Haunted Mansion Review!

 Haunted Mansion starts with chills and laughs, then brings some character development and some backstory to the attraction! The classic dark ride opened at Disneyland in 1969. A previous ride adaptation, directed by Rob Minkoff, in 2003. It concerned Eddie Murphy’s Jim Evers ending up with his family at the mansion. The film is directed by Justin Simien who also directed the comedy horror movie, Bad Hair (2020). The screenplay is by Katie Dippold, who also wrote Ghostbusters (2016). It begins with a crystal ball filling the screen resolving to a city. The narrator, Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis) sets the scene, “Welcome foolish mortals. Welcome to New Orleans.” I do like that it is specifically set in New Orleans which is the area, New Orleans Square, in Disneyland. This shifts to a party, there is a photo of the mansion on a mantle, where we see Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield). The actor is known for the comedy drama, Atlanta. 

He encounters a woman, Alyssa (Charity Jordan), who is looking for a drink. Jordan stars as Vivian Long in the comedy, The Wonder Years. He says he is astrophysicist and she tells him, “You’re trying to see the unseen” like her job as a ghost tour guide. The party starts the New Years countdown. This moves later to a bar where Ben is drinking alone while a tour of seven people wait outside. Ben finds out that two women of his group are both named Carol, one of whom is played by Marilu Henner. She stars in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries and is also known for the comedy show, Taxi. The tour begins at the well known landmark, St. Louis Cathedral, and the tourists ask Ben about ghosts. He stresses that it is a historical walking tour and that ghosts do not exist. Ben as the lead character has a past dealing with Alyssa and has lapsed into a jaded skeptic. 

This goes to a funeral parade emerging from a cemetary where we hear hints of the attraction theme. A UHaul truck passes and we  get a stormy night filled with lightning. The truck at sundown crosses the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge that spans across the lake. It enters the mansion grounds and stops in its shadow. The driver, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) gets a call from the movers who are hours behind them. Dawson plays the lead role in the upcoming Ahsoka series. Her young son, Travis (Chase Dillon) starts to walk up to the mansion. Dillon was in the historical mini-series, The Underground Railroad. The mansion doors open and Gabbie tells him to find a room. Travis finds a bed that is drapes over it like fangs! He places a cloth over a painting of The Bride. This is an attraction character who was known as Constance Hatchaway. He hears a laugh that gave me chills. Travis is told, “Welcome home.” Then, The Bride (Lindsay Lamb) appears!   

Travis is terrified, Dillon perfectly captures the withdrawn, shy kid who has to find his courage, and he goes to his mother. She says they only have to light a vanilla scented candle when the helmet of a knight starts to turn. They begin to run out of the mansion with the knight chasing after them! As they drive away, the lantern of the Hatbox Ghost (Jared Leto) tells them, “You’ll be back.” Leto starred as the vampire-like comic character, Morbius (2022). The mysterious character debuted with the opening of the attraction, but then was removed until he reappeared at Disneyland’s mansion in 2015! It shifts to knocking at the door of Ben’s apartment. His unexpected visitor, Father Kent (Owen Wilson) has entered his home with a cat. Wilson plays Mobius in the upcoming second season of Loki. It turns out that the cat does not belong to Ben and he wants Kent out until he brings up spectral, usually called spirit or ghost, photography.  

Ben had discovered what was called the “Ghost Particle” and he lost credibilty in scientific circles. Kent tells him that he got a call from a mother who has a son at a mansion. He offers Ben the chance to be a hero, then two thousand dollars which Ben accepts. Research into the paranormal discrediting scientists like Peter Venkman and then going into business is similar to 1984’s Ghostbusters. He takes out his camera with the quantum lens. Ben reaches the house, but finds that his camera battery is out. He meets with Gabbie at the mansion and she gives him the money before he enters. There is a tent in the library, around the room are several of the Singing Busts, and paintings in the stretching room. It is great to see parts of the attraction, seemingly everyday objects, but with a promise of the paranormal. There is a tent occupied by Travis that Gabbie also uses to get through the night. She explains that she was a doctor in New York, but hoped to open a bed and breakfast in New Orleans. 

Gabbie explains that Travis has difficulty making friends and Ben brings up Action Man figures to connect with Travis. Ben is startled by the suit of armor behind him and pretends to take photos of it. She warns him not to use flash. Gabbie and Travis take Ben into the hallways, at one section, she leaps across because she says there is a sharp pain. Ben casually walks across it. On his own, he starts to walk the halls and passes paintings of a Mariner (Creek Wilson) cutting a turkey, but the painting becomes sinister. At his apartment, Ben has Deadliest Catch on his tv and then sees wet footprints. He replaces the battery for his camera and takes a picture with flash. It knocks him back. Ben opens the door and finds that it opens to the sea! Waves in his living room and he hears a voice say, “Return!” before Ben is washed out to the street! Ben of course returns to the mansion and was expected by Gabbie when she explains that they tried to leave, but the ghosts forced them back. This is a good explanation why characters don’t just leave a haunted place. 

