January 2013

Fatale #11

/ / Comics

fatale-11-coverRather than start a new arc, the latest issue of Fatale offers up a single issue devoted to an experience from Josephine‘s past on the run in 1930’s California during her early days dealing with her curse.

Still unable to control her effect on men, Josephine’s journey forces her to seek out author Arthur Ravenscoft whose horror pulp story rings a little too familiar with our protagonist. In that empty old house Ravennscoft shares his own experiences with the cult and shows Josephine something which will make her flee his home in terror.

The one-off works well not only giving us more of a glimpse into Josephine’s past (and how the early days of the curse nearly destroyed her and any man who came into her path) but as an isolated horror story as well. We’re also introduced to a police man who had the unfortunate luck to encounter Josephine and become trapped under her spell so completely that her disappearance leaves him despondent with only one one way out. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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Samsara

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Samsara
  • IMDB: link

samsara-blu-rayNearly five years in the making, director Ron Fricke‘s attempt to capture the Buddhist idea of samsara (the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth) on 70mm is an intriguing proposition. Filming in more than 25 countries across five continents, Fricke and his team captured shots across the globe of nature, temples, ruins, cityscapes, their various inhabitants, and more.

Samsara doesn’t have a narrative structure in the conventional sense, but the amazing amount of timelapse footage from Fricke and his team paints a beautiful (and occasionally creepy) picture of our planet and its inhabitants sometimes set to music and sometimes set only to the natural sounds of the surroundings.

As as a cinematic achievement Samsara is impressive, however some viewers may find the film’s lack of structure or more coherent message disappointing.

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The Mentalist – Days of Wine and Roses

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Mentalist – Days of Wine and Roses
  • wiki: link

the-mentalist-days-of-wine-and-roses

The CBI is called in to investigate the murder of a rising young model who was killed in the park after sneaking out of a California rehab center. Meanwhile, Lisbon continues her investigation into Tommy Volker (Henry Ian Cusick), who has gotten away with a pair of murders including a witness she promised to protect.

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Frankenweenie

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Frankenweenie
  • IMDB: link

frankenweenie-blu-ray-dvdTim Burton goes back to the well again with Frankenweenie, a remake of his short film and obvious parody of Frankenstein. Set in the town of New Holland, our story centers around social outcast Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) who sets his genius to bringing his dog Sparky back to life after he is hit by a car.

What follows are the misadventures of Victor, Sparky, and Victor’s various classmates who use his knowledge to bring back other pets from the grave in an attempt to win the school science fair. The film also throws in a preteen love story between Victor and the equally socially awkward Elsa van Helsing (Winona Ryder).

Burton has some fun in casting old friends, particularly with Martin Landau as the school’s science teacher who is attacked after the town discovers what Victor used “science” to do.

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The Flash #15

/ / Comics

the-flash-new-52-15-coverAs Grodd and his gorilla army continue their assault on Central City the Rogues continue to do their best to fight back and Patty Spivot discovers the truth about Barry Allen.

I wouldn’t call the third issue of “Gorilla Warfare” filler, but does feel like The Flash is taking a bit of a breather before setting up the rest of the arc. The Flash spends nearly the entire comic comatose, his mind racing through the Speed Force showing him glimpses of the past and possible futures.

The art of these future-glimpsing splash pages is great, as we’ve come to expect from writer/artist Francis Manapul, but it does mean we get a little less content than usual. By the final panel of the comic our hero finally awakens, with the knowledge of the only way he can save his home is to turn himself over to Grodd.

With two issues left in the arc our hero is back on his feet with an impeding conversation with Patty, and a gorilla army to stop. Oh yeah, and Iris is still lost in time. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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