3 Razors

Batman goes Beyond (again)

/ / Comics

Due to the recent success of the latest Batman Beyond mini-series, Terry McGinnis and friends get a new series starting here. Although there’s nothing all that special about this story (especially as a first issue launching a new title) there are several interesting notes worth talking about.

The first is the choice to launch a new title rather than simply continue the numbering from the recent mini-series. This volume picks up shortly after the events from the “Hush” storyline (which is referred to) so you’d think the more natural choice would be to continue the previous series rather than launch a brand new one.

There’s also the choice of using a brand-new villain, one who steals the (not particularly well-guarded) weapon of a former super-villain to cause mayhem with the new found ability to transmute people and objects into metal. As Bat-villains go this guy ranks pretty far down the list.

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Avengers #8

/ / Comics

For both good and ill the latest issue of Avengers is set up to allow our heroes to get caught up on the events of the previous issue. The Illuminati come back together to discover not one but two of the Infinity Gems they split among themselves have been stolen.

The conversations between the characters work well, but the story itself lacks some punch. The only action sequence we get is a flashback to Parker Robbins beating the snot out of the Red Hulk. Speaking of Parker Robbins, am I the only one who finds it strange (pardon the pun) that Dr. Strange can’t mystically identify the identity of the villain putting the stones back together again?

The issue’s final panel sets up what looks like more retreading of the same points as Steve Rogers shows up to find out what Tony Stark and his friends are hiding. That initial conflict should be interesting, but I hope we’ll get some real advancement of the plot as well.

This is actually an issue you could easily skip and not miss any big developments in the story arc. That said, it’s still worth a look for the interactions between the Illuminati, but it’s far from a must-read.

[Marvel $3.99]

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The Fighter

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

Far more about family than boxing, The Fighter stars Mark Wahlberg as Mickey Ward, a middling junior welterweight professional boxer from Lowell, Massachusetts, who grew up with several sisters and an older half-brother, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), a once talented boxer who wasted his career away on crack and tomfoolery.

Everyone is well-cast and the performances, especially that of Bale, are top notch. The film includes clips of the real Mickey and Dicky during the closing credits and Bale is spot-on in his portrayal. The biggest surprise for me, however, was Amy Adams putting out a strong performance far outside her comfort zone by playing against type.

The script has been kicked around Hollywood for the better part of the decade with several names attached to direct (Martin Scorsese, Darren Aronofsky) and star (Brad Pitt, Matt Damon). Eventually David O. Russell was given the chance to direct Wahlberg and Bale. Maybe they should have waited a little longer.

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Red Robin #18

/ / Comics

Red Robin‘s “Hit List” has taken him to Russia in an attempt to crack a super-villain communication grid. Along the way he runs into an old friend, meets yet another attractive woman, and worries over his relationship with Tam Fox.

A “super-villain communication grid” isn’t exactly a sexy target, and since I’m not that familiar with Red Star or his time with the Teen Titans the use of the character doesn’t do much for me personally. However, the character of Promise does show, well… um, some promise.

That this is the first real push of the “Hit List” storyarc doesn’t do much to get me excited about an idea I was only lukewarm on to begin with. I’m also less than thrilled that Birds of Prey baddie Calculator looks like he’s being woven into the yet another bat-title. Unless he’s bringing his bitchin’ 70’s costume with him I’m just not interested.

Even with these quibbles, the issue is still a good read. As long as the character of Tim Drake continues to be written so well I’m willing to forgive quite a bit. Worth a look.

[DC $2.99]

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The Tourist

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

I haven’t seen Jérôme Salle’s Anthony Zimmer, the original French film on which this American version is loosely based. What I can tell is The Tourist is the kind of enjoyable summer flick you don’t usually find in the midst of family holiday flicks and more dramatic Oscar fare.

Johnny Depp stars as American tourist Frank Tupelo who just happens to be in the wrong place at the right time when the lovely Elise (Angelina Jolie) sits down next to him on the way to Venice.

Unfortunately for the math teacher, this mysterious woman isn’t so much caught up by his charms as she is using him as a stand-in for the man she loves. On instructions from the mysterious Alexander Pearce, Elise chooses a man on the train the same height and build of her former lover in order to throw suspicion away from the thief who is evading both police (Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, Alessio Boni, Giovanni Guidelli) and the mobster (Steven Berkoff) from who he’s stolen millions.

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