3 Razors

Backstrom – Ancient, Chinese, Secret

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Backstrom – Ancient, Chinese, Secret
  • wiki: link

Backstrom - Ancient, Chinese, Secret

The murder of a psychic in Chinatown forces Backstrom (Rainn Wilson) to question several other psychics in the area including a young man who offers fortunes to each member of the team that reveal secrets and possible futures for each of them. In terms of ongoing storylines the big takeaway from “Ancient, Chinese, Secret” is the reveal of the burgeoning romantic relationship between Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polaha) and Nadia (Beatrice Rosen), which seems to come out of nowhere, as well as some foreshadowing about Nadia’s past which will likely be further explored over the remainder of the season.

…

Backstrom – Ancient, Chinese, SecretRead More »

Backstrom – Ancient, Chinese, Secret Read More »

Kingsman: The Secret Service

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Kingsman: The Secret Service
  • IMDb: link

Kingsman: The Secret ServiceKingsman: The Secret Service isn’t the first time director Matthew Vaughn has signed on to bring a Mark Millar comic to the big screen. Like Kick-Ass, Kingsman: The Secret Service centers on the life of a young punk who enters a world of violence, ridiculous adventures, and even more ridiculous villains. This time, however, the subject of spies rather than comic book heroes is both celebrated and lampooned.

Based on Millar’s comic The Secret Service, Taron Egerton stars as a working class kid from a bad neighborhood raised by a single mother after his father died in mysterious circumstances working for a secret organization of spies (and tailors?) known as Kingsman. Recruited by the same agent (Colin Firth) who recruited his father, Egsy spends most of the film proving himself against other candidates (Sophie Cookson, Edward Holcroft, Nicholas Banks, Tom Prior, Fiona Hampton) working to take the place of the latest Kingsman (Jack Davenport) who died investigating a link between a kidnapped professor (Mark Hamill) and an eccentric billionaire known as Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) who has some extreme ideas about lowering the population of the Earth.

…

Kingsman: The Secret ServiceRead More »

Kingsman: The Secret Service Read More »

Marvel’s Agent Carter – Valediction

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Agent Carter – Valediction
  • wiki: link

Marvel's Agent Carter - Valediction

Agent Carter‘s season finale showcases the strengths and weaknesses of the show’s First Season. Despite offering Peggy (Hayley Atwell) some actual field work and acknowledgement from her comrades in the SSR, the season ends with yet another reminder of the times and circumstances Peggy finds herself stuck in suggesting little will change should the show return for a Second Season. The final scene involving Peggy and Angie‘s (Lyndsy Fonseca) future living arrangements (the exact arrangements Peggy turned down in the Pilot) suggests we may see more of Fonseca should the show return but I’m not sure that’s enough to bring me back for another go around.

…

Marvel’s Agent Carter – ValedictionRead More »

Marvel’s Agent Carter – Valediction Read More »

Batgirl #39

/ / Comics

Batgirl #39The “who is Batgirl” storyline seemingly wrapped up a couple months ago continues in Batgirl #39. The quick revamp of the character with spiffy new costume and younger feel got me interesting in Barbara Gordon once again but my interest is already beginning to wane. Although they finally make-up at the end of the issue, Batgirl #39 continues Black Canary‘s role as pretty much the worst friend ever as she completely abandons Babs once again in her time of need as my opinion of the New 52 version of Dinah Lance continues to sour with little relief in sight.

The latest issue does introduce an unexpected villain behind the town of Burnside turning on Batgirl as Barbara finally makes a connection between her computer code and recent memory lapses. I’m not sure I buy the final panel’s tease of who is responsible, but at least it feels like the comic is leading somewhere new.

Once again the art of Babs Tarr is the highlight of the issue, but the style and look of the series in and of themselves can’t hide the fact that better storytelling is needed. For fans.

[DC, $2.99]

Batgirl #39 Read More »

Allegiance – Pilot / Teamwork

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Allegiance – Pilot / Teamwork
  • IMDb: link, link

Allegiance - Pilot / Teamwork

The first two episode of NBC’s new spy series Allegiance set-up the post-Cold War intrigue, characters, and main conflict of the series. Gavin Stenhouse stars as CIA Analyst Alex O’Connor whose unusual personality and vast knowledge are quickly raising him up the ranks of the agency. Called in to investigate the story of a potential SVR defector (Sofiya Akilova), Alex quickly discovers the truth of the woman’s claims that a former SVR/KGB agent was killed in the United States to hide the details of a massive operation the group has planned in the very near future.

…

Allegiance – Pilot / TeamworkRead More »

Allegiance – Pilot / Teamwork Read More »