Re:tro Re:view - Killer Klowns from Outer Space!

We had Us, http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2019/03/us-review.html, and Zombieland: Double Tap, http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2019/10/zombieland-double-tap-review.html, this year, two of the mazes at Universal Studios Horror Nights so let’s bring back one more film that was a maze this Halloween!   The film is directed by Stephen Chiodo and written by the Chiodo Brothers team of Stephen and Chiodo.  It opens at night in the suburban city of Crescent Cove with a Big Top Burger.  The title song is by the Dickies.  Making his surly patrol is Officer Curt Mooney (John Vernon) who drives his patrol car through the streets.  Vernon has been the gruff voice of authority since Animal House (1978).  At the make out point, Top of the World, is Mike Tobacco (Grant Cramer) pouring a glass of champagne for Debbie Stone (Suzanne Synder).  Cramer is also in the sci fi movie with the odd title Aliens from Uranus (2012).  Synder was Deb in Weird Science (1985).  The character’s unusual last names are not brought up, but would be fun.  They are interrupted by the Jo Jo’s Ice Cream Truck.  

Rich (Michael S. Siegel) and Paul (Peter Licassi), the Terenzi Brothers, find they can’t sell ice cream which they announce through the truck’s audio system.  They are instead pelted with empty cans.  Siegel is in more serious roles with Love, Unemployed (2018).  Licasi worked on the Santa Barbara series.  Mike is amused at the antics of his friends.  Two girls in the back of the truck want to be taken back home disappointed in the Terenzi Brothers.  The truck leaves.  Then, Mike and Debbie see what looks like a comet pass overhead.  Farmer Gene Green (Royal Dano) heads over to see what he thinks is Hailey’s Comet and instead finds a circus tent in the woods.  He is angry that his dog is suddenly taken, but then sees a giant clown with a toy gun that blasts him!  The alien clowns are wrinkled and have distorted features that are strange, but not horrifying.  At the police station, Dave Hanson (John Allen Nelson) sees Mooney bring in two college students who were drinking.  Nelson has been in many series including Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.  Dave shouts at Mooney for being rough with the students.  Mike has driven to the landing site with Debbie.  She is worried about the appearance of the circus tent.  He convinces Debbie to enter the tent and they find multi-colored pipes.  

Mike presses buttons on a panel, the door opens, and they find a strange energy reactor.  Debbie realizes that what they are in is from another world.  Next, a shadow has them  entering a chamber with several cotton candy cocoons.  In one is unveiled a gruesome face.  There is less than twenty and we haven’t seen the Klowns hunt down humans so this is confusing.  They hide as a Klown stores one of the cocoons.  Mike is startled and they start to run as the Klown fires his popcorn gun at them.  They run into the woods and one Klown shapes a balloon dog that barks after the humans.  Mike and Debbie reach his car and he drives away knocking off a Klown.  The Klowns start to walk to Crescent Cove 5 miles away according to a sign.  Mike drives his car recklessly to the police station and they try to tell their story to Dave.  A Klown walks into town, he sees a robot ape mascot pretends to be a robot to distract two women entering the drugstore.  Dave takes them into the station and they try to describe the Killer Klowns.  Mooney is not impressed.  He knows Mike hangs out with the Terenzi Brothers and thinks it’s a ploy.  They drive off.  Mike discovers that Dave is the ex-boyfriend of Debbie.  They somehow have to have the fiendish Klowns that have cartoon powers that turn grisly.  It is a fun mix of goofiness and sci fi/light horror.  

Four Klowns out of Five! 

#KillerKlownsfromOuterSpace, #StephenChiodo, #GrantCramer, #SuzanneSynder

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Allegiance #3 Review!

This issue has a connecting cover with art by Marco Checchetto which has stormtroopers above TIE fighters and the duo of Finn and Poe with blasters!  The story by Ethan Sacks with art by Luke Ross continues with “Dark Side of the Moon”; the sub-title refers to the Pink Floyd album.  We have the captured Resistance members in capsules located in teh Court of Justice in Dac City.  The Mon Calamari look on as King Ech-char is about to judge them.  Young Aftab, the son of Admiral Ackbar, arugues that General Nossor Ri’s men where waiting for our heroes at the Millennium Falcon.  I didn’t catch that the general’s name sounds like “No siree.”  For some reason, Aftab looks like a shirtless jeans wearing alien, like he’s out of a Levi’s commercial.  Not certain why an aquatic alien would wear jeans.  A Quarren aide bring up the “Ancient Rite of Challenge” and Rey accepts.  Now this seems like the Aquaman movie.  

