Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Disneyland 2022!

I wanted to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade which would end on September 1st so it was time to go back to Disneyland!  The last time I went to a Disney park was last November.  Note that there were walls blocking the Mickey floral display.  The cost for the ticket was $104.  I went to City Hall to get help with the app, and found something new.  On the app, there is a feature Cast Compliments, click the three lines from the home screen.  Then, scroll down below the icons to Cast Compliment below My Profile.  Select compliment from “I’d like to say `Thanks!” for…” like “Making such a postiive impact on my day.”  Next, location like Disneyland Park, this goes to specific locations for example Main Street, U.S.A.  Below is Cast Member First Name, “Cast Member Hometown as Listed on Their Name Tag”, this can lead to a fun conversation.  Lastly, “Date of Your Interaction”, a calendar is shown, just click the day and then click Submit.   

Stormtroopers All in a Row, Rise of the Resistance, author’s photo. 

I headed straight for Galaxy’s Edge with a lunch of a Ronto Wrap and Tatooine Sunset, $21.53.  My reservation for Rise of the Resistance came up so I hurried over to scan in.  The details are at: http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2022/08/strolling-through-theme-park-one-day_30.html.  I strolled over to the Creature Stall and asked about the Krykna Spider Creature, but it was not in stock.  Also, the Bantha Talking Plush which I has been out of stock for some time, rare, and not expected back any time soon!  Then, a cup of Blue Mik at the Milk Stand, $8.61, which really felt pricey, still worth it.  I wanted to see what was going on with Toon Town a wall blocks off the crossing under the bridge.  My next objective was to photograph the People Mover track.  There are rumors of its return to be announced at the D23 Expo.  I also saw some scaffolding at the Matterhorn.

                                                                                    Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage lagoon, photo by the author. 

There is some of the People Mover track seen at the dock of the Finding Nemo subs and luckily a cast member helped set up the reservation for it.  Another compliment there.  I traced the People Mover track around Tomorrowland and then followed it to Main Street.  The 8 p.m. Electrical Parade was packed by then, so I headed back to Tomorrowland to see if I could see the People Mover track from Autopia.  They had cancelled the fireworks due to winds, it was a light breeze, so I went back to Rise of the Resistance to find my hat that I lost on the ride.  The ride was closed, but a cast member remembered seeing my hat so I put in another compliment.  From there, I went on Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, left pilot.  I had a cast member take my pic in front of the Falcon, he was the regular Photo Pass photographer, but used my phone.  I entered the Cast Compliment which he was not familiar, kinda disappointed if people get their pic taken and not give a compliment!  

“Disneyland proudly presents…The Main Street Electrical Parade!”, author’s photo. 

I got a water, $4.75, a little expensive before I went to finish my day at the last Main Street Electrical Parade showing.  I also got a Fuel Cell, I had to call the operator who said they ran out of replacement Fuel Cell, so I had to again buy a new one, $30.  This is the only place at Disneyland you can recharge your phone or electrical equipment.  Other places have charging stations.  I was watching videos of parades at Tokyo Disneyland and the guests basically politely sat there.  This last showing was the same.  No kids shouting out characters, no waving, just passive.  The characters came to interact with guests on the curb.  I was on the curb, but told to move to behind a rope, then guests sat in the same place on the curb.  I also noticed that the speakers are not around the parade route, I was by the castle and Tomorrowland, so it didn’t have the rumble of the bass.  Since the speakers are not blasting, I loved it when I was a kid, after the floats pass, it’s just a wait until the next one.  The constant melody of “Baroque Hoedown” just gets me grooving.  

It’s A Small World parade float, the end of the parade, goodnight!, photo by the author. 

The narration at the beginning is changed, but about the same spiel.   The drum-like part of the parade has lit up “Disneyland Presents”, “MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE”, it is missing “The Main Street…”, and 50 YEARS."  I still think the performers should have lit collars or lights pointing down at them, it gets so dark you can’t see faces.  I could of course see Goofy, Minnie, and Mickey.  Dopey is lit up, kinda Alice, and I couldn’t recognize Tinkerbell’s fairies.  I kinda saw Tinkerbell, I can just make out Pinocchio and the Pleasure Island dancers, Cinderella and Fairy Godmother need lights like Alice.  I still love Pete’s Dragon, I didn’t see the 1977 original until after the recent 2016 version. I actually prefer the It’s a Small World float over the “To Honor America.” It has the world representation with Fairy Godmother doll, Hercules, Miguel from Coco (2017), Moana needs some light, Pocahontas, Raya, Aladdin and Jasmine. Encanto’s Mirabel was on the other side.  Finally there is the Small World clock on a castle.  The end total was $168 with $56.31 in souvenirs it would be $225.17.  Disneyland was very tiring for my feet, but fun overall, especially with seven Cast Compliments! 

