The Outpost, “The Betrayer”, Review!

 Our time at #TheOutpost with Talon (Jessica Green), Garret Spears (Jake Stormoen), Janzo (Anand Desai-Barochia), Wren (Izuka Hoyle), Zed (Reece Ritchie), and Munt (Adam Johnson) is almost over!  Talon has revived Aster who put all of the Masters to sleep.  Marvin wants to help the Kahvi to survive, one dies.  Aster has closed his eyes, meditating in the woods outside, he says he was too merciful to put the Master to sleep.  Talon touches Aster, his zinj glows, and she faints!  Later, Talon says to Luna that she “peered into his soul.”  Aster says she was guardian for so long that they are bonded together like family.  They walk the woods, Aster pauses and then walks into the forest, Talon follows and then Luna reluctantly.  Aster is showing an impressive Blackblood stronghold, he says it was settled by his offspring, the Blackbloods, all of them!  He took the other Masters to this world.  

THE OUTPOST - - “The Betrayer” - - ANAND DESAI-BAROCHIA, IZUKA HOYLE, JAKE STORMOEN, JESSICA GREEN, REECE RITCHIE - - Photo: Aleksandar Letic/NBCU International -- © 2021 Outpost TV LLC, Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Aster had seen the Whitebloods, the humans, he fell for a human, a woman, Talia, Talon saw in a vision.  Aster went to protect his child, the first Blackblood!, from Golu seen in the vision.  He says Luna is a distant cousin of Talon.  I love this explaination, it makes sense, thanks Justin Partridge (episode’s writer) and creators, Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin!  Janzo, Wren, and Marvin are in the Kahvi resting place, he wants to read the sequence to put them back to sleep.  Wren tells him to repeat the sequence backwards.  A rider has entered Gallwood Outpost that she had seen six Masters moving from the village two days away.  Garret and Zed wonder where is Talon.  At a camp fire, Talon admits her grandmother is named Talia, he says Talon is named after all of them.  Aster brings up the Akora Blades to take apart the Masters.  He meant to have the blades passed through the generations and held by her mother.  Talon flashes back to the beginning.  She shows him the blade from her mother.  

Aster says it is Akora and he says there are six more.  Is Akora the next quest?  Marvin blames himself for the death of his people.  He wants the Kahvi to be slaves of the Masters rather than dead.  Marvin looks to his friends for hope.  Morning, Garret sees Talon, and hugs her.  Talon tells Garret that she passed her zinj to Aster. Garret draws his sword on the Master.  Talon explains that he put the Masters to sleep.  Aster says when they first met and other details.  Talon takes Aster to her home who sits under an arch to meditate.  He is searching the cosmos, the zinj showed Talon the Plane of Ashes, they are interrupted by Zed.  He tells her that Nedra died.  Talon points out Aster to Wren.  The Blackblood connection, their ears split in two with black tips, in that aspect like the Masters.  She leaves Luna to watch over Aster and she toys with her dagger to throw at his head.  At the tavern, Talon tells Aster’s story, Warlita serves them and Munt hugs Zed.  Night at Gallwood Outpost, Garret has brought everyone for a meeting, Talon says that Aster has a plan, but Garret wants the entire Outpost to evacuate.     

THE OUTPOST - - “The Betrayer” - - REECE RITCHIE, JAKE STORMOEN - - Photo: Aleksandar Letic/NBCU International -- © 2021 Outpost TV LLC, Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. All rights reserved.

The Gallwood Outpost is busy with the evacuation, Janzo is keeping track of the supplies, he says to Munt that he will be staying with Wren.  He goes to see Marvin who is told by Janzo and Wren they will stay to help the Kahvi.  Garret sends out the soldiers to protect the caravans.  Talon brings up the question and says yes!  Aster is meditating when Wren enters.  She brings up the Kahvi and the problem.  Wren says that they are people.  Aster says that the Six have to use the Skelikor and goes back to meditating.  A guard shows Zed that a village on the horizon is burning.  Garret worries that the Outpost people will die.  He works out with the group that they need somehow to delay the Six.  Janzo has a plan.  He points out Gallwood Woods and plans to burn it with his incedinaries.  This might give them another day.  Garret leaves Talon behind to work with Aster. She sits next to Aster and offers to help.  He is looking for a dangerous world to exile the Six.  Aster says Talon will face them.  

