Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Wonder Woman


It took four movies, but the DC Extended Universe has finally delivered a true super-hero movie. With Wonder Woman, for the first time, DC gives us a protagonist who is actually a hero (rather than one brought up to be selfish about his gifts, a group of killers brought together for a good cause, or one obsessed with murder and vengeance). I doubt the limited input of Zack Snyder or the lack of involvement from David Goyer is a coincidence. There's a lesson to be learned there, if anyone at DC or Warner Bros. is paying attention.

Detective Comics #957


With the extended arc surrounding the invasion of Gotham first by an army of Batmen an then by the League of Shadows, Detective Comics has let the actions of Spoiler fall through the cracks. Detective Comics #957 picks up this thread to let us in on what Stephanie Brown has been up to since the apparent death of Tim Drake.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Lucifer - The Good, the Bad and the Crispy


Lucifer's Second Season finale wraps up Mum's (Tricia Helfer) storyline which was first teased way back in the First Season finale. While Chloe (Lauren German) begins investigating a murder caused by Lucifer's (Tom Ellis) mother, the devil spends most of the episode trying to find and convince Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) to restore the sword and push dear old Mum back into Heaven to be their father's problem. Trouble is, now that Amenadiel knows Lucifer isn't necessarily God's favorite son he's less inclined to help. While this is really just an excuse to draw out an important plot point, it does eventually serve a secondary purpose in the angel finding a way back to something he lost along the way.

WonderCon 2017 - Cosplay Music Video

Infamous Iron Man #8


Infamous Iron Man #8 offers us a confrontation of two would-be Iron Men. Tracking Doctor Doom back to Latveria, Riri Williams is surprised by not finding a fight waiting for her but a talk with a weary former villain attempting to make good. I'll credit writer Brian Michael Bendis for offering something different other than the "make 'em fight then work things out" you expect to see in just such an encounter. Instead Risi is completely thrown off by Doom's stance and his vision of the future.

Monday, May 29, 2017

Arrow - Lian Yu


The Fifth Season of Arrow comes to a close in an explosive season finale that returns Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) to Lian Yu to save his kidnapped friends and put an end to Prometheus (Josh Segarra) once and for all. And with the deck stacked against him, he's not going alone. It's homecoming week in the season finale as Ollie enlists the help of Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman), Nyssa al Ghul (Katrina Law), Digger Harkness (Nick E. Tarabay), and Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett). The final choice is a bit odd, considering the last dozen times we've seen him Deathstroke has been murderously intent on killing Oliver. Apparently sometimes prison rehabilitation works, as Slade is less murdery and crazy than we saw him last. While one of Oliver's rag-tag band betrays him, Slade proves to be worthy of his trust.

Super-Hero Card Trader - Memorial Day Awesome Pack


For more super-heroes check out Super-Hero Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Black Cat Pack 1, Lara Croft Pack 1, and Harley Quinn Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Pack 4, Birds of Prey Pack 1, X-Men Pack 1, and the X-Mas Mega Pack.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

iZombie - Dirt Nap Time / Eat a Knievel


While Liv (Rose McIver) helps Clive (Malcolm Goodwin) investigate the murders of a preschool teacher and a reality-TV adrenaline junkie (Robert Ri'chard) "Dirt Nap Time" and "Eat a Knievel" bring a return to form for Blaine (David Anders). Depressed over his recent break-up with Peyton (Aly Michalka), Blaine's life gets no easier with his father (Robert Knepper) and Don E (Bryce Hodgson) pushing in on his business and attempting to murder him. Returned to zombie form with a righteous fury, revenge on his dad, and big plans for zombie-kind, it appears the old Blaine is back. While I'm not surprised with the turn, I'd have liked to see the reformed Blaine stick around for a bit longer.

KATSUCON 2017 COSPLAY SHOWCASE (3 OF 4)

Red Nose Day Actually (The Love Actually Reunion)


As part of this year's Red Nose Day, an annual fund-raising event organised by British Comic Relief, the cast of Love Actually was brought back together. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Rowan Atkinson, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, and Chiwetel Ejiofor all return.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales


How does a movie based off an amusement park ride end up with four sequels? Taking a page out of the book of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the latest entry into the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise goes back to the beginning to try and recapture the magic of its best film. Although it delivers not much more than a pale imitation of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, borrowing heavily from every major plot point, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is easily the least shitty sequel in a franchise that knows something about shitty sequels.

