July 2018

Samurai Jack – Episode XI: Jack and the Scotsman

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Samurai Jack – Episode XI: Jack and the Scotsman
  • wiki: link

Samurai Jack - Episode XI: Jack and the Scotsman television review

Throwback Thursday takes us back to the adventures of the time-displaced samurai and his quest to make his way home. On the world’s longest rope bridge, Jack‘s (Phil LaMarr) journey is stalled when he comes face-to-face with the Scotsman (John DiMaggio). Having both spent days on the rickety bridge, neither is prepared to back-up and let the other by. The Scotsman’s bagpipes and verbal jabs at Jack only flame tempers further leading to sword fighting lasting all day, all night, and well into the next day. Only the arrival of Aku‘s (Mako) bounty hunters forces the two warriors to put their petty squabble aside and work together.

…

Samurai Jack – Episode XI: Jack and the ScotsmanRead More »

Samurai Jack – Episode XI: Jack and the Scotsman Read More »

Mary and the Witch’s Flower

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Meari to majo no hana
  • IMDb: link

Mary and the Witch's Flower Blu-ray reviewBased on The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart, the Japanese anime Mary and the Witch’s Flower begins in fire prior to settling down and introducing us to the precocious Mary (Hana Sugisaki/Ruby Barnhill) living in the lonely countryside with her Great-Aunt Charlotte (Shinobu Otake/Lynda Baron). Despite her best efforts and sunny attitude, Mary struggles with the lack of other children to play with and still not quite fitting in with the adults.

Over the course of a handful of days, Mary will make several discoveries which will change her life beginning with meeting a neighbor boy and discovering the rarest of flowers deep in the woods. While not initially connected, both will be part of Mary’s introduction to a larger world of witches and magic which will amaze and frighten her as the flower and a broomstick, both left abandoned in the woods long, long ago, lead her to the gates of Endor College for witches.

…

Mary and the Witch’s FlowerRead More »

Mary and the Witch’s Flower Read More »

Astro City #52

/ / Comics

Astro City #52 comic reviewThe longest continuous run of Astro City comes to a close in issue 52. Writer Kurt Busiek and artist Brent Anderson aren’t going away as they still have several projects in mind to continue and explore a world where heroes are observed by, and often interact with, the city’s locals. Even knowing that there are other graphic novels, mini-series, and one-shots still to come, it will be missed.

Astro City #52 concludes the volume’s final arc centering around Michael Tenicek, a broken man whose wife was deleted from existence during one of the Honor Guard‘s battles years ago. Since then the man has found meaning leading a support group of others affected by super-heroes and being the only one to remember a woman who the rest of the world never knew existed.

…

Astro City #52Read More »

Astro City #52 Read More »

Ant-Man and the Wasp

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Ant-Man and the Wasp
  • IMDb: link

Ant-Man and the Wasp movie review

2015’s Ant-Man was a fun and lighthearted entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe that, while mostly enjoyable, would certainly rank among the weaker (and more forgettable) entries to the MCU. Ant-Man and the Wasp brings back former thief turned super-hero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), the original Ant-Man Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly), and most of the supporting cast and characters from the first film including Scott’s former prison buddies and family. As in Ant-Man, several people are after Pym and his work. And given Scott’s improbable return from the Quantum Realm at the end of the first movie, Hank Pym plans of his own.

Although the plot of the film is a bit too convoluted for its own good as it continues to juggle multiple plots and characters (many of whom get far more screentime than necessary), I found the sequel more enjoyable than the original playing off established relationships and concepts introduced in Ant-Man. Following Avengers: Infinity War, smaller stakes (both literally and figuratively) also prove to be a nice change of pace from the universe threatening death dealer.

…

Ant-Man and the WaspRead More »

Ant-Man and the Wasp Read More »

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
  • IMDb: link

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay DVD reviewObviously inspired by the “Unhinged” story arc from Gail Simone‘s Secret Six, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay offers us the Suicide Squad after a mystical artifact in a grunge house style animated straight-to-video movie. Lacking the broader personalities of the Secret Six, the film does offer appearances of half their number with Deadshot (Christian Slater) working for the Suicide Squad and both Scandal Savage (Dania Ramirez) and Knockout (Cissy Jones) working for a competing interest that wants a mystical Get Out of Hell Free Card which will offer one lucky villain a trip to Heaven.

Opening with an unrelated mission featuring team members turning on each other, strippers, and a bloody body count, the tone for the film is set early on. Vandal Savage (Jim Pirri) and the Reverse-Flash (C. Thomas Howell) both seems an odd choices to be interested in the card, and I’m guessing they were used more as villains of convenience (which ties in the previous films and also allowed for Scandal’s inclusion). Taking it on its own, it works as a sleazy B-movie. But comparing it to Simone’s original tale, it’s hard not to be disappointed.

…

Suicide Squad: Hell to PayRead More »

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay Read More »