Thursday, August 23, 2018

The Happytime Murders


After being in and out of development for the better part of a decade (delays included a legal battle with Sesame Street), The Happytime Murders finally has made its way to theaters. Directed by Jim Henson's son Brian Henson, the film is juvenile, crude, and certainly lacking in likable characters. That said, it also made me laugh, and (perhaps most importantly) it never bored me.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War (Scott Pilgrim Style!)

Cosplay Spotlight - D.Va (Overwatch)


Featuring Airyll as D.Va.

Archie Meets Batman '66 #2


With Batman's most fearsome villains (the Joker, Catwoman, the Riddler, the Penguin, and others) relocating to Riverdale for easier pickings, the Dark Knight Detective sends Robin and Batgirl in undercover as transfer students to Riverdale High. Meanwhile the villains, confounded by the sheer number of teenagers in the small town, set to recruiting new henchmen and discover there are some bad apples everywhere, even in Riverdale.

Joan of Arc Leads an Army (Drunk History)


French teenager Joan of Arc (Vanessa Hudgens) receives a call from the saints to lead an army to support Charles VII’s claim to the French throne.

Monday, August 20, 2018

Nancy Drew #3


Chapter 3 of "The Case of the Cold Case" continues following Nancy's discovery of a body in the caves around Deadman's Cliff. Happy to discover the out-of-contact Nancy is alive and unharmed, her friends finally demand some answers allowing writer Kelly Thompson to catch everyone up on why Nancy has returned to Bayport and what mystery Pete needs her help to solve.

Ariana Grande & James Corden - Soundtrack to Titanic

Take Two - Shadows of the Past


When their new client becomes the latest victim of a serial killer, Sam (Rachel Bilson) and Eddie's (Eddie Cibrian) case for a missing woman gets more complicated. Over the objections of a cop with grudge (Colin Lawrence), Eddie is allowed limited access to their case. "Shadows of the Past" fills in a few more details of why Eddie's career as a cop came to an end and grudges on both side that make it hard for him to work with the department. Putting those aside, our plucky detectives find the killer... although the more they dig into the case they more they believe the real killer may still be out there and delivered the LAPD the perfect patsy to close the case prematurely. Solving their original case, and finding the missing woman, leads them to the truth.

Super Heroes Card Trader - Awesome Pack 9


For more super-heroes check out Super-Hero Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Pack 4, Pack 5, Pack 6, Pack 7, Pack 8, Team-Up Pack 1, Wonder Woman Pack 1, Green Lantern Pack 1, Black Cat Pack 1, Lara Croft Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Spidey Pack 1, Pack 2, Deadpool Pack 1, Harley Quinn Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Pack 4, Pack 5, Birds of Prey Pack 1, Pack 2, Memorial Day Pack 1, X-Men Pack 1, and the X-Mas Mega Pack 1 and Mega Pack 2.

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Alpha

Alpha is pretty much what you would expect. The screenplay by Daniele Sebastian Wiedenhaupt combines well-established tropes of the long road home and a boy and his dog for an inoffensive summer popcorn flick. If director Albert Hughes (who also wrote the original story) isn't that ambitious, he does succeed in producing a passable tale.

The film's opening scene introduces us to Kedo (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a young warrior on his first hunt. The son of the chief (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson), Kedo has the burden of the clan's expectations on him. Separated from his group, and believed dead, an injured Kedo is forced to travel the long distance home alone, that is until he befriends a wolf he names Alpha.

Darth Vader #19


One of the interesting concepts introduced in Star Wars Rebels was the role of the Inquisitors. Force-trained minions sent to hunt the remaining Jedi, the concept opened a new world of characters and potential stories to explore. Darth Vader #19 returns these characters (including an appearance by the Grand Inquisitor) as Vader and his Dark Side army show up to kill a former member of the Jedi Council and take his newborn for nefarious purposes.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #25


Things get pretty bleak for the Outlaws in the over-sized twenty-fifth issue. After fleeing from the police, the Red Hood runs into one pissed-off Batman who isn't too happy with his former partner's recent actions (such as murdering the Penguin on live television). Having broken their agreement that Jason could operate in Gotham City under the sole condition that he wouldn't take a life, the Red Hood must face the music. Lucky for him, his friends step in to avoid him from getting his ass kicked any more than necessary.

