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FOG! Visits The DC Exhibition: Dawn of Super Heroes

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As Marvel continues to tighten its triumphant, Disney-funded grip on the mainstream entertainment industry since introducing the MCU a decade ago, DC Comics has not been able to match its competitor’s cinematic success in recent years.

Aside from the remarkable and well-deserved success of last year’s Wonder Woman, DC is currently struggling to achieve that essential combination of sincerely compelling storytelling and sufficiently marketable content that ensures mainstream success.

However, while the DCEU may have been falling behind in terms of the current cinematic landscape, one does not have to look too far back in time to be reminded that DC Comics used to dominate the superhero blockbuster genre when it was still considered a somewhat niche subgenre of mainstream movie entertainment.

Of course, it was not only the movie industry where DC long managed to sustain its appeal thanks to the efforts of cinematic greats such as Donner, Burton and Nolan. Laying a modest but solid foundation in 1935, what we now know as DC Comics is perceived as the originator of the comic book medium, and its first major superhero remains one of the greatest pop culture icons of all time.

That superhero is of course Superman, and the first section of the exhibition is therefore fittingly dedicated to the Man of Steel.

Joe Shuster’s cover to Action Comics #1 (1938), the first appearance of Superman.

From the beginning of the exhibition, where a timeline chronicles the milestones of DC Comics, various elements of the exhibition are accompanied by carefully researched audio guide points. This audio guide was something that curator Jean-Jacques Launier was particularly involved in, as he wanted to ensure that the visitors see the exhibition as not merely an impressive collection of a wide array of DC Comics memorabilia from the past eight decades, but also as a thoughtful presentation of what heroes such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman symbolize on a deeper level.

“As you may know, my wife and I run the Art Ludique museum, and we do this because we want to show large audiences that behind what they love in blockbusters, video games or animation, there are amazing artists. Everything starts with a drawing and it creates a connection to the history of art. If the greats of art history were alive today, I’m sure they would be involved in the movie industry or animation, and so the purpose of both the museum as well as this exhibition is to show that all art is connected.”

Launier’s passion and expertise has previously resulted in exhibitions of the art of Marvel, Pixar, Walt Disney and Ardman, and his commitment is also evident from the Dawn of Superheroes exhibition. Considering the scope and variety of the things currently on display at the large exhibition at The O2 in Greenwich in Southeast London, it comes as no surprise that Launier spent three years bringing together so many different types of art and memorabilia from many different collections, just as ensuring to properly contextualize the pieces and their sociological importance was also essential to curating the exhibition.

Jaime Jones digital concept art painting for Man of Steel

“I think DC Comics is very important because they created the genre and the superhero world. I of course know the story and the characters quite well and what they bring to fashion, to design, to pop art, to street art, to television and, of course, to movies. We wanted to explain that and we wanted to connect audiences with the art to show that not only is it art, but there is also a sociological aspect, which is very important. For example, in the audio guide, we explain that Superman was created by two teenagers who were sons of immigrants, and Superman himself is an immigrant who comes from a destroyed world. So, we are explaining the sociology – we’re even quoting Nietzsche and his definition of ‘super’ to further contextualize this aspect – but we don’t want to be boring, we just want to show to the audience that it’s much more than guys fighting and colourful costumes; it’s a reflection of our society.“

Maquette for Tim Burton’s unproduced Superman Lives starring Nic Cage.

As one moves through the impressive collection of precious Superman paraphernalia showcasing his many incarnations in various media – yes, even the conceptual art for that infamous Nicolas Cage-led Superman Lives, which for better or worse never came to fruition, is featured at the exhibition – this is but a taster of the cornucopia of content the exhibition has to offer.

Bob Kane’s cover to Detective Comics #27 (1939), the first appearance of Batman.

The Batman portion of the exhibition is easily the largest section in terms of the number of impressive artefacts from just about every incarnation of Batman you can think of from the comics to the 1960’s TV series, Batman: The Animated Series and of course the many films, and the 90 minutes people are expected to spend at the exhibition on average seems like a modest estimation as there are so many details to explore and relish. Considering the extent of the Batman section, Launier has of course also carefully considered what makes Batman an essential part of the Trinity.

Batman statue from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.

“Whereas Superman was introduced as a kind of god, Batman is merely a man, so he’s important because he is a man that becomes a superhero by his own hand, which makes a lot of sense in a sociological context as well. Then there’s Wonder Woman who is special in that she is not copying the other superheroes, she is not copying the men. She is a goddess, and that is important from a feminist perspective because she is not trying to copy the male superhero; she is her own entity. I think that’s really what makes the trinity so dynamic; Superman is a kind of god coming from a destroyed planet, Batman is only a man, and Wonder Woman is goddess with her own unique set of abilities.”

Digital concept art by Jaime Jones of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

Someone who has also had a distinct impact on the exhibition is Academy Award-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming. While Hemming has not been a part of curating the exhibition, she is still a noteworthy part of it thanks to the impressive amount of creations she has on display because of her extensive work for directors Christopher Nolan and Patty Jenkins. Much like Launier wants to ground the world of superheroes in the real world, Hemming also relies on a realistic approach when designing.

“I think your brief in costume designing for superheroes is to try to come up with something new for people to look at because the expectation of the world of superhero films has become to make things that are new to look at, and your job is to think of what’s going on in the modern world and how you can take stuff from that and apply it to stories and characters that were written so many years ago.”

One of the ways that Hemming applied this approach was when designing the costume for Heath Ledger’s Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight where one of her main concerns was to come up with a character wardrobe that would make the 2008 version of the most well-known of Batman’s many colorful foes stand out from his previous incarnations on screens big and small.

“When you look at Jack Nicholson’s Joker, that was what was acceptable then, so you have to think about what younger people would be willing to accept now. Since I don’t think they would accept the clown that is the derivation of Jack Nicholson, I started thinking who nowadays has replaced the role of the clown or the beau or the dandy or a person like that, and that’s how I approached it. I was looking at people like Keith Richards, Johnny Depp, Iggy Pop and especially people like Pete Doherty, who is a kind of dandy, and tried to incorporate that into the character as well.”

The superhero that Hemming is currently focusing on, which also happens to be the one that most interviewers are most interested to hear more about, is of course Wonder Woman.

H.G. Peter’s cover to Sensation-Comics #1 (1942), the first appearance of Wonder Woman.

“My favorite costumes are the world of the Amazons because they were the most mad fun to create, but I’m also really interested in reality, and so I did enjoy very much creating all the beautiful costumes as well as all the scruffy, old, tragic costumes of the people in the trenches; it was just really wonderful and I couldn’t get bored on that film, ever.”

Having already helped bring the world of the Amazons as well as the more traditional period pieces required to bring early 20th century London and Europe to life, Hemming is currently working on Wonder Woman 2. Due to be released in 2019, the costume designer notes that her profession is increasingly relying on additional tools to help increase the efficiency and speed of their work.

“I can draw, so I have all kinds of different drawings on display here, but what we have now is a concept artist and I also always have an illustrator. What happens is that I draw a drawing and then they take the body of the actor and interpret what you’re doing onto that, or else you give them a drawing and ask them to draw with the computer so that the drawings you’re producing can be shared with the director and you can get feedback, and that is very much wanted by directors now.”

However, the technological advances in costume design do not stop there, as additional modern technology is increasingly being used to dress our silver screen superheroes.

“For Wonder Woman 2, we will be doing 3D printing, so every day I’m working with the guys that take a drawing and turn it into a 3D model in the computer. We then print that out as an experiment in mannequin size so we can see whether what we’re drawing will work or not. They also use the 3D information to produce actual tactile things that we can place on the form of the actor so you can look at how it works on them.”

The use of these techniques and technology seems particularly beneficial when one takes into account that while the creative juices may run more freely when dealing with the fantastical world of superheroes, there are other restrictions to be considered due to the heroic action unfolding.

“You have to think practically because of all the things they may be called upon to do like jumping off buildings, jumping out of aeroplanes or falling in the sea. You have to apply your design abilities in order to create something that might actually work, but also you have to think of all the stunt people and all of the repeats of the costume, so you’re limited in certain ways but helped in others; things have to be made perhaps to go in fire, perhaps to go in water, and it also has to be produced in maybe 50 multiples, so there are other limitations to the superhero films which aren’t to the normal domestic film.”

With Jean-Jacques Launier having carefully explained his intentions for the exhibition, as one of the artists featured, it seems only natural to ask Lindy Hemming what she thinks visitors may take away from such an abundant and varied display of all things DC Comics.

“I think that if I was a young kid and I came to see this exhibit and I went around and I could look at the correlation between the costumes, the drawings, the stories in the beginning, the fact that often all this superhero art started by being drawn by young people, not by old people, I think it would be quite inspiring to a lot of young people. The other people who would be really interested in it are the people that are interested in pursuing computer drawing and concept art and may not know that that is an option, so I think they would love it. Lastly, I just think anyone who watches comic book films or reads comics and graphic novels would like it, and I’m glad I’m in it!”

Original art from Superman Vs.Muhammad-Ali (1978) by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano

 

DC Exhibition: Dawn of Super Heroes runs until September 9th 2018
at The O2 in London, United Kingdom.

For more information and tickets please visit www.DCExhibition.co.uk

For more images from the exhibition, please click to Page 2.


Genre Films, Now With Oscars

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In this biz of show, a film genre a categorization based on its narrative elements. It’s a term carried over from literary criticism, with origins traced back to Plato and Aristotle.

A “genre film,” however, is Hollywood’s lingo for a movie that was produced to fit a particular genre, and, through the years, specifically Sci-Fi and Horror. You may have heard the term “genre film” a lot lately, as the Oscars just celebrated two of them—Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

While the later of these pulls elements from a variety of genres, including Drama, Musical, Romance, and Thriller, its sharply punctuated by the moments of pure Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction one comes to expect in a del Toro film. Get Out pulls off an intense mixture of both Horror and Comedy, but its intent is deeply rooted in scaring the crap out of you.

Oscar’s had an abhorrence to honoring “genre films” in main categories for 90 years, with nominated category exceptions like Silence of the Lamps (which actually took Best Picture), The Exorcist, Carrie, Rosemary’s Baby, Misery, and Jaws. There was no consideration (not to mention campaigning) in recent years for John Goodman’s nuanced performance in 10 Cloverfield Lane, Karyn Kusama’s expertly directed The Invitation, the keep-you-up-at-night score by Mark Korven for The Witch, nor the career defining character of Elise by Lin Shaye in any of the Insidious series.

So it’s with great surprise that the 90 year old penultimate mark of excellence in the industry, basically went to a genre film, and could have likely gone to another genre film also nominated this past year.

The irony, of course, is that genre films are big at the box-office these days, and they’re better crafted than ever. It’s catching up with Oscar, but nearly every person on that crystal-covered stage this past Sunday evening owes part of their career to a genre film.

