Alan Rapp

Magnum, P.I. – The Complete Second Season

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Magnum, P.I.
  • tv.com: link

magnum-pi-second-season-dvdThe Second Season of Magnum, P.I. includes what may be my favorite episode of the series – “Memories are Forever” which introduces the character of Michelle (Marta DuBois), Thomas Magnum’s (Tom Selleck) wife. Although Michelle would not make another appearance for five seasons her impact to the show is immeasurable.

Other highlights from Season Two include Magnum’s frustration when a suspicious woman shows interest in Higgins (John Hillerman), the arrival of Mad Buck Gibson (Darren McGavin), an old friend (Tyne Daly) from Vietnam on the trail of a dangerous story, a car accident that leaves Magnum with a gap in his memory and on the hook for murder, the introduction of (Kwan Hi Lim) as Police Lieutenant Yoshi Tanaka, an affair between Rick (Larry Manetti) and the wife (Nancy DeCarl) of Magnum’s latest client, and the rescue of a young friend (Ann Dusenberry) of Robin Masters which leads to some deadly serious problems for Magnum and his latest girlfriend (Mimi Rogers).

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To Rome with Love

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: To Rome with Love
  • IMDB: link

to-rome-with-love-posterThe latest from writer/director Woody Allen is a return to the absurdest formula from his earlier career that crafts a tale of Americans and Italians dealing with love, fame, passion, death, and dreams. Unlike most of the director’s films over the past two decades To Rome with Love is a true ensemble that grabs absurdity with both hands and runs full speed right into a brick wall, producing some glorious insanity and plenty of laughs.

Broken into four separate vignettes, which are not forced to intertwine in the film’s final act (as many Hollywood movies of this type often do), To Rome with Love focuses on the absurdity of love set against the beautiful backdrop of one of Europe’s grandest cities. Given its setting, the film will undoubtedly be compared to last year’s acclaimed Midnight in Paris, but in truth To Rome with Love is far closer to Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (although we sadly don’t get a sequence with Gene Wilder and a sheep).

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Futurama – The Thief of Baghead

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Futurama – The Thief of Baghead
  • tv.com: link

futurama-the-thief-of-baghead

Bender’s (John Di Maggio) new photography hobby soon turns much more serious when he discovers that he can get paid by tabloids for taking pictures of celebrities. That’s right, Bender has joined the paparazzi and his first mission is to get a picture of the world’s best actor without his famous paper-bag he wears in all his films.

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Justice League #10

/ / Comics

justice-league-new-52-10-coverThe latest issue of Justice League reveals how David Graves got his power from the godlike beings known as Asuras on Mount Sumeru but still keeps silent on his motivation for wanting the League dead (how, exactly did the League kill his family?), but he still shows up on the satellite to wipe the floor with them by somehow draining the life force out of each member of the League.

One of the weaknesses of the title has been an action without giving us some important character interactions between the League during downtime. We get a little of that here, although the conversations we get (Batman knowing everyone’s secret identities and only really trusting Superman) seem odd in that they take place for the first time five years after the time has been together.

There are some nice moments such as the reveal that Barry doesn’t trust Hal with women after Hal hit on Barry’s last date, and Cyborg lets few secrets slip about some of the more secretive members of the group.

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Atomic Robo: The Flying She-Devils of the Pacific #1

/ / Comics

atomic-robo-she-devils-of-the-pacific-1-coverIn 1951 Atomic Robo finds himself shot down while flying a new prototype jet over the South Pacific. Just as unexpectedly comes help from a group of female pilots all wearing jet packs.

After being forced to crash land and being rescued by the She-Devils of the Pacific out intrepid robotic scientific adventurer discovers there’s much more going on in the South Pacific than he knew about. Years after the end of WWII, mercenaries have set about claiming weapon and supply depots left unguarded by both Japan and the Allies.

Using whatever they can find, including the cobbled together jet packs, a giant air ship and a secret island base in the Pacific, the She-Devils (women who refused to return home to household chores after the war ended) protect the territory from pirates and mercenaries.

A fun first issue to start the new series with an unexpected (but humorous) chauvinistic slant from Atomic Robo. Worth a look.

[Red 5, $2.99]

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