#Disneyland, #CastCompliments, #GalaxysEdge, #RontoWrap, #TatooineSunset, #CreatureStall, #KryknaSpiderCreature, #BanthaTalkingPlush, #BlueMilk, #MilkStand, #PeopleMover,  #FindingNemoSubmarineVoyage, #Autopia, #MillenniumFalconSmuggersRun, #MainStreetElectricalParade         

 

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Rise of the Resistance!

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance fulfills the promise of the Galaxy’s Edge expansion at Disneyland!  The Sequel Trilogy opened with Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 14, 2015.  The movie introduced audiences to Finn (John Boyega), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), and Rey (Daisy Ridley).  The Star Wars themed park expansion in Disneyland opened on May 31, 2019.  The promised second attraction was unopened, but the Disney’s Hollywood Studios version had an opening date of December 5, 2019.  The ride finally opened on January 14, 2020 at Disneyland’s Galaxy Edge.  I recently had the chance to visit the park and ride the new attraction. 

The Rise of the Resistance is of course on the Resistance side of Galaxy’s Edge past a bend to Black Spire Outpost.  The X-Wing and A-Wing, AX-wings?, are to the right of it.  The entrance is a Resistance turret, this is a DF.12 Com Turret used for “Resistance encampments and temporary air bases.”  The description is from the model I saw at the Galaxy’s Edge preview at 2017’s D23 Expo.  Resistance soldiers guard the turret and also check in guests.  This is a wooded area that leads to a waterfall, this feature is beautiful, kinda alien!, incredible design by the Imagineers and much needed for the Galaxy’s Edge path.  This leads to a cave, there is a green tactical screen to the left, a large hologram chamber, and to the right is a platform with two blue and yellow tactical screens.  BB-8 peeks out of the screens. 

                                                                Lieutenant Bek greets the recruits on the Resistance Transport Ship, photo by the author. 

Rey appears in a hologram explaining that your group are recruits that will be sent to Resistance base on Pacara to meet General Leia.  A new planet introduced with this ride and it is located in the Mid-Rim.  The time period according to Disney is after the Battle of Crait, the second film from 2017, Vi Moradi established the Batuu base.  This was in Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire (2019) by Delilah S. Dawson.  This connectivity is interesting than the “sequel” movies themselves.  Then, you are taken outside, to the right is Poe’s black X-wing, a Resistance T-70 X-wing.  To the left, you are guided to a Resistance Intersystem Transport Ship, also introduced here. The excitement of Resistance soldiers reminds me of the Klingon Encounter attraction at the former Star Trek: The Experience. You enter it, to the right is the pilot, Nien Nunb (voiced by Kipsang Rotich) in the front.  Rotich voiced Nien in all of the latest Star Wars films. 

Also, there is Lieutenant Bek, a Mon Calamari animatroic (!), voiced by the incredible James Arnold Taylor.  He voiced Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and many voices in  Star Wars video games and animated specials.  Bek is a host that talks to you like RX-24 did on Star Tours.  Your transport is escorted by Black Leader, Poe Dameron and his X-Wing  pilots.  It becomes a battle with TIE fighters, but a Star Destroyer appears and pulls the transport with a tractor beam.  The transport opens and you are taken to the hangar bay which is lined with countless Stormtroopers.  This pre-show was also similar to The Klingon Encounter with a transporter and moving to the bridge of the Enterprise like this scene, then you move to shuttle.  I was taking pics, I think a group stood by to get their pictures taken, but it all seemed like a rush, I just moved on.  I think this moves into a queue for the First Order Fleet Transport, a vehicle for eight passengers which has a black R5 droid piloting it.  The model at D23 Expo says “these vehicles are programmed with ship schematics and security access codes.”  

                                                                            Finn briefs the recruits on the First Order Fleet Transport, author’s photo. 