For your consideration, here are some of the best genre films featuring this year’s Oscar contenders and winners…

 

GRETA GERWIG in THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL

Before connecting with Noah Baumbach, Gerwig was a rising star in the so-called “mumblecore” film movement. She made appearances in Joe Swanberg’s LOL, the Duplass brothers’ Baghead and took on her own film Nights and Weekends (co-written and co-directed by Joe Swanberg). But it was her brief role in Ti West’s horrific The House of the Devil where most audiences probably first caught her. Her character is essentially the P.J. Soles of the film.

 

OCTAVIA SPENCER in DRAG ME TO HELL

Octavia has credits going back to 1996, including bit parts on “Moesha,” “E.R.” and “The X-Files,” before landing her Oscar in 2012 for The Help. Though you can see her play Nurse Daniels in Rob Zombie’s perplexing remake of the sequel Halloween II, my favorite appearance of the versatile actress is in Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell as an employee of a Los Angeles bank. Incidentally, Octavia Spencer makes an appearance in Rami’s Spider-Man as a check-in girl, but that film is loaded with cameos and character actors you may have missed.

 

SAM ROCKWELL in CLOWNHOUSE

Genre film fans have loved Sam Rockwell since his breakout performance in Galaxy Quest.

Could there have been a better Zaphod Beeblebrox?

Perhaps.

But long before we loved his fearless quirky characters (he was also the “head thug” in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Rockwell made his debut in the 1989 horror film Clownhouse, which received honors at Sundance that year.

Unfortunately the ugly controversy over director Victor Salva’s conviction and incarceration for molesting Rockwell’s co-star Nathan Forrest Winters lingers over this production, but it’s worth trying to track down a copy of the film for his early performance.

 

FRANCES McDORMAND in DARKMAN

The absolutely glorious Frances McDormand made her big-screen debut in husband Joel Coen’s Blood Simple, and continues to appear (and often star) in the Coen brother output. Friend Sam Raimi collaborated with the Coens for the underrated, often unseen Crimewave, in which McDormand appears as a Nun. But it’s 1990’s Darkman where she gets her “genre film” on best.

The movie is an original superhero story born out of frustration over not being able to get rights to The Shadow or Batman. It’s also uniquely inherent to Universal’s monster-movie past, more ghoulish-vengeance based than comic book in origin. McDormand gives an early, emotional performance opposite Oscar nominee Liam Neeson. One could argue that Neeson’s become strictly a “genre film” star these days.

 

Oscar producers JENNIFER TODD & MICHAEL DE LUCA with MULTIPLE MOVIES

Image via AMPAS.

Both last year and this year’s awards ceremony was produced by the team of Jennifer Todd and Michael De Luca, veteran producers that are no strangers to “genre films” in their New Line Cinema pasts.

Starting as an assistant to Joel Silver on Tales from the Crypt, she’s known also as a producer on Idle Hands, Memento, and recently Alice Through the Looking Glass.

Michael De Luca, of course, is not only a producer, but also a writer of numerous horror films since 1987. His career’s not only in the genre, but also his heart. The fact that Oscar’s got Hollywood taking the “genre film” a little more seriously, is something he was surely geeking out over from the control booth last Sunday.

 

 

‘Dear White People Season One’ Arrives on DVD and Digital May 8

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Based on Justin Simien’s critically acclaimed film of the same name, the refreshing and thought-provoking satire Dear White People Season One arrives on DVD and Digital May 8 from Lionsgate. Set among a diverse group of students of color as they navigate a predominantly white Ivy League college, Dear White People Season One “gives you an abundance of characters to care about and entertains with its inspired, hilarious storytelling” (Entertainment Weekly). The show stars Logan Browning (TV’s “Meet the Browns,” “Hit the Floor”), Brandon P. Bell (TV’s “Insecure”), DeRon Horton (TV’s “Lethal Weapon”), Antoinette Robertson (TV’s “Heart of Dixie,” “Atlanta”), John Patrick Amedori (TV’s “Gossip Girl,” “Hindsight”), Ashley Blaine Featherson (TV’s “Glee”), and guest stars Marque Richardson (TV’s “True Blood,” “The Newsroom”), with Featherson, Richardson, and Pell reprising their original roles from the film in this timely comedy. The series is produced by Lionsgate for Netflix, and received a very rare and coveted 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Set against the backdrop of a predominantly white Ivy League university, where racial tensions bubble just below the surface, Dear White People Season One is a send-up of the now post-postracial America that tells the universal story of finding one’s own identity and forging a wholly unique path. The satirical series – which picks up where the acclaimed 2014 film by the same name left off – follows a group of Winchester University students of color as they navigate a diverse landscape of social injustice, cultural bias, political correctness (or lack thereof), and activism in the millennial age. Through its absurdist lens, Dear White People Season One leads with laughter as it utilizes biting irony, self-deprecation, and sometimes brutal honesty to hold a mirror up to the issues plaguing society today.

The series is created and executive produced by Simien (Dear White People), who also directed the first episode. Yvette Lee Bowser (TV’s “Black-ish,” “Living Single”) serves as showrunner and executive producer, with Stephanie Allain Bray (Hustle & Flow, Dear White People) and Julia Lebedev (The Dinner, Dear White People) also serving as executive producers.

The Dear White People Season One DVD and Digital special features include two never-before-seen featurettes, “Dear White People: Art as Activism” and “Filming Chapter V,” and two audio commentaries on episodes “Chapter I” and “Chapter X” with Justin Simien. “Dear White People: Art as Activism” explores the show’s multidimensional characters from the cast, showrunner, creator, and costume designer’s perspective. “Filming Chapter V” centers on the Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) directed episode, “Chapter V,” and why it’s a powerful episode meant to be discussed. The Dear White People Season One DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98.

 

DVD / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “Dear White People: Art As Activism” Featurette
  • “Filming Chapter V” Featurette
  • Audio Commentaries for Chapters I and X with Creator Justin Simien

 

For more details visit Facebook.com/DearWhitePeople

Win ‘LEGO Star Wars Freemaker Adventures Season 2’ on DVD!

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In season two of LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, the three Freemaker siblings—Rowan, Kordi and Zander—have found a new home with the Rebel fleet. But working with the Rebels in their fight to bring down the Empire brings them face to face with brutal Imperial forces, desperate Hutts, conniving Sith Lords and the Emperor’s latest plaything, M-OC.

Fans who bring home the second and final season will enjoy all 12 action-packed episodes plus five bonus shorts that follow the Freemakers as they are thrown into battle after they join up with the Rebels – including an adventure that has them embarking on a daring mission to save two of the Rebellion’s finest heroes: Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca. Bonus shorts include:

Home One
• Thrown Into Battle
• Rowan’s Secret Adventure
• Zander Freemaker, Superstar Pilot Guy
• Beware The Gamorrean Flu

LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, the Emmy-nominated animated television series on Disney XD, is set between Stars Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and stars three siblings who scour the galaxy for useful debris that they use to build new vehicles of their own design.

Rowan Freemaker is a spunky Force-sensitive 12-and-a-half-year-old with a thirst for adventure; his quick-witted older sister, Kordi, manages the family business and is the glue that holds the family together; ace pilot and charming rogue, Zander, is the oldest brother and the family’s self-proclaimed starship connoisseur; and R0-GR is their refurbished battle droid from the Clone Wars. When Rowan has visions of an ancient and powerful Jedi starship called The Arrowhead, he and his family set out on an epic quest to rebuild it so they can turn the tide of battle for the Rebellion. Together, they explore new worlds, meet new characters and Star Wars icons, and have unforgettable adventures.

And we’re giving away five copies!

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

Which original trilogy character does not appear in LEGO Star Wars Freemaker Adventures Season 2?

  • Qui-Gon Jinn
  • Wedge Antilles
  • IG-88
  • Mon Mothma

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 March 25th, 2018.

 

 

2018 SXSW Film Festival Preview

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“Analysis paralysis” is slang for an inability to make a decision.

When the condition becomes chronic, it’s known as aboulomania.

And when it involves 132 feature films screening for a week-plus in March (alongside shorts, TV episodes, virtual reality, musical and comedy performances, gaming and interactive exhibitions in a haze of relentless day drinking) it’s called the South by Southwest Conference & Festival in Austin, Texas.

Fortunately, there may be a cure for the latter condition, thanks to Forces of Geek’s 100% organic, holistic, FDA-uncertified guide to healthier viewing at SXSW 2018.

Step one begins with a quick self-assessment:  are you the kind of person who’s going to be in Austin, TX on March 17 for the closing night screening of indie auteur Wes Anderson’s new all-star stop-motion canine adventure film Isle of Dogs?  If so, that’s clearly a no-brainer, can’t miss screening (especially for fans of the director’s previous animated charmer Fantastic Mr. Fox).

But even if you won’t be there for the last day of the fest, symptoms of FOMO (fear of missing out) are simple enough to prevent in this case, since Fox Searchlight Pictures will be releasing the movie in theaters nationwide on March 23.

See?  That was easy!

One film decision down, just 131 to go!

Likewise, if you’re in Austin on March 9, the obvious SXSW screening to attend is the festival’s opening night selection, A Quiet Place, starring Emily Blunt and director John Krasinski as a couple forced to remain absolutely silent to avoid supernatural forces (or at least that’s what they tell the kids, in a strategy that may quickly go viral as the top parenting tip of 2018).

But again, FOMO is a thing you WON’T have to fear with this one, since the picture will be in wide release starting April 6.

Two down, 130 to go…

…and now, the selection process becomes a bit more difficult and strategic.  For instance, since I’m usually exhausted after hours of screenings (and…y’know, day drinking), I rarely make the festival’s annual slate of bizzaro and horror-themed “Midnighters” – though if I can somehow find the energy, the two I’d most like to see are Ghost Stories with Fargo’s Martin Freeman because, (A) Martin Freeman, (B) it’s based on an Olivier-winning stage play, and (C) when it comes to horror, I generally prefer British spooky to Blumhouse bloody (though the famously low-budget fright film producer will also be premiering a currently untitled late night offering about the ever menacing “dark web”).

But another Midnighter that caught my eye is Ajin: Demi-Human, Katsuyuki Motohiro’s live-action adaptation of a Japanese anime series, which not only has a flat-out bonkers trailer but also seems to promise enough high-adrenalin immortal demi-human on demi-human ultra-violence to keep even the sleepiest film reporter awake into the wee hours of the morning.

As for NON-graveyard shift viewing, meanwhile, here are the Top Ten Must See screenings I’ll be aiming for at SXSW 2018.

 

1.  The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned From A Mythical Man

Premise:  The title says it all in this documentary from Tommy Avallone about America’s unofficial goofball Zen master.

Must See Factor:  It’s not assuming I’m gonna go to the concession stand at this screening and suddenly discover Bill Murray behind the counter serving my popcorn…but knowing Murray, I’m also not ruling anything out.

 

2.  Damsel

Premise:  A wealthy pioneer (Robert Pattinson) travels into the lawless Old West to marry his sweetheart (Mia Wasikowska).

