Produced by Arata Ôshima, Yûsuke Kamada
Directed by Koki Shigeno
Featuring Osama Tomita, Shota Iida,
Yuki Ohnishi, Katsuji Matsouka, Kumiko Ishida,
Katsuya Kobayashi, Tom Takahashi

The title of this fascinating documentary, while not exactly a misnomer, is a bit misleading. Ramen Heads are fanatical foodies who love to seek out the best ramen noodles and broths in Japan.

We do get to see a handful of these folks – including a look at a Ramen Festival – but the main focus of Ramen Heads for the vast majority of its running time is chef Osamu Tomita, widely considered to be the finest ramen chef in Japan.

Tomita gives the filmmakers seemingly total access to his life and work; he is even happy about sharing the recipes for his revered and multiple-award winning broth and noodles, which is a rarity among chefs.

For the broth, Tomita takes an almost everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach: he boils a pig’s head, chicken bones, whole dried fish and a great deal more into what looks like nasty dishwater but is apparently so delicious it can bring tears to the eyes of many Ramen Heads.

Tomita also likes his noodles to be slightly thicker and longer than standard ramen noodles, for the all-important trait of “slurpability”.

Watching Tomita work is endlessly interesting – his life basically IS ramen. On his days off he eats at other ramen noodle houses, often taking his wife and three kids with him (his eldest son, unsurprisingly, wants to follow in dad’s footsteps, though in a touching moment of candor he admits he has terrible taste and needs to fix his tongue before embarking on a career as a ramen noodle chef).

There is a very interesting revelation of how Tomita manages to serve the many, many customers without asking them to wait in line for hours on end. He developed an innovative, pre-purchased “meal ticket” system that cuts down considerably on lines outside his restaurant.

We do step outside of Tomita’s life for an eye-opening history of ramen in Japan (being a stupid American, I always thought ramen noodles were just the instant kind that were the mainstays of budget-conscious college students). Ramen was – and still is – culturally important in Japan, and was an invaluable food source in the years following WWII.

We also do get to see other chefs put their own personal spin on ramen noodles and broth; there are miso-based broths, those made with sardines, others with red snapper.

A real treat comes near the end of the film as Tomita enlists the help of two other revered and renowned Japanese ramen chefs to develop a once-in-a-lifetime broth, concocted by the three of them working in concert, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Tomita’s restaurant. It’s a real pleasure seeing these chefs surprise one another, experimenting with top-drawer ingredients, without any ego issues.

Fans of the recent Netflix series, Ugly Delicious (highly recommended, by the way) should eat this doc up (sorry…). It’s a delightful peek into a beloved Japanese food – and culture surrounding it — that, to me at least, was mostly brand new.

For screening information, visit RamenHeadsFilm.com

Task Force X is back with the imminent threat of having their heads blown off in the latest animated movie from DC.

Following up after the events of Ocean Master’s defeat in Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, this in-continuity tale is a bit of a departure in terms of violence and nudity from previous films. Sam Liu returns as director and this movie’s marquee actor is Christian Slater as Deadshot with Tara Strong returning as Harley Quinn, James Urbaniac as Professor Pyg and C. Thomas Howell as Reverse Flash. Singer Vanessa Williams makes her Suicide Squad DC voice acting debut as Commander Amanda Waller.

In the opening scenes, the film quickly tells you that this is not going to be like other DC Animated movies. Count Vertigo loses his head remotely from Waller’s hand, followed by Harley Quinn predecessor Jewelee being blasted by Deadshot after she herself takes out her partner Punch!

Sure, there has been death in these movies before, but Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay leans on a more anime influence with buckets of blood and brutality not before seen in the series. I liken the level of violence in Hell To Pay on par with scenes from Kill Bill.

After a recent rewatch of Suicide Squad, I had hoped for some more crossover with the live action movie, but the differences were more apparent than similarities. Besides Waller, Deadshot and Harley the only other team member shared with the movie is Captain Boomerang.

This Squad introduces Killer Frost, Copperhead and Bronze Tiger on to the task force. On the other side of the aisle, searching for the “Get out of Hell Free” card we get Reverse Flash, Silver Banshee and Blockbuster. One similarity with Ayer’s live action movie is Deadshot wanting to get back to society to take care of his daughter.

The gore and blood is plenty, goopy, gross and a welcomed addition to the vocabulary of DC animated movies. Sure, not every movie needs to be this gratuitous but I rather enjoyed Liu pushing the boundaries a bit here, as the hook to get people to watch. There’s cursing, strip club scenes, adult humor and even some hot tub nudity. The free expression of sexuality goes beyond what you would see typically. Harley and Killer Frost take on exploring a male strip club while the guys hide in the back on monitor duty.

Hey, who would have expected Doctor Fate to be moonlighting as a stripper?

Something about Slater’s Deadshot is really special he brings his special voice and seriousness to the role. The film plays in the dark margins but doesn’t stay there, relying on humor to carry the scenes. Copperhead’s ridiculous look, concept, prehensile tail and forked tongue contrast with his deadpan seriousness, in a way that Croc was meant to be in the live action version.

Two lesser known characters from DCU, Scandal Savage and Female Fury Knockout, are a couple that goes after the card from a different angle after kidnapping Professor Pyg. Reverse Flash has his own motivation for capturing the “Get Out Of Hell Free” card after an encounter with a version of Batman (a Batman we we have seen in the post-Flashpoint timeline). Even Waller has her own motivation for directing the team and promises lighter sentences (and threatens head explosions) to get Task Force X to get her this magical card.

In the words of AC/DC, “If you want blood, you got it”. But also if you want another DC animated movie for your shelf, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay delivers in spades. With quippy dialogue, real consequences and a dabbling in the mystic arts and fun team interaction this movie surprises and delights. Real deaths mean real consequences for the future of this Universe (which isn’t referred to as the DC Animated Universe any more for reasons that escape me).

As a continuation post-Flashpoint, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is a great exploration into the darker side of DC, with a little Justice League: Dark and some good old fashioned smut to punch it up. Highly recommended to people that think DC is playing it too safe on the pages or the big screen, these animated features continue to impress.

Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay is now available on Digital HD and arrives on
Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo, Blu-ray Combo & DVD on April 10, 2018

In 1986, DC created an alternative cover for the first issue of The Man of Steel, sparking a trend that became a worldwide collector phenomenon. So-called variant covers are now a regular part of DC diverse output, with wildly creative sets of alternate covers being created for many key issues.

Variant covers are popular among collectors, with rare editions selling for thousands of dollars, and fans will often buy multiple copies of issues to acquire the numerous variant covers. DC’s cover art is some of the most celebrated in the world, from the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 to the iconic covers that adorn classics such as Batman: The Killing Joke and Watchmen.

On April 24th, Insight Editions in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, is publishing DC Comics Variant Covers: The Complete Visual History the first-ever published collection of DC’ variant covers written by Daniel Wallace.

DC fans can now explore the world of these alternative works of art with this deluxe book, which showcases some of the finest and most iconic variant covers ever produced. Complete with original cover art by Neal Adams, DC Comics Variant Covers includes insight into the design process from leading comic artists and industry experts.

But what’s a book about variant covers without a variant cover? Diamond Comics Distributors is distributing DC Comics Variant Covers: The Complete Visual History with a variant cover featuring an original piece of art by Frank Cho. Fans can find this edition of the book at their local comic book shop.

Showcasing an astounding collection of covers featuring DC’ remarkable characters, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Cyborg, The Flash, and more, DC Comics Variant Covers: The Complete Visual History is the perfect gift for casual fans and comic book aficionados alike.

For an excerpt from the book, keep reading!

One year after finding vengeance for his murdered brother, MMA champion Kurt Sloane finds himself back in Thailand – kidnapped and imprisoned there by a powerful gangster (Christopher Lambert). His only shot at freedom is to win an underground death match against a 400lb killer enhanced with state-of the-art drugs (Game of Thrones‘ Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) . To make it out alive, he seeks training unlike anything he’s ever endured, with the help of the legendary Master Durand (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and fellow prisoner Briggs (Mike Tyson).

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

Including Retaliation, Van Damme has appeared in how many films in the Kickboxer franchise?

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 April 15th, 2018.

I think it’s pretty safe to say that Kick-Ass is exactly where the infamous Dr. Fredric Wertham was worried that comics would go. Every page is dripping with blood, it puts children in dangerous situations, torture is rampant, alcohol, drug abuse, bad parenting, explicit sex, every fifth word is one you can’t say even on cable TV, and over and over again, it shows ultra-violence as the best solution to everything.