You are taken to room with General Hux and Kylo Ren above you.  They want the location of the Resistance base.  This is of course a screen like in Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.  You are guided past by a security room with two Stormtrooper guards, again the cast members dressed as First Order officers weren’t too happy I stayed to take the pic.  Then, line up to enter the First Order transport.  It is trackless like one part of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  A screen has Finn in Stormtrooper armor saying that the transport will take you to an escape pod back to Batuu.  You spin around two other empty transports.  Lieutenant Bek speaks to you, helpful with identifying things.  It is all so fast moving that I couldn’t understand what was happening; a probe droid, Stormtroopers, Walkers, the bridge with a Resistance attack, Kylo Ren.  Star Wars is fast paced, but in it all, still comprehensible.  

Cannons fire at the Resistance, how could the passengers be breathing in a vaccuum?  If this were canon, then Kylo Ren and the First Order are some of the most incompetent oppressors since some recruits escape them!  The escape pod drop?  I was reassured by many people it would be safe.  It is a drop, but a smooth and short fall, barely noticeable.  It goes all Star Tours with the escape pod protected by Poe Dameron.  The transport enters a hangar with one of my favorite Star Wars characters.  I heard Rise of the Resistance called the best theme park ride, I can't agree, great ride, but there are others.  The story needs to be slowed down and not be a jumble, and guests rushed.  The appearances of the actors as characters is good, but their use in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was fun.  I really like Hyperspace Mountain which made feel like I was in an X-Wing through the Battle of Jakku.  Rise of the Resistance is an experience, probably needs to ridden several times to understand what is happening, but does have Mon Calamari, Finn, and James Arnold Taylor!  

#RiseOfTheResistance, #GalaxysEdge, #JohnBoyega, #AdamDriver, #DomhnallGleeson, #OscarIsaac, #DaisyRidley, #KipsangRotich, #JamesArnoldTaylor, #HyperspaceMountain.

House of the Dragon, “The Rogue Prince”, Review!

House of the Dragon continues with "The Rogue Prince", questions of King Viserys' rule, political forces, and Daemon Targaryen's actions!  Re:cap - the Heir’s Tournament begins, Ser Criston is matched against Daemon Targaryen. King Viserys tries to comfort Queen Aemma, she sees the knife and starts screaming, Grand Maester Mellos cuts her open!  This is so disturbing even after the violence of Game of Thrones that viewers should be warned.  Ser Criston batters Daemon with his flail and then forces him to yield.  By the Blackwater Bay, the funeral pyre of the queen and we see sadly, her son.  Daemon has Rhaenyra walk up to her dragon, Syrax, and I know the word, but was tense when it was said, “Dracarys.”  At the Small Council, the question of succession is argued, overheard by Daemon.  In the Tower of the Hand, Otto High Tower sends a raven to Oldtown, his castle.  He sends his daughter, Alicient, to comfort the king.  Viserys works on a white city model of Valyria like the models seen in the Game of Thrones titles.    

At a brothel, Mysaria encourages Daemon to make a speech, this is reported on by Otto Hightower the next day.  The prince has called the lost child, the “Heir for a Day”!  Viserys confronts his brother with the speech the next day while on the Iron Throne with his Valyrian sword, Blackfyre.  He orders Daemon back to the Vale and his wife.  The giant, black skull of Balerion, the dragon of Aegon the Conqueror, is surrouned by candles. This is where Viserys meets with Rhaenyra and says that she has her mother’s best qualities.  He explains that Aegon had a dream that is called “The Song of Ice and Fire”!  This is the name of George R.R. Martin’s book series!  The next day, the lords bend their knees to the king and his heir, Rhaenyra!  Prince Daemon rides with Mysaria on his dragon, Caraxes, to the Vale.  We get the familiar GoT theme to an epic title scene with compass-like symbols sending blood pouring down stone channels of the ancient capital, Valyria.   

Tiny crabs pick at skeletal remains and survivors of a battle on a beach.  Reminders of the pirate, the Crabfeeder!  Viserys in Small Council asks about the replacement for Ser Ryam of the Kingsguard.  Rhaenyra quietly pours drinks as the cupbearer.  Ser Harold Westerling has five candidates to replace Ser Ryam.  Lord Corlys bursts in frustrated at the loss of four ships to the Triarchy at the Stepstones.  Viserys says he will reject war with the Free Cities that he says are supplying the pirates.  Corlys sees no threat to the pirates with Daemon taking over Dragonstone with his gold cloaks for half a year.  Viserys says he is sending ambassadors. Rhaenyra brings up the dragonriders to her father.  Instead, Viserys has Ser Harold take her to choose the next knight who will also be her protector.  Otto Hightower introduces the knights while Princess Rhaenys watches.  Rhaenyra wants a knight who actually fought battles.  

