Science Fiction

Edge of Tomorrow

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Edge of Tomorrow
  • IMDB: link

Edge of TomorrowAdapted from the Japanese graphic novel All You Need is Kill, Edge of Tomorrow stars Tom Cruise as military recruiter Major William Cage forced into service on the front lines of a war between humanity and an unstoppable alien race known as Mimics. Despite dying rather early on his first day in the field, Cage finds himself somehow still alive reliving the previous day’s events over and over, each time more aware of events and what what must be done to win the war.

With the bad taste of Oblivion still fresh, I wasn’t expecting too much from Cruise stepping so quickly back into a sci-fi film. With a structure which will get it compared to Groundhog Day and Source Code, Edge of Tomorrow delivers a smarter-than-expected summer flick which relies heavily on Cruise and co-star Emily Blunt as the kick-ass face of the United Defense Force who alone understands what his character is going through. Although I think the end is a bit too cute for its own good (much like Source Code) director Doug Liman balances action, suspense, and horror with a surprising amount of humor.

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Star Wars: Rebel Heist #2

/ / Comics

Star Wars: Rebel Heist #2After last month which saw Han Solo captured by Imperial agents, the four-issue mini-series continues on the pleasure planet of the planet pleasure of Feddasyr where Princess Leia has been dispatched to get her hands on an Imperial top-level security code needed by the Rebellion. Like the first issue, the events are presented from the view of a green Rebel recruit, this time a red-skinned Twi’lek exotic dancer named Sarin whose cover has been blown just in time to get Leia into a lot of trouble.

The template from the first issue works well again as this time we don’t get the view of a hero worshipper crushed into reality but the disappointment of a young woman realizing the Rebellion sent a princess rather than soldier to get the job done. Putting her life in danger to take Sarin’s place and get the code, which turns out to be harder to move than either expected, the princess grudgingly earns the respect and admiration of the recruit but still suffers the same fate of Han Solo in the end. Next month: Chewbacca. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

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Samurai Jack #8

/ / Comics

Samurai Jack #8In an issue without dialogue the focus of Samurai Jack #8 becomes the art as Samurai Jack‘s attempt to hide from the noise of the future city leads him to a sleeping pod. Thanks to the maneuvering of his old enemy Aku, Jack awakes in a mirrored cave where his reflection creates distorted doubles of the samurai out for blood.

I like the idea of doing a Samurai Jack storyline without any dialogue, something “Jack Renumbers the Past” put to tremendious use for most of the episode, but a throwaway one-issue adventure doesn’t have the same impact of Jack returning home for the first time.

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Re-Released on Home Video: T3: Rise of the Machines

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
  • IMDB: link

Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesI know there are those that feel otherwise, but I like Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and appreciate the kind of story director Jonathan Mostow and screenwriters John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris set out to tell.

Whereas the first Terminator had no higher goal than that of straight-forward monster movie (still the best Hollywood has produced in the last 30 years), and Judgement Day was more concerned with action that developing the themes presented in the first film, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is the only movie of the three that is actually a sci-fi film at its core. That fourth film starring Christian Bale? Yeah… we don’t talk about that one.

Picking up years after the second film, Rise involves John Connor (Nick Stahl) finally beginning to understand and embrace the destiny which was introduced in The Terminator.

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Re-Released on Home Video: T3: Rise of the Machines Read More »

Star Wars #17

/ / Comics

Star Wars #17After teasing us over the past couple of issues with the looming betrayal of Arrochar and its monarchy, it finally arrives just hours before Leia‘s wedding which was meant to seal the alliance between the Rebels and the planet’s leaders against the Empire.

Although there is an attack in the palace just before the wedding, and an armada of Star Destroyers appears in orbit led by none other than Darth Vader himself, the majority of Star Wars #17 focuses on Luke and how quickly what started out as him tagging along with a group of soldiers to change a fuel cell on a mountain outpost soon turns deadly as the group’s true agenda of leaving Luke dead in the mountains becomes evident.

The return of Obi-Wan‘s guidance helps save Luke’s life and prepare him for the deception to come, but I wonder home much of Ben’s ghostly wisdom the comic should and/or will use going forward as Luke’s own instincts should have likely warned him of the danger (even with his only limited understanding of the Force). Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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