Happy Birthday Gal Gadot!

Happy Birthday Gal Gadot!  One of her earlier film roles was as Gisele Yashar in Fast & Furious (2009).  It was fourth movie in the action movie franchise directed by Justin Lin.  Then, she played Naomi in the action comedy Knight and Day (2010).  Gadot continued racing with Fast Five (2011) before her character reached the finish line in Fast & Furious 6 (2013).  She played Natanya in the comedy Date Night (2010).  Gal Gadot’s defining role was as Wonder Woman in Beavis.  Next, Gadot played Jill Pope, the wife of Ryan Reynold’s character in the action film, Criminal (2016).  Gadot returned to comedy as Natalie Jones, as the mysterious neighbor, in Keeping Up with the Jones (2016).  In October 2016, she attended the United Nations Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls inducting briefly Wonder Woman.  She appeared with Lynda Carter and director Patty Jenkins.    

Everything of course changed when she returned as Diana in Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman (2017).  The film brought in $821 million world wide and showed the break out success of a female superhero lead.  Gadot later returned as Wonder Woman, as leader of legendary heroes in Justice League (2017).  In 2018, Gadot voiced Shank, the race car driver in Slaughter Race in the animated sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet.  Gadot sings along with Sarah Silverman in the song, “A Place Called Slaughter Race.”  Next year, she returns to the role of Wonder Woman in the slightly delayed Wonder Woman 1984!  She of course appeared as Wonder Woman in Zack Snyder's Justice League.  Gadot also has upcoming the action movie Red Notice.  She is also playing Linnet Ridgeway Doyle in the next film for Kenneth Branagh.  This is Death on the Nile, the sequel to the Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot mysteries.  It has a release date of February 22nd next year.  Happy Birthday Gal Gadot!

#GalGadot, #Fast&Furious, #WonderWoman1984, #DeathontheNile

Happy Birthday Michelle Pfeiffer!

Happy Birthday Michelle Pfeiffer!  She started acting in television playing Athena in an 1978 episode of Fantasy Island.  Her first film lead was as Stephanie in Grease 2 (1982). Pfeiffer gained recognition as Elvira Hancock in Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983).  Her early genre part was as Isabeau in the fantasy movie, Ladyhawke (1985). Then, she was in the George Miller horror comedy, The Witches of Eastwick (1987), adapting the John Updike novel.  Pfeiffer was then in the sci fi comedy Amazon Women on the Moon (1987).  She gained some recognition playing Madame de Tourvel in Dangeous Liasions (1988).  Pfeiffer  also had critical acclaim as lounge singer, Susie Diamond, in The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989). Pfeiffer produced and starred in the drama Love Field (1992).  She was also sensational as Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992).  

Michelle Pfeiffer also starred in the Martin Scorsese drama, The Age of Innocence (1993) based on the novel by Edith Wharton.  In 1994, she starred in the horror movie, Wolf.  Then, she produced and starred in Dangerous Minds (1995).  Pfeiffer voiced Tzipportah in the animated movie, The Prince of Egypt (1998).  Next, Pfeiffer was in the horror movie, What Lies Beneath (2000).  She was also the voice actor for Eris in Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003).  The fantasy film, Stardust (2007), starred Pfeiffer, based on the Neil Gaiman novel.  Elizabeth Collins Stoddard was played by Pfeiffer in Dark Shadows (2012).  One of Pfeiffer’s incredible performances was as Caroline Hubbard in Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, Murder on the Orient Express (2017).  Pfeiffer entered the MCU as Janet Van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) and then returned to play the character in Avengers: Endgame (2019).  Also in 2019, Pfeiffer starred as Queen Ingrith in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.  She was in the comedy, French Exit (2020).  Upcoming, Pfeiffer will be in Ant-man and the Wasp: Quantumania!  Happy Birthday Michelle Pfeiffer!  

#MichellePfeiffer, #Ladyhawke, #MurderontheOrientExpress, #AntManandtheWasp

Kingdom Kong Review!