And yet it’s impossible to dislike Kick-Ass when it has more heart than most comic book series of recent vintage.

First of all, forget the movies. Different animals entirely. We aren’t talking about them. But the comic? Man, these are good!

One doesn’t name a comic book series “Kick-Ass” in the first place without expecting controversy and at the same time promising to make it live up to that title. The former was certainly there but it’s all in the past now that it’s been around for a decade. The latter, however, is all over the new graphic novel collections in abundance!

In a way, it takes the popular 1980s trope of “real world” superheroes and runs it through Quentin Tarentino’s blood colored lenses. It’s the story of a teenager, our title character, who is inspired to put on a homemade costume and go out and fight crime only to find out he’s bitten off a lot more than he can chew. But then there’s Hit Girl, a precocious pre-teen whose father trained her from an early age to follow a code akin to Wally Wood’s famous axiom, “There are good guys and there are bad guys and the job of the good guys is to kill the bad guys.” On the one hand, it’s hard not to see a father convincing his cute little girl to murder people as a bad thing but on the other, to the reader, it’s hard not to see Hit-Girl as cool as hell…and feel guilty on so many levels for feeling that way!

But like I said, the book is surprisingly full of heart, too, dealing as it does throughout with issues of adolescent angst, friendship, bullying, acceptance, growing up, and doing the right thing when it’s the hard thing. Writer Mark Millar brings to the table a clear and deep understanding of comic books themselves and what they really mean to young people. There are scores of references to Marvel and DC characters as if to underline this being “our” world, not anyone else’s universe.

It’s a tricky balancing act and clearly, he goes over the line into the gorier section a few times more than he really needed to but again, that was what he promised going in.

The art proves once and for all—if by chance any proof was still needed for anyone—that John Romita, Jr. is a force to be reckoned with on his own and not just his father’s son. Every panel and every character look as though a great deal of thought as well as drawing has gone into it and his storytelling skills are at a peak every step of the way.

Kick-Ass also provides the best showcase in decades for the classic inks of Marvel’s Bronze Age legend, Tom Palmer, with the artists being served over and above by the perfectly chosen palette of Dean White’s colors.

Kick-Ass is brutal. If you are at all easily offended, don’t even flip through any of these volumes. But it has a beginning, a middle, and even an unexpectedly happy ending.

Taken as a whole, these collected issues and volumes constitute a graphic novel that may not be as cerebral as Watchmen but that’s just as important. Think of Millar as John Ford to Alan Moore’s Orson Welles. One doesn’t invalidate the other and each director’s style is equally artistic.

We live in violent times where children seem to be committing more and more violent acts every single day. Children can be easily influenced but remember, Kick-Ass is NOT a comic book aimed at children!

Kick-Ass does indeed live up to its name.

Booksteve recommends.

My husband gave up playing video games for Lent (he’s not only Catholic, but crazy it seems) and during those 40 days he didn’t receive any zen-like epiphanies or curb any murderous thoughts -because, for the last time…video games do not make killers.

What did happen however was that the absence made him appreciate gaming even more than he already did. I guess there’s a reason that the clichéd proverb “absence makes the heart grow fonder” often rings true.

When I was a kid I only had one console and a handful of games that I subsequently played to death but nowadays with multi-platform releases and my own money to purchase multiple consoles, I can access the best gaming experiences and play most new releases.

So, I can’t help thinking… if I were the one to cut out gaming for any period of time, what would I miss about gaming the most?

It’s something I don’t think I’m able to answer with certainty unless I actually go without games for a period of time. Do I really know for sure that the things I suspect I’ll miss will actually be the things I miss the most? I’d argue it’s only when you are in that very real situation that you are able to define the factors you genuinely like about games themselves; rather than a superficial guess or supposition.

Would it be the camaraderie of online gameplay I’d be longing for?

My answer is a definite ‘maybe’ here. A few years ago, this would have been a much higher priority on my list of gaming experiences. But as my friends and I have inched ever closer to death, many of us have been through life-changing events, such as adopting or birthing new humans, marriage, big promotions or generally having mental breakdowns, so we’ve all had to reassess our extra curricular priorities.

In addition to the constraints of adult life, our free time has quickly evaporated, leaving our schedules out of sync and little room for late night raids or online gaming. This suggests that I probably wouldn’t miss online gameplay immediately. I might long for it nostalgically now and then, but if I had to give up games tomorrow, I’d probably be okay without the online multiplayer aspect.

With less downtime on my hands, perhaps I would miss the convenience of handheld or mobile games. The kind of games that kill time on journeys or can be played in-between commercial breaks, while waiting for the kettle to boil or my bath to run or some other menial task. Often I find myself booting up mobile games like Pokémon Go or one of several Otome games, as a means of bitesize escape. Subsequently, they have become something of a habit – many of us reach for a phone when unsure what to do – so I feel I would instinctively miss that; like a restless ex-smoker.

Though, I think I’m more likely to miss solo gameplay, the games I spend 3 or 4 hours a time on; single player games with a decent story, such as The Last of Us. The type of games with defined characters, story arcs that change the narrative or play out like films. Stories with real emotions, even if those emotions are anger and frustration at something like Mass Effect Andromeda for making all of my crew members so dull and therefore unromanceable, for example.

I wonder though, if the actual thing I’d pine for, would be the unique ability to explore huge expanses and open world sandboxes like I often do with Fallout 4. Losing myself in another world or universe, experiencing something other than my own mundane life. Its fair to say I’d happily wander the Wasteland and I’ve been doing so since the games release in 2015. I mean, I could go outside but who wants to go outside?

Personally, there’s also a chance I would hate to miss out on staying current or up to date. There’s nothing worse than losing out on precious XP/gamer score and falling behind my friends, never able to catch up to their level and missing out on cool new weapons and armour. Being without games would make me less inclined to keep current with the games industry news too.

On reflection, maybe there’s something else more important to me.

Like the familiarity or nostalgia I’d crave for those games that I know inside out and could play blindfolded, or the ones I play that make my heart sing with joy. One of the main reasons I think video games resonate with me is because I’ve always found them cathartic. Without them I’d have no mental outlet with which to cope with life and adversity. After all, there was a time when video games literally did save my life and I genuinely believe I wouldn’t be here without them.

It’s difficult to really put a finger on just one element that I think I’d miss, games have been in my life forever and as such, there would no doubt be multiple things I could list.

But the internet is littered with lists (including many of my own) and when you have to think about these things and I mean really think about them, when you’re faced with an ultimatum like absence, or perhaps illness or simply lack of time, only then are you truly in a situation where you can learn about yourself.

For example, often when people play FPS games, on some level they believe they’d be fine in a real warlike scenario but I’ve played paintball, laser quest and been on zombie survival role-play experiences and from those alone, I can tell that the reality is literally unfathomable. You really have no idea how you’d fare in a genuine war or how you’d cope in a zombie infested apocalyptic world. Fortunately for us gamers we don’t have to (although I do acknowledge the many military personnel who play games), with games we get to experience many different worlds, scenarios and lives.

While I don’t suggest you give up games for a month (or 40 days like my husband), it would be an interesting challenge and could reveal a lot more about you as a gamer than you think. So, if you want to give it a try…go for it.

Just don’t expect me to join you on that fool’s quest. I like games. I’m practically an addict.

And I need my fix.

Most people think of princesses as Disney cartoon characters: a girl on the cusp of adulthood, who sings songs with her attendant birds and chipmunks, discovers that she can fulfill her dreams and find the love of her life in the span of a few cinematic scenes. They think of Kate Middleton, Princess Diana, Grace Kelly, and, more recently, Meghan Markle. With their charitable endeavors and keen fashion sensibilities, modern princesses are often held up as role models, though not even they have been spared the same critical eye that history has cast upon female royalty across the ages.

In Quirk Books’ Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History—Without the Fairy-Tale Endings, journalist Linda Rodriguez McRobbie engagingly presents the lives of real princesses—whether royal by birth, marriage, or imagination—who fought, stole, schemed, and partied as they made their way through a complicated world. In this well-researched and thorough account of more than thirty truly remarkable women, stories that are incomplete or poorly documented are given careful consideration. McRobbie—who writes for the Boston Globe, Guardian, Smithsonian, and Atlas Obscura—reveals the historical context that underpins their actions with the bias of primary accounts reframed in a feminist light.

