Happy Birthday Gal Gadot!

Happy Birthday Gal Gadot! One of her earliest 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 (2016).  Next, Gadot played Jill Pope, the wife of Ryan Reynold’s character in the action film, Criminal (2016).  Gal Gadot returned to comedy as Natalie Jones, as the mysterious neighbor, in the action comedy, 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, leader of the 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, she returned to the role of Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)!  She also appeared as Wonder Woman in the Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021).      

Gadot was also in the action comedy Red Notice (2021) as The Bishop.  She played Linnet Ridgeway Doyle in Kenneth Branagh's Death on the Nile. This was the sequel to Murder on the Orient Express (2017) based on the Agatha Christie novel.  Next year, Gadot plays the Evil Queen in the live action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  She is producing and acting the bio film, Irena Sendler, who was the Polish nurse and part of the Polish Underground Resistance in World War II.  Gadot will also star and produced the Apple+ limited series as Hedy Lamarr.  She was the actress and brilliant inventor who had a patent on her Secret Communications System to prevent enemy jamming of torpedoes in World War II. The frequency hopping technology was later developed into BlueTooth.  Gadot is working on the Cleopatra movie, she had a brief scene in Death on the Nile as Cleopatra.  Happy Birthday Gal Gadot!

#GalGadot, #FastandFurious6, #Criminal, #RalphBreakstheInternet, #WonderWoman1984, #ZackSnydersJusticeLeague, #RedNotice, #DeathontheNile, #SnowWhiteandtheSevenDwarfs, #IrenaSendler, #Cleopatra 

Happy Birthday Ana de Armas!

Happy Birthday Ana de Armas!  One of her stand out roles was as  the lead actress, Marie in the Spanish romance film, Una rosa de Francia (2006).  Next, she was in the Spanish teen drama series, El Internado (2007-2010) or The Boarding School. She made her first American movie with Knock Knock (2015), a thriller directed by Eli Roth.  Her co-star, Keanu Reeves, had her star in her next film, the mystery, Exposed (2016).  De Armas then starred as Felicidad Iglesias, wife of boxer Roberto Durán, in Hands of Stone (2016). Her breakout role really in Blade Runner 2049 (2017) directed by Denis Villeneuve.  

de Armas played Joi, the AI companion to K in this sci fi sequel.  Knives Out (2019) starred de Armas as Marta Cabrera, the nurse to Harlan Thrombey.   de Armas played Cuban CIA agent, Paloma, in No Time to Die (2021).  She returned to her native Cuba to film the drama, Wasp Network (2019).  Then, she starred in Deep Water, a thriller based on a Patricia Highsmith novel. This year, de Armas has the Netflix biopic playing Norma Jean, Blonde, for Nextflix.  It is based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel published in 2000.  She also has The Gray Man directed by the Russo Brothers.  Happy Birthday Ana de Armas!  

#AnadeArmas, #TheBoardingSchool, #KnockKnock, #Exposed, #HandsOfStone, #BladeRunner2049, #KnivesOut, #NoTimeToDie, #WaspNetwork#DeepWater, #Blonde, #TheGrayMan 

Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, “Big City”, Review!

Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles has its rabbit feet in the samurai past and takes a group of misfit friends into a fun future!  The long running comic book started with Fantagraphics in 1987, went through various publishers, and is currently published by IDW.  It is currently streaming on Netflix.  The opening has a tokage, a dino lizard, foraging with peach blossom petals floating past and one peach blossom tree behind him.  Then, we get the beautiful, black and white with grey tones of Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai!  This can't get any better with Stan Sakai illustrations!  The narrator (Darren Barnet) says that the samurai is facing a Yōkai (a spirit or monster), Ōnyūdō, in this case a massive skeleton creature.  It reminds me of the Yōkai in Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) with swords in its head. 

We see this in different panels so it is apparent that this is a black and white manga.  The Yōkai is seen in shadow, a great effect, and the page ends with Usagi holding his katana ready to strike!  Then, we see the narrator, young Yuichi Usagi with ears in top knot, blue and black armor, reading the manga.  A Tokage, Spot, is at his side.  Usagi admires the samurai and takes out two kamas, farm instrument-like sickles.  He thinks of himself like his ancestor, Miyamoto Usagi.  He tells Spot that Miyamoto’s sword, Willowbranch, was “like lightning.”  Usagi looks at a mock wooden robot and leaps up.  We get the black screen and slashes, very cool.  Then, the samurai’s battle with the Yōkai now rendered in color.  Spot has covered his eyes and whimpers in fear.  Usagi tries to reassure him saying that Auntie’s farmbotto is not turned on.  The tech makes it sci fi even though we have a traditional farm.  He just thumps it with his kama and this causes it to activate!  The farmbotto starts to move towards Spot with its thresher arms!  