On the wagon, Garret and Zed ride with the barrels.  Luna sees Talon who offers to stay to defend the Outpost.  Zed pours the barrels as Garret sets up arrows in the ground.  He hands Zed a bow to ignite with a fire and loose to the wagon.  It fizzles out.  Zed nocks another arrow.  He is kicked by Levare who suddenly appears while the others are on horseback.  Garret faces her with his sword.  She ports around them.  Zed rings up the bow, it passes Levare, and blows up the wagon.  Levare ports away in time.  They are about to evacuate, Munt tells Janzo that he is staying, and Warlita offers to join him.  Munt tells her that she can help with the children and then they kiss.  Talon tells the group about Aster’s plan.  Munt is on the battlement with the telescope and sees the fire.  The heroes hear the bell.  Zed and Garret walk in through the gate.  Wren and Janzo want everyone to go to the skelikor room, they have a change in the plan to save the Kahvi.  Janzo goes over the plan.  Wren points out the thousand Kahvi, Janya reviving them, and then stop Vorta from sending out the naviaspore.  Aster says that he will join the Six when they arrive together.  The Masters says they have prepared for Aster’s betrayal.  It is up to Talon to take on the Six and somehow save the Kahvi!    

Four Daggers out of Five!  

#TheOutpost, #TheBetrayer, #AkoraBlades, #Jason Faller, #KynanGriffin

#TheOutpost, #TheBetrayer, 

What If, “… Ultron Won?”, Review!

The Watcher introduces another world which he says, “breaks my heart”, we see the ruins of a city.  Then, there is a motorcycle going at high speed, it is a battle-weary Black Widow (Lake Bell).  The actress returns to voice Natasha after “The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?” episode.  She sets a countdown as several forms rocket towards her.  It is a snowy day as Old Man Hawkeye appears and looses several arrows. They strike down several Ultron sentries.  Um, like battle droids why not defeat them with a giant magnet?  More sentries streak from the sky. Natasha tries to ride and evade the drones as Hawkeye takes down a few more with arrows. This is reminds me of the Terminator 2 3D: Battle Across Time (1996) Future War world, “Super!”  Natasha is faced with several sentries in front of her, slides the motorcycle and sends out two explosives to destroy the sentries.  Hawkeye’s arrows  take out more sentries and he shifts into a stealth mode via an invisibility cloak a la Harry Potter.     

A group of Ultron sentries land and Hawkeye goes all Legolas stabbing a drone in the head with his arrow, sliding off his stealth cloak, and then uses his bow.  How about an EMP arrow or something?  Natasha notes there is 30 seconds before they signal the hive.  She is struck from her motorcycle and then uses her Widow Sting staves to finish off her Ultron drones.  At his end, Clint (Jeremy Renner) has his arm, bionic?, and bow blasted off by an Ultron drone.  The one-armed archer, in the case of Green Arrow, was in the comic book series,  The Dark Knight Returns (1986).  He is thrown off a building by two sentries who stand above him, but Natasha brings her motorcycle down on them.  She offers Clint his bionic arm.  Natasha takes him to the headquarters in a mass of Russian churches’ onion domes.  The Watcher explains that this world began with one man, Tony Stark (Mick Wingert).  The actor returns to voice Stark after “Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?”  

Stark contemplates forming Ultron from the Mind Stone in Loki’s broken staff. The Watcher continues noting that Ultron (Ross Marquand) needed the body of Vision to fulfill his imperative.  Marquand was the voice of Red Skull in “Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?” The Watcher says that the Avengers used the Cradle to form the Vision, but in this world Ultron used it and the Mind Stone to take over the world Terminator-style.  Stark contacts Natasha and Clint on the quinjet and reports that Ultron is working on the nuclear codes going full Skynet.  Natasha tells him they have to destroy the satellite network.  Then, we get the battered Stark facing his creation.  Ultron releases a pulse that takes down Stark and activates the nukes, it’s Judgment Day!  All of the nukes are launched!, where is David Lightman from WarGames (1983) when you need him?, Ultron hasn’t learned, “How about a nice game of chess?”  The skies are filled with nukes that streak down in front of the quinjet.  Wouldn’t the EMP from some nukes take out the bots here and in Terminator?         The explosions ripple through the world and Vision/Ultron, Ultravision?, says now he has peace.  Ultravision is the name of a number of products.  

He has defeated humanity, but The Watcher points out that the Age of Ultron is kinda interrupted by Thanos who walks through a gate.  He has the Infinity Gauntlet, but missing a stone!  Plus, where is the Black Order?  UltraVision blasts him in half with his Mind Stone, um, Thanos has taken a heavy hit from energy blasts and is kinda foolish to appear and not use one of the Infinity Stones on his own.  UltraVision slices through the fingers of the Infinity Gauntlet and levitates out the Infinity Stones.  So this is three villains in one UltraInfinityVision!, is he more powerful than DoctorGalactusDormammu?, let’s go back to just Ultron. Now with the Infinity Stones in his chest, he drops the Ultron face mask, this is the version we saw at the end of “Thor Were An Only Child?”  He now has a vision, ha!, of the universe with the Infinity Stones and, rises the countless Ultron sentries from the rubble to take on the What If worlds!  Ultron adds a cape, very villanous, and a specter.  He creates an Ultron Sphere to travel to every alternate world appearing first at Asgard.  