Thanks to our friends at Quirk Books, we’re sharing one of our favorite stories from the book, “Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel , The Princess Who Didn’t Wash.”

Check it out on the next page!

Spring has sprung at Hulu as the streaming service offers a packed month of possible binge-worthy shows and movies that made the leap from Netflix.

New shows this month include absolutely every reality show having to deal with buying a house, selling a house, flipping a house, destroying a house, building a house and renovating a house.

If you are happy with where you live, you can also check out the live version of Jesus Christ Superstar, with will debut on April 2 with John Legend. Pro tip: If you don’t follow Legend’s wife/Twitter God Chrissy Teigan, do it now.

Also this month, you can binge on lusty pirates with the fourth season of Black Sails, lusty vikings with the second season of Vikings, lusty clergy with the second season of Preacher, and lusty hipsters with the season seven premiere of New Girl.

On April 3, the highly-acclaimed Emmy winning The Handmaid’s Tale returns to airwaves as a warning of events to come.

On the feature film side, oodles of classic pics and modern marvels are available for streaming, starting on April 1.

For the horror hounds, there is the original Carrie, Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre II, Paranormal Activity, and every damn Wishmaster movie you could ever want.

Need to catch up on the classics? Try Lawrence of Arabia, Marathon Man, and Taxi Driver.

Want a comedy? How about Spaceballs, Married to the Mob, Roxanne, Desperately Seeking Susan, and Up In Smoke. If you want your comedy with a darker edge, there is Death Becomes Her and Throw Mama From the Train.

And for people who enjoy shitty movies from YouTubers, there is the entire Fred saga.

TELEVISION

APRIL 1

• 60 Days In (Season 3, A&E)
• American Pickers (Seasons 15 & 16. History)
• Ancient Aliens (Season 12, History)
• Counting Cars (Season 6B, History)
• Fixer Upper (Season 4, HGTV)
• Flea Market Flip (Season 4, HGTV)
• Flip or Flop (Season 6, HGTV)
• Gangland Undercover (Season 1, History)
• House Hunters (Season 108, HGTV)
• House Hunter’s Renovation (Season 8, HGTV)
• Intervention (Seasons 15 & 16, A&E)
• Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (Season 2, A&E)
• Project Runway (Season 15, Lifetime)
• Property Brothers (Season 9, HGTV)
• Property Brothers: Buying & Selling (Seasons 1 & 4, HGTV)
• Worst Cooks in America (Season 8, Food Network)

APRIL 2

• Black Sails (Season 4, Starz)
• Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)

APRIL 3

• The Crossing (Series Premiere, ABC)

APRIL 4

• National Treasure: Kiri (Season 2 Premiere, Hulu Original)

APRIL 7

• My Hero Academia: Subbed (Season 3 Premiere, Funimation)

APRIL 10

• Preacher (Season 2, AMC)

APRIL 11

• New Girl (Season 7 Premiere (FOX)

APRIL 19

• Love Island (Seasons 1 and 2, ITV)
• The Only Way Is Essex (Season 21, All3 Media)

APRIL 24

• Vikings (Season 5, History)

APRIL 30

• The Handmaid’s Tale (Season 2 Premiere)

APRIL 31

• The Carmichael Show (Season 3, NBC)
• Unsolved Mysteries (Seasons 9–14 (FilmRise)

MOVIES

April 1

• 30 Beats
• 5 Days of War
• 50/50
• 52 Pick-Up
• A Simple Plan
• Accepted
• Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale
• Barbie and the Diamond Castle
• Basic Instinct
• The Beaver
• The Big Wedding
• Carrie (1976)
• Red State
• Con Air
• The Conspirator
• Cool Runnings
• Danny Roane: First Time Director
• Death Becomes Her
• Desperately Seeking Susan
• The Dogs of War
• Drugstore Cowboy
• Eagle vs. Shark
• Eight Millimeter
• Eye for an Eye
• Fathers and Daughters
• Flashback
• The Flowers of War
• The Foot Fist Way
• For a Few Dollars More
• Fred: The Movie
• Fred: Night of the Living Fred
• Fred 3: Camp Fred
• Friday the 13th (1980)
• Funny About Love
• Gamer
• The Giant King
• Hellbenders 3D
• Honey
• Honey 2
• I Am a Teacher
• The Inbetweeners
• Internal Affairs
• The Jackal
• Jane Eyre (2011)
• K2
• Ladybugs
• Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists
• Land Before Time Sing Along
• Land Before Time Sing Along 2
• Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island
• Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock
• Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire
• Lawrence of Arabia
• Leftovers
• Life Stinks
• Man in the Moon
• Map of the Human Heart
• Marathon Man
• The Marc Pease Experience
• Married to the Mob
• The Men Who Stare at Goats
• Miami Blues
• Mystery Team
• Paranormal Activity
• The Phantom
• Prancer
• Project Nim
• Quigley Down Under
• The Rage: Carrie 2
• Roxanne
• Salsa
• Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll
• Shanghai Surprise
• She’s Having A Baby
• Small Soldiers
• Snake Eyes
• Spaceballs
• Stand Up Guys
• Standing in the Shadows of Motown
• Stories We Tell
• Superstar
• The Switch
• Taxi Driver
• Tenderness
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (1986)
• Texas Killing Fields
• The Thomas Crown Affair
• Throw Momma from the Train
• Thunder Soul
• Trading Mom
• Tumbledown
• Up in Smoke
• Uptown Girls
• U-571
• Warpath
• Wayne’s World 2
• The Winning Season
• Wishmaster
• Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies
• Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell
• Wishmaster 4: The Prophecy Fulfilled
• You Don’t Mess with the Zohan

APRIL 2

• Life Partners

APRIL 4

• So B It

APRIL 6

• Dina

APRIL 9

• Take My Nose…Please

APRIL 10

• Hours

APRIL 11

• Augie

APRIL 12

• I Can Do Bad All by Myself

APRIL 14

• Dealt

APRIL 15

• A Teacher
• American Gangster
• Boys and Girls
• Fame
• Hollow in the Land
• Howl
• In the Bedroom
• Life is Beautiful
• Master of Disguise
• Off Label
• Shut Up and Play the Hits
• Slumber
• The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)
• The Messenger

APRIL 16

• The Relationtrip

APRIL 18

• Tragedy Girls

APRIL 19

• Loving Vincent

APRIL 20

• Z for Zachariah

APRIL 26

• Into the Night: Portraits of Life and Death

APRIL 27

• Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie (Hulu Original Documentary)

APRIL 28

• 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene

APRIL 29

• Permanent

APRIL 30

• A Thousand Junkies

With THE THOUSAND FACES OF DUNJIA, legendary director Yuen Wo Ping and writer/producer Tsui Hark breathe new life into the wuxia genre, weaving together fantasy, humor, and breathtaking martial arts action. Dao, a naïve young constable, discovers a secret society with supernatural abilities that has protected mankind for centuries. As he’s drawn into a power struggle within their ranks, they learn that an ancient creature with the power to destroy the world is rising – and it will take all of their powers combined to stop it.

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

What is the film’s connection to the 1982 film, The Miracle Fighters?

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 April 22nd, 2018.

See the unique story of three friends who became heroes when “The 15:17 to Paris” arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and 4K Digital.

From Academy Award winning director Clint Eastwood comes “The 15:17 to Paris,” which tells the real-life story of three men whose brave act turned them into heroes during a highspeed railway ride.

In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris—an attempt prevented by three courageous young Americans traveling through Europe. The film follows the course of the friends’ lives, from the struggles of childhood through finding their footing in life, to the series of unlikely events leading up to the attack. Throughout the harrowing ordeal, their friendship never wavers, making it their greatest weapon and allowing them to save the lives of the more than 500 passengers on board.

The heroic trio is comprised of Anthony Sadler, Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos and U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Spencer Stone, who play themselves in the film. Starring alongside them are Jenna Fischer (“Hall Pass,” TV’s “The Office”), Judy Greer (“War for the Planet of the Apes”), Ray Corasani (TV’s upcoming “The Long Road Home”), PJ Byrne (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Tony Hale (TV’s “Veep”) and Thomas Lennon (“Transformers: Age of Extinction”). Paul-Mikél Williams plays the younger Anthony, Bryce Gheisar plays the younger Alek and William Jennings plays the younger Spencer.

