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Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
  • IMDb: link

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay DVD reviewObviously inspired by the “Unhinged” story arc from Gail Simone‘s Secret Six, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay offers us the Suicide Squad after a mystical artifact in a grunge house style animated straight-to-video movie. Lacking the broader personalities of the Secret Six, the film does offer appearances of half their number with Deadshot (Christian Slater) working for the Suicide Squad and both Scandal Savage (Dania Ramirez) and Knockout (Cissy Jones) working for a competing interest that wants a mystical Get Out of Hell Free Card which will offer one lucky villain a trip to Heaven.

Opening with an unrelated mission featuring team members turning on each other, strippers, and a bloody body count, the tone for the film is set early on. Vandal Savage (Jim Pirri) and the Reverse-Flash (C. Thomas Howell) both seems an odd choices to be interested in the card, and I’m guessing they were used more as villains of convenience (which ties in the previous films and also allowed for Scandal’s inclusion). Taking it on its own, it works as a sleazy B-movie. But comparing it to Simone’s original tale, it’s hard not to be disappointed.

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Sicario: Day of the Soldado

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Sicario: Day of the Soldado
  • IMDb: link

Sicario: Day of the Soldado movie reviewScreenwriter Taylor Sheridan reunites Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin for the sequel to 2015’s Sicario. When the United States realize that terrorists are being smuggled across the Mexican border along with illegal immigrants, Matt Graver’s (Brolin) team is brought in to deal with the problem. Wanting to start a war between the cartels, Graver decides to bring back Alejandro Gillick (del Toro) who a personal grudge against one of the cartel leaders.

Stefano Sollima steps in for Denis Villeneuve (who directed the first Sicario) this time around. Since Sicario is easily my favorite of Villeneuve’s films, I was sorry to not see him return. The biggest difference between Sicario: Day of the Soldado and the original is the lack of female lead. Filling that spot is the side story featuring Elijah Rodriguez a young wannabe on the Mexican border (which is never as compelling as it should be). The sequel definitely misses Blunt as the only female characters of import are Catherine Keener as Graver’s boss and Isabela Moner as a cartel princess whose abduction becomes part of Graver’s larger plan. While both are important to the plot, it’s really del Toro’s movie this time around.

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The Incredibles 2

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Incredibles 2
  • IMDb: link

The Incredibles 2 movie reviewLook on almost any list of the best super-hero movies and you are more likely than not to find Pixar’s 2004 film The Incredibles. Taking the basic structure of hero family first introduced in The Fantastic Four and updating it with a variety of smart characters and great visuals, the film remains the only good Fantastic Four film we’ve seen to date. Despite other Pixar franchises like Cars and Toy Story earning multiple sequels, in the middle of the super-hero movie boom The Incredibles has remained dormant. That is, until now.

Picking up immeadiately following the events of the first film, The Incredibles 2 opens with the family fighting off the Underminer (John Ratzenberger) and dealing with the fallout from their illegal actions to save the day. It seems that the world still isn’t ready for super-heroes to return, but an eccentric billionaire (Bob Odenkirk) and his tech-savvy sister (Catherine Keener) have a plan.

The Incredibles 2 is great fun. However, if the movie has a weakness its how much of a retread it is of the original as we get most of the movie focused on a single member of the family’s heroics and wait until the end before bringing the entire Parr family together in costume.

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Samurai Jack – Episode X: Jack and the Lava Monster

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Samurai Jack – Episode X: Jack and the Lava Monster
  • wiki: link

Samurai Jack - Episode X: Jack and the Lava Monster television review

Throwback Thursday takes us back to the adventures of the time-displaced samurai and his quest to make his way home. Following a mysterious call in the wildrness, though a valley of bodies and a mountain of traps, leads Jack (Phil LaMarr) to a cursed warrior (Richard McGonagle) deep within the mountain. Cursed by Aku (Mako) and left for eternity encased in a rocky prison, the warrior awaits for an opponent worthy enough to defeat him in battle and send him to Valhalla. Initially refusing to fight, Jack agrees to a one-on-one battle which frees the viking and delivers his long-sought peace.

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Supergirl – Make It Reign

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Supergirl – Make It Reign
  • wiki: link

Supergirl - Make It Reign television review

Setting up next week’s season finale, “Make It Reign” features Selena (Anjali Jay) and her disciples on Earth working to restore their world killer. Despite the illusion of being destroyed, Reign (Odette Annable) still exists and is tied to Sam. As the Kryptonian witches (which, despite being immensely powerful, are as ridiculous as they sound) resurrect their creation, Sam’s health worsens. And with Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and Mon-El (Chris Wood) stuck Argo, things are looking pretty bleak for Earth, especially after the Kryptonians raid the DEO to get their hands on the final ingredient needed to bring back Reign.

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