Ultron uses the scepter to destroy Asgard. Then, the Sovereign with the Guardians of the Galaxy; Star Lord, Gamora, and Drax trying to defend the world, but it is destroyed.  This is a Crisis on Infinite Earths! or would be if it is DC. Sakaar, the sentries spill down as Korg takes them on.  Then, Ultron uses Death Star scepter.  The Grandmaster witnesses his world about to be destroyed, Ultron does not appreciate a good dj.  Ego is then shattered.  Xandar, the defenses of the Nova Corps try to destroy the waves of Ultron sentries.  Ultron fires his scepter to destroy a dome and Captain Marvel (Alexandra Daniels) confronts him.  Daniels was also in “Thor Were an Only Child?”  She takes Ultron down to the planet’s core and begins striking him with Marvel power!  Shouldn’t she rip out the Infinity Stones?, Carol should be able to sense their power, and that it is charging UltraInfinityVision.  It is a losing battle with Ultron sensing a new reality and about to take out the multiverse.  This is a threat to The Watcher and he is pushed to desperate circumstances fighting Ultron across the dimensions!  I realized that two cosmic beings fighting, one good, one evil is the end of Revenge of the Sith (2005).  There is still a part to play with Hawkeye and Black Widow.  Of course, there is a cameo from others in the multiverse, this episode of What If is starting to feel like Avengers: Infinity War!  

Four Infinity Stones out of Five!   

#WhatIf, #UltronWon, #JeffreyWright, #LakeBell, #JeremyRenner, #RossMarquand, #AlexandraDaniels.       

Star Wars: Visions, “Tatooine Rhapsody”, Review!

It is time to rock on with a new band, step aside Dusty Jawas!, in "Tatooine Rhapsody"!  The second entry is by Studio Colorido and Taku Kimura directs “Tatooine Rhapsody.”  Kimura was assistant director on the anime series, A Place Further Than the Universe (2018).  There is a trading of blaster fire, red and blue bolts, passing over fallen clone troopers that are super deformed (tiny and cartoony) and battle droids.  A young Jedi Padawan with blue hair, Jay (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) runs through a tight corridor.  Then,  reaches the edge of a factory ledge.  JGL is known for sci fi movies like Inception (2010), and voiced Slowen Lo in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  Blasterfire makes him fall, he drops his lightsaber which sparks in damage, when Jay is able to reach grasp it, the lights turn on.  A large form in shadows approaches.  Maybe yet another Jedi surviving the Purge is too much?, but Jay has survived like Kanan Jarrus.  

Then, it shifts to a concert with a band rocking to an older Jay shouting “You are okay.”  The concert is in a medium tented area with a few dozen fans.  A few fans are tapping their toes, I’m lovin’ the Ithorian with his little dance!, the animation style is cartoony characters with the anime style.  Jay introduces the band, Star Wavers, then the other members, on flaming rumble bass, is the Hutt with crazy hair, Gee (Bobby Moynihan).  The SNL comedian and actor provided a voice in Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021) and also Orka in Star Wars: Resistance.  The versatile cluster drums, a ring of drum pads including a few that are floating!, played by the three bodies of the one being named Lan (Marc Thompson).  The actor has provided the English voice for characters in the anime series, Shaman King.  Lan looks like a devil alien like the Devaronian, but he looks to me like the oni in Japanese folklore.  Next is Kurti (Shelby Young), the droid K-344, playing the electrified dual guitar.  Young is the voice of mini-Stay Pufts in Ghostbusters: Afterlife!, plus she voiced Princess Leia in Star WArs: Forces of Destiny (2017-2018).

Jay is about to introduce himself when there is feedback from the mic. Then, he introduces V-5 who works the electronic sounds.  He kinda looks like a boom box with tiny arms.  Jay tries to say his name, but then faces super deformed Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and other bounty hunters.  Morrison’s voice is of course perfectly Boba Fett, but here, he is cartoony so I wish there was another, more fun, voice.  He blasts Jay’s guitar and then walks up to Gee. Boba Fett wants to bring him back to Jabba, Gee laughs, and then tells the band to rock.  He sends out a burst of flame from his guitar that knocks Fett back, almost crowd surfing, while the others attack the bounty hunters.  Fett blasts at them, Jay runs to a panel, he activates electrodes in the tent and it falls on Boba Fett flying with his jet pack.  They take off in a boxy starship with four thrusters, the Rolling Gale, piloted by Kurti. The band is all down that they have never finished a set.  There is a jolt from the back of the starship.  