Eastwood (“Sully,” “American Sniper”) directs from a screenplay by Dorothy Blyskal, based on the book by Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone and Jeffrey E. Stern. Eastwood also produces the film, along with Tim Moore, Kristina Rivera and Jessica Meier. The film’s executive producer is Bruce Berman.

Behind the scenes, the creative team includes frequent collaborators Tom Stern, who served as cinematographer on 13 of Eastwood’s previous films, and Deborah Hopper, who has served as Eastwood’s costume designer on 17 prior films, editor Blu Murray, who most recently cut “Sully,” and the film’s composer, Christian Jacob. Veteran art director Kevin Ishioka, whose work can be seen in “Sully” and in “Dunkirk,” serves as production designer.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Malpaso production, “The 15:17 to Paris.” “The 15:17 to Paris” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

“The 15:17 to Paris” 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, a Blu-ray disc with the special features in high definition, a DVD with the film in standard definition, and a Digital version of the movie.

“The 15:17 to Paris” 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 “The 15:17 to Paris” in 4K via purchase from digital retailers beginning May 1.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“The 15:17 to Paris” Blu-ray Combo Pack contains the following special features:

• Making Every Second Count
  • Join Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler – the three Americans who stopped the attack – as they take us moment-by-moment through the real-life drama, just as they lived it.
• Portrait of Courage
  • Join Oscar winner Eastwood and his creative team as they reveal the aspects of the story that moved them and why they took the bold step of casting the three Americans to play themselves in the film.

“The 15:17 to Paris” Standard Definition DVD contains the following special feature:

• Portrait of Courage

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.

Last time I focused on Horror, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller and Drama;  and in Part 1 I looked at Action/Adventure and Sci-Fi/Fantasy.

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

COMEDY

Best In Class

No fewer than four comedies have stood the test of time and remain influential, perhaps because they’re so unassuming and old-fashioned in their approach.

Mrs. Doubtfire

Even the tragic death of Robin Williams cannot taint our memories of his greatest film role, as a soon-to-be-divorced father who sneaks his way back into his home gussied up as a dotty English nanny.

The flabby makeup prosthetics and frumpy drag costumes help Williams pull off the bodily transformation, but it’s the magical combination of late actor’s quick comic timing, his genius stream-of-consciousness improvisational skills, his capacity for physical comedy, and especially his riotous rapport with each of his co-stars that launched this picture into the stratosphere.

Groundhog Day

Bill Murray has more enduring comedies to his credit than many of his contemporaries, but because most of his classics pair him with a comic foil or feature him as part of an ensemble, the charming time-warp tale Groundhog Day stands above them because he’s essentially the solo romantic lead. Aided by longtime collaborator Harold Ramis’ nimble direction, and buoyed by a palpable onscreen chemistry with co-star Andie MacDowell, the Twilight Zone tale of an egotistical weatherman who keeps reliving the same day over and over until he gets it right turns out to be surprisingly and gratifyingly Capra-esque.

Never before had Murray’s onscreen transformation from smug to sweet seemed so genuine, and even in light of his many more artistic endeavors that would follow (notably Ed Wood, Lost in Translation, and pretty much everything he’s done for Wes Anderson), this movie remains a career high point.

Dazed and Confused

Of all the semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tales to emerge from Hollywood, Richard Linklater’s ganja-infused high school comedy stands the test of time more than most other similar films because of its knowing dialogue, its wall-to-wall classic ’70s rock soundtrack, and its terrific cast of then-unknowns who have since become veritable stars (notably Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Milla Jovovich—plus many others you will recognize, including an uncredited Renée Zellweger).

Furthermore, few films of its ilk capture with such unpretentious authenticity a wide gamut of the high-school experience, from adult and peer pressures to the hierarchy of classroom cliques, from the humiliating hazing rituals of schoolyard bullies to the supreme satisfaction of being accepted by the cool gang for who you are.

Dave

This Ivan Reitman-directed fable of an impersonator subbing for an incapacitated U.S. president holds up today because the—yes, here’s that word again—Capra-esque fantasy of a nice compassionate guy who deigns to rise above the swamp of political chicanery and back-stabbing to affect positive change for the working class is the ideal antidote to the embarrassing reality of the Age of Trump.

That, plus the effervescent comic turns by Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver still sparkle today.

Compare To:
Another Stakeout; Beethoven’s 2nd; Benny & Joon; Coneheads; The Beverly Hillbillies; Cool Runnings; Even Cowgirls Get the Blues; Fatal Instinct; Father Hood; Fear of a Black Hat; Grumpy Old Men; Hocus Pocus; Hot Shots! Part Deux; Made in America; Matinee; Much Ado About Nothing; Sleepless in Seattle; Wayne’s World 2; The Wedding Banquet

Fewer Will Remember:
Amos & Andrew; Born Yesterday; Cop and a Half; Ernest Rides Again; For Love or Money; Heart and Souls; Life with Mikey; Look Who’s Talking Now; Lost in Yonkers; Manhattan Murder Mystery; The Meteor Man; Mr. Nanny; My Boyfriend’s Back; Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit; So I Married an Axe Murderer; Son in Law; Son of the Pink Panther; Splitting Heirs; Three of Hearts; Undercover Blues; Weekend at Bernie’s II; Who’s the Man?; Wilder Napalm

FAMILY/ANIMATED

Best In Class:

The Nightmare Before Christmas

This wondrous stop-motion musical—directed by Henry Selick but unmistakably the brainchild of writer/producer Tim Burton—stands the test of time because its warm and tactile puppetry towers over the electronic chill of computer-drawn animation. It’s also a cheerful fable that manages to dually capture the macabre delights of Halloween along with the joyous spirit of Christmas.

As such, it stands as a perennial favorite for celebrating both holidays and will hopefully live on forever.

The Sandlot

There were quite a few prestigious all-star baseball-themed films of varying tonality released in the few years before and after The Sandlot—from Field of Dreams and Bull Durham to The Scout and Eight Men Out, from Major League and A League of Their Own to The Babe and Cobb, and so forth—but this unassuming coming-of-age tale stands tall among them for its likable gang of young misfits, and for its nostalgic view of growing up in the early 1960s.

Bolstered by quotable passages of dialogue, fine period detail, and a crucial extended cameo by James Earl Jones, few other movies capture the awkwardness of adolescence and the mythos of baseball as the “American game” while simultaneously tickling the funny bone and warming the heart.

Compare To:
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm; A Far Off Place; Dennis the Menace; Free Willy; The Secret Garden

Fewer Will Remember:
The Adventures of Huck Finn; Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey; Josh and S.A.M.; Rookie of the Year; Super Mario Bros.; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III; We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story

Shout! Factory TV will partner with social video platform Twitch to host a 4-day marathon of the complete original series Ultraman Leo beginning Wednesday, April 18. Fans can tune in to watch all 51 episodes from the show’s original run daily from April 18-21 at 3 p.m. PT on Shout! Factory’s official Twitch channel.

Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the creative team behind Ultraman, Ultraman Leo is the seventh entry in the Ultraman series. The Ultraman series is one of the most prominent tokusatsu superhero genre productions from Japan and has sparked a fandom of the Ultraman mythology across generations.

After being brutally marred by evil aliens, Dan Moroboshi (Ultraseven) takes under his wing a fierce young Ultra-like being from L-77, and christens him “Ultraman Leo,” to continue his mission to defend the Earth. Alien intergalactic slavers called Magma come to Earth in an attempt to find more slaves for their expanding evil empire. In response, the Ultra Warriors send Leo to protect the planet from this new threat.

Ultraman Leo’s fighting spirit is showcased across a season of epic monster battles, ultra strength and a dynamic defense of the planet.

All episodes of Ultraman Leo are also available on VOD at Shout! Factory TV.

It’s time to return to Pacific Rim! With Pacific Rim Uprising, the sequel to the fan-favorite mechs-vs.-monsters movie, debuting at #1 at the box office, DST is cancelling the apocalypse with a line of action figures depicting the film’s all-new Jaeger robots! Series 1 hits stores this week, with Series 2 and 3 waiting in the launch bay, and a Kaiju on the horizon!

In Series 1, the battle begins with Gipsy Avenger (7.25″, Item #AUG179033, SRP: $24.99) with alternate weapon arms, Saber Athena (6.75″, Item #AUG179034, SRP: $24.99) with interchangeable hands and swords, and Bracer Phoenix (6.25″, Item #AUG179035, SRP: $24.99) with alternate hands make up Series 1, each with approximately 16 points of articulation and each packaged in the famous Select packaging, with side-panel artwork for shelf reference. These specialty-exclusive versions include weapons and accessories not available at any other retailer.