She is going to challenge Nossor’s security droid, Arkay-Nine, a droid that has lobster-like armor and a buzzsaw.  His design reminds me of Maxmillian from Black Hole (1979).  At the Moon of Avedot, Base 354-23X, the Kendoh Gang is trying to cut through the door sealed by Finn.  On the other side, Finn is planning to hide in teh ducts while Poe loads the weapons.  The gang cuts through the door and Kendoh and the heavy bodyguard Wooro pass Finn and BB-8.  Finn falls out o the duct and into Remex.  The shapeshifting assassin takes Finn’s blaster and strikes him.  I like that Finn and Poe get the chance to team up, but these issues seem to distract from the larger story of the war.  Finn is able to escape Remex.  On the island Sacred Arena of Salk’a, Rey with her electrified staff weapon faces the giant robot.  She finds it a challenge.  The security droid blasts at Rey giving Chewbacca the chance to break free.  This also reminds me of the Geonosis arena.  Rey tries to distract the droid to avoid accidental fire.  

It is taken down by Rose which is a nice hero moment for her.  Still, this is intereference with the challenge and King Ech-char sends them away.  The bounty hunter ship moves away to concentrate on the battle on the other side.  So Poe is free to load the weapons.  Finn faces the Aqualish with the spider-like face.  He starts running until reaching the hangar where we see the snowspeeder.  Finn takes the harpoon gun and fires it at Wooro, but the recoil knocks him out.  I think Finn in the film is not so hapless and trained as a stormtrooper he would know about weapons.  Back at the Resistance Camp on Anoat, Lt. Connix informs General Jonato that she has tracked the First Order ships jumping to Mon Cala.  The Resistance members are aout to leave the planet, a shadowy worker loads a crate, that makes Rey suspicious.  Shades of Attack of the Clones (2002)!  The series will wrap next issue, but while we catch up with our main characters, it still seems like a place holder until we get Rise of Skywalker.  I think it will ultimately end with Aftab leading the Mon Calamari forces for the Resistance like Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi.  

Three Lightsabers out of Five!  

#JourneytoStarWarsTheRiseofSkywalkerAllegiance, #GeneralNossorRi, #ArkayNine, #Wooro 

Star Wars: Resistance, “Hunt on Celsor 3”, Review!

The Colossus Base orbits the ice planet Celsor 3.  Captain Doza announces to the assembled people that they are going to ration the food.  Aunt Z says she wants to abandon ship.  She leaves along with Neeku.  The leader of the pirates, Kragan Gorr (Gary Anthony Williams) senses an opportunity.  Aunt Z is in her cantina packing up.  She mentions to Kaz and Torra about the creature they faced, a Jakoosk, would have enough meat to feed everyone.  It’s name makes me think of the French word, “J’accuse”, I accuse.  Kragan volunteers his pirates to hunt it.  At Captain Doza’s office, he worries to Yeager about risking people.  He agrees to send Torra and Kaz.  Neeku is packing his belongings and Kaz is surprised.  He takes CB-23 with him.  The pirates head to Celsor 3.  A pirate throws explosives to bring up the Jakoosk.  It passes overhead dwarfing the ships.  The concept is novel, we didn’t have in Battlestar Galactica the Colonials starving so they have to go kill a massive creature.  Originality points here, but we don’t get into the life cycle of the Jakoosk, what does it eat to get that size?  

STAR WARS: RESISTANCE -- “Hunt on Celsor 3” -- Disney/Lucasfilm. 

Kragan’s ship, the Galleon, reminds me of Space Captain Harlock’s pirate ship, Arcadia.  Kragan wants to blast the manta ray-like creature.  A Trandoshan pirate leaps from his ship before it is consumed by the beast.  Another ship is destroyed by the Jakoosk.  Kragan calls for a retreat convinced by Synara San (Nazneen Contractor).  The great beast is after Kragan’s ship so Kaz and Torra fire at its underbelly.  Synara is angry at Kragan, but the ships are able to leave.  At Aunt Z’s cantina, she asks Kragan about the Jakoosk, he blames the Aces.  Aunt Z tells the duo that she is leaving.  Torra tells her father with Kaz that the people are leaving.  At her quarters, Torra’s pet voorpak, Buggle, jumps at Kaz.  The voorpak was an unused prequel design by Terryl Whitlatch like a long legged ball of fur.  They work out a plan to attack the underside of the Jakoosk.  Kaz mentions a high-powered cannon that Tam was working on.  A convienent super weapon that happens to be lying around.  Kaz is flying when he Buggle jumps on him.  It seems out of behavior to have Buggle who has always stayed in Torra’s room suddenly slip into Kaz’s ship, but he is there as a complication. 

STAR WARS: RESISTANCE -- “Hunt on Celsor 3” -- Disney/Lucasfilm. 