Must See Factor:  Ever since their indescribably weird 1997 premiere feature Plastic Utopia, David and Nathan Zellner have kept the indie flame alive in Austin with uniquely unpredictable stories and characters that are always worth checking out (plus, it’s hard to resist the surreal cognitive dissonance of one-time ultra-low-budget actors/auteurs sharing a screen with the erstwhile sparkly vampire of the mega-hit Twilight series).

 

2. Support The Girls

Premise:  An ensemble dramedy about the employees of a Hooters-style “breastaraunt”.

Must See Factor:  No, it’s not what you think (though it’s not NOT the tight tank tops).  But really, like the Zellners, the main draw here is the prospect of seeing the latest work from another SXSW (and mumblecore) veteran, writer/director Andrew Bujalski, whose character-driven indie features (including 2013’s amazing Computer Chess) are always bursting with a distinctive blend of humor, poignancy, and deep dish humanity.

 

4.  Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes

Premise:  The life of the black Superman, Muhammad Ali, relayed through a dozen-plus conversations with TV’s whitest talk show host, Dick Cavett.

Must See Factor:  Ali reading the phone book would be fascinating, but hearing him discuss his astonishing life (and the still timely issues of race and politics) with an interviewer as incisive and peculiar as Cavett is the definition of must see.

 

5.  Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story

Premise:  A documentary about the eponymous Manchester performance artist best known for performing within a papier mâché head as his alter-ego, Frank Sidebottom.

Must See Factor:  A fictionalized version of Seivey was portrayed by Michael Fassbender in Lenny Abrahamson’s Frank, one of my favorite films of 2014, so I’m intrigued to learn more about the actual man behind the mask.

 

6.  Science Fair

Premise:  High school students from around the world compete for a spot in an international science fair.

Must See Factor:  I’m always a sucker for competition documentaries (like Karaoke Fever or Spellbound) featuring interesting real people with passion and talent in pursuit of a very specific goal…plus, science!

 

7.  Hearts Beat Loud

Premise:  A Brooklyn teen (Kiersey Clemons) starts writing songs with her father (Nick Offerman) before heading off to college.

Must See Factor:  Offerman’s a charismatic dry martini in every role he plays and the premise sounds like the sweetest of sweet vermouth.

 

8.  The Gospel of Eureka

Premise:  Southern Evangelical Christians and drag queens join forces in this small town documentary.

Must See Factor:  You had me at Evangelicals and drag queens.

 

9.  Eighth Grade

Premise:  Actor/comedian Bo Burnham makes his feature directing debut with the coming of age tale of a 13-year-old girl’s final week of eighth grade.

Must See Factor:  Going through eighth grade is hell, but it’s usually pretty entertaining from a safe distance, plus any film co-starring reliable indie stalwart Josh Hamilton is usually worth a look.

 

10.  Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Premise:  Morgan Neville goes behind the sweaters to reveal the secret, sordid life of the seemingly gentle, loving TV icon, Mr. Rogers.

Must See Factor:  Apparently, there weren’t really any sordid secrets in Fred Rogers’s life, mostly just love and gentleness…and in scandal and shooting plagued America 2018, that’s a neighborhood I’d definitely love to inhabit, at least for 94 minutes or so.

 

For more details, visit SXSW.com/festivals/film

 

Graphic Breakdown: Highlights From Indie Comic Publishers

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Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Friday! So let’s talk about some books that maybe you haven’t heard of!

 

Unholy Grail TPB Vol. 1
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Mirko Colak
Published by Aftershock Comics

Cullen Bunn has quite a career going on. Everything he does is unique and well thought out.

It’s with that I jumped into this book. I was happy I did. I found it to be a well done and well constructed comic.

This book focuses on Arthur Pendragon (King Arthur) and the “true story” behind the legend.

In it, instead of it being a golden world, it is a sort of nightmare. Arthur rises to power and it’s a brutal rise to power.

But can this Arthur still do some good?

Find out here!

The book is well written. The art on it is super good. It makes for a nice package overall. Pick up this collection. It will surprise you by how damn good it is.

RATING: A-

 

Sami the Samurai Squirrel: Welcome to Woodbriar TPB
Written by Scoot McMahon
Illustrated by Scoot McMahon, Art Baltazar, Franco
Published by Action Lab Comics

Scoot McMahon has created a cute book here. It’s good for all ages as well which is a rarity it seems in comics. It’s not the greatest book ever made but it’s fun for sure.

This book focuses on the adventures of a squirrel named Sami who is also a samurai. It’s a simple premise but it works.

Sami is off to find something that has been haunting the town of Woodbriar.

But Sami may have bitten off more than he can chew.

Will he solve the mystery?

Find out here!

The story is innocent but has some nice moments. The art is simple but it doesn’t have to be anything else. Pick this book up and read it with your kids. It’s a lot of fun for sure.

RATING: B+

 

Pizzeria Kamikaze
Written by Etgar Keret
Illustrated by Asaf Hanuka
Published by Archaia

I have been waiting for a translation of this comic book forever.

I am a huge fan of Asaf Hanuka and I love his book The Realist. I have heard about this for years but gave up on ever seeing it. Now it’s here and I’m jumping for joy.

The story focuses on a guy with a broken heart who decides to commit suicide. Sadly, he ends up in the afterlife at a job at a pizzeria.

The world he is in now it sees everyone has died. Now he has to pass the time. But it’s about something more.

Some critics have said this is a slight tale. I disagree. It’s has so much more going for it. The writing is sharp and the art is very good. I recommend tracking it down and buying a copy. I certainly did.

RATING: A

 

Kabul Disco #1 : How I Managed Not to Be Abducted In Afghanistan
Written and Illustrated by Nicolas Wild
Published by Humanoids Inc

This is another book I have been hearing about for a long time yet could never get a translated copy. I’m glad they are reprinting it now as it is a rich book with excellent storytelling.

Once you read it you’ll wonder like I did where it’s been your whole life.

In 2005 Nicolas Wild was a French cartoonist who was broke and homeless. He had nothing on front of him. Then he receives an email about a paid job in Afghanistan!

So he goes!

And so the adventures begin.

This book is a great travelogue and a biography. Wild has some amazing stories that are both entertaining and crazy. His writing is great and his art is simply awesome. You need this in your collection. It’s amazing.

RATING: A

 

Shock Anthology HC
Written and Illustrated by Various
Published by Aftershock Comics

Man, I used to love this title from Caliber Comics called Negative Burn. It had the best creators doing short stories and it was wonderful.

Joe Pruett, the man behind that book, is now running Aftershock Comics and is producing this, a very similar book.

And it’s awesome.

Some stories are better than others with this. But it’s amazing. And it’s chock full of talent. I can’t even name the amount of people involved and most of it is just incredible.

The best for me was the Neil Gaiman story called “Witch Work.” Michael Zulli draws it and even though it’s short it’s amazing. Pick this up. This is well worth the price of admission.

RATING: A

 

Encounter #1
Written by Art Baltazar, Franco, and Chris Giarrusso
Illustrated by Chris Giarrusso
Published by Lion Forge and Cubhouse

I love Chris Giarrusso’s art. His stuff is just fun and enjoyable to look at. Anytime I see his art I am excited to read the book. I know it won’t be a work of art but it’ll be enjoyable enough. Such is the case with this book.

The book focuses on Encounter!

He is a alien from another planet. He can take an form he chooses.

So what does he do?

He decides to become a superhero!

Of course he does!

With his dog Barko, he goes to fight crime on the planet!

The story is light and fun. The art makes it all come together. Give it a read! It’s an enjoyable book for sure!

RATING: B

 

Mechaboys
Written and Illustrated by James Kochalka
Published by Top Shelf Productions

James Kochalka is a certified genius. He’s the kind of creator who does amazing work with every book he touches.

So it comes as no surprise to anyone that his latest is a masterpiece. This is one of the best of the year for sure.

So this book focuses on two kids who are tired of being bullied.

So what do they do?

They build a robot battle suit to take revenge on their entire high school. The problem? They then become popular!

The story is wonderful. It’s enjoyable and sweet without being condescending. The art is just perfect for this tale. Pick this up for sure. It’s a perfect book.

RATING: A

 

The Wilds #1
Written by Vita Ayala and Illustrated by Emily Pearson
Published by Black Mask Studios

Black Mask is quite the comic book publisher. They produce some of the best quality books you’re not reading.

This is another fine title from them.

After a plague wipes out the entire world, people start forming little communities.

Daisy Walker works for the Compound.

It’s a postal service and a black market salvaging operation. Daisy gets mixed up in some crazy dealings and then the book gets off and running!

Ayala is a good writer. The story has great characters and it goes into some crazy places. The art is pretty spiffy as well.

Pick up the book. It’s quite good.

RATING: B+

 

Win a ‘Gintama’ Blu-ray Combo Pack!

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Set in the alternate Edo-period Japan, an alien race from outer space have invaded the country and taken control, forcing the once powerful Samurai to lay down their swords. Once feared as the “White Demon”, former samurai Gintoki Sakata, works as an everyday handyman – until a master swordsman tasks Gintoki and his friends with finding a cursed sword to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Packed with the sword-swinging sci-fi action and offbeat humor, Gintama is a journey through a visually-stunning universe where fantastical action lurks around every corner.

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

Based on the manga by Hideaki Sorachi, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film version?

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 March 25th, 2018.

’12 Strong’ Arrives on Blu-ray Combo and DVD 5/1; Digital HD 4/10

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Uncover one of the greatest missions the world has never known when 12 Strong arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital.

Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”) and Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“Nocturnal Animals,” “The Shape of Water”) star in 12 Strong, a powerful new war drama from Alcon Entertainment, Black Label Media and Jerry Bruckheimer Films that tells the declassified true story of the first American soldiers sent into Afghanistan after 9/11.

12 Strong is set in the harrowing days following 9/11 when an elite U.S. Special Forces unit, led by their Captain, Mitch Nelson (Hemsworth), is chosen to be the first U.S. soldiers sent into Afghanistan for an extremely dangerous mission in response to the attacks. Leaving their families behind, the team is dropped into the remote, rugged landscape of northern Afghanistan, where they must convince General Rashid Dostum (Navid Negahban) to join forces with them to fight their common adversary: the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies.

In addition to overcoming mutual distrust and a vast cultural divide, the Americans—accustomed to state-of-the-art warfare—must adopt the rudimentary tactics of the Afghan horse soldiers. Despite forming an uneasy bond and growing respect, the new allies face overwhelming odds: vastly outnumbered and outgunned by a ruthless enemy that does not take prisoners.

Playing the 12 Strong U.S. Special Forces team are Hemsworth, Shannon, Michael Peña (“The Martian, “Ant-Man”), Trevante Rhodes (“Moonlight”), Geoff Stults (“Only the Brave”), Thad Luckinbill (“Only the Brave”), Austin Stowell (“Bridge of Spies”), Ben O’Toole (“Hacksaw Ridge”), Austin Hébert (“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”), Kenneth Miller (“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”), Kenny Sheard (“13 Hours”) and Jack Kesy (TV’s “The Strain). The ensemble cast also includes Navid Negahban (“American Sniper,” TV’s “Homeland”), Elsa Pataky (the “Fast & Furious” films), William Fichtner (“Black Hawk Down,” “Armageddon”) and Rob Riggle (“The Hangover”).