In stores this summer, Pacific Rim Uprising Select Action Figures Series 2 will add three new Jaegers to join the fight against the kaiju menace, although one is on the wrong side! The mysterious Obsidian Fury (7.75″) with his twin blades, Guardian Bravo with his mace, and Titan Redeemer with his whip each measure between 7 and 8 inches tall, and each features approximately 16 points of articulation, plus interchangeable parts that are exclusively available to the specialty market! Packaged in display-ready Select action figure packaging, with side-panel artwork for shelf reference. (Item #JAN182369, SRP: $24.99/ea.)

Series 3, scheduled for the end of 2018, will feature November Ajax, Valor Omega and a Drone Hybrid, each with interchangeable hands and multiple points of articulation.

Because you can’t have a Jaeger without a Kaiju, the Kaiju Hakuja will receive a 12-inch long vinyl action figure (Item #MAR182418, $45.00), with multiple points of articulation, including a hinged jaw. Look for it to hit stores this summer!

And if you like your giant robots and monsters super-cute and cuddly, the D-Formz line of superdeformed/chibi mini-figures will be available in blind boxes this fall! (Assortment item #APR182180)

Find a comic shop near you at comicshoplocator.com,
or order online at shop.diamondselecttoys.com/pacific-rim!

The Twilight Zone became the rightful gold standard for anthology television series but it was hardly the only one as we all know. Some were simply anthology shows such as The Outer Limits or One Step Beyond, while others would try to corner a specific genre market. Tales From The Darkside and Monsters were there for the horror fans (and Serling’s own Night Gallery before that), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (both the 1955 and 1985 series) sated mystery and thriller fans, Fallen Angels was the crime noir show, Amazing Stories was more fantasy based and Tales Of Tomorrow and Science Fiction Theater were there for the science crowd (and lets be clear I have not even touched on some of the amazing anthology series that there have been).

With seemingly every genre having their own series the question became what was left? There was a female centric drama anthology in the form of Lifetime’s The Hidden Room in 1991… comedy in Love, American Style… but what about music? What about a music anthology?

That is where Strange Frequency comes in.

Strange Frequency wore it’s influence on it’s sleeve as it was literally sold as “The Twilight Zone for Rock n’ Roll”.

Strange Frequency was a VH1 original that ran for 11 episodes with 1 episode left unaired (and yes I have a copy). VH1 might seem like an odd choice for such a show as MTV would have been the more natural landing pad and given that VH1 and MTV have the same owners it is conceivable that it was originally developed for MTV and with MTV in more homes than VH1 at that time putting it on the sister network is a weird choice.

The series was actually a backdoor pilot. Originally Strange Frequency was a two hour TV movie on VH1 with 4 half hour stories linked by host segments and if the movie was popular enough then the segments could be re-aired as episodes of the eventual show. This kind of hurt them down the line, but I will get to that.

The pilot movie aired on January 24 2001 and was a pretty good sized hit for a basic cable movie (remember this is prior to the days when cable was the go to for quality programming). The story of the series is loose but basically Twilight Zone style stories that all heavily involve music in some way. The movie had no real linking element and the series would not either outside of The Who’s Roger Daltry as the series host and narrator (he would also appear in the first episode of the series as the Devil but not in any of the subsequent stories).

The pilot movie consisted of four unconnected shorts that were very much hit and miss.

The first story “Disco Inferno” has two metalhead dullards get into a car accident on the way to a concert and the only place they find any help is a nearby disco and since metalheads hate disco… you can see exactly where this is going.

Yes, they died in the car crash and being stuck in a disco-tech for all time is their hell. Following this tepid and predictable story we get the true standout in Strange Frequency.

“My Generation” is honestly amazing with expert acting and a genuine set of plot twists. Eric Roberts just happens to be a serial killer who is murdering teens and young adults trekking across the country to see bands such as Pearl Jam. He hates modern music you see. After he picks up Christopher Masterson he nearly gets killed. You see Masterson is also a serial killer who is killing “hippy burnouts” because he hates their music.

An uneasy alliance is formed and (spoiler)… they both get killed by a 3rd serial killer who hates every kind of music past the oldies. It’s a great cat and mouse story with performances that transcend the material.

Then we get another predictable and flaccid story titled “Room Service” where an out of control rock star (John Taylor, actual former rock star) keeps trashing his hotel room and the maid is always one step ahead of him in an almost Looney Tunes manner.

Finally, we end on “More Than a Feeling,” where Judd Nelson is a music producer that when he hears or encounters talent, he gets a figurative kick in the gut and quickly amasses the reputation for finding new stars. The problem is that every single person he makes famous has some tragic something happen to them shortly after they “make it”.

The final twist is that he gets the gut kick when he hears his young daughter playing piano and to save her the impending doom that follows him he shreds her hand in the garbage disposal to save her life.

The movie went over well with critics and with audiences so a full series was quickly put into production. Daltry was hired as the host and in September of 2001 the first regular episode was aired.

You can also see the music influence with all of the titles coming from classic rock songs.

“Soul Man” had lowly, but talented guitar tech James Marsters sell his soul to the devil for fame and fortune. You can guess how it turned out.

“Cold Turkey” had a brilliant but drug addicted rock star get clean and all of a sudden he is stalked by this beautiful woman who keeps tempting him over and over… yes she is the personification of his addiction trying to make him relapse.

“Don’t Stop Believin'” has a political candidate use the Journey song of the same name as his campaign jingle and when his mistress is killed in a car accident he finds hearing the song allows him to travel in time and attempt to correct mistakes from the past but alas each change only makes things worse.

“Room Service”:  Already recycling material from the pilot film and where viewers started to get pissed off. They found that very quickly VH1 was filling out the season with episodes we had already seen. While the Daltry intro was new, this was a rerun basically and all four of the movie segments would be reused in this way.

“My Generation”: Look at that… another rerun so early on.

“A Change Would Do You Good” is about a spoiled rock star that is in a treatment facility that may be more sinister than he thinks.

“Disco Inferno”: ANOTHER GODDAMN RERUN.

“Time Is On My Side”: Another listening to music allows you to travel in time story. At least this one has Pam Grier as a bartender.

“Instant Karma”: A kind of rapey rock star gets to experience things on the other side when a witch swaps his body with that of one of his victims.

“More Than a Feeling”: RERUN.

“Don’t Fear the Reaper”: A goth singer accidentally sees death take a soul and they become friends. Charisma Carpenter is the goth singer and Sebastian Bach from the heavy metal band Skid Row is death.

“Daydream Believer”: is the unaired episode. Ratings were terrible by this point and VH1 just quietly cancelled the series.

Strange Frequency had two major problems that killed the series.

One was that the bulk of the stories were unoriginal or cliched or simply were basic anthology fluff with the music aspect shoehorned in.

The other was that while promising fans “new episodes,” they simply keep rerunning ones we had already seen. The four from the movie were sold “new” when we saw them just eight months ago.

Yes, the Daltry parts were new but that is not cutting it. The TV movie was released on DVD as simply Strange Frequency and the first four of the regular episodes were released as Strange Frequency 2.

Would Strange Frequency have done better on MTV or HBO?

Perhaps. VH1 was not the place people were going for unique music related content. Oddly I think an anthology series based on music really could work, but for it to do so you need good writing and good stories and Strange Frequency simply did not have either of those for the most part.

I would not be adverse of another take on this though…

Guest Post by Jim Bell / Photos via NASA

What is it that inspires so many people to gape in jaw-dropping awe at the spectacular landscape and ecology of Pandora, the imagined Earth-like extrasolar planetary moon in James Cameron’s Avatar movies, or to share Mark Watney’s deep sense of loneliness and gritty determination in the face of the hostile Mars environment in Andy Weir’s The Martian?

Or, for that matter, what social or evolutionary force appears to be driving more than a half-century of continuously-successful and compelling space-based blockbuster films, TV shows, books, blogs, and web sites in general?

I believe the answer is simple: In the realm of space, at least, science facts inspire science fiction, and the more we learn about the worlds around us, the more we dream about visiting them ourselves.

Of course, most of us are gravitationally glued to planet Earth.