Legendary has produced graphic novels that connect to the Monsterverse franchise.  In this case of course, Kingdom Kong, for Godzilla vs. Kong!  The graphic novel features a cover by Arthur Adams, he was known for Godzilla artwork, with Kong in a power pose with battle wounds; patches of missing fur and a claw mark on his chest, on a Skull Island beach.  Writer, Marie Anello, is a singer and actress.  ZID has worked on the previously Monsterverse title, Skull Island: Birth of Kong (2017), it was collected into a graphic novel.  The story dealt with the son of Houston Brooks, the character from Kong: Skull Island (2017) Aaron traveling to the island of Kong.  It opens at Camp Pendleton South, the southwest part of the Marine base, 2019.  I think this is about the same time as Godzilla: King of the Monsters.  ZID’s artwork has an almost photo realistic, painterly quality.  Audrey Burns is there with fellow pilot, Tam Nassar, and we get on her locker, a photo of the two graduating.  

This shifts to the current day with Audrey staring at the photo in “International Airspace.”  Captain Burns is meeting with fellow pilots; Gibson, Diggs, Zuniga, and Nomura.  They all look like distinctive likenesses of actors.  The conversation goes to Audrey having flown in two years, the earlier time may have dark consquences.  Colonel Johanna Edwards arrives and briefs the group on the Skull Island mission.  She explains the intraterrestrial exploration into the Hollow Earth, the birth place of the Titans.  Edwards turns over the briefing to Houston Brooks who explains that a Hollow Earth entrance was sealed in 2012. Brooks brings up the Gravitational Inversion Boundary (G.I.B.) which was shown in Godzilla vs. Kong.  This suddenly shifts to Skull Island, no approach, no plan on how to deal with Kong.  Two groups of soldiers, Delgado who sees the coming of a storm, and Wallace who sees a spectral form come from it.  Out comes a giant, luminous tiger with antlers(?), the Spirit Tiger.  

Cooper tries to shoot the massive Spirit Tiger, but it does not end well.  Wallace tries to escape as Houston in the helicopter tries to reach him.  He says a prayer and as the Spirit Tiger is about to pounce - he is snatched up a giant, furred paw.  King Kong, much larger than he was in Kong: Skull Island, roars and defeats the beast!  The helicopter has landed and Houston watches Kong, ruler of Skull Island.  Edwards on crutches checks on Audrey.  She says that the scientists think that Skull Island’s geography is like the Hollow Earth.  I’m not certain why the other Titans are not drawn to the island.  Audrey is separated from the other members and Edwards brings up Captain Nassar.  We can see that her closeness with Tam also has a pain with her friend in a coma.  Audrey is about to attacked by some cat-like beastie, but it is shot by Gibson.  Covered in the creature’s saliva, Audrey is shell shocked, flashing back to Tam’s jet crash.  The team continues, but Audrey sees overhead the Mother Longlegs that was in Kong: Skull Island.  She unloads her rifle at the underbelly of the giant spider and it crashes down exterminated!  

Houston argues with the base that they need more time.  We move back to Kong and he is chewing tentacles from a Mire Squid, another inhabitant of Kong: Skull Island, then he lifts a tree trunk from a tiny Sker Buffalo also from the Kong movie.  My favorite from these movies, just a strange kaiju that is a gentle herbivore.  It is nice that we have a simliar eco system, the Spirit Tiger with glowing skin, seems like a strange addition.  The helicopter encounters swarms of psychovultures, every beastie is classified by Monarch.  Kong takes on the psychovultures, a tree branch is set on fire (not certain how) and Kong uses it to bash the bat-like creatures.  Houston has seen enough and has the helicopter return to base.  There, we get Audrey asleep and flashes back to the nightmare encounter with the jets and what happened to Tam Nassar.  Over a burning city, Tam is hunting the kaiju that caused the destruction.  It reveals itself, a demonic, bat-like Titan, the Camazotz. This is a beastie from Mayan mythology, also in cryptozoology, it’s name is translated as “death bat.”   Tam crashes after engaging the Camazotz.  This is the rival that Audrey and Kong have to face.  Audrey has to pilot a drone to test the G.I.B.  There is a brief intro to Jia, the lil’ girl in Godzilla vs. Kong!  Kingdom Kong fills in the gaps to what King Kong was up to since the last movie, also details the Monsterverse world, and while some things are a little confusing, there is plenty of kaiju battles!  

