The Outpost, “A Crown For The Queen”, Review!

Captain Spears rides off with Gwynn into the forest after they leave her called off wedding.  They have come to a brook, Gwynn is worried, as soldiers in armor appear.  They take Gwynn down and Garret says she’s a traitor. He looks at the vial he took at the Capitol and drinks it.  Zed and Talon rush in to find Gwynn.  Janzo is busy mopping up the tavern.  Tobin wakes up wanting more drink.  Talon arrives and asks where is Talon.  She explains that he stabbed her in the side.  Janzo says they were on the main road the other day.   He seems to give up easy and fight at other times.  Talon doesn’t want Tobin around since he is drunk.  Janzo goes to get a tonic to sober up Tobin.  Zed doesn’t trust the humans so Talon rides alone.  Talon refills her waterskin when Tobin rides up to her.  He takes an apple and cuts a slice for Talon.  It looks like Tobin is back to fighting mode.  

THE OUTPOST -- “A Crown For The Queen” -- JESSICA GREEN -- Aleksander Letic/NBCU International --  © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

Night, at a fort, Gwynn is tied up by a fire, and Garret wants to try to get his “truth” out of her.  Morning, they spy the fort, and Talon rides in.  Garret hears Talon’s horse as she enters the fort.  Soldiers take out spears and swords.  She uses a soldiers’s spear against him, a fight ensues, and Tobin duels with Garret. Talon fights with her sword.  An archer looses an arrow at Gwynn.  Talon kicks a soldier into a fire, but Garret takes Gwynn away, she knocks him off of the horse.  Then, Talon duels with Garret, round two!  They go hand to hand with Talon putting a sleeper hold on Garret.  They just need to find that vial, probably Janzo knows what it is, and hopefully have a way to restore his mind.  A soldier is knocked through the wooden wall by Tobin, the archer puts several arrows into Tobin and he collapses.  Of course we find Tobin now worthy of Gwynn, but will she feel the same if Garret is restored?    

THE OUTPOST -- “A Crown For The Queen” -- AARON FONTAINE -- Aleksander Letic/NBCU International --  © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

The archer draws out another arrow and then he drops from Talon’s dagger.  Gwynn checks on Tobin.  Talon heads up her dagger and has Gwynn take out the arrow to cauterize it.  Then, knocks out Garret with the pommel of her sword before they remove the other arrows.  Munt lays out the situation with Janzo who is not happy.  There is another cured Plagueling and Munt takes him away.  At the Outpost, the soldiers are told about the return of the queen.  She rides in with Talon bringing in Garret and the wounded Tobin.  The guards take away Garret.  Janzo has his glasses on so he can check on Tobin as Gwynn and Talon watch.  Talon later updates Zed who is unconcerned.  She wants to know more about the Blackfist that attacked her in the portal.  He says he saw fire worms when his people first entered the portal. Talon takes out the necklace of the powerful artifact and intends to find it with Zed. It doesn’t seem like this artifact will be the simple weapon to use against the Prime Order.  I see Talon sending The Three though the portal.  

Night, Gwynn sends away the Deputy Marshall to talk to Garret. She wants him to bring in Janzo.  Garret in his cell says he knows who she is and knows her plan to marry Tobin.  Gwynn commands Janzo to fix Garret and sends guards to watch over them.  She knows Janzo helped Naya to escape.  The Capital, day, one of the Three sees a note that Garret is captured.  The others want to send in their army.  Morning, The Outpost, Janzo looks at his books.  He questions Garret and gets few responses.  Janzo wants to check his vision and holds up some words, “Shut Up”, and leaves.  He goes to see Talon and explains that Naya let Dred go and then helped her escape.  Janzo tells Talon there is a place called Verndin that she needs to go to find the artifact.  Talon goes to see Garret and he tries to apologize and she slams him into the bars.  Gwynn checks on the sleeping Tobin.  He wakens and it is a nice moment between them.  She thanks him.  Tobin falls asleep and Gwynn thanks Talon.  She brings up the question of why her mother didn’t bring back their people.  Talon goes on her quest.  The influence of the Capital is not far away!    

Three Daggers out of Five!   

#TheOutpost, #ACrownForTheQueen, #GarretSpears, #Tobin

Geek Truth Guide to D23 Expo!

It was a very busy weekend for D23 Expo!  I was trying my best to get people to get tickets, my friends were uninterested, and now there is so much hype from all of the announcements, experiences, and exclusive merch that people are finally interested in the next D23 Expo.  So I wanted to give everyone some prep on the expo.  Should you attend D23 Expo? Yes!  It happens every two years, so next one will be 2021, and also note that the expo is poorly promoted.  You have to be in the know, I try to give info on the expo, to know about when to buy tickets.  Since it is doesn’t have a promo push, you don’t know what or who will be at D23 Expo, I have been going since 2013 and know you have to be there even if you don’t know why.  

