Alan Rapp

London Fields

/ / Home Video
  • Title: London Fields
  • IMDb: link

London Fields DVD review

London Fields is a flawed but ambitious film that struggles mightily with adapting the 1989 novel of the same name for the big screen. The film’s biggest strength is Amber Heard, cast in the role femme fatale Nicola Six who toys with men’s affections for her own selfish gratification and amusement. Despite the film’s many failings, Heard’s performance isn’t one of them nor is the cinematography of Guillermo Navarro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and Pacific Rim) who so lovingly frames the beautiful star on-screen. Semi-clairvoyant, Nicola knows the time and place of her death (but not the identity of her killer).

Our other main character is American novelist Samson Young (Billy Bob Thornton) in London attempting to find inspiration for one more novel. Immediately buying into her tale, Samson convinces Nicola to let the author tell her story. Like with Heard, Thornton is put to relatively good use (although the scripting of the noir voiceover fails him at times – but also provides one of the film’s more clever moments as the film pauses to allow Samson to rewrite a scene).

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Transformers #1

/ / Comics

Transformers #1 comic reviewFor their latest Transformers comic, IDW enlists writer Brian Ruckley and artist Angel Hernandez to wind back the clock before the Transformers ever came to Earth and before the birth of the Decepticons. Transformers #1 offers two plot threads. The first involves Bumblebee and the newly-created Rubble traveling across the surface of Cybertron to a transmission station. Along the way they are joined by Windblade who is the first to notice something seriously wrong when they trio reach their destination.

The other plot involves two of the most famous Transformers, although one is still going by the name Orion Pax who meets with Megatron prior to a rally that could threaten the peace which Orion Pax is tasked with upholding. While far from enemies, there is obvious tension between the two over the role of the government.

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Supergirl – O Brother, Where Art Thou?

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Supergirl – O Brother, Where Art Thou?
  • wiki: link

Supergirl - O Brother, Where Art Thou? television review

As one villain exits another enters. Believing Manchester Black (David Ajala) to be behind the shooting of James “Don’t Call Me Jimmy” Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), J’onn (David Harewood) redoubles his efforts to stop his schemes which are now aided by a Martian staff that makes him even more dangerous. While Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) works to keep the carnage at bay, J’onn will have to put aside his peaceful vows. Manchester exits in relatively forgettable fashion, considering all the trouble he has caused, but J’onn’s actions in permanently subduing him foreshadow new problems for the Martian. This leaves Jimmy at the hands of doctors who can’t save him and Alex (Chyler Leigh) alone to convince Kelly Olsen (Azie Tesfai) to consider a dangerous experimental cure. Alex forgetting her sister’s secret identity has allowed the show to play on the old Superman trope of why the hero’s alter ego missing important moments. Will these unexplained absences eventually lead Alex into doing a little snooping?

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Domino: Hotshots #1

/ / Comics

Domino: Hotshots #1 comic reviewThe first issue of Domino: Hotshots introduces us to the team put together by Black Widow to recover some dangerous alien tech. Fans of Domino‘s current ongoing comic (also written by Gail Simone) will recognize her two BFFs Outlaw and Diamondback. Rounding out the team are the Widow, Korean spy White Fox, and Wakanda exile Atlas Bear. The mission is obviously related an alien artifact which crashes in the Antarctic, but what is it? Why does Black Widow want it? And why does she need all the luck she can get to retrieve it?

The first issue is largely set-up, but it does offer some nice moments, my favorite being Domino’s reaction to being recruited by an Avenger for a covert mission. (I wonder how hard artist David Baldeón had to work to not actually include “sqee” in this panel).

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Highlander: The Series – The Gathering

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Highlander – The Gathering
  • wiki: link

“Damn you! Damn your Gathering! Damn your whole race!”

Highlander: The Series - The Gathering television review

Today’s Throwback Tuesday post takes us back to a man born in the Highlands of Scotland more than 400 years ago and a murderous game between sword-wielding immortals where there can be only one. A spin-off of the Highlander movie series, Highlander: The Series focuses on the adventures of Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), the younger clansman of Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert). “The Gathering” sets up the basic formula for the show’s First Season introducing Duncan, his girlfriend Tessa (Alexandra Vandernoot), and a young thief (Stan Kirsch) whose role will greatly expand over time. The show’s pilot episode also features Richard Moll as the evil immortal of the week, who targets not only Duncan but Tessa as well, and features Lambert in a guest-role passing the torch to Paul.

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