Alan Rapp

BlacKkKlansman

/ / Home Video
  • Title: BlacKkKlansman
  • IMDb: link

BlacKkKlansman Blu-ray reviewBased on the insane true story of African-American Colorado Springs police officer Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) infiltrating the Klu Klux Klan, Spike Lee delivers one of the most fascinating and entertaining films of the year. Laugh-out-loud funny while also proving timely and relevant to today, Lee crafts an amazing film structured around the performances of John David Washington and Adam Driver as the Black and Jewish cops who performed something so miraculous that, if it hadn’t happened, Hollywood would have been forced to invent it. As a cherry on top, Topher Grace gives us his hilarious take on Grand Wizard David Duke whose white supremacist organization becomes the target of Stallworth’s investigation.

Lee and company provide a near-perfect film that holds up to multiple viewings. Available on Blu-ray and DVD, extras include a short featurette and an extended trailer for the film featuring Prince‘s “Mary Don’t You Weep.”

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Voltron – Launch Date

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Voltron: Legendary Defender – Launch Date
  • wiki: link

Voltron - Launch Date television review

The first episode of Voltron: Legendary Defender‘s Eighth Season gives us the final day of the Paladins on Earth. With winks to the earlier Voltron cartoon, shown here as a cartoon within the cartoon which Pidge (Bex Taylor-Klaus) learns to use to her advantage, the bulk of the episode leads up the first date between Lance (Jeremy Shada) and Allura (Kimberly Brooks) on their final night on Earth. There’s plenty of humor leading up the big night, and a sweet moment between the pair prior to the Paladins leaving Earth to return to the war with the Galra and Honerva, who it seems has turned the Altaen survivors against Allura and Voltron.

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SHAZAM! #1

/ / Comics

SHAZAM! #1 comic reviewThe world’s mightiest mortal returns to the comic page in SHAZAM! #1 Despite the character getting his own movie release in the near future, DC Comics has had trouble knowing what to call the character since loosing the rights to the name Captain Marvel. Realizing this, writer Geoff Johns has a little fun here (first by almost having Billy use the name and again having our hero ponder the trouble with calling himself Shazam as he would never be able to introduce himself without loosing his powers).

Although we don’t see Tawky Tawny, Johns does give us a full Marvel Family who is called on to take down some low-rent crooks. The comic even foreshadows the possibility that my favorite of the Marvel Family characters may appear at some point.

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Roma

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Roma
  • IMDb: link

Roma movie reviewWritten, produced, and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Roma is a semi-autobiographical film centered around the maid (Yalitza Aparicio) of family in Mexico City during the 1970s. With complete control of the film, Cuarón takes his time with the story as it unfolds slowly over the course of more than two-hours. This proves to be Roma‘s strength and curse.

While beautiful to look at, the glacial pace of the story borders on tedious at times (making one wonder if it is worth sticking around to the end). Then, in its final half-hour, Roma delivers like no other film this year. So, how to judge it becomes the question?

Let’s start with the look of the film, the intimacy of the family’s dwelling, and the long sweeping shots of the city. The sole credited cinematographer, Cuarón makes sure his vision is captured on film. And without doubt, Roma if a visual feast. On top of this is Aparicio’s grounded performance as Cleo who acts as the heart of the film. Available on Netflix, the plodding pace may deter some viewers who can switch the channel, but Roma does provide gifts that are worth waiting for.

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