Alan Rapp

Journey Double Feature

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Journey to the Center of the Earth / Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
  • IMDB: link / link

Journey Double FeatureRe-released together as a two-disc set on both DVD and Blu-ray, 2008’s Journey to the Center of the Earth and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island star Josh Hutcherson as a young protagonist who discovers truth behind the writings of Jules Verne while looking for missing members of his family.

Of the two films, the first (co-starring Brendan Fraser and Anita Briem) featuring the group’s discovery of a secret world in the center of the Earth holds up better than its sequel (co-starring Dwayne “It’s Okay to Call Me The Rock Again” Johnson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzmán, and Michael Caine) and the discovery of a secret island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Family friendly, the effects of the two films and the magical settings of each might provide enjoyment for younger viewers and even interest them in Verne’s original works (not a bad thing), but adults aren’t likely to come back to either film too often.

[New Line Home Video, Blu-ray $19.98 / DVD $12.97]

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Castle – Room 147

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Castle – Room 147
  • wiki: link

“This is now officially outstanding.”

Castle - Room 147

Beckett (Stana Katic) is surprised with the ease she gets a confession of the murder of an actor, by a confused sober alcoholic (Alexie Gilmore) with impossibly-detailed knowledge of the crime scene who was seen arguing publicly with victim days before his death, but when Esposito (Jon Huertas) confirms the woman couldn’t have committed the crime things get interesting. Much to everyone’s confusion, even Castle, the mystery will lead to one of the show’s more complicated storylines.

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Almost Human – Beholder

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Almost Human – Beholder
  • wiki: link

Almost Human - Beholder

Filling in a bit about Chromes (genetically-enhanced humans which played a role in last week’s episode), “Beholder” features a killer (Michael Eklund) targeting the select group who died under apparently natural circumstances, including the murder of a Chrome which Detective Stahl (Minka Kelly) brings to Kennex (Karl Urban) and Dorian‘s (Michael Ealy) attention. Stealing a bit of each victim’s DNA using experimental nanobots (which were outlawed for killing donors during medical trials), their killer is slowly building a map of a new perfect face piece by stolen piece.

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Amazing X-Men #4

/ / Comics

Amazing X-Men #4The reunions continue as Nightcrawler talks some sense into an out-of-control Beast and gathers the rest of the team including saving Iceman and Firestar (who between the two of the literally froze and then burned down Hell), and rescues Northstar and Wolverine from the icy wastes (finally bringing Logan and Kurt together again).

Inter-cut with flashbacks of Nightcrawler with his various teammates, the latest issue continues to deliver with fan-friendly scenes while building to the story’s climax. With the reunions finished and team reassembled, Amazing X-Men sets up next month’s conclusion of its opening arc featuring the X-Men vs. a band of demon-mutant pirates with the fate of all creation at stake. Sounds fun, don’t it?

Along with the various reunions writer Jason Aaron reveals the origin of the Bamfs and lays the groundwork for the possible cost of Nightcrawler’s current heroism which may have serious repercussions for the still-dead hero and his teammates very soon. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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House of Lies – Pushback

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: House of Lies – Pushback
  • tv.com: link

“Which one of us do you think he’s going to kill first?”
“Definitely not the one who offed his dog.”

House of Lies - Pushback

Marty (Don Cheadle) deals with trouble on multiple fronts as Lukas’ (T.I.), aware that Dre (Mekhi Phifer) is attempting to push him out, sets fire to the company he helped build by firing all the key positions, shutting down production, and blocking any attempts to resolve the situation leaving everyone involved with the day-to-day business (including Kaan and Associates) unpaid. Meanwhile, Marty also has to deal with Roscoe’s (Donis Leonard Jr.) new crush (Bex Taylor-Klaus) whose influence on his son (and their drunken night together) continues to rub him the wrong way.

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