Hendo Art's How-To: MAYA COSPLAY OUTFIT

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Domino #5


While the overall plot of Domino versus her new arch-nemeses doesn't progress much, there's still quite a bit to enjoy this issue including our girl grasping a measure of insight while fighting off a club full of enemies alongside Shang-Chi. Finding calm in the storm, Domino realizes that her powers can work for her (and why that can terrify all those around her).

Elementary - How to Get a Head / Uncanny Valley of the Dolls


Elementary gets a bit cheeky with its latest two episodes. The puntastically titled "How to Get a Head" centers around the discovery of a headless victim whose death initially appears to be linked to the occult. And in "Uncanny Valley of the Dolls" the sole witness to a murder turns out be a sex bot whose memories help Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) catch a killer. In each episode Bell (Jon Michael Hill) is the focus of the B-story, first in the search for a detective to replace him when he leaves the NYPD (foreshadowing some possible trouble for Holmes and the department in the future) and later in and old acquaintance (Ian Hart) of Sherlock holding up Bell's chances to get into the US Marshals out of spite. While Holmes' attempt to cherry-pick Bell's successor may have failed, he proves to have far more success in his carrot and stick approach to removing the vindictive roadblock to Bell's career change.

Catwoman #2


Catwoman's investigation into the impostor responsible for burglary and murder, tarnishing our protagonist's already bruised name, leads her to a warehouse full of fakes and more questions. Quickly dispatching the women, who turn out mostly to be unemployed actresses, Selena is left with a single breadcrumb to trail back to the man who hired them (but still no clue, as yet, as to why).

This is RTX 2018 Cosplay Music Video

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Supergirl #21


Supergirl #21 is a transitional issue that gives Kara a new purpose and mission far from her adopted home. Recent events with Rogol Zaar have raised far too many questions for the Maid of Might, and after the discovery that even the Guardians of the Universe have something to hide about the mad man who claims to have destroyed Krytpton, Supergirl heads out to find answers.

Killjoys - What to Expect When You're Expecting...An Alien Parasite


"What to Expect When You're Expecting...An Alien Parasite" is a fun episode that finally features all the core characters together under one roof. While trying to figure out how to help Johnny (Aaron Ashmore), more of Dutch's (Hannah John-Kamen) time in the Green is revealed (although still not how she managed to escape). While we still don't understand why the Green crystallized following her return to the real world, we now know why Aneela stayed behind and what the Lady wanted from Dutch. As for Johnny, his attempt to kill himself not only revealed a way to de-Hullenize him but also how to deliver Delle Seyah Kendry's (Mayko Nguyen) baby, which it turns out isn't a tentacle monster ready to enslave the human race. I don't know if I'm relieved or disappointed.

Unseen NYCC 2015 Cosplay Music Video

Monday, August 13, 2018

Fantastic Four #1


The Fantastic Four don't actually appear in the first issue of their new series, at least not together. Nearly the entire issue takes place on Earth where the sudden appearance of the Fantastic Four logo in the sky causes very different reactions for the Human Torch (whose hope is dashed when he discovers the entire episode was nothing more than a prank of local kids) and the Thing (who knows all too well that his family is gone).

How Deadpool 2 Should Have Ended

Super-Heroes Card Trader - Birds of Prey Awesome Pack 2


For more super-heroes check out Super-Hero Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Pack 4, Pack 5, Pack 6, Pack 7, Pack 8, Team-Up Pack 1, Wonder Woman Pack 1, Green Lantern Pack 1, Black Cat Pack 1, Lara Croft Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Spidey Pack 1, Pack 2, Deadpool Pack 1, Harley Quinn Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Pack 4, Pack 5, Birds of Prey Pack 1, Memorial Day Pack 1, X-Men Pack 1, and the X-Mas Mega Pack 1 and Mega Pack 2.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

It's RTX 2018

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #25


Taking a break from recent events, and stretching out new abilities, Leonardo travels to the Astral Plane where he encounters an unusual guide and an unexpected adversary. Tied to recent events, but very much a standalone story, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #25 is an interesting issue that takes place almost entirely in the mental/spiritual realm.