Fewer than 600 people (out of the 100 billion in human history) have yet had the opportunity to travel in space; only 27 of those guys (all guys) have gone out to deep space, orbiting the Moon, and only 12 of them have actually walked on the Moon. The astronaut corps has been quite an exclusive club during the Space Age so far, and one could imagine that the low odds of joining that club would make people in general less interested in space. I think that might have been the case, except for one thing: NASA and other space agencies don’t just send people into space, they also send robots – hundreds of them over the past 60 years – as advance scouts, explorers, and avatars. Robotic space exploration has allowed us to virtually see, taste, touch, walk, and fly over previously unknown lands (and seas), beaming images and other data back to billions of us all stuck back here on Earth. The textbooks and Wikipedia pages have been re-written countless times now as what were once mere points of land become transformed into real worlds.

And that is precisely where science fiction can take over.

In my opinion, some of the best science fiction is “best” because it is rooted in what is real, what is practical, what readers and viewers can imagine might really be possible, perhaps even within their own lifetimes. So Mark Watney’s Mars is the cold, dry, windy, hostile world that we already know it really is; Cameron’s Pandora is an entirely plausible habitable moon around a giant planet because we already know that there are habitable moons around giant planets in our own solar system. We can even give authors and directors some leeway on the physics – warp drive, transporters, light sabers – if the settings are compelling and evocative of places that we might know or can easily envision to be real, and if the stories and struggles of the people in those environments can be projected into our own psyches.

But what about the “vice versa” part?

How can science fiction inspire science fact?

That path is perhaps less direct, but no less powerful. To me, it starts with writers, filmmakers, artists, and others with specific visions that they convey through their work. They could be technically-oriented visions, as in the imagined geosynchronous satellites that Arthur C. Clarke first wrote about in the 1940s, or societal visions, as in the semi-utopian United Federation of Planets envisioned by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry in the turbulent late 1960s.

When I was young, the vision of the space future depicted in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey was particularly powerful. Why wouldn’t the airlines eventually become spacelines? Why wouldn’t there be bases on the Moon, and people traveling to the moons of Jupiter soon? Fiction created prescient, realizable futures that not only inspired, but motivated some people to vector their lives and careers in those directions. It was (or, will be) only a matter of time as technology, geopolitics, and the human urge to explore catch up with the powerful visions of influential science fiction and make some of those possibilities become realities.

I believe that we’re on the brink of a major expansion in the global economy of our planet, extending it out into deep space. The region from low Earth orbit (300-500 km up) out to the geosynchronous satellites (around 35,000 km up) is already a multi-billion dollar place of business and government expenditures, producing tangible benefits in communications, weather forecasting, Earth monitoring, defense, and materials science that is improving life down on Earth. But that is really close to home: If the Earth were a basketball, the International Space Station would only be as high above the surface as a dime held against that basketball, and the weather satellites would only be about 3 basketballs away.

What I’m talking about, however, is an expansion into deep space, destinations (dozens or many thousands of basketballs away) like the Moon, asteroids that orbit not too far from our planet, or even Mars and beyond. And I believe that there is a great business model, tried and true from Earthbound experience, that will make that potential expansion a reality: tourism.

Sure, we need advances in technology and reliability to reduce the cost of getting into space (just like the airline industry a century ago), but we’re seeing those advances already starting to happen now, with startup companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada, as well as many previously-established space companies, using a combination of government and private funding to revolutionize the launch market.

For commercial space tourism to become as routine and economically mature as Earth-bound tourism might take a century or two; maybe more, maybe less. Thanks to 20th and 21st century astronauts and robots, however, we already know many of the most stunning and exciting places that families, adventure travelers, lovers, and citizen science eco-tourists will want to go.

Now all it will take is the vision and brainpower to make those science fiction fantasies into a fun, affordable, educational, and fact-based reality.

Jim Bell is an astronomer, planetary scientist, and Professor in the School of Earth and Space
Exploration at Arizona State University. He is President of The Planetary Society (planetary.org),
and the author of “The Ultimate Interplanetary Travel Guide”, available now from Sterling.

Forces of Geek Presents OH NO THEY DIDN’T, a podcast about remakes, sequels and reboots.

This episode, we’re tackling two more of the WORST SEQUELS OF ALL TIME – The Neverending Story III and Mulan 2.  Both are straight-to-video duds lacking the heart of their original films or source material, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t unintentionally funny as hell.

Come for the explanation of these franchise-killing disasters, stay for TJ’s spot on impression of Falkor.    You can also check out ALL of our past episodes over at our website ONTDpodcast.com and better yet, SUBSCRIBE to the show on iTunes, Google Play or your favorite podcast provider.

To keep up with news about sequels and remakes, or just hear us rant between episodes, we’re also on TWITTER at ONTDPodcast

Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther,” the highly celebrated story of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), a young African prince who takes on the mantle of King and Super Hero, has thrilled and inspired generations of moviegoers around the globe. Now, fans can bring home the phenomenon, packed with light-hearted fun, pulse-pounding action and a powerful message, and watch it over and over again, Digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD and Movies Anywhere on May 8 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand on May 15.  With both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos immersive sound, 4K Ultra HD offers consumers a transformative viewing experience.

Through the 4K Cinematic Universe Edition of “Black Panther,” fans will experience the exhilarating adventure in stunning 4K Ultra HD with next-generation high dynamic range (HDR) visuals and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. Never-before-seen extras feature commentary from director Ryan Coogler; deleted scenes; outtakes; and several making-of featurettes, which detail the Black Panther’s evolution, the remarkable women of Wakanda, the history of T’Challa’s proud nation, and the cosmic origin and technological applications of vibranium. Also included are a roundtable discussion with “Black Panther” filmmakers and writers; a featurette tracing the countless connections between heroes, characters and storylines within the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and an exclusive sneak peek at “Ant-Man and the Wasp.”

The global cultural phenomenon of “Black Panther” has dominated the box office charts emerging as the third biggest movie of all time domestically with over $665 million – the first film in eight years to spend five weeks at No. 1 – and rising to the global top 10 of all time with over $1.3 billion. In the acclaimed film, T’Challa returns home to the hidden high-tech African nation of Wakanda to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king, following the death of his father. But when a man named Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) appears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he’s drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Pitted against his own family, the king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and embrace his future as an Avenger.

The film features a fierce group of Wakandan women, including Nakia (Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o), a War Dog and Wakandan spy; Shuri (Letitia Wright), T’Challa’s little sister and tech wizard; and the Dora Milaje, the all-female Wakandan Special Forces led by Okoye (Danai Gurira). They team up with reluctant ally CIA agent Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) to help T’Challa defend Wakanda against the forces threatening to destroy it. The extraordinary ensemble cast of “Black Panther” also includes veteran actors such as Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett as Ramonda, T’Challa and Shuri’s mother; Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker as Zuri, the spiritual leader of Wakanda; and Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, an illegal arms dealer; and standout performances by Academy Award® nominee Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, Royal Counsel to T’Challa; Winston Duke as M’Baku, the formidable leader of the Jabari tribe; and Emmy Award-winner Sterling K. Brown as N’Jobu, a Wakandan War Dog.

The action in “Black Panther” is intensified through a musical score by GRAMMY-nominated composer Ludwig Göransson and soundtrack curated and produced by GRAMMY Award-winning global superstar Kendrick Lamar and Billboard Magazine’s Executive of the Year Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith. “Black Panther: The Album” topped the Billboard 200 chart for five consecutive weeks and the end-credit track, “All The Stars,” featuring Lamar and SZA, spent nine weeks in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):

Blu-ray:

• Director’s Intro
• From Page to Screen: A Roundtable Discussion – Delve into the film’s making
• Crowning of a New King – Explore the world of “Black Panther” in all its color and complexity
• The Warriors Within – Get to know Wakanda’s women and the actors who portray them
• The Hidden Kingdom Revealed – Wakanda’s diverse people
• Wakanda Revealed: Exploring the Technology
• Deleted Scenes

• • U.N. Meet and Greet
  • Okoye And W’Kabi Discuss the Future of Wakanda
  • T’Challa Remembers His Father
  • Voices from the Past

• Gag Reel
• Exclusive Sneak Peek at “Ant-Man and The Wasp”
• Marvel Studios the First Ten Years: Connecting the Universe
• Director’s Commentary

Digital Exclusives:

o   In World Wakanda Tourism Ads

• • • Come to Wakanda “Before”
    • Come to Wakanda “After”

Black Panther is packaged several ways to ensure fans get the most out of their in-home viewing experience. The Multiscreen Edition (formerly the Blu-ray Combo Pack) includes Blu-ray, and a Digital Copy, giving viewers the flexibility to watch the film on different devices. Those with 4K Ultra HD capability may opt for a 4K UHD Collector’s Edition, including 4K Ultra HD disc with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, Blu-ray disc, and a digital copy (where available). Dolby Vision delivers greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. Dolby Atmos places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. Together on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, viewers will fully experience the sights and sounds of Wakanda.

