Monday, August 31, 2015

Rookie Blue - Breaking Up the Band


In the final episode before the season finale, "Breaking Up the Band" introduces the idea of major shake-ups with 15 Division should Rookie Blue get renewed for another season. It seems the corruption within the department has the higher-ups discussing city-wide transfers which could mean several new faces if the show does indeed get renewed (a possibility the show's dismal ratings are making less possible). Andy's (Missy Peregrym) reaction to Sam's (Ben Bass) new fatherhood is one of the major storylines covered in the episode as "Breaking Up the Band" also teases a break-up between the pair. Cooler heads prevail and it looks like, renewed or cancelled, fans of the show will indeed get to see a wedding before the season comes to a close.

Monday with Miranda

Beauty and the Beast - Sins of the Fathers


Setting the stage for the season finale, "Sins of the Fathers" heats up Vincent (Jay Ryan) and Catherine's (Kristin Kreuk) battle with Liam (Jason “Iron Eagle” Gedrick) who gets Catherine investigated by Internal Affairs and Vincent suspended from the hospital just as he prepares to take his revenge against the entire Ellingsworth family. Out of time and options Catherine and Vincent agree drastic measures are needed beginning with Vincent breaking Catherine's father (Ted Dykstra) out of prison.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Silk #6


I still don't know what to make of Silk. Although I like Cindy Moon as a spunky teen heroine, it's an awfully crowded Spidey Universe right now and like Spider-Gwen so far I'm enjoying the design of the costume (even if the bandanna mask still doesn't quite work for me) more than the character's adventures.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Digging for Fire

Middle-age apathy is the major theme of Digging for Fire as a husband (Jake Johnson, who co-wrote the screenplay along with director Joe Swanberg) and wife's (Rosemarie DeWitt) separate weekend plans while on vacation let each work through the listlessness of their shared existence and eventually find their way back to each other. It's a story that's been done several times, sometime much better (like Massy Tadjedin's 2010 film Last Night) and more often far worse (any number of middle age brain-dead romcoms).

More archetypes than fully fleshed-out characters, neither Tim nor Lee are all that interesting. Tim is your typical mid-life crisis male wanting to spend time with old friends and recapture lost youth. Lee is worried about the future, her marriage, and loosing her sense of self under the weight of marriage and parenthood. Johnson and DeWitt give the characters a bit of a spark but it's Tim's unusual obsession with finding a bone and old revolver buried in the back yard of the home where the family is staying that proves to give the movie something unique to explore, if not something terribly original to say.

Mistress America

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach (and co-written by the movie's star Greta Gerwig), Mistress America is an uneven comedy that has a tone and feel more befitting a stage play than even an independent theatrical release. That's not to say it should be easily dismissed. Despite its issues, when the film gets it right it gets it just right (such as an extended sequence in a yuppie suburban home where the quick-hitting back-and-forth dialogue finally hits on every note). Taken as a whole, Mistress America is neither as good as its brightest moments or as bad as it valleys where the lack of laughs exposes just how thin a story Baumbach is working with.

Lola Kirke and Gerwig star as strangers in New York brought together by their parents' impeding wedding. Tracy (Kirke) is struggling with both life in college and the big city, neither of which see fits in all that well. Brooke (Gerwig) is a force of nature whose outgoing personality masks her own litany of personal issues. Tracy, of course, immediately latches on to her first real friend in the city while Brooke is happy to share her knowledge and experience with a young would-be sibling who obviously adores her.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Sense8 - W. W. N. Double D?


As Amanita (Freema Agyeman) gets insight into Nomi's (Jamie Clayton) past as a hacker, skills she puts to good use to try and trace back who is behind the forced lobotomy of patients around the world with symptoms similar to her own, the pair discover just how large the stakes are when they get an up-close glimpse of the violent world they have peeled back the curtain to expose. Despite growing comfortable in his new role Capheus (Aml Ameen) is also awakened to the fact of just how violent a world he too now finds himself while working for a man willing to chop off a man's hands with a machete without a second thought.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters

I was ecstatic when I heard Bruce Timm was returning to DC for a new animated feature. One of the creators behind Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited, the animated DCU just hasn't been the same since his departure. When I heard the premise of the movie, however, I was more skeptical. It turns out I need not have feared that Bruce Timm might be corrupted by the grit of the New 52 that's turned so much of DC's comic and video output to shit. Timm certainly delivers a darker and more adult story than expected but it's still grounded in a profound understanding and love for these characters that is far too often lacking in much of DC's current output.