The two ships land on a icy plateau.  Buggle jumps out at Kaz and then wanders off.  Kaz takes out the cannon.  They are in Hoth cold weather clothes.  Torra runs after Buggle, but something under her rumbles, a little Jakoosk?  Kaz is knocked off of the Jakoosk that flies away.  Two of the goofy pirates take with their ships.  Kaz powers up the cannon.  CB-23 holds up the wiring to the lost battery.  Torra finds the lost Buggles.  Kaz decides to use CB-23 as the battery.  The mouth of the Jakoosk hovers over Buggles.  Kaz fires the blast.  Kaz says to Torra it was “ja cooked.”  He calls Captain Doza to pick them up.  Synara has the pirates to apologize.  There are plates of the cooked Jakoosk given to everyone.  The oven at Aunt Z’s looks like Ronto’s Roasters.  Projected on the base ceiling is a hologram of the sky.  Kaz is surprised that Neeku has built it.  This is a good episode especially without the traitor Tam maybe she will be featured next episode.  I’m also struck with hoping that no one from Star Wars: Resistance shows up in Rise of Skywalker even as a voice cameo.  

Three Lightsabers out of Five!

#StarWarsResistance, #HuntonCelsor3, #GaryAnthonyWilliams, #NazneenContractor

Batwoman, “Down Down Down”, Review!

Alice has left a message that Kate finds on her motorcycle. She is troubled by a memory of walking to a basement as a little girl with the words of Alice in Wonderland.  She sees a box with some white form that causes her to scream and wake up as an adult.  Kate is looking at the note and wonders about her identity.  There is on the Batsignal, Alice making shadows with her hands, so Kate confronts her on the roof.  She gives Alice the challenge of not killing anyone to prove her identity to their father.  Alice says Beth has gone down, down, down the rabbit hole.  She shatters the Batsignal with a bat.  There is a Wayne Security commerical watched by a security guard in a booth, a truck breaks through a gate, and something wet splatters across the screen with the commercial.  This moves to two boxers sparring in an empty room, this flashes back to Sophie and her husband, Tyler.  He finds she is more aggressive and she knocks him down.  Sophie’s watch notes the commander wants to see her and she kisses her husband.  He is watching video of the escape.  She wants a special assignment. 

BATWOMAN -- “Down Down Down” --  RUBY ROSE -- Robert Falconer/The CW © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Vesper Fairchild, radio dj, notes that it is ten days since the last Batman sighting.  At her clinic, she gives a shot to a young patient, then wears a yellow dress before being confronted by Sophie.  Sophie has been made into Mary’s bodyguard.  Kate sees in her office Tommy Elliott (Gabriel Mann), who still wants to compete with his childhood friend, Bruce Wayne.  Tommy becomes the villain Hush and he first appeared in Batman #609 (2003).  He brings up the accident, but Kate is not fazed.  She reminds him that Batman saved his mother afterwards.  He wants give an invitation to Bruce Wayne.  Kate gets a call from Luke who shows her a crime scene looked over by Gotham P.D. officer.  She checks a device which Fox explains is a two way grappling hook.  A crowd of people gather to see a mannequin with the graffitti, “Come Out, Come Out, Batman.”  At Gotham University, the students hear Vesper calling for Batman.  Mary sees Sophie watching over her.  She tells her bodyguard that she is a med student studying Bio Chem.  Sophie asks Mary about Kate.  Mary tells her that Kate is not a Crow because of Sophie.  Luke shows Kate the uses of a Desert Eagle shot on the Batman armor.  It bounces off.  Great to see how the armor of the Batsuit works.  

Then, he shows her a rail gun, he fires it at the suit which tears open a hole.  This was developed by Wayne in case someone stole the Batsuit.  She shows Luke the Tommy Elliot invitation.  He wants Kate to put on the Batsuit.  She passes it up.  Alice prepares for the party in a Crow uniform.  She takes a drink and looks at the invitation of Mary before stepping on a photo.  Alice throws a knife killing a man.  Night, at the party, Kate walks in, in an elevator she sees Mary and Sophie, it is a tense meeting.  Kate gets a drink from the bartender, Reagan (Brianne Howey), and then sees Tyler working security.  He realizes that Sophie knew her in the academy.  Reagan picks up on the relationship dynamic.  A potential love interest?   She shares a drink with Kate before her father, Jacob, also sees her at the party.  Mary then sees her mother, Catherine.  Kate sees Tommy staring at the Wayne building below.  She drops that Wayne added a GPS tracker to the stolen rail gun.  Jacob gets a phone call from a violin played by Alice.  He gets the trace that she is in his house.  There are boxes, one is labeled Kate, Alice opens a red box to see a map.  Jacob tells Catherine that they have to leave with Sophie taking Mary and Tyler.  Tommy inspects the rail gun as Kate walks up.  He says he paid a man to “riddle him the answer” of Bruce Wayne’s identity.  Tommy wants revenge on Batman.  