For more details, visit Facebook.com/BlackPantherMovie

Revenge!!!!

So much revenge in the pages of this week.

Whether it’s the almost realistic machinations of the Calculator and his Oracle-bruised ego, to the “let’s destroy reality!” insanity of Chronos vs. every Atom they just can’t let anything go. The Controllers want it against the Green Lanterns for stopping them and Wonder Woman wants it against Darkseid because she couldn’t stop him.

One can only hope next week we find ourselves in a state of mind a bit more zen.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #21
Words – Julie Benson, Shawna Benson
Pictures – Roge Antonio

Huntress’ mother is still kidnapped, friend’s feelings are still hurt and that fire-spewing monstrosity just won’t die.

Oh no!

Fenice is out of Arkham but in the clutches of the Calculator who demands to know Oracle’s identity.

If he didn’t employ someone with brainwashing on tap (Blackbird) it could have been a fair struggle of wills between the two of them.

Burnrate’s torching anything (or anyone) that might lead Calculator to his revenge. Explosive arrows, blowing up the apartment she’s standing in, nothing stops this truly metal chick.

Dinah faces her fear in this month’s issue as we lead to what promises to be a dramatic end of this arc next month.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #42
Words – Robert Venditti
Pictures – Ethan Van Sciver

The Controllers are angrily licking their wounds and ready for- Revenge!

Their plan seems perfect, an army of soldiers both enhanced and subjugated by the Darkstar power suits the Controllers are sending out. But, a suit smart enough to find it’s own candidate is smart enough to rebel (too bad they’re fully equipped with weapons). The face of the Controllers when they realized they have thoroughly boned themselves is priceless enough to be on Christmas cards.

Meanwhile little Somar-Le visits the former wearer of the ring Tomar-Tu at his Sciencell. She still has so much admiration for his works and his (former) position before he took the law into his own hands, her little kid mind is having trouble consolidating both parts. (She is just 11, that would still be a lot for an adult).

Gee, it would be horrible if both storylines intersected in some way, though it would be an exciting start to an arc.

Justice League of America #28
Words – Steve Orlando
Pictures – Hugo Petrus

We get some clarity in this issue, Ahl did not just inspire the idea of superheroes, he is the pure concept of superheroism.

Though it still does not explain how Chronos doesn’t expect himself not to be altered beyond recognition if he offs Ahl.

Does he think by being a time traveler it will protect him as an anachronism or is he so focused on one-upping the Atom that he just doesn’t care?

Chronos won’t tell us and the current Atom is too focused on rescuing and protecting Ahl that he doesn’t think to ask.

The Justice League pulls together against Chronos’ desperate army who fight under threat of a return to the moment of their deaths (too harsh dude, not cool).

Can they outthink a man who can take weeks to craft a plan in the span of seconds (time manipulation can be a cruel tool).

Scooby Apocalypse #24
Words – Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis
Pictures – Patrick Olliffe, Tom Nguyen, Andy Owens

Secret Squirrel
Words – Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis
Pictures – Kelsey Shannon

The gang continues to hunker down in the mall as they wait for the two teams of monsters to whittle each other away, but as the bodies pile (though not decompose, this is PG movie scary but not past that) the crowds seem no thinner.

Plans are proposed, argued, and come to physical fights. That last part is questioned, it’s just not acceptable. The forcing of honest talk changes the relationship between two of them maybe forever.

Though how long is forever in a monster apocalypse?

It feels like the team is really enjoying this mall arc, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we stayed here for quite a while (if they don’t in fact let them have this as their base, as the gang is ultimately trying to pull off).

Secret Squirrel is always jarring. This issue’s artist Kelsey Shannon has a Grrrl Scouts/Tank Girl vibe to their visual sensibility. It’s fun but you want to see what they could do without so many restraints.

Scooby-Doo! Where Are You? #92
Words – Ivan Cohen, Scott Peterson, Frank Strom
Pictures – Walter Carzon, Horacio Ottolini, Tim Levins, Dan Davis, Scott Neely

Three stories in this one.

First up the team’s invited to a sleuth convention styled after Comic-Con.

Before they have time to enjoy the panels, guests or food a mystery needs to be solved.

The gang never gets a break as they look for the pilferer of their old case’s rubber masks!

Second, a retelling of Poe’s “The Raven” starring Shaggy in dual roles as the narrator and the one the bird focuses on.

Our third is a haunting on a beautiful tropical island. Ancient deities apparently don’t care for surfing competitions on their old stomping grounds.

I agree that gentrification can suck, (and you probably should have made your statement before the modern buildings went up) but the gang of the Mystery Machine might not be as sympathetic.

Sideways #3
Words – Dan DiDio, Justin Jordan
Pictures – Kenneth Rocafort

Sideways is such an odd book.

We start out with a full page shot past Killspeed’s rump and legs to our (supposedly) less clothed hero.

Sideways gets a more active and dramatic pose, leaving our “fearful killer” nothing more than an object to cut the panel and frame the two important characters in the background.

Sideways and Killspeed take the fight away from the hospital where there’s as much grousing on both sides as punches and super powers used.

With all the unnecessary tears in reality he makes one wonders if Sideways’ forgotten the big scary gold guy who warned him he was using his powers dangerously and threatened to kill him to stop it.

But apparently the writers still remember (or the story ran short) since the last four pages are an “If you missed the last two issues and before that”. But I ask the creative team back, if you think people will pick up issue three without background why didn’t you put it at the beginning of this issue where it would actually help?

Supergirl #20
Words – Steve Orlando, Jody Houser
Pictures – Robinson Rocha, Daniel Henriques

Ben’s picked a side.

He trusts Supergirl’s cause and what she’s trying to do.

Good timing too since they’ll need him to make public Bones’ and the D.E.O.’s dirty laundry (as soon as they can grab it!).

Everyone on Supergirl’s team is in position and ready to spring into action.

Bones is in play on his way to the Blade (local D.E.O. Headquarters), a perfect known environment for Supergirl keep him distracted while Chase and Lar-On set Insight, Shay and the truth free.

A plan like this does rely on timing and luck (what would they do if Ben took longer to decide?) and has many places it could go wrong.

Like say, a bloodthirsty Viking spirit of Justice seeking Bones’ head in revenge for his many MANY crimes.

Will Supergirl even be able to save Bones from an execution before he has a chance to see a trial?

Trinity #21
Words – James Robinson
Pictures – Patch Zircher, Tyler Kirkham

Once again I break my rule about not mentioning the cover because- there’s something just so darned fun on it.

In a drag-out fight scene between Supes, Wondy, and Bats against magic-manipulated people turned to monsters there is one random dude in the background just above the flavor text saying “hi!” to the reader.

I want to know the story there, is it a real life friend of the team?

We never will, but I appreciate the random goofy nonetheless.

In the book, the three of them fight past the soldiers turned ogres. Supes is having trouble with all the magic bleed coming from them, and the reader will have trouble with all the sudden flashbacks interspersed through the issue.

Here’s your only clue – torn capes means past, intact costumes means present.

And P.S., comic book transformation rules still apply, monsters wear enough of their old clothes (though now 20 sizes out of date) to remain modestly covered. Someone will have to explain the physics of that to me one day.

Wonder Woman #44
Words – James Robinson
Pictures – Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy

Darkseid solved his problem in the most direct route possible.

If ARGUS, has the pieces he needs, transport the entire site to his base to complete the mission.

It does bring Wonder Woman, Jason, Steve, and his crew along with it, but you know the saying about eggs and omelets.

There’s been a lot of revenge seeking this week, this time it’s Diana and Jason seeking it.

Diana against Darkseid for the death of her father and countless half-siblings; Jason against Grail for his gullibility, wounded pride (and that thing about his family I guess).

Grail is surprisingly useful this issue, and the stakes are raised for the continuing story.

Fights are gonna be crazy next month.

