Loki, “Journey into Mystery”, Review!

 Last episode, the time door opens to the Roxxcart future, Hunter B-15 wants t know what Sylvie saw in her head.  B-15 says she was created by the Time-Keepers, Sylvie gives her the hard truth, all of the TVA are variants!  She wants Sylvie to show her earlier life, B-15 says, “I looked happy”, great performance!  Mobius gets privacy at the empty book shelves.  He uses Ravonna’s TemPad that he swiped and plays Hunter C-20 speaking to the court about the truth.  Trying to stop her is Ravonna, Mobius knows that she is behind all of the lies.  Loki is back in the time cell expecting Sif to give him another thrashing.  Mobius appears and asks him if he cares about the Variant, he wants to know if he can trust the Lokis, the god of mischief says, “How about the word of a friend?”  This is great acting. They return to Mobius’ office and see Ravonna with some guards.  

He returns her TemPad. Mobius wonders about his other life and if he had a jet ski.  Ravonna gives the order to prune Mobius!  Loki is shocked at the death of his friend and taken by the guards to the elevator.  Ravonna walks into Sylvie’s room and knows that someone had visited her.  The guard replies Hunter B-15 and Ravonna orders an alert for B-15. Sylvie smiles at Ravonna and then taken to the elevator.  Ravonna uses her control on their collars to take them into the elevator.  Sylvie asks about her nexus event on Asgard, Ravonna smugly smiles and says she doesn’t remember the event. The elevator door opens and they are taken to the Time-Keepers.  Loki defies the Time-Keepers threat of death.  Sylvie is given the time twister treatment from Ravonna.  Then, the elevator door opens to Hunter B-15.  

She throws Sylvie a sword and fights the guards.  They fight and Sylvie gives Loki the sword.  Sylvie picks up a TVA baton and faces Ravonna with her baton.  They are defeated and Sylvie throws the sword decapitating the lead Time-Keeper.  The others laugh as his head rolls down the steps. Then, they shut down, Sylvie looks at the Time-Keeper’s head, he was an android! Loki has a moment with Sylvie, trying to tell her a secret, and then is pruned by Ravonna!  Nooooo!   Sylvie swipes away her TVA baton and wants to know the whole truth.  The mid-credit scene has more surprises, Loki gasps, a voice replies that he is not dead!  He sees other Lokis!; an older Loki played by Richard E. Grant, a Loki (Deobia Oparei), his name is Boastful Loki, with black armor and a hammer, Kid Loki (Jack Veal) who also has a Loki alligator!  The title of the episode is a nod to the comic book that introduced Loki and Thor.  It opens with moments from the mid-credit scene.  The TVA continues to be a bustle of activity.   

There is some spinning pans while we get to the elevator and then the Time-Keepers room.  This shifts to the misty world where there is the Lighthouse of Pharos and a ruined city.  Past it is a dark storm approaching. Older Loki called Classic Loki explains his questions that they are in the Void. The storm is called Alioth, some kind of creature, with a bear like, dark face and glowing eyes and mouth. Alioth? Like Goliath without the G?  Sylvie takes Ravonna’s TemPad and Ravonna replies she doesn’t know who created the TVA.  Ravonna says Loki is still alive.  She explains that Variants that are pruned to the Void at the end of time.  Back in the Void, there is a pirate ship and a flying saucer, the Lokis are on the run, but Loki wants answers.  He angrily questions them, Kid Loki has a sword appear in his hands saying that shouting will draw Alioth.  He goes on to say that the Void is a dumping ground for the TVA. Loki tries to work out how to escape, Classic Loki says they should just survive, and to respect Kid Loki, it is his kingdom. Loki asks what is his nexus event and Kid Loki says he killed Thor!  