The next candidate is Ser Criston Cole who has fought in the Dornish invaders.  She tells Lord Hightower that Ser Criston will be the protector.  King Viserys shows Alicent his Valyria model and remarks about the thousand dragons and its great navy.  Alicent asks him if Westeros could be like Valyria and Viserys holds the model of Balerion and drops it on the floor.  He asks Alicent about his daughter who doesn’t really speak to him.  At the Sept with rings of candles, Alicient talks with Rhaenyra about the king, and then has them both pray.  Alicent to her mother and she has Rhaenyra pray to the gods.  She also confides that she has to start a conversation with her father.  Viserys meets with Rhaenys and Corlys, the latter of whom sees the threats to the Red Keep.  Corlys tells Viserys that he can marry his daughter, Laena, to have the last Valyrian houses together.  At dinner, Rhaenyra and Viserys eat quietly, and then she is interested in talking with her father.  Rhaenyra brings up that Ser Criston would make an excellent knight for the Kingsguard.  

Later, Otto Hightower has prepared maggots to take care of Viserys pinkie finger turned black. The king brings up the meeting with Corlys and Rhaenys.  Also, the marriage with Lady Laena, this surprises Lord Hightower.  Corlys watches as the king walks with his young daughter (Nova Foueillis-Mosé). The white wig for the actress doesn’t seem right. She asks about his riding of Balerion and then about the marriage.  Rhaenyra also watches her father and the girl walking together.  She passes by Rhaenys sitting on a bench.  The Queen that Never Was says that Viserys will remarry and have a child to replace Rhaenyra.  Not very supportive of a potential queen on the Iron Throne.  Viserys at a meal talks about the Small Council’s decision with Alicent.  It seems like Hightower wants his daughter to be the king’s confidante, but as a wife, it’s more like the Friend Zone.  She has brought him a gift, a broken piece of Balerion, which she had restored.

 

Her father, the Hand, enters and says he asked for an emergency session.  An old man speaks in Valyrian about a thief that stole a dragon egg!  Daemon has taken it and left behind a letter noting that he will have another wife, Lady Mysaria.  She is going to have a baby and Daemon announces that the dragon egg will be placed with the child.  The Small Council reacts, but Rhaenyra interrupts them in High Valyrian asking which dragon egg was taken.  The dragonkeeper says it was Dreamfyre’s egg.  This was chosen by Rhaenyra for Prince Baelon!  Lord Hightower offers to go to Dragonstone.  Later, Alicient helps her father with his armor, he sees that her nervousness has bloodied her nails.  They are joined by Ser Criston who says twenty guards and Ser Harrold will protect him.  The misty island in Blackwater Bay, across from King’s Landing, the Hand’s group meets with Daemon, Mysaria, and their guards.  

Daemon has the dragon egg in his hands, Lord Hightower orders him to turn over Dragonstone, and Ser Criston notes he defeated the prince.  Otto’s constant demeaning of Mysaria has her with a solemn face.  They draw swords!  Otto hears the movement as Caraxes appears and roars!  Lord Hightower orders his guards to put away their swords.  They hear another sound coming from the mists!  It is Rhaenyra on Syrax, stalemate!   She lands her on the bridge behind Hightower’s men.  Rhaenyra walks up to her uncle and says her father made her Princess of Dragonstone.  She continues that he stole her brother’s dragon egg.  He says it is for his child, turns to Mysaria, and it is clear she is not pregnant so Mysaria leaves.  Rhaenyra says she is the reason why he was not made the heir so asks him to kill her.  The defiance by Alcock against Smith who seems like he is out of his league here!  Daemon walks away and tosses her the dragon egg.  Everyone appears to have underestimated Rhaenyra.  “The Rogue Prince” has excellent character moments, political machinations, and the aftermath of last episode’s end!  

Four Dragon Saddles out of Five!  

#HouseOfTheDragon, #TheRoguePrince, #PaddyConsidine, #LillyAlcock, #EmilyCarey, #MattSmith, #SteveToussaint, #EveBest, #RhysIfans, #GrahamMcTavish, #FabienFrankel, #SonoyaMizuno, #NovaFoueillisMose 

Happy Birthday Jack Kirby!