Ben returns to the mansion, Gabbie and Travis expected him, since they also had to return. Kent is also there and Ben shows them the ghost picture of the Mariner. Ben wants to take pictures of every ghost to identify them. He goes to his room and hears from a ghost that wants his soul! Ben is wanted as a victim specifically because of his nature. Kent tells the group that they should assemble a Dream Team. This begins with an univeristy professor, an expert with haunted houses, this is Professor Bruce Davis (Danny DeVito). Max Medici was played by DeVito in the adapation of Dumbo (2019). Ben and Kent find that he has a heart condition so instead take a folder of his work! Next is a medium, Harriet (Tiffany Hadish), who works at bar mitzvahs. They think she is a con artist until she senses that Gabbie is part of their story. The medium con artist who has potential is very much like Whoopi Goldberg’s Oda Mae Brown in Ghost (1990). Still, all of the similarities are made fresh with the actors and script. 

At the mansion, Ben sees Travis run from bullies, his isolation and self-confidence is part of his character’s arc. At the dining room, Harriet detects a grieving spirit, grief is one of the important themes of the movie. They find from the research that the first owner was William Gracey, we later see his spirit in the form of J.R. Adduci, he had a cameo in the Stranger Things episode, “Papa” (2022). They find from the research that the mansion was discovered to be fully built in 1758! William Gracey was the first owner and his wife, Eleanor, had died from yellow fever. Elenor’s ghost is played by Erika Coleman who had a cameo in the “Glorious Purpose” (2021) pilot of Loki. Gracey’s character came from a 2005 Slave Labor Graphics comic series and also from the Master Gracey tombstone at the attraction. There is also the story of the two brothers who died in a duel. The Duelists are played by Chad Crumley and Sebastien Soudais, both stuntmen in this film. There are of course more of the 999 ghosts! Harriet leaves, but two hours later returns. The Dream Team is later joined by Professor Bruce and also discover Madame Leota who may help them fight the Hatbox Ghost who is using the mansion ghosts and needs one more! Haunted Mansion shows love of the attraction with a few chills, some very human stories, and is very funny. 

Five Ghost Particles out of Five! 

#HauntedMansion, #JustinSimien, #LaKeithStanfield, #RosarioDawson, #ChaseDillon, #OwenWilson, #TiffanyHadish, #DannyDeVito, #JamieLeeCuris, #CharityJordan, #JaredLeto, #LindsayLamb, #CreekWilson 

Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor Book One Review!

 Mark Waid and Bryan Hitch present the first book of Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor. This is published under DC’s Black Label which presents mature subject matter and is not bound to regular DC continuity. Waid currently writes the Batman/Superman World’s Finest series. Hitch worked with Waid on the tabloid size JLA: Heaven’s Ladder #1 (2011). Kevin Nowlan inks and is the artist of one of the variant covers. The magazine size of the Black Label graphic novels has the large panels that can contain the cinematic visuals of Hitch. Book One has a cover by Hitch of Superman arms spread out in flight with the sun shining behind him. We begin with the Daily Planet building with at sundown with Hob’s River in the background. Clark Kent is alone in the dark newsroom with only the light of his computer screen to illuminate him. He is sullen. We shift to the younger Clark shouting for Lex Luthor to open a sealed, metal door.

The older Clark removes his glasses and rubs his right eye at the memory. He strikes the door and in a closeup, we see the growling face of Luthor through a portal window, aflame! I like the hint that this accident may have caused Luthor’s hair loss. Medium shot of Clark desperate to enter the building as we see the other half of it is burning! We seee Clark typing and the text, “The Last Days of Lex Luthor by Clark Kent.” Great beginning that ties the two lifelong foes to the past and present. This goes to the lurching command room of a tanker off of Bangladesh. A closeup shot of the crew before we get the tsunami about to overtake the ship! It is actually the appearance of a giant, purple tech form like a mecha. The crew takes pictures of it with their cell phones. The Daily Planet newsroom is a buzz at the saving of the tanker. Perry White calls for Clark, but we only see his glasses at his desk. This is the best change of costume for Superman. 

This goes to the island of Meghwip off of Bangladesh with a clawed Mecha like a hand with a glowing circle at its center. The mecha, colored purple and green, the signature colors of Lex Luthor’s Warsuit. The text explains that the island is six feet above the sea level, the Mecha powers up, and then slams into the island. The island is low enough to have the impact flood its fault lines, sinking it! We see the giant robot slamming into the island sending dust clouds throughout a city. Citizens fall next to boulder-shaped debris like the Kryptonians during the planet’s destruction in Superman the Movie (1978). Then, streaks of red and blue through the rubble. Shattered glass is about to fall on other citizens and then we see a blast of red, this makes me think of the scene in Superman Returns (2006) where Superman turns as he flies and vaporizes glass with his heat vision.  

The waves start to flood the streets with people of Meghwip trying to run from it. Then, we see the waves turned into icy shards above the citizens. There is green x-ray vision of trapped people. A shadowy, flying figure frees them. The rescued people look up smiling with hope. There is an image of the machine almost filling two pages. Long panels at the bottom has the impact clouds at one end of the city and the mecha at the other side. Closeup of hands starting to rend the machine. Then, a splash page of the towering figure of Superman, the first time we have seen him in full above the head of Lex Luthor in shadow! An impressive panel by Hitch, Nowlan, and colorist David Baron. Superman senses something is wrong with his rival, but flies above the island to study the problem. We see Superman flying, his eyes ablaze with heat vision, and his fist out in powerful foreshortening! 