Usagi takes Spot in his arms and tosses him aside to deal with the runaway farmbotto, no off switch?  It starts to head for the house, then turns to a watermelon patch.  Usagi leaps and throws his kama into the bot’s inner workings.  The farmbotto shorts out, but Auntie (Sumalee Montano) is not happy at the chaos. She has puffy cheeks, uses a cane, and one of her ears is wooden!  Auntie points out a sign that Usagi reads “No fighting farmbotto”, very funny.  She says he is turning 16 and dreams of becoming a samurai.  Auntie gives him a wrench to fix farmbotto.  It is a Luke Skywalker choice, stay on the farm or become a Jedi.  The farm turns to misty and then to night.  Usagi rolls out his steamcycle planning on leaving for the city.  Steampunk tech, very cool.  He practices his martial arts and kicks the tree and Auntie drops down from it.  Usagi says he has decided to go to Neo Edo, love the name in Akira (1998), it was Neo-Tokyo.  Edo is the ancient name of Tokyo that was the capital in the Tokugawa shogunate.  

Auntie takes out a katana scabbard, it is called a sword in this series.  She presents him the katana, Edgewing, the blade forged by Auntie and his great-great grandfather.  There is a crystal, Omurasaki, that Miyamoto Usagi carried, on the end of its hilt.  Auntie says she was lucky with it and then taps her mechanical leg.  She knows that he can’t stay on the farm even though she promised his parents to protect him.  Auntie says her goodbyes and wants Usagi to find a sensei in Neo Edo.  Usagi says she had already trained him.  He rides off in the night just playing with Edgewing.  “Patience…you must learn patience”, spoken by Sensei Yoda.  Usagi rides from the forest and reaches the golden city of Neo Edo.  Riding through the streets, the steamcycle suddenly jets forward, Usagi says it is from the Ki-Stone.  An energy burst travels through the cables of the city to a massive Ki-Stone like the Dark Crystal watched over by a bear technician.  

There is an announcement from a lantern topped bot, a newsbotto, that says Warimashi has escaped.  There is a 100,000 joules reward for him.  Usagi images in manga form defeating the hog criminal and his gang.  Then, touching the Ki-Stone that makes him Hulk out to a Conan (or Groo)-like warrior.  Usagi sees himself taking on the Skeleton Yōkai and Karasu tengu, I know the Tengu as bird demons, also known as Crow Yōkai, “master of martial arts.”  Finally, there is the Spider Yōkai.  He goes into his imaginary Dragonball finishing move saying he is “the ultimate Yōkai fighter!”  Um, he hasn’t found his sensei.  We find Usagi closing his eyes and swinging Edgewing.  Spot gibbers waking Usagi from his dream.  The steamcycle pitches over hitting stairs and Usagi flips up and Spot lands on his arm.  No one notices his acrobatic feat.  

Usagi starts to wander the streets and looks up to see a hovering airship.  His gawking has a worker ram the brakes on his constructionbotto.  Usagi is bored and then sees a pig menaces by a rhino.  His imagination has him see a raging, “ugly brute” which the rhino hears in the alley.  He says his name is Gen (Aleks Le) and he attacks Usagi with a spiked club, Kanabō, while holding onto the pig’s head.  Usagi leaps over him and smacks his hand with the scabbard.  The pig runs off.  Gen says that he is a bounty hunter and the pig is Warimashi!  He tells Usagi that he should know first what’s going on before engaging in combat. Gen asks about Usagi’s sensei.  Usagi tries to escape and lands on a skeleton, a puppet of a fox woman, Kitsune (Shelby Rabara).  Gen continues chasing him and this rocks the puppet cabinet revealing stolen goods from the audience!  

