December 21st - The Clash of Movies!

The winter battle will start with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Sony’s animated film that looks promising.  They have done a fine job with their trailers and building hype.  It takes on Mortal Engines which isn’t making waves, WETA has to work to promote more set videos, video on the world of Mortal Engines, and a video on the books, maybe an interview with the author, Philip Reeve.  December 19 is the release of Mary Poppins Returns getting a slight jump on the Clash of Movies now that the gap of Star Wars movies vacates it’s place.  It will lock up the family audiences, there will be a push at the parks, and air the original Mary Poppins on ABC and Disney Channel.  This leads to the Clash of Movies, Disney is heading into it’s second week with Mary Poppins, this clashes with Warner Bros. Aquaman, of course the DC franchise, and Paramount Pictures’ Bumblebee, part of the Transformers franchise.  The studios are set on the December 21st clash so may not move from that date.  There is also the Robert Zemeckis film Welcome to Marwen starring Steve Carell, Will Farrell comedy Holmes & Watson, and Alita: Battle Angel which has little chance with this competition.    

I’ve been waiting for an Aquaman movie all my life, with only some brief appearances on Smallville, and a failed pilot, he had less of a presence than Wonder Woman on tv.  It was the trailer, though, that was hollow.  Too much CG effects, what is important is to establish the underwater realm, the same way as the size of the Hobbits convinces you so you can enjoy the rest of the movie, this could be done by showing a sea shore, or whatever shots are done in a water tank. I hope this is done in the movie.  Of course, it will not be filmed entirely underwater, Abyss or Waterworld, but it is important to set the underwater world before you go CG.  James Wan said there is a Raiders of the Lost Ark and Romancing the Stone vibe, but I didn’t see that in the trailer.  I was impressed by the photos of Aquaman’s world, but didn’t feel the same with the trailer.  I may have too high expectations for the Aquaman trailer, I did like the beginning which is right out of the comics, very moody.  The aquarium scene ruined it, a shark ramming the aquarium wall, they are usually made of acrylic and can withstand great force with the amount of water in the tanks. At the very least, the shark would be dead. I didn’t see the point of the submarine, then it shifts to the look of King Orm, it looks like bad green screen.  One of the effects of underwater photography, even in the clearest waters, there is a slight distortion, particles, and  bubbles. 

 Orm has armor, which of course would drag, I would think Atlanteans have coral plates or something similar which is tough, but lightweight, and a cape, which of course gives additional drag and is floating like Superman’s cape!  The view of Atlantis with it’s multi-colored lights like coral is nice, but not stunning. I like the battle between Aquaman and Orm.  I also hope they reveal that Aquaman is not just a super hero name, but a title of a protector. Aquaman lifting the submarine, again I would like to know how this fits in, he has to fight Orm from flooding the world, find some relics, and return to Atlantis, where does a submarine fit in?  I like the shot of some red torch taken underwater, beautiful.  They swim past what looks like Alien-like The Trench.  I love the design of the Mer-people, bits of armor around the body makes more sense than a full suit.  Black Manta looks great especially his blasts. Again, all of this looks like Geoff Johns’ Throne of Atlantis storyline.  If the movie has parts that are identical to those comics, then what does it offer to me who has read the comics?  The best parts of the Marvel movies is that they take a comic book storyline like Civil War, but the plot is not the same as the comics, it is only the concept.  I don’t see this with Aquaman. 