They reach a hill and Classic Loki opens a hatch, the Lokis descend a ladder to safety, they ask Loki why he wants to return to the TVA.  Ravonna asks Miss Minutes to find the beinning of the TVA. Sylvie is trying to go through optiions to find Loki.  There seems to be no way to get to the Void.  Sylvie is about to prune Ravonna, but Miss Minutes brings up the Void spacecraft. Guards break in and Sylvie kicks Ravonna to leap away from her.  Ravonna motions for the guards to close in on Sylvie.  She says she can put Sylvie in a time loop with a good memory.  Sylvie is asked about a good memory and her answer is to activate the TVA baton and use it on herself!  Boastful Loki says he killed Iron Man and Captain America.  Loki wants to escape the Void and brings up all of the descriptions of Alioth including what was said by Kid Loki on his throne.  He wants to kill Alioth and his rousing speech only gets laughs from the other Lokis.  Then, Loki leaves them opens the hatch and sees more Lokis lined up looking at him, including President Loki!  They get into a battle, Loki escapes with Classic, Kid, and Alligator Loki.  Sylvie wakes up and tries to escape Alioth only to be found by Mobius in a pizza delivery car! They all have to team up to escape the Void. The Loki episode is back to surreal comedy that looks like a return to the TVA from the Void!  

Four Time Twisters out of Five!          

#Loki, #JourneyIntoMystery, #ClassicLoki, #RichardEGrant, #BoastfulLoki, #DeobiaOparei, #KidLoki, #JackVeal    

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Hyperspace Mountain!

The upcoming Patty Jenkins movie, Rogue Squadron, makes me think of the Ultimate X-Wing Fighter experience, Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland! Space Mountain was always a favorite, a “safe” roller coaster that was a smooth, exhilarating ride. The enclosed steel tube track (patented by Disney Imagineering) all fitting in the sci-fi dome that was also featured in the movie Tomorrowland (2015). I like the queue once you enter the complex itself. It feels like a space station with corridors and then you get a peek like a horizontal panel where the rockets roar and there is a rumble heard from the track. You know what is going to happen with you. Then, it goes to the final part of the queue with the long rocket like a space probe attached to the ceiling. After you board the rocket sleds, two seat capsules, comfortable, you move to the launch dispatch with ride ops checking you.      

Next, it’s up lift hills, strobes, and finally out into the “outer space” of the dome. You bank around an orange geodesic cube, I’m still not certain what is that object, and why it’s there. Many swift turns and drops and with the lights out, it is difficult to predict where they are, even with years of riding it. There is more strobes, hyperspace, Star Tunnel?, as the ride returns to the launch bay.  Disney Press published Space Mountain: A Graphic Novel by writer, Bryan Q. Miller, and artist Kelley Jones in 2014. There was attempts at upgrades. Rockin’ Space Mountain in 2007 was just annoying, headache-inducing noise as you go through the ride, the best part was when the music stopped. They changed to Red Hot Chili Peppers and that was fun, but I still like the ride in the silence of space (except the screams).  

                                                                                                Hyperspace Mountain, 2015, photo by the author. 

There was in the Halloween season, Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy in 2009 and continues to this day.  It was ported from Hong Kong Disneyland which first had the overlay in 2007. An overlay is the basic ride track intact, but scenary, audio, and projections are added.  The ride is just projections with the coasters zipping too fast past them, not interested going past that first ride, maybe if they put spooky music in the queue, cobwebs, some kind of animatronic, and really a story on why Space Mountain is haunted. Which brings us to Hyperspace Mountain in Disneyland, an overlay, the ride layout is unchanged, but given a new environment like the Haunted Mansion with the Nightmare Before Christmas change, Haunted Mansion Holiday. It first opened in Disneyland Paris in 2007 as Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain. 

For the Season of the Force at Disneyland, there was heavy promotion of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, and one of its features was Hyperspace Mountain. Outside of the dome there was a video with Admiral Ackbar who debriefs you that a Star Destroyer was detected in the orbit of Jakku, so this is the final battle of the Empire. He is sending 77 Squadron to destroy it, 77 is of course a nod to the theatrical opening of Star Wars, I don’t call it A New Hope. There are profiles of a Star Destroyer, X-Wing, and Jakku that is also on the screen in the loading area. You board the rocket sled, pass the dispatch station, and then start up the first lift hill with the Star Wars Main Title getting you hyped. You hear the call-ins of 77 Squadron. A female voice notes, “This is Blue Leader, all wings report in.” The other pilots report; “Blue Six standing by”, “Blue Two standing by”, “Blue Four here”, alien voice says, ”Blue Three standing by”, and “Blue Seven standing by.”  