Kitsune chases after the duo.  They end up hearing finger snaps, it is the Mogura gang, monkeys wearing sunglasses.  Mogura is translated as a mole like the lil' burrowing animal.  Their leader, Chikabuma, has a tall pompadour.  They begin dancing and snapping their fingers.  Monkeys dancing is very funny.  Suddenly, they unleash an energy wave from a power snap.  He finds a crack in some roks and then wedges his scabbard in to bring the rocks down on the Mogura.  The chase continues with Usagi smashing into a restaurant swept by a cat woman in red, Chizu (Mallory Low).  They end up chasing Usagi to the Ki-Stone and its bear guardian Tetsujin.  He wears a bead necklace like a monk. Tetsujin says he is the “last of the Kaikishi”, whom Usagi says are Yōkai fighters.  The others don’t believe in Yōkai.  

Tetsujin says they are in a Kaikishi temple. The Ki-Stone starts to crackle with energy, Tetsujin notices that energy is connected to Usagi.  He is drawn to the stone, Tetsujin tries to pull him away, and then all turns to white.  Usagi gets visions of Miyamoto Usagi walking through a forest, very beautiful, and Yōkai.  They all recover to see blue globes of Yōkai escape from the Ki-Stone. I think all of the young group members are become Kaikishi.  The Yōkai must be defeated including the strange leader with three eyes and a face like a hannya (demon) mask. Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles builds a fresh, futuristic world that is funny with anime action!, but also connected to the Usagi Yojimbo of the past, with Usagi's mismatched friends to save the world from Yōkai!     

Five Joules out of Five!  

#SamuraiRabbitTheUsagiChronicles, #StanSakai, #DarrenBarnet, #AleksLe, #ShelbyRabara, #MalloryLow, #SumaleeMontano   

Re:tro Re:view - World of Krypton (2022) #1!

 World of Krypton #1 tells the story of the doomed world, the House of El, the heroic General Zod, and the infant Kara!  The first World of Krypton (1979) was one of the first limited series.  The stories of Krypton were revealed the story of Jor-El until the destruction of his home world.  It was crafted by Paul Kupperberg and Howard Chaykin.  There also was the limited series Krypton Chronicles (1981) by the mega-team of E. Nelson Bridwell and Curt Swan.  It covered the early members of the House of El.  The second series with the post-Crisis reboot of the DCU was by John Byrne and Mike Mignola. The 1987-1988 mini-series followed Superman’s descendant Captain Van-L who fought in the Kryptonian Wars to Jor-El and the destruction of Krypton. It is fascinating to see the science fiction former homeward of Kal-El, the Kryptonian families, and of course the House of El. 

Side note: there was the ancestors of Jonathan Kent; Nathaniel and Jeb Kent who find themselves on opposite sides of the Civil War and then end up on the lawless town of Smallville right out of Westerns!  All of this in the 1997-1998 twelve issue series The Kents by John Ostrander with art by Timothy Truman and Tom Mandrake.  The cover of issue one features artwork by Mico Suayan who worked on the Black Label limited series, Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity (2019-2021).  It has a painterly cover of the cosmos as Jor-El holds Lara with her headdress established by John Byrne in Man of Steel #1 (1986).  This before the planet Krypton is rupturing. “Bellwether” is by writer, Robert Venditti, who just finished Superman `78.  The artwork is Michael Avon Oeming who was also the artist for Action Comics #1029-1034 (2021).  We open with the observations of Nira-Ur, her first appearance, in the Jewel Valley next to the mountains that were introduced in Superman #141 (1960) when Superman traveled to the Krypton of the past.  

She is recording this on a holo journal and wonders why the though-beast have moved from their usual grounds.   Thought-beasts who were introduced in Superboy #102 (1963).  In a stunning two page spread we have the herd of rhinoceros-like beasts with large plates like triceratops with flashes on their red surfaces.  Nira-Ur witnesses the scene with her staff in shadow.  She mentions that the fall of one species will signal the doom of all life forms!  We move to Kryptonopolis, the floating capital city, it became the capital after the loss of Kandor.  The city first appeared in Superman #159 (1963).  Jor-El is nervous reassured by his wife, Lara, reassures him for the naming ceremony of his niece.  The matriarch and patriarch of the House El are announced as the enter the hall.  He is met by his brother, Zor-El, Lara sees Alura and her new baby.  Alura says her name is Kara Zor-El, who later of course becomes Supergirl!  I absolutely love seeing lil’ Kara before Krypton’s destruction.  