Next, there is Bumblebee, the distaste of Michael Bay’s Transformers films, pushed this low on my expectation list.  Still, Bumblebee is my favorite Transformer, he was voiced Mark Ryan in the films. Then, Travis Knight was announced as director, I mentioned this to him at a Kubo and the Two Strings exhibit.  I love Hailee Steinfeld’s Charlie Watson finding the VW beetle in the junkyard.  Also, seeing the bee nest, which of course leads to his name.  Charlie drives the VW back to her house.  The radio switch flickers on. This is not Christine.    A part falls down.  Charlie checks the chassis with a flashlight, the pov of the flashlight that focuses on a robotic face, nice moody shots. Charlie’s astonished face and then the blue eyes of the Transformer opening up, great!  Then, it starts to transform, over Charlie, this is an awesome effects shot, gears twirl and boxes closes.  Unlike Aquaman a tease of a minor scene.  Bumblebee takes his robot form filling the garage.  If you don’t know anything about Transformers, this scene explains it.  Bumblebee shyly cowers in the corner of the garage.  Charlie holds out her hands, this is alien contact, out of sci fi.  She touches his face and his eyes close, the effects humanize the robot.  

Then, we see Bumblebee run in the forest.  Charlie leaping into the sea and holding Bumblee’s face as he sinks.  Then, he transforms on a beach and the next scene has him leaping with Charlie in his arms.  John Cena’s Agent Burns watches.  Bumblebee leaps down and the Decepticon jet, Blitzwing. Bumblebee in car form drives at the edge of a cliff and uses his robot arm to drag on the guide rail. Charlie hugs Bumblebee.  Yeah, this is classic Transformers. Bumblebee transforms into his helmet from the Transformers movies.  He slides back holding a metal form.  Charlie says, “This is why you’re here Bee.”  The end scene with Charlie loading a cassette tape playing Rick Astley faux-soul hit “Never Gonna Give You Up”, she smiles, and he ejects it flying across the garage, lol!  Charlie looks up stunned.  This ramped up my expectation of this film.  The first trailers are teaser trailers so they usually don’t give you a sense of the plot, more the atmosphere of the film.  This is the failure of the Aquaman trailer, it’s all over the place, starting with story and then just bits and pieces.  Maybe the next trailer will be better.  Still the question is which film will I see first?  I’ve seen both directors, James Wan at a Conjuring panel and interviewed and met with Travis Knight.  So the decider is what will be available preview night?  If there is an experience, giveaways like a poster or button, or something else will decide it for me.  Of all of the press events I attended, Travis Knight made me feel like a VIP, delicious chicken while the other studios offered maybe crackers.  I know for certain that I will buy toys from both films.    

#December21, #MaryPoppinsReturns, #Aquaman, #Bumblebee

Fantasy, Superhero, and Sci Fi Movies - The Mid-90's (1993-1995)!

The mid-90s starts off strong, but this period breaks away from regular sci fi and unusual superhero films that barely fit the category.  We start off with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III which ended the franchise with New Line Cinema.  It featured a story tied to feudal Japan with the Turtles brought back in time. In June, we had Steven Spielberg adapting Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. It of course featured CG rendered dinosaurs that pointed the way to the next generation of effects. The film spawned a franchise with two sequels and the Jurassic World films including this year’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. It won the Academy Awards for Best Sound, Sound Effects Editing, and Visual Effects.  Spielberg’s year also won him Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Cinematography, and Editing for Schindler’s List.  So Spielberg’s two films swept artistic and technical awards, a feat that is only matched by James Cameron’s Titanic, one film, with the same number of awards,10.  

In October, we had the Demolition Man starring Sylvester Stallone as a rogue police officer, John Spartan, taking on the dangerous criminal, Simon Phoenix, played by Wesley Snipes.  They are cryogenically frozen and wake up in San Angeles, a future with no crime.  It had all of the over-the-top action of the 80’s with a sci fi twist. 1994 started with the dark vision of James O’Barr’s comic book, The Crow.  Eric Draven, played by Brandon Lee who died during filming, is supernaturally brought back to life to take vengeance on a street gang.  There were three sequels and a 1998 television series.  Another favorite is The Shadow based on the radio show created by Walter B. Gibson in 1930 and turned into pulp novels.  “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?” Alec Baldwin knows playing Lamont Cranston who is opposed by Shiwan Khan (John Lone).  The writing is clever, David Koep, wrote the script especially The Shadow’s background and the villain’s plot. It had a weak box office probably compared to the Batman franchise, but really is the Shadow that inspired Batman.  