He starts to plow into the island several “echo chambers” to counter the tremors. He sees Luthor standing on his machine saying he wanted Superman’s attention. Lurthor seems to find the situation amusing and Superman works out that there was a “combat machine” developed in India and we see that a control room of its operators was killed by Luthor and we see his smirking face. He slams Luthor back into the combat machine’s wall and is told to look at him with microscopic vision. Superman sees his lungs, deeper into Luthor’s celluar structure, and finds green particles. Luthor casually says it is from Kryptonite, we see a large panel of a labortory with Luthor looking at a meteor fragment of Kryptonite. It exploded and bathed Luthor with its radiation. He is tested and explains to his counterpart that the radiation has faded so Superman is in no danger, only his life is in danger. 

Lex Luthor only has a few days left and has turned to his greatest rival. Luthor’s genius has failed at any cure. Then we get a splash page of the various times Superman helped people against Luthor’s schemes. We get the smiling face of Luthor realizing that Superman will save everyone including himself! Superman carefully scans Luthor and familiar with his enemy knows he is telling the truth. He doesn’t believe it, but Luthor has ultimately has come to value his life. Luthor notes that Superman’s help comes with a surrender for his crimes. We see that Superman agrees to save Luthor as a bargain between them. Then, he starts hearing his name in many languages, around the world. There is many faces of people and we see on a cellphone with text asking if Superman is a villain sympathizer! 

The Daily Planet is chaos at the news! Luthor has transmitted their conversation to the world and thinks the world will hate him saving the villain. He says he hated him the moment he saw him. Clark thinks back to Smallville meeing the bullied, red-haired Lex Luthor. They were friends like in the Smallville show because of Luthor’s brilliance was the only person Clark could talk to about what he was experiencing. Luthor’s genius intelligence had no patience or understanding of the simple values of townspeople. The cure for Luthor will lead them into the Fortress of Solitude to the Phantom Zone! I suspect Lex Luthor has a plan to turn a cure into a weapon against Superman, but I'm always thinking Luthor has plans within plans. Still, I think this also might be a development like the cure can also free Superman from Kryptonite! An epic Superman adventure in artwork and story! Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor is powerful story of the two enemies, former friends, and an important development for Superman’s greatest villain! 

Five Kryptonite Cells out of Five! 

#SupermanTheLastDaysOfLexLuthor, #MarkWaid, #BryanHitch, #KevinNowlan, #ClarkKent, #LexLuthor, #PerryWhite 

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - The Rebellion #1 Review!

The issue is a continuation of the Star Wars: Return of the Jedi one-shots from Marvel Comics. This offers different creative teams to work on parts of the Jedi characters and story.  The anthology, From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi, also provides new looks into RoTJ. I would like the story of Captain Rex, he was called Nik Sant, as one of the Endor bunker Rebel troopers. The book will be out on August 29th. “The Kill Shot” is written by Alex Segura, he is the author of the novel, Poe Dameron: Free Fall (2020). It featured sixteen year old Poe with his family who were introduced in the limited series, Shattered Empire #1 (2015). The art team features Matt Horak, one of the artists for Iron Age 2020 #1 (2020), Brent Peeples who pencilled Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt #2 (2022), and Rafael Pimentel, he is the artist for X-Force Annual #1 (2022). 

 The regular cover features Admiral Ackbar pointing out Imperial Star Destroyers. He is saying, “It’s an attack!”, ok, really  “It’s a trap!” from Erik Bauersfeld. It is painted by Ryan Brown who has provided artwork for the other one-shots. We get the Star Wars title crawl explaining that it is the eve of the Battle of Endor. Admiral Ackbar gets a message from the Rebel spy network about a planned assassination of Mon Mothma! She is unwilling to cancel a meeting so Ackbar has to call on two allies. It is three days before the climatic battle, when we get the assassin a protocol droid body, a head of an Arcona, green with a red-slitted eye on one side, and on the other side, the black, pod-like IG-88 assasin droid. One of the most bizarre character designs. The assassin opens a case to take out a rifle, a refit A280 used by the Rebellion. 

It/he is sighting the rifle on a hiding spot in an icy overhang. Below in a snowy square are two figures. Then, we get a splash page of the target in the scope, Mon Mothma in the Hoth fatigues and fur collar. Then, we flashback to six days before the Battle of Endor, the Rebel fleet is at the staging area around Sullust. We have Home One, the Mon Calamari MC80 Star Cruiser, the flagship of Admiral Ackbar. He is at command station and recieves a hologram message. I like Ackbar’s expression and the detail of the technology that reminds me of Allen Nunis who did the artwork for Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron - The Rebel Opposition #1-4 (1995). This is Buccel Trune, the member of the spy network, there was a Selat Trune introduced in Poe Dameron: Free Fall. Buccel is hesitant to reveal the discovered intelligence. Around the two figures is the Rebel fleet including Y-Wings and B-Wings. Mon Mothma is staring out a viewport looking at the volcanic Sullust below. 

She doesn’t want Ackbar to change the battle to protect her. We get a closeup of Mon Mothma to show her resolve. Ackbar, another closeup, says she is needed to build a republic. She notes that a meeting will be arranged with a trusted person. Mon Mothma tells Ackbar that she doesn’t want any Rebellion resources to find the assassin. In his quarters, Ackbar speaks with the hologram of a mysterious person about the tensions of the situation. He wants Buccel to find the identity of the assassin and goes to get help. This shifts to Kellgar Six which is the Green Squadron’s staging area. The squadron is led by Commander Arvel Crynyd whose A-Wing crashed into the Super Star Destroyer. Working on her Starfighter is Shara Bey who is contacted by Kes Dameron, the parents of Poe. He is part of the Pathfinders, an Alliance special forces unit. They reunite and he explains that they are needed by Ackbar. She takes Kes to the light freighter, Ezra’s Gate. I wonder if this refers to Ezra Bridger from Star Wars: Rebels. 