Gee is somehow stunned that Boba Fett is persistent.  He may not know about Fett’s reputation since this may be after the Clone Wars.  This younger Fett should be voiced by Daniel Logan.  They of course are pursued by Fett in the Slave I, yeah Slave I, still the same ship flown by Jango Fett.  Jay says the classic line just before the ship plunges from the sky!  The Rolling Gale has crashed and Boba Fett blasts a panel that opens the large hatch of the ship. Fett tells Gee that he is marked for execution, Gee doesn’t want to join Jabba’s syndicate, but the bounty hunter drags out of the ship.  Jay runs up and has his lightsaber.  In the rain, Fett has drawn his blaster, and Jay’s lightsaber sparks. The band has to repair the ship and somehow rescue their band leader on Tatooine!  This includes a trip to the Mos Espa Arena that was part of the podraces.  Very fun, but it may not fit into the Star Wars canon, because that canon is not fun.  I hope they make figures out of the characters. “Tatooine Sunset” shows a rockin’ universe, maybe DJ Rex will play their songs and we get more of their adventures!  

Four Lightsabers out of Five!  

#StarWarsVisions, #TatooineRhapsody, #JosephGordonLevitt, #BobbyMoynihan, #ShelbyYoung, #MarcThompson, #TemueraMorrison.  

Star Wars: Visions, “The Duel”, Review!

Star Wars: Visions offers a fresh look at Star Wars with anime styles in story and design!  The anime series is an anthology consisting of four episodes for the initial release; “The Duel”, “Taooine Rhapsody”, “The Twins”, and “The Village Bride.”  The episode length varies from 14, “Tatooine Rhapsody” to 19 minutes with “The Village Bride.”  The first episode is from the Kamikaze Douga studio.  “The Duel” is directed by Takanobu Mizuno.  He has also co-directed Tokyo Onlypic 2008 (2008).  This episode has a tie-in, Ronin: A Visions Novel, by Emma Mieko Candon.  There is a choir as we pan down from the night sky, there is a large moon over a valley, looking down on a village below is a man with a scarred face and the long arcs of dark hair, like a samurai making me think of Blade of the Immortal, manga by Hiroaki Samura.  The animation is mostly in black and white like the early samurai movies, The Hidden Fortress (1958), especially because Lucas used many story elements and cinematography from Kurosawa-san’s film.  

The man is called Rōnin in the credits, usually a lone samurai without a master.  It could be he broke from the Jedi Order for some reason.  Brian Tee voices the character when he does talk, Tee was in Jurassic World (2015).  His droid with the straw hat, R5-D56, prompts him to  continue. A few samurai pictures were released in 1956, but I didn’t see any with a May release.  They reach a village with rice fields and the man has a drink at a teahouse above the village.  The animation is sketchy and looks almost rotoscoped.  The owner of the shop (Joe Ochman) is an Ugnaught who asks about the man.  Ochman provided voices for Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.  An armored Troop Transport Talk, very blocky with hatches on its side, thunders into the village.  First Order stormtroors with cloaks and attachments to their armor deploy from the transport. They begin to fire their blasters, typical bandits, in samurai films and westerns.  The Shopkeeper explains that they set up a camp at the mountains and are remnants from the war, the First Order War?   

The stormtrooper leader, Trooper A (Patrick Seitz) is there to collect taxes and wants to see the chief.  This would be the Child Village Chief (Janden Waldman).  One of the troopers, F, is voiced by Keone Young who voiced Commander Jun Sato in Star Wars: Rebels.  The trooper threatens the chief who raises his hand and snipers, whom the chief calls “guards” open fire on the stormtroopers.  The guards include an RA-7 droid with a heavy blaster cannon.  There is a woman in a cloak, an upward pointing diamond-shaped pendant on her forehead, this is the Bandit Leader voiced by Lucy Liu.  A Trandoshan guard commander (JP Karliak) threatens her with his massive blades.  She has a staff which extends to several red lightsabers, spinning like an umbrella, deflecting RA-7’s blasterfire.  One of the blaster shots hits the teahouse and shuts down R5-D56.  Rōnin goes to deal with the bandits, but wants the Shopkeeper to fix the droid by the time a pot he sets down boils.  The Trandoshan commander wants them to fall back, but the Bandit Leader, she says she is a Sith Lord, draws him forwards with the Force.  

The Rōnin calmly walks as the guards engage the bandits, dust swirls in the empty square, the Bandit Leader pulls apart the umbrella attachment and takes out a Sith lightsaber.  She brings it down on the wanderer and finds he uses the Force to hold her blade with two hands around it.  The Bandit Leader is stunned to see whom she thinks is a Jedi.  His hand is poised at his side, close to his saya, a samurai katana scabbard.   She has killed Jedi in the past and rushes towards him.  Rōnin finally draws his lightsaber, a red lightsaber, a cinematic closeup of his unsheathing the blade!  Her hood floats off and she has a three clusters of a white afro and a skull mask.  This is the duel of the title.  It is an interesting Sith tale, a good combination of Star Wars and samurai.  I think it could easily fit into the Sequel Trilogy and Star Wars canon.  It seems that the Sequel canon is slowly falling out of Star Wars canon so this series might also be Sequel almost canon.  Is it called Visions canon?  When do we get to see the manga of "The Duel"?  Rōnin is fascinating, a Grey Jedi?, maybe his background is mysterious, absolutely fine with the wandering, Man With No Name, character.  It would be interesting to see further adventures of  Rōnin!  