The Mask came out later that month.  It was based on the Dark Horse comic and took his popular form by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke.  The film solidified Jim Carrey as a major film star along with the two other comedies he had that year.  The film also showcased Cameron Diaz.  It spun off into a cartoon and a poorly received sequel.  The Mask was nommed for best visual effects, but lost to Forrest Gump. September brought us another Dark Horse Comics adaptation in Timecop. The film was dully directed by Peter Hyams.  Stargate was a sci film from Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich. The story focuses on a military team with a scientist travel through the Stargate and face the god-like Ra.  This is similar to the Doctor Who episode “Pyramids of Mars” (1975).  The Stargate story was wildly popular with the Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007) that had a tv movie, a cartoon, and two other series, Stargate Atlantis (2004-2009) and Stargate Universe (2009-2011). Towards the end of the year, the Star Trek films were re-launched with the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew with Star Trek:Generations.  It also bridged the two series with William Shatner’s Captain Kirk.

  

1995 had seven genre films starting with Tank Girl based on the British comic book created by Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin.  The post-apocalypse sci fi film was directed by  Rachel Talalay.  It featured Lori Petty’s Tank Girl surviving in a drought-ravaged Australia fighting for water.  May brought the cinematic vision of Cyberpunk author William Gibson with Johnny Mneumonic. Keanu Reeves stars as the lead character who is a mnemonic courier and given a dangerous implant that could save the future.  I love the cyber dolphin and the near future world.  A film that was slightly before it’s time with another sci fi film with Keanu Reeves four years later. The Batman films continued under director Joel Schumacher with Batman Forever. Val Kilmer wore the Batman cowl facing the duo of the Riddler and Two-Face with his sidekick Robin played by Chris O’Donnell.  The movie adopted some of the 60’s silliness with a modern gloss.  It was one of the top box office films and was nommed for Best Sound, Sound Effects, and Cinematography at the Academy Awards, but lost to Braveheart and Apollo 13.        

In June was the release of Judge Dredd which was the adaptation of the brilliant British comic book created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.  Still, the film starring Sylvester Stallone missed the point of satirizing America with the Mega-City One patrolled by street judges. Instead, it was a flat sci fi action movie, so we would have to wait seventeen years for a more gritty take on the iconic comics character.  We also had in the summer the infamous Waterworld.  The film had Kevin Costner as the Mariner in a world covered by the sea with the melting ice caps.  The budget swelled out of proportion and set disasters troubled the production until it was finally released to a less than stellar box office.  Strange Days directed by Kathryn Bigelow and featuring a screenplay by James Cameron. It features Ralph Fiennes as a man finding a dangerous recording on a  SQUID, a device that holds memories. It was weak at the box office.  In December was one of the few fantasy movies in the mid-90s, Jumanji, directed by Joe Johnston. It involves two kids who get caught in the world of the board game Jumanji which releases it’s creatures into their neighborhood. Robin Williams played Alan Parrish, whom as a young kid was trapped in the game, it led to an animated series (1996-1999), and a sequel 22 years later. We have gotten the hints of our current films with CG effects and influential sci fi movies.  Superhero movies were coming on strong, but not the wave that came later on.   Still, there was only one magical fantasy movie.

#JurassicPark, #TheShadow, #JohnnyMneumonic, #Jumanji

Happy Birthday Ray Park!

Happy Birthday Ray Park! Ray first worked in stunts for Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997).  The part Ray is well known for was as Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999).  It was not only the make-up and design of the character, it was the fierceness, and martial arts prowess that Ray brought to the role.  I saw Ray and Nash Edgerton, the Obi-Wan Kenobi stunt double, recreating the duel at Wizard World in 2004.  It was at full speed which was impressive! We saw Maul cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber, but you can’t keep a Sith down.  Next, he had a speaking part as the Toad in X-Men (2000). In the action movie, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002), Ray played A.J. Ross, leading the agents going after Lucy Liu’s Sever.  Ray had a cameo part as a security guard at Lucasfilm in Fanboys (2009).  He had another iconic role as Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009).  