Admiral Ackbar adds, “Good luck, pilots.” You enter the orange tunnel that is now a star field. Blue Leader, “All wings prepare to jump at my mark. Punch it!” It shifts into star streaking by and the blue of hyperspace. If you ever wanted to make a hyperspace jump, Star Tours is good, but you are just sharing with other passengers, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run has the switch to shift you into hyperspace, but to be in a two-man ship and jump, intense! Projections has Jakku pass to the right and TIE fighters roaring around you! Not 3D, this is in front of you! Then, you are inside the dome, it’s cold, you don’t walk out of the other two attractions mid-ride. Blue Leader asks, “What was that?”, a pilot remarks, “They’re coming out of nowhere!” Then, you get the Imperial March theme. The stars are streaking around you as the rocket sled banks.   

                                                                                   The queue for Hyperspace Mountain, 2015, photo by the author. 

Ackbar reports, “Enemy fighters coming your way!”, then Blue Leader, “All wings fall back!”  You see the projection of the Star Destroyer with TIE Fighters. A technician reports, “Three marks coming at .04!” The battle has begun around the Star Destroyer. We can’t have Admiral Ackbar without him saying, “It’s a trap!” Blue Leader calls out, “Evasive maneuvers!”, a pilot says, “Hold tight! I’m going in”, you start to make a wild turn, the fun of the rollercoaster is there, but amped up by a Star Wars battle!  X-Wings zip by and also a TIE fighter. It is just a drop and intense turns, the blasterfire from TIE fighters is heard, plus star streaks.  

Blue Leader warns a pilot, “Watch your back!” The pilot audio is a little distorted since the ride is going so fast. You see X-Wings engaging with TIE fighters. A pilot screams out “I’m hit!, I’m hit!” We get to the sharp turns towards the end of the ride. Blue Leader says, “Keep fast and keep it moving!” An X-Wing destroys a TIE fighter.  An X-Wing pilot screams out, “They’re right behind me!” You see a large TIE fighter swoop overhead. A pilot adds, “He’s right behind me!” A TIE fighter explodes as another pilot says, “I got him!” Very bright TIE fighter laser fire scorches past you. Blue Leader gives the command, “Let’s blow this thing and go home!” Bright X-Wing fire streaks toward the Star Destroyer and blows up!  

Then you you turn and enter the hyperspace tunnel before returning to the loading area. You hear Ackbar(?) saying “Great job out there and May the Force Be With You Always!” I hope Patty Jenkins has taken a ride in Hyperspace Mountain. Maybe we can find out who is Blue Leader and the rest of the squadron. They sound interesting. I can see the ride changed by the Rogue Squadron film like the Star Tours update, Hyperspace Mountain: Rogue Squadron? I’m certain Jenkins can bring what has always been missing from Star Wars, a female main character pilot, if so, Rogue Squadron will be canon for me! Don’t miss your chance to fly into a Star Wars battle with Hyperspace Mountain!

#SpaceMountain, #Disneyland, #HyperspaceMountain, #AdmiralAckbar, #77Squadron, #BlueLeader, #PattyJenkins, #RogueSquadron 

Wonder Woman #774 Review!

 The Afterworlds saga continues with Wonder Woman returning to Olympus and finding it burning and cracked stairs.  “Afterworlds Part 5” is by Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan.  The new artist is by Andy McDonald. He co-created the series NYC Mech and working on adapting James Patterson’s Zoo into a graphic novel.  It starts with a splash page showing the destruction of Olympus and Wonder Woman standing with Ratatosk below her.  Very funny, she says, “Odin’t Beard”, instead of her usual Greek gods expressions.  Ratatosk has sensed the blood of gods.  He has heard on the wind from Hermes, we see the stone caduceus, the winged staff that is also a medical symbol, above them.  Ratatosk jokes he came for the olives!, funny!, and may have used a favor to get Diana to Olympus.  

Diana is upset that she could have gone to Olympus, but Ratatosk diverted her.  The squirrel says she couldn’t go to Olympus since someone took her place!  They enter a ruined building and see a bearded and bald man, a god that Diana doesn’t recognize?, she lifts the column off of him.  She has Ratatosk watch over the man and flies away.  Ratatosk is suspicious about the man.  Some of the lines by McDonald makes me think of Jim Calafiore’s art.  Diana breaks into the temple of Hermes and finds his caduceus and flies with it.  The snake widing around the staff both glow green, Diana says it is the Rod of Asklepios, that can heal.  She points the staff at the man and the snake reaches out and bites his neck!  The snake winds back on the staff and the man’s back split open starts to heal.  He says his name is Janus, he is the god usually with two faces, the first month is named after him. 