Then, they see their cousin, Kru entering with his black suit and cape with three crystal shards above his head.  Kru-El began his black sheep appearance in Action Comics #297 (1963).  Kru is all smiles.  Jor-El rebuffs him and Kru moves on to greet a chancellor. Jor-El and Zor mention Kru when they see General Dru, former black sheep of the House of Zod!  The Kryptonian villain, more friendly here, first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 (1961).  Kru turns to see General Zod warmly greeted by his cousins.  Close-up of his eyes as he glares are them and then walks away in shadow.  Dru says he wants to retire from the military even after saving Daxam from the Dominion.  I like the different factions and families making me think of the Krypton (2018-2019) series.  Daxamites are on the same power level as Superman including the Legion of Super-Heroes member Mon-El. They cheer to the fallen and we get them in shadow with the House of El shield below them.  An incredible visual. 

Next, we get the arrival of Nira-Ur who greets them and wants to speak with Jor-El.  She shows him the holo images of the thought-beast herd.  She checked for a cause of death, but does not know what killed them.  Nira suspects that the thought-beasts were able to detect something that the Kryptonians didn’t notice.  Their deaths are a bellwether event.  She wants Jor to investigate any subtle differences to Krypton as chair of Geologic Sciences.  The ceremony guests clap which requires Jor-El to join them.  The head of the Military Council is uncomfortable with the ceremony and Dru leaves her.  A waiter holding a tray of desserts passes by a guest.  This gets Dru’s attention and we see in a closeup of Dru’s eyes and snarl as he sees an explosive under the tray.  Dru shouts out a warning to Jor.  Two of the dissedents take out pistols shouting, “Free Krypton!”  Dru-Zod moves to stop them and Jor-El to protect his family.  They believe that is corrupt and the House of El must fall.  World of Krypton #1 has the first sign of the catastrophe and the political tensions of the people of Krypton before the arrival of baby Kal-El!   

Five Medex Droids out of Five! 

#WorldOfKrypton, #RobertVenditti, #MichaelAvonOeming, #NiraUr, #Lara, #JorEl, #KruEl, #DruZod 

Superman and Lois, “Bizarros in a Bizarro World”, Review!

Last episode we had the shocking ending of Jordan and Lois seeing someone who looks like Jonathan, but Lois realizes that he is “not their Jonathan”!  We had Superman lost to the vortex that took Ally Allston and her followers.  We flash back to Superman exiting the silent and dark void of Bizarro world with a red sun.  His skin starts to peel away and he lands on Bizarro world.  He sees the body of Anderson and flies away from the mines.  He focuses and hears the warning signal above Bizarro World, an Eaerth that is square shaped.  He flies to that world’s Arctic to the Fortress of Solitude for answers.  Superman sees a hologram of “The Rise and Fall of Our Hero, Kal-El.” There is also the Bottle City of Kandor which was introduced in Action Comics #242 (1958), and the Super-Key that opens the Fortress.  The Super-Key first appeared in Action Comics #241 (1958).  I think in Bizarro World, Superman's name would be Le-Lak. 

He sees the hologram of Lara, in Bizarro world he talks backwards which sounds like the comedy Top Secret! (1984).  Superman manages to speak backwards, normal speech.  She says her son was lost.  Then, he sees his son, Jon in the black jacket and red pants.  He flies away and Superman follows him to the farm.  He sees the ruined farm, a boat, and also the farmhouse in disrepair.  Jon leads him into the house.  Jon tells him that Ally’s followers have broadcast his face.  Jon says she has been in power for three months.  He says she took over the DoD and would be there.  Only Jon and Superman are left.  Jon realizes his father is dead, he is the angry teen.  Then, Lois is there with the bangs and long hair of her 70’s comic book appearance.  Next, we get “Bizarro Jonathan El”, focusing on different characters.  

SUPERMAN AND LOIS - - “Bizarros in a Bizarro World” - - JORDAN ELSASS - - Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW - (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Jordan with goth hair and he are in a car with Superman and their mother. It looks like Superman is the biggest celebrity instead of the anonymous super hero.  This is the Bizarro World of the past.  BJE sees someone about to fall from a scaffold across the street and saves him.  So Jonathan has the powers and not Jordan.  Superman wants to train him, but Lois is doubtful.  He calls Deb, she's the Edna Mode of this world, who is going to design his outfit.  I would like to see the Earth-Prime version of Deb.  He forms the super symbol with his hands.  Jordan suggests his “Superboy” as his super name.  Deb (Sidika Larbes) wants to outfit him with the black jacket, gloves, and red pants.  They land on Metropolis streets.  Superman throws a frost breath and Jonathan, a flame breath.  At a talk show, a woman, Misty (Serena Crouse), smiles at him and then is his date at the next appearance.  