Baywatch


Based on the 90s television show not good enough for network television which earned a following in syndication by providing soap opera style plots that often had little to do with the characters' actual jobs of lifeguards, comes a new feature film version of the franchise. Dumb, almost entirely forgettable (I can't name a single plot from the show either), and mostly an excuse to put beautiful people in swimsuits and have then run around on-camera, the movie is exactly what you'd expect.

Pretty Little Liars - In the Eye Abides the Heart


Tensions rise for all the Liars in "In the Eye Abides the Heart." While Aria (Lucy Hale) goes to work for A.D. and fears Ezra (Ian Harding) being pulled back into his old life with Nicole (Rebecca Breeds), Spencer (Troian Bellisario) continues to try to find Mary Drake (Andrea Parker) as she also becomes the primary suspect in Archer Dunhill's murder. As evidence starts to mount it becomes clear Spencer may need more help than Marco (Nicholas Gonzalez) is willing to give to keep his lover and her friends out of prison.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Flash - Finish Line


Immediately following Savitar killing Iris (Candice Patton), the Third Season finale opens with a big twist, and it won't be the episode's last. The good news for Team Flash is that Iris is alive and Savitar's plan has failed. The good news for the show is a tremendous weight has been lifted off of Barry's (Grant Gustin) shoulders and we see a more hopeful and less brooding version of the character throughout the episode, even in the face of an emotional sacrifice to close out the episode. There's a calm to Barry we haven't seen in quite some time which serves both the character and the season finale well. Let's hope this continues in to next season.

The Wild Storm #4


Warren Ellis continues to re-envision the Wildstorm universe with the introduction of another key character in Henry Bendix. As was the case in his previous incarnation, Bendix is still the head of a super-secret government agency. He's also still very much a complete dick, but this version does have a bit of a sense of humor (albeit still a dark murdery one).

KATSUCON 2017 COSPLAY SHOWCASE (2 OF 4)

Lucifer - Sympathy for the Goddess


Leading in to next week's season finale, "Sympathy for the Goddess" continues the search for the missing piece of the Flaming Sword while Lucifer (Tom Ellis) and Chloe (Lauren German) investigate the murder of one of Charlotte Richards' (Tricia Helfer) clients. The murder of the week is rather forgettable as the show's main focus is on character interactions including Lucifer and Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) violently fighting out their disagreements and the demon's attempts to help Dr. Linda (Rachael Harris) whose relationship with Lucifer has put her professional livelihood in jeopardy. The episode also finally allows Lucifer and Charlotte's relationship to be known, albeit with a small twist, and seems to contradict itself regarding just who is God's "favorite" son.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Supergirl - Nevertheless, She Persisted


Supergirl closes out its Second Season with an action-packed season finale which wraps up the Daxamite invasion story arc, says farewell to one supporting character and offers the return of another. Fighting as the champion of Earth, first Kara (Melissa Benoist) is forced to take down Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) who Rhea (Teri Hatcher) exposed to Silver Kryptonite. Next, she'll take on the Queen of Daxam one-on-one while her friends attempt to save as many people as possible from the Daxamite fleet attacking National City.

Will Eisner's The Spirit: The Corpse-Makers #3


In the third issue of Francesco Francavilla's mini-series Will Eisner's The Spirit: The Corpse-Makers both the Spirit and plucky detective Lisa Marlowe continue investigating the odd case of disappearances and movements of a group accumulating lost souls for a dark purpose. Following a coroner's van to a warehouse, the Spirit stumbles onto a dark ritual and an entire room full of zombies. Just what is going on?

Brewster's Millions

The 1985 comedy stars Richard Pryor as a struggling minor league baseball player who comes into a small fortune. However, there is one catch. To earn the entire estate Montgomery Brewster (Pryor) must spend $30 million within 30 days to inherit $300 million. He must not accumulate any assets, and he is also barred from telling anyone the truth about his increasingly odd behavior.

While director Walter Hill's film may never be quite as funny as it should be, Brewster's Millions does deliver some wacky hijinx with Monty's spending sprees, his interactions with his teammates and best friend (an underutilized John Candy), and the various forces working against him. Lonette McKee also stars as his accountant/love interest.

Monday, May 22, 2017

Elementary - Hurt Me, Hurt You


Elementary's season finale wraps up the the gang storyline which began with the introduction of Shinwell (Nelsan Ellis). A brewing gang war between the group Shinwell hoped to take down and a rival gang has the whole city on edge. Discovering events began with the abduction and murder of the sister of a rival gang leader, Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) watch as Tyus Wilcox (Stephen Rider) turns events to his advantage, cutting a deal with the District Attorney to avoid prosecution and help stop a gang war. With Holmes distracted by events he refuses to share with his partner, Watson digs deeper to find justice for Shinwell.