Ray Park at Wizard World Anaheim, 2011, photo by the author.

Ray had a lead role in Hellbinders (2009) playing a mercenary, Max, who teams up with an assassin and a Knights Templar to take on demonic forces.  On television, Ray played Edgar, who could move at super speed in Heroes (2009-2010).  Next, Ray played the evil Rugal Bernstein, who fights against Maggie Q’s May Shiranui in the adaptation of the video game, The King of Fighters (2010).  He had a cameo role in 2011 on Maggie Qu’s series Nikita. Ray returned to play Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe Retaliation (2013). Ray starred in Jinn (2014) playing Gabriel caught in the battle with supernatural jinn. The surprise cameo in this year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story was the return of Maul.  In the Clone Wars episode “Brothers” (2012), Maul was found alive and given cybernetic legs.  The Star Wars: Rebels two part episode “Twilight of the Apprentice” (2016) picked up Maul’s appearance. A surprise cameo in this year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story was the return of Maul played Ray Park. Happy Birthday Ray Park!  

#RayPark, #DarthMaul, #Toad, #SnakeEyes

Ray Park and Nash Edgerton at Wizard World Philadelphia, 2004, photo by the author.

Re:tro Re:view - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales!

I skipped this one at the theaters, I meant to see it, but bad reviews and Johnny Depp’s eccentric performances turned me away.  This shouldn’t have stopped me.  What I was interested in teased in the trailer is that it featured Brenton Thwaites.  He was in Gods of Egypt (2016) which was another entertaining movie that was fun.  Also, Thwaites is currently Robin in the Titans series.  So, the question is Johnny Depp, does he turn in an odd performance that veers off the movie?  Answer, no.  Jack Sparrow is again eccentric, but here he plays second fiddle to Thwaites’ Henry Turner, who plays third fiddle to Kaya Scoderlario’s Carina Smyth. She was in the latest Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) film.  It is really a female lead for this movie.  The others are just along for the adventure.  

One last point, is that I found story problems with all of the Pirates films, but this one with a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson does the tricky job of continuing the franchise, resetting all of the characters to underdog status, bringing back favorite characters from the earlier films, and moving the story along.  I won’t forget that the film is directed by the duo of Joachim Ronning and Epsen Sandberg who directed Kon-Tiki (2012) and also the western Bandidas (2006) which has more in line with this film.  Let’s get to it, I like the opening with the pirate flag and the dark castle under a stormy sky.  We get a young boy collecting maps and pictures of “Father’s Curse” and Jack Sparrow.  There is a nice closeup of the mirror of a lighthouse while the boy (Lewis McGowan) rows a boat and then throws a bag of stones to drop himself down!  He reaches the seafloor and the cursed Flying Dutchman carries him to the surface.  

The boy emerges from the water to hear footsteps, it is Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), and he sends his son, Henry, home to his mother.  Henry says there’s a treasure, the Trident of Poseidon, that can break his curse.  He says that Jack Sparrow can help him.  The Dutchman starts to submerge, Will gives his son his necklace, and Henry reaches the boat.  We get nine years later, a ship is pursued by another, out of a porthole, is the adult Henry (Thwaites).  Henry is an interesting connection to characters from the previous movies, but of course takes on the action and has his own quest.  He rushes to warn Captain Toms (Richard Piper) that he is headed to the Devil’s Triangle.  In the foggy seas, they see a ruined ship and out of it come sailors running on the sea.  They slaughter the crew and then their captain arrives with flowing hair as if underwater (nice effect!).  