Award-winning director Nicolai Fuglsig directed the film, which is produced by legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, “Black Hawk Down”), together with Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill under their Black Label Media banner (“La La Land,” “Sicario”). Oscar winner Ted Tally (“The Silence of the Lambs”) and Peter Craig (“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Parts 1 & 2”) wrote the screenplay, based on the acclaimed book Horse Soldiers by author Doug Stanton. The executive producers are Oscar nominees and Alcon principals Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson (“The Blind Side”), together with Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Ellen H. Schwartz, Garrett Grant, Yale Badik, Val Hill and Doug Stanton.

The behind-the-scenes team included director of photography Rasmus Videbaek (“A Royal Affair”), production designer Christopher Glass (“The Jungle Book”), editor Lisa Lassek (“The Avengers”), costume designer Dan Lester (asst. costume designer on “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Hurt Locker”) and composer Lorne Balfe (“Geostorm”).

Alcon Entertainment, Black Label Media and Jerry Bruckheimer Films present, a Jerry Bruckheimer Production, a Black Label Media Production, in Association with Torridon Flms, 12 Strong. 12 Strong is distributed in North America by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, with Lionsgate handling international distribution.

12 Strong will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and DVD for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features a Blu-ray disc with the film in high definition and the special features in high definition, a DVD with the film in standard definition, and a Digital version of the movie.

12 Strong will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

Fans can also own 12 Strong via purchase from digital retailers beginning April 10.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

12 Strong Blu-ray Combo Pack contains the following special features:

  • 12 Strong: The Making of an Impossible Mission
  • Monumental Effort: Building America’s Response Monument

 

For more details, visit Facebook.com/12StrongMovie

 


‘Planet of The Apes Archive Vol. 1: Terror on The Planet of the Apes’ (review)

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Planet of The Apes Archive Vol. 1:
Terror on The Planet of the Apes
Written by Doug Moench
Illustrated by Mike Ploog,
Tom Sutton, Herb Trimpe
Cover Artist: Malcolm McNeill
Published by BOOM! Studios
Released 7/7/2017 / $49.99

 

Y’know, if we’re being honest, no one would ever really mistake a person wearing John Chambers’ great makeup for the original Planet of the Apes movies for real simians.

I mean, c’mon.

Compare Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp, with Roddy McDowall’s Cornelius.

So a certain amount of the proverbial suspension of disbelief is necessary to truly enjoy the original saga and its attendant spin-offs.

The screenplay for 1968’s Planet of the Apes bore little resemblance to its inspiration, Monkey Planet, by French writer Pierre Boulle. With Rod Serling’s name attached to it, we were led to expect the unexpected. We start out with Moses, himself, Chuck Heston, in a scenery-chewing performance and slowly work our way up to meeting the gorillas, the chimpanzees, and the orangutans. The actors’ performances are what sell the makeup. They may not seem quite like real apes but they very much DO seem REAL.

Through five theatrical movies, a one season TV series, a cartoon version, and numerous tie-in books and other merchandising, we accepted the world of the apes. It was that acceptance that made Marvel’s Planet of the Apes magazine both possible and successful.

At one point, Planet of the Apes was my favorite of the Marvel mags, in fact. Edited variously by Tony Isabella and Don McGregor, the mag offered up a good mix of behind the scenes articles, reviews, and a serialized comic book adaptation of the films themselves. Remember, this was before any sort of home video other than 8mm or 16mm films. My family didn’t own a film projector and I didn’t really know many that did.

The true gem of the magazine, though, was the all-new running storyline, “Terror on the Planet of the Apes.” Writer Doug Moench was spread a little thin in this period but it didn’t show. Much of his 1970s work at Marvel—that included Master of Kung-Fu—still holds up better than a lot of contemporary comics and this is no exception.

More exciting and better written than Battle, the last official Apes movie at that time, Terror introduces us to Alexander, a young chimpanzee, and Jason, his young human friend. The story starts with racist gorillas who kill the latter’s parents and from there Moench’s overworked mind just runs rampant, tossing in politics, giant monsters, cyborgs, Forbidden Zone mutants, and a host of great new characters such as the wonderfully named Gunpowder Julius, Lightsmith, and Steely Dan!

The art is handled mostly by Mike Ploog. Ploog, a former assistant to Will Eisner, was still new in comics at the time but had already made his mark with Werewolf by Night and The Monster of Frankenstein. His work on this series is my favorite from that time, though, his layouts offering an animation feel and his faces really highlighting the personalities of the characters.

At one point, he’s joined by and then replaced by Tom Sutton, and while one is jarred by the transition, Sutton also offers up some of his best work. Towards the end, it’s the clean lines of the Hulk’s favorite artist, Happy Herb Trimpe, that finish out the series.

I say finish out because the series never actually reached an ending. A promised next chapter never materialized so it simply stops rather than concludes. At the time, I enjoyed it so much I actually attempted to write my own finale, a new chapter I called Beyond the Planet of the Apes!

Still, the epic saga contained in the new BOOM! collection of Terror on the Planet of the Apes in Planet of the Apes Archive Volume One is enough to entertain Apes fans old and new as it touches on timeless issues in exciting, entertaining ways reminiscent of some of the best TV anthology series of the 1960s.

In fact, like any good TV anthology host, Rich Handley contributes informative info about the series and its creators up front with more at the end of the book. After that, we head out with a gallery of the original art to those old Marvel mag covers, mostly by Bob Larkin but also including two by Malcolm McNeill and my personal favorite by the great Gray Morrow.

In Doug Moench’s hands, Terror on the Planet of the Apes became something more than just a cash-in on a hot licensed property. It was and remains good comics!

 

Booksteve Recommends!

 

The Class of 1993: 25 Years Later – Phase I

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The year that was 1993 was a monumental year for the movies.

This was the year when newfangled digital visual effects were finally good enough—and, more crucially, photorealistic enough—for audiences to suspend disbelief for an entire feature film and accept pixelated monsters as flesh-and-blood creatures.

The CGI sorcery in Jurassic Park now seems old hat, but a quarter century ago the quantum leap from the fledgling morphing effects of The Abyss, Terminator 2, and Death Becomes Her to the breathing and rampaging herds of dinosaurs literally blew movie-goers’ minds.

Even more remarkable in 1993 was Hollywood’s belated validation of blockbuster king Steven Spielberg as a serious artist—after a summer dominated by his popcorn thrill-ride Jurassic Park, his Holocaust drama Schindler’s List took top honors at the Academy Awards and earned the filmmaker his first Best Director Oscar, despite the film’s many seemingly anti-commercial aspects (e.g., its hard “R” rating, its 3-hours-plus running time, its grim subject matter, and, oh yes, the fact that it’s filmed mostly in black and white).

The year also saw stalwart action heroes Sylvester Stallone and Clint Eastwood headline their best and most satisfying thrillers outside of their Rocky/Rambo and Man With No Name/Dirty Harry series, respectively. We saw an all-star Western become a cult classic despite its troubled production and the limited perceived appeal of its dying genre.

We got a pulse-pounding chase picture so terrifically acted, directed, and edited that most viewers still forget it’s an adaptation of a television show. And there were a slew of dramas and comedies that remain relevant—and eminently quotable—to this day.

The only genre lacking a clear-cut standout classic in 1993 is horror, but I’ve managed to pick one that, despite its limitations, still packs a potent punch all these years later.

Pop some corn, pull up a seat, and let’s take a multi-phased trip down memory lane.

 

ACTION/ADVENTURE

Best In Class
The year 1993 was a strong year for action/adventure movies, with no fewer than three now-classic films emerging that not only showcase career-best work of its players, but are still revered as standard bearers of the genre.

The Fugitive


Outside of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones sagas, this taut chase suspense thriller represents star Harrison Ford’s finest hour. Even so, the film belongs to Tommy Lee Jones as the dogged Marshal hot on Ford’s trail. Jones was rightfully awarded a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, but efforts to turn his character into the lynchpin of an ongoing franchise sputtered when the follow-up U.S. Marshals failed to generate the same box office heat and audience allegiance.

Director Andrew Davis has yet to top himself, with the movie’s signature train wreck sequence and heart-stopping daredevil feats still ranking among the most breath-taking practical stunts ever captured on celluloid. So good that folks rarely remember this picture was one of many films of the period adapted from a television show.

 

Tombstone

The production of this brawny Wyatt Earp/Doc Holliday buddy Western was a troubled one, considering its race to the big screen against a bigger-budget competitor (the Lawrence Kasdan-directed and Kevin Costner-starring Wyatt Earp) and also because its original director was fired mid-shoot and replaced by the guy whose greatest claim to fame was the silly but immensely popular Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Also, even though Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven had been freshly anointed as Best Picture earlier in the year, the Western genre was considered moribund. Against all odds and despite obvious post-production tinkering, Tombstone was a critical hit and an instant audience pleaser, and even though it didn’t break any box office records during the Christmas season of 1993, the film quickly became a home video success story.

Kurt Russell (as Earp) and Val Kilmer (as Holliday) have rarely been better, and together they make for one of moviedom’s greatest duos.

And just take a gander at that stellar supporting cast, populated by seasoned character actors who have been frequent headliners in their own right: Sam Elliott; Bill Paxton; Powers Boothe; Charlton Heston; Michael Biehn; Billy Zane; Michael Rooker; Billy Bob Thornton; narrator Robert Mitchum. To top it off, Kevin Jarre’s snappy screenplay has provided fans with a long list of supremely quotable lines that still sting and zing a quarter century later.

 

Cliffhanger

Of the three action/adventure co-valedictorians of the Class of 1993, this Sylvester Stallone vehicle is the one that seems the most dated, playing like the last great ’80s flick not technically from the ’80s.

Still, its dizzying mountainous location photography, inventive action sequences, plentiful white-knuckle practical stunt work, and some truly brutal graphic violence make it a cut above the other myriad testosterone-fueled efforts of 1993. John Lithgow in snarly villain mode is always a good thing, too, plus the film boasts the most earnest non-Rocky, non-Rambo turn from Sly we’ve seen to date.

Following some embarrassing attempts at comedy, this picture put Stallone back on top of his game. And, for what it’s worth, fans still rate the first Mozart/Orff-scored teaser trailer as one of the best movie promos ever concocted. Despite some clunky editing in the middle stretch, the film represents the most competent effort from director Renny Harlin, until he’d top himself a few years later with The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Compare To
Hard Target; Last Action Hero; Point of No Return; RoboCop 3; Striking Distance

Fewer Will Remember
Aspen Extreme; Boiling Point; Nowhere to Run; Only the Strong; The Real McCoy; Sniper; The Three Musketeers

 

SCI-FI / FANTASY

Best In Class

Jurassic Park

Fan legend has it author Michael Crichton wrote his book about genetically recreated dinosaurs as a dare for Steven Spielberg to direct.