Although the word Elseworlds doesn't appear in its title that's exactly what Justice League: Gods and Monsters is: a story set in an alternate version of the DCU vastly different from the any we know. The result is as unexpected as it is enjoyable. It may not be classic Timm, but the man certainly hasn't lost his knack for characters, design, or storytelling.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #18


"Old Demons" comes to a close as despite Archaeus' temporary hold over Angel pitting Buffy's ex against her current undead boyfriend, and having a host of lesser demons to fight off the rest of the Scoobies, the gang finds a way to come through in the end. Despite the fact that the arc comes to a close here with Archaeus' defeat neither the demon nor the "Restless Door" artifact are taken out of play leaving the opportunity for one or both to make an appearance later in the season.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Originally released in theaters 10 years ago, Mr. & Mrs. Smith stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who, unbeknownst to each other, are rival spies for competing spy organizations. Doug Liman's 2005 film has held up pretty well over the past decade. Pitt and Jolie are fun together in a script that allows them to play off each other and, when called for, kick each other's ass in one hell of a prolonged action scene that leaves their suburb home destroyed.

Most notable for its action set pieces, Simon Kinberg's script also has its share of humor (including a Fantasy Island joke that never fails to tickle my fancy no matter how many times I see the movie). It's not a great film by any standard, but it still works well as a mostly-entertaining action flick (especially the first hour). Released several times on both DVD and Blu-ray, the new version includes pre-released extras and a digital copy of the film but sadly the Blu-ray only includes the theatrical cut of the film as the unrated extended version isn't available on this release.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Scandal - The Complete Fourth Season

Scandal's Fourth Season begins with Olivia (Kerry Washington) being pulled back from island paradise into the political intrigue of Washington D.C. and ends with her quest to destroy B613 and see her father (Joe Morton) behind bars. In-between Abby (Darby Stanchfield) will grow into her role as the White House Press Secretary, Huck (Guillermo Díaz) will reconnect with his family, Mellie (Bellamy Young) will begin her own political career, Maya (Khandi Alexander) will wreak havoc, the Vice President (Jon Tenney) will attempt a coup, Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) will fight for re-election, and Olivia will spend several episodes held for ransom halfway around the world.

For those enjoying the series' longer arcs the season delivers. For those of us preferring to see Olivia and company in their roles as fixers we're mostly out of luck as broader storylines continue to derail Olivia & Associates from making an honest living. The season certainly has its share of memorable moments, such as the return of a familiar face, but I wouldn't rank it as my favorite.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Creeping Doom


It's all Mikey's (Greg Cipes) fault! Goofing off in Donatello's (Rob Paulsen) lab, Michaelangelo not only exposes Donatello to a chemical that slowly makes Donnie dumber but his actions also result in the creation of not one, not two, but three villains for the rest of the Turtles to band together to fight. Accidentally releasing the Creep who in turn uses the remains of Snakeweed to create Son of Snakeweed, the Turtles barely manage to defeat the pair only to see them combine into the monstrous Creepweed.

Tuesday with Dianna

Monday, August 24, 2015

Killjoys - Escape Velocity


The First Season of Killjoys comes to a end with Alvis (Morgan Kelly) jailed and marked for death, the Company preparing to bomb Westerly into the Stone Age, Delle Seyah Kendry (Mayko Nguyen) using the genetic bomb to stage a coup, and one member of Lucy falling into Khlyen's (Rob Stewart) clutches. "Escape Velocity" is a pretty packed season finale that doesn't so much wrap-up the various threads of the show's First Season and lay the foundation for a possible Second Season.

Rookie Blue - Ninety Degrees


For some the recent scandal is easier to put behind them then others. Oliver (Matt Gordon) returns to 15 Division as a beat cop deciding he's had enough of the politics behind the desk. Traci (Enuka Okuma) cuts off all ties to Steve Peck (Adam MacDonald). Meanwhile Gail (Charlotte Sullivan) is stuck with her brother being brought up on charges and a friend who continues to be distant while being forced to spend the day with Steve's old partner (Katharine Isabelle) who decides to take out her aggression on the closest Peck she can find.