This is Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) who is looking for Jack Sparrow and gives Henry a message that he will see daylight and kill Jack.  He says he can’t deliver the message because “dead men tell no tales.”  A ruthless, relentless villain, Bardem has fun with the role.  We shift to a prison where a sentence is given to Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), accused of being a witch, she says she’s a scientist, and has only a diary from an unknown father.  Carina is a welcome addition to the Pirates films, taking on the action, and more clever than all of the characters.  She has been picking the cell’s lock and slams the priest down to escape.  Outside is the dedication to the Royal Bank of Saint Martin.  Genre actor Bruce Spence plays the official, Mayor Dix, who boasts about the new vault.  It is revealed while Carina is chased by soldiers.  

Her escape is reported to the commanding officer, Lt. Scarfield played by David Wenham.  The vault is opened and a snoring, drunk Jack Sparrow is inside.  He wakes to see the town while ropes to the vault are tied by Jack’s crew, led by Gibbs (Kevin McNally) who is now in The Outpost series.  The soldiers are about to shoot him with rifles when a woman, Frances (Zoe Ventoura) wakes up in the vault, the mayor’s wife!  Gibbs readies a train of horses to get the Fast and Furious bank robbery ready.  The soldiers fire, Jack ducks, and the horse team pull the vault from the bank’s wall.  The horses keep charging forward, pulling the bank, the roof and walls, forward!  A rope from the bank drags Jack along with the massive structure through the town.  The open vault begins spilling coins.  

Carina enters an observatory and checks a telescope.  The startled astronomer says, “No woman has ever handled my Hershel”, love the dialogue!  Carina takes a chronometer, Jack stumbles in, and the bank rips into the astronomer’s building.  Jack throws Carina into a hay wagon that takes off.  He runs on the rooftops and leaps onto the bank’s roof.  Gibbs warns about the bridge, Jack jumps on it as the bank shatters it, and then leaps onto the vault.  Jack’s crew revolts against Jack and he shows them his ship, the Black Pearl in a bottle, they say that Barbossa has ten ships and rules the seas.  The Pearl was magically shrunk to bottle size by Blackbeard in the last movie.  Gibbs and the rest of the crew leave Jack.  They have a ship, the Dying Gull, on shore.  Henry wakes to find Scarfield who says he survived on driftwood, but the captain has ripped his sleeves so he is a traitor and sentenced to death.  

Henry is treated by Carina in disguise.  She needs his help to leave the island to read the Map No Man Can Read left by Poseidon.  She shows him the diary of Galileo and Henry realizes the map is in the stars.  She gives Henry a lock pick and tries to run, but is captured by soldiers.  Henry has disappeared.  Jack is drunk in town, falls in the mud, and tries to buy a drink.  Captain Salazar has arrived and since Jack gave away the compass, they can pursue him in the daylight.  Henry sees Jack taken away by soldiers.  In prison, Carina sees the blood moon that makes a ruby on Galileo’s diary glow, she uses it to reveal words, “To release the power of the sea, all must divide.”  She knows that the trident is at an island.  At Jack’s cell, he is met by Henry who introduces himself as the son of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann.  Jack doesn’t like them.  

Henry talks about the Trident, but this puts Jack to sleep.  He also delivers the message from Salazar, but Jack thinks he is dead.  Henry says an “army of the dead” are looking for Jack and his only hope is the trident.  Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is enjoying the fine life of plunder with musicians playing while he is given a message that his ships are being attacked.  Barbossa knows it is Salazar.  Barbossa gives a bag of coins to talk to a witch.  The witch, Shansa (Golshifteh Farahani), bald and freaky looking, is asked about the dead.  She says it is Jack “sailing for the Trident with a girl and a pearl.”  Shansa says the dead can’t step on dry land.  She has Jack’s compass and gives it to Barbossa.  The escape from the executions is as fun and silly as the previous chase.  