Dare taken, and the rest is history—albeit a history that keeps repeating, as per a limitless array of marketing tie-ins and a seemingly endless string of lucrative if repetitive sequels.

The bar for digital imagery was raised through the roof, but the verisimilitude of the film’s life-like beasties owes more to the seamless mix of the CGI with old-school practical effects and tangible animatronics than fans give the creators credit for. Plot-wise the movie is no great shakes—it’s essentially Jaws in a tricked-out theme park—but the creature designs, the action set pieces, the tropical locales, the likable cast, the camerawork and sound effects, the odd bits of gruesome violence and gore that push the envelope of its PG-13 rating, and especially John Williams’ titanic score all elevate the proceedings far above its meager monster movie roots.

Each sequel ups the ante on its dinosaur diversity, tooth-chomping kills, and, of course, its shiny CGI, but the ensuing pictures’ collective inability to live up to Spielberg’s original is proof positive some things are never as good as the first time.

Compare To
Demolition Man; Fire in the Sky

Fewer Will Remember
The Hidden II

 

Tune in next time for The Class of 1993: 25 Years Later – Phase II.

 

‘When The Starlight Ends’ Starring Sam Heughan and Arabella Oz Arrives on DVD & Digital HD Tomorrow!

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Tomorrow, March 13, home audiences will be swept away by the surreal romantic comedy WHEN THE STARLIGHT ENDS, a story of love, relationships and the struggle to find the perfect fairytale ending – starring Sam Heughan of “Outlander” and Arabella Oz in her feature film debut.

It’s been one month and fourteen days since she left. Despondent Jacob (Heughan) is a writer, and Cassandra (Oz) was his beautiful muse. She was his reason for writing and his reason for loving. Now, she will haunt him at his keyboard, as he writes and rewrites their story, forever searching for a happier conclusion. With each new draft, Jacob is forced to relive their time together – both real and imagined – as he agonizes over whether he made the right decisions and struggles to finally pen the perfect ending for them both.

CAST

  • Sam Heughan (“Outlander”)
  • Arabella Oz
  • David Arquette (Scream franchise, Eight Legged Freaks)
  • Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints, Powder)

 

For more details visit Facebook.com/WhenTheStarlightEnds

 

 

What’s New on Digital HD

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Now Available

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

When four high-school kids discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of–Jumanji–they are immediately drawn into the game’s jungle setting, literally becoming the avatars they chose: gamer Spencer becomes a brawny adventurer (Dwayne Johnson); football jock Fridge loses (in his words) “the top two feet of his body” and becomes an Einstein (Kevin Hart); popular girl Bethany becomes a middle-aged male professor (Jack Black); and wallflower Martha becomes a badass warrior (Karen Gillan). What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji–you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, discover what Alan Parrish left 20 years ago, and change the way they think about themselves–or they’ll be stuck in the game forever …

Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was directed by Jake Kasdan from a screen story by Chris McKenna and screenplay by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers and Scott Rosenberg & Jeff Pinkner. The film was produced by Matt Tolmach and William Teitler and executive produced by David Householter, Jake Kasdan, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Ted Field and Mike Weber.

Digital bonus materials include gag reel, “Jumanji, Jumanji” Music Video by Jack Black and Nick Jonas and five featurettes.

 

I, Tonya

Based on the incredible true events, I, Tonya is a darkly comedic tale of American figure skater, Tonya Harding, and one of the most sensational scandals in sports history. Though Harding was the first American woman to complete a triple axel in competition, her legacy was forever defined by her association with the infamous attack on fellow Olympic competitor Nancy Kerrigan.

Featuring Oscar-nominated performances by actress/producer Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) as the fiery Tonya Harding, and Allison Janney (Girl on a Train) as her acid-tongued mother (2018 Academy Award-winner), I, Tonya also stars Sebastian Stan (Captain America franchise) as Tonya’s impetuous ex-husband, Bobby Cannavale (“Boardwalk Empire”) and Julianna Nicholson (August: Osage County), and is directed by Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl) from an original screenplay by Steven Rogers (P.S. I Love You).  The film offers an often absurd, at times irreverent, and always piercing portrayal of Harding’s life and career in all of its unchecked––and checkered––glory.

Digital bonus materials include commentary, deleted scenes, and featurettes.

 

Bent

When a drug bust goes wrong, ex-cop Danny Gallagher’s (Karl Urban, Lord of the Rings) quest for justice leads him to the car-bomb murder of a government official’s wife. As Gallagher learns the woman’s secret lover was a seductive federal agent (Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”), he finds himself under fire. But from who — his own cops, a vengeful drug lord, the CIA, or someone even more ruthless? This pulse-pounding thriller also stars Grace Byers (“Empire”) and Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven).

 

Ferdinand

From the creators of Rio and Ice Age comes the most love-a-bull family comedy! Ferdinand, played by John Cena, is a giant bull with a big heart. After being mistaken for a dangerous beast and torn from his home, he rallies a misfit team of friends for the ultimate adventure to return to his family. Based on the classic children’s book, Ferdinand proves you can’t judge a bull by its cover!

Starring: Kate McKinnon as Lupe (SNL, Ghostbusters), Gina Rodriguez as Una (Carmen Sandiego, Jane the Virgin), Anthony Anderson as Bones (Black-ish, Grown-ish), Boris Kodjoe as Klaus (Nicole & O.J., Resident Evil: Afterlife), Daveed Diggss as Dos (Wonder, Hamilton, Zootopia), Gabriel Iglesias as Cuatro (Narcos, Magic Mike, The Book of Life), Peyton Manning as Guapo (NFL Winner of five MVP Awards and Two Super Bowls), David Tennant as Angus (DuckTales, Jessica Jones, Doctor Who), Bobby Cannavale as Valiente (Will & Grace, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle), Jerrod Carmichael as Paco (The Disaster Artist, Transformers: The Last Knight), Juanes as Juan (Grammy Award Winning Artist, Jane the Virgin) and Nick Jonas (Wrote Original Song “Home”, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle).

Bonus material includes featurettes, music videos and still gallery.

 

The Swindlers

High stakes and fast talk are the game in this crime caper that brings together an all-star cast (Yoo Ji-tae, Hyun Bin, Bae Seong-woo, Park Sung-woong, Nana) as unlikely allies from different sides of the law. Each member of the team has their own motives, but they’ll have to work together to achieve their common goal – trapping the world’s most legendary con man.

 

The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes, Volume 1-3

Available Exclusively on iTunes and Amazon.  From 1967 to 1978, The Carol Burnett Show tickled America’s funny bone on CBS with a blend of comedy, song and dance that made the irreverent, hilarious program “Must See TV” decades before another network coined the phrase. Carol and her madcap, uber-talented cast of comic actors –Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and later Tim Conway and Dick Van Dyke — took to the airwaves and entertained millions each week, joined by some of the biggest stars in the business. Ad-libs and the occasional flubbed line brought a spontaneity to the screen that was absent from most other variety shows. Little did they know that The Carol Burnett Show would become an Emmy Award-winning program and survive the changing tastes of TV audiences to run eleven seasons and become one of the most iconic TV Variety Shows in history.

  • VOLUME 1 includes such classic sketches as “Carol and Sis,” “The Charwoman,” and “As the Stomach Turns”; among the guest stars featured are Lucille Ball, Eddie Albert, Chita Rivera, Bob Newhart, Jim Nabors, Paul Lynde, Bing Crosby, Don Adams, Phyllis Diller, Andy Griffith, Bernadette Peters, Cass Elliot and more.
  • VOLUME 2 features a “Salute to Warner Brothers” with Mel Tormé and Soupy Sales, Carol’s tour-de-force impersonation of Joan Crawford and the classic sketch, “The Ham Actors.” Showbiz icons and performers appearing include Jonathan Winters, Dionne Warwick, Joan Rivers, Sonny & Cher, Nanette Fabray, Shirley Jones, Ken Berry and a special cameo by Ronald Reagan.
  • VOLUME 3 includes more “Charwoman,” Harvey, Carol, Lyle and Lucille Ball lampooning modern morality in their version of the hit movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice and Tim Conway’s “Oldest Man” masterminding a jewelry heist that literally has him going in circles. Guest stars featured in this volume include Ray Charles, George Carlin, Mike Douglas, Martha Raye, Lana Turner and Ricardo Montalban.

 

Mosiac


From the Oscar and Emmy award-winning director and executive producer Steven Soderbergh, HBO’s groundbreaking six-part limited series Mosaic is now available for Digital Download.

Set against the backdrop of a mountain resort town, Mosaic follows popular children’s book author and illustrator Olivia Lake (Sharon Stone), whose literary success makes her a local celebrity in the tight-knit community. When Olivia disappears on New Year’s Day, leaving behind a blood-soaked studio, all eyes turn to two new men in her life: handsome, young aspiring graphic artist Joel Hurley (Garrett Hedlund) and charming stranger Eric Neill (Frederick Weller). It will be up to detective Nate Henry (Devin Ratray) and Eric’s sister, Petra (Jennifer Ferrin), to unravel the mystery in this captivating new series that explores the psychological underpinnings of love and murder in a small town.

 

Coming March 13th

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past. The visually stunning film welcomes the return of original characters, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Yoda, R2-D2 and C-3PO and further explores the deepening journey of the saga’s new members, Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren.

The film stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern with Frank Oz, and Benicio Del Toro. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman. J.J. Abrams, Tom Karnowski and Jason McGatlin are the executive producers.

Director Rian Johnson takes fans on an intimate journey into the creation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in a feature-length documentary, explaining his unique interpretation of the Force, detailing the painstaking process of creating Snoke, and deconstructing action-packed scenes from the film such as the epic space battle and the final confrontation. Johnson also reveals two exclusive scenes, featuring Andy Serkis as Snoke prior to his digital makeover, as well as 14 never-before-seen deleted scenes, in addition to his audio commentary.

 

Coming March 19th

2 Dope Queens

HBO’s filmed specials based on the hit comedy podcast 2 Dope Queens will be available for Digital Download on March 19th!

Taped before a live audience at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre, the show features the fun, fearless queens Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson dishing on Cocoa Khaleesis, dating white baes, sex, New York living, which borough has the best pizza and so much more.

Written by Jessica Williams, Phoebe Robinson, and Amy Aniobi, and directed by Tig Notaro the show offers an array of “visuals [that] push the already-beloved Queens to an entirely new level.” (Refinery 29) Jon Stewart, Sarah Jessica Parker, Uzo Aduba and Titus Burgess, make guest appearances, as well as a roster of established and up-and-coming comics.

2 Dope Queens  is executive produced by Jessica Williams, Phoebe Robinson, Amy Aniobi, Carrie Byalick, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen Turner, David Martin and Chenoa Estrada; executive producers for A24 include Ravi Nandan and John Hodges.