BATWOMAN -- “Down Down Down” --  GABRIEL MANN, RUBY ROSE -- Robert Falconer/The CW © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

He pulls a gun on Kate and then uses his phone to hold the elevators in his building.  An elevator full of waiters crashes to the ground!  Is Tommy involved with Alice, a plan using multiple threats?  At the Elliott building, Kate sees a wounded waiter before running off.  Jacob and Catherine are free from the elevator.  Tyler asks Sophie about Kate in the academy.   Tyler and Sophie force open the elevator door and reach the top level before Mary is pulled out.  At the Bat Cave, Kate blames herself and wants to know if Bruce will return, Luke says no.  Mary checks on a woman waiter and finds that she needs medical attention.  Kate sprays red on the Batman suit, finally it is the Batwoman suit!  Tommy has the elevator control with the rail gun.  Batwoman appears on the roof.  It seems like Tommy and Alice are separate unless this is some elaborate plan.  Luke wants Batwoman to use her glove, but it is not charged.  Batwoman fights with Tommy.  He sets off the elevators.  Batwoman fires a grappel and Tommy crushes her hand.  He is knocked out by Alice.  She sees Batwoman and notes her red wig.  This is an interesting development with Alice and it looks like Catherine has some connection to her.  A few more episodes before we get Crisis on Infinite Earths!  

Four Batarangs out of Five!   

#Batwoman, #DownDownDown, #BrianneHowey, #GabrielMann 

Star Wars: Resistance, “Live Fire”, Review!

The Colossus Base is now refueld and jumped escaping the First Order.  In space, the pilots of the Aces are at a bar.  Hype Fazon (Donald Faison), the cocky Rodian (the Greedo-like alien) enters seeing the state of his fellow pilots.  Hype is the focus of this episode.  One of the depressed Aces is Freya Fenris (Mary Elizabeth McGlynn) who has the blond, Danish hair braids and speaks with a Russian accent. Sitting sitting to Freya is Torra Doza agrees with her.  Grey-haired Ace with a TIE fighter chestpiece, Griff Haloran (Stephen Stanton) notes that the First Order like the Empire is persistent.  Captain Doza is there and notes that they need combat drills.  He introduces their squadron leader, Yeager, and new member, Kaz!  I like the addition of Yeager.  The composition of the Aces seem to be an assortment of people across the galaxy.  Kaz is happy, but his fellow Aces don’t agree. 

 STAR WARS: RESISTANCE -- “Live Fire” -- Disney/Lucasfilm.  

Tam rushes along with Rucklin down a corridor with their TIE fighter pilot helmets.  Their lateness is dressed down by Lt. Galek (Christine Dunford).  She sends them to their fighters. This is a nice contrast to have the training of Resistance and First Order pilots.  Bucket meets with droids as the Aces meet at a table.  Yeager addresses the group and notes an exercise at an ice moon with stun blasts.  Kaz and Yeager against all of the Aces.  The Aces are individuals not thinking like a group.  Yeager and Kaz are coordinated.  Kaz takes out one Ace.  Torra suggests they work as a group.  Hype gets in the way of Torra.  Yeager coordinates with Kaz to get rid of his tail.  They fly past ice columns.  Hype is eliminated by Yeager.  Later, Yeager says he was thinking like a racer.  At Aunt Z’s cantina, Hype speaks with his droid and gets a drink from Aunt Z.  He is met by Kaz.  Hype shows Kaz his twitching antennae which he says shows he is upset.  Then, Torra joins him and admits she is scared.  She wants Hype as her wingman.  The Star Destroyer, three X-Wings  (drones) are dispatched as Lt. Galek notes that it is a live fire exercise.  Tam destroys one and Rucklin another X-Wing.  

 STAR WARS: RESISTANCE -- “Live Fire” -- Disney/Lucasfilm.  

They try to blast the X-Wing, but disable a TIE fighter.  Tam bumps away the TIE fighter at the last minute.  Lt. Galek stops the exercise.  At the table, Yeager wants the Aces to pair up.  Hype enters with a flourish.  Yeager teams up Hype with Kaz.  At the ice moon, the Aces fly, Kaz and Hype flip through ice columns.  Some creature stirs from the ice blasted by Torra.  Griff and Torra work together.  The ice beast rises up, a creature like a manta ray with big, nasty teeth.  The giant, flying beast is after Hype with the other Aces blasting at it.  Yeager calls for the Aces to break up, his ship is caught in its bottom legs.  Hype gets Kaz to blast the ice pillars.  All of the Aces work together to blast a pillar on Hype’s command.  It crushes the creature and Yeager escapes.  He congradulates the team and they head back.  The TIE fighters reach the hangar.  Lt. Galek takes away squad leader from Tam for saving an inferior pilot. Everyone celebrates at the table.  Hype gives a cheer to his wingmates and welcomes in Kaz.  Neeku is happy, really not in this episode, Kaz hugs Hype.   A fun, action based episode!  

Four Lightsabers out of Five! 

#StarWarsResistance, #LiveFire, #DonaldFaison, #StephenStanton

Zombieland: Double Tap Review!