Thwaites has one of the best lines in the movie when Carina takes off her dress to swim in her undergarments to an island and says to Jack, “I saw her ankles.”  The rapport between Henry and Carina is great, there was a prequel novel on Carina, The Brightest Star in the North (2017) by Meredith Rusu. The challenge of introducing new leads is that they have to bring something fresh to the franchise and be just as winning as the originals, Will and Elizabeth.  This was the problem with the fourth film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), they seem tacked on to the Pirates story.  Jack is able to captain his first ship, the Wicked Wench, the ship that is in the Pirates attraction.  The quest for Poseidon’s Trident and how it works all makes sense within the movie.  I would really like to see another Pirates movie if it continues this way, but it is also a good wrap up to the series if this is the end.  

Four Tridents of Poseidon out of Five! 

#PiratesoftheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales, #JoachimRonning, #EpsenSandberg, #KayaScodelario, #BrentonThwaites, #JohnnyDepp, #GeoffreyRush

Happy Birthday Ray Bradbury!

Happy Birthday Ray Bradbury!  Ray Bradbury was a prolific writer who made a mark in fantastic fiction, his writing spans genres, and gave a hopeful vision of the future.  His first story was printed in Forrest J. Ackman’s Imagination!  Forrey was a great supporter of Ray.  Many of Bradbury’s short stories were adapted by Al Feldstein in Haunt of Fear, Weird Fantasy, and other EC Comics titles.  His stories were collected with new graphic novel adaptations in the Ray Bradbury Chronicles by Byron Preiss.  They were reprinted in comic book form in Ray Bradbury Comics published by Topps Comics.  Ray worked on the screenplay for John Huston’s adaptation of Moby Dick (1956).  

Ray Bradbury at a book signing, 2005, photo by the author.

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) had a scene out of Bradbury’s story, “The Fog Horn” (1951) which made a life long friendship with Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen.  One of the best adaptations was the 1962 episode of The Twilight Zone based on Ray Bradbury’s short story, “I Sing the Body Electric.”  Fahrenheit 451 was made into a film in 1966 directed by Francois Truffaut, but featured Julie Christie more than focusing on the theme from Ray Bradbury’s highly regarded novel.  There is a current film on HBO starring Michael B. Jordan starring as the fireman tasked to destroy books.  The Martian Chronicles based on his 1950 collecting his Martian stories was made into a miniseries in 1980.  It is screaming for a film.  In 1983, Disney produced a film of Something Wicked This Way Comes, it is creepy about a carnival, but was weak at the box office.  

The Halloween Tree at Disneyland, 2010, photo by the author.

There was a television series, The Ray Bradbury Theater, which ran from 1985 to 1992.  One of Ray Bradbury’s book that was most influential to me is Zen in the Art of Writing (1990), I highly recommitted it to any creative person.  An animated television film narrated by Ray Bradbury was made of The Halloween Tree in 1993 which won him the Emmy Award.  The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (199 )was a film with an incredible cast that went direct to video.  A Sound of Thunder (2005) was released in theaters, but twisted the original story and failed at the box office. It was a 1989 episode of The Ray Bradbury Theater.  In 2007, he was awarded the Pulitzer Citation for his work.  We lost Ray Bradbury in 2012 with “Author of Fahrenheit 451” on his headstone, but he lives on in his writing.  Happy Birthday Ray Bradbury!   

#RayBradbury, #Fahrenheit451, #MartianChronicles, #ZenintheArtofWriting

Space Invaders Movie Treatment!

Space Invaders was an arcade game created by Tomohiro Nishikado for Taito in 1978.  The game was iconic with it’s six bit graphics rendering the invaders in various shapes.  The trick was to maneuver your tank behind bunkers to blast away at the invaders as they relentlessly descend in waves.  The bunkers that are slowly destroyed by the rain of blasts by the space invaders.  This is all to the music that increases it’s pace as you whittle down the invader numbers.  They race across the screen and the music keeps pace making you anxious at the fast approaching invaders. All the while a UFO passes over the alien fleet and you can shoot it down for bonus points..  