A ship above the ice planet, Desinta, holds the members of the Spice Runners of Kijimi. They were led by Zarah Bliss from Poe Dameron: Free Fall. Now the trio of spice runners is led by Gen Tri, a Pau’an, the gray, lined face aliens from Revenge of the Sith (2005). Also, there is Marinda Gan, a blue, Twi’lek female who has a combat mask. Both were also introduced in Poe Dameron: Free Fall. The intrigue of their involvement moves to the assassin, Lan-Drus. Mon Mothma’s thoughts are revealed about her place in the most important battle of the Galactic Civil War. Shara and Kes travel to a tavern on Jalucaz to find intelligence on the assassin before it is too late! Plus, there is the identity of the mysterious contact that we saw meeting with Mon Mothma! He has information that will be pivotal to the Battle of Endor! Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - The Rebellion #1 has cold war intrigue, an assassination attempt, and the involvement of characters that extend to other corners of the Star Wars Universe! 

Five A280 Blaster Rifles out of Five! 

#StarWarsReturnOfTheJedi, #TheRebellion, #AlexSegura, #MattHorak, #BrentPeeples , #RafaelPimentel, #PoeDameronFreeFall, #AdmiralAckbar, #MonMothma, #SharaBey, #KesDameron, #BuccelTrune, #LanDrus,#ZarahBliss, #MarindaGan 

National Cowboy Day at Knott’s!

 National Cowboy Day is on the fourth Saturday in July happens to be today, July 22nd! One of the best places to find cowboys in the Old West is the town of Calico, Ghost Town Alive!, at Knott’s Berry Farm! The town is filled with cowboys including the man in black, Clay Mayfield, and Brett Eastly at the post office. Other cowboys include Dead-Eye Jackson and Dirk Scoggins whom I called D and D. 

Some cowboys, Dead-Eye Jackson and Dirk Scoggins, during National Cowboy Day!  

Snoopy had his own cowboy vest and scarf on that auscipicious occasion. It was also a chance to see Whittles, the prospector character who was seen in 1973, but has returned. He is by the location of the Mystery Lodge which is closed now, but has a scenic waterfall. It is past the Wilderness Dance Hall. 

#KnottsBerryFarm, #NationalCowboyDay, #GhostTownAlive, #ClayMayfield, #BrettEastly, #DeadEyeJackson, #DirkScoggins, #Whittles 

Barbie Review!

Barbie is an unexpectedly brilliant comedy film based on the classic fashion doll! The film is directed and co-written by Greta Gerwig. The last film for Gerwig was Little Women (2019) which got award recognition except her directing. Her co-writer is Noah Baumbach who also directed White Noise (2022) which also starred Gerwig. The film’s promotion has put it in position for a summer sensation. At the theater, many of the ladies and girls dressed in pink, a bright spot for audience participation in an almost cosplay way. The movie begins at sunrise as we hear the Narrator, voiced by Helen Mirren, say that dolls have been around since the beginning of time. Mirren was also in this year’s action movie, Fast X.  This has young girls playing with baby dolls pretending to be mothers. 

The kids just huddle in the morning light. This is a scene that is parodying the prehistoric scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The skyscraper-high Barbie stands in for a Monolith in her vintage black and white swimsuit and sunglasses. The young girls reach out to touch this new doll. Then, begin to bash their old dolls in man-ape disappointment. A doll leg is torn off and thrown into the air! The narrator notes “because Barbie can be anything, women can be anything.” This is one of the themes explored in the movie. The dialogue including the narrator can be very meta, self referential, and funny! We move then to Barbie Land, a pink and plastic world of dream houses. Inside her dream house, there is Barbie (Margot Robbie), who cheerfully wakes up to Kaliii’s “Barbie Dreams.” Robbie was also in this year's Asteroid City. The actress has the craziness of the “too perfect” Barbie in playing Harley Quinn films including The Suicide Squad (2021). 

She waves to hi to the other Barbies in their dream houses next door. The doll actually has a full name, Barbara Millicent Roberts, but this is not the reality of this film. She had appeared in other toys come to life in Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010). She steps out of her high heels to have the pointed toe feet. This shows the play world that has the characters as dolls including pouring tea without any liquid to pretend sip. Barbie doesn’t walk down stairs, she just floats down to her pink convertible. She sees other Barbies who were discontinued, Skipper (Erica Ford), Barbie’s sister from 1964, and Midge (Emerald Fennell), the pregnant doll from 1963. The other Barbies include at the pink White House, President Barbie (Issa Rae), and Writer Barbie (Alexandra Shipp). Rae voiced Jessica Drew in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Shipp starred in tick, tick… BOOM! (2021). 