 

Win ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ Blu-ray Combo Pack!

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Now graduated from college, the fabulous Bellas of Barden University are back for one last call in Pitch Perfect 3. Beca, Fat Amy and the rest of the Bellas are off to face a post a cappella champion world in the high-spirited closing act to the franchise that sparked a worldwide phenomenon.

Filled with all-new musical performances, a hilarious gag reel, never-before-seen deleted footage and more, the exclusive behind-the-scenes bonus features make Pitch Perfect 3 a must-own film.

Now graduated from college, realizing it takes more than a cappella to get by, all the Bellas return in the final chapter in the beloved series. After the highs of winning the World Championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there are no job prospects for making music with only your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for a European USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time.

Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, Alexis Knapp, Chrissie Fit, Kelley Jakle, Shelley Regner, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins all return and are joined by all-new cast members including John Lithgow, Ruby Rose and award-winning producer/musician DJ Khaled. Returning to produce Pitch Perfect 3 is Paul Brooks of Gold Circle Entertainment and Max Handelman & Elizabeth Banks of Brownstone Productions, with Trish Sie directing the heart-warming musical comedy.

And we’re giving away a Blu-ray combo pack to a Forces of Geek reader!

To enter, send an email with the subject header “PITCH PERFECT 3” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Which cast member of the trilogy directed Pitch Perfect 2?

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 March 25th, 2018.

 

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Expanded Edition’ (audio book review)

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Expanded Edition
Written by Jason Fry
Narrated by Marc Thompson
Published by Random House Audio
Released 3/6/18 / $40.00
Running Time:  11 Hours

 

The Last Jedi is a film that left Star Wars fans divided like never before.

Some love the bold and unexpected direction of Rian Johnson’s story, while others loathe every fiber of the movie Disney delivered.

Enter the audio book, and we get the usual deep dive as to what the characters were thinking during critical moments. Rian Johnson’s input, however, allows for the novel to expand on the film that includes scenes from alternate versions of the script. This is a little bothersome to a Star Wars canon junkie.

While there are some nifty Easter eggs with new information, the book is not going to change anyone’s mind about the film.

The center of the audience backlash against The Last Jedi revolves around the portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the film.

The book opens with the weary Jedi dreaming of a simpler life; one where he never left Tatooine. He has a wife; kids and the Lars family is alive and well. This cements Luke’s movie path even more because it hammers home the buyer’s remorse taking the path of a Jedi. The cannon elements get a little wonky here because Luke is married to Camie, the girl in the deleted scene from A New Hope where Biggs and company look up in the sky at the Star Destroyer firing on the Tantive IV. Luke even dreams of that very scene, which is playing fast and loose with the rules of canon.

My advice is if something in the book contradicts what happens in the movie, the movie wins every time.

Jason Fry delivers a well-written script with considerable attention to detail. Marc Thompson is the master when it comes to Star Wars audio narration. However, this wasn’t his best outing.

The opening Luke Skywalker prologue was compelling to hear, but from there, it takes forty-five minutes for the book to get to the start of the movie. That time is filled with the Resistance evacuating D’Qar with time in between for Leia to say a final goodbye to a certain smuggler. The sentimentality of this moment comes off as a pit stop on the way towards salvation. It was a good idea with lackluster execution.

Thompson voices Luke Skywalker rather well and does a decent Kylo Ren but the majority of the characters, however, came off as hollow imitations. It’s easier for the listener’s imagination to accept the voice when it’s the only or first frame of reference for a character.

Plus, most Star Wars novels come out before the film, but this one came out two months after the film’s release to avoid spoilers. Perhaps, the voices of John Boyega and Daisy Ridley from the silver screen are still fresh, making it hard to accept Thompson’s interpretation this time around.

Another point of contention with the film is the purple haired Vice Admiral Holddo. “Why didn’t she tell Poe the plan?”

It’s a fair question that frustrated many fans. In the book, she’s even more steadfast in her secrecy and even throws a couple of little jabs towards a comatose Leia. This kind of ruins the “You taught me how” line that Holdo warmly expressed during the transport evacuation to Crait.

The Force Awakens novelization changed a lot of the lines that the characters uttered in the film, even though the same message was conveyed.

Here, we pretty much get a word for word transcript except when new information is presented to fill in some of the plot holes or unanswered questions such as why no one answered Leia’s distress call. It turns out the New Republic was not completely wiped out when Starkiller Base destroyed the Hosnian system. I’m not going to spoil the answer, but it made sense and would have served the film well, but perhaps the reveal is being saved for Episode XI.

Overall, The Last Jedi is a well-portioned appetizer for canon junkies but as an entrée it would have been flavorless. It’s impossible not to compare the book to the movie. ]]

While I enjoyed the film profoundly, the expanded edition audio book fails more than it succeeds. Reveals to previously unanswered questions would have been better left unsaid, Luke Skywalker’s yearning for a different life makes him an even more sympathetic character and Finn and Rose’s trek to Canto Bight is still a waste of time.

It’s by no means a dumpster fire but a rather soulless telling of controversial source material that goes to show that the book is not always better than the movie.

Sequential Snark: Prepare To Be Emotionally Compromised

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Titles that stand out this week go straight for your feels.

No one is safe from the cruel deft scalpel of words and pictures that slice below the well built crust of cynicism.

Feels save the day in Justice League, honest examination saves the team in Birds of Prey and in Supergirl, I the reader, was hit in the chest-space brutally with them, (why is there wet in my eye?)

 

Action Comics #999
Words – Dan Jurgens
Pictures – Will Conrad, Ivan Nunes, Rob Leigh

Starting right on the feels train, Superman’s family (Lois, Jon and Lois’s dad all non-dead, thank you Booster!) is together, but the matters that kept them apart for years are upfront and loud.

Lois investigates (she does her job well), her father clandestinely protects (he does his job well) but neither can bend when their jobs conflict.

It’s an old argument, but it’s the first time Jon’s seen it and can’t understand.

At the same time, Superman’s on a world-saving job.

It’s mostly physical so it does let him collect his thoughts about the last few story-arcs.

His father Jor-El did things that were in the long run wrong (placing dangerous people in the Phantom Zone), but for the right initial reasons.

Clark used the tools Jor-El left him, but now that he knows the harm of it – he wants to do better.

No big fights, just a quiet story this time about effort. Clark had put Hank Henshaw in there when no prison on Earth could hold him. He now pulls Hank out because there is no prospect for redemption in the Phantom Zone’s hopeless space.

And that’s not a bad warmup for facing Lois’s dad.

Next time: #1000!

 

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #20
Words – Julie Benson, Shawna Benson
Pictures – Roge Antonio, Marcelo Maiolo, Saida Temofonte

This issue’s full of fallout from Babs not being upfront with her friends.

Gus Yale, their friend is dead because of it.

Dinah and Helena aren’t abandoning her but emotions are high and things are still tender.

All three strike out on their own to take care of pressing problems alone.

Babs does so the most physically, trying to find the Calculator one chokehold at a time.

Helena’s history intrudes with a court summons.

Dinah has the most low-key away time, but she’s been through cycles of drama more than the other two.

Corruption, a cemetery and Burnrate still out there (and unsure if she’s killed Oracle yet!)

 

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #40
Words – Robert Venditti
Pictures – Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Tomeu Morey, Dave Sharpe

This is a connective issue. It further solidifies character motivations and sets us up for the arc’s conclusion.

The little blues (Guardians of the Universe) have pulled Stewart in front of them (again) to yell at him for The Corps flying off to save Hal while he was engaged in his last meeting with them! (Oh you guys almost convinced me you were going to be useful ya space Smurfs, almost)

Back on Jekuul there’s fighting, fighting, fighting.

A third quarter turnabout happens to increase the stakes (I’m not calling it pulled from nowhere, but I’d be curious to know if there is precedent), but the other side throws a Hail Mary setting up the next issue for a larger ending next issue.

I expect it’ll be big loud and colorful in thirty days.

 

Justice League of America #26
Words – Steve Orlando
Pictures – Miguel Mendonça, Dexter Vines, Wayne Faucher, Chris Sotomayor, Clayton Cowles

On our reality, the Justice League is still rebuilding (their building physically), Lobo leaves, and it might be best not to be an Atom.

We’ll continue on this story thread in the next issue.

But back on Angor, Batman uses his detective and persuasion skills in defense of that planet. Black Canary uses her heart to fight for the life of this other plane.

But the Adjudicator remains unmoved.

Havok sneers at them, but in this failure Batman changes his tact. He’ll use his heart to protect a world he’s never known.

An unretrievable sacrifice saves that reality. (and Black Canary promises not to say I told you so!)

 

Scooby Apocalypse #23
Words – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis
Pictures – Ron Wagner, Andy Owens

 

Plans are what this issue’s about; we don’t have them quite yet but we’d sure like to.

Almost everyone is grabbing supplies during the department store monster fight downtimes.

Cliffy and Scoob are “safe” in an upper room, or as safe as you can be in a mutant infested future apocalypse (spoiler: not enough)

The gang dramas at each other, but we do get a nice bird’s eye view of all the fallen mall monster battlers in a 2-page spread. A good moment of horrible beauty in what I’m sure is transitory peace.

Secret Squirrel
Words – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis
Pictures – Scott Kolins, Hi-Fi, Travis Lanham

I haven’t been the heartiest supporter of the backup story in this book, but I think I get it now.

I’m suspecting Secret Squirrel is an artistic social experiment by Giffen and DeMatteis. A cross between games of exquisite corpse and telephone. When this story is done and it’s bound in a trade we’ll see how well the bits with a different artist each time fits together.

(Secret and Morocco look closer to their cartoon counterparts in this chapter)

 

Scooby-Doo! Where Are You?
Words – Derek Fridolfs
Pictures – Randy Elliott, Silvana Brys, Saida Temofonte

Two stories here, First the gang’s at a fundraiser for the Coolsville Guys and Gals Club. (So I guess “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo is cannon?)

One of the acts is a hypnotist and unlike many of the foes they’ve faced, he can actually perform magic! (debate me sure, but when “I can’t undo it because I didn’t hypnotize them” is used as a plot point – you’ve crossed over into magic spells)

He switches the brains of the gang (except Scooby). How can they defeat him if they’re tripping over someone else’s feet?

Second is a Sumo story in Japan. We hit all the eating jokes you’d expect with Shaggy and Scoob early on, but then it’s all angry Tengu shutting down the match. Who’s responsible, who has more to gain, where’d the trophy go?

All the answers (and feels) are in here (even in Scooby-Doo, this is a feels heavy week!).

 

Supergirl #19
Words – Steve Orlando, Vita Ayala
Pictures – Jamal Campbell, Carlos M. Mangual

A teen (Lee) describes to Ben their story of how Supergirl saved them, and then was their hero.

Lee was running away from everything that was too big for them when they got caught in the crossfire of a Cyborg Superman fight.