Zombieland: Double Tap is a return to a world of zombies, movies and tv shows, and stand out from them by giving us the quartet of fun characters to go for the best zombie kills with some laughs!  It has been ten years since the original Zombieland.  There is also the return of the original director, Ruben Fleischer, in the period between films directed Gangster Squad (2013), episodes of Santa Clarita Diet, and Venom (2018) which had a surprise cameo by Woody Harrelson.  It also features Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, writers of Deadpool (2016),  coming back to co-write the new film with Dave Callaham.  

The film opens with some zombie attacks and narration by our hero, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg).  Zombieland is now the world.  This opening establishes the mix of R-rated horror and comedy with Columbus identifying the various types of zombies.  Then, it is back with our favorite Zombielanders as they walk a field of dead grass in front of the White House.  We have Columbus, an almost mentor figure in Tallahassee (Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin).  It appears that Harrelson is having the most fun slipping into Tallahassee’s boots.  

It struck me that the duo of Columbus and Tallahassee reminds me of the comic book, Archer and Armstrong.  The latter is immortal, so he’s very worldly, and now turned bulky like Porthos, and Archer, is a young, naive kid whose near-death experience has given him deadly skill with a crossbow pistol.  They battle the zombies, which Columbus calls zees, and take the White House!  The Zombielanders bring in all of the national treasures and their own favorite things like a Bob’s Big Boy.  

There have been a number of comedies that are apocalyptic comedies like Idiocracy (2006), but the White House here is just to have fun with our Zombielanders instead of what happened to the occupants, most likely turned into zombies.  There doesn’t seem to be any defense of the White House, everyone seems to be turned into a zombie and walked out.  It seemed like a potential for more satire.  They start to settle in the White House, minor spoilers here!, one of the brilliant send ups is Columbus reading Walking Dead #25, the comic book, and Wichita also finds it “unrealistic”, very funny.  Still their relationship becomes tense with Columbus’ proposal complete with the Hope Diamond!  

The domestic life is also not easy on Little Rock who wants to have her own relationshi and constantly has Tallahassee treating her as a little kid.   He does give Little Rock the Colt .45 that Elvis gave to President Nixon.  This ends up with Wichita leaving with Little Rock in the Beast, a car modified by Tallahassee with a Gatling-type machine gun on the roof.  Columbus finds out they left with Wichitka’s note.  Tallahassee notes that it has been a month and Columbus is still moping over Wichitka leaving him.  

They are at a mall when Columbus leaves Tallahassee talking about his Native American heritage heading off on his Sedgeway.  He goes to a candle shop and is startled by what he thinks is a zombie.  Instead, Columbus meets with a blonde who introduces herself as Madison.  She is played by Zoey Deutch who also starred in Vampire Academy (2014) and comedy films including Set It Up (2018).  Madison explains that she has survived by hiding in a freezer.  Tallahassee describes her best “cuz zombies eat brains and she ain’t got any.”  This is in the trailer and it still makes me laugh.  The funny part is that the ditzy characters are usually played by intelligent actors.  Madison is a great addition to the Zombieland cast.  

Columbus is easily seduced by her and then a noise at the White House alerts him to Wichita picking up weapons.  She has returned because her road trip with Little Rock ended up with a hippie named Berkeley (Avan Jogia).  He is in this year’s Shaft and stars in the Now Apocalypse series.  Jogia doesn’t bring fun to the part.  Little Rock convinces Berkeley to go to Graceland and left Wichita behind.  They are united to finding Little Rock and Tallahassee has to settle with taking Wichita’s minivan to Graceland.  

Wichita has also heard of a new strain of zombies that are near indestructible.  The group including Madison stop at a freeway and Tallahassee has spotted a recreation vehicle.  He hopes to drive to Graceland in style.  Columbus passes up the ice cream truck because he doesn’t like clowns.  The RV though has an alarm so everyone goes into zombie kill mode.  Tallahassee double taps the last zombie, but it is one of the evolved zombies, dubbed by Columbus a T-800, after the Terminator.  

They end up in the minivan, but Madison starts to get sick, infected by the zombies.  Columbus takes her to the woods and returns without her.  The Graceland quest is over, but everyone is disappointed that it is now in abandoned ruins, and no Little Rock.  They drive on and find a neon-lit Hound Dog Hotel.  This is a paradise for Tallahassee, filled with Elvis memorabilia, apparently moved from Graceland.  It would just be wrong if the real Graceland was the scene of a zombie battle.  They find the hotel’s owner, Nevada (Rosario Dawson), is an Elvis fan and the perfect match for Tallahassee.  