Astro City #44


I loved this issue! Even after years Astro City can still surprise me. With the single-issue story "The Cat Who Walked Through Walls," Astro City #44 touches on a theme near and dear to my heart: animal heroes. In this case the animal is the pet cat of two Astro City heroines - Sunhawk and Nightingale who are completely unaware about what their pet does when they aren't looking (other than try and knock dangerous substances off of tables and shelves).

Samurai Jack - Episode CI


"Episode CI" offers a bittersweet ending to the tale of the time-displaced samurai warrior that began on August 10, 2001. With Jack (Phil LaMarr) captured all eyes turn to Aku (Greg Baldwin) who broadcasts his victory across the entire world. The final episode brings in several faces we've seen over the course of the series including a personal favorite of mine in the forest creatures that once taught Jack to jump good. Rising to the call, all of those once saved by Jack attack Aku giving Jack a fighting chance. While not in any serious threat, the sheer number of Woolies, Scotsmen, Spartans, Canine Archaeologists, Archers, Triseraquins, the giant Robo Samurai, and others do provide the momentary distraction for Jack to reach the Aku-controlled Ashi (Tara Strong) who not only discovers her free will but also the fact that she shares Aku's powers - which include the ability to create a time portal.

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Daredevil #20


"Purple" comes to a close by finally revealing the truth of how everyone forgot that Matt Murdock was Daredevil. As expected, given the events of the recent issues, events tie back to the Purple Man and his children. After defeating Kilgrave, the Purple Children decide to make one final use of their father's machine to undo the damage he did to the city and to Daredevil. And just like that, Daredevil's true identity was forgotten.

Friday, May 19, 2017

How Barrowman Brought Down the House at Planet Comicon


Clad in a TARDIS dress and Doctor Who tights actor John Barrowman literally brought the house down at this year's Planet Comicon entertaining fans and continuing right through a mishap that nearly brought the entire stage down on him.

Arrow - Missing


Desperation makes strange bedfellows. As Oliver's (Stephen Amell) loved ones start going missing in a coordinated attack planned by the imprisoned Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra), our hero is forced to procure Chase's release and put together his own team to take on the likes of Chase, Talia al Ghul (Lexa Doig), Black Siren (Katie Cassidy), and Evelyn Sharp (Madison McLaughlin).

Split

When all is said and done I'm less interested in Split than the movie it may eventually lead to (a true sequel to the writer/director's best film). That said, M. Night Shyamalan's film is easily the best thing he's created in more than a decade (although given the level of crap he's put out over that time period that's hardly a high bar to clear).

Set in an universe Shyamalan once said he had no interest in returning to, James McAvoy stars as a schizophrenic with at least 24 distinct personalities who kidnaps three teenage girls (Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula) to feed the darkest of his personalities referred to only as "The Beast." For at least three-fourths of its running time the movie lacks the tension it should, partially because we're unsure how seriously to take McAvoy's character, partially because Shyamalan wants to hide aspects of the man for as long as possible, and partially because the script jumps around a bit too much rather than staying focused on the girls' dilemma.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - World's End


It's fitting that the end to an up-and-down season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would have it's share of highs and lows as well. Connecting back the first-half of the season, the return of Ghost Rider gives Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and his team an easy out to destroy Aida (Mallory Jansen) and her creations. I certainly wasn't clamoring for the character's return, and I'm already sick and tired of the gimmick of Robbie Reyes (Gabriel Luna) temporarily passing the Spirit of Vengeance to another host (this marks the second time the show has used this cheat this season). The episode wraps up the threat of Aida and her murderous rampage, but not the after-effects of a plan already put into action.

Batman/The Shadow #1


The death of a descendant of Lamont Cranston, a well-respected orderly at Arkham Asylum, leads Batman down a rabbit hole. Encountering an odd shadowy creature at the crime scene, Batman goes back to the beginning investigating Cranston, his network of informants, and even talking with the man's closest ally Margo Lane.