Three G.I.B. Drones out of Five! 

#KingdomKong, #MarieAnello, #Zid, #AudreyBurns, #HoustonBrooks.  

Mortal Kombat Review!

Mortal Kombat is some nice fighting mixed with the world building of the game and more grounded than the fantasy aspects!  It is of course based on the video game from 1992 by  Ed Boon and John Tobias. Of course, there is the 1995 Mortal Kombat film which had the best soundtrack by George S. Clinton and EDM songs.  Then, there was animated films before this movie with first time director, Simon McQuoid.  The story is co-written by Oren Uziel, writer of an episode of Mortal Kombat: Legacy tv series, and Greg Russo, also his first movie. Russo co-wrote the screenplay with Dave Callaham, he co-wrote the horror sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap (2019).  The music here is by Benjamin Wallfish, who also worked on the tense score for The Invisible Man (2020).  It still needs some EDM, maybe not the same songs, but something EDM in the soundtrack.  The film is currently in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.  It opens with a woman, Harumi, tending to her garden as her husband, Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada), walks up.  Sanada had a stunning performance as Ujio in The Last Samurai (2003) and he was Musashi in the sci fi series, Westworld. He is there with his son, Jubei (Ren Miyagawa).

The boy hears a baby crying, his sister, in the house and goes to check on her.  There are guards that wander the area around the house.  Hanzo says some words of endearment to Harumi before taking a bucket to fill it with water.  Harumi returns to her gardening using a dagger, kunai, as a tool.  She goes in to help with the crying baby.  There is a scream and a sword cutting through the paper and wood wall.  The killer (Joe Talsim) enters speaking Chinese, then asks Harumi in Japanese about Hanzo.  Talsim was in the action movie, The Raid: Redemption (2011), which gives him instant fighting cred and he was also Li Yong in the action show, Warrior   The killer sees ice form on his hand and turns the ice into shards.  Hanzo has filled up the bucket, but hears his wife scream!  Hanzo returns to his home only to find his wife holding his son covered in ice with an icicle piercing her back.  He doesn’t have time to mourn as swordsmen approach.  Hanzo makes violent work with his sword and throws it end an invader to his house.  Then, he takes his wife’s kunai and ties a rope to it to make a deadly weapon!  Hanzo calls out to his family’s murderer, Bi-Han, and finds him quietly sitting on a stone.  

Bi-Han wants to destroy Hanzo’s clan, the Shirai Ryu, Lin Kuei.  He says to Bi-Han to remember his face.  The two opponents fight and Bi-Han ends up stabbing Hanzo with the kunai.  Hanzo revives hearing the cries of his daughter and tries to pull himself over to the house.  He is not able to reach her and dies, his body becomes covered in flames, and turns to ashes.  It starts to rain and then there is lightning bolt striking the ground.  Fans of Mortal Kombat know that this is Lord Raiden Tadanobu Asano.  Hogun in Thor: Ragnarok (2017)  this year, action comedy sequel, Detective Chinatown 3.  He has the hat, robes, and glowing eyes.  Raiden finds the child in the hiding place under the house floor and takes her away summoning a lightning bolt.  There is some explaination of the Mortal Kombat tournaments and Outworlds, but this repeated later and not too helpful here.  It does say the champions will be united by “Hanzo Hasashi’s blood.”  Then, we see the fists of a fighter, Cole Young (Lewis Tan).  The actors is Lu Xin Lee in Wu Assassins and he played Kung Jin in a 2015 episode of Mortal Kombat X: Generations.  Cole is a new character for Mortal Kombat.  He is a fighter, but hasn't mastered his fighting technique, a classic martial arts character.