Four Lightsabers out of Five! 

#StarWarsVisions, #Ronin, #BrianTee, #JoeOchman, #LucyLiu

Dear Evan Hansen Review!

Dear Evan Hansen is a film of inspiration, facing consequences, with a top notch cast and fantastic singing!  Of course, it started as a musical opening on Broadway in 2016.  It won at the Tony Awards; best actor in a leading role, best featured actress, best musical, book of a musical, best score, and orchestration, Alex Lacamoire.  The film is directed by Stephen Chbosky who wrote and directed The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) adapting his 1999 novel.  He wrote the screenplays for the film adaptations of Rent (2005) and Beauty and the Beast (2017).  The screenplay of this film is by Steven Levenson who won the Tony for his book of the musical and also the screenplay for the upcoming film musical, tick, tick… Boom!  The songwriters are the duo of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who also won the Tony Award for best score, and wrote the songs for La La Land (2016), winning the Academy Award for original song, and The Greatest Showman (2017).  The film begins with Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) taking his pills and typing on his computer a letter to himself.  I recognize Platt as Benji, the magician, from Pitch Perfect (2012), but he was also in this year’s drama, Broken Diamonds.  

There was a question about his age, but I will note that Ben Platt was 27 when filming the movie.  In Grease (1978), Olivia Newton John playing Sandy, turned 29 when filming the movie, Jeff Conway playing Kenickie was 26, and Frenchy (Didi Conn) was actually 26 during the filming.  We know that adults playing teens is a usual Hollywood casting, but I had taught all grades at high school, and thought the moment that I saw Platt that he must play a senior.  This is the grade he is in with Dear Evan Hansen.  We see his constant correction of his text to build positive character that he is shy, unconfident, and isolated.  Platt’s performance, after honing Evan’s character with two years on stage, is complex; breaking Evan out of his shell, going from sadness to joy and then incredible sorrow, and having to confront his mistakes.  He has a cast on his broken arm, it really is symbolic, Evan’s literal shell and healing.  Evan broke his arm falling from a tree at Ellison State Park.  The setting is somewhere in the Northeast, I think Wisconsin.  Evan looks outside his window to see the people who seem to not notice him.  This is the first song, “Waving Through the Window.”  

Evan heads downstairs to the kitchen to see his mother, Heidi played by Julianne Moore.  She is known as a dramatic actress from films like The Kids Are All Right (2010).  Her character seems concerned about Evan, but is too busy with her hospital work to really spend time with him.  She does remind him about his therapist assignment to write the letter to himself and also gives him a pen to have a student sign his cast.  I think it would actually important to see the therapist at one time, but he is a missing character.  Evan has to take the bus to school and sees at school, Alana (Amandla Stenberg) at a table, acting like the class president-type.  Stenberg was also in the drama, The Hate U Give (2018).  Her character is fascinating, one imagines that the student on many clubs would be motivated which is Alana, but of course there is a connection to Evan.  At his locker, Connor (Colton Ryan) sees Evan’s attempt to smile at him and pushes him.  He seems like the school bully, but of course there seems to be more to his character.  Ryan was in the series, Little Voice, and was the understudy for many parts in the Dear Evan Hansen musical. 

His long time crush, Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever), apologizes for her brother.  She was in the comedy, booksmart (2019).  Revealed later, she is the young sister of Connor, and while she has friends at school, playing guitar in a jazz band, there is a loneliness there.  She becomes closer to Evan over the coarse of the movie.  He is of course nervous talking to Zoe, but gets some almost instant confidence in the following scene with her.  Evan wanders through the school, he passes through the crowded school hall, but is ignored.  Later, Evan tries to talk about his problems to Jared played by Nik Dodani who was in the thriller, Escape Room (2019).  Jared tries to explain that he is a family friend, not really a friend.  Dodani is a bit of an unsympathetic character, but appears not to have other friends.  Jared’s off color jokes might hint at something about his character, but this is not too developed.  Evan is at the library and prints up his letter.  He goes to the library printer, there is a line, and Connor notices Evan’s cast.  Connor asks to sign the cast, but Evan says he doesn’t have a pen. Of course, Connor finds a pen on a desk and signs his name.  He goes up to the printer and finds Evan’s letter.  Connor sees his sister’s name and screams at Evan that this is a way to play a joke on him. 

