3.5 Razors

American Sniper

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: American Sniper
  • IMDb: link

American SniperAdapted from the autobiographical story of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, Clint Eastwood offers an old fashioned character study with strong patriotic leanings and not as much introspection as one might ultimately like. Bradley Cooper is terrific in the starring role of a soldier obsessed with serving his country and protecting his brothers-in-arms overseas while struggling with even the idea of life back home with his wife (Sienna Miller). The result is an engaging, if incomplete, story as Eastwood careful cuts away anything that doesn’t quite fit Kyle’s heroic narrative including an ending that leaves much unsaid.

Following the soldier’s own interests, the scenes that take place during Kyle’s four tours of Iraq which made him the most lethal sniper in U.S. Military history work better than the limited amount of time we witness him back home. While acknowledging the character’s hero complex, Eastwood mostly shies away from how the length of Kyle’s service effected him emotionally choosing instead to celebrate (one might even argue glorify) the man’s war record. Eastwood tells the story he wants well, even if the result begins to feel a bit too much like pro-military propaganda.

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Pretty Little Liars – Fresh Meat

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Pretty Little Liars – Fresh Meat
  • wiki: link

Pretty Little Liars - Fresh Meat

With Alison (Sasha Pieterse) in prison, Hanna (Ashley Benson) taking time out for a college visit, and Paige (Lindsey Shaw) in San Fransisco, life goes on for the Liars. As Aria (Lucy Hale) freaks out about her college rejection letters, Emily (Shay Mitchell) bites off more than she can handle by stepping in to cater Ezra‘s (Ian Harding) party after his caterer cancels, and Officer Toby (Keegan Allen) makes a discovery linked to Mona‘s (Janel Parrish) murder that will cause Spencer (Troian Bellisario) and Caleb (Tyler Blackburn), fearing yet another A set-up, to make a reckless decision.

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Super Dinosaur #23

/ / Comics

Super Dinosaur #23To call the release of Super Dinosaur inconsistent would be kind. The large irregular gaps between issues has made me wonder more than once whether or not the comic was silently killed by Image. Returning for a single issue to wrap-up the current story arc involving the attack on the Dyna Dome and the reunion of the Dynamo family, Super Dinosaur #23 offers plenty of action as well as sets up a new arc when the comic returns after (yet another) prolonged hiatus.

I do take some issue with Derek‘s reaction (or lack thereof) to the fact that his newly-returned mother poisoned his best friend along with the attacking dinosaurs without first attempting to warn Super Dinosaur to get clear. Despite SD’s deteriorating condition everything at the Dynamo Dome appears hunky dory, well at least until the return of the Exile and the invasion of humankind by the Reptiloids.

Given the responsibilities of Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard on other titles I don’t know when Super Dinosaur will return but I hope that when it does we won’t get the same multi-month gaps we’ve seen over the show’s recent publication. Worth a look.

[Image, $2.99]

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Supergirl #37

/ / Comics

Supergirl #37Supergirl #37 begins Kara‘s training in the specialized academy for super-humans (think Sky High but in space). Despite Kara making friends and fitting in to her new life, writers K. Perkins and Mike Johnson waste little time in revealing to readers that the Crucible Academy has more nefarious items on their agenda than simply training tomorrow’s super-heroes leading (one would expect) to the rug pulled out from underneath Supergirl once again.

But for now the Crucible story works well allowing readers to explore the hero facility through Kara’s eyes and better introduce both Maxima and Tsavo, the later Kara goes out on a mission with as they discover his homeworld is being attacked by Crucible rejects led by Tsavo’s brother.

I’m enjoying Emanuela Lupacchino’s art for a second straight issue, but the reveal of the Crucible planning to kidnap and clone Superboy vastly limits the scope of the storyline going in by narrowly defining the group at the outset and setting up yet another hard choice for Kara involving sacrifice no matter what she chooses. Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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Marvel’s Agent Carter – Bridge and Tunnel

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Agent Carter – Bridge and Tunnel
  • wiki: link

Marvel's Agent Carter - Bridge and Tunnel

While attempting to ignore the “Captain America Adventure Hour” and find a new place to live, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) continues to try and prove Howard Stark‘s (Dominic Cooper) innocence by tracking down a missing milk truck. Meanwhile Leviathan’s agents, on orders form their magic typewriter (don’t ask), also begin scouring the city for Leet Brannis (James Frain) and his supply of weapons like the one that destroyed the Roxxon facility. Finally discovering that they can trace the particles left over from the explosion, Carter’s male counterparts (Chad Michael Murray, Kyle Bornheimer) begin investigating the Roxxon explosion uncovering one of Brannis’ henchmen (James Urbaniak), with Carter’s help of course.

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