Cole’s wife, Allison (Laura Brent) helps wrap his hands.  Brent played Ruby Price in Winchester (2018) and Dahlia in Legend of the Seeker.  He has a fight set up and points out his corner man, his daughter, Emily (Matilda Kimber).  This is Kimber’s first movie.  Allison doesn’t want to watch the fight.  The crowds roar as Cole fights his rival, Ramirez (Ian Streetz), in the MMA ring. Emily tells Cole to use his uppercut.  Walking into to watch the fight is Jax (Mehcad Brooks), he was James Olden in Supergirl and starred in the thriller, A Fall from Grace (2020).  It is a bloody fight and ends in Cole’s defeat.  This is bold to have a Mortal Kombat who doesn’t start out as a champion.  This shifts to the desert world of Outworld, not the garish, hell scape of the 1995 movie, a masked warrior walks a rocky outcropping.  Then, reaches the stone throne of Shang Tsung (Chin Han).  The actor was in the action movie, Skyscraper (2018) and also was in the superhero show, Arrow.  The ruler of Outworld is not a perfectly over-the-top villain, more restrained here.  Shang sends out the warrior, Bi-Han, to defeat Earth’s champions and he says his name now is Sub Zero!  After the fight, Cole sees a red-tinged flash of a vision, and then meets with his daughter. 

Emily has made a strength bracelet for him, a very personal moment for this fight movie, it really gives the right touch for me.  Jax introduces himself and then brings up Cole’s dragon tatoo.  The family meets for dinner with Jax watching over them.  Some snow starts to fall.  The table starts to freeze and we have the arrival of Sub-Zero!  Jax drives up in his truck while Sub-Zero brings the ice slamming down.  He informs his contact, Sonya, about saving the family and shows Cole his dragon tatoo.  Jax turns the truck into alley, but evil Elsa is facing them.  He tells Cole to take his family and drive away in his truck.  Jax tells Cole to find Sonya Blade in Gary, Indiana.  He takes a rifle to hunt Sub-Zero.  There is also the scene where Sub-Zero slows the blast of Jax’s rifle and they fight.  Sub-Zero freezes Jax’s arms and shatters them before dropping him to the next level of a warehouse.  Cole leaves his family at a motel for their safety.  At Outworld, the warrior Mileena (Sisi Stringer) meets with Shang Tsung.  Stringer was in the horror remake, Children of the Corn (2020) and a cameo in the movie, Bloody Hell (2020).  She reports Sub-Zero has defeated a champion, but wonders about Lord Raiden, Shang tells her to send the reptilian Syzoth.  

Cole reaches a junkyard of boats and he is knocked down by Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee).  She was in the horror films, The Meg (2018) and Black Water: Abyss (2020).  Sonya brings Cole into her trailer park home.  Cole notices her pictures with Jax when they were in the military.  She shows him her wall of the dragon markings.  Jax had defeated a champion and the marking moved to him.  All of this exposition basically explains everything in the opening so it’s just a repeat. Sonya does not have a dragon tattoo.  They are interrupted by Kano (Josh Lawson) tied down in a chair.  Lawson was in the comedy show, Superstore, and also Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013).  Kano is a rough around the edges mercenary who is quick with some off color comments.  Of course this unlikely trio is confronted by another of Outworld’s champions and they have to find Lord Raiden and his champions; Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) and Kung Lao (Max Huang).  Lin was Zack, The Black Ranger, in Power Rangers (2017) and also Captain Murk in Aquaman (2018).  Huang was in the action fantasy movie, Time Raiders (2016) and performed stunts for Kinsman: The Secret Service (2014).  Kung goes all Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976) with his metal hat.  Cole has to find his power to take on Outworld and the past is revealed.  Mortal Kombat has some bloody fatalities with some energetic fights, video game touches, but is ultimately a story about family!  "Test your might!"  