We then get Barbie’s companion, Ken (Ryan Gosling), who says, “Ken only has a great day if Barbie looks at him.” Gosling was in the sci fi movie, Blade Runner 2049 (2017), as K who is a Replicant who wants to learn how to be human. In a sense, Ken is the same, but he becomes jealous and easily confused. The role plays up Gosling’s comic ability, and his La La Land (2016) singing and dancing.  There is also Allan (Michael Cera), who was also discontinued, though he was Ken’s friend. Cera was in the Black Mirror episode, “Joan is Awful” (2023). For the toy line, Allan had married Midge, but in the film, he doesn’t have any toy connections, he is just a lost toy. Barbie says hi to all of the Barbies and Kens including Ken (Simu Liu) and another Ken (Kingsley Ben-Adir). Liu played Jung in the comedy series, Kim’s Convenience. Ben-Adir currently plays Gravik in Secret Invasion. Plus, there is Mermaid Barbie played by singer, Dua Lipa. 

Ken played by Liu tries to impress Barbi with his back flip. This causes jealousy in Ken which almost becomes a Beach Off.  He takes his surfboard to try to ride the plastic beach wave. It bounces him off, Allan screams, and Ken falls.  A small car unfolds into a hospital set for Doctor Barbie (Hari Nef). Ken heals and asks Barbie” Can I come to your house tonight.”  It is a dance party with all of the Barbies and Kens. In the middle of it Barbie asks, “Do you guys ever think about dying?” The music stops. Barbie’s existential crisis passes and she passes it off. Later, we see Ken try to lean over to kiss Barbie, and wants to stay over her dream house. There is no dream house for Ken. Barbie instead tells Ken, “Every night’s Girls Night.” Ken doesn’t realize he is in the Barbie Friend Zone. The next day, her routine is broken by bad breath, a cold shower (without the water), and expired milk. 

Barbie falls from the house rather than floating down. Her heels go down.  She goes to the Beach and shows the Barbies her flat feet that shocks them. Barbie sees that a patch of cellulite bulges from her leg. Physicist Barbie (Emma Mackey) tells Barbie that she has a malfunction and has to see Weird Barbie. Outside of the city is the strange house of Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon). She has a shock of hair and scrawlings of make-up on her face. McKinnon is of course known for Saturday Night Live and starred in Bombshell (2019) with Robbie. Barbie says she is Stereotypical Barbie, this is unusual, not Classic Barbie or Vintage Barbie. Weird Barbie says that Barbie has opened a rift to the Real World. Her quest is to ”find the girl playing with you” in the State of Los Angeles. There is a party of Barbies and Kens sending Barbie to the Real World. 

She drives her convertible, slightly larger than her so it looks like a toy Go-Kart, on a road outside of Barbieland through a desert. Ken appears and wants to join her!  They go by motorboat, rocketship, tandem bicycling past a Dutch landscape, an RV, and a snowmobile all past painted backdrops. The travel of through the rift has some fun playsets of Barbieland. They end up in the Real World, Venice Beach, in gaudy 80’s outfits. Barbie remarks, “Everything is like reversed here.” A guy harasses Barbie so she hits him and they get thrown in jail. They change into cowboy outfits and without means to pay are back in jail. Ken starts walking to Century City. He sees a gym complete with Rocky posters. Then, a montage of men in the Real World. Ken is fascinating by the Patriarchy and really because he is getting attention instead of being an accessory. 

Barbie loses her eyes and gets a vision of a girl, Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), as a pre-teen she gets annoyed by her mother, Gloria (America Ferrera). This year, Greenblatt is in the sci fi movie, 65. Ferrera was in the comedy series, Superstore. The two humans are important for Barbie’s journey and the future of Barbieland. The vision causes Barbie to start crying for the first time. She sees a couple arguing and a man who is sad sitting alone. Then, there is an lady (Ann Roth) next Barbie on the bench, Roth is known as a movie costume designer who worked on White Noise. Barbie says she is beautiful. This is a touching moment, it is interesting that Barbie comes from a world of homogenized beauty, but finds it in a Real World person who is self-confident. Ken returns and knows that the girl is at school.

This moves to the World Wide Headquarters of Mattel, Los Angeles. The headquarters is specifically in El Segundo. In his cubicle is Aaron (Connor Swindells) who is contacted by the FBI about Barbie. Swindells starred in the comedy, Sex Education, that also featured Mackey. We also see in her room, Gloria, drawing Barbie. At the corporate idea session is Mattel CEO played by Will Ferrell who of course was in another toy based film, The Lego Movie (2014) as Lord Business. There is some aburdity in the design of an almost Dr. Strangelove (1964) board room, but with pink walls, a heart-shaped lamp, and pink chairs. Aaron delivers the news through whispers that eventually reaches the CEO. He is shocked if “America hears Barbie is in the Real World.” All of the other executive men agree.  It is also pointed out having all men on the board making decisions about dolls. 

At Davy Crockett Junior High School, Ken goes to the library to learn about the Patriarchy, while Barbie sees Sasha at a cafeteria table with her three friends. Barbie is told that they haven’t played Barbie since they were 5 years old. Sasha notes that Barbie’s image sets the feminist movement back 50 years. The issues that Barbie brings up in female images, pop culture, and her ideal of perfection are in the movie with this conversation. It breaks Barbie’s heart. The CEO wants his agents to take Barbie to Mattel and box her up. Her escape will lead to a hidden corner of Mattel that is occupied by Rhea Perlman’s character. Ken wants to return to Barbieland to take it over as a Patriarchy. It is just a reverse of Barbie’s utopia. Plus, Gosling gets his song and dance sequence, “Just Ken.” Barbie’s story is pivotal with Gloria and Sasha entering Barbieland. Barbie is a funny movie, a crossing of the Real World with Barbieland, with something to say which is rare with big studio releases. 