Happy Birthday Jack Kirby!  To understand how comic books, superhero comics, work and their appeal, you have to understand Jack Kirby.  His extreme poses and action exploding out of the panels are the language of superhero comic books today.  The King of Comics, started as an in-betweener at the Fleischer Studios working in animation.  Then, he started work at the Eisner & Iger studio creating artwork working in many genres for Wild Boy Magazine.  Kirby moved to Fox Feature Syndicate working with writer Joe Simon on the Blue Beetle comic strip. The duo worked together on Captain Marvel Adventures #1 (1941) for Fawcett Comics.  They joined Timely Comics, which later became Marvel Comics, and created Captain America Comics #1 (1941).  It sold out and became an iconic character for Timely/Marvel.  Captain America was the hero of a movie serial in 1944, some movies in 1979, a film in 1990, and entered the MCU played by Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).    

The Simon and Kirby duo created romance comics with Young Romance #1 (1947).  Kirby then worked for DC creating the Challengers of the Unknown, a quartet of explorers who survive a jet crash to investigate strange dangers in Showcase #6 (1957).  In Challengers of the Unknown #3 (1958), written and drawn by Kirby, the group gets super powers including projecting flame and invisibility.  He worked with Stan Lee introducing monsters like Groot in Tales to Astonish #13 (1960).  The tree-creature made his way to the screen in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).  What launched the Marvel Age of Comics in the Silver Age was Fantastic Four #1 (1961).  There have been numerous films that tried to capture the magic of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s creation with a cameo in this year's Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.  They turned a monster into a hero with The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) who currently appears in She-Hulk.  Then, Thor in Journey into Mystery #83 (1962).  His latest solo film was Thor: Love and Thunder that opened on July 8th.  They co-created Ant-Man in Tales to Astonish #35 (1962) with Larry Leiber.  Also, the Wasp in Tales to Astonish #44 (1963) with Ernie Hart.  Next year, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opens in theaters.    

Next, the team co-created Iron Man in Tales of Suspense #39 (1963). 2008's Iron Man started the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Lee and Kirby brought the heroes together in The Avengers #1 (1963).  The recent blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame, featured the characters this year. They also created Black Panther in Fantastic Four #52 (1966).  In 1977, Kirby wrote and drew Black Panther's solo series until issues 12.  Coming up on November 11th is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.  The Lee and Kirby duo created the X-Men and villain Magneto in X-Men #1 (1963).  When Kirby went to DC Comics, he created the Fourth World drawing and writing New Gods #1 and also their nemesis Darkseid, who Kirby introduced in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #134 (1970).  Kirby returned to Marvel and created the family of Homo immortals in The Eternals #1 (1976).  The MCU film, The Eternals, opened in 2021.  Kirby was entered the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1987.  He was pioneering in comic books, animation, he created film concept art that was used by the CIA seen in Argo (2012).  Post humorously, Kirby was made a Disney Legend on July 14, 2017.  He died in 1994, but Jack Kirby legacy will always be remembered by comics readers and audience members who love the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Happy Birthday Jack Kirby! 

#JackKirby, #CaptainAmerica, #FantasticFour, #JourneyIntoMystery, #TalesToAstonish, #TalesOfSuspense, #Avengers, #BlackPanther, #XMen, #NewGods, #TheEternals

Three Thousand Years of Longing Review!

Three Thousand Years of Longing is a film about storytelling, loneliness, and love!  It is based on the short story in the anthology, The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye: Five Fairy Stories (1994), by A.S. Byatt.   It is directed and co-written by George Miller, who yes last directed Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), but the closest of his movies to this one would be the comedy/fantasy/horror, Witches of Eastwick (1987).  Miller gives an introduction thanking audiences for seeing the movie in theaters.  The film is also co-written with Augusta Gore, Miller's daughter, her first movie credit.  We hear the narration by Tilda Swinton’s character that this is a true story, but could best be understood as a fairy story.  Her character, Alithea, has an unusual occupation, narratology?, but basically it is explaining the symbolism in mythology.  Swinton reprised the Ancient One role voicing the What If…? episode, “Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” (2021).  She is on a flight; reading, nervous, constantly tapping her right leg, and a little mousy, wearing glasses.  

Her colleague is Professor Günhan (Erdil Yasaroglu).  They land in Istanbul, a little, bald man with strange eyes tries to get Alithea’s attention, and then manages to slip into the crowd as her colleagues greet her.  In a van, they ask her if she believe in djinn.   Her hotel is the Pera Palace Hotel where Alithea is shown to Room 411 where she is told Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express.  They head over to a convention to present a narratology speech.  Alithea has a post in front of the stage while Günhan introduces the presentation about the gods, then this shifts into the modern mythology with Jim Lee’s DC Comics featured prominently on one screen.  Interesting considering Miller’s Justice League: Mortal film.  On the other side is a panel of Marvel Comics characters.  Still, she sees in the audience, a tall man in white robes.  

