Science Fiction

The Mandalorian – Chapter 1

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Mandalorian – Chapter 1
  • wiki: link

The Mandalorian - Chapter 1 TV review

The first episode of the Disney+ series introduces us to a nameless Mandalorian bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) first through a rather routine bounty and second through a new job off-the-books that raises several red flags for our protagonist but whose payout cannot be ignored. Series creator Jon Favreau, who also wrote the first episode aims for a tone reminiscent of the Mos Eisley Cantina found in the original Star Wars. The early bar fight to open the episode and the later attack on a heavily-armed compound both show off the character’s skill-set, while the final scene of the episode offers a glimpse into the character’s emotional state.

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Far Sector #1

/ / Comics

Far Sector #1 comic reviewOn the far edge of the known universe a new Green Lantern looks to solve the first major crime in the City Enduring in the last 500 years. Far Sector #1 introduces readers to rookie Lantern Sojourner Mullein who although green (forgive the pun) is the metropolis’ best chance of solving a crime they have no experience with.

The story has a strong sci-fi premise with more than a whiff of Isaac Asimov. The setting is a vast metropolis that houses three separate races of aliens who have removed emotion from the equation (after tempers last led to the destruction of several worlds).

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Aniara

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Aniara
  • IMDb: link

Aniara Blu-ray reviewWith Aniara the writing and directing team of Pella Kagerman and Hugo Lilja deliver an increasingly depressing sci-fi odyssey of the show breakdown of human civilization aboard a transport ship that becomes lost on its way from Earth to Mars. The ship itself is a combination of a cruise ship and giant mall where the crew’s main purpose, even before the mechanical issue that forces it further and further from their destination, seems mainly to distract the passengers from what is actually happening to them.

Inspired by the poem of the same name, the bleak tale centers mostly on a holodeck operator (Emelie Jonsson) and the events she witnesses when the three-week journey extends indefinitely.

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Star Wars: Target Vader #4

/ / Comics

Star Wars: Target Vader #4 comic reviewThe bounty hunters led by Beilert Valance have successfully cut off Darth Vader from the rest of the Imperial forces and driven him into a trap on Heva. However, the group will soon learn that cornering a Dark Lord of the Sith and killing him are two very different matters. Be careful what you wish for.

The fourth issue in the six-issue mini-series is action-heavy as the bounty hunters struggle to make good use of the small window in which before Imperial reinforcements can arrive. There are also some quick flashbacks to pasts of the various members that help fill out the issue but don’t necessarily add much to the current plot. Despite getting most of his compatriots killed, Valance’s plan did prove to have an outside chance at succeeding… although getting betrayed by a member of his team certainly didn’t help his chances.

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Gemini Man

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Gemini Man
  • IMDb: link

Gemini Man movie reviewNot finding any living actors worthy enough to share the silver screen with, Will Smith faces off against himself in Gemini Man. The action film with sci-fi underpinnings cast Smith as retiring government assassin Henry Brogan who is targeted by his own government (for mostly unintelligible reasons only important to draw him into the larger story). The man leading the hunt for Brogan is the assassin’s former boss Clay Verris (Clive Owen), now the head of a multi-national private security force with an oh-so-cute name chosen to reinforce the movie’s ridiculous plot. And with a name like Clay Verris is it any wonder he turned into a villain?

Gemini Man has all the ammunition in needs for a ridiculous, over-the-top action flick. Instead director Ang Lee and his cast take the entire series of events (Verris cloning Brogan and raising him as his son, who he then sends out to kill his genetic donor) seriously. While Brogan notices the odd similarities between himself and his clone, it takes the younger version (who gets quite a few up close moments with his target) far longer to suspect there is more going on than just another target to eliminate.

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