They are also met by a duo who have a striking resemblence, the tough Albuquerque (Luke Wilson) and the rules obsessed Flagstaff (Thomas Middleditch).  Little Rock and Berkeley have continued on, he is insistant that they move on to a commune called Babylon.  It has a large hotel tower. They are told that their guns are not allowed and melted down into medallions.  The Zombielanders have to reach Babylon and somehow deal with the T-800 zombies!  The humor lightens up the horror perfectly with the usual fascination of how zombies can be killed in the most creative ways.  A fun movie for Halloween, it is a scare zone at Universal Studios Horror Nights, and Zombieland fans!    

Four T-800s out of Five! 

#ZombielandDoubleTap, #RubenFleischer, #JesseEisenberg, #WoodyHarrelson, #EmmaStone, #AbigailBreslin, #ZoeyDeutch 

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Allegiance #2 Review!

The trailer for Rise of Skywalker has dropped and also the second issue for Allegiance!   The connecting cover by Marco Checchetto features Kylo Ren, a stormtrooper helmet looming behind him, and General Hux below him, C-3PO and R2-D2 (it must be to fit them in), and TIE fighters blasting!  The second issue features the chapter title, “Troubled Waters” to go Simon and Garfunkel.  It is written by Ethan Sacks with art by Luke Ross.  The debt that General Leia is fulfilling has the members of the Resistance at Dac City.  The former allies of the Rebellion are now hostile towards the Resistance.  Chewbacca picks up a squid-like Quarren and Rose (I think) has her blaster out.  A little back story, the Quarren share the world with the Mon Calamari (this was set up by the role-playing game) and shown in the three-part Clone Wars episodes, “Water War”, “Gungan Attack”, and “Prisoners.”  There Captain Ackbar defended Prince Lee-Char who unites his people.  

The hostilities are calmed down by the presence of Aftab, the son of Ackbar!, love it! I hope he shows up in Rise of Skywalker.  Then, we get an impressive splash page as Aftab and Leia are in the Mourning Shrines of Mon Cala.  Large statues of Mon Calamari are underwater as we see some coral, nice image.  In a submarine, very Phantom Menace, Rey notes that C-3PO has a talent for saying inappropriate words.  She is there with Rose and Chewbacca.  Rose worries about Finn and this shifts us to the Moon of Avedot.  A mountainous base with a strange clunky ship that is piloted by the Kendoh Gang.  They are after the bounty on Finn.  In the base is Finn, Poe, and BB- with Resistance members checking out a rusty snowspeeder.  Poe goes to check on the weapons promised by his contact.  Finn sets a guard who is taken out by the burly Wooro.  This moves to the shipyards of Fondor.  This was a well known shipyard that showed up in the Legends book, Han Solo at Star’s End (1979).  It manufactured Star Destroyers including the Executor.  

It is a ringed shipyard above an industrial planet, but surrounded now by Star Destroyers.  A Fondor official is bloody and is accused of treason by Kylo Ren.  Of course, he uses his lightsaber for the sentence.  Here’s the part that is troubling, if the First Order destroys planets and people, and takes out potential allies like the shipyards, then how does it resupply and find resources?  Kylo Ren’s plan seems too simplistic and not long term.  Back at Dac City, I would like to see it in Rise of Skywalker, though it is canon with Clone Wars.  Aftab takes General Leia to meet iwth the king of Mon Cala.  She tells Rey and the others to wait behind so there won’t be too many off-worlders.  They enter the throne room of King Ech-Char who has medical tubes in his throne chair which looks like the scoop-like chairs of Kamino.  The Quarren general Nossor argues against supplying the Resistance with ships.  King Ech-Char convenes the meeting until the next day.  Back at the Moon of Avedot, Finn finds the posted guard now blasts at them as he shapeshifts back as a Clawdite.  The same species as the assassin Zam Wessell.  This Remex from Galaxy’s Edge and also Kendoh who both cold-blooded kill Resistance members, this makes them uninteresting characters not in the spirit of Star Wars to me.   

Poe has found the weapons, which looks like on crate of blaster rifles, while Finn leaps in blasting the door.  He has a plan since the killers don’t know about Poe.  Back at Dac City, Rey, Rose, and Chewbacca are loading crates to the Millennium Falcon.  then, they are confronted with Quarren carrying batons.  Rey holds out her hand bringing her staff using the Force, very cool.  She takes out a Quarren while Chewbacca goes all Wookie on them.  Rey takes on hordes of the Quarren, she seems to use a new Force power, spinning her staff  with the Force.  It seems like the fight is observed by other eyes.   I wonder if the sea in the Rise of Skywalker trailer is Mon Cala.  It may be another planet.  I like the new characters introduced here.  I lost interest in Remex, he was fun in Galaxy’s Edge, but lapses into a non-Star Wars character just like the doctor, scientist, archeologist, murderer and the serial killer robots. Again, it looks like Sacks is too in love with his characters to make them the main characters next to Rey and Poe instead of bringing in new characters.  

Three Lightsabers out of Five!  