Evan tries to get the letter back and Connor pushes him down.  He is worried about the letter checking to see if Connor posted the letter online, but no results.  As he tells Jared about his worries, Evan gets a call to go the principal’s office.  He finds seated there is Connor’s mother, Cynthia Murphy, played by Amy Adams.  The actress is this year's dramatic film, The Woman in the Window with co-star Moore.  She of course has sang in The Muppets (2011), earlier in Enchanted (2007), and of course Adams is in the upcoming sequel, Disenchanted.  Also in the office is Larry (Danny Pino) who is Connor’s father.  Pino has tv roles in the dramatic series, Mayans M.C.  Cynthia tells Evan that Connor had died and had the letter in his hand.  They mistakedly think Connor wrote the letter.  Connor’s parents also believe that Evan was a secret friend to their son.  In turn, Evan finds them as the family he never knew.  Cynthia notices Connor’s name on Evan’s cast.  They invite Evan to dinner, this is something he has never done before, plus they are more upper class than Evan’s mother who is more working class.  Evan has heard their stories about Connor’s happiest time was at an orchard which is now closed down.  Cynthia is desperate to find some connection to her son, it is apparent that she sees Evan as a replacement for Connor.  

He decides to make up the time he spent with Connor at the orchard with the song “For Forever.”  It is funny song with imaginary scenes of the two "friends" dancing at a Dance Dance Revolution. Jared adds his asides to the narrative.  A hilarious nod to Ryan for changing Connor from bully to friend.  This sets up a pattern of lies that leads to Evan faking e-mails he had with Connor.  He asks Jared while they are running track if he can write the e-mails.  Alana tries to bring Evan to help with “The Connor Project” that becomes fundraiser to restore the orchard.  She understands that Evan is taking pills for his anxiety which she is also taking.  At the school assembly, Evan tries to give a speech, stumbles, and then breaks into the “You Will Be Found” song.  Video of his speech becomes viral on social media.  The end of the film is bittersweet, it is expanded from the musical, which in interviews Platt noted is more of a redemption for Evan.  Some of the themes are the social pressures and isolation not only at Evan’s school, but the workplace and the market.  Also, the highs and lows of social media.  This is especially strong in a character like Evan Hansen who is disconnected.  It is an important musical for young people and really anyone who's felt alone or isolated.  

Four Letters out of Five!  

#DearEvanHansen, #StephenChbosky, #BenPlatt, #KaitlynDever, #AmandlaStenberg, #NikDodani, #AmyAdams, #DannyPino, #JulianneMoore  

Happy Birthday Linda Hamilton!

Happy Birthday Linda Hamilton!  One of Hamilton’s first roles was in the soap opera Secrets of Midland Heights (1980-1981).  Her first film role was in Tag: The Assassination Game (1982).  Hamilton’s first genre role was as Vicky in the horror movie, Children of the Corn (1984) based on the Stephen King story.  Her breakthrough part was playing Sarah Connor in The Terminator (1984).  Next, King Kong was under her care as Dr. Amy Franklin in King Kong Lives (1986).  Another role that was iconic was playing Catherine Chandler, taming another beast, in the form of Ron Perlman’s Vincent in Beauty and the Beast (1987-1989).  She returned as Sarah Connor, pumped up, to defend her son, John, in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).  Hamilton won a Saturn Award for her performance.  

She starred in the theme park attraction, Terminator 2 3-D: Battle Across Time (1996), which acts as a legitimate sequel IMO since it had the involvement of James Cameron and the original cast.  It closed in 2017 at Universal Studios Florida.  She voiced Susan Maguire in the “Chemistry” (1998) episode in The New Batman Adventures.  Hamilton then voiced Dr. Stephanie Lake in Batman Beyond’s episode, “Meltdown” (1999).  Next, she voiced Madame Lorraine in the animated DC Showcase: Jonah Hex (2010).  She played Mary Bartoski in the tv series Chuck (2010-2012).  On the SyFy series, Defiance (2014-2015), Hamilton played Pilar McCawley.  Next, she was in the supernatural show, Lost Girl (2013-2015).  She voiced Dr. Furbanna in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000-2018).  Hamilton returned as Sarah Conner in Terminator: Dark Fate (2019).  She is now playing General Eleanor Wright in the sci fi/comic book adaptation, Resident Alien!  Happy Birthday Linda Hamilton!  

#BeautyAndTheBeast, #Terminator2JudgmentDay, #LostGirl, #ResidentAlien

Happy Birthday Mark Hamill!

Happy Birthday Mark Hamill!  He entered the superhero world playing the Trickster in The Flash (1991).  Another iconic role and well loved role was Hamill playing the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1994).  Also in 1994, he played Colonel Christopher Blair in the computer game, Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger.  He voiced the younger Blair in the animated series, Wing Commander Academy (1996).  Hamill also co-created comic book series, The Black Pearl, published by Dark Horse Comics.  He starred in the Watchers 4 (1998) based on the Dean Koontz book.  Hamill voiced Merlin in the live action Wing Commander (1999) movie.  Next, he directed and was featured in Comic Book: The Movie (2004) filmed at San Diego Comic Con.  Hamill voiced Fire Lord Ozal in Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008).  He of course returned at Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).  Hamill also returned as The Joker in the animated film, Batman: The Killing Joke (2016).  He was back as the Trickster on the CW show, The Flash (2015-2016).  