If you like Marvel films, Star Wars, Pixar or Disney movies, or all of them, then you should go.  If you have the decision of whether to go to Comic Con or D23 Expo, I would say D23.  It is near impossible to attend the major panels at Comic Con, I went to all of the panels I wanted this D23 Expo, Comic Con has few if any giveaways, years ago I carried a full bag of free stuff from Comic Con, I got pins, buttons, and stickers at D23 besides all of the items given at panels.  There is also another effect from going to D23 Expo, you will be Disney-fied through and through.  If you like Disney already, you will be supercharged, I heard the High School Musical song at a parade and thought hmm, I know that song, now it’s constantly replaying in my head!  

D23 expo sign in front of the Anaheim Convention Center.

The other part of D23 is that prices are about the same, hotel and food are not raised to ludicrious levels like at Comic Con.  You will be able to find a close by hotel at a regular rate.  The infrastructure of Anaheim with Disneyland is there and I heard no complaints about getting a hotel room or stays there.  There is several food trucks as well as food areas at the convention center.  I also heard many people sharing rooms so you have family or friends going, then it will a fun thing.  If you need to drive in, it gets progressively more difficult to find convention center parking, I did go to Disneyland’s parking lot in 2017 so there are options.  

Getting your badge, unlike Comic Con, you don’t have to sign in at the convention center, I was mailed my badge and registered online.  This is a massive stress and time waster that is relieved by D23 Expo.  Also, there are Expo guides and lanyards available after you get through the security check.  So the next question is should you attend all three days?  Yes, if you can, it has been like other cons, there is something going on and just as busy throughout the expo.  Then, the time at the expo, it ran until about 8 p.m.  How early?  There is people who sleep overnight to get into the big panels.  I went at 3 a.m. for the three days.  I heard that there were some people who didn’t make the panels so it does take some commitment if you do want to go to them.  Also, that one attendee said he would get Gold membership next time.  It offers discounts, a poster, and priority access for the panels.  

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez interviewed on the floor!

The major panels.  I attended Disney Legends, Disney+, Disney Studios, Marvel: 80 Years, and Disney Parks.  The last time I went to Comic Con, I wanted to see what the Hall H line was like, I went 6 a.m. and the queue stretched across the harbor.  There were a number of tents with people sleeping and it was a long line that keep going through the dawn.  I was told at that point, I would get a wristband for the panel the next day when there would another 8 hour or so line!  Almost 48 hours!  Comic Con doesn’t clear out the room after every panel like D23 Expo and Wondercon so it will be difficult to get into Hall H.  I waited 34 hours in total for all four panels at D23 over three days!  I went 3 a.m. each day and did not sleep overnight like others.  

I went into the Gold Member Priority line and chose section A, I had section B, the middle for Disney Parks, and C is the farthest area to the stage and to the side.  The panels were streamed, unlike Comic Con, but for the most part I was there.  You get posters for Comic Con panels, I got a set of three posters for Disney Studios, a hat and $10 Target gift card at Disney+, and an exclusive variant edition of Marvel Comics #1000 at Marvel: 80 Years.  I was tired at the Disney Studios, but the presentations energized me.  There were some great panels that I missed, Disney Voices, panels about Galaxy’s Edge, and others.  At the last D23, everyone who attended Disney Parks got a Fantasmic! pass before it opened to the public.  What if you are too busy or can’t get to any of the panels?  There was actually a stage on the floor with interviews, I saw Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez talking about Frozen 2 on that open stage!  There are also singing and dancing performances at another stage, this does not happen at Comic Con!    

The Mandalorian t-shirt, size 3XL!

Stores.  This is the biggest warning.  There was a reservation system and if you are lucky enough to get one, you won the lottery!  Especially if it is the first day.  I was watching youtube videos and heard that day one there were eight hour lines for a store!  D23 2017, I waited for two hours Friday and Saturday and finally got into the stores on Sunday.  Why? There is exclusive merchandise and sellers gotta make money on ebay.  On Saturday, the last 20 minutes of the expo, there was a queue of six people at the Dream Store.  So don’t give up hope that you will get into a store!  There is the Disney Hollywood Store, I never got in this time and ran out of money by that time, Mickey of Glendale’s, I waited about an hour for that one this time, Disney Dream Store, there was Dapper Dan merch, Haunted Mansion, and Mandalorian shirts, 3XL and S were the ones left by that time!

Another word of caution: don’t pass up any booth or store, I saw some great items I didn’t even see from the youtube videos!  The booths, there was Pixar and Disney Animation for two D23 Expos so expect them.  They have photo op queues that were 20 min. before the Disney Voices panel let out.  The Marvel Studios panel line was about the same walking through a costume exhibit.  I will also note that if you have questions ask anyone, everyone knows that the experience is stressful and confusing so most attendees will try to help you out if you can’t get a cast member.  Lastly, photos, make certain you have memory and proper batteries, I was fearful of my memory and was too careful taking pics.  You should have the memory to take whatever interests you, the fun cosplayers, booths, and whatever interests you!    

#d23Expo, #DreamStore, #MarvelStudios, #Pixar, #DisneyAnimation 

Happy Birthday Jack Kirby!

