Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5

/ / Comics

teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-5-coverWith the four brothers finally reunited the latest issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles takes a breath to give us a holiday issue which sees Raphael training with Michelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo, and Splinter narrating a flashback of the story of Hamato Yoshi and Oroku Saki.

I’ve really enjoyed this reboot of the Turtles franchise and the final issue of the year proves to be the best so far. Although bloody, the tragedy of Yoshi and his family is handled with skill as more clues to the Turtles’ past are revealed.

We also get a little foreshadowing on how April O’Neil will be brought into Casey Jones and the Turtles’ world as well as a sequence where each of the four turtles earns their own mask to showcase their individuality. Is the explanation of giving the characters different masks (as they wore in the cartoon) a bit of a stretch? Yes, but it works surprisingly well.

Although I’m still missing the original look of Kevin Eastman’s art this comic is proving to be one of best around. Best of the Week.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Batman #4

/ / Comics

batman-4-new-52-coverScott Snyder’s run on the newly relauned Batman started pretty strong but this issue, much like issue #3, gets bogged down too much in the history of a young Bruce Wayne’s obsession with the mysterious secret organization known as the Court of Owls.

The idea is presented (and thankfully dismissed) that the secret sect may have had something to do with the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne. There’s also an offhand reference to Joe Chill that comes off clumsy and confusing (even more so because we don’t know if Batman knows Chill killed his parents in this New 52 version of the DCU, or if Chill is even responsible here).

Although I’m happy to see Snyder focusing on the detective aspect of Batman, the mystery surrounding the Court of Owls has gotten stagnant. I’m also sad to see that Bruce Wayne’s relationship with Dick Grayson appears to be more dismissive and less collaborative than I’d like.

The art by Greg Capullo looks great, and the comic ends with a panel that suggests things will pick up in the next issue. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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The Artist

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Artist
  • IMDB: link

the-artist-posterFame is a fickle thing. The largest star in the world can fall into relative obscurity almost overnight, and an extra can go from chorus girl to center stage almost as quickly. Hollywood films have played on these themes for decades, but none in more than 80 years have done so quite like The Artist.

Set to a Vertigo-esque score by Ludovic Bource The Artist is a marvel in itself. In an age where CGI is king this little independent film takes us back nearly a century by embracing the era of Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks.

In 2011 it’s not every day you get a black and white silent film. The action alone carries the story, with title cards (rather than subtitles) to fill in any necessary exposition.

Our story begins with the introduction of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), the world’s biggest silent movie star, and Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young extra just starting out on one of George’s films. As Peppy’s career begins to take off George finds himself obsolete almost overnight as silent films are replaced by talkies.

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We Bought a Zoo

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: We Bought a Zoo
  • IMDB: link

we-bought-a-zoo-posterWe Bought a Zoo certainly isn’t writer/director Cameron Crowe‘s best film. However, it is his most family friendly and, with the possible exception of Jerry McGuire, his most commercial. It some circles that may be seen as a bad thing, but if Crowe’s latest is a little more formulaic than usual he still delivers a charming film that most should be able to enjoy.

Based on a true story, Matt Damon stars as Benjamin Mee, a single-father still reeling from the death of his wife (Maggie Elizabeth Jones). In need of a fresh start, and against the advice of his brother (Thomas Haden Church) and the disapproval of his angsty teenage son (Colin Ford), Benjamin spends the family’s savings to buy a rundown zoo, saving the park and the 200 species from destruction.

In a few months, with the help of the park’s zoo keeper (Scarlett Johansson) and staff (Angus Macfadyen, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning, Carla Gallo) Benjamin must to get the zoo up to code if he has any hope of seeing a return on his investment and save the park for good.

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