Alan Rapp

Arbitrage

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Arbitrage
  • IMDB: link

arbitrage-dvdBy outward appearances Robert Miller (Richard Gere) has it all. The hedge fund manager has a thriving family business, a loving wife (Susan Sarandon), and devoted children (Brit Marling, Austin Lysy). And one moment on a deserted street will threaten to take it all away.

While getting out of town for some alone time with his mistress (Laetitia Casta), Miller loses control and crashes her car. Although he walks away with minor scrapes and bruises, his mistress isn’t so lucky. While trying to navigate the complicated sale of his company to an elusive businessman (Graydon Carter) and hide using his company’s money for personal use from both his family and the IRS, Miller cannot afford the scrutiny an accident like this would bring.

Fleeing the scene with the help of the son (Nate Parker) of a longtime employee, Miller tries to keep one step ahead of an investigation led by a cop with a hard-on to take him down (Tim Roth), and make sure the sale goes through.

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Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow #20

/ / Comics

snake-eyes-and-storm-shadow-20-coverTarget: Snake Eyes comes to and end as Snake Eyes and Helix‘s recuperation comes to a screeching halt when Storm Shadow shows up to destroy an entire aircraft carrier just to get his hands on his traitorous sword brother whose recent actions have gutted the once proud Arashikage Clan.

There’s a little too much of everyone else here including Scarlett and a whole host of various other JOEs as the comic is at its best when it stays with the fight we’ve been waiting to see ever since the crossover began: Snake Eyes vs. Storm Shadow. The fight itself is good, I just wish the rest of the story didn’t keep encroaching on it.

The fallout leaves the JOEs minus one aircraft carrier and another apparent “death” for our title character. It also, in an interesting choice by writer Chuck Dixon, gives Storm Shadow the smallest semblance of victory. With the crossover now finished and Snake Eyes once again missing in action, it will be interesting to see what new direction the comic takes next month as it appears the comic will continue to give both characters title credit. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Burn Notice – You Can Run (Part 2)

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Burn Notice – You Can Run (Part 2)
  • tv.com: link

“We finish this today, one way or another.”

burn-notice-you-can-run-pt2

The second half of the show’s Sixth Season finale opens with Sam (Bruce Campbell) finally out of the woods, but hardly fit for travel. The team is finally back together and safe in the house of yet another person who doesn’t want them there, but not for long. Unable to catch Michael and his team, Agent Riley (Sonja Sohn) makes a deal with the drug cartel Michael went after earlier this year in a job for the CIA. With no options left now that the CIA agent on their trail is providing CIA intel to a cartel to hunt down and kill his entire team, and his mother (Sharon Gless), Michael decides to stop running and take the fight to Riley’s door.

…

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Burn Notice – You Can Run (Part 1)

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Burn Notice – You Can Run (Part 1)
  • tv.com: link

burn-notice-you-can-run-pt1

The first-half of Burn Notice‘s Sixth Season finale begins with Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) sneaking away from the group for a secret meeting with his old friend Jason Bly (Alex Carter) who offers the spy a deal to get Agent Riley (Sonja Sohn) off his back and keep his friends out of jail by turning himself in as a CSS witness. After Fi (Gabrielle Anwar) convinces Michael to forget about Bly’s offer the team goes forward with their plans to flee the country as workers on a cargo ship, but things go south when their contact (Brett Rice) sells them out to Riley getting Sam (Bruce Campbell) shot and Jesse (Coby Bell) captured by the CIA.

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #15

/ / Comics

red-hood-and-the-outlaws-15-coverDespite the fact that we’re in the third month of Death of the Family this is the first (and likely only) time the Bat-book crossover truly makes its presence felt in Red Hood and the Outlaws. The issue isn’t great, but compared to most of the subpar storyline so far about the Face-Off Joker hitting the Bat-Family where they live, it’s not too bad (and far better than last month‘s wasted appearance by Superman).

After the Joker gives Isabel an overdose of heroin the Red Hood sets out for payback only to be drugged and beaten again by the man who killed him years ago. Despite the comic staying with Joker teasing knowledge about the Bat-Family and his hand in crafting Jason Todd’s destiny there are a couple of good moments here including an appearance by Harvey Bullock (who thankfully hasn’t been given a New 52 revamp) and some nice back and forth with Starfire and Arsenal.

The comic finally gives us a confrontation between the Joker and the Red Hood. Even if it’s not as good as I hoped, at least the crossover feels legitimately underway. For fans.

[DC, 2.99]

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