4.5 Razors

Memories of Murder

  • Title: Memories of Murder
  • IMDb: link

Memories of Murder movie review17 years after its initial release, Memories of Murder finally earns worldwide exposure. The film only received a token release in the United States a couple of years later. Given both the critical praise of writer/director Bong Joon Ho‘s Parasite and new revelations on the real-life events Memories of Murder draws from, 2020 becomes the perfect time to revisit the film (or, for so many, to get a first look at what some praise as the best Korean film of the century).

Bong Joon Ho’s tale examines the search for an elaborate South Korean serial killer targeting young women in the rural city of Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province. The film’s two main characters are the local detective in charge of the case (Song Kang-Ho) and an investigator from Seoul (Kim Sang-kyung) who don’t think much of each other’s methods.

The film weaves the pair’s antagonist odd couple dynamic into an old school detective story that ratchets up the tension with each new victim who is found. It also coyly uses misdirection and more than one red herring to keep the audience guessing about what will happen next.

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The Mandalorian – The Jedi

  • Title: The Mandalorian – The Jedi (Chapter 13)
  • wiki: link

The Mandalorian - The Jedi television review

At last, the episode we’ve all been waiting for. With her appearance finally here, The Mandalorian wastes no more time in getting Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) on-screen for the first time as a live-action character. Dawson makes a good choice for the older Ahsoka, burdened not only by departure from the Jedi but also by their fall and the dark truths uncovered about her former Master. Introduced battling Imperial remnant soldiers on a small outpost on Corvus, “The Jedi” reveals little detail about what she’s been up to since the Star Wars Rebels finale, as she is still on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn (but no mention is made of Sabine Wren or Ezra Bridger). The show’s action scenes, particularly the first featuring Ahsoka taking out the troops and later the short battle between the former Jedi and the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) are some of the best of the season.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #111

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #111 comic reviewRealizing that Old Hob has begun spying on them, the Turtles set a trap which offers artist Jodi Nishijima the opportunity to provide several fun silent panels including one of my favorite panels of Alopex hiding under the floorboards of the dojo. The Turtles make short work of Hob’s minions Stone and Night, leaving the pair as a message for Old Hob to back off.

Hob has more than just Turtle problems. With an unfulfilled contract for the Foot Clan hanging over him, Karai alters the deal by claiming two new mutants from Hob’s stable: Rahzar and Tokka. Both look formidable and likely to cause problems for the Turtles in the coming months.

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DuckTales – Let’s Get Dangerous!

  • Title: DuckTales – Let’s Get Dangerous!
  • wiki: link

DuckTales - Let's Get Dangerous! television review

With more than a few nods and winks to the original Darkwing Duck cartoon, the rebooted DuckTales brings back Drake Mallard (Chris Diamantopoulos) as Scrooge (David Tennant) and his nephews travel to St. Canard to check out the invention of Taurus Bulba (James Monroe Iglehart). As in “Darkly Dawns the Duck,” Bulba wants to use the invention (this version pulls in matter from alternate dimensions) for his own fiendish plans. Standing in his way is the granddauther of Bulba’s missing partner, Gosalyn Waddlemeyer (Stephanie Beatriz).

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Locke & Key – Crown of Shadows

  • Title: Locke & Key – Crown of Shadows
  • wiki: link

Locke & Key - Crown of Shadows television review

I hadn’t read the comic series Locke & Key was based on, and had no real epectations about the series going in. What I found was one of the most solid seasons of any Netflix original show and a welcome surprise that turned out to be far smarter than I would have guessed. The final episode of Locke & Key‘s First Season offers a glimpse behind the mysterious Black Door as Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones), and their friends fight to defeat Dodge (Laysla De Oliveira) who has the Crown of Shadows. The episode makes good use of misdirection here before providing even more surprises in its final moments as that attempt to throw Dodge into the portal has unintended consequences none of the Lockes will become aware of until Season Two.

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