Horror

ParaNorman

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

paranorman-posterParaNorman is a creepy kids film with a nice message delivered with about as much subtlety as a kick to the groin. Written and co-directed by Chris Butler, ParaNorman takes a simple premise about a boy who can see dead people and a town under a witch’s curse, and weighs it down with heavy issues and themes such as the effects of bullying and mob rule. Although Butler never loses the audience, he lacks the skill to continually keep the film interesting and entertaining while at the same time beating the audience over the head with its message.

The film, after a terrific opening having fun with late night horror movie tropes, opens by introducing the social outcast of the small New England town of Blythe’s Hollow – Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Norman has the ability to see and talk with the dead, which of course no one including his parents (Casey Affleck, Leslie Mann), the local bully (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), or generic teenage sister (Anna Kendrick) believes.

…

ParaNormanRead More »

ParaNorman Read More »

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #12

/ / Comics

btvs-season-nine-12-coverWorking for Kennedy‘s new Slayer bodyguard service Buffy learns that Wolram & Hart want their latest client dead, and for good reason. Hired by the company to build a digital portal into the Hell Dimension where the Senior Partners live, it’s now the only link to the Earth following Buffy destroying the Seed at the end of Season Eight.

Unwilling to take the chance that the man might try to shut it off, knowing it would be impossible to turn back on, the Senior Partners have put a hit on the programmer. Despite the loss in money and prestige, he knows the only way to save his life is to destroy what he’s created, but that’s easier said than done.

To destroy TINCAN means shutting down the servers deep under the company’s headquarters which are guarded by a many-tentacled Teuth Demon. It also means wiping user data, stealing billions in advertising, and making enemies of several rich and influential people.

Realizing she and Kennedy need help Buffy calls in the debt Koh owes her, but things don’t go exactly as planned. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #12 Read More »

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #11

/ / Comics

btvs-season-nine-11-coverLooking for a fresh start Buffy joins Kennedy‘s force of high-priced Slayer bodyguards but finds it difficult to shut off her normal instincts when faced with demons and the new Zompire infestation.

I like seeing the comic continue to incorporate more of the wider Buffyverse and Kennedy is an interesting choice as, although the weren’t ever enemies, she and Buffy were never exactly friends. The idea of several of the Slayers joining up for a private corporate security company also makes a lot of sense, although I’m not sure (from what we saw of her in Season Seven) I’d have picked Kennedy for the corporate head honcho. Although I do like the choice of a client fleeing from Wolfram & Hart.

A couple of other interesting tidbits: Spike‘s friend Eldre Koh of the Nitobe needs help in his quest for vengeance (which seems really hard to be setting something up that doesn’t really fit in this issue) and Buffy learns the police under Detective Dowling have started a special task force to deal with the Zompires. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #11 Read More »

Fatale #6

/ / Comics

fatale-6-coverThe new arc pics up several months following the events of Fatale #5. Nicolas Lash‘s obsession with Josephine has only grown stronger as he finds himself increasingly isolated from friends as he works on a biography of his uncle to search for any clues about Josephine’s past.

Lash is approached by a local private investigator about a safety deposit box in his uncle’s name raising his hopes only to find his life immediately in danger as he realizes he isn’t paranoid after all, the mysterious group that almost sacrificed him months ago is still after him.

The rest of the new arc concerns a new character, a B-movies star named Miles who did a single film with Josephine, and who coincidentally shows up on her doorstep with a mysterious film Josephine wants to know all about and a bleeding young girl after fleeing the party of a local cult. The new arc starts out with a bang. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

Fatale #6 Read More »

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #10

/ / Comics

btvs-season-nine-10-coverBuffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #10 concludes the “Apart of Me” storyline which found Buffy‘s consciousness trapped in the body of a Buffybot and her body’s new personality under the brainwashing of psycho slayer Simone.

Although I think the arc has provided some nice moments it ends more with a whimper than a bang. Don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly not a bad issue, but it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect (without a big Buffy vs. Buffy throwdown). Buffy gets reunited with herself, Simone gets away, and everything goes back to normal (or whatever Buffy’s version of normal is).

The only real lasting effect of the arc is Spike, realizing there’s no hope for vamp and slayer, deciding on his own to leave. Although it provides a nice moment for Spike it also removes yet another one of the comic’s most entertaining characters. Next issue marks the return of Kennedy who hopefully will breathe some new life back into the Buffyverse. For fans.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #10 Read More »