interrupted on their journey to find de la Cruz by a fierce alebrije.
    • The Family Fix – After de la Cruz reveals his true colors, the Rivera family puts their dismay aside and comes together to repair the smashed guitar needed to send Miguel home.
    • To the Bridge – As the Land of the Dead counts down to the end of Día de los Muertos, Miguel and de la Cruz come head-to-head on the marigold bridge.
  • Filmmaker Commentary – Presented by Lee Unkrich (director), Adrian Molina (co-director) and Darla K. Anderson (producer).
  • The Music of “Coco” – Collaborating with musicians of Mexico and some unique instrumentation, this documentary explores the beautiful fusion of music essential to the story of “Coco.”
  • Paths to Pixar: “Coco” – Explore how the film crew’s personal stories resonate with the themes of the movie itself.
  • Welcome to the Fiesta – A musical exploration of the skeletons that make the Land of the Dead in “Coco” so wondrous and intriguing.
  • How to Draw a Skeleton – Pixar artist Daniel Arriaga gives a lesson on the quick and easy way to draw skeletons using simple shapes.
  • A Thousand Pictures a Day – Join the “Coco” crew on an immersive travelogue through Mexico, visiting families, artisans, cemeteries, and small villages during the Día de los Muertos holiday.
  • Mi Familia – Developing the Riveras was a labor of love that took the cast and crew on a deep dive into the meaning of family.
  • Land of Our Ancestors – Watch Pixar artists lovingly construct layer upon layer of architecture from many eras of Mexican history, bringing the Land of the Dead to life.
  • Fashion Through the Ages – The cast of characters in “Coco” are from many different eras, making for some magnificent costuming opportunities.
  • The Real Guitar – The majestic guitar that spurs Miguel on his journey through the Land of the Dead is a unique creation. Watch as it is initially designed by a Pixar artist and ultimately realized as a real instrument by a master luthier in this poetic ode to craftsmanship.
  • Dante – How the crew fell in love with the uniquely Mexican breed of Xoloitzcuintli (or “Xolo”) dogs that inspired Dante.
  • How to Make Papel Picado – Join Pixar artist Ana Ramírez González as we learn how papel picado is made traditionally, and then try your own approach to this beautiful art form.
  • Un Poco “Coco” – A montage of original animated pieces used to promote “Coco.”
  • “Coco Trailers” – Trailers include “Feeling,” “Dante’s Lunch,” “Destiny,” “Journey” and “Belong.”

DVD:

  • Filmmaker Commentary
  • Dante

 

For more details visit movies.disney.com/coco

 

‘Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave And The Bold’ (review)

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Zoinks! Boy, am I glad one of my favorite iterations of The Bat is back on my TV screen, even if he’s caught up with some meddling kids! That’s right, Batman: Brave and The Bold has been revived for a crossover with Scooby-Doo. Who out there can forget our childhood team-ups in The New Scooby-Doo Movies: “The Dynamic Scooby Doo Affair” and “The Caped Crusader Caper”?

Batman: The Brave and The Bold welcomed the Mystery Inc. gang on to his show as well back in 2011 with the chaotic “Bat-Mite Presents: Batman’s Strangest Cases”! But enough of the history lesson, there are cameos here galore, Bat-Easter Eggs and more in store for you on the latest movie!

We open on an abandoned movie theatre and Mystery Inc. setting a trap for a G-G-G-ghost when Batman (Diedrich Bader) drops in on the kids! Of course this is just Bats testing their mettle under pressure.

Batman asks the Scooby and the Mystery Inc. gang to join the ‘Mystery Analysts of Gotham’ alongside Black Canary, Plastic Man, The Question, Detective Chimp and Martian Manhunter. B: TBATB favorite Aquaman (John DiMaggio) also sneaks in to the meeting with an impressive Inspector Clouseau impersonation.

Longtime Gotham policeman Harvey Bullock is also on the case with a Mike Ditka accent this time around.

As you can expect, there are lots of Scooby tropes mixed in with the Sock-O Brave and The Bold Bat-Action. We’re treated to a food fight between Shaggy & Scooby vs. Harley & Ivy at the Blackgate cafeteria that they have to eat their way out of. Fred predictably goes gaga over Black Canary, Velma (Kate Micucci) matches wits with Detective Chimp and Daphne is a whiz at word scrambles, helping to crack the big case in the end.

We’re treated also to a bizarre looking CGI Joker mobile and Brave and The Bold‘s Dick Sprang style Joker as well as Penguin, Catman and a slew of other Batman rogues from the Blackgate breakout.

This movie is fun, fun, fun and like the best BATB stories does not take itself too seriously. Merging the two universes of Bater’s take on a campy ’66 Batman with the writing on the wall to solve this mystery with Scooby and the gang is a wild ride in the Mystery Machine!

Martian Manhunter is someone that’s getting in on the snack action with Shag and Scoob while hardline Bullock is after crime and blames it on Batman. This all leads up to a third act that has all you would ever want from a Ruby-Spears production. We get an epic montage, two or three Sixth Sense reveals at the end, and Scooby being the hero with the final boss.

In a throwaway line early in the movie, Velma is trying to winnow down her choices for the biggest mystery of all — who in Gotham is The Batman? Perhaps it was the time they spent in the Batcave with the dinosaur, giant penny and purple gloves that got her wheels turning, but you will have to tune in to find out if the mystery is solved.

I sorely miss Batman: The Brave and The Bold, so this was a nice shot in the arm. Aquaman’s outrageousness, the cool Batmobile and even the appearance of some classic Batfamily characters and toys want me to start a petition! Sadly, I don’t see a renewal on the horizon but this Batman existing in the DC Animation department for full length movies is something I can sign off on.

Sure, Scooby is great and all, and he also tickles my stoner nostalgia funny bone, but just like Scooby Snacks, everything is better with Batman.

Keep your eyes peeled for more easter eggs like a certain bumbling policeman from Mayberry and the main villain’s first appearance in issue form at some point in the movie. If you are like me, watch this with a notepad out like Velma to see if you can figure out Gotham’s latest caper, Batman’s last unsolved case in Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

 

Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave And The Bold
is now available on DVD and On Demand.

 

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