Happy Birthday Jack Kirby!  To understand how comic books, superhero comics, the work and their appeal, you have to understand Jack Kirby.  His extreme poses and action exploding out of the panels are the language of superhero comic books today.  The King of Comics, started as an in-betweener at the Fleischer Studios working in animation.  Then, he started work at the Eisner & Iger studio creating artwork working in many genres for Wild Boy Magazine.  Kirby moved to Fox Feature Syndicate working with writer Joe Simon on the Blue Beetle comic strip. The duo worked together on Captain Marvel Adventures #1 (1941) for Fawcett Comics.  They joined Timely Comics, which later became Marvel Comics, and created Captain America Comics #1 (1941).  It sold out and became an iconic character for Timely/Marvel.  Captain America was the subject of a movie serial in 1944, some movies in 1979, a film in 1990, and entered the MCU played by Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).    The Simon and Kirby duo created romance comics with Young Romance #1 (1947).  Kirby then worked for DC creating the Challengers of the Unknown, a quartet of explorers who survive a jet crash to investigate strange dangers in Showcase #6 (1957).  In Challengers of the Unknown #3 (1958), written and drawn by Kirby, a group member gets super powers including projecting flame and invisibility.  

He worked with Stan Lee introducing monsters like Groot in Tales to Astonish #13 (1960).  The tree-creature made his way to the screen in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).  What launched the Marvel Age of Comics in the Silver Age was Fantastic Four #1 (1961).  There have been numerous films that tried to capture the magic of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s creation including the recent Fantastic Four (2015).  They turned a monster into a hero with The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) who had his MCU movie in Incredible Hulk (2008).  Then, the duo created Thor in Journey into Mystery #83 (1962).  His latest solo film was Thor: Ragnarok (2017).  They co-created Ant-Man in Tales to Astonish #35 (1962) with Larry Leiber.  Also, the Wasp in Tales to Astonish #44 (1963) with Ernie Hart.  Their latest film is Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).  Next, the team co-created Iron Man in Tales of Suspense #39 (1963). 2008's Iron Man started the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Lee and Kirby brought the heroes together in The Avengers #1 (1963).  The recent blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame, featured the characters this year. They also created Black Panther in Fantastic Four #52 (1966).  The character starred in his own film in Black Panther (2018).  The Lee and Kirby duo created the X-Men and villain Magneto in X-Men #1 (1963).  The latest X-Men movie is this year’s Dark Phoenix.  When Kirby went to DC Comics, he created the Fourth World drawing and writing New Gods #1 and also their nemesis Darkseid, who Kirby introduced in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #134 (1970).  A New Gods movie is in development with director Ava DuVernay.  Kirby returned to Marvel and created a super race in The Eternals #1 (1976).  Their film comes out on November 6, 2020.  Jack Kirby was pioneering in comic books, animation, he created film concept art that was used by the CIA seen in Argo (2012).  He died in 1994, but his legacy will always be remembered by fans and audience members who love the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Happy Birthday Jack Kirby!  

#JackKirby, #CaptainAmerica, #FantasticFour, #Avengers     

Blade Runner 2019 #2 Review!

Blade Runner 2019 is co-written by Michael Green who also co-wrote the brilliant Blade Runner 2049, but set in the same time as the first Blade Runner (1982) movie.  His co-writer is Mike Johnson and the art by Andres Guinaldo.  There of course is a dedication to Rutger Hauer.  The cover by Christian Ward has the silhouetted figure of Detective Ash leaping across ledges with the background of the Japanese woman who was in the original Blade Runner’s electronic billboard.  This is Los Angeles of the future, dystopian, and involving Replicants, artifical beings that look like humans, but are more powerful.  Ash Ashina works for the police and sent to investiagate the missing wife and child of business owner Alexander Selwyn.  She finds their crashed spinner, flying car, before the cybernetics in her body shut down!  Then, we have the family members, Isobel and Cleo, on the run!  We have a flashback narration by Ash when she was a child and diagnosed with an unworkable spine so her mother leaves her.  

We have Ash walking the L.A. streets with the Off World billboard overhead.  It is interesting to see the future world caught with the wealthy off worlders and the desperate people still in the bowels of the world.  She enters a building with photos of people called Aphrodite.  Ash has tracked a call from the Spinner to the chop shop.  A man, working the late shift, interrupts her.  Ash draws her gun.  He explains that Isobel was there looking for a “birthmark consult.”  She leaves her card.  The mystery continues, we are getting pieces, and an intriguing pov character.  Mother Isabel and daughter Cleo are making their way through the rubble of the underground.  They are found by two adults who have been ordered by The Skin.  We get a large half-splash of refugees and the man explains that those who can’t survive on the streets go underground.  He takes her to a woman whom Isabel identifies as The Lung.  Ash is in her spinner working out the play of the chop shop worker.  She had a contact follow the man.  Ash enters the hotel Carleton and meets a man, Mr. Bellingham, who shows her in.  She notes that she doesn’t use the Voight and Kampff machine used to detect Replicants.  

