March 2012

Smash – Chemistry

  • Title: Smash – Chemistry
  • tv.com: link

smash-chemistry

With only a week to go before the show’s first workshop, which will be attended by potential investitors, tensions start to fray. Julia (Debra Messing) struggles to finish writing the play – while staying far away from Michael (Will Chase) especially now that her husband (Brian d’Arcy James) has returned, Ivy (Megan Hilty) starts to panic as she looses her voice during rehearsals, and Karen (Katharine McPhee) deals with the real possibility she might be asked to step into the starring role.

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Happy Feet Two

  • Title: Happy Feet Two
  • IMDB: link

happy-feet-two-blu-rayHappy Feet Two is an unimaginative, paint-by-the-number sequel to a very average animated film. Happy Feet told the story of Mumble (Elijah Wood), a young penguin who couldn’t sing but had a talent for dancing. In the sequel its Mumble’s son Erik (Ava Acres) who is a bit of an outcast because he is afraid to dance and prefers to dream about flying.

Much like Mumble in the first movie, Erik will be separated from the main group of penguins and together with a few friends will learn valuable lessons about life and being yourself. The only thing the sequel adds is the presence of humans who are used more like a McGuffin that anything else.

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Winter Soldier #3

winter-soldier-3-coverThe latest issue of Winter Soldier might not feature a machine gun totting gorilla with a jetpack, but after spending the first two issues with a lot of set-up we’re finally starting to get to the good stuff.

The pacing of this issue is much better as Bucky and the Black Widow try to hunt down the Soviet soldiers he helped train during his brainwashed dash as the Winter Soldier. They also have to try and and convince a super-villain that he’s about to be framed and he needs their help. That’s not the easiest thing to do when his name is Victor von Doom.

There’s quite a bit of humor here to go along with the action including Lucia Von Bardas playing with her Doombot and Bucky learning that breaking into the Latverian embassy might not have been the best way to convince Doctor Doom that he’s there to help.

It looks like three issues in things are finally starting to pick up. Let’s hope it continues. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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The Lone Ranger #3

 

 

lone-ranger-vol-2-3-coverWhere the first two issues had focused primarily on Westerners in need of the Lone Ranger’s help, issue #3 puts the masked man and his Indian companion center stage.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto are approached by the United States Government to help track down a vicious gang of railroad robbers. The Ranger reluctantly takes the job, and he and Tonto are able to find the gang with relative ease.

However, their victory is short lived as they discover the thieves have the protection of a local sheriff and an entire town. The comic ends with Tonto gut-shot and bleeding out in the desert and our hero about to have a noose placed around his neck.

The pacing here is much better than in the first couple of issues and, despite the unnecessary use of flashbacks, it works very well by delivering the series’ best issue to date. I’ve also got to throw a shout out to Francesco Francavilla for a very cool cover. Worth a look.

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