Beauty and the Beast - Unbreakable


Needing Vincent's (Jay Ryan) assistance to destroy blood samples that would draw the wrong kind of attention to both of them, Liam (Jason "Iron Eagle" Gedrick) proposes a temporary peace agreeing to leave Catherine (Kristin Kreuk) and J.T. (Nina Lisandrello) alone in exchange for Vincent's help. While fighting her fears that Liam may be able to tempt her husband-to-be into giving into his more primative instincts, Catherine also attempts to sever Liam's relationship with the powerful local family keeping the beast out of jail which reveals a truth about Liam's far longer past than anyone suspected.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday with Amélie

Velvet #11


With issue #11 Velvet moves forward on a new arc as Velvet Templeton reaches out to an old acquaintance in Maximilian Dark. The first five pages are all presented from Dark's point of view before a ghost from his past shows up asking for his help. The opening conversation between the pair helps solidify the comic's timeline as we learn Velvet has been on the run for three months and remains her former agency's #1 most wanted. It also fills us in on how Velvet has spent time as a secretary in Paris snooping into an international conglomerate she believes may be connected to X-14's death.

Friday, August 21, 2015

American Ultra

The tail end of the summer movie season is pretty much a crap shoot. While I was pleasantly surprised with the under-appreciated The Man from U.N.C.L.E., director Nima Nourizadeh's stoner-action comedy is more what I've come to expect from this time of year. American Ultra isn't a bad film, but it's not all-together a good one either. A hodgepodge of ideas from both better and worse movies, American Ultra is an occasionally enjoyable B-movie mess.

Jesse Eisenberg stars as stoner convenience clerk Mike Howell with a girlfriend (Kristen Stewart) too good for him, friends (most notably John Leguizamo) just as mentally-challenged, and a brain full of secret CIA training which has been locked away for years until the most over-the-top Topher Grace ever captured on film decides to have Howell killed by agents that make the bad guys in Hudson Hawk look like Bond villains.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Clipped - Reunion


Clipped closes out it's First Season with a high school reunion finale for most of the employees of the barber shop. Along with introducing us to the prom date Danni (Ashley Tisdale) dumped in favor of A.J. (Mike Castle), and allow Ben (Ryan Pinkston) to confront an old bully (or at least attempt to), "Reunion" also reveals Charmaine's (Diona Reasonover) secret wish to have been a cheerleader in high school.

Wander Over Yonder - The Fremergency Fronfract


It took almost no time at all for "The Fremergency Fronfract" to become one of my favorite episodes of Wander Over Yonder. Opening with drugged Lord Hater (Keith Ferguson) accidentally giving Wander's (Jack McBrayer) name to the dentist as hiss emergency contact, the entire episode features a loopy Hater hanging out with Wander and Sylvia (April Winchell) and becoming the friend Wander always knew he could be with a trip to an arcade Sylvia is all too happy to capture via Instagram.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Superman: Doomsday


When I heard that Bruce Timm and the folks who brought us Justice League were planning a DVD movie of “Death of Superman” I was stoked. Sadly what emerged was more than a little disappointing and foreshadowed other such entries to DC Animation's line-up. 

The Death of Superman,” “World Without a Superman,” and “Reign of Supermen,” storylines which spanned issues and years, are all condensed into 75 minutes.  We get Doomsday, Superman and Lois’s tearful goodbye, and Superman’s return in a black suit.  We don’t get Steel, Suberboy, Cyborg Superman, or the Eradicator.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Attack of the Mega Shredder!


Returned to New York from their travels in time, the adventures of the Turtles get no less bizarre when they attempt to use stealth to sneak into Shredder's (Kevin Michael Richardson) lair. Despite Donatello's (Rob Paulsen) latest invention, the team's first attempt ends in only getting Raphael (Sean Astin) injured and drawing Splinter's (Hoon Lee) ire. Leonardo (Seth Green) and Michelangelo's (Greg Cipes) second attempt only creates more trouble as their capture inadvertently causes the creation of the gigantic Mega Shredder (think a Godzilla creature but with more Picasso thrown in) the Turtles need their pals to help take down.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Killjoys - Enemy Khlyen


Setting the stage for next week's season finale, the team is brought back together (albeit under the guise of breaking up for good). Realizing that Khlyen (Rob Stewart) is holed up in RAC's home base, Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen), Johnny (Aaron Ashmore), and D'Avin (Luke Macfarlane) enter the lion's den under the only premise which would get them close enough to give Dutch a shot at finding Khlyen - officially breaking up the team.