Jonathan El flies down to stop two trucks from colliding.  He walks into the farmhouse, but Kal-El and Lois are angry at him.  He is angry back now that he has powers.  Jonathan El is angry that he is helping his father with President Seinfeld.  At a club, he walks with Misty, she wtakes him to a secret wal in the club.  There are a number of Goths and finally he sees Ally in a black dress.  He knows that she was part of the uprisings.  She wants to show him something.  In the present, he is angry at his mother who says he’s working for Ally, and he strikes her down!  Jonathan El’s eyes flare blue and he says he wants to know where the pendants can be found!  Bizarro Lois Lane, she walks out wanting to take Jordan, they are angry at each other about his fame.  She says he is hooked on the Green Kryptonite.  This is the most troubling episode seeing them argue.  She doesn’t want Jonathan El to become like his brother.  

SUPERMAN AND LOIS - - “Bizarros in a Bizarro World” - - ALEX GARFIN, JORDAN ELSASS, BITSIE TULLOCH - - Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW - (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

He starts to scream and burns the barn.  BLL goes to her father’s office.  Suddenly, they hear an alert.  Jonathan El on a screen is fired upon by soldiers and then suddenly appears with Bizarro Lana (we later get some of her origin).  He is looking for 4377 for the X-K.  Lois apologizes to her son.  Jonathan El calls over a soldier, Rosetti, and strikes his grandfather!  In the farmhouse, they watch the television report of Ally finding a portal.  Bizarro Superman appears with pale, patched skin and blue eyes.  His condition is not properly explained.  Do people in Bizarro World slowly deteriorate when depressed or ill?  We get his flashbacks that we saw on Earth Prime.  He apologizes and then leaves.  BJE threatens his mother and then repeatedly strikes Superman.  Then, we see his father!  Lieutenant General Mitchell Anderson, he takes the pendant and then goes throug the vortex.  He is meet by Ally, Anderson, Bizarro Jonathan El, and Bizarro Lana. 

Their Anderson gets images of the other Mitchell with the pendant.  The Mitchell with pendant strikes Bizarro Lana.  The Mitchells are about to merge, Ally orders BJE to stop them, he uses his flame breath to blast BMA.  At the busy Smallville Gazette, a reporter, Janet, tells Chrissie that the image of Mitchell is on every network.  I wonder if the large staff is a hint of a larger newspaper operation?  Mitchell appears and has the backward speech.  He shows Bizarro Chrissie a note with “Lois.”  BCB tells him to leave and he super speeds away to building 22.  BCB gave him the address to meet with Lois.  She talks him down to a cellar where he meets with General Lane and Jordan.  Her son asks about his father and shows Mitchell a family photo.  He apologizes.  Jordan is angry not understanding, but his grandfather knows that Bizarro Superman died.  This catches us up to speed.  Bizarro Jonathan El lands outside of the farmhouse.  

SUPERMAN AND LOIS - - “Bizarros in a Bizarro World” - - IAN BOHEN - - Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW - (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Lois goes as Mitchell and Jordan sleep.  Mitchell slams BJE knocking him out.  Jonathan El is bound and watched over by General Lane with a Red K rifle, Lois, and Jordan.  Mitchell takes a X-K inhaler, his last one, and Superman says he will save him.  He realizes that the family is Superman’s family.  Mitchell tries to apologize.  There are two Allys, Bizarro Tal-Rho (who later gets a flashback segment), and Bizarro Lana.  Mitchell gives Superman the pendant.  General Lane has the rifle with Red K ammunition.  Jonathan El freezes his grandfather’s rifle.  Mitchell takes Jonathan El.  Superman punches BTR.  He takes on Bizarro Lana and throws her away.  Bizarro Tal-Rho fights with Superman.  In the skies, BJE knocks away Mitchell.  Mitchell flies in and is killed by Jonathan El.  He pulls the pendant free from Superman and throws it to Ally.  The Allys start to float upwards and begin to merge as Superman can only watch.  “Bizarros in a Bizarro World” is a whirlwind of different versions of the same characters, a strange world, with an eye-scorching red light for most of the episode.  

Three Crystals out of Five!  