#JourneytoStarWarsTheRiseofSkywalkerAllegiance, #Aftab, #GeneralNossor, #Fondor

The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Cinema!

It seems controversial with filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and now Francis Ford Coppola speaking about the MCU films.  Their position is film as cinema.  Scorsese’s interview with Empire magazine explains, “Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”  This is a separation from entertainment films and cinema to what I think is like best seller books and literature.  Either one has validity in the eyes of the audience, but there has to be understanding on how they work.  

Coppola explained to Yahoo!, “When Martin Scorsese says that the Marvel pictures are not cinema, he's right because we expect to learn something from cinema, we expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration.”  On the other hand, filmmaker Kevin Smith attaches meaning through pop culture and what the MCU movies provide which he mentions in a Hollywood Reporter interview, “These [Marvel] movies come from a core. They come from a happy childhood. And they’re reflections of a happy childhood. He’s not wrong, but at the same time, neither are we for loving those movies.”  Smith continued that he thinks the movies of the MCU are cinema.  

Scorsese and Coppola are virtuosos of cinema and their films are outstanding pieces of cinema.  I think what came out was that there is a movement towards considering MCU and films of the superhero genre as cinema.  As a whole, I think Coppola and Scorsese are right, they are not about the human condition.  So, this is where I think the evaluation may not be valid.  Black Panther.  Let’s look at Scorsese said cinema should provide, “emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”  At its simplest, T’Challa’s story is to understand his place with his father gone, and how to integrate his people, his world, with the rest of the world.  This theme may not be strong, but it is an issue that we struggle with as human beings.  

Jamal Smith in his Time magazine article said, “It’s a movie about what it means to be black in both America and Africa—and, more broadly, in the world.”  A powerful message and tied to it is the film's impact, not in terms of box office, but the movie itself with a mostly black cast and filmmakers.  Tambay Oberson in a December 13, 2018 Indie Wire article noted, “`Black Panther’ is a game changer. With over $1.3 billion worldwide, it shattered the long-standing, fallacious belief that black films don’t sell overseas.”  If it takes a MCU film to accomplish this feat, then all the better.  Black Panther is an exception and a benchmark for other superhero movies.  

Black Panther aside, I consider the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, not as theme parks rides, but as McDonald’s.  Scorsese’s comparison may be correct with Disney’s California Adventure creating a MCU themed land based on the movies.  Theme parks are great entertainment, a feel-good experience that doesn’t change your life or reflect on it, EPCOT would be closest in providing educational value.  I have almost a lifetime of reading comic books.  I always wanted them to come to the movie screen.  What was a niche entertainment is now opened to world wide audienes.  The downside of course is that there is not an uptick to the comic book readership.  There are Free Comic Book Days and other promotions to interest television and movie audiences to become readers, but there is very little cross-over appeal.  This in a way proves the point of Scorsese and Coppola.  

So let’s get back to my comparison, McDonald’s, a meal that you consume, but it’s eat and forget.  An excellent meal you remember for a day or more, flavors that you savor for some time, I still remember a few meals I’ve had, the same way with some films.  I think what serious cinema-philes react to is the factory quality of the MCU movies.  They are created to have the broadest appeal.  Take for instance, Spider-Man, the recent Spidey films eliminated Uncle Ben and the central part of the character, “With Great Power Comes Great Responsiblity.”  This is set aside because filmmakers want to focus more on the fun and action of the character and not dwell too much on the death of Uncle Ben.  A second example is Tony Stark’s alcoholism, this does not fit within the Disney framework, but was a great part of Iron Man’s character from the well known storyline, “Demon in a Bottle.”  When the MCU is ready to deal with very human flaws, then it will start to make in roads to making cinema.   

#MarvelCinematicUniverse, #MartinScorsese, #FrancisFordCoppola, #KevinSmith 

Avengers: Damage Control Review!

The Void has virtual reality experiences with Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire and now Avengers: Damage Control which opened on October 18th.  I went to the Void location at Downtown Disney, there was a line to get in and then a wait, so be prepared for some wait time.  Once you sign in, you use some Doctor Strange gestures to open the entrance.  Then, you stand against a wall to watch a video of Shuri (Letitia Wright), the sister to Black Panther, who greets all of your group.  Next, she explains that using Stark technology she was created the E.R.S. (Emergency Response Suit) armor prototypes.  Then, you get in your vest and helmet, I still have to get used to wearing them, and adjusting the buckles and helmet.  You are taken to a room where you can see the E.R.S. armor around your hands and body with your scanned name on the armor.  