Darth Vader #8


With Darth Vader waiting in the wings the motley crew put together by Aphra of both bounty hunters (including Bossk) and killer droids (including IG-90) take down the Son-Tuul's Pride on the Outer Rim to make off with a serious supply of credits to fund his secret operations. Just as everything seems to be going his way Vader is saddled with an Imperial Adjunct who the Sith Lord quickly realizes is more than clever enough to see through his ruse and eventually trace the theft back to him.

Rookie Blue - Integrity Test


While Traci (Enuka Okuma) struggles with the realization that her boyfriend is a dirty cop, Sam (Ben Bass) attempts to convince Oliver (Matt Gordon) to stay and fight the charges rather than resign, and Andy (Missy Peregrym), Epstein (Gregory Smith), Nick (Peter Mooney), and Gail (Charlotte Sullivan) set a trap for Commissioner Alonso Santana (Richard Chevolleau) in a last-ditch attempt to prove Oliver's innocence.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Beauty and the Beast - Patient X


Back on the same page with finding Liam (Jason "Iron Eagle" Gedrick), especially now that they realize that anyone exposed to Julianna's (Gloria Votsis) formula is at risk, Catherine (Kristin Kreuk) and Vincent (Jay Ryan) begin to search for the super-powered killer but as they do Catherine becomes more and more concerned with Vincent's behavior. Uncovering that Julianna's brother one was of her test subjects leads them one-step closer to Liam. Meanwhile Tess (Nina Lisandrello) is concerned with keeping J.T. (Nina Lisandrello) as far away from the psychopath as possible. When the two storylines converge a truth is revealed about Liam and why his presence continues to mess with Vincent's mind, the fallout of which will likely continue to effect everyone through the end of the season.

Sleeping with Other People trailer


Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis star in the latest from writer/director Leslye Headland as a pair of relationship-challenged individuals who attempt a purely platonic relationship. Amanda Peet, Adam Scott, Natasha Lyonne, and Jason Mantzoukas co-star. The film opens in select cities on September 11th before rolling out to other markets in the coming months.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Wander Over Yonder - The Breakfast


Structured entirely in split-screen, "The Breakfast" follows an everyday morning for both Wander (Jack McBrayer) and Lord Hater (Keith Ferguson) as each wakes and prepares breakfast. In Wander's case he's most concerned with providing a good breakfast for Sylvia (April Winchell) when she wakes while Hater, annoyed with Peepers' (Tom Kenny) inability to make the breakfast he wants, sets out to make his own.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Dragons: Race to the Edge - Big Man on Berk


Fearing he might have grown allergic to his dragon, Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) turns to Gothi for help. However, her cure turns out to be worse than the disease when a mistake in her hypnotism completely changes Fishlegs' personality into an uber-Viking who becomes the talk of Berk. Under the guise of Thor Bonecrusher, Fishlegs infuriates Stoick (Nolan North) and sets out to tame the terrible Scauldron all on his own.

Green Lantern #43


I'm on the fence about the latest course of Hal Jordan's life. On one hand I'm pleased that the comic has (for the most part) appeared to put the rainbow-colored corps in the rear-view mirror and allowed Jordan to wander the spaceways without being marred in the middle of a multi-faceted civil war of power rings. One the other hand I'm far from sold on the character's new look that strips the character of one of the greatest super-hero costumes of all time for a trench coat covering a much more bland generic jumpsuit. The fact that the new storyline apparently will not only include but feature Black Hand and the resurrection (yet again) of the Black Lanterns is also far from welcome news.

Friday, August 14, 2015

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.


Two things are immediately evident from watching Henry Cavill in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. First, there's no disputing that the man is a bona fide movie star. Despite having issues with some of the projects he's chosen (such as Zach Snyder's horrific re-imagining of Superman), there's no doubt Cavill has "it." Second, based on his appearance as con man turned super-spy Napoleon Solo, it's obvious that he would make a terrific James Bond balancing the swagger and inner-bastard of the character with aplomb. Not since Connery have we seen a character like this on-screen.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Clipped - Free Wednesday


In "Free Wednesday" both the main story and B-story play on ongoing themes of the show's First Season. The episode gets it's name from an embarrassing event from Ben's (Ryan Pinkston) high school years which is brought up by the passing of a former high school teacher (Larry Miller) who collapses from a heart attack outside the barber shop after Ben berates the elderly man. The lack of Ben's remorse doesn't sit well with the rest of crew, but his attempt to rectify the situation by attending the man's funeral only ends in more embarrassment for everyone involved.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #48


In an action-heavy issue Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #48 moves the title one-step closer to its concluding 50th issue as Splinter, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Robo-Donatello fight for their lives against the seemingly never-ending supply of Mousers and Flyborgs controlled by the Shredder and Baxter Stockman. Even with the arrival of back-up in Alopex and Angel things look bleak for our heroes.