Super-Heroes Card Trader - Awesome Pack 8


For more super-heroes check out Super-Hero Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Pack 4, Pack 5, Pack 6, Pack 7, Team-Up Pack 1, Wonder Woman Pack 1, Green Lantern Pack 1, Black Cat Pack 1, Lara Croft Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Spidey Pack 1, Pack 2, Deadpool Pack 1, Harley Quinn Pack 1, Pack 2, Pack 3, Pack 4, Pack 5, Birds of Prey Pack 1, Memorial Day Pack 1, X-Men Pack 1, and the X-Mas Mega Pack 1 and Mega Pack 2.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Star Wars Rebels - The Complete Fourth Season

The final season of Star Wars Rebels begins with the Rebels helping the Mandalorians rescue Sabine's (Tiya Sircar) father and ends with a final battle between the Rebellion and the Empire for Lothal. In-between, the season offers several highlights including the loss of a member of the Ghost, a large victory for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), the return of Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein), and episodes exploring how Lothal's creatures are tied to Rebel's fate against the Empire. I know there are those that prefer The Clone Wars (and I'm happy to see it return in limited form), but I'd much prefer more episodes featuring these characters.

Elementary - Through the Fog


After a biological bomb is set-off inside the 11th Precinct, Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) work to find as much about the attack as possible. When evidence begins to point that the person who activated the bomb is still quarantined on the floor, the group of suspects narrows as Gregson (Aidan Quinn) and Bell (Jon Michael Hill) begin to look both at the visitors caught in the quarantine and other cops. The bomb going off, and Bell's heroics while getting a heavy dose of the gas, set a high intensity level for the episode that forces Holmes and Watson to make some dangerous new friends in search for much-needed information. Following an episode that suggested Bell might be on his way out of the department in the near future, the show also manages to offer a plausible chance for him not to make it out of the situation.

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #254


The focus of the latest "Special Mission" one-shot story turns its attention on Destro. We catch up to the weapons supplier in the middle of a sales pitch to a wealthy, but reluctant, prospective client. In a series of controlled tests, Destro showcases the inventions of M.A.R.S. Industries, but its not until an attack by the client's enemies who rips through existing defenses and leaves only Destro between the man and certain death that the true salesmanship begins.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

COMIC CON 2018 Cosplay Music Video

Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #22


Ben Reilly and Kaine both follow their own leads which will lead both Scarlet Spiders to the Diogenes Initiative. For Kaine that means sneaking into the top secret facility and getting chased around by a giant two-headed dog before getting taking down by Nakano (although, to be fair, she did cheat).

Take Two - About Last Night


Take Two didn't waste much time throwing its stars in bed together, even if they don't remember just what happened the night before. Waking up in bed with no memory of their previous 24 hours, Sam (Rachel Bilson) and (Eddie Cibrian attempt to piece together what happened to them. Through a few breadcrumbs, and working around the misinformation offered by their client (Jewel Staite), the pair eventually trace their path to a rogue government agent and a missing vial of a deadly toxin capable of taking out the entire city.

Monday, August 6, 2018

Killjoys - Bro-D Trip


"Bro-D Trip" focuses on the Jacobi brothers and their search for Green while leaving Delle Seyah Kendry (Mayko Nguyen) to fend for herself against Juno Clay (Billy MacLellan) who plans to hunt down the Killjoys and take her baby to recoup lost expenses. Throughout the episode, a more devious and murderous Johnny (Aaron Ashmore) continues to struggle with the effects of Hullen psychosis (even going so far as to actually shoot is brother in the back at one point). Dutch's (Hannah John-Kamen) appearance at the end of the episode saves D'Avin (Luke Macfarlane) but leaves all kinds of questions about what is happening in the minds of two of the show's three stars.