Lucifer - God Johnson


I've been looking forward to this episode since the moment I heard about the casting. I did have some trepidation as to Lucifer actually exploring God in human form as much of the show's premise relies on him to be an absentee parent. With "God Johnson" the show's writers get to have their cake and eat it to while providing both a cathartic reunion of sorts for Lucifer (Tom Ellis) and dear old dad while finding a way to still keep God far removed from the daily life of his son and his Los Angeles shenanigans.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

The Flash - Infantino Street


Despite Barry Allen's (Grant Gustin) initial belief that he could rewrite the future he glimpsed months ago, much of the Third Season of The Flash has had a hopeless vibe (so to speak). "Infantino Street" is the inevitable conclusion of these events. The day of Iris' (Candice Patton) death finally arrives, and despite bringing in Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) for a theft inside A.R.G.U.S., the existence of the speed bazooka, and Barry refusing to learn too much about his friend's plan to stop Savitar, he episode never sells us on the idea that Iris has any chance of walking out alive. Because of this the episode's final scene is anti-climactic, especially after giving us the return of both Captain Cold and King Shark before seemingly going through the motions concerning the fate of Barry's fiance.

KATSUCON 2017 COSPLAY SHOWCASE (1 OF 4)

Supergirl - Resist


The war for National City has begun. The first-half of Supergirl's Second Season finale sees old faces return as Rhea's (Teri Hatcher) invasion of National City gets underway. Run out of the DEO, Kara (Melissa Benoist) and her friends are forced into hiding. The near death of President Olivia Marsdin (Lynda Carter) not only reveals her secret to the group but also offers the return of Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) who stands tall providing a public distraction to give Supergirl the time needing to rescue Lena (Katie McGrath) and Mon-El (Chris Wood) from the Daxamite ship. To do so she'll have to work alongside Lillian Luthor (Brenda Strong) in a makeshift peace destined for betrayal. By the end of the episode most of the plan has succeeded, but it turns out Rhea has one final surprise for Supergirl.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Samurai Jack - Episode C


The penultimate episode of Samurai Jack brings Jack (Phil LaMarr) and Aku (Greg Baldwin) face-to-face for the first time in the show's final season. Learning from Scaramouch (Tom Kenny) that Jack is without his magical sword, Aku shows up to interrupt Jack and Ashi (Tara Strong) to destroy the samurai once and for all. The disappointment that the samurai has retrieved his sword is short-lived, however, as Aku discovers a brand-new weapon of his own to use against Jack.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #10


The search for the Bow of Ra leads the Red Hood, Artemis, and Bizzao to Qurac where the team will split up. While Bizarro will be given the opportunity to play at being hero (continuing to draw the short straw while his friends get far more pages devoted to them), his two teammates' return will force each to individually deal with demons from their past.

Elementary - Scrambled


The death of Shinwell (Nelsan Ellis) spurs Watson (Lucy Liu) into taking up the man's crusade. While suggesting a level of caution, and with far more mixed emotions towards the recently departed than what he knows what to do with, Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) proves equally up the challenge of the case although in his case he is distracted by a B-story which feels largely out-of-place shoehorned in here. One of the effects of having Holmes and Watson work for the police is they rarely choose their own cases. In this instance the episode is fueled by Joan's need for retribution for Shinwell's death which leads them to confront the apparent head of the gang and his upstanding brother who actually knows far more about its inter-workings than it appears.

Vanessa Hudgens is one Healthy Woman


Vanessa Hudgens is the cover girl for the May issue of Women's Health. You can find the pics from her photo shoot inside.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Once Upon a Time - The Final Battle


Once Upon a Time closes out the show's Sixth Season with a two-hour finale ominously entitled "The Final Battle." While Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin), David (Josh Dallas), Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), and Regina (Lana Parrilla) awake in the Enchanted Forest, Henry (Jared Gilmore) remains in Storybrooke but things are slightly different than he remembers. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) is a mental patient, the Black Fairy (Jaime Murray) is the town's mayor (and his adopted mother), and no one is interested in his tales of magic, curses, or fairy tales. Returning to the themes of the show's first season, Emma's "final battle" isn't a war with magic or swords (okay, she will get to swordfight before all is said and done) but a battle for belief. At stake, should she falter, all the realms of story... including the one where her family remains trapped as the realms slowly go dark one by one.

X-Men: Blue #3

X-Men: Blue #3 is and odd issue that seems to be going somewhere interesting until if falls apart at the end and wastes a strong set-up. Heading to Barcelona to check-in on the appearance of Sentinels, Jean Grey and the time-displaced X-Men discover something they never expected: Sentinels attempting to help a mutant with her uncontrollable abilities. Referring to both the young mutant and the X-Men as fellow mutants, the Sentinels refuse to attack and take the team back to their creator: Nimrod (who, after seeing a bleak view of the future without mutantkind has decided to help preserve them).