The Intern trailer


In this sugary-sweet trailer for the latest from writer/director Nancy Meyers (The Holiday, It's Complicated) Robert De Niro stars as a 70-year-old widower who begins a new life as an intern for a successful younger woman (Anne Hathaway). Rene Russo, Adam DeVine, Wallis Currie-Wood, and Christine Evangelista also star. The Intern opens in theaters on September 25th.

Tampa Bay Comic Con 2015 Cosplay

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Pretty Little Liars - Game Over, Charles


The Summer finale of Pretty Little Liars answers several questions including the identity of Red Coat to be Sara (Dre Davis) and the identity of the Liars nemesis A as CeCe Drake (Vanessa Ray). In a bizarre episode that confirms CeCe Drake is, or at least was, Charles DiLaurentis the finale ends the storyline and timeline of the show as we know it. Filling in the gaps to explain the murders of several key supporting characters over the years, CeCe explains all to Alison (Sasha Pieterse) while Aria (Lucy Hale), Hanna (Ashley Benson), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), Emily (Shay Mitchell), and Mona (Janel Parrish) can do nothing but watch A unmask and explain her actions over the past five years.

Wander Over Yonder- The Big Day


After finally giving up his quest to capture Wander (Jack McBrayer) and turning his attention to get back to the rampant universal destruction that he previously enjoyed with "Boomapalooza," Lord Hater's (Keith Ferguson) enemies fall right into his lap. Tricked by Wander and Sylvia (April Winchell) to properly savor the moment, Hater finds it increasingly difficult to get around to destroying the pair.

Insurgent

As I was rather lukewarm on Divergent, the first movie of this series based on the young adult novels by Veronica Roth, it should come as no surprise that my reaction to its sequel is much the same. Insurgent continues the adventures of Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) on the run in a dystopian future broken into strict factions which neither properly fits into. Although the movie has a nice message about individuality, the ponderous path it takes to get there leaves something to be desired.

Despite a strong performance by Woodley as a character far more heroic in her actions and convictions than Katniss Everdeen, time has not made the premise of the series any easier to swallow. Not making that job easier this time around is the sequel's plot which involves a magic Pandora's box which only a true divergent may open and which Jeanine (Kate Winslet) believes she can use to crush the outsiders once and for all.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Tale of the Yokai


Before returning home, the Turtles' time-traveling adventures continue as the find themselves trapped in Japan of the recent past where a battle between brothers will set the stage for their existence. In a homage to Back to the Future, the Turtles begin to see their loved ones disappear from a picture on their Turtle Phone as they realize, despite how much they want to, they are unable to change the past without drastically effecting their future.

Atlantis - The Queen Must Die (Part 2)


It's hard to look on the second-half of the show's Second Season finale with anything but disappointment. Rather than wrap-up series and season-long arcs "The Queen Must Die" undoes the death of Pasiphae (Sarah Parish), dispenses with the greedy politician with little fanfare, and spends most of the episode setting up a Third Season which will never come thanks to the show's cancellation. Teasing both the coronation of Jason (Jack Donnelly) and Ariadne (Aiysha Hart) as the new rulers of Atlantis and their future adventures searching for the Golden Fleece aboard the Argo, the season ends with the characters stuck in limbo.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Killjoys - Come the Rain


While sending out Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen) and D'Avin (Luke Macfarlane) on a fake warrant in an attempt to get the two to work out their problems, Johnny's (Aaron Ashmore) R&R in the bar is interrupted by thieves who take the place hostage while escaping the acid rain falling from the sky and the authorities on their trail. In the course of saving one of the robbers' lives, John learns more about Pawter (Sarah Power), her troubles, and her what brought her to the back-end of the galaxy. But with no help on the way, and an anxious squad of soldiers ready to burst in guns a blazing it's up the the RAC agent to bring the situation to an end in a way that spares the lives of the hostages.