Five High Heels and Surfboards out of Five! 

#Barbie, #GretaGerwig, #MargotRobbie, #RyanGosling, #AmericaFerrera, #ArianaGreenblatt, #MichaelCera, #KateMcKinnon, #AlexandraShipp, #SimuLiu, #IssaRae, #KingsleyBenAdir, #EmmaMackey, #RheaPerlman, #HelenMirren, #WillFerrell, #ConnorSwindells 

My Adventures with Superman, “Adventures of a Normal Man Pt. 1”, Review!

The series was developed by Jake Wyatt who also worked on Steven Universe. It is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios with animation by Mir, the South Korean studio that also animated The Legend of Korra. The episode aired on adult swim, streams on Max, and is also available on the Adult Swim YouTube channel. There is a awesome opening with Superman’s chest insignia before he flies around the DC logo. We see the morning sky. There is a freeway sign showing Smallville, Baker, and Metropolis. Baker is a new location for the DC Universe. This is just to the side of the Kent farmhouse. 

There is a red kite caught in the branches of a tree. Interestingly, it is in the shape of the Superman chest insignia. Young Clark Kent (Kari Whalgren) stares at it below, glasses, wearing a red and white sweatshirt. His shirt has an S, most likely for Smallville. Whalgren played Saturn Girl in Young Justice. He tries to leap up for it and then resolves himself for another try. No superpowers yet. Then, Clark notices a car careening down the road, it is heading towards a pot hole!  He tries to flag the driver down. The driver is a mother who is trying to give a bottle to her crying child in the back seat! The car strikes the pothole and spins out of control! Clark desperately runs towards them, I like his gritted teeth, his eyes start to glow, spark! 

He starts to move in a flash of super speed. Clark takes hold of the back of the car, his heels digging into the road, the driver faces a tree as the car hurtles towards it! The car comes to a stop. The mother is stunned as the boy cheers! Clark opens his eyes and steps back to see what he has done. He stares at his hands as cars pass. Then, prepares himself with a half-smile, leaping up for the kite and catching hold of it. Clark realizes he is floating in mid-air and then flies upwards! Flying in circles and then faster than a speeding bullet. Clark soars above Smallville and then wonders about his powers. Darkness as we hear Clark ask himself, “Who am I?” Clark Kent's first flight is always a joy and way to show the emergence of his super powers. 

Metropolis, we see a alarm clock, an old throwback? It rings disturbing Jimmy Olsen (Ishml Sahid), the roommate of Clark Kent. Lonnie Coleman is played by Sahid in the comedy series, Jury Duty. Clark (Jack Quaid) wakes up, he has the massive size of Superman. Quaid voiced Gwen Stacy’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. He is excited to wake up for the day. Another alarm goes off and Lois Lane (Alice Lee) also wakes up happily. Lee starred as Emily in Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. She has the short, dark hair that makes her perky, sort of sporty. Her alarm clock keeps beeping as she punches it! Clark pulls on his red sweater practicing his introduction to Perry White. His handshake crunches the faucet as Jimmy impatiently waits outside. 

Clark has no refinement of his powers. I always thought that having no powers and then slowly developing helped his adjustment so he can act normally and then unleash super power when needed. This is of course Clark before he was Superman. Lois shares his upbeat attitude, practing her story proposal to Perry, and pins a picture of “Robots” on her wall. The anime touches is seen in the characters. Clark is jogging on a Metropolis bridge. He sees a picture of a sad, missing cat posted on a tree. The cat clings to a tree branch, funny animation! Clark looks around and then super speeds the cat into the arms of the girl posting the pictures. He reminds himself that he is a “normal man.” Clark crushes the handle of a bodega and opens the door as Lois casually walks in. They both stare at each other blushing. A Meet Cute, but I like this first meeting, Lois falling for Clark before she sees Superman. 

Clark is about to introduce himself to Lois, but a very happy bodega owner hugs him and thanks Clark for his repair work. This makes Lois admire him. Then, the owner gives him three boxes of doughnuts and then puts a bib around him for the sprinkles. Funny! Lois laughs at him and Clark runs out embarrassed. He catches up with Jimmy at a park who is busy taking pictures of everything with his camera. Jimmy rambles about aliens and wild theories. Clark sees him distracted as a truck is about to run him over. He superspeeds him a nudge and then turns to see the driver, a short, blond-haired woman that we later find is Leslie Willis (Zehra Fazal). The voice actress played Talia al Ghul in Batman: Death in the Family (2020). Lois bursts into the office of Perry White (Darrell Brown) with her robot story. Brown provided the voice of Santa Kitty in Gabby’s Dollhouse. Perry is not interested, the character usually has great instincts, and wants his intern to show around the new interns, Clark and Jimmy. Lois is able to convince the duo to investigate the robots right out of “The Mechanical Monsters” (1941) film from the Fleischer Studios! My Adventures with Superman is a fun launch of the animated series with a dash of anime, humor, and a great cast!  

Five Robots out of Five! 

#MyAdventuresWithSuperman, #JackQuaid, #AliceLee, #IshmelSahid, #DarrelBrown, #ZehraFazal, #KariWahlgren  

 

Re:tro Re:view - Lord of the Jungle #4!