After being saved from heat vision death, Lee helps Supergirl out of the crater she just made and she follows up with Lee.

The quiet time she gives Lee helps them put words to feelings, until finally Lee can take the frightful step (first with Supergirl) of coming out as non-binary.

This is a damn sweet fully contained one off that will introduce the concept to people who were not aware of this state of being. I’ve read it twice and cried both times.

Pubescence is difficult, learning what your truth entails is difficult, hell even learning how to support each other is difficult.

This issue makes it’s case for love, listening and patience as where we start.

 

Trinity #19
Words – James Robinson
Pictures – Jack Herbert, Gabe Eltaeb, Carlos M. Mangual

We continue our episode of Law & Order: Metropolis in the interrogation room. But not far into the story the camera flips and we finally see our interrogator – Steve Trevor?

Last issue’s surprise ending of octogenarian-ized superheroes is quickly undone by Jennifer Morgan (it’s okay, we knew it would happen) and after returning Wondy’s sight and some of Supe’s powers with ancient Atlantean tech she rushes them back into the battle against the gate-crashing fray. We finally get a magic holograph of the enemy wearing his best Vegas hoochie top.

Deimos never shows up on the battlefield and our heroes are eventually returned… but something that’s been bothering me about this storytelling style is addressed and leads to either the conclusion or the beginning of a new arc.

We’ll find out which next issue!

 

Wonder Woman #42
Words – James Robinson
Pictures – Jesus Merino, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Saida Temofonte

Oh Jason, you make it so hard to back you, dear.

Issue before last you were kidnapped. Now you appear with no memory of the time in between, dressed in a fancy new custom suit and a power upgrade.

Thoughts one through ten in your head are not “It’s quite suspicious, let’s look into this first”? Maybe there’s an ancient Greek proverb about not looking a golden sheep in the mouth.

So the siblings fly off to Germany where Grail’s been spotted, and on the way there Jason regales Wondy with the story of how he and Grail first met.

At the time he hadn’t known the whole fight and meetup had been a trap Grail had set-up and… Jason does not stop and relate his own story to their present situation.

Jason, it’s a good thing you’re pretty.

 

Sideways #2
Words – Dan DiDio, Justin Jordan
Pictures – Kenneth Rocafort, Daniel Brown, Carlos M. Mangual

We return to the big gold clockwork devily thing (Tempus Fuginart, though we don’t know if that’s his name or position) lecturing our main character Derek.

In the first 4 pages it breaks two… we won’t call them rules just suggestions.

1. Do not mention a better movie in your movie (I may have adapted that)

2. Don’t turn your art 90° unless you’ve got a good reason for it (that the book is called Sideways you’ll argue, ha ha ha nope).

Derek made Tempus’ job harder, he comes with the everyone win solution of no Derek = no more space-time tears to clean up. But a severe leap off a tall building later Derek does get away.

Banged, bruised and with no good explanation for the family, good thing he got the best friend ally before issue 1.

And the big guy might have a point if not the right approach, the tears Derek makes seem to remain. Nothing too big I’m sure, but something seems to be slipping through the doors Derek’s leaving open.

 


‘Doctor Detroit’ Debuts on Blu-ray April 24 from Shout Select!

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He’s making the world safe…for insanity. On April 24, 2018, the cult comedy Doctor Detroit comes to Blu-ray for the first time, courtesy Shout Select.

Clifford Skridlow’s newest profession is the oldest profession in Doctor Detroit, a chaotic comedy starring the one and only Dan Aykroyd.

When fast-talking pimp Smooth Walker (Howard Hesseman, WKRP In Cincinnati) finds himself in hot water with Chicago crime boss Mom (Kate Murtagh), he claims that there’s a new player in the game: Doctor Detroit, a cat who’s badder than bad … and completely fictitious. In need of a patsy until the heat dies down, Smooth hits paydirt with mild-mannered professor Clifford Skridlow (Aykroyd) — and promptly skips town, leaving his bevy of sexy “employees” in Clifford’s hapless hands. Charmed by the ladies and spurred by his dedication to chivalry, Clifford agrees to become their protector and ally, transforming himself from a power-walking professor to a heroic hustler … and throwing down the gauntlet to save his college from financial ruin and the four damsels from the wrath of Mom!

Special Features:

  • NEW Audio Commentary With Director Michael Pressman and Pop Culture Historian Russell Dyball
  • NEW Interview With Director Michael Pressman
  • “Radio Free Detroit” – Inside the Doctor Detroit Audio Press Kit, Featuring Rare and Vintage Interviews
  • Photo Gallery
  • Theatrical Trailers
  • TV Spots
  • Radio Spots

 

 For more details visit shoutfactory.com

 

Graphic Breakdown: ‘Eternity Girl’ Launches, ‘Ragman’ Wraps Up, ‘Mister Miracle’ Returns & More!

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Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s the middle of March!

Despite the snow, Spring is around the corner!

Here are this week’s books.

 

Detective Comics #976
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Javier Fernandez

This is the start of a new storyline entitled “Batman: Eternal!” James Tynion IV writes a story that is better than he’s been doing on this title. It’s still not as fun as I hoped it would be.

Batman has to confront Red Robin in this issue. Their relationship may be coming to an end.

That means the partnership may be over!

Batman’s friends are disappearing from his life one by one because of his actions.

Tynion has a great take on Red Robin. He would be great writing a book about him. The art is fairly decent.

Still, after reading it, you are left hoping for more than this.

RATING: B-

 

 

The Flash #42
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Carmine do Giandomenico

Joshua Williamson’s run on this book is up there with Mark Waid and Geoff Johns.

He really had a direction in mind going on when he took on the writing of this title and it shows. This is another fine issue in his run yet again.

The fight for Central City continues!

The Flash forms a partnership with an unlikely person! The partnership starts getting tense immediately!

Meanwhile, Grodd starts trying to take control of the Flash family! It’s getting exciting!

The writing is sharp! The art is magnificent as well.

This is one of DC’s top books.

Pick it up now. It’s getting really damn good!

RATING: A-

 

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

Hooray! Mister Miracle is back!

After a month away from the stands, this comic is here again.

Tom King writes his heart out here and it shows up on the page. If you haven’t read this, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

The war on Apokolips isn’t going so well!

Mister Miracle and Big Barda are having a hard time. Barda’s past is catching up to her quick too!

Now the two of them have to deal with the Furies! Can they escape their dastardly clutches?

The art by Gerards is tops. His panels each are well composed and also have something more if you look close.

This is a great book. Pick it up immediately. It’s damn awesome.

RATING: A

 

Red Hood and the Outlaws #20
Written by Scott Lobdell
Illustrated by Dexter Soy

I love this book.

Scott Lobdell is doing such a top notch writing job on this.

This may be a very overlooked book. You should give it a shot if you haven’t yet. It’s well worth your time.

The title of this book is “Henched.” It’s all about finding the right henchman.

We meet a few in this issue and the people who want to hire them.

Then Red Hood and the Outlaws show up and decide to dismantle all of the fun!

The art by Soy is awesome. He’s one of the industry’s best kept secrets. He and Lobdell are really a great team. Pick this up.

It’s quite a good book.

RATING: B+

 

Suicide Squad #37
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by Jose Luis

Rob Williams writes another wacky issue here.

I read this every month hoping for more character development and every month I’m saddened.

This could be so good, but sadly it’s not.

Hack is going crazy as she has found her killer. Now she is out for revenge!

The Suicide Squad is fighting against her! While this is going on, Waller tries to keep her secrets.

The good thing about this issue is the art. It’s very solid.

The story just doesn’t do it for me. It just doesn’t hold my interest. Maybe it will soon.

RATING: C

 

Wildstorm: Michael Cray #6
Written by Bryan Hill
Illustrated by N. Steven Harris

This book turned out to be a nice surprise.

Bryan Hill has taken the character Warren Ellis revamped and runs with it. The characters are great and the art is mighty good. I like where this ended up.

Michael Cray is hunting Arthur Curry still.

Cray’s actions are starting to make his team doubt his sanity. His tumor is acting in ways he can’t explain. And then, after all of this, we get an underwater brawl.

The story is great and the art is wonderful. Harris really takes the story and makes it even more awesome.

Pick this up. It’s quite excellent.

RATING: B+

 

Titans #21
Written by Dan Abnett 
Illustrated by Paul Pelletier

Dan Abnett writes another great tale here.

His interpretations of the Titans are flawless and I just love it. This has been working very well.

If you like the Titans make sure to pick this up.

Arsenal hits rock bottom in this issue.

He’s been left for dead and has been betrayed. The former Titans don’t trust him anymore.

Now, it’s up to Roy to clear his name and take revenge!

The art is tepid. Paul Pelletier doesn’t really do much for me. The story shines through. Pick it up for that.

RATING: B

 

Gotham City Garage #11
Written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
Illustrated by Brian Ching and Darick Robertson

This book really just keeps getting better. Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly are really writing a great comic book here. It’s really something else.

This issue focuses on Mercy Graves who is Lex Luthor’s assistant. She is going around as Catwoman. She has one chance to take him down.

But can she?

Or is she at the end of her ninth life?

The art is getting better and better here. The writing is attracting some big name artists. Pick this up. You need to read this spin on the DC Universe.

RATING: B+

 

Ragman #6
Written by Ray Fawkes
Illustrated by Inaki Miranda

Ray Fawkes has written the best take on Ragman we have seen this far. He has made the character relatable and accessible.

He has also written a compelling story that is quite intriguing.

Ragman is off to his final confrontation with Z’Dargill. He has already made a huge sacrifice. Then, he falls into a trap.

With his friend’s help, he uses their spirits to go into the battlefield once last time.

Can he beat Z’Dargill?

Find out here!

The art by Miranda is wonderful. Mark my words: Inaki Miranda will be a huge star. Pick this up. It was a much better series than I ever expected from this character.

RATING: B+

                                                                                                                                                  

Eternity Girl #1
Written by Magdalene Visaggio 
Illustrated by Sonny Liew

I had not heard about this wonderful title before reading it.

This story spins out of the recent Milk Wars storyline. Magdalene Visaggio proves to be an excellent comic book writer yet again and this might be her top work.

Caroline Sharp used to be a super spy and a superhero.

Now she is neither.

She has to settle on an ordinary life. Her superpowers have gone funky and she is depressed and unable to change. She is going to live forever and this is all she has left.

Then, her old friend Madame Atom shows up. She has an offer. She can kill Caroline.

All she has to do is end the world. And off we go!

The story is strong as can be. The characterizations are excellent. The art by Liew is also the best of his career. This is a top notch debut. Pick it up for sure.

RATING: A

 

New Super-Man and the Justice League of China #21
Written by Gene Luen Yang 
Illustrated by Brent Peeples
Published by DC Comics

This comic book has been excellent in giving us a new version of Super-Man. Yang is an excellent writer who knows how to make new and excellent storylines. I have been enjoying it.

This is second part of the “Sea of Change” storyline.