Janus mentions that the gods are all dead and we see that they were killed by Diana’s dark reflection seen in Wonder Woman #772.  The statue of a man and woman looking to the future whom he calls Janus split apart and it was this Dark Wonder Woman who took Diana’s place in Olympus!  Her weapon, the God Scraper, is a curved blade scythe.  He submits to Diana’s lasso and again repeats his story, a very funny expression of a suspecious Ratatosk crossing his furry arms.  She binds the Janus man wiht all of her lasso and again has Ratatosk watch over him.  Diana flies over to use Athena’s Reflecting Pool, how her mother, Hippolyta, contacting Olympus.  She uses it to contact Boston Brand, Deadman, he doesn’t seem to hear her.  Instead, he continues with a card game against his teammate, Madame Xanadu.  Diana tries to get Deadman’s advice, Xanadu can’t hear Diana’s part of the conversation, he agrees to help her and take her to the Graveyard of the Gods.  

She unties her lasso from the male Janus and takes Ratatosk to the graveyard.  On the way, the duo agree to work as a team.  They are going to Tartarus, the afterworld for punishing titans and gods.  She pulls a lever and kinda worries about meeting some of the Tartarus residents that she sent there.  It’s her Arkham Asylum.  A golden lift rises up, this reminds me a little of the elevator seen in What Dreams May Come (1998). The lift descends and we a splash page of the hellscape with chained victims lashed in chains around a cavern.  One of the titans calls out to Diana, Cronus, ruler of the titans and of time.  Deadman sees Jason sentenced to guard the Olympians.  The massive door opens and the trio enter Tartarus!  Young Diana’s adventures continue in “Hero Worship” by Jordie Bellaire and Paulina Ganucheau.  She has found the missing pages of a book revealing Amazon history.  Diana breaks down after a visit by Magala about a warrior who helps the children of his allies and enemies.  She sees his compassion as the same as the Amazons.   Wonder Woman #774 features a destroyed Olympus, Diana’s dark half responsible for it!, and journey to Tartarus to find the answers!  

Three Lassos of Truth out of Five!  

#WonderWoman, #AfterworldsPart5”, #Janus, #GodScraper

In the Heights Review!

In the Heights is a sensation for the cinema and also now streaming on HBO Max! The film is of course based on the musical which opened on Broadway on March 2008. It won Best Musical, Best Original Score for Lin-Manuel Miranda, Best Choreography, and Best Orchestrations at the 2008 Tony Awards. It also won that year the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. In the Heights was in development at Universal Pictures, but went back into development.  

Miranda, in the meantime, produced Hamilton!  Jon M. Chu signed on as director and this led to its release, after a brief pause, on June 10th in theaters and HBO Max. Chu is of course known for directing Crazy Rich Asians (2018), but more relevant may be Step Up: 2 The Streets (2008).  The screenplay is by the Pulitzer Prize winning Quiara Alegria Hudes, whom also wrote the book of the musical.  It begins with some gentle piano when we hear the radio, a news report, and then voices, a little girl, Iris (Olivia Perez) asks a man played by Anthony Ramos, what does sueñito mean?  He replies “little dream.”

This shifts to the Dominican Republic beach washed with aqua green waves.  One kid wants to go in the water.  The man has something to tell them coming around from his beachfront bar.  He tells them the story of a block that was “disappearing” in Nuevo York, a barrio called Washington Heights.  The places are give titles almost like a fairy tale.  The music played underneath his storytelling comes later. He has the kids shout out the name so it won’t disappear like clapping for Tinkerbell. 

The man says “The streets were made of music” and starts knocking out a beat on his chair.  Sunrise in Nuevo York, it reminds me of the opening of West Side Story, we hear the morning DJ.  He says there is a heatwave so the mayor says to cut down use of air conditioners and a weekend party, Fiesta in the Heights.  The man wakes up tired and sees pictures of his father and greets Abuela Claudia played by Olga Merediz who was in the Broadway production.  She is the heart of the film, another actress and the film would not work.   

The man starts walking, gets gum on a manhole cover on his shoe, the kids laugh at that part.  He starts to rotate the manhole cover like a DJ scratching a record.  “In The Heights” is sung by the man who notices a tagger, Graffiti Pete (Noah Catala) spraying the grate of his store.  He unlocks the grate and opens it before seeing the Piragua Man (Miranda). The lead in the musical was played by Miranda, but here he plays the hard working independent worker later pitted against a corporate ice cream truck, Mr. Softee (Chris Jackson).  

He is another cast member from the Broadway production and played Benny. Ramos, Miranda, and Jackson of course starred in Hamilton.  The young man introduces himself as Usnavi, Usnavi de la Vega, who lost his parents and hoped to go back to the Dominican Republic. Usnavi finds that his fridge broke and his milk that he is famed for has turned back.  Abuela Claudia arrives and has an old recipe, a can of condensed milk, Usnavi gives her a lottery ticket, Abuela kisses it and says, “Paciencia Y Fe.”  Patience and faith that is very important for her character, a mother, advisor, and inspiration to the block.  

Usnavi explains that his abuela is not really his family member, but she raised him, also she’s everyone on the block’s abuela.  He runs into some tourists and gives them direction on the woman’s ipad.  Usnavi says to the kids that he will test them on the directions and they laugh. Usnavi goes on to stay local business Ortega’s was bought up and the rents went sky high. The chorus picks up the song showing various people starting their day.  Then, Usnavi introduces Kevin Rosario (Jimmy Smits) who runs a taxi cab company, Rosario’s Car Service.  Jimmy Smits has many acting credits to his name including NYPD Blue, but I think this is his best part and he can sing the few lines he gets in the movie.  Usnavi explains that his daughter, Nina, is away at college with expensive tuition.  He enters Usnavi’s bodega and gets his usual morning snacks.  He sings that Nina arrived last night and Usnavi adds that Abuela has been cooking all week.  This was changed from his wife, Camila, dropped from the movie’s storyline. 

Then, we get the Salon Ladies; Daniela (Daphne Rubin-Vega), owner of the salon, Carla (Stephanie Beatriz), and Cuca (Dascha Polanco), a character added for the film. They gossip about people as they cross the street. Rubin-Vega is an actress on the Katy Keene show, but I recognize her as the original actress for Mimi Marquez in the musical Rent. Beatriz was in the police comedy show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Cuca flirts with Usnavi and he just smiles. Then, his cousin, Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV), enters late for his shift. Diaz IV was in episodes of the comedy series, Unbreakable Kimmy Schimdt, and also some stage musicals. 

His character is young, fun, and an activist for immigrant rights. Usnavi continues running through his bodega routine so he can calculate any total. The chorus picks up the song and then we get the entrance of Benny (Corey Hawkins) in dress shirt and tie. Hawkins is known for playing Dre in the bio drama, Straight Outta Compton (2015), but he really should be known for his singing! Benny works as a dispatch for Kevin’s company and he is also interested in Kevin’s daughter, Nina! He brings up to Usnavi if Vanessa has come to the bodega and his friend gets shy. 

Benny wants Usnavi to ask Vanessa out if not Sonny chimes in with Benny, “you aint’ got no skills.”  Very funny.  Usnavi is a central figure in the movie, a narrator to the kids, and confident in everything except Vanessa.  Then, we have the arrival of Vanessa Barrera (Melissa Barrera).  When she showed up on screen outside of the bodega on the phone with a landlord, I immediately thought she was Vanessa.  Barrera was the lead in the drama Vida and can sing with the best of them.  Usnavi nervously follows Vanessa and knocks down an item to wave at her.  She says he owes her champagne bottle. Vanessa is trying to get a place downtown, but is having problems with the rent.  

Usnavi gives her a coffee on the house.  Benny and Sonny pass behind Usnavi and try to get him to ask Vanessa out. Vanessa smiles and leaves.  Sonny and Benny laugh at his shyness.  Usnavi stares out the bodega’s window where he sees the whole street dancing, Christopher Scott is the choreographer, he worked with Jon M. Chu on Step Up 2: The Streets. There is an energetic quality to the dances, very Latin (like West Side Story+), and also updating the classic Busby Berkeley musicals.  Usnavi joins the street dance.  The cinematography is by Alice Brooks who also worked with Chu on Jem and the Holograms (2015).  It reveals the beauty of the New York block, the dancing, especially the pool scene where all aspects of the production are incredible, it is a Esther Williams piece, just elaborate in an urban setting. 

The title of the film comes up after the dance.  We also get the title card, 3 Days Until Blackout.  Then, we get Alejandro (Mateo Gómez), a lawyer who has brought Usnavi pictures of a bar, El Suenito, ravaged by a storm.  They shake hands on a deal for the bar that needs to be restored.  Usnavi looks to a map of the Dominican Repubic on the bodega wall.  We get the last character important to the story, Nina Rosario played by Leslie Grace, she is a singer.  Nina is one of the most troubled characters, she is caught between the Washington Heights residents who admire her accomplishments, her father, and Nina’s mistreatment at Stanford University on the other coast.  Usnavi describes her as valedictorian and a business manager for her father, Kevin.  

Vanessa is suprised to see her and tells her Benny is on the dispatch.  Benny goes into “Benny’s Dispatch” giving help to drivers.  He notices that Nina has entered.  Benny is excited and goes on the dispatch next to a trio of women, then invites Nina to take the mic.  She is happy to greet the drivers, but leaves with a smile.  Benny is saddened at her leaving. Usnavi calls out to Nina, they hug, and then get out of the street when a police siren blares.  Sonny wants Nina to join him in a march to support DREAMers.  In The Heights is a visual feast, a strong story about people who don’t get opportunities no matter how hard they work, memorable songs that play on repeat in your mind, a romance, and everything you want in a musical and movie!   

 

Five+ Piraguas out of Five!   

#InTheHeights, #JonMChu, #LinManuelMiranda, #AnthonyRamos, #MelissaBarrera, #LeslieGrace, #CoreyHawkins, #OlgaMerediz, #JimmySmits, #GregoryDiazIV, #DaphneRubinVega, #StephanieBeatriz, #DaschaPolanco, #ChrisJackson 

Brzrkr #3 Review!

Brzkr continues with his blood-soaked origin back to the present with Brzkr back on mission and out of control!  The Boom Studios comic features writing by Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt and art by Ron Garney.  The cover by Rafael Grampá has a suited Brzrkr next to a Brzrkr in military uniform there is a red circle behind them, the organization’s logo?  Issue #3 opens a bloody battlefield; a head staked, bodies scattered about including a horse.  It is two seasons since Brzkr was born.  It shifts from the bodies, one shadowed corpse looks like the Frank Miller, black with streaks of red.  Then, we shift back to B. leading his tribe, cutting through a body with a long axe.  Then, a series of panels of him stomping, ripping off a head, and smashing a face!  The arrow-pierced warrior asks his father if he “did well.”  His father says the village calls him “unute”; a tool and weapon.  He is not father of the ancient year.   

They ride horses and his father says the village is not safe with envious rivals outside of the valley.  Night, at the family hut, he questions his mother about being a tool.  His mother says he was a gift from the gods and he thinks she prayed for a unute.  Later, his naked mother dresses to see her husband planning an attack.  He says they are almost finished.  It is morning in the village and she wants the fighting to end.  The husband says he will keep everyone safe, semantics.  He later mentions the victories at the eastern mountains, the “river-dwellers” to the south, and the northern plainsman now he wants to assault the city to the west.  Brzrkr questions the purpose of attacking a distant city.  His father says they are a wealthy tribe, greedy, and he is sending a small group with his son.  The ruler is on his throne drinking when debris rains on his cup, then larger fragments.  

Brzrkr leaps down from the roof with two axes and two bodies.  This is where I thought this pure Conan the Barbarian.  He lands with a strong impact.  The ruler pleads for his life as B. drags him away.  He sees the guards and his eyes glow blue as he says his father’s command, “No one lives.”  Brzrkr violently kills the guards and the ruler.  His men report they took care of the rest of the guards.  He sees the commoners going about their business, but B. runs towards them with his axes!  He sits on a pile of bodies after his slaughter with the snow falling.  We hear narration about this was before the protocols.  We see Brzrkr’s face, horribly mangled, a bloody vision out of Bernie Wrightson’s Frankenstein.  His father is stunned at his appearance.  

On the horse ride back, Brzrkr questions if his father was there in the cave, he knows from the story, this is not his birth father.  He is alone outside of the family hut, his mother worries about him, but his “father” says he enjoyed the killing.  Mother goes out to her son who says he doesn’t want to be unute any more.  The warriors ride out again, his “father” says it a new tribe, there is pink lightning and a close of “father” stunned that his wife brought down that same lightning.  Another slaughtered village.  His “father” removes arrows from the back of B.  In the current day office, the doctor that was treating present day Brzrkr says he is remembering to the head of the organization, a bearded man with glasses.  She says he is on a mission to Chile.  Four of the team was killed, B. says they were too close when he was in the battle.  Brzrkr #3 is steadily building the story, but we don’t know the exact nature of the Brzrkr, his purpose beyond killing, but it is the Eternal Warrior with a black ops organization with a little Conan the Barbarian thrown in, a compelling comic book!      

Four Protocols out of Five! 

#Brzrkr, #KeanuReeves, #MattKindt, #RonGarney, #RafaelGrampa 

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!  The first film of Margot Robbie was the Australian independent film, Vigilante (2008).  She starred as Donna Brown on the well known soap opera Neighbours (2008-2011).  Robbie started in the U.S. with the drama series, Pan Am (2011-2012), playing Laura Cameron.  She played Charlotte in About Time (2013) before breaking out in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).  Ann Burden, the lead wandering the post-apocalyptic world of Z for Zachariah (2015) based on the Robert O’Brien novel set in an apocalyptic world.  She had a lead role in Focus (2015) with co-star Will Smith.  Next, she was Jane Clayton in The Legend of Tarzan (2016) directed by David Yates. 

Bad Batch, “Common Ground”, Review!

Last episode had Omega trying to get away from bounty hunters Cad Bane and Fennec Shand.  Omega escapes Fennec and looks down at a landing platform and sees flight pods.  Bane has his blaster drawn on Omega, but bolos strike his blaster from his hand.  Fennec engages in hand to hand combat with Bane!  He headbutts Fennec and the metal plate on his forehead is revealed!  This hints at the unproduced Clone Wars episode where Boba Fett gets in a duel with Bane, possibly the Book of Boba Fett will cover what happened.  Omega finds a long ladder down to the platform while the bounty hunters fight.  Todo 360 tries to take hold of Omega, but she ends up riding him down to the platform.  Omega enters the flight pod, Todo tries to look in from the cockpit window, but she blasts off and sends him down to the city.  Bane kicks Fennec and Todo reports that their target is escaping.  He uses flame units on his wrists, but bolos wrap around Bane’s arms and he is kicked off the city.  Still, Bane uses the rockets in his boots to get to the city’s railing. Omega finds the flight pod is running out of fuel and it starts to plummet! 

There is a collison sound and the hatch opens, it’s Wrecker!  Omega cries and asks Hunter why the Kaminoans want her.  Cad Bane reaches the Finalizer, but finds that the ship has been sabotaged!  He watches as Fennec Shand’s ship, no name at this point, flies away.  A victory for the young bounty hunter!  She is contacted by Lala Se and reports that the clones took Omega.  Fennec says she can track them, but Lala Se declines, she just wanted Omega safe from Lama Su.  Omega joins Hunter at the pilot seats of the Havoc Marauder, he promises to keep her away from Kamino.  On Raxus Secundus in the Outer Rim, a crowd gathers at a palace, an Imperial officer, Captain Bragg (Shelby Young), gives her speech at the balcony.  The planet first appeared in the Clone Wars episode, “Heroes on Both Sides” (2010).  We actually see the Separatist Parliament and that not every planet agrees with the Confederacy of Independent Systems.  She asks this former Separatist world for loyalty.  A senator, Avi Singh (Alexander Siddig), with beard and monocle doesn’t want to continue with the plan.  Siddig is known for playing Dr. Bashir in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  

His droid aide, GS-8 (Sian Clifford), says there is no other option.  Clifford is an actress from Fleabag.  She quickly became one of my favorite droids.  Bragg says there will be mandatory curfew for everyone’s protection.  Senator Singh is about to give his speech, the crowd cheers, and mid-speech says that he doesn’t approve of the Imperial occupation.  Bragg has clone troopers take him aside.  The crowd is dispersed by walkers, several All Terrain Tactical Enforcers, GS-8 walks away and delievers a message that the senator is in danger.  An important intro sequence without any familiar characters, great set-up to Separatist worlds under the Empire.  The Bad Batch are on the streets of the Ord Mantell city, Omega on Wrecker’s shoulder has the Mantell Mix.  Hunter tells Wrecker that Omega needs a break.  Cid has a mission for them, the rescue of Senator Singh!, Hunter refuses the mission. Tech points out the former center of the Separatist governmen is now an Imperial outpost.  Cid says that she will watch over Omega.  Hunter tells Omega to stay with Cid, good soldiers follow orders, they leave and Cid’s mission for Omega is to “get scrubbing!”, very funny.  

Tech says they are landing outside of the capital, Raxilion.  Two V-wing fighters (early models for the TIE fighter) flank the Havoc Marauder, Cid has given codes by the contact, and they are able to get clearance and land.  The squad is distrustful of Separtist, but they are no longer Separatists, Raxus is now part of the Empire.  Cid talks with Omega just circling the scrubber on the bar top.  She upsets Omega calling her “helpless.”  On Raxus, GS-8 has taken them to a building guarded and patroled by clone troopers and AT-TEs.  Hunter sends G-8 as a distraction and they take down the clone trooper guards.  Tech disables the security systems on a data pad outside a door.  Hunter sees two guards posted and tells Tech to go with Omega. She is so familiar to the squad, he forgot!  GS-8 walks out getting the attention of the guards, a grenade rolls out and shocks the two clone troopers!  A clone trooper opens the door and bashed around by Wrecker, GS-8 manages to catch a vase that was a gift to the senator.  The Quarren, Ketch (Sam Riegel) is playing dejarik, the hologram game, with Cid.  His Ithorian buddy is Bolo (Liam O’Brien).  Omega advises against Cid’s move.  She plays it anyway and loses.  So Cid asks Omega to help and she defeats all of the holo opponents and wins!  

Cid wants her to play dejarik and Omega asks for a 60% cut.  Clone troopers enter with an interrogation droid, the floating, black globe.  Bragg says that Senator Singh has incited an insurrection.  The droid approaches the senator with menacing needle.  A smoke detonator hops down the steps.  Two clone troopers are stunned, Captain Brag takes out her blaster, but is stunned.  The senator’s binders are removed, but Tech notes that an alarm was set off.  Clone troopers rush into the compound.  Wrecker shoots a grappling line at an AT-TE, the Bad Batch stun the trooper in the rear, then take out the driver and throw more shock detonators!  Tech drives the AT-TE, Captain Bragg sees that they have commandeered it, and has them “pinned down.”  The other walker blasts the rear of the Bad Batch’s AT-TE.  Tech has to repair the rear axle while the others take on the Imperial walker.  They disable it, but another AT-TE climbs over it.  They continue the walker battle, a hit shuts down the walker, the Bad Batch get out to open fire with blasters set to stun.  The squad is surrounded, but Senator Singh knocks one trooper out with the vase!  It is interesting to see how the Separtists would work with clone troopers!  Another Bad Batch episode that has interesting character dynamics, clone troopers working with Separatists, and an intense battle against clone troopers!  

Five Vibro Knives out of Five!  

#StarWars, #BadBatch, #CommonGround, #CaptainBragg, #ShelbyYoung, #SenatorAviSingh, #AlexanderSingh, #GS8, #SianClifford 

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!  She started out as a model and on her father, Steven Tyler’s Aerosmith music videos, before getting the lead role of Corey Mason in Empire Records (1995).  Next, Tyler was Lucy Harmon on vacation in  Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty (1996).  She played Faye Dolan in Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do! (1996).  Tyler had a genre role in the sci fi action film Armageddon (1998) playing the love interest of Ben Affleck.  In 2001, she had the part of Arwen in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).  Tyler continued the trilogy with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).  She was part of the Screen actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).  Liv Tyler was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations in 2003. 

Liv Tyler co-starred with Ben Affleck in Jersey Girl (2004) directed by Kevin Smith.  Next, Tyler was in the horror movie, The Strangers (2008). She played Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk (2008).  Then, she was in the comedy Super (2010).  Tyler was then in the comedy Robot & Frank (2012).  She was in the 70’s style sci fi comedy, Space Station 76 (2014).  Tyler played Meg Abbott in the tv series The Leftovers (2014-2017) dealing with the mysterious disappearance of some of the global population.  She was in the Gunpowder (2017), a mini-series about Guy Fawkes.  Tyler was in the horror film Wilding which she also produced. Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam was played by Liv Tyler in Harlots.  She was in the sci fi movie, Ad Astra (2019).  Lately, she was Michelle Blake, in 9-1-1: Lone Star.  Happy birthday Liv Tyler!  

#LivTyler, #EmpireRecords, #TheLordOfTheRings, #AdAstra