Alithea is distracted and continues with the speech.  The man then appears in the front row.  She tries to go on, but the strange man leans forward and his mouth opens to devour Alithea.  Her colleagues try to revive her and the audience claps that she has regained consciousness.  Later, Alithea walks with Günhan and confides that she has seen strange visions, but shrugs them off.  Alithea’s narration mentions the Grand Bazaar and Günhan takes Alithea to visit one shop.  She digs through a pile of blue beads to find a white-striped, blue bottle.  Günhan tries to get her to buy another bottle, but Alithea is set on getting that bottle because it might have “an interesting story.”  In her hotel room, Alithea, in a white bathrobe and her hair wrapped in a towel, tries to clean the bottle.  She uses an electric toothbrush that opens it!  This spills an orange and purple mist into the sink and then swirls into the next room.  

Giant fingers, dark and gold, reach into the bathroom.  She walks into the room and tries to close her eyes and count so this vision will go away.  Alithea opens her eyes and the massive Djinn (Idris Elba).  The actor is in the survival drama, Beast, which opened last week, and of course he shares a MCU connection with Swinton appearing in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) as Heimdall.  His language is unknown to Alithea so she tries to find language in common until she uses Greek.  The Djinn activates the television and pulls out a projection of Albert Einstein.  Alithea finds that he has learned English and then offers her three wishes.  He says there are laws and Alithea says that wishes are “cautionary tales.”  She tells him about being alone at an all girls school, young Alithea (Alyla Browne) read and made an imaginary friend she called Enzo (Abel Bond).  She threw her book about Enzo into the furnace and he disappeared afterwards.  

Later, Alithea says that she married Jack, (Peter Bertoni), but Jack said she couldn’t really talk to him.  He leaves her for another woman.  Alithea becomes comfortable being alone.  The Djinn then says he had been trapped three times.  The first time concerns Queen Sheba (Aamito Lagum) whom he loved.   Djinn explains that what she knows about the story is all wrong because he was there.   Then, King Solomon (Nicholas Mouawad) arrived and tried to seduce her with music.  He plays a harp, but the string breaks.  Solomon restrings it and then small hands play tinier strings and hands drum from trumpet parts of the instrument!  This part made me think of the bizarre worlds of Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). Sheba places impossible tasks for Solomon, but their love is inevitable and imprisons Djinn. Most of the story takes place within the hotel room and the stories of the Djinn.  Miller crafts a small, challenging drama that bursts through with wild storytelling that reveal the loneliness and love of both characters in Three Thousand Years of Longing!           

Five Djinn Bottles out of Five!  

#ThreeThousandYearsOfLonging, #GeorgeMiller, #TildaSwinton, #IdrisElba, #ErdilYasaroglu, #AlylaBrowne, #AbelBond, #AamitoLagum, #NicholasMouawad

The Sandman, “Imperfect Hosts”, Review!

The second episode of The Sandman features perfect casting, more of the surreal world and characters of The Dreaming, and sets the quest for Dream!  Re:Membering D-re:ams - Last episode, we had Roderick Burgess use a ritual to trap what he thought was Death to bring back his son.  Instead, it was Dream of The Endless, a number of timeless patterns that fulfill their duties in their own ways.  They can take human form like Dream.  He was trying to return the nightmare, The Corinthian, to the Dreaming, but was captured by Burgess.  The Sandman patiently waits through the decades as his absence causes people across the world to fall into “sleepy sickness.”  Burgess’ lover steals some of his fortune and Morpheus’ symbols; the Dream Helm, Dreamstone, and pouch.  Burgess’ son, Alex, takes over his father’s manor house and has a new love with Paul.  Ethel gives birth to a son.  

Then, Paul takes away Alex in a wheelchair rubbing off some of the symbols that bound Dream’s cage.  Freed, Dream sentences Alex to eternal sleep and then returns to the Dreaming only to have Lucienne, the caretaker, tell him everyone has left and his kingdom has fallen.  The Sandman vows to restore his realm and all of the dreams and nightmares in it.  We look to see the ruins of The Dreaming as The Sandman and Lucienne enter the hollow remains of the library.  Moody lighting washes of green, grey, and bright light.  Lucienne says that she kept a journal when he was missing, but the pages became blank as well as the rest of the library.  She stayed believing in his return.  Dream regards a triangle pieces of glass and then the window fragments and other part of the his realm start to lift up, but he collapses with all of the rubble.  

