November 2019

Away

  • Title: Away (2019)
  • IMDb: link

Away reviewFor those looking for an alternative to big studio animated features this holiday season, you may wish to check out Away. Presented without a single word of dialogue, the story follows an unnamed protagonist pursued across an island by a giant golem. Opening with our character’s parachute stuck in a tree, one of many lasting images from the film, we follow him through the island making a friend in an island bird before setting out across the island in hopes of discovering civilization.

The silent animated film is one of the year’s unexpected surprises. Written, produced, and directed by Gints Zilbalodis, Away is presented in a dream-like 3D animated style where the journey (not our protagonist’s final destination) seems to be of paramount import. While more abstract than something from DreamWorks or Pixar, and closer in tone to Studio Ghibli, Zilbalodis worked for three-and-a-half years to produce his singular vision on film. Although rough in certain areas, for the right audience the quiet journey of our lost hero, and a tiny bird, is certainly a journey worth taking. In limited release in L.A., Away is available for streaming on Amazon.

Away Read More »

Never Surrender

  • Title: Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary
  • IMDb: link

Never Surrender movie reviewFor one night only the documentary looking back at Galaxy Quest played as part of Fathom Events. Just in time for the film’s 20th anniversary, Screen Junkies puts together a solid documentary with interviews from director Dean Parisot, screenwriter Robert Gordon, editor Don Zimmerman, producer Mark Johnson, fans (including a pair of notable Star Trek: The Next Generation stars), and the cast (Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Daryl Mitchell, Justin Long, and others) of the 1999 film that examines the troubled history of bringing the film to screen and its enduring legacy as the best Star Trek movie ever made.

Both spoofing and honoring the original Star Trek, with a mix of humor, drama, and sci-fi, it’s not surprising to learn that the studio didn’t know quite what to make of Galaxy Quest. Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary is a loving look at the under-performing box office release that has found a rabid fan base over the years. There are some nice tidbits here, including Harold Ramis signing as the original director for the film, stories from the set, and the studio’s original choice for Jason Nesmith.

Never Surrender Read More »

Far Sector #1

Far Sector #1 comic reviewOn the far edge of the known universe a new Green Lantern looks to solve the first major crime in the City Enduring in the last 500 years. Far Sector #1 introduces readers to rookie Lantern Sojourner Mullein who although green (forgive the pun) is the metropolis’ best chance of solving a crime they have no experience with.

The story has a strong sci-fi premise with more than a whiff of Isaac Asimov. The setting is a vast metropolis that houses three separate races of aliens who have removed emotion from the equation (after tempers last led to the destruction of several worlds).

Far Sector #1 Read More »

Rick and Morty – One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty

  • Title: Rick and Morty – One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty
  • wiki: link

Heists are the the theme of “One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty” in what starts out as a Morty (Justin Roiland) adventure where he and Rick (Roiland) rob a tomb only to find out that a they have been beaten by a heist artist known as Miles Knightly. Rick’s bruised ego leads to a trip to HeistCon, putting a crew together, mind-control on an epic scale, the destruction of HeistCon, putting more crews together, robots who take Rick’s programming way too literally, and the destruction of an entire planet. Oh, and the destruction of Morty’s dreams.

Rick and Morty – One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty Read More »