Arrow - Honor Thy Fathers


The reveal of Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra) as a serial killer creates all kinds of new trouble in Star City as dozens of criminals prosecuted by Prometheus are set free. Meanwhile, Oliver's (Stephen Amell) attention is drawn to the madman's latest mind game involving an unearthed corpse delivered to city hall of a man killed by Robert Queen (Jamey Sheridan). Returned to town just in time for the twisted surprise (wow, what a coincidence), Thea's (Willa Holland) belief in the father who raised her will be tested as the truth comes to light. Even behind bars Prometheus' games haven't stopped. What else does he have up his sleeve?

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Guy Ritchie's King Arthur


When I first heard that Guy Ritchie was going to direct a King Arthur movie my reaction was that this could well be the worst idea for a movie I'd ever heard. By that standard, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is actually better than I expected. Don't get me wrong, it's a full-on trainwreck in innumerable ways, but it wasn't altogether unwatchable. (Let's see them work that ringing endorsement onto the poster.)

iZombie - Some Like It Hot Mess


"Some Like It Hot Mess" proves to be a gamechanger for several characters. With Liv (Rose McIver) on the brain of a scatterbrained millennial she's of little help to Ravi (Rahul Kohli) in the morgue, Clive (Malcolm Goodwin) on the case, or the Major (Robert Buckley) who slowly begins showing the symptoms of memory loss after his return to human form. The situation also forces Blaine (David Anders) to come clean about a secret he's been hiding for months, not only does the cure work but the memory loss side-effects are temporary. He remembers everything about his old life, a revelation that Peyton (Aly Michalka) is less than pleased to learn.

Samurai Jack - Episode XCIX


"Episode XCIX" is the first episode of the show's final season where we see the old Jack (Phil LaMarr) back in action, and the first time Ashi (Tara Strong) sees Jack at his best. Having a strong throwback feel, the episode could have easily taken place far earlier in the show's run. After fleeing from a group of Tiger Men assassins and taking shelter from a storm, Jack and Ashi explore a crashed alien obelisk containing a dangerous prisoner known as Lazarus-92 made up of thousands of space worms. As Jack and Ashi fight for their life the pair grow closer leading the episode's final shot.

Rocket #1


There's quite a bit of set-up in the first issue of the new series starring one of the Guardians of the Galaxy's most notorious (and furriest) members. Savoring a few drinks in one of the galaxy's lower-rent bars, a ghost from Rocket Raccoon's past walks back into his life with a sob story and a proposition. Unsure whether or not he can trust Otta Spice, who already sold him up the river once to save herself, it takes a bit of convincing to push Rocket out of his drunk reverie and into action to put together an alien crew for a heist.

Pretty Little Liars - Power Play


While one of the Liars is tempted two of the others are tormented by A.D. Finally deciding to abort her pregnancy, Alison (Sasha Pieterse) then discovers that the child inside her isn't her egg but one that was stolen from Emily (Shay Mitchell) on her return to Rosewood. Likely to shatter the new comfort found with Paige (Lindsey Shaw), Emily is rocked by the news unsure as to what it means for her future. As for Aria (Lucy Hale), she's offered the opportunity to avoid the game altogether by joining the other side. Although Aria tells Sydney (Chloe Bridges, in a painfully bad performance) where to stick her boss' offer, given the recent drama with Ezra (Ian Harding) and Nicole (Rebecca Breeds) and watching her friends be put through the wringer, she's slower to dismiss A.D. the second time around.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

The Flash - Cause and Effect


"Cause and Effect" offers an explanation for last week's reveal that Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) is Savitar. It turns out he is and he isn't. The Barry inside the Savitar armor is a remnant, a speed duplicate left over from one of the Flash's fights against Savitar years from now. I still think there were more interesting options for the villain's true identity, but this at least adds some context to the reveal and help explain how a version of Barry (a flawed duplicate created during a time of hopelessness) might become a super-villain.

Lucifer - Deceptive Little Parasite


With the pressure of his Mum (Tricia Helfer) and Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) to ignite the flaming sword, Lucifer (Tom Ellis) throws himself into his latest case at a private school which boasts of their program to help students control their emotions. Hoping for a little insight, Lucifer enlists the help of Trixie (Scarlett Estevez) to take a look into just what the school teaches. Although he's ultimately disappointed in the results, the set-up not only allows the pair to spend some time together (while providing the episode with its title), but it also has the added effect of putting Chloe (Lauren German) and Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) together as Trixie's two mommies for the dual purpose of catching a killer and possibly getting the girl into the prestigious school.

