3.5 Razors

Dark Passage

  • Title: Dark Passage
  • IMDb: link

Dark PassageThe weakest of the four movies starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Dark Passage is more memorable for its set-up than its film noir story. Bogart stars as wrongly-convicted murderer Vincent Parry who escapes prison in the opening scene. “Star” might be a bit of a stretch as Bogart isn’t seen in the first third of the film, and when he does show up his face is under heavy bandages for another 10 minutes.

After his escape is helped by an unlikely source (Becall), Parry is directed to a plastic surgeon (Houseley Stevenson) who helps the supply the man on the run with a new face allowing the movie to move away from the first-person point-of-view of the first 40-minutes and allow Bogart to appear on-screen.

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Captain America: Steve Rogers #1

Captain America: Steve Rogers #1Marvel’s new Captain America series is getting press for one huge reveal, but we’ll get to that in a second. For those who haven’t been paying attention, Steve Rogers has spent the last several months rapidly aged to a senior citizen with the Falcon taking over the role of Captain America. With Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 Steve is back in action along with the Falcon (still also Captain America, but not in this comic), and a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents including Agent 13, Jack Flag, Free Spirit, and Rick Jones.

So Cap’s back in action with a questionable costume redesign and new shield, to take on a new Hydra controlled by his old nemesis the Red Skull. Of course the original Hydra, controlled by Baron Zemo, is also still around. Writer Nick Spencer layers the story well juggling flashbacks and several characters (one of whom won’t make it out of the comic alive) while hiding the big reveal until the end.

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Arrow – Schism

  • Title: Arrow – Schism
  • wiki: link

Arrow - Schism

Just once I would like Arrow to end a season without Star City in flames. Is that too much to ask? “Schism” wraps up the season-long arc of Oliver Queen‘s (Stephen Amell) battle with Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough) for control of Star City. Despite his bunker being destroyed, Darkh reacquires A.R.G.U.S.‘ missle technology with plans to start a nuclear holocaust to wipe out all civilization on the planet. Without a plan, Oliver makes a plea to the city to prevent it from tearing itself apart its final hours. It’s that small kernel of hope which Green Arrow uses to turn the entire city against Darkh.

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Preacher – Pilot

  • Title: Preacher – Pilot
  • wiki: link

Preacher - Pilot

Very much a product of its time, writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon‘s series Preacher fit the time and tone of 90s comics (viewed mostly as a dark time by most comic readers) with its hyper-stylized violence and edgy storytelling. Hollywood has been attempting to adapt their work for years, and AMC has finally succeeded in bringing the tale of of a small town preacher possessed with god-like powers thrown into the middle of an epic battle between good and evil to the small screen. While I think other shows, such has Carnivale, may have beat Preacher to explore similar themes I’m sure fans of the comic are cautiously optimistic that AMC can do for Preacher what it has done for The Walking Dead.

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Red Sonja #5

Red Soja #5Red Sonja‘s return to Hyrkania continues as King Savas makes Midyan his captive and plans to use a Red Sonja impersonator to win the support of his people. As for the real She-Devil with a Sword, she has her hands full with taming a Roc for most of this issue. Finally taming the giant bird of legend, Sonja is ready to return to her friends and lead a rebellion against Savas and the throne.

I’m far from a regular reader of Red Sonja. Sure, I’ll jump in from time to time but there’s usually not enough going on to keep my interest for long. Red Sonja #5 marks my first foray into the new series by Marguerite Bennett and artist Aneke. I was able to catch-up on events fairly quickly. And even if Sonja is absent from a large chunk of the story having to deal with the politics inside the Hyrkanian palace, she still gets her opportunity to shine hunting and taming the bird of legend.

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