Alan Rapp

1994 – On Deadly Ground

/ / Home Video
  • Title: On Deadly Ground
  • IMDB: link

On Deadly GroundReleased 20 years ago today, On Deadly Ground is a clusterfuck even grading on a curve for a Steven Seagal film. Not only does Seagal star but he also directs for the only time in his career in this bizarre tale of a mystical martial artist turned environmental activist (and some sort of official investigator?) who saves the day, I shit you not, by blowing up an oil refinery in Alaska.

Insane doesn’t come close to explain the script by Ed Horowitz and Robin U. Russin, or Seagal’s directorial choices which include a bizarre Native American vision quest, torture, mercenaries from New Orleans (like you’d recruit or an Alaskan job), and the film’s villain (Michael Caine) literally being drowned in his own wealth. And all without an once of fun, logic, or sanity.

Somehow the film has managed to stay in-print on DVD both as a single film and part of Triple Feature with two more of Segal’s lesser films (Fire Down Below and Out for Justice) which would be a pretty cruel gift to anyone other than your mortal enemy.

[Warner Home Video, $14.00 / $14.98]

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Castle – Smells Like Teen Spirit

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Castle – Smells Like Teen Spirit
  • wiki: link

Castle - Smells Like Teen Spirit

The bizarre murder of the leader (Natasha Hall) of a mean girl clique at one of many private schools Castle (Nathan Fillion) was expelled from points to the unlikely suspect of an telekinesis-obsessed outcast (Hannah Marks) who believes she may have accidentally killed the bully with the power of her mind. Along with a trip to the school, which includes Castle reconnecting with the same principal (Sam Anderson) who expelled him for a stunt involving a cow years ago, Castle and Beckett‘s (Stana Katic) investigation lead them to question the victim’s best friends (Victory Van Tuyl, Malese Jow) who witnessed the killing through video from one of their cell phones.

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Fatale #20

/ / Comics

Fatale #20Picking up the thread of the ongoing B-story of Nicholas Lash’s rescue and torture by Lance, Fatale begins its final arc as Josephine comes after Lash and the demented former rocker who became obsessed with her years ago during her amnesia period.

With Fatale #20 the waiting, along with Josephine’s hiding, is over. Quickly dispatching disciples of the cult still hunting for her, Josephine draws on her gifts to find Lash aware it opens herself up for detection. Although Lash is grateful for her intervention, he can’t help but notice how easily Josephine deals with a former lover (much like his uncle) who is no longer of any use to her.

Although I’m happy to hear of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ new deal with Image allowing them freedom to tell a variety of stories in the coming months, I’m sad to see Fatale coming to an end. The glimpses we get of Josephine’s suicide attempts remind us of quite bit of backstory yet to be developed, so I’m hoping the pair might return to the characters sometime down the line. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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House of Lies – Middlegame

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

“I gotta tell a gangster that I killed his dog.”

House of Lies - Middlegame

Marty’s (Don Cheadle) bullshit Trojan Horse party doesn’t quite go as planned for anyone as a sober Clyde (Ben Schwartz) struggles with both his intense dislike for Will (Ryan Gaul) and trying fit in at a pretentious gala where alcohol is a necessity for enjoyment, Dre (Mekhi Phifer) performs a loyalty test on Marty that isn’t appreciated, accidentally murders Lukas’ (T.I.) new dog, and Jeannie (Kristen Bell) resents being sent in to feel out Lukas when Marty begins to consider jumping sides to go with the other brother who thanks to a drunken Caitlin (Genevieve Angelson) has already started putting the pieces together.

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