In it, the Justice League of China is on their own. They are trying to solve as many problems as they can.

Suddenly, a fleet of North Korean warships show up. They want the Aquaman of North Korea. Now it’s up to the Justice League to help him.

The story is strong. The art is a little weaker than usual. But that’s okay. It’s still a very good comic book you should be reading!

RATING: B

2018 Cinedelphia Film Festival Announces Schedule!

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Poster by Jill Bauman

Announcing the full lineup for the sixth annual Cinedelphia Film Festival!  The CFF is programmed in-house by the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art (PhilaMOCA), running April 12-30, and this year centered around the theme of “spirituality, the occult, and outsider thought”.  From a Satanic ritual to a family-friendly monster dance party, this year’s CFF is more wild than ever!

Throughout the film festival the walls of PhilaMOCA will be covered in a selection of hand-painted movie posters from Ghana courtesy of Chicago’s Deadly Prey Gallery.

Thursday, April 12, 7:30 PM (Opening Night)
AN EVENING WITH THE SATANIC TEMPLE
– TST founder Lucien Grieves in attendance for a live ritual and presentation followed by a screening of the Mexican cult classic ALUCARDA.

Friday, April 13, 7:00 PM
SUSPIRIA – Actress Jessica Harper in attendance for a screening of a rare, one-of-a-kind 35mm Italian print of the horror classic.  Hosted at the Lightbox Film Center.

Saturday, April 14, 12:00 PM
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS
– The CFF present a monster-themed edition of PhilaMOCA’s popular monthly program with free sugary cereals for all.

Saturday, April 14, 7:30 PM
EERIE, INDIANA Retrospective/Reunion – The fondly-remembered 1990s television program receives a retrospective with cast members Justin Shenkarow (Simon) and Jason Marsden (Dash X) in attendance.

Saturday, April 14, 10:00 PM
VIDAR THE VAMPIRE
– Philly Premiere of the wildly offensive Norwegian horror/comedy.

Sunday, April 15, 4:30 PM
INDIANA
– Philly Premiere of the atmospheric American indie concerning a pair of paranormal investigators on their last case.

Sunday, April 15, 7:00 PM
I AM NOT A WITCH
– Philly Premiere of the Sundance favorite focusing on the modern persecution of witches in Zambia and Ghana.

Sunday, April 15, 9:00 PM
THEY REMAIN
– Philly Premiere; two scientists investigate strange happenings at the site of a ritualistic murder.

Monday, April 16, 7:30 PM
THE ALLINS
– Philly Premiere; a documentary that traces the life of legendary punk rocker GG Allin as well as the family he left behind.

Tuesday, April 17, 7:30 PM
TOKUSATSU TUESDAY
 – The CFF program PhilaMOCA’s popular monthly showcase of Japanese superhero television programs.

Wednesday, April 18, 7:00 PM
BEST F(R)IENDS VOLUME ONE
– Greg Sestero, co-star of The Room and author of The Disaster Artist, in attendance for his new film co-starring The Room creator Tommy Wiseau.

Thursday, April 19, 7:30 PM
THE ROOM live script reading
– Greg Sestero leads a cast of local talents in a live script reading of the original draft of the modern cult classic.

Friday, April 20, 8:30 PM
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
– The industrial legends perform their first two albums live in honor of their 30th Anniversary; sold out.

Saturday, April 21, 4:00 PM
MAUSOLEUM MONSTER HOP
 – TV legends Ghoul-A-Go-Go host a family-friendly costume dance party featuring live instrumental surf music from The Primitive Finks and The Crimson Ghosts (Misfits cover band).

Saturday, April 21, 7:00 PM
BOILED ANGELS: THE TRIAL OF MIKE DIANA
– Philly Premiere of the new documentary on the first American artist to be convicted of obscenity.  Subject Mike Diana and legendary filmmaker Frank Henenlotter in attendance!

Saturday, April 21, 10:00 PM
VAMPIRE CLAY
– Philly Premiere; art students in Japan battle a cursed clay in this off-the-wall horror oddity.

Sunday, April 22, 4:00 PM
PAA JOE & THE LION
– An uplifting documentary on the Grandfather of Ghana’s fantasy coffin trade.

Sunday, April 22, 6:30 PM
HAGAZUSSA – A HEATHEN’S CURSE
– Philly Premiere; the critically-acclaimed horror German exploration of witchcraft and pagan beliefs during the Dark Ages.

Sunday, April 22, 9:00 PM
HELLSPAWN: SHORT FILMS OF THE DAMNED
– A highly curated program of short horror films, all Philly Premieres.

Monday, April 23, 7:30 PM
Philadephia Psychotronic Film Society
– The CFF program an installment of Philly’s most popular film club.

Wednesday, April 25, 7:30 PM
NOVEMBER
– Philly Premiere; werewolves, ancestral spirits, and magical servants inhabit this remarkable film festival sensation from Estonia.

Thursday, April 26, 7:30 PM
THE RANGER
– Pennsylvania Premiere; a group of punk rockers face off with a demented park ranger in this 2018 SXSW hit. Director Jenn Wexler in attendance.

Friday, April 27, 7:00 PM
KING COHEN
– Philadelphia Premiere; a documentary on cult favorite director Larry Cohen (The Stuff, It’s Alive) featuring Martin Scorsese, John Landis, and more.  Director Steve Mitchell in attendance.

Friday, April 27, 10:00 PM
ROKUROKU: THE PROMISE OF THE WITCH
– North American Premiere; spirits from Japanese folklore torment modern Japan in this innovative and oddball horror film.

Saturday, April 28, 4:00 PM
ZERZURA
– Philadelphia Premiere; from the creator of the Nigerian Purple Rain comes the world’s first-ever ethnographic acid western!  Featuring a Tuareg-style guitar score.

Saturday, April 28, 7:00 PM
BEST WORST MOVIE MARATHON
– The return of the CFF’s popular marathon of previously unannounced crowd pleasers.  Featuring work from non-filmmakers, over-the-hill filmmakers, and just plain strange filmmakers.

Sunday, April 29, 8:00 PM
WHAM CITY COMEDY
– Baltimore’s finest alt-comedy group return to the CFF with a new, video-heavy live show.

Monday, April 30, 7:30 PM
WALPURGISNACHT
– A celebration on the “Night of the Witches” featuring effigy building/burning, a lecture on the history of the pagan holiday, and a screening of The Wicker Man.

The full schedule with details, trailers, and tickets links is available here:
http://www.cinedelphiafilmfestival.com/2018-schedule/

 

‘LEGO DC Super Heroes: The Flash!’ (review)

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It’s Grodd-hog’s Day for The Flash as Barry is caught living the same day over and over again in LEGO DC Super Heroes: The Flash!

Actually you won’t find any rodents or gorillas in this movie but the movie starts out the same. While introducing The Atom to the Hall of Justice, Superman and Batman are alerted that Joker is on the loose and calls out for the Justice League to Assemble. When Barry’s alarm hits 8:00, this is the flashpoint for the start of his day that he will live out in different variations until he realizes that Reverse Flash is behind this time caper.

Voice actor James Arnold Taylor returns to his role of Flash from Young Justice and many other LEGO properties. This movie was directed by Ethan Spaulding who recently competed the CW crossover tie-in series for Crisis on Earth XFreedom Fighters: The Ray. Troy Baker returns as Batman, Nolan North as Superman and the role of Zatanna is played by Kate Micucci. Khary Payton continues to define Cyborg for the animated universe.

What I find clever about this particular film is a great use of the Speed Force and a flip from Joker being the main villain to Reverse Flash. LEGO movies are usually 50/50 on concentrating on building being part of the main story, and while there is a clever use of newly created Speed Force bricks for this film, there is not a ton of building to move the story along. That doesn’t matter though, because the story is fast-paced and relies on Speed Force powers as close to the comics and current television show.

Another great use of DC characters in this movie is the appearance of the Super Pets, most notably Ace The Bat Hound and Krypto the Superdog. The League’s best friends play a key role in taking down Thawne in the end.

Thankfully, we don’t spend the entire movie reliving the day of Joker’s attack on The Daily Planet building. They only visit this day 5 times, but what we do get is great teamwork from a Justice League that includes Plastic Man, Wonder Woman, Firestorm and Doctor Fate. The Atom has some funny moments when shrunk down to minifig size and has to dial Flash’s phone by jumping from number to number and sliding across the glass screen. At this point, Reverse Flash has broken Atom’s resizing ability and we are treated to some funny scenes a la Marvel’s Ant-Man when The Atom faces a giant mouse and spider! Funs stuff for sure from Ray Palmer’s character.

We get some funny moments with both Superman and Batman in this movie also. At a certain point, Reverse Flash has stolen all of the crime stopping glory from The League and Superman is genuinely hurt that he has lost all of his social media followers to the blurry yellow menace. Batman remains as calculated as ever, figuring out Reverse Flash’s next move and commanding the League like chess pieces to have Barry save the day. When no one is looking, Batman takes the time to give Ace the belly rub of a lifetime.

It certainly isn’t an animated Justice League movie in 2018 without Grey DeLisle’s Wonder Woman, and she’s also given some fun action scenes with Plastic Man and Firestorm.

Some popular DC villains make an appearance as well, most notably Penguin and Poison Ivy, but this isn’t a Legion of Doom take on the bad guys. Reverse Flash is pitted up against Barry’s resolve as Flash learns to listen to his team mates and slow down, pay attention to his surroundings and more to be able to help the team. When trapped in the temple of the Speed Force, Barry has to use these problem solving skills to get his super speed back.

I’m a little on the fence about he Doctor Fate and Zatanna blues-riff number in the middle of the movie, but hey, maybe kids will like it. Kids love the blues!

LEGO DC Super Heroes: The Flash! is another fun one, recommended for fans of any and all versions of The Flash. Don’t look too hard for easter eggs in this one, I don’t recall many but the dialogue is funny and when Batman’s transformed by the Joker, I don’t think I have seen a more ridiculous Batsuit. I give it an A+ for great use of the Speed Force and adapting to the world of LEGO.

Gotta run, like Barry, I’m gonna be late!

LEGO DC Super Heroes: The Flash! is available now
on Digital, DVD and Blu-ray Combo!

 

 

Tonight: ‘Futurama’ Mini-Marathon To Pay Tribute To Dr. Stephen Hawking on Syfy

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SYFY will air seven half-hours of “Futurama” tonight, Wednesday, March 14 from 11:30PM-3AM ET to honor and remember the late Dr. Stephen Hawking. Dr. Hawking voices himself in several of the seven half-hours airing on SYFY, including “Anthology of Interest I,” “Reincarnation,” and in the four-part “The Beast With a Billion Backs.” The seventh half-hour, “Crimes of the Hot,” features Dr. Hawking as an iconic animated head.

“Futurama” regularly airs on SYFY on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8PM-2AM ET and Saturdays from 11PM-2AM ET.

“Futurama,” created by Matt Groening, developed by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, is produced by The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television.

 

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