Sneakers

Some movies age more gracefully than others. Even 20 years later Sneakers continues to entertain despite how much of the plot revolves around technology of the time. Robert Redford leads an unusual team of experts blackmailed by who they believe to be the NSA into stealing a Russian mathmatician's little black box which is the key to decrypting all known codes.

Along with a former CIA agent (Sidney Poitier), a blind computer expert (David Strathairn), a conspiracy nut (Dan Aykroyd), a hotshot kid (River Phoenix), and his ex-girlfriend (Mary McDonnell), Martin Biship (Redford) will attempt to stay one-step ahead of both government agents and shadowy figures (Timothy Busfield, Eddie Jones) while trying to capture the box and trade it for their freedom.

With the stellar cast (which also includes supporting roles by Ben Kingsley and Stephen Tobolowsky), Sneakers provides a humor-packed thriller complete with conspiracies, blind-man stunt driving, and the best use of Scrabble ever seen on film.

The Shadow #1


Picking up from events introduced in last year's The Shadow #0, Dynamite Entertainment launches a new series starring The Shadow and his war against a secret cabal of illusionists known as The Society of United Magicians. Opening with the death of magician George Carlini and The Shadow taking on a group of circus performers and then interrupting a seance, the first few pages (as bizarre as they are) lay the groundwork for arc as the Shadow reveals himself to a low-ranking member of the order that he, and he alone, holds Harry Houdini's secret of "the Last Illusion" which the society covets.

Rookie Blue - Best Man


With the rest of the department dealing with a missing Autistic child that leaves the newly-engaged Andy (Missy Peregrym) and Sam (Ben Bass) until the end of the day to prove Oliver's (Matt Gordon) innocence before Juliet's report official marks him as the chief suspect in the bombing of the precinct. Enlisting the help of both Epstein (Gregory Smith) and Traci (Enuka Okuma), the pair track down the missing witness who disappeared with his daughter after he sold the explosives. Although the result of their investigation will make Oliver look only more guilty, Traci will make a discovery which will shake her world and force her to make some hard decisions in the very near future.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Sunday with Erica

Beauty and the Beast – Cat’s Out of the Bag


The tragedy of Vincent (Jay Ryan) and Catherine's (Kristin Kreuk) failed wedding day leaves Catherine with a desire to put the beast-hunting business in the rear-view mirror permanently. This may allow her to smooth things over at the precinct for Tess (Nina Lisandrello), but it also puts her at odds with Vincent who is determined to tack down the unstoppable Liam (Jason "Iron Eagle" Gedrick) whose henchmen are killing and draining the blood of all of Julianna's (Gloria Votsis) test subjects.

Stitchers - Full Stop


Stitchers' largely disappointing First Season comes to close with a shooting involving Cameron (Kyle Harris) and Fisher (Damon Dayoub) that will leave the police officer in the ICU and lead the scientist to risk his own life to discover the identity of the shooter. Breaking all the rules of the show by allowing Cameron to temporarily stop his own heart and allow Kirsten (Emma Ishta) to immediately stitch into him to see the shooting (remember how every stitch to this point has taken hours of set-up time?), "Full Stop" confirms the truth about Kirsten's condition (shown to audiences weeks before) and takes coincidence well past believable levels by linking Kirsten and Cameron all the way back to childhood.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Star Wars #7


Star Wars #7 is a throwback issue that follows the events Luke Skywalker finds in the journal Obi-Wan Kenobi left for him on Tatooine. Taking place a few years into Obi-Wan's exile, the latest issue of Marvel's Star Wars comic deals primarily with Ben's struggle with no longer being a Jedi, hiding in the desert, and his failure to train young Luke in the ways of the Force.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Still Craptastic


The first pre-screening I ever attended as a critic was 2005's Fantastic Four. It was, in retrospect, a brutal right of passage. One would hope that after a decade full of comic book films (the good, the bad, and everything in-between) 20th Century Fox would have learned their lesson and seen fit not to unleash such a travesty onto an unsuspecting movie-going audience yet again. One would be wrong.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Astro City #25


Astro City #25 offers a snapshot of the life of a second-generation super-hero in Hummingbird who is both gifted and cursed with unique gifts which begin to express themselves during adolescence including wings that give her the power of flight.