Four Kunais out of Five! 

#MortalKombat, #SimonMcQuoid, #LewisTan, #JessicaMcNamee, #JoshLawson, #LudiLin, #MaxHuang, #JoeTalsim, #ChinHan

Happy Birthday Gina Torres!

Happy Birthday Gina Torres!  An early genre part for Torres was as Dr. Amy Ellis in the tv superhero movie of M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994).  She played Magdalena on the soap opera, One Life to Live, and then Neill in 1996.  Next, Torres played Cleoptra in “The King of Assassins” (1997) episode of Xena: Warrior Princess.  She also had a longer part as Nebula, princess of Sumeria, in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1997-1999).  Torres had a lead part as Helen Carter, better known as Hel, in Cleopatra 2525. (2000-2001).  She also sang the opening song, “In the Year 2525.”  Torres played Anna Espinoza, an assassin rival to Sydney Bristow, in 2001 episodes of Alias.  Gina Torres’ iconic part that won the hearts of every Browncoat playing Zoe Washburne in Firefly (2002-2003).  She was then Jasmine, former member of the Powers That Be, in Angel (2003).  

                                                                9-1-1: LONE STAR - GINA TORRES - Kevin Estrada/FOX.

Torres followed it up by playing Cas, defending the last stronghold of humanity, Zion, as Cas in The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003).  Then, Julia Miliken, was played by Torres in 24 (2004).  In 2005, she returned as Zoe Washburn in the film, Serenity (2005).  Torres voiced Vixen in Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006).  She also returned for a few episodes of Alias (2005-2006) as Anna Espinoza.  Torres then voiced Airachnid in Transformers Prime (2011-2013).  Her long running role was as Jessica Pearson in Suits (2011-2018).  Bella Crawford, was a patient of Hannibal Lector, in the series Hannibal (2013-2015).  Torres was also in Alan Tudyk’s series Con Man, playing Grace in the episode, “Voiced Over” (2015).  She voiced the bounty hunter, Ketsu Onyo, in Star Wars: Rebels (2015-2018) and also two episodes of Star Wars: Forces of Destiny (2017).  Torres played Lauren in the sci fi series, Westworld (2016-2018).  Gina Torres was in the series Pearson based on her Suits character, Jessica Pearson.  She is currently Tommy Vega in 9-1-1: Lone Star!  Happy Birthday Gina Torres! 

#GinaTorres, #Firefly, #Pearson, #911LoneStar

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,”One World, One People”, Review!

Re:Cap of last episode, “Truth”, Bucky works with Sam to repair the fishing boat.  Walker meets with Lemar’s parents, he does lie that the person he killed had killed their son, so this episode has the truth and a lie.  In Madripoor, Sharon Carter has made a call to her contact, giving payment to him.  Bucky wakens on Sharon’s couch to see her kids play with the shield and smiles.  Later, Sam throws the shield in practice.  Bucky apologizes for Steve and himself.  Sam asks if Bucky still has nightmares and suggest to him to help the ones in his book.  Bucky says he will be back once Sam calls about Karli.  Sam admits to Sarah that he understands Isaiah, but wants to keep fighting!  He trains with the shield.  

The best part is the Captain America theme building as Sam wields the shield!  Karli and Dovich are at a New York park and meet with Batroc, Sharon’s contact!, who gives them a case of weapons.  She activates her followers, nearly everyone at the park, with Batroc wanting to kill the Falcon.  Torres makes a call that he tracked the movements of the Flag Smashers to New York.  The GRC are meeting there, but the power goes out!  Sam opens the case, it’s Captain America time!  Mid-credit, we have Walker forging his own shield using his Medal of Honor as part of it!  USAagent time, his new identity which he had taken up in Captain America #354 (1989)!  The episode opens with Karli and the other Flag Smashers including Dovich as we hear Karli saying it is time!  