He needs his tools that were stolen, but needs to find them.  At a flat in Buffalo, New York, a woman (Joely Richardson), calling herself Madame Daudet, is on the phone selling rare art.  She gets a call and only hears static, but then sees a man in a white suit, The Corinthian!  He mentions that he was Dream’s creation that she saw in Burgess’ trap.  It is Ethel Cripps!  The Sandman says he must ask the Fates to find his tools.  Lucienne suggests one of his siblings, Destiny or Desire, Dream explains that they don’t deal with the other Endless.  He says they know he was a prisoner and that none of them helped him.  I like the rapport that is going between  Acheampong and Sturridge, she suggests, but he is still in charge of The Dreaming.  Lucienne brings up the price he must pay the Fates.  The Sandman adds that he can’t currently summon them with his power.  

Then, he asks Lucienne if there is something of his creations that still remains that has his power.  She says there is one thing.  We move to misty homes in a forest, a dragon-like creature flies towards it.  The gargoyle looks something like the latest film verison of Pete’s Dragon mixed with a Stygimoloch from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018).  Happily watching his descent is a portly, bearded man in a suit, Abel (Asim Chaudhry), who calls down Gregory.  Abel is excited talking to the gargoyle and hurries over to tell his frustrated brother, Cain (Sanjeev Bhaskar), about the visitors. Lord Morpheus greets them and in turn Cain invites them to his House of Mystery and Abel to his House of Secrets.  These are horror anthology titles for DC with Cain as the host in House of Mystery #175 (1968) and Abel introduced in DC Special #4 (1969) and his home in House of Secrets #81 (1969).  

Dream says he must take back his gift.  Gregory rolls a ball, Cain is upset and refuses his request, but The Sandman says he is there to ask the gargoyle.  The brothers both volunteer to be taken, but Dream says he can only use what he created, in Gregory’s case, a nightmare.  It’s kind of a sad scene, the brothers’ backs are turned, and Morpheus kneels to turn Gregory into sand.  Abel wishes Dream good luck and this makes Cain angry so he stabs his brother with a pitchfork, the murder cycle continues.  The Corinthian asks about Dream’s tools, but he tells Ethel that he can’t use them.  He wants to teach Ethel how to use the tools to kill Dream.  The Corinthian also knows about her son, John.  The Sandman and Lucienne are at the edge of a winding bridge or dock, she says the waters are not safe, but he pours the Gregory sand into the water.  He sees a ghastly, undead reflection of himself that pulls Dream into the water!  

The Sandman swims through the waters to take away creations from dreamers.  He hones into a snake that is about to strike him, but is taken into his coat as he holds up a black egg in its nest. In a dark, muddy landscape, Dream names himself to summon the three aspects of the Fates.  The Fate Maiden (Dinita Gohil) is concerned about Morpheus, this shifts to the Fate Crone (Souad Faress) knows he wants something.  Dream asks for their/her help and offers the Fate Mother (Nina Wadia), the snake which she devours!  This eerie depiction of the Fates is the best that I’ve seen.  He asks about his pouch and the Fate Maiden says it was sold in London to Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman).  The character first appeared in Sandman #13 (1990).  Fate Mother is asked about his helm which she says was traded to a demon in exchange for the Amulet of Protection.  Lastly, he asks Fate Crone about his ruby, which was given to a son.  The three tools are the next quest for The Sandman to restore his kingdom in this epic, mystical tale!               

Five Dreamstones out of Five!  

#TheSandman, #TomSturridge, #VivienneAcheampong, #BoydHolbrook, #JennaColeman, #AsimChaudhry, #SanjeevBhaskar, #DinitaGohil, #SouadFaress, #NinaWadia, #JoelyRichardson

 

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, “Superhuman Law”, Review!

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's second episode sets Jennifer as super attorney and the laughs in her superhero fame!  Last episode, we were introduced to deputy district attorney Jennifer Walters, in an accident, her cousin, Bruce Banner, had his blood mix with hers making her a Hulk!  Bruce trained Jen and when she returned to court, a super powered woman burst in, and was stopped by Jennifer’s Hulk power!  Reports are coming in about the Metropolitan Courthouse brawl. It involved the “superpowered influencer” Titania trying to get out of traffic court.  The reporters are from the local ABC news station; Jovana Lara, John Gregory, and Rachel Brown. The tagline says that Titania’s lawyers blame it on low blood sugar!  An onsite reporter dubs Jennifer, She-Hulk!  At the Legal Ease bar (love that name!), the patrons all shout out “She-Hulk!”  Best friend, Nikki, notes the shouting for her, but Jen doesn’t want the fame.  She gives in and turns into She-Hulk!  