Next, you test your armor with the blasts, extending your hands, a powerful blast with both hands, and a shield to charge up your energy, holding up your arms.  This is shown at the Tactical Guide cards at the sign-in.  Again, there is a wait in the room, but the experience is longer than Secrets of the Empire.  You also get the voices of the MCU actors, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Doctor Strange, and the voices of Evangeline Lilly and Paul Rudd as Wasp and Ant-Man.  The E.R.S. armor allows you to fight alongside the Avengers.  You walk into the Sanctum Sanctorum of Doctor Strange, past a snowy window, and the winding paths to speak with Doctor Strange.  You load into two shuttles to fly towards a Helicarrier.  We also get the voices of other Avengers, no spoilers here, who are in the fight.  I was constantly hit in the back since all my attention was on the front with the attackers.  This is the ultimate MCU experience with battles that require all of your team to work together.  Avengers: Damage Control is at The Void for a limited time so check the website for reservations and availability.   

#AvengersDamageControl, #TheVoid, #LetitiaWright, #BenedictCumberbatch, #EvangelineLilly, #PaulRudd   

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Allegiance #1 Review!

The roll-out to Rise of Skywalker includes this Marvel Comic limited series.  The comic is written by Ethan Sacks who wrote the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge limited series.  It introduced the shapeshifter Remex and his leader, Kendoh, who happen to have a cameo here.  This is a weakness to bring over characters to readers who have not read the earlier series.  The art is by Luke Ross who worked on the adaptations of The Force Awakens and Thrawn for Marvel.  The cover is by Marco Checchetto which is connects over the series.  It features the trio of General Leia, Admiral Acbar, and Rose Tico next to the Millennium Falcon and Rey facing a beastie.  It has the classic Star Wars opening featuring the title “An Old Hope.”  The comic opens on the planet Tah’Nuhna.  It features the icy palace of the centipede-like Tah’nuhna as narration explains that they are peaceful.  The soft green of the ice world is reflected in the cover’s colors.  Then, we get the appearance of the Finalizer and First Order Star Destroyers above the planet! 

The Tah’Nuhna ruler pleads for the neutrality of the planet and General Hux notes that a Resistance transmission was traced there.  The Star Destroyers fire their cannons on the planet, snowtroopers blast survivors, and TIE bombers unleash the power of the First Order.  The loss of innocents without a Resistance response shows the situation between the two powers.  Also, it returns General Hux as a threat instead of a Last Jedi goofball.  The ruler tries to send an emergency call, but is cut off by the explosions.  Watching in horror is Lieutenant Connix.  She rushes over in a breath mask to the Resistance Camp, a series of diamond-shaped domes, on Anoat, the garbage planet.  She sees in the command center General Leia with C-3PO and R2-D2 to inform her about the destruction.  Threepio notes that the Tah’Nuhna gave them supplies after Crait (in Last Jedi).   There is a General Jonato, who looks husky with a mustache, who says that Anoat’s pollution has hidden them.  Also, he suspects that the First Order will track them to the planet.  They need more for their war effort against the First Order. 

General Leia explains that Vi Moradi is looking for a base, she is of course on Batuu, Galaxy’s Edge.  Snap Wexley, the pilot, is looking for ships.  Finn and Poe are searching for weapons.  General Leia gives the order to ready the Millennium Falcon.  General Jonato argues against Leia risking herself.  She asks Rose, Threepio, Artoo to join her on the task.  Leia also needs a pilot.  So we shift to massive Anoatian Pit Beast facing Rey with her staff and breath mask.  It looks a bit like the Reek from Attack of the Clones, but with a fanged face instead of horns, so very Star Wars.  The creature is vicious and Rey is just able to get away from it.  Rey tries to use the Force to bring heavy machinery down on it.  A few pieces strike it and Rey says she is having trouble focusing.  She converses with the beastie and tries to use the Force to connect with it, but fails.  It is chased away by the appearance of the Millennium Falcon.  This is interesting where we find Rey, an encounter with a creature, but no hints at the Skywalker part of the title.  General Organa meets with Rey and explains they don’t have a mission, but a “task.”   

This shifts to the Wayward Comet Refueling Station where Finn is being knocked down by a brawler.   BB-8 is there and Finn is thrown back into the fight.  Poe, disguised in a robe, sends BB-8 to help with the struggle.  This part of the comic is colored pink from the cantina light.  In silhouette while the fight continues, Poe tells Finn that he has found weapons on the moon of Avedot.  A woman informs Finn’s presence on a comlink and her face shifts.  The information is sent to General Hux on the Finalizer.  The lieutnenat relaying the information is shocked at the appearance of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.  He follows the lead of the informant and Hux is also shocked by the supreme leader.  The Millennium Falcon lands on Dac City, the Mon Calamari homeworld of Mon Cala.  Leia mentions an “old debt” which must refer to Admiral Ackbar.  They do not get the reception they may be expecting!  There are some good moments here that bring us up to date before Rise of Skwalker.  In my experience, I think the material before the movie, doesn’t spoil it.  

Three Lightsabers out of Five!  

   

#JourneytoRiseofSkywalkerAllegiance, #EthanSacks, #LukeRoss, #MarcoChecchetto