We see police locking down the GRC building in New York before the Global Resettlement Vote.  Flying in is Sam and on the ground is Bucky, he is met by a man, really Sharon with a face replacement mask.  Karli sees the Falcon wings and gives the order.  A Flag Smasher pulls on his mask and throws a device, it releases gas in the GRC conference room!  The members flee into the halls outside and are met by a Flag Smasher!  Outside is Captain America with his wings and throws his shield!  He smashes through the window, awesome entrance!  We see his new armor, modified Falcon visor, blue and white striped armor right out of the comics!  He is asked by a GRC member who he is and Sam tells him he is Captain America. Sam is knocked down by a Flag Smasher who pulls off his mask, Batroc!  They start their battle as Bucky and Sharon are starting towards a Flag Smasher member trying to guide out the GRC people to a stairwell, Karli contacts him.  

A woman in a business suit hands her phone to Winter Soldier and Karli talks to him.  The Flag Smasher member has the GRC evacuated to twos van and places devices to lock them in.  Sharon is right behind him.  Bucky tries to remind Karli that the people whom she killed will continue to haunt her.  Bucky gets on a motorcycle to pursue the vans.  Sharon runs into the burly Flag Smasher and palms a device on him.  She walks away as there is a pop, the driver is knocked out by gas, and the van crashes! GRC members are boarding on a helicopter on the building, it looks like a Flag Smasher, Diego (Tyler Dean Flores), is the pilot!  Captain America is still fighting Batroc, he knocks him back with a rocket fired thrust!  He crashes through the window and flies after the helicopter!  Sam has the new Redwing scan the GRC members to see if one is a pilot.  Karli tells the other Flag Smashers including Dovich that the hostages can be killed. They reluctantly agree to the Flag Smasher slogan. 

                                                    The former wings of The Falcon, d23 Expo, 2019, photo by the author. 

The Flag Smasher pilot clips a NYPD helicopter, Redwing hooks one pilot, Sam pulls the other pilot free, and then covers him with his wings to protect them from the falling helicopter.  His reveal gets cheers from onlookers, before he flies away. Karli’s Flag Smashers set up barricades to block the vans.  Then, they knock out the vans’ security and drivers. Bucky slams his motorcycle into the barrier and flies into battle with Dovich.  Karli orders a distraction and has her Flag Smashers ignite the van with gasoline!  Winter Soldier kicks Dovich, then goes to try to free the GNC trapped in the van.  Karli is confronted by Walker in his new suit, he wants vengeance for Lemar, she makes a weak apology?  He throws his shield, but Karli kicks it down, not a true shield.  The other Flag Smashers start fighting him.  Winter Soldier punches the device and then tears open the van doors.  Walker continues fighting with Karli.  

Winter Soldier is knocked down to a construction site and battles Dovich.  Sam contacts an Asian GRC member by phone and speaks to her with earbuds.  The Flag Smasher pilot slams the helicopter into Captain America.  Still, he emerges from the river to start a countdown with the GRC pilot.  He knocks from the helicopter the Flag Smasher pilot and the GRC pilot is able to take the controls.  Karli is able to take care of Walker enough to move the concrete barrier and drive the van to crash above the construction site.  Walker sees Karli and then actually does the heroic thing and pulls back the van, his “shield” falls to the construction site.  Still, Karli and her Flag Smashers tackle him, and they all fall.  The van hooks onto another railing about to fall.  Captain America with assist of Red Wing rights the van.  An elderly onlooker says he is Black Falcon and another corrects him that it is Captain America!  

