April 2011

Comic Rack

/ / Comics

It’s a new week so it must be time to talk about comics! Welcome to the RazorFine Comic Rack boys and girls. Pull up a bean bag and take a seat at feet of the master as we offer you this quick list of all kinds of comic book goodness set to hit comic shops and bookstores this week from all your favorite publishers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, BOOM!, Dynamite, Image Comics, and others.

This week includes Amazing Spider-Man, Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Birds of Prey, Booster Gold, Carbon Grey, Cinderella: Fables are Forever, Deadpool, Northlanders, The Flash, Lone Ranger: The Death of Zorro, New Avengers, Red Robin, Secret Warriors, Spawn, Uncanny X-Force, Uncanny X-Men, the first issues of Elephantmen Cover Stories, Nevermore, The Walking Dead Survivors’ Guide, and the final issues of Broken Trinity: Pandoras Box, Casanova: Gula, Dark Tower: The Gunslinger – The Little Sisters of Eluria, and Sweets.

Enjoy issue #123

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Soul Surfer

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Soul Surfer
  • IMDB: link

soul-surfer-posterBased on the experiences of Bethany Hamilton (played here by AnnaSophia Robb), Soul Surfer tells the story of a young girl who lost her arm to a shark attack which threatened to end a promising amateur surfing career.

The main focus of the film is Bethany’s struggle, and that of her family and friends, to come to grips with with what has happened and her attempt to move forward. It’s a little too Hallmark Hall of Fame for my tastes, and more than a little formulaic, but there’s definitely an audience for this type of movie.

The young protagonist faces hardship, learns something new about herself and the world, has her faith tested and then renewed, and eventually comes out stronger for the experience. Sound familiar? That’s because it is.

Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid star as Bethany’s parents, and both do well to present the emotion called for in each scene, even if at times the dialogue lets them down. The movie does get the feel of the entire family, including Bethany’s best friend (Lorraine Nicholson) and her father (Kevin Sorbo), just right.

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Miral

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Miral
  • IMDB: link

Directed by Julian Schnabel and adapted from her own novel by Rula Jebreal, Miral is an attempt by the Jewish filmmaker to examine life from the point of view of several Palestinian women after the establishment of the state of Israel.

The film begins with the rescue of 55 orphaned children by Hind Hussein (Hiam Abbass). The children were the first discovered survivors of Deir Yassin Massacre, but within six months the number of children would swell to several thousand.

I’ll stop for a second to discuss Hind Hussein, who is definitely worthy of a film dedicated to her life and accomplishments. Using what resources she had, Hussein transformed her grandfather’s estate into an orphanage and institute of learning which continues today. Abbass gives a strong performance, even overcoming some questionable old age makeup for the character’s later years. But, somewhat to the film’s detriment, Hussein isn’t the film’s main character. In fact, I’m not sure it has one.

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Win Win

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Win Win
  • IMDB: link

win-win-posterWin Win is writer/director Thomas McCarthy‘s weakest effort. Now that might sound bad, but only until you realize the man has put together a pretty impressive resume so far.

McCarthy both wrote and directed The Visitor and The Station Agent, as well as penning the original story Pixar’s Up was based on. That’s a pretty high mark to live up to, and so I can forgive him if his latest is only a very solid indie flick rather than hands down one of the best films of the year.

Paul Giamatti, in the kind of role he’s known for in indie flicks like this, plays lovable loser Mike Flaherty. Mike is a struggling attorney in a small town who helps make ends meet by moonlighting as the wrestling coach for the local high school. He’s also dealing with financial problems, stress attacks, and a kind, but needy, elderly client (Burt Young) – all of which he’s trying to keep from wife (Amy Ryan) and children (Clare Foley, Sophia Kindred).

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