Lord of the Jungle #4 features Tarzan forced to travel to the mysterious Valley of Mists to save his friend, Bouanga! Last issue had the older Tarzan about to steal the treasures now in displays cases. When he was younger, Tarzan saved his allies, Bouanga and Lt. Carson, from a lion. He learns from them how to speak and the ways of “civilized” people. Then, he encounters Shaw who had killed his adoptive ape mother, Kala, and keeps his Mangani ape brothers in cages. 

Shaw makes the bargain that he will free the Mangani if Tarzan recovers the Treasures of the Mist. The elderly Tarzan takes a chip of one of the Diamonds of the Triad. Guards fire on him, but Tarzan escapes on the rooftops! Lord of the Jungle #4 sports a variant cover by interior artist, Benito Gallego, that has Tarzan in a powerful, but relaxed pose on a tree branch with his hand on his knife and a lil’ Manu, monkey, on his shoulder. An iconic image! The issue is written by Dan Jurgens with art by Gallego. 

In a splash page, we see the older Tarzan in his black suit with arm bag racing on the moon-lit rooftop! The narration is by Bouanga reflecting on the scene. He explains that an escape, especially with someone as built as Tarzan, is not possible. Tarzan leaps across rooftops, with the moon behind him, and then down to the street. A closeup as he is seen by police who are stunned to see that it is Tarzan! The policemen think they can outnumber the older Tarzan and gang pile on him. Even older Mangani Kerchak can take on several opponents and Tarzan is the same. 

We flashback to another splash page and great contrast with the previous page. Here is Tarzan standing with a scowl in the daytime of the jungle. Tarzan refuses Shaw’s deal. Carson explains that it is obvious why Tarzan would not trust Shaw. There is a large panel showing the jungle with Tarzan, Shaw, and the others at the ground level of it with the cages. Shaw pushes away Carson and threatens what he calls Tarzan’s “monkey family.” Tarzan responds if he hurts his family, they will hurt him!, we see a panel in red with the Manganis filling the trees and giving their shouts! 

Again, I like the work of colorist Francesco Segala emphasizing scenes, characters, and action. Carson warns that his men might take down a few of the apes, but they will eventually overwhelm them. Shaw rethinks his plan and grabs Bouanga as a hostage! He holds his gun to Bouanga’s head and then points it at Tarzan. Closeup in yellow, the background is shady, almost surreal as we see Tarzan’s face working out what to do. The next panel we see Tarzan with his clenched fist agreeing to find the Treasures of the Mist. Shaw tells him that he has until sunrise or he will kill Bouanga, the threat is seen in a red panel, also with Shaw’s men carrying rifles. 

Tarzan swings through the jungle as Bouanga reveals that Tarzan doesn’t know the location of the Valley of the Mists! A closeup of a rock striking Tarzan’s shoulder. It is his former rival, Kerchak, with a scarred, blind right eye! Their conversation, Bouanga explains it is a series of grunts, with Kerchak realizing that Tarzan wants to help the Mangani. A panel of Tarzan looking desperate and asking for Kerchak’s help in English. Kerchak leads the way along the jungle vines which Bounaga says would only be traveled by someone like Tarzan. Kerchak points out a hidden passage under a tree. 

They find their way crawling in the dark passage and then reach the other side, the Valley of Mists with a covering of mist, mountains, and birds flying overheard. Tarzan calls it “Beautiful.” I love the lost worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan tells Kerchak he is going the rest of the way alone. He clibs down into the mists and skillfully makes his way down cliffs. Eventually, Tarzan finds a village wiht a pyramid at its center. He picks up a blue cloak to pass by the villagers. Then, Tarzan enters the pyramid to  find an empty throne room filled with jewels! Tarzan pries jewels from the throne, the Diamonds of the Triad, and is about to leave when he is confronted by warriors! Lord of the Jungle #4 is another Tarzan adventure filled with Edgar Rice Burroughs touches and beautiful artwork!

Five Journals out of Five! 

#LordOfTheJungle, #DanJurgens, #BenitoGallego, #Tarzan, #Bouanga, #Carson, #Shaw, #Kerchak, #ValleyOfTheMists 

Re:tro Re:view - Secret Invasion, “Betrayed”!

“Promises” Re:cap - While Brogan is being interrogated by Falsworth, Gravik takes Gi’ah to retrieve him, Brogan tries to defy Falsworth and she has a syringe that will burn his blood! She injects it and Brogan screams in pain. This is an uncompromising woman who has all of the graces, but will do whatever needs to be done! Pagon joins Gravik. Falsworth asks about the location of Gravik’s base.  He reveals that Gravik is “building a machine” to “make them stronger.” Gravik and Pagon enter the butcher shop and begin killing the guards. Falsworth hears the shooting and kicks over Brogan’s chair. Gi’ah leaves the station wagon to check on something. 

Falsworth calmly escapes down a secret passage under the floor. Gi’ah reports in Russian at an alley. Gravik finishes off the last of the guards. Pagon brings out Brogan and Gravik asks what he revealed. He has says he only told lies. Gi’ah drives the group past police surrounding their safe house. At some dark woods, Pagon takes Brogan out to shoot him. The next day, Nick Fury goes to a building to drive out a jeep, he reaches the home of a Skrull woman, she then appears a black woman (Charlayne Woodard). The actress played the mother of Elijah Price (Jackson’s character) in Unbreakable (2000). He goes to get his wedding ring and kisses his wife! The same Skrull who introduced Fury to young Gravik! 