Captain America throws his shield striking the Flag Smashers.  Cap says that he is trying something new to Karli.  Batroc fires gas pellet down to the construction site, I guess he can run fast?  Captain America through his visor tracks the heat signatures of Karli and the Flag Smashers, he chases after them with Winter Soldier and Walker.  They split up to go after them.  Karli hears the whistling signal of the Flag Smashers, but finds Sharon Carter with her gun.  Sharon wants Karli to work for her again, the Power Broker, Batroc appears.  He wants more payment, Sharon shoots him, but is shot by Karli.  Captain America uses his rocket to strike Karli before she shoots Sharon again.  She fights Captain America, remember he doesn’t have the Super Soldier serum, just old fashioned heroism.  Dovich and the other Flag Smashers try to escape and are met by Walker and Winter Soldier.  

Karli lashes out at the shield, but Captain America doesn’t want to fight her.  She picks up her gun.  It does not end well for Karli.  Captain America flies Karli’s body to an ambulance, Bucky and Walker are there, and then meets with the GRC members.  He speak for Karli and all of the people who returned.  Captain America is recorded by the news, it is seen by Isaiah and Eli at home, and Torres on his laptop.  He says all of the power is with the GRC and wants them to consider the people. It isn’t about saving the day, it’s about building the present.  All of the characters return and we get a good finality to everyone’s story, but with just a little opening for more of the new Captain America.  The bravery of the show is not dealing with super hero action, but consequences for actions.  There is a mid credit scene.  The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, of course needed to be re-titled, wraps up here perfectly.  

Five Red Wings out of Five! 

 #TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier, #CaptainAmerica, #WinterSoldier, #SharonCarter, #KarliMorgenthau, #IsaiahBradley, 

The Secret of the Whales, “Orca Dynasty”, Review!

 The Secret of the Whales is a National Geographic mini-series that debuted on Earth Day!  Every Earth Day, Disney releases Disneynature specials, and this case it is the collaboration with Disney and Nat Geo.  Also, this teams up Hollywood filmmakers, here is executive producer James Cameron, and National Geographic.  Cameron gives a short final scene where he explains he is filming the Avatar sequels, but you sense he would rather be out in the water looking at the whales.  This documentary of course deals with orcas in the wild.  It is co-directed and written by Brian Johnson and Andy Mitchell with photography by Brian Skerry. 

The documentary is narrated by Sigourney Weaver who is in the Avatar sequels and the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife.  The Disneynature docs by the most part, try to focus and identify an animal to act as a character to follow its life.  Nat Geo has the wider look with the danger of anthropomorphizing the animals, but in this case, orcas do have what could be called human traits.  The documentary goes from New Zealand to Antarctica and other parts of the world over a three year filming period.  We see the pods of different whales, the team documenting them, and Weaver explains that “whales have culture.” We know that whales have distinctive sonar patterns, different groups, and behaviors.  

Weaver explains that the orcas are apex predators because of their families.  There is some nice time lapse photography that shows the scenic landscapes of New Zealand islands.  The five members of this pod are led by a matriarch.  It is fascinating to see the hunting techniques used and learned by the orcas.  In this case, to find rays, the mackeral bait balls formed in Antarctica with the yellow-tinged (explained as algae) orcas, and Patagonia to snatch seals without being stranded.  The kills are not bloody and we don’t hear the cries of seals.  It is important to learn and understand the behaviors of the animals.  The Secret of the Whales is a brilliant documentary series on orcas, humpback whales, belugas, and sperm whales! 

Four Baleen Plates out of Five! 

#TheSecretoftheWhales, #NationalGeographic, #BrianJohnson, #AndyMitchell, #BrianSkerry, #SigourneyWeaver 

Happy Birthday James McAvoy!