Planet Comicon Cosplay Gallery


Here's a quick look at some of the cosplayers on hand for this year's Planet Comicon in Kansas City.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Supergirl - City Of Lost Children


"City Of Lost Children" not only sets up the season's final two episodes and reveals Rhea's (Teri Hatcher) master plan, but the episode also finds a way to center itself on a character who has become largely superfluous to the main storylines this season. The episode take a hard look at Superman's black friend James "Don't Call Me Jimmy" Olsen (Mehcad Brooks) and his vigilante actions as Guardian, but it also allows James to step-up in an entirely different way and, as J'onn (David Harewood) says, discover just what kind of man he is meant to be. Everything starts with Rhea using Lena (Katie McGrath) to build a mass transporter which both is the key to her revenge against Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and has the added benefit of making a certain segment of the alien go crazy including a young boy (Lonnie Chavis) who James befriends.

Vixen: The Movie

Vixen: The Movie collects all the episodes from the two-season run of the animated web series and puts them together in a single film. As each season has an ongoing arc where one short leads directly into the next, the flow works fairly well cut together as a single film. The story stars Megalyn Echikunwoke as Mari McCabe who discovers the animal totem left to her by a family she never knew has the power to grant her strength and abilities of an animal for a short period of time.
Over the course of the two seasons Vixen uses her newfound powers to learn the truth about her past, and fight off others who would use the totems powers for their own ends including her sister (Anika Noni Rose) and an old family enemy (Hakeem Kae-Kazim). Several regulars make cameos voicing their animated selves including Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), the Flash (Grant Gustin), and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). While it's a nice bit of fan service and continuity, the lack of voice acting experience by the group is certainly noticeable.

Blade Runner 2049 trailer


We now have our first full-length trailer for Blade Runner 2049 Blade Runner 2049 in which Harrison Ford reprises his role as Deckard and teams up with Ryan Gosling. The new trailer showcases a bit more of the world while also teasing more about the pair's relationship in the movie. Ana de Armas, Dave Bautista, Mackenzie Davis, Sylvia Hoeks, and Jared Leto also star. The sequel opens in theaters on October 6th.

Elementary - Moving Targets


Elementary makes a surprising move with a storyline they've slowly been building this season. Given Shinwell's (Nelsan Ellis) recent attack on Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) I expected something to shift. With the skills Shinwell had picked by Sherlock, and how well he appeared to be putting them to use for his own ends, I half-expected the former gangbanger to decide to take over, rather than destroy, it from within. This would not only create a new adversary for Holmes and Watson (Lucy Liu) but also provide a constant source of grief for the pair in knowing they are responsible. Instead, Shinwell's death shifts the focus of the season in an entirely different direction by turning the detectives' attention to the gang which is likely responsible for the man's murder.

Monday, May 8, 2017

Once Upon a Time - The Song in Your Heart


Music comes to Storybrooke with "The Son in Your Heart," which allows most of the cast to burst into song in flashbacks to the Enchanted Forest and Emma (Jennifer Morrison) to find the strength to stand-up to, but not defeat, the Black Fairy (Jaime Murray). Despite the extravaganza, the big music moment doesn't save the day or vanquish the villain, but only buy our heroes a few more moments to be together before the next big curse. It makes you wonder why the hoopla wasn't saved for the finale, and certainly makes you question the Black Fairy's logic of ruining last week's swerve of making everyone think Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) had killed her. Rather than using the element of surprise to take down the Savior, the Black Fairy announces her presence to all her enemies. As for the Dark One, the noticeable absence of both Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and Gideon (Giles Matthey) makes it rather convenient that no one is on hand to call the villain on his latest bad choice.

Elektra #3


Trapped in Murderworld by Arcade along with a group of athletes, D-list celebrities, and reality-TV stars, the game begins as the super-villain's predators begin hunting the group. It soon becomes obvious Elektra can't save any of the other contestants and has to focus on staying alive and killing as many of the hunters as possible.

Samurai Jack – Episode XCVIII


Continuing the major turning point from the end of "Episode XCVII," freed from his suicidal impulses but not from his internal demons, Jack (Phil LaMarr) will journey inward in search of himself and his missing sword leaving Ashi (Tara Strong) to prevent an army of Aku's (Greg Baldwin) minions and the High Priestess (Grey Griffin) from killing the samurai. By the end of the episode the samurai will find himself, find his sword, and look far more like the original character than we've seen this season.