Then, Hamill took up the Jedi robes in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  One of his best voice roles was playing himself, The Joker, Trickster, and Swamp Thing in “Missing the Mark” (2017) episode of Justice League Action.  He voiced Luke Skywalker in the animated Star Wars: Forces of Destiny (2018).  He is currently on Kulipari: An Army of Frogs as Old Jir which is streamed on Netflix.  Also, voicing Dictatious in Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia.  Hamill appeared as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode IX (2019).  He played Master Talus in the Knights Templar series Knightfall.  Hamill voiced The Scientist in Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.  He is a sensation as Jim the Vampire in What We Do in the Shadows.  Hamill returned to the role of Dictations in Wizards: Tales of Arcadia.  Art Rosebaum was voiced by Hamill in the comic book animated adaptation, Invincible.  The stunning appearance was Hamill as Luke Skywalker in "The Rescue" episode of The Mandalorian!  He voiced Skeletor in the recent Masters of the Universe: Revelation cartoon.  Happy Birthday Mark Hamill!   

#MarkHamill, #StarWars, #BatmanTheAnimatedSeries, #WizardsTalesofArcadia, #TheMandalorian 

Happy Birthday Jim Henson!

Happy Birthday Jim Henson!  One of Henson’s early creations was Sam and Friends which was on WRC-TV, a local station for the District of Columbia.  The first Muppet, was Rowlf the dog, who appeared on The Jimmy Dean Show.  The Jim Heson Company was formed in 1958.  In 1969, Sesame Street aired and has been iconic for children from that day, featuring Bert and Ernie, Grover, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Count von Count, and Big Bird.  Elmo was introduced on 1985 and is one of the popular characters. In 2017, Julia joined Sesame Street, a four year old autistic girl, the show has never shied away from strong topics.  It currently runs on PBS Kids and HBO.  In March, a Sesame Street park expansion opened at Sea World Orlando.  In 1975-1976, Henson produced Land of Gorch sketches for Saturday Night Live.  The Muppets were a staple of television with The Muppet Show which ran from 1976 to 1981.  Kermit the Frog was our host and of course there was Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo the Great, and my favorites, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beeker.  The Muppet Movie opened in theaters in 1979.  Also that year, Henson formed Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.  

Then, he created The Dark Crystal (1982) which was his foray into a mature fairy tale, dark, but a triumph of world bulding.  Of course, the series Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, is currently streaming on Netflix.  He directed The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). The cartoon show, Muppet Babies, ran from 1986 to 1991.  Another fantasy, Labyrinth (1986), was directed and story written by Henson.  There is also a Labyrinth sequel that is in development.  He created another iconic children’s show with Fraggle Rock (1983-1987) and then the animated series Muppet Babies (1984-1991). Next, Henson created The Storyteller (1987-1988) which also led to The Storyteller: Greek Myths (1990).  The first series won an Emmy Award in 1987 for Outstanding Children’s Program.  Then, he created the television program, The Jim Henson Hour (1989).  Jim Henson died on May 16, 1990.  His work and legacy continues.  Jim Henson Television produced the series Dinosaurs (1991-1994) and then the sci fi show Farscape (1999-2003).  In 1991, Muppet*Vision 3D opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The Muppet films continued with The Muppets (2011) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014).  A television series, The Muppets, ran from 2015 to 2016. Muppet Babies, the new animated show, started in 2018.  Muppets Now ran for one season on Disney+ in 2020.  A new vision of the Muppets that's different, but Henson's characters continue on!  Happy Birthday Jim Henson! 

#JimHenson, #MuppetShow, #DarkCrystal, #TheStoryteller 

The Outpost, “Guardian of the Asterkinj”, Review!

313 tried to revive his son and failed.  Zed, Nedra, and Munt were trying to play keep away with his zinj.  Levare killed Nedra and the zinj returned to Golu!  This episode is directed by Captain Garret Spears himself, Jake Stormoen!   Garret takes Janzo to the 313’s cell to question the prisoner.  313 is sitting on the floor of his cell.  Janzo is tearful at trying to befriend 313.  The Kahvi slams against his prison bars. Levare the teleporter appears and tears off the lock to free 313!  Talon is checking a rocky area with her torch.  This is the same place where Zed took her, the shrine.  