Ready Player One

Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One chronicles an epic battle for control of a fully immersive, massively multiplayer online virtual reality space known as the OASIS where users escape the depressing dystopic reality of the story’s 2045 setting.

Based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline, the film premiered in the author’s hometown of Austin, TX as part of the 2018 South-by-Southwest festival, which also showcased 25 short VR productions in a concurrent Virtual Cinema exhibition (the latest evolution of a SXSW programming track that began in 2016).

So, how far is the current state of actual virtual entertainment from the all-consuming OASIS of Cline and Spielberg’s imagined future?

To find out, your fearless Forces of Geek correspondent ventured into the Virtual Cinema lounge (and sustained a mild head injury — more on that later) to sample the pros and cons of the burgeoning art form.

CON:

In Ready Player One, users can jack into the OASIS and interact with each other from virtually anywhere, with mass log-ins available at places like the headquarters of the film’s villainous IOI corporation.

But in 2018, VR is still a largely solitary pursuit, and mass log-in opportunities were definitely in short supply at the JW Marriot salon where SXSW hosted its Virtual Cinema screenings.

As a result, long lines made it difficult to see more than a handful of the offerings available, meaning I never got close to experiencing Together by Terrence Malick (whose elliptical feature films already make viewers feel like they’re randomly spinning around 360-degree visual environments) or something called The Evolution of Testicles by Ryan Hartsell.

PRO:

However, those patient enough to get their turn with a headset at one of the SXSW Virtual Cinema stations quickly discovered that VR has advanced quite a bit from the clunky graphics of big goggle 1980s arcade gimmicks like Battlezone — though games still seem like the most satisfying current use of the technology based on the hellaciously fun experience of demolishing imaginary toilets and televisions with a make-believe bat in Chris Prynoski’s Smash Party.

Smash Party

But the truly jaw (and stomach) dropping moment came when the ground seemingly crumbled away at one point, leaving me on a wooden plank spanning a bottomless pit — which, in a state where your true senses have mostly been replaced by visual and auditory illusions, counts as a uniquely visceral experience.

CON:

Unfortunately, the disadvantage to that level of disorientation became apparent a short time later at Living with Jaguars, directed by Patrick McGuire and Jeff Orlowski, a VR documentary about an ecotone clash between ranchers attacking the endangered jaguars attacking their cattle in Brazil.

Living With Jaguars

On the plus side, the presentation allowed viewers to interact with virtual objects (including the option of enjoying the experience from beneath a wide-brimmed digital hat) while navigating a map to listen to fairly two-dimensional interviews with various experts and conservationists searching for solutions.

But with so many people waiting at each station for a turn, it was hard to really relax and concentrate on long stretches of Virtual Cinema content (especially when, as with “Jaguars”, the controls weren’t always intuitive and the visuals were occasionally fuzzy — a problem that seems to crop up from time to time with most current VR, since goggles must constantly be adjusted and readjusted to the demands of different sets of eyes).

Yet while such outside distractions can disrupt VR’s willing suspension of disbelief, that’s nothing compared to exiting the virtual world back into real life without a proper adjustment period (as I discovered upon disengoggling then smacking my forehead against one of the sharp-edged Lucite panels flanking the “Jaguar” viewing area, a non-virtual reminder that actual reality is that which doesn’t disappear into digital pixels when you bonk your skull against it).

PRO:

Still and all, wandering through a 360 jungle documentary wearing a virtual sun hat definitely suggested the impressive non-game, OASIS-y artistic possibilities in VR’s future, as did Tiniest Tremor by Nicholas Manting Brewer and Megan Simon, which added an emotional dimension to the technology’s “gee whiz” factor, to impressive effect. The visuals of the experimental animated short were interesting and kept my head on a swivel as giant nude mothers and infants rose all around me from a surreal black ocean.

But what made the spectacle especially engaging was the voiceover story on the soundtrack providing context as a former opioid addict described her grief at the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome her newborn child was forced to endure as a result of her own substance abuse during pregnancy.

PRO:

Yet for all the fun of Smash Party and the artistry of the other productions, the project that seemed to push virtual cinema the furthest in the direction of an eventual cinematic paradigm shift was Dinner Party by director Angel Manuel Soto.

Not only did the viewing area feature a fully dressed table setting to ease viewers smoothly from one reality to another, but the naturalistic household of the short’s opening scenes, with characters lounging and chatting on all sides of the viewer, recalled the excitement of immersive theatrical experiences like Tamara and Sleep No More, where no two viewers ever perceive the drama in exactly the same way.

The Dinner Party

Unlike those live productions (or the OASIS), however, it’s impossible to roam VR environments with the illusion of complete freedom at this point (since the experiences are still “on rails,” with viewers merely deciding where to look) — though that was enough to provide some startling moments in Dinner Party (like a nighttime driving scene where I turned my back on a conversation in a car to watch the oncoming road until the front of the vehicle slowly emerged from my torso, or the jump scare effect of turning my head and coming face-to-face with a gasp-inducing sight), indicating the next revolution in entertainment won’t be televised: it’ll be all around us.

Produced by Brad Peyton, Beau Flynn,
John Rickard, Hiram Garcia
Screenplay by Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse,
Ryan J. Condal, Adam Sztykiel
Story by Ryan Engle
Based on Rampage by Midway Games
Directed by Brad Peyton
Starring Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris,
Malin Åkerman, Joe Manganiello, Jake Lacy,
Marley Shelton, Jeffrey Dean Morgan

I work in marketing in my day job.

I know the value of focus groups (hint: not very). Studies have shown that focus groups can lead to groupthink and even reinforce poor decisions.

Decisions like investing large sums of money on a movie based on a 1986 video game that, while certainly popular at the time, failed to spawn any meaningful follow-ups.

Nevertheless, Rampage roars into theater this week. And while I’m sure the focus group Warner Bros. enlisted checked “yes” to the question, “would you pay to see a movie that’s equal parts Jurassic Park, Independence Day and repurposes the plot of Commando?”, the bottom line is that the 33 million Warner shelled out to Midway Games in 2009 for the rights to produce a Rampage movie probably had to be justified, one way or another.

But Warner Bros. did a smart thing.

They hedged their bets and hired Duane “The Rock” Johnson. After all, if a ginormous lizard, wolf and ape banding together and bashing the hell out of downtown Chicago can’t make your video-game adaptation profitable, perhaps a primatologist-playing Rock can.

There are some nice moments between Johnson and George, the albino CGI ape. Their playful banter and sign communications help establish a partnership that plays a role as action progresses. Once George and the other animals become infected by crashing satellite space debris (Jello warned us!), sibling supervillains Claire and Brett Wyden (Malin Akerman and Jake Lacy, respectively) set a sonic signal that sends the creatures into a ravenous frenzy on a mission to destroy the source of the sound. Why they chose to place the beacon on the top of their company headquarters in downtown Chicago is a mystery we’ll all have to assume will go unanswered.

Corporate scheming plot holes aside, Johnson teams up with Dr. Kate Caldwell, played by Naomie Harris. Dr. Caldwell is presumably the only person capable of reversing the effects on the animals, being that she invented both the serum and the antidote. Their plan runs amok as they are taken captive by government goon Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who basically does a Negan redux except with a slower, southern drawl. It’s as irritating as it sounds.

A plane crash and an abrupt segue concerning the darkness of the human heart later, Morgan switches to insta-goodguy and helps our heroes get back on track to Chicago. Their mission is to find the antidote at company HQ and find a way for the animals to ingest it.

Once the third act gets underway, Rampage does deliver on some capital carnage and a few genuine laughs. It’s good fun if you can leave your mind at the door and just go with the flow.

The issue is you have to get through the first two acts, where the film suffers from the identity crisis of being a slow-developing 80s-inspired action movie, a light-hearted buddy comedy and a conservation message film.

There’s also problematic editing over Johnson’s dialogue about the evils of poaching. The flashback shows black, African men as poachers but without any mention of a capitalist system that exploits the poor and creates demand for poached items in the first place. If there’s one thing that the success of Black Panther has proven is that audiences are capable of understanding the nuances of duality. Rampage writers Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse, Ryan Condal and Adam Sztykiel should work to avoid damaging, simplistic stereotypes in their future scripts.

Rampage is a product of groupthink and our nostalgia culture run amok. And much like the original video game, this franchise will be hard pressed to produce a meaningful sequel; especially at a 120 million dollar price tag.