Ash gets suspicious and when Mr. Bellingham goes for his tea, she draws out her gun wanting to know his inception date as a Replicant.  He says that The Skin gave him an elderly appearance. She questions Bellingham about Isobel and he knocks away her gun!  Ash isn’t able to get a strong interrogation from Bellingham.  She contacts Alexander Selwyn who hired her for this job.  Ash’s detective mind is now suspicous of Selwyn.  Cleo is getting lonely and her mother consoles her.  The Lung enters their tent and tells Isabel that The Skin is in police custody.  She says that The Bones will take them from the city and puts a gun in her jacket pocket.  In her spinner, her police contact tells Ash that The Skin was Dr. Harlan Powell of the Aphrodite Beauty Salon and before that he was Richard Slattery who worked for the Tyrell Corporation and that he has been dead.  Ash’s spinner flies across the night city.  Ash’s Spinner is sudeenly ramme dand rival Spinner has a man with a high powered rifle.  She tries to evade.  Spinner vs. Spinner aerial combat, kinda cool.   It does not end well.  The action in Guinaldo’s visuals is vivid and cinematic.  The comic book is still deep in a mystery, but the story explores more of the Blade Runner world.  

Four Spinners out of Five! 

#BladeRunner2019, #AshAshina, #IsobelDwlwyn, #AlexanderSelwyn   

Happy Birthday Sean Connery!

Happy Birthday Sean Connery!  He is known as the first James Bonds, but one of his early roles was as the singing Michael McBride in the Disney fantasy film, Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959).  Next, he was Private Flanagan in the epic war film, The Longest Day (1962).  Also, that year, he appeared as James Bond in Dr. No (1962).  He continued with From Russia with Love (1963) and Goldfinger (1964) which really the set the style and villains of the Bond films.  Alfred Hitchcock cast Connery as Mark Rutland in his thriller Marnie (1964).  Connery continued with Thunderball (1965), my favorite of all Bond films, You Only Live Twice (1967), and then returned for Diamonds are Forever (1971).  Next, he was Zed in the sci fi film, Zardoz (1974).  Connery was part of the formidable cast of Murder on the Orient Express (1974) directed by Sidney Lumet.  Based on the Agatha Christie classic novel, he played Colonel Abuthnot, who has an affection for Vanessa Redgrave’s Mary Debeham.  He starred in The Man Who Would Be King (1975), one of his favorite parts, based on the Rudyard Kipling novel.  Next, he starred as an older Robin Hood in Robin and Marian (1976) with Audrey Hepburn as Lady Marian.  This is one of my favorite non-Bond roles for Connery. 

Connery played Marshall William T. O’Neil in the sci fi mystery Outland (1981).  He had the cameo role as the king, Agamemnon, caught in the adventures of Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits (1981).  Connery returned one last time as an older Bond in Never Say Never Again (1983).  He had a memorable part as Ramirez, mentor of Highlander (1986).  Then, he played William of Baskerville in The Name of the Rose (1986) based on the Umberto Eco novel.  He won the Supporting Actor Academy Award for his memorable part as cop mentor Jim Malone in The Untouchables (1988). Next, he played Professor Henry Jones adventuring with his son Indy in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).  Then, he played the captain, Marko Ramius, in The Hunt for Red October (1990) starting a string of movies based on Tom Clancy’s books.  In 1995, he played King Arthur caught in the love triangle between Julia Ormond’s Guinevere and Richard Gere’s Lancelot, in First Knight.  In 2000, he was knighted by Elizabeth II.  Connery played pulp hero, Allan Quatermain, in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, (2003), his last film.  Happy Birthday Sean Connery! 

#SeanConnery, #DrNo, #TheUntouchables, #IndianaJonesandtheLastCrusade

The Outpost, “Where You Go, People Die”, Review!

All of the conflicts are coming to The Outpost!   Talon has reunited with Captain Garret Spears in armor and he stabs her in the side with a dagger.  It picks up with a battle, he is about to stab her with his sword saying, “Hail to the Three”, but Talon opens a portal and falls into the world of dust!  I did not expect that to happen!  In the misty forest, Zed finds an arrow in a tree and signs of the battle.  The Outpost, Aunt Gertie tells Tobin that she had to bring in his cousin, Milus.  Tobin is still fuming over the feud.  Munt and Janzo talk over relationships, he has only kissed the Mistress!  Janzo discovers that the tied up woman is cured as a Plagueling.  He has Munt free her and sees that the other two Plaguelings are still infected.  Then, he sees flowers that might be the cure.  I’m starting to like Munt.  Naya gets another message and she is taken away, she bites the hand of Munt.  He was sent by Janzo to surprise her and then takes her away again, very funny.  At Janzo’s meal, Naya is happy at his meal, then turns serious at Janzo’s praise.  Tobin is working and Gwynn sees him in her hooded robe.  She gives him a meal on the battlement.  He finds her handmade bread unbearable, laughs, and then kisses her!  

THE OUTPOST -- “Where You Go, People Die” -- GLYNIS BARBER, AARON FONTAINE -- Aleksander Letic/NBCU International --  © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. 