Happy Birthday James McAvoy!  He had his debut in the drama film The Near Room (1995).  In 2001, he played Private James W. Miller in the World War II mini-series Band of Brothers episode, “Replacements.”  Next, he played by Leto Atreides II, the son of Paul Artreides in the Children of Dune (2003) mini-series.  Carl Colt was played by McAvoy in Wimbledon (2004).  McAvoy played Mr. Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005).  It was a brief role, but enough to take notice of McAvoy as an actor.  Nicholas Garrigan was portrayed by McAoy in The Last King of Scotland (2006).  McAvoy was stunning as Robbie Turner in the drama, Atonement (2007) based on the Ian McEwan novel.  Then, he was Wesley in Wanted (208) directed by Timur Bekmambetov adapting the Mark Millar comic book.  The life of author Leo Tolstoy was dramatized by Christopher Plummer in The Last Station (2009) and also starred McAvoy.   

He was also featured in the story of an author, in this case William Shakespeare, voicing Gnomeo in the animated Gnomeo & Juliet (2011).  Then, he played the younger Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class (2011).  He appeared in a trilogy of films, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, as Conor Ludlow alongside Jessica Chastain.  McAvoy returned as Xavier in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).  He starred in the lead role of the horror film, Victor Frankenstein (2015).  He was back as Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016). McAvoy played the deadly multiple personalities of the horror movie Split (2016). He was in another comic book adaptation in Atomic Blonde (2017).  He returned to voice Gnomeo in Sherlock Gnomes (2018).  McAvoy voiced Hazel, the rabbit in Watership Down, based on the Richard Adams’ book.  He also was back in the role of the killer who took the name Dennis in the horror sequel Glass (2019). X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) featured McAvoy as Xavier.  He played writer Bill Denbrough, now grown up, in It Chapter Two (2019).  McAvoy voiced Lord Morpheus in The Sandman (2020) audio drama.  He plays Lord Asriel in His Dark Materials television series based on the Philip Pullman fantasy novels. Happy Birthday James McAvoy! 

#JamesMacAvoy, #XMenFirstClass, #GnomeoandJuliet, #Glass, #TheSandman, #HisDarkMaterials 

Happy Birthday George Takei!

Happy Birthday George Takei!  A veteran actor of the television screen, Takei’s first film role was in Ice Palace (1960).  He was in the production of the civil rights musical Fly Blackbird (1961). One of his first genre roles was in “The Encounter” (1964) episode of The Twilight Zone.  Then, he had an iconic part as Sulu in Star Trek (1966-1969).  Takei worked on the John Wayne war film, The Green Berets (1968).  He returned to voice Sulu in Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1974).  Takei co-wrote with author, Robert Asprin, the science fiction novel, Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe (1979).  He also reprised the role of Sulu for film in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).  He appeared as Dr. Marcus in a 1980 episode of the tv series, Beyond Westworld.  Then, continued as Sulu in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.  In 1990, Takei co-wrote with Peter David, Star Trek Annual #1 that involved Sulu.  

The final adventure for the original crew was in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991).  This is also where we find Sulu is captain of his own ship, the U.S.S. Excelsior.  He also started voicing parts in The Simpsons from 1991 and continuing on several episodes.  Takei wrote his autobiography, To The Stars, in 1994.  He appeared as Captain Sulu in “Flashback” (1996) episode of Star Trek: Voyager.  Takei provided a voice in the Disney animated film, Mulan (1998).  In 2002, Takei voiced his own head in Futurama and would continue to voice the character in other episodes.  He was the voice of Sensei in the Kim Possible (2003-2007) animated series.  Takei played Kaito Nakamura in the sci fi series Heroes (2007-2008).  He voiced an alien general, Lok Durd, in a 2009 episode of Star Wars: Clone Wars.  Takei returned as Kaito Nakamura in a 2010 episode of Heroes. Takei played the grandfather in the musical based on his life, Allegiance, the Broadway production was filmed in 2016.  It was interesting to hear Takei voice a character in Kubo and the Two Strings (2016).   He has recently appeared as Yamato-san in horror series, The Terror.  George Takei co-wrote with Justin Elsinger and Steven Scott about his childhood in the graphic novel They Called Us Enemy.  Happy Birthday George Takei! 

#GeorgeTakei, #StarTrek, #Allegiance, #KuboandtheTwoStrings