3.5 Razors

How Rich White People Survived The Impossible Tsunami

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

the-impossible-posterThere are really only three types of disaster movies. The first are those focused on preventing a disaster (Armageddon, The Core). The second are movies solely concerned with the immediate problem of surviving the disaster (The Day After Tomorrow, 2012). And the last are focused more on living in the aftermath of a disaster (Blindness) than the disaster itself. The Impossible is the later.

Based on real events, Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, and Oaklee Pendergast take the place of a Spanish family who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami while on Christmas vacation in Thailand. Sergio G. Sánchez‘s retelling of Maria Belon‘s story is a visceral tale of raw emotion, loss, and the chaos following the disaster which is almost as traumatic as the events of the tsunami itself.

Only six minutes of the near two-hour film are devoted to the actual disaster. That means the crux of the story isn’t the disaster itself but the emotional separation of family, the level of devastation, and the search for survivors.

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Lullaby

/ / Books & Magazines

spenser-lullabyWriter Ace Atkins delivers the first novel of the Spenser series to be published by anyone other than the character’s creator Robert B. Parker. Lullaby is akin to listening to a really good tribute band who play all the same notes and manage to recapture most, although certainly not all, of the magic they themselves obviously love.

The novel begins when Boston P.I. is hired by 14 year-old Mattie Sullivan who four years after the death of her mother still believes the police locked up the wrong man for the crime. Immediately taking a shine to the tough young woman, Spenser accepts the case which will entangle him with an ongoing investigation by the FBI, an old enemy, and all the usual kinds of trouble.

Atkins gets the feel of the basic relationships of the Spenser universe mostly right, including Spenser and Hawk’s bullshitting, and Spenser’s spirited relationships with Susan Silverman, Rita Fiore, and Martin Quirk. Atkins also brings back Frank Belson, Vinny Morris, and baddies Joe and Gerry Broz in order to make longtime fans of the series feel more at home.

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Super Dinosaur #16

/ / Comics

super-dinosaur-16-coverI have four words for you: Super Dinosaur in space! If that isn’t enough to pique your interest than I don’t know what else to say.

When trouble arises on the moon Derek Dynamo and Super Dinosaur are sent to the secret “Inner-Moon” colony of the Kalish who include two races, the Krill and the Sloon, whose differences have led to an all-out civil war inside the heart of the moon.

Finally getting the two sides to stop fighting, Derek uncovers the reason for the recent heating up of the long-dormant feud. The son and daughter of both leaders have vanished, secretly traveling to Earth, sparking the renewal of the hostilities. To keep the delicate temporary truce, Derek and SD will have to return to Earth and find the pair and bring them home.

Fun stuff. I especially like seeing Super Dinosaur in his own space suit. The comic seems to foreshadow a Romeo and Juliet tale between the offspring of the warring tribes, but we’ll have to wait until next month to see if that’s case. Worth a look.

[Image, $2.99]

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Les Misérables

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Les Misérables
  • IMDB: link

les-miserables-poster

As someone who has never read Victor Hugo’s novel nor seen the musical adaptation on stage I was hardly going in to Les Misérables completely blind, but I was certainly coming from a different perspective from that of people who know either version of the source material by heart.

Clocking in with a running time of more than two-and-a-half hours, Les Misérables refuses to skimp in big set pieces (such as the opening sequence set in the Bagne of Toulon), large themes (faith, freedom, liberty, and morality), or filling out its roster with several big name stars.

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Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow #20

/ / Comics

snake-eyes-and-storm-shadow-20-coverTarget: Snake Eyes comes to and end as Snake Eyes and Helix‘s recuperation comes to a screeching halt when Storm Shadow shows up to destroy an entire aircraft carrier just to get his hands on his traitorous sword brother whose recent actions have gutted the once proud Arashikage Clan.

There’s a little too much of everyone else here including Scarlett and a whole host of various other JOEs as the comic is at its best when it stays with the fight we’ve been waiting to see ever since the crossover began: Snake Eyes vs. Storm Shadow. The fight itself is good, I just wish the rest of the story didn’t keep encroaching on it.

The fallout leaves the JOEs minus one aircraft carrier and another apparent “death” for our title character. It also, in an interesting choice by writer Chuck Dixon, gives Storm Shadow the smallest semblance of victory. With the crossover now finished and Snake Eyes once again missing in action, it will be interesting to see what new direction the comic takes next month as it appears the comic will continue to give both characters title credit. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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