#SupermanAndLois, #BizarrosInABizarroWorld, #TylerHoechlin, #ElizabethTulloch, #AlexGarfin, #JordanElsass, #DylanWalsh, #EmmanuelleChriqui, #IanBohen, #MarianaKlaveno, #SofiaHasmik, #RyaKihlstaedt, #SidikaLarbes, #SerenaCrouse

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).  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).  

Julia Miliken was played by Gina 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).  She appeared as Lauren Weber, wife of Arnold who created the hosts, in Westworld (2016-2020).  Gina Torres was in the series Pearson based on her Suits character, Jessica Pearson.  She is currently playing Tommy Vega in the drama series, 9-1-1: Lone Star.   Happy Birthday Gina Torres! 

#GinaTorres, #Cleopatra2525, #Firefly, #TheMatrixRevolutions, #Suits, #StarWarsRebels, #Westworld, #Pearson, #911LoneStar  

Earth-Prime: Superman & Lois #2 Review!

Earth-Prime: Superman & Lois #2 has the series writers unleashed with the artwork of Tom Grummett and missing stories from the show!  The Earth-Prime continues the CW shows in comic book form, first with Batwoman and now Superman and Lois!  The issue is written by Jai Jamison, Adam Mallinger, and Andrew N. Wong, writers for the Superman and Lois show.  It features art by Tom Grummett, one of the artists during the Death of Superman arc with Adventures of Superman.  "The Anniversary" starts at night at the Kent farmhouse in a splash page.  Clark is nervous about his suit and encouraged by Lois, Jonathan and Jordan.  I like the rendering by Grummett who depicts the characters as comic book figures.  The boys wonder why they are celebrating their anniversary four days after the actual date.  

This flashes back to “365 days after the wedding”, Clark is surprising Lois in bed with roses behind his back, and then she kisses him.  Um, we get Lois taking a shower, there is steam covering her, but I don’t think that will be on the tv program.  This is while Clark uses his heat vision to beam at a mirror and shave.  We had the question of a barber shattering his scissors on Superman’s indestructible hair in Superman #38 (1946). Lois reminds Clark about their dinner reservation at 9 p.m. from the shower to the Metropolis streets getting coffee, and finally at the Daily Planet offices.  This is look at Superman and Lois during their time in Metropolis.  Then, we get Superman battling robots while Lois waits until the restaurant closes.  The next day, we get the Daily Planet headline, “Superman Battles Mechanical Monsters”, this drops the Fleischer Studios short, “The Mechanical Monsters” (1941).  

The scene repeats with the roses, Superman was in Tokyo, and now Clark is in the shower.  He makes the reservations and Lois promises to be there. A large panel has Lois working on the printing press while Perry White watches.  She pulls out a toy car.  I’m thinking Toy Man?  It’s Clark who waits in the restaurant and helps catch a tripping waiter’s tray.  Following day, we get another headline about Intergang, this is the criminals with high tech weaponry first appearing in Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (1970).  By the way, we haven’t seen Jimmy or any of other Planet workers. We get another try at reservations and Lois shows Clark the toy car.  Another promise by Clark. We actually have a large panel of Clark using cables to shock Nuclear Man, this was the villain from Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).  I wonder if this makes the movies in continuity with the S&L series.  

Lois is waiting, the toy car falls off the table, and Lois hears the news report on the restaurant tv about Superman.  Lois asks for the check.  It is obvious that they are celebrating their anniversary when they had time to celebrate.  Day Three, the Nuclear Man headline appears at the doorstep.  Clark offers Lois a breakfast burrito and puts the roses in a vase.  Clark is back in the shower.  On a subway train, Superman uses his microscopic vision to see the manufacturer of the toy, Krank Co.  They both make the promise.  Then, we get the Toyman and the rest of Intergang, he boasts that they have the backing of a politician.  We have in the eye of one of the giant teddy bears, Lois contacts Agent Duvall.  Clark waits, the waiter he helped, Stan offers to join him.  Day Four, we have the headline of the Intergang caught, and Lois in the shower.  She is still wondering about the politician backing the Intergang.