At the blue flower of the dusted Nedra, Zed is at her side, he picks up the blade that slides off her dust and collects it into a pouch.  At the tavern, Janzo blames himself, while Wren and Garret are also there.  Garret says that the gods could arrive at any time to activate the Kahvi.  Levare calls Wren’s people, the Abominations.  She tells him to kill Janzo and Wren.  Guards appear and she ports away to kill them.  313 takes up the guard’s sword.  Levare ports to the coffin underground and then sees the Kahvi.  She contacts Vorta who asks her to return.  I'm not certain how Levare's zinj works, how she can teleport to wherever is needed, even though she hasn't been to those places.  

THE OUTPOST - - “Guardian of the Asterkinj” - - MAEVE COURTIER-LILLEY, JESSICA GREEN - - Photo: Aleksandar Letic/NBCU International -- © 2021 Outpost TV LLC, Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Munt is asleep when Zed checks on his wound, he is very pale.  He doesn’t want Munt to sleep and possibly die.  Zed covers Munt with his cloak and drags him away on a stretcher made of wood.  At the lab, Wren and Janzo try to work out how to save 313.  Wren suggests that they wake all of the Kahvi without the naviaspores.  Talon wants Luna to use her Dragman ability.  Luna hears some whispering and checks the floor, she wipes away sand from some stonework.  Talon reads the Blackblood words that Luna thinks it may be Talon’s Blackblood that can awaken the Master. 

She puts her bleeding hand on the pattern and it causes the lifting up of the Master’s body, Aster?, covered by a black veil!  Talon pulls away the crystal and sees a stone in Aster’s hand.  She hears Aster who wants her to return the Asterkinj and waken him!  Zed is struggling to drag Munt who complains that he is thirsty.  He stops to give Munt some water from his flask.  Munt who doesn't usually go into battle is now the one needed to be saved.  It’s night at Galwood Outpost, Wren and Janzo are sleeping as 313 is about to bring down the sword.  Wren doesn’t want him to hurt her child. 

Janzo tries to make him see that his child is like his own.  313 tries to warn Garret and Levare ports in, to be tackled by 313!  She holds her sword to 313’s neck and then knocks down Garret.  He holds Levare’s blade with bloody hands.  She is struck in the back by 313 and ports away!  Yes, he has proven his worth.  Levare returns bleeding to Janya and Vorta.  Janya heals her wound.  I’m not certain how she can use her power to wake Aster.  313 has earned Garret’s trust.  Warlita runs to warn them about the wounded Munt and Zed.  Janzo panics and tends to his brother.  Talon is working out if she should revive Aster.  Luna encourages Talon to waken Aster. 

For the first time, Talon transfers her zinj, to Aster!  Janzo says Munt was brought back in time to save him.  Warlita kisses Zed for saving Munt.  She tries to revive Munt who wants Munt, Jr. to play with Janzo, Jr.!  Then, Janzo checks on Garret’s wound.  Zed realizes it was Levare and that Talon is their only hope.  Wren and Janzo check on 313 and he wants someone like Wren, his daughter.  They teach him handshaking and want him to choose a name.  Wren suggests Marvin and he takes the name Marvin the Kahvi.  The Masters look like the Kahvi, it is possible that they have taken the zinj to rule over the Kahvi and see themselves like the Three.    

THE OUTPOST - - “Guardian of the Asterkinj” - - JAKE STORMOEN - - Photo: Aleksandar Letic/NBCU International -- © 2021 Outpost TV LLC, Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Talon takes her sword and wants to know why Aster is called the Betrayer.  Luna gives him the crystal which he breaks to send the healing green gas to be revivied.  Vorta contacts him.  Talon asks him why he is the Betrayer.  He replies that he put the other Masters to sleep and hid their zinjs!  Aster put the zinjes into their places on the pedestal.  He asks the guardian of the Asterkinj to see writings on the wall.  This is the names of all of the Blackblood Guardians.  He admits that he liked the Blackbloods and didn’t want the other Masters to kill them.  Aster says they should be destroyed.  Zed is walking in the forest followed by Wren.  He wants to throw Nedra’s ashes to the river and not the ritual that Wren performed.  

Wren sings as Zed drops the ashes over the river.  Now, I hope to see Tobin, Falista, Nedra, and Gwynn revived to take on the Masters!  They would be four with Talon, Garret, and Zed as the other Seven?  Maybe it is Janzo, Wren, Luna, and Munt as the four.  Then, we could have The Mistress and Marshall Whythers as the Plane of Ashes is transformed for the Kahvi to live apart from the Outpost world.  While they would share the world with the Blackbloods.  I wonder how humans fit into the Kahvi and Blackblood people.  Still, there never seems to be happy ending to the show, maybe a bittersweet farewell, or possibly just spirit visions of the fallen see our heroes one last time.  The Outpost is running to its conclusion with the confrontation of the Masters!

Four Daggers out of Five!     

#TheOutpost, #GuardianOfTheAsterzinj, #JakeStormoen, #Aster, #SaveOurOutpost