As they finish their meal, Janzo asks about Naya, she says she came poor part of the Capital.  Janzo worries that Naya is upset around him.  Naya says she’s a bad person and tries to leave.  She admits she’s the traitor and let Dred go free!  Naya explains her mother and sister are held by the Prime Order.  Janzo wants Naya to explain everything to the queen.  She leaves and unfolds a message that she rips.  A man watches her.  Janzo brings the flowers and tosses them from the cart on the Plaguelings.  Janzo walks listless and then sees Naya.  She is about to leave to save her family.  He tells Naya to turn her in or he will tell Gwynn and walks away.  Tobin faces Naya and the man shows her the note.  On her throne, Gwynn reads the note, and asks Naya to confess.  Gwynn gives the execution order for treason, but the Mistress advises Naya can be kept for questioning.  She thanks Tobin, but asks for some time alone.  Talon revives to see boots approaching.  A masked man checks her ears and then takes out his sword.  She throws him off and struggles to open the portal.  Talon leaps through and sees Zed telling him that Redd’s tribe was there.  Tobin greets his cousin, Milus (Jarren Dalmeda), who is amazed that he wants peace and loyalty.  This lord is bald with a scar on one side of his face.  An ally to be trusted or another complication?  He says the Prime Order will conquer them and he will get the land anyway.  Tobin tells his cousin to meet the queen.  

THE OUTPOST -- “Where You Go, People Die”- - JARREN DALMEDA -- Aleksander Letic/NBCU International --  © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

Milus enters the throne room and calls her “Alleged majesty.”  Gwynn says that Milus owns no land or title, it all belongs to the Prime Order.  She offers all of Tobin’s lands.  Gwynn says he will not need lands since she will marry him!   Milus agrees and leaves the throne room.  Tobin lifts Gwynn up and kisses her.  Aunt Gertie and the Mistress prepare the wedding.  The Mistress calls their team up “The Matchmakers.”  Gwynn’s hair is being prepared, but she sends the servant away.  Janzo enters and asks for mercy for Naya.  He admits that he loves her.  The Mistress enters and informs the queen about the execution.  Janzo leaves tearfully.  At the prison cell, Janzo enters and says to the Deputy Marshall (Nikola Vujovic) he wants to say goodbye to Naya.  He offers free drinks to all of the guards.  The guards drink up and then collapse.  Janzo has drugged them and gets the key to Naya’s cell kissing her.  At the gate, he gives her a cloak and bag, so they have a sad farewell.  This is a very Janzo centered episode where he is able to take action without Talon.  Morning, the wedding celebration, Janzo gives a handkerchief to Munt.  The Deputy Marshall whispers news of the escape.  Tobin appears in armor, I’m expecting Garret to arrive, then Gwynn enters in her wedding dress.  The priest takes Gwyn’s crown and they place their hands on a block of wood and yes, Garret Spears enters.  Gwynn runs to him and he takes her away.  He rides away her on his horse.  

Four Daggers out of Five! 

#TheOutpost, #WhereYouGoPeopleDie, #JarrenDalmeda, #NikolaVujovic

Happy Birthday Ray Bradbury!

Happy Birthday Ray Bradbury! He was a prolific writer who made a mark in fantastic fiction, his writing spans genres, and gave a hopeful vision of the future.  His first story was printed in Forrest J. Ackman’s Imagination!  Forrey was a great supporter of Bradbury.   Ray Bradbury worked on the screenplay for John Huston’s adaptation of Moby Dick (1956).  The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) had a scene out of Bradbury’s story, “The Fog Horn” (1951) which made a life long friendship with Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen.  One of the best adaptations was the 1962 episode of The Twilight Zone based on Ray Bradbury’s short story, “I Sing the Body Electric”  Fahrenheit 451 was made into a film in 1966 directed by Francois Truffaut, but featured Julie Christie more than focusing on the theme from Ray Bradbury’s highly regarded novel.  Michael B. Jordan starred as Guy Montag, the fireman tasked to destroy books, in Fahrenheit 451 (2018).  

The Martian Chronicles based on his 1950 collecting his Martian stories was made into a miniseries in 1980.  It is screaming for a film. There was a television series, The Ray Bradbury Theater, which ran from 1985 to 1992.  One of Ray Bradbury’s book that was most influential to me is Zen in the Art of Writing (1990), I highly recommitted it to any creative person.  An animated television film narrated by Ray Bradbury was made of The Halloween Tree in 1993 which won him the Emmy Award.  The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (199 ) was a film with an incredible cast that went direct to video.  A Sound of Thunder (2005) was released in theaters, but twisted the original story and failed at the box office. It was also a 1989 episode of The Ray Bradbury Theater.  In 2007, he was awarded the Pulitzer Citation for his work.  We lost Ray Bradbury in 2012 with the “Author of Fahrenheit 451” on his headstone, but he lives on in his writing.  Happy Birthday Ray Bradbury!   

#RayBradbury, #TheBestfrom20000Fathoms, #Fahrenheit451, #TheMartianChronicles  

Omni #1 Review!

I was most excited to read the Omni section of the H1 Ignition Free Comic Book Day special.  It dealt with Dr. Cecilia Cobbina trying to stop the bleeding of a shot policeman during a market robbery.  Her power seems to be to analyze status of the patient and gunman.  She convinces the gunman to run and is able to bring the victim to a hospital.  Three pages!  The cover by Mike McKone has Dr. Cobbina standing over a map of Africa with camp gear behind her, love this cover!  “Logical-Mathematical” is written by Devin Grayson, the title refers to the nine types of intelligence identified by Howard Gardner, and it also is mentioned within the comic book.  I studied a little of it for college.  Grayson is a writer with a large amount of work for DC Comics including Year One: Batman/Ra’s Al Ghul and also for IDW, the GLOW Summer Special #1.  The artwork is by Alitha Martinez who worked on World of Wakanda for Marvel Comics.  There is a summary page for Dr. Cecilia Cobbina and her work for Doctors Without Borders, a real life organization that helps conflict and disaster areas, she ignited and is looking for what happened in the United States.  She has Mae Walters, assistant like Doctor Watson, with her.  