  

At the Planet offices, Lois notes that Stan is holding a reservation for them, and Clark takes her for a talk.  He wonders if they are going to celebrate their anniversary.  Lois cancels her meetings and Clark says that he will keep his Superman duties small.  Superman saves several people from a fire at an apartment building.  Looking at his photo is the gloved hand of the alien bounty hunter, Lobo.  The Main Man was introduced in Omega Men #3 (1983).  Emmett J. Scanlan played Lobo in the Krypton series, crossover?, in continuity?  Superman flies to attack him, but Lobo has a fist wrapped in Kryptonite chain.  He wraps the chain around Superman and takes him off world on his Spacehog.  Lois interviews the mayor and then gets hints at the corrupt politician.  On an asteroid, Superman is captive at Bibbo’s Fav’rit Shrimp Shack.  Bibbo was introduced in Adventures of Superman #428 (1987).  The shack reminds me more than a little of the diner in Spaceballs (1987). 

Lois has to reveal the politican and Superman defeat Lobo to try to get the restaurant, Plastino’s. This is a nod to artist, Al Plastino, who worked on Superman comics.  The other story, “Father’s Day”, depicts the influence of Jonathan Kent inspiring Clark to be a reporter and Superman.  This is a better take than Man of Steel (2013).  It is a very short, but perfect look at Papa Kent and his son.  “Controlled Burn” has young Clark and his parents, after a car accident Clark is placed in an abusive foster home, but uses his powers.  He is taken to a government facility, but sees a crystal and escapes.  He goes to the Amazon and sees the hologram of Jor-El to train with him, very Tal-Rho.  Then, we have Superman in a black suit trying to save humanity.  Then, he meets Tal-Rho and engages in the Battle of Metropolis, so this is Earth TUD22, the world of John Henry and Natalie.  We get pages of Nat’s War Journal, and also some Daily Planet headlines reversed, or Bizarro’d!  Earth-Prime: Superman & Lois #2 offers some missing back stories, hints at some super cameos, and background for the series!  

Four Crystals out of Five!  

#EarthPrime, #SupermanAndLois, #JaiJamison, #AdamMallinger, #AndrewNWong#TheAnniversary, #TomGrummett, #FathersDay, #ControlledBurn 

The Northman Review!

The Northman is a brutal tale of a Viking warrior seeking revenge in a beautifully shot world.  The film is directed by Robert Eggers whom I’m familiar with his film, The Witch (2015).  Here he was working for the most historically accurate Viking movie.  The film is written by author, Sjón, who also co-wrote the screenplay to The Lamb (2021).  The first chapter is “The North Atlantic”, we see the title in runes before we see it in English, a raven flies over three ships sailing for an island.   It is really a tombolo, an island connected by a tiny strip to the mainland.  We have the setting, 895 A.D., and the Vikings disembark from their ships.  This is seen by the young Amleth (Oscar Novak) at the longhouse.  The actor also played a young Bruce Wayne in The Batman.  The story is based on the 13th century Scandinavian legend of Amleth that became the basis for Shakespeare's Hamlet.  

Amleth rushes in to see his mother, Queen Gudrun (Nicole Kidman), who is dressing.  Kidman worked with Alexander Skarsgård on Big Little Lies.  The Vikings are returning with one group heading to the side.  Arriving with their raiding spoils is King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke).  He of course is currently in Moon Knight as Arthur Harrow.  Aurvandil greets his wife and son whom he gives an amulet.  At a ceremony, there is the arrival of his brother, Fjölnir (Claes Bang).  The drama, It is in Us All (2022), starred Bang.  Heimir The Fool (Willem Dafoe) makes a joke about Fjölnir and this upsets him.  Dafoe’s other project with Eggers was the film The Lighthouse (2019).  He is calmed by Aurvandil that says it was just a joke.  Later, we see Gudrun sewing when Aurvandill enters, she finds that he has a wrapping over a wound on his side.  He dismisses her since he doesn’t want his wound to be infected and wants to die in battle.  

Aurvandil has his son, Amleth, follow everything he does going into a room acting like dogs.  Presiding over this ceremony is Heimir.  He sets two bowls of an hallucinatory mixture.  Both of the royal persons lap up the bowl.  Aurvandil asks Amleth if he will avenge him if he dies and his son agrees shedding a tear.  Heimir catches it and says that is the last one he will cry.  Aurvandil unwraps the his wound cloth.  His son touches it and is given a vision of the Tree of Kings, a pan up of the dead kings, ending with Amleth above his father.  The visions give the film a surreal quality.  Heimir tells him of his fate and says to Amleth, “You must choose between kindness for your kin or hate for your enemies.”  In the morning, we have father and son leaving the longhouse.  Amleth smiles as an arrow whips past him striking his father.  He is pierced by two other arrows as the killers ride up on horses.  Aurvandil tells his son to run and he takes cover by a rune stone.  

He sees the riders stab his father with spears.  Then, their leader in a coat that kinda looks like Chewbacca’s fur, Fjölnir!  Aurvandil defies his brother and says that he will have his kingdom for long.  Fjölnir kills him and then orders the same for Amleth.  The young heir runs and the killers run past his cover of branches.  Amleth is caught by Finnr (Eldar Skar), but he slices off the brute’s nose with a knife and runs.  He returns to the village as it is raided by Fjölnir’s men and takes a red cloak.  Amleth witnesses his mother taken away screaming by the usurper on horseback.  He reaches the shore and takes the boat to see making a vow, “I will avenge you father, I will save you mother, and I will kill Fjölnir.”  This reminded me of Arya Stark's vow of revenge in Game of Thrones.  We fade to the next chapter, “The Land of the Rus.”  The pacing of the chapter transitions is a bit slow after a few of them.  

 

We get two longships rowed by men and one is commanded by a woman as we hear the beat of drums.  The music is by Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough.  The other longship has the Berserkers including the older Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) and the film that reminds me of him in Viking workout shape is The Legend of Tarzan (2016).  We see the amulet on Amleth.  Then, we the ceremony where the warriors become berserkers which means “bearskin” in Old Norse.  It drives them into a blind, mindless fury.  Amleth howls like a wolf in his wolf headdress, he is bear and wolf.  The next day, the berserkers crawl up to a hill facing a village.  A spear is thrown, Amleth catches it, and hurls it back killing a soldier.  He rages and begins climbing the wodden wall using his axe.  Then, cuts down a defender and drops down to kill others.  This is all in one shot.  Impressive cinematography by Jarin Blaschke whom worked on Egger’s other movies.    

Amleth finds that the other berserkers are taking women and children.  The others are taken as slaves.  He enters a temple and The Seeress (Björk) in a whispery voice shows him the last tear drop that was taken by Heimr.  Then, she reveals his destiny, this is one of the many points of similarity with Conan the Barbarian (1982).  I count at least four points.  As the slaves are sent away, Amleth talks to Eirikr (Tadhg Murphy) who tells him that Fjölnir lost his kingdom to King Harald of Norway so he moved to a farm on Iceland.  Amleth sees a raven land on a post, almost like his father watching him.  He takes a brand and sears the slave’s mark on his chest!  Then, he swims out to the boat taking slaves as tribute to Fjölnir.  There he meets a woman who calls herself Olga of the Birch Forest (Anya Taylor-Joy).  She of course played Thomasin in Eggers’ film, The Witch. She has powers of her own, to corrupt the minds of men, and other supernatural abilities.  He sleeps next to her and has a vision of his past and future including a sword.  

The next chapter is “Iceland.”  Morning, we find the survivors of the boat sinking staggering to shore.  The leader of Fjölnir’s men is his oldest son, Thorir the Proud (Gustav Lindh) who chooses Olga and Amleth amongst the slaves to be brought to the farm.  Lindh was in the crime series, The Dark Heart (2022).  They make the long journey with Olga finding out about Amleth’s revenge.  She just wants to escape Iceland.  Amleth and the others are brought before Fjölnir who doesn’t recognize him as a Viking warrior.  He also sees Gudrun with her young son, Gunnar (Elliott Rose).  Strangely, Kidman playing a queen who re-marries and has another child reminds me of Aquaman (2018).  At night, Amleth escapes and follows a wolf to find a He-Witch (Ingvar Sigurosson).  Lars was played by Sigurosson in Killing Eve.  He holds the disfigured head of Heimir and is able to connect Amleth with him.  This will lead to the sword Draugr, which is the name for an undead creature, the sword will be used for Amleth’s revenge.  Later, he in a bloody game of knattleikr takes on Thórfinnr Tooth-Gnasher (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) who played The Mountain in Game of Thrones! The Northman, crafted by Robert Eggers, with Amleth finding a costly path in the revenge business, a talented cast, a Viking story worthy of many runestones!  

Four Draugr Swords out of Five!           

#TheNorthman, #RobertEggers, #AlexanderSkarsgard, #AnyaTaylorJoy, #NicoleKidman, #ClaesBang, #EthanHawke, #WillemDafoe, #Bjork, #OscarNovak