At Pagon’s office, an older man readies his gun, Beto, the new recruit is uncertain. Pagon says he joined for the same reason, “faith in the future”, which he says brings risk. He hands out Official Service Record folders with photos of military officers. Gravik enters the laboratory with the machine that has curved pillars. Four members of the council enter as Dr. Dalton and her assistants prepare the machine. He tells them that three operatives are going to the Royal Navy to attack a United Nations target. Oh, this is a James Bond villain-type plan like Stromberg in the The Spy Who Loves Me (1977). Gravik says that all of them will become Super Skrulls to stop any Earth heroes! I don’t know why the council made him general before approving of the operation and seeing the machine. 

The Skrulls infiltrate the Royal Navy base. Maybe understanding the Skrull threat there should be security measures past i.d. or iris scans. Next, we have a rainy night at “New York City, 1998.”  A young Nick Fury enters a diner as he is told by a woman if he is looking for someone. This is Varra, who we saw as Fury’s wife last episode!, he joins her table. The older Fury is cooking watching the Chris Stearns show, he was one of the council members that will become a Super Skrull. Varra asks why he returned and Fury says he retired. He has decided to spend his “retirement” for revenge. Fury asks if she is contacted by Gravik. Varra gets a phone call to which she says she doesn’t have the information. 

Gravik meets with Gi’ah at a room with broken boards. He says only a few knew the location of the safehouse. She says under torture, Brogan made a guess. Gi’ah adds that she is a good liar. Later in London, Gravik steps down from a lear jet with Gi’ah. She drives him as Gravik says that her father, Talos, called for a parley. He gets a call, the Pamela Lawton Skrull?, and says that the UN plane will be at the coordinates of Neptune, a nuclear sub is my guess. Gi’ah watches Gravik walk to his meeting and texts the information.  At the National Portrait Gallery, Gravik looks at the painting when Talos joins him. He points out Statesmen of World War I (1930), by Sir James Guthrie, to point out the smug statesmen and the soldiers who do the fighting. Talos is low key, sad, and Gravik is blustery, ready to kill. 

At the cafeteria, Talos asks if Gravik wants an honor meeting, he says Gi’ah is in the car. Also, that he should be grateful that Gravik didn’t kill her. Talos reaches out and sees that everyone in the cafeteria are men with Gravik’s face. Gravik says that humans only know murder. Talos says he doesn’t know anything about humans and tells him that humans are at the “most formidable when threatened”! He says that he will reveal the Skrulls. Really how honorable, how much of a warrior is Gravik if he is attacking while hiding. Gravik taunts Talos saying Gi’ah is with him. Talos stabs Gravik’s hand and takes hold of his throat! Yeah, he was a general, but Talos is ready to fight! He warns Gravik not to say his daughter’s name. 

Gravik pulls his hand from the knife and his hand is healed. Talos leaves, stumbles into an older man who picks up a cell phone to give to him, then Gravik is walking behind the same man. A van stops in front of him and then he sees Gi’ah by the car. At a pub, Talos is eating a breakfast when Fury walks in, he is still wounded from their last conversation. Fury says he has found a “rebel Skrull” highly placed in the U.S. government. Talos wants him to  be more on the same level instead of just assuming he will work with Fury. He tells Fury about Gi’ah intel and Fury calls Falsworth. She wants him to apologize for the bug on her owl statue, Fury has just been tossing aside colleagues on his mission. She attaches an eye patch on the statue!  He mentions the submarine and Falsworth says her work at the butcher’s shop was compromised! 

Fury just wants the name of the sub’s captain. Falsworth says his name is Commodore Robert Fairbanks. She also sends him his location and photo. Fairbanks is at Portsmouth, the headquarters of Naval Command. On the way, Talos sees a woman cleaning up after her dog, he wants to know another species that does so. Fury says he has been cleaning up for Talos for 30 years. Talos counters that he was a nobody at S.H.I.E.L.D. in 1995. He adds that 19 of his people joined his spy network. Talos says that the Skrulls were responsible for his promotions. Fury notes that they are at Fairbanks’ house while he says Talos was on his rant. Fairbanks greets two of the guards at his house. He is about to enter the house and sees a guard leaving it. Talos knocks him down and Fury takes out the two guards. They transform back to Skrulls. This is Gravik’s men. 

Talos enters the house with his gun, he sees a room with a teen boy, Zachary, but passes him playing  a video game. Nick has his gun drawn entering the house and gets Talos’ position. He enters the room with his gun at the kid’s head saying that no one calls him Nick. Bob has Talos in a neck lock with a gun to his head. Fury is not bluffing. Bob drops the gun and releases Talos. We see the Neptune, there is some underwater sounds, but nothing like the displacement of a submarine. The captain presents orders that he thinks is a mistake. The control room man says he must order a strike. Talos gives a cup of water for Zachary and tells him that he wants his dad to do the right thing.  Talos tells Bob that he can protect him from Gravik. Bob doesn’t believe Talos as strong as Gravik. The control room operator also seems like a Skrull. They have to find a way to stop this act of war. A tense episode of Secret Invasion, though at this point, Gravik’s back story to form the resistance what had him betray humanity and Fury is needed. 

Four Skrull Sky Plants out of Five!

#SecretInvasion, #Betrayed, #SamuelLJackson, #BenMendelsohn, #EmiliaClarke, #CharlayneWoodard, #SamuelAdewunmi, #KillianScott, #BenPeel