There was a Space Invaders Part II released in 1980.  There is a new version of the game, Space Invaders Frenzy, with a 117” screen with two player controls in the shape of laser guns.  Arcades have the game with tickets to be won from game play.  You can target the invaders with a laser target that sweeps over the screen.  It has a retro robot voice that is new.  The aliens in retro graphics explode with modern effects. It appeared in the video game alien invasion film, Pixels (2015).  The treatment here is intended to be set in the alien invasion movie era with a diverse cast, but with modern action and effects. It is set in New Jersey like the Orson Welles broadcast of War of the Worlds (1938).  

1953, post-war New Jersey, an old Sherman tank Stormy Weather is about to be decommissioned at an army base with Captain Mark Reynolds as commander.  A scientist has detected what he thinks is an alien invasion in an observatory.  He believes it is a threat since there is no message or warning.  The scientist, Dr. Luis Molina, and his daughter Ellen are able to warn the base which prepares to fight the invasion.  The tanks are rolled out and are destroyed by the fast moving space ships.  Stormy Weather manages to clip one before its cannon and most of the crew are destroyed.  Reynolds survives and takes the scientist and his daughter to the crash site of the space ship.  He manages to shoot the alien pilot who wields a laser gun.  They find a power core and a cannon which the scientist says can be adapted for Earth weaponry.  

The group goes to find others to help with the modification.  They find an African American cook, George Hall, who is depressed over not being able to serve.  They load the core and cannon in the cook’s truck and haul it to the base.  Luis and Ellen modify the alien technology onto Stormy Weather which has been renamed Clear Skies.  The new tank crew is ready for the next wave; Ellen is the driver (she drove tractors on her family’s farm), George is the loader, and Luis watches the core.  Clear Skies rolls out, uses bunkers for cover, and is able to knock out the first wave of invaders.  Several waves start to descend, blasts tear up the base, the army regroups with cannons and tanks.  Reynolds orders the tank to the countryside.  He has spotted a mothership.  The cannon fire fills the skies as the invasion fleet descends.  Ellen and Reynolds share a brief kiss for the victory, but Reynolds orders the tank evacuated before it is destroyed. 

They take cover into the hills.  The mothership hovers over the hills and the group manages to enter the ship.  They battle the aliens until they reach the command center.  The alien commander says that they brought war to the Earth because they believed it to be the natural condition of the humans.  Ellen explains that Earth is trying to learn to be peaceful. The alien commander tries to shoot her, but he is killed by Reynolds. Luis tries to sabotage the controls, but Reynolds instead drops grenades.  They escape as the mothership explodes.  The invasion fleet is in chaos and picked off by the army cannons before fleeing into space.  Luis is sad that they lost the alien technology.  George replies that it is good that advanced weaponry will not be around to keep the wars going.  Reynolds and Ellen kiss as the medics and techs race to check on the heroes.  The end.  

#SpaceInvaders, #StormyWeather, #CaptainMarkReynolds, #EllenMolina

The Outpost, “The Book of Names”, Review!

Talon goes to face the Demon, Locuri, and commands it in the Blackblood language, but the Demon stabs her in the shoulder with a claw.  She flashes back recognizing the Demon when she was a child.  The portal opens and draws the Demon in.  Talon returns to see the Smith dying.  He asks about the Locuri and she sees his tattoo on his arm.  She holds a blade to his throat and he admits that he found her.  As a child, he saw her eyes and studied the prophecies.  The Smith asks her to fulfill the prophecy, gives her a sword, and wants her to find the Book of Names.  He warns her about the Dragman and then dies.  Day, a farm, Everit Dred is met by the farmer, Karric Unger (John-Patrick Driscoll), he is looking for the Book of Names.  

THE OUTPOST -- “The Book of Names” -- Photo: NBCU International -- © Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. 