It starts off with a dump truck’s blaring horn as the driver is about to run down Cecilia, Mae, and another person, Antony.  She tells him to use his power to phase them through the truck.  The truck crashes and Mae, our narrator, brings us back to working in Central Africa as doctors.  Six gunmen enter as they are operating and threatening the doctors to help one of their own.  In New Orleans, Cecilia informs Mae that the bus driver has a broken arm, and she goes to administer aid.  Then, it goes to an extreme close-up of Cecilia in Africa with her mask.  It goes into an impressive two page spread where the various aspects of Dr. Cobbina’s intelligence (in different colors) assesses and reflects on the situation, the various people, which brings up the title, Omni, it may be omniscent, but it looks like her intelligences are only in her visual range.  I really like this use of her power and the visuals by Martinez.  Then, the gun men speak words, Sango, which Dr. Cobbina knows, but we don’t get the translation.  I’m getting some Neal Adams in the character artwork, but there is some simple lines and the almost supernatural quality of the intelligences.  

Mae explains to the bus driver whose arm she wrapped up about the gunmen that Dr. Cobbina helped and went back to their camp to help others.  Cecilia rushes in and takes Mae away.  They head out to the street and Mae brings up that Cecilia should wear a cape.  Kinda funny.  The interesting part of the preview was that Dr. Cobbina’s mind was calculating everything, there is no emergency response time, and we don’t see any police or medical team after they finish.  Later, Mae shows Cecilia the comic book she’s working on about their adventures, love it!  As she is about to go to sleep, Cecilia mentions that it is not all action, it is loneliness.  Strange, I think her time with Doctors Without Borders would be more emotionally difficult for her.  She brings up Atlanta, Mr. Davis, and the intelligence types.  It shifts to Cascade Heights, Atlanta, on the porch of her sister’s house.  Livi finds it hard to believe her sister has “super-intelligence.”  It is interesting, I think Interpersonal Intelligence should have helped Cecilia break her secret to her sister in the most comfortable way.  She brings up the nine Intelligence Types identified by Gardner.  We see the types and their colors as Cecila lists them.  This is an intriguing premise and power.  Mae provides the humor and fun while we get a very intelligent and capable heroine.  They are going to uncover the secret of the H1 Ignited Universe!  

Four out of Five Intelligences!  

#Omni, #DevinGrayson, AlethaMartinez, #DrCeciliaCobbina.  

Blinded By The Light Review!

Blinded By The Light has the energy of Bruce Springsteen music inspiring a teen to fulfill his dreams and gives hope for your own dreams!  The film is directed and co-written by Gurinder Chadha who also co-wrote and directed Bend It Like Beckham (2002).  Her work on the movie interested me more than the trailer.  The other screenwriter is Paul Mayeda Berges, a co-writer on Bend It Like Beckham.  There is also director/writer, Sarfraz Manzoor, writing about his own story, based on his book Greetings from Bury Park (2007). The title, “Binded by the Light”, was one of Springsteen’s hits, but also became popular through the Mannfred Mann cover.  “Born to Run” seems more appropriate, but no, the title is perfect for the themes and for Springsteen fans.  

It opens showing the M1 motorway going past the hills of Lutton, northwest of London.  This is our visual symbol that may take anyone out of the small town.  On the hill is ten year old Javed (Ronak Singh Chadha Berges), his narration explains that his friend, Matt (Billy Barratt) got a bicycle for his birthday.  Matt has given Javed a journal he wasn’t using and now the young writer is busy putting his thoughts in it.  It is now 1987, ten years later, with the now sixteen year old Javed.  He is played by Viveik Kaira, the actor is in the historical drama, Beecham House and also the drama series Next of Kin.  Kaira is another actor to watch out for, Javed is the quiet guy, but wants more.  He has all of the emotional range of the part and you just wait for when his spirit is free.  Javed constantly carries around his Walkman with headphones.  

Javed notes that this is the time of Margaret Thatcher as prime minister and also the time of the fascist National Front (NF) so this reflects our times except they are now marching with tiki torches.  Javed finds himself with his life planned by his father, Malik (Kulvinder Ghir), who wants him to go to college to find a job better than working at a car factory like himself.  Ghir was also in Bend It Like Beckham, his character is the hard working immigrant parent, but the opportunity of living in the UK is faced with the racism.  His mother, Noor (Meera Ganatra) is a seamstress working tirelessly for the loads of laundry dropped off at the house.  

His sisters are played by first time actresses, older sister Yasmeen (Tara Divina) about to be married and young sister, Shazia (Nikita Mehta) who we later find out attends a private school.  Javed’s Pakistani Muslim family is traditional.  Javed is still friends with Matt now played by Dean-Charles Chapman.  He played Tommen Baratheon in Game of Thrones and was Castor in the action series Into the Badlands.  He is caught in the New Wave with the big hair and wanting to use his band to leave the town.  Matt is busy with his girlfriend, Emma (Kit Reeve), and they hope to set him up with a girl she knows at Matt’s party.  Javed is of course interested in girls, but he is really interested in activist Eliza (Nell Williams).  She is also from Game of Thrones playing a young Cersei Lannister.  This is one of my favorite teen romances that plays honest.  