Voltron - The Black Paladins


With Shiro's (Josh Keaton) betrayal revealed, Keith (Steven Yeun) tracks his friend through a wormhole leading to a violent confrontation between the two Paladins of the Black Lion. The sequences between the two feature flashbacks to Keith's childhood, underlining the big/little brother relationship between the pair and the tragedy of their current confrontation. Despite being led to a facility full of Shiro clones, Keith continues to try and save what may or may not actually be his friend (while fighting for his life). Back on the Castle of Lions, Pidge (Bex Taylor-Klaus) and the rest deal with a virus unleashed by Shiro which threatens the destruction of the castle and all their lives. And there's more shifting alliances between Lotor (A.J. LoCascio) and his former lieutenants who choose to side with Lotor over Haggar (Cree Summer) as the season moves closer to its finale.

Cosplay Winners at SDCC Masquerade 2018

Friday, August 3, 2018

Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin is a safe, by-the-numbers, inoffensive Disney live-action film that is likely to appease (although probably not delight) its target audience. Based on the Winnie-the-Pooh stories by A. A. Milne, Ewan McGregor stars as the fictional character Christopher Robin (originally based on Milne's own son) who has grown-up and left his childish things long behind and currently is lost in a stressful job while struggling to connect to his wife (Hayley Atwell) and daughter (Bronte Carmichael). In the midst of a crisis, Christopher Robin is shocked by the sudden appearance of his old friend Winnie-the-Pooh (Jim Cummings) who arrives in London and enlists Christopher Robin to help find the rest of the old gang who have disappeared.

There's an interesting idea for a dark comedy in Christopher Robin about a middle-aged man having a psychotic break and running into the countryside with a make-believe talking bear made of felt. Sadly, that's nowhere near the film Disney was interested in making. Instead, Christopher Robin takes his pal back to the old stomping grounds and, while in search of the other characters, rediscovers a bit of his old self.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Darkest Minds


The Darkest Minds is a mess. It's as if someone took an entire season of a Freeform sci-fi series made for a tweenage fanbase and condensed it into a single two-hour film. Based on the story structure and pacing you can tell immediately that the movie was adapted from a novel. Drawn-out events are presented in meandering fashion as we follow Ruby (played in early scenes by Lidya Jewett and later by Amandla Stenberg) through a troubling adolescence when she becomes mutated by a virus that leaves 98% of the world's children dead and the remainder gifted with poorly explained powers.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #49


Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #49 continues the war between the Green Lantern Corps and their various allies versus the Darkstars. In a coordinated assault, Hal Jordan and Hector Hammond attack the Controllers, disrupting the inter-connectivity of the Darkstars, giving their allies a fighting chance.

Elementary - Breathe


Unable to prove their suspect, a drug company owner who has made a career of buying life-saving drugs cheap before jacking up the price for a tidy profit, was responsible for the recent poisoning of a hitman, Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) set out to discover who their suspect hired the hitman to kill four years ago. Surprised to discover that their suspect did indeed kill a scientist, but didn't use their victim to do so, the detectives follow the breadcrumbs left by the poison victim to find the truth and discover why a man whose life had been spent killing others for money would commit the most selfless act possible.

Aphrodite V #1


Set in the near future of Los Angeles which is experiencing a new wave of crime that has been spurred on by the rise of black-market technology comes Aphrodite V. A sentient, artificially intelligent robot created by a global creation bent on controlling the world, Aphrodite V escaped from her masters and is now free to determine her own fate. In Aphrodite V #1 that means saving the life of a single wealthy individual who can grasp just who and what she is.

Kalani as D.Va (Overwatch)

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Charlie's Angels #2


The comic's opening arc continues with Charlie being attacked and abducted by the mysterious foreign agents who use the man's anonymity against the Angels by supplying just the right amount of disinformation to trick the trio into unintentionally helping out their interests. While their endgame is still unclear, we now see how they plan to toy with our detectives.

Coming Soon - Colette


Here's the first look at Colette starring Keira Knightley as the French novelist. Dominic West, Aiysha Hart, Fiona Shaw, and Denise Gough also star.

Hendo Art's Maya Cosplay (Borderlands 2)