Karric is the survivor of an attack on the shrine that held the book. Dred grabs Karric by the neck and his him choose who to kill.  He says it is in the Altar of Fire.  A girl nods and he stabs Karric’s foot.  Dred’s soldiers run down his family on horses.  Karric screams out the prophecy about a Blackblood summons the killers of men.  Dred pulls up the sword to kill the farmer.  The Outpost, Janzo checks on the body, and finds growths on the arms.  He cuts into one of the green growths and out come flies!   Talon covers the Smith’s body with a cloth and reads the prophecy from the blade.  She looks at books in his shelf and is greeted by Janzo.  Talon is impressed that Janzo can read the book.  She wants him to check for the Book of Names in the Smith's book.  A man comes to tell Janzo that the message has arrived. 

They blurt out what they think is a secret about Talon.  The Mistress reads the message about an exchange tomorrow night, Gallow’s Night.  She wants him at the exchange. At the woods, Talon is saying her farewell to the grave of the Smith.  Marshal Wythers asks about the dead bodies and finally tells her that Lady Calkussar is asking for her. He takes her to see Garret and Gwynn who sends Wythers away.  She says she wants Talon’s help to take down the Prime Order.  Gwyn admits that her real name is Rosamund, heir to the realm.  Garret tells her there are more soldiers for the fight.  Rosamund asks about the Demon and Talon explains it was sent away.  Talon says the Smith told her it’s name and realizes that she has to find the Book of Names.  Janzo is studying the book and knows it has the names of Demons. He promises to read all of the books, but needs a favor, a travel companion.  She mentions the Dragman and Janzo says the first part means death. 

Gwynn/Rosamund rides with Garet and Commander Calkussar.  Garet rides up to a group of soldiers.  He meets Captain McNor (Gabe Casdorph).  The captain is looking for a shipment and believes that Garet’s group has brought it.  Garet pulls a dagger and kills Captain McNor.  The soldiers fire crossbow bolts as Garet fights with his sword, nice action!  Commander Calkussar rides in with his sword.  A soldier finds after Gwynn and Garet rides to save her.  Commander Calkussar kills the last soldier.  Garet throws his sword which kills the rider and then goes to slow Gwynn’s horse.  Gwyn and Garet kiss.  Talon and Janzo carry a cart with gold to reach Gallow’s Rock for colipsum. Garet reassures Gwynn that soldiers will gather to her banner.  On the mountain trail, Janzo asks where Talon has traveled and she admits she hasn’t gone to the capitol. They meet musicians who sing about the woman with a hump on her back.  Janzo tries to pay the musician and the woman holds a dagger to his throat.  

THE OUTPOST -- “The Book of Names” -- Photo: NBCU International -- © Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. 

Talon takes care of the musician and his sister throws daggers which Talon blocks with her sword.  She spares the musician and gives Janzo the book to translate. Commander Calkussar addresses the endless soldiers assembled which he says the Prime Order has killed family members.  Garet explains his mother was killed.  Then, others admit the Prime Order murdered their families.  One soldier tells Calkussar is the Betrayer.  Shades of the Kingslayer?  He admits that opening the gates as a traitor, but he says it was under the king’s orders.  Calkussar says it is Rosamund, their queen, she rides forward, and sees a soldier who was a former gardener.  She says he picked her best roses and another she knows.  The gardener swears she is Rosamund. The soldier collectively swear loyalty.  A great moment!  Everit Dred calls in a woman, Essa Khan (Sonalii Castillo) and wants a shrine and the book destroyed.  She takes a gold to do the task.  The action is ramping up and we are getting to the fulfillment of the prophecy!   

Five Daggers out of Five! 

#TheOutpost, #TheBookofNames, #Rosamund, #EssaKhan

Incredibles 2: Crisis in Mid-Life! And Other Stories #2 Review!

The Dark Horse fun continues with a Gurihuru cover that features Elastigirl in her classic costume clinking glasses with Mr. Incredible at the Supers convention.  The first story continues with the creative team of Christos Gage an Gurihuru. It picks up with Mr. Incredible worried about losