3.5 Razors

Batgirl #15

/ / Comics

Okay, if Stephanie Brown’s retelling of Bat-history doesn’t tickle your fancy there’s really no hope for you. Sorry. In-line with other Bat-titles, Batgirl gets back to basics with the return of Oracle, Stephanie’s struggles in college (and lies to her mother), and some zany antics.

Batgirl’s latest case involves the death of a student at the hands of a cult of robed figures, a missing flash drive, a new Gray Ghost, and Batgirl framed for murder.

That last part troubles me a bit as it seems were in for the proverbial “prove my innocence’ storyline all too many characters have to go through. Hopefully this two-issue arc will wrap things up as quickly as it began since there’s really no chance DC’s going to let Batgirl go full-vigilante and drawing it out serves no purpose.

Not as good as some recent issues of Batgirl, but the trademarks that make the character and comic work are still here. Worth a look.

[DC $2.99]

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Pirates, Vegans, and Lesbians. Oh, my!

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
  • IMDb: link

Based on the comic series of the same name young Canadian slacker Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) meets the girl of his dreams (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) only to learn he must face-off against, and defeat, all seven of her evil ex’s (Jason Schwartzman, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Satya Bhabha, Mae Whitman, Keita Saitou, Shota Saito). Director Edgar Wright‘s take on the comic is an awful lot of fun and holds up well to multiple viewings. For more check out my original review of the film.

The Blu-ray version of the movie is loaded with extras including multiple audio commentary tracks, featurettes on the making of the film as well as its look and sound, alternative footage, deleted scenes (with director commentary), bloopers, along with standard BD Live extras, a copy of the film on DVD, and the ability to stream either Pitch Black or Tremors for free.

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Pirates, Vegans, and Lesbians. Oh, my! Read More »

Batman and Robin #16

/ / Comics

Guess who’s back under the cowl? Grant Morrison’s Black Glove story arc mercifully comes to an end here as Simon Hurt‘s plans are stopped by Robin and not one but two Batmen.

On the plus side we finally get some explanation as to who Hurt is and how he’s managed to survive for so long. We get to see Batman finally smashing this annoying character’s face in (something I’ve been waiting months for). And Morrison delivers an ending which changes Bruce Wayne‘s relationship to Batman permanently and sets the stage for Batman Incorporated.

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Batman and Robin #16 Read More »

Teen Titans #88

/ / Comics

I’m not sure how long it’s been since I’ve picked up a Teen Titans comic, but it’s been awhile. This latest new beginning entitled “Team Building” is a good place for new readers to jump in. The team consists of Wonder Girl, Superboy, Kid Flash, Ravager, Beast Boy, Raven, and, if the final panels are to be believed Robin. (Please, oh please, let Damian stay on this team!)

The comic starts out with the team taking on zombie sewer creatures, but the meat of the comic comes inside Titans Tower and the interactions between various members. Those who have been reading the comic on a regular basis might feel like not enough happens here (other than the tease of Damian’s involvement), but for new readers this is a good story that gives you important nuggets of information about the various members and their relationships.

And it doesn’t hurt that it sports a cool cover and inside art from Nicola Scott whose work I loved (and miss) in Secret Six. This one’s definitely worth a look.

[DC $3.99]

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Delivered with Conviction

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

Conviction is based on a true story about a man (Sam Rockwell) wrongly convicted and sentenced to life in prison for a murder he did not commit. His sister (Hilary Swank), beginning her quest without even a high school diploma, spends the next several years of her life raising her two sons and struggling through college and law school to become the lawyer her brother needs. What may sound like a bad TV-movie of the week turns out to be so much more.

Screenwiter Pamela Gray and dirctor Tony Goldwyn deserve a fair amount of credit for finding a way to share this story without over-simplifying events or falling into an all too easy trap of caricature and cliché.

The film’s central core is the relationship between a brother and sister who love, rely, protect and never give up on each other. It’s the strong performances of Swank and Rockwell (as well as Bailee Madison and Tobias Campbell as their younger selves) that grounds the film as a compelling drama rather than just a feel good story about one woman’s fight against insurmountable odds.

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Delivered with Conviction Read More »