Jen gets drinks as She-Hulk from Nikki who tells cynical Dennis to walk away.  She tells Nikki that she doesn’t want to be a superhero and lists off the billionaires and “adult orphans” which is a jab at comic books.  Nikki brings up she could be an Avengers.  They are interrupted by her boss (Keith Flippen) who asks her to transform back and she becomes woozy with the drinks, funny performance.  He says the defense, GLK & H (Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway) called for a mistrial, he doesn’t want the attention of having She-Hulk around and fires her.  The firm's name is a nod to Marvel Comics with publisher, Martin Goodman, Lieber as in Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby is noted with Kurtzberg with both creators' birth names.  This shakes Jen out of her drunk state.  She wakes up in the morning from a recording by Bruce.   There is a montage of interviews rejecting Jennifer for the same reason.  Afterwards, Nikki goes over possible law firms.  Jen looks up possible alternative jobs including a Swiss Village Mascot!  This show is full of funny!  

Also note the side bar on the page Jen is looking at: “Man fights with metal claws in bar brawl”!   Then, she gets a text from her mom for a family dinner, Jen pleads with Nikki to go with her, but she has a date.  At night, Jennifer walks into the family house, she is greeting by her father, Morris played by Mark Linn-Baker!  I remember him as part of the sitcom, Perfect Strangers, “Now I’m so happy, we do the Dance of Joy!”  She also sees her mother, Elaine (Tess Malis Kincaid).  At the dinner table, cousin Ched (Nicholas Cirillo) instantly brings up that she was fire, does he also know she is She-Hulk?  The dinner conversation is dull for Jen.  Her father calls her to the basement to make certain she is okay.  Jen has a way of rambling on when nervous.  He reassures her since it is not the first time the family had a Hulk!  Jen finishes her drink at the bar, when she is joined by Mr. Holliway (Steve Coulter) from GLK & H.  He offers a job at a “new division”, she accepts if she can have her own paralegal, Nikki. 

On Monday, Jen in her smart business suit walks in and is greeted by Holliway.  I'm starting to like Jen in regular form even more than green with Maslany's comedy, but She-Hulk is fun!  He wants her to head up the Superhuman Law Division as She-Hulk!  We get Jen talking through the Fourth Wall wondering about the conditions getting the job and then is shown her office!  Nikki is there excited about the new office. They are met by another lawyer in the same division, Pug (Josh Segarra), who has brought a welcome basket.  Jen talks with Holliway who tells her that her first case deals with Emil Blonsky known as the Abomination.  This was the first villain, Bruce Banner, faced in The Incredible Hulk (2008)!  The case is so high profile that the firm can take it pro bono.  Jen counters that she has a conflict of interest since Blonsky tried to kill her cousin.  Holliway gives her a conflict waiver signed by Blonsky.  He says her job at GLK & H is dependent on her taking the case.  

So she goes to meet with Blonsky at the Department of Damage Control’s Supermax Prison.  The guard wants her to change back to Jen without superpowers.  Jen meets with Blonsky (Tim Roth), not in Abomination form, in his prison cell.  Great to see Roth back as a Marvel villain, the only persons missing are Liv Tyler (Betty Ross) and Edward Norton!  There is another nod to that movie that is hilarious!  He says he is a changed man and can says he can change back. Blonsky notes that he has “seven soulmates”, supervillains?, through a pen pal program.  Would they be the Masters of Evil?, they had seven members at the beginning with one mastermind. Correction: it looks like they are the Thunderbolts?  He says he was under orders to go after Bruce and under the Super Soldier Serum.  Recap of the Hulk movie.  Dealing with that film was one of the unresolved parts of the MCU, but it looks like it is dealt with here in a funny way. Plus, a short scene with Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner.  “Superhuman Law” sets up the show’s premise from Slott and Bobillio’s She-Hulk #1, but also has fun with the MCU!   

Five Cheetos Chopsticks out of Five!  

#SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw, #SuperhumanLaw, #TatianaMaslany, #GingerGonzaga, #MarkRuffalo, #SteveCoulter, #JoshSegarra, #MarkLinnBaker, #TessMalisKincaid