Javed sees the spray painting by a NF punk who chases him.  This is the tension that runs throughout the film.  He heads off to school driven by his father, but the car stalls so all of the family has to help push the car until Malik can drive it.  His father disapproves of Javed’s interest in girls and hopes to find him a wife.  He sees Eliza passing out fliers.  Then, he stumbles into another student dropping a cassette tape.  This is Roops played by Aaron Phagura wearing the turban of his Sikh faith.  Javed’s class has Eliza on the other side of his table and the teacher enters, Ms. Clay, played by Hayley Atwell.  She of course plays Agent Carter recently in Avengers: Endgame and was Evelyn Robin in Christopher Robin (2018). Javed raises his hand hesistantly when she asks who wants to be a writer.  She is interested in Javed’s potential as a writer even though he has not shown his poetry or other writing to his family.  

He explains that the lunch area is divided with all of the cliques, but he sits by himself writing in his journal.  Javed is joined by Roops who later gives him two cassettes of Bruce Springsteen.   He is barred from going to the party and has to watch the party from his window.  His father goes to help a Pakistan home owner with a real estate deal when the neighborhood kids harass them.  Javed finds out that the car factory has let his father go and the family is desperate for income.  His father dresses in his suit to go to the job centre, but there are no jobs.  There is a storm coming and Javed throws his poems in the bin.  He finds the Springsteen cassette and decides to play it.  This is an interesting part of Chadha’s direction hearing the music, the words wrap around Javed, he runs out into the night and storm winds.  The words are projected on houses and walls so that you feel how Javed is affected by Springsteen’s lyrics.  

Javed is profoundly moved by the Springsteen songs and collects his poems that were scattered across the street.  He gets a denim jacket and emulates the Bosses’ style with posters in his room.  It also gives him the confidence to submit a story about his interest in Springsteen to the school newspaper.  He meets with Roops at a mall restaurant, he is given a videotape of Springsteen, but they are forced from the table by teen punks.  Javed goes back to get the video tape and he is able to get it back.  Javed gets Matt to give him a job at his father’s clothing stall at the outdoor market.  Matt is chastised by his father by not recognizing Bruce Springsteen from Javed’s poster.  This has consequences, Matt is shocked that the childhood friend he supported turned against him.  Javed sees Eliza passing out fliers at the nearby steps.  

He puts on his headphones and starts singing joined by Matt’s father (Rob Brydon).  The actor played Bryn in the comedy series Gavin & Stacey.  They sing to Eliza and then Javed dances with her.  Javed and Roops go to try to convince the school radio dj, Colin Hand (Frankie Fox) to play Springsteen.  They later slip into the radio booth and play “Born to Run” locking out Colin.  Their punishment by the principal is promising not to do it again.  Colin is angry since they scratched his Tiffany record.  Very funny.  To quote the Boss, "Nobody wins unless everybody wins."  A great cast.  This is my favorite movie of the year.  Blinded by the Light is a film of meaning, romance, comedy, and of course the music of Bruce Springsteen, everything that should be seen in theaters. 

Five Cassette Tapes out of Five!  

#BlindedbytheLight, #GurinderChadha, #SarfrazManzoor, #BruceSpringsteen, #ViveikKaira, #NellWilliams, #AaronPhagura 

The Outpost, “Because She’s Worth It”, Review!

Last episode, we had Garret Spears swear his loyalty to the Three and vow to bring Gwynn to them!  Day at The Outpost, soldiers are preparing, and we have the baron working wihtout his shirt.  Gwynn is watching him and the Mistress joins her.  She is still suspicous of the baron.  Zed holds out Talon’s amulet which is the Key and he shows her the diagram of the Key and she flashes back to seeing a necklace.  The Mistress looks at the wagons to see remains of animals that were attacked.  She informs the queen that Talon disobeyed her and the animals were killed by the demonic Loquri.  Out of the mines, the foreman (Jack Dimich), she offers the leader some of the colipsum.  He is taken to the Plagueling cages. The Mistress has always been shady, but she might be a real threat if she is ruthless with the workers to keep her advisor position.  Gwynn and her soldiers surround Zed.  She has him captured and taken away.  Talon is brought to the queen’s throne room.  Gwynn explains that the demon was killing the livestock.  Their confrontation ends with Blackbloods “going where they belong.” It of course came out all wrong by Gwynn and she tries to apologize, but her thinking is what Zed fears.  

THE OUTPOST -- “Because She’s Worth It” -- ROBYN MALCOLM, IMOGEN WATERHOUSE -- Aleksander Letic/NBCU International -- © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

Talon tries to make a deal to take care of the demon.  She promises that Zed won’t make trouble or she will send him back.  The Mistress addresses the townspeople recruiting miners.  She is actually persuasive to the crowd.  The Mistress hears a giggle and then breaks a cheap sword chastizing the blacksmith.  She makes Munt the tax collector. Talon sees Zed in his cell and tells him about the deal.  She poses that she needs him to unlock the Key.  Night, guards with crossbows watch Zed in chains make a whistle from the back of his hand.  Dogs bark.  Talon opens the portal and Zed commands the demon into it.  She looks at Gwynn up at the battlement.  Talon says she knows where is the stone needed for the Key.  At the tavern, Janzo smiles at Naya, and then pushes her away when he sees Talon.  She is happy at their coupling.  Aunt Gertie is angry at Tobin back at drinking. She ordered Janzo not to serve him drink, he is about to prepare a tonic, and Tobin has him bring up Garret.  Gwynn has a feast prepared with Naya letting him in.  She offers him a drink, but he turns it down.  He mentions Calkussar was friends with his father.  

Then, Tobin brings up Garret, he offers to toast his cup of water to Garret.  He says he was eight when the Prime Order arrived and killed his sister.  He mentions a traitor that turned over Garret, Naya slips pouring water from her pitcher for Tobin when he mentions hanging the traitor, he is suspicious.  Morning, Zed walks with Talon watched by Gwynn as they walk out of the Outpost.  Aunt Gertie enters the throne room to see her sister, Elinor, on the throne.  The Mistress says that there are messages that the Prime Order is bringing an army.  Gertie says that a marriage would bring other nobles to stand against the Prime Order.  She offers Tobin’s cousin as a groom for Gwynn.  Munt is working with Janzo as they lay out hooded Plagueling bodies to stakes and then Janzo removes the hood.  He leaves Munt to do the hard work. Naya takes messages for the queen and sees a not written for her.  Tobin is watching her.  He walks over to the messenger (Igor Pavlovic) and sees Naya’s name in his record book.  The message for Naya came from the Capital.  Naya is seen by Tobin who confronts her about her work.  She says her message comes from the poor part of the Capital and it was that her mother is dying.  Janzo has flowers for Naya, but she is bothered by Tobin.  The Naya suspicion has taken all of this time from the season 1 finale, but it looks like this will be resolved one way or the other!  

THE OUTPOST -- “Because She’s Worth It” -- JESSICA GREEN -- Aleksander Letic/NBCU International -- © 2019 Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

On the road, Zed walks with Talon, he mentioned the world of the portal is full of ashes.  He mentions that Talon will have to choose one day between humans or Blackbloods.  The queen, the Mistress walk and are met by Tobin who has brought her a horse to ride.  She silently rides on with Tobin.  Gwynn looks at her kingdom with the baron.  She asks if he will reconcile with his cousin Mylas.  Gwynn asks Tobin to give his land to get an alliance with his cousin.  I’m actually warming to Tobin’s character and would like to see what part he plays in the battle of the Prime Order.  Night, Gwynn goes over the development as Naya brushes her hair.  In the fog, Talon has Zed set up camp while she hunts for food.  They are on the way to Talon’s childhood home, which is where the series began, but I wonder about the troll-like Greyskins who were season 1.  Talon uses her bow when she hears a rider, he comes into view, it is Garret in armor!  Of course this reunion may not be happy!  I like the more character development episodes, there is some CG with the demon and Plaguelings, but I like the characters and dialogue more.  Talon and the others are pushed to face their destinies.         

Four Daggers out of Five! 

#TheOutpost, #BecauseShesWorthIt 

Happy Birthday Jennifer Lawrence!

Happy Birthday Jennifer Lawrence!  She started on television and had her first regular role playing Lauren, the teenage daughter in The Bill Engvall Show.  Next, she had a number of parts in film, but took attention in Winter’s Bone, adaptation Daniel Woodrell’s novel.  Lawrence was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards.  Jennifer again was the focus of attention as Mystique in X-Men: First Class (2011) directed by Matthew Vaughn.  She had another career defining role as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games (2012) based on Suzanne Collins’ novel.  Katniss is the young archer and hunter who volunteers to take part in the Hunger Games and ends up as part of the revolution against the ruling Capitol. Next, she danced with Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook (2012). Lawrence won the Golden Globe and Academy Award for that performance.  She returned as Katniss in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) directed by Francis Lawrence.  

In 2013, she starred in David O. Russell’s crime film, American Hustle, as Rosalyn Rosenfeld, and won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Lawrence appeared again as Mystique in X-Men Days of Future Past (2014).  She completed the last book and story of The Hunger Games in Mockingjay parts 1 and 2 in 2014 and 2015.  Next she had the role of Joy Mangano, the inventor of the Miracle Mop, in the bio pic Joy (2015). Jennifer Lawrence received her third Golden Globe award for the part.  She reprised her role as Mystique in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016).   Then, she continued in the sci fi film, Passenger (2016) starring next to Chris Pratt.  Her only film in 2017 was Mother!, the Darren Aronofsky film.  Then, she played Domonikia Egorova, in Francis Lawrence’s spy movie, Red Sparrow. This year, she played Mystique one last time for Dark Phoenix.  Happy Birthday Jennifer Lawrence!   

#JenniferLawrence, #SilverLiningsPlaybook, #TheHungerGamesMockingjay, #DarkPhoenix