3.5 Razors

Philomena

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Philomena
  • IMDB: link

PhilomenaBased on a true story, Philomena involves the odd pairing of a former journalist turned disgraced government advisor and elderly Irish woman on a road trip to discover what happened to the child that was taken from her nearly 50 years ago. Although initially not interested in a human interest piece, Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) finds himself drawn into Philomena Lee’s (Judi Dench) story of her forced labor at a convent decades earlier whose nuns sold her child, and those of several other unwed mothers, into adoption for 1000 pounds.

Beginning at the convent, whose inability to help Sixsmith is immediately suspicious of, the pair eventually travel to Washington, D.C. in a search that will give the old woman some insight into the man her son became. Centered around Dench’s performance and the saintly, but not cheesy or overly sentimental, character of Philomena, the film could have easily fallen into the worst kind of TV movie of the week melodrama. Instead Stephen Frears chooses to make a straightforward drama that works well (despite its over-reliance on the odd couple dynamic).

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G.I. JOE: Special Missions #9

/ / Comics

G.I. JOE: Special Missions #9The latest issue of G.I. JOE: Special Missions centers around one of the least heroic members of the team, Bildocker, whose uncanny ability to scavenge, locate, and trade for necessary ordinance and intel is matched by the overweight desk jock’s lack use in the field that certainly separates him from his more heroic teammates.

With Dial Tone along for the ride, Bildocker soon finds himself in way over his head in the bayou’s as a trip to an old friend to get what Roadblock and Mainframe need for their latest mission gets the pair attacked by Cobra troops and in a fight for their lives far from any back-up.

G.I. JOE: Special Missions #9 is an interesting issue because it reminds us that there are many jobs various JOEs are called on to do and not all of them are as heroic as those on the front lines. He may not fit the mold, but Bildocker is a vial member of the team. Although we only get a single issue for his story, I wouldn’t mind seeing Bildocker pop-up again sometime down the line. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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The Discovery Dissipation

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Big Bang Theory – The Discovery Dissipation
  • wiki: link

The Discovery Dissipation

Picking up a thread from a previous episode, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) continues to struggle with the notoriety of his famous scientific discovery (which only came about through a mistake). In an attempt to make her boyfriend feel better, Amy (Mayim Bialik) even reaches out to Wil Wheaton who attempts to use his own past as an example to make Sheldon feel better about his circumstances. Finally coming to terms with his celebrity, Sheldon is upset when Leonard (Johnny Galecki) disproves his roommate’s entire theory (and takes away his accidental, but still greatest, achievement).

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Nova #10

/ / Comics

Nova #10Nova #10, which also marks the 100th issue of various Nova single titles over the years, features on the troubles of being a modern day teen super-hero. The main story deals with Sam Alexander coming to terms and joining the New Warriors, while also taking time to insult his new friends and head up to the moon to complain to the Watcher.

The issue’s back-up story features a conversation between Sam’s mother and his principal over the increasing number of unexplained absences. The conversation is set against Nova’s latest space adventure far from home. At $5 the comic feels a bit overpriced (and while the gallery of every previous Nova covers is nice, it’s also filler to boost the issue’s page count making it appear you’re getting five more pages of story than you actually are).

Even with these complaints, the issue works as both an introduction to the character for new readers as well as continuing Sam’s various struggles with being a hero and finding his place in the larger Marvel Universe. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $4.99]

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Transformers: Regeneration One #96

/ / Comics

Transformers: Regeneration One #96Victorious over Bludgeon and Soundwave, and with a new leader in Rodimus Prime, the Autobots turn their attention to the four looming threats Primus warned the new Prime about: Galvatron (who is spirited off to safety by a Unicron cult), the mysterious Jhiaxus (who makes a shocking return to Cybertron), the Dark Matrix creature, and Spike Witwicky.

It will be interesting to see these various threats play out, either individual or if there is some kind of convergence that drives them to a tipping point. The future of Shockwave and Starscream, as well as the Dinobots and the ancient Transformers who have returned to the surface of the planet for the first time in eons, and what role they are to play also remains uncertain.

Although I’m a bit uncertain of the Spike and Dark Matrix creature subplots, Transformers: Regeneration One #96 does a good job of wrapping up the loose ends from the last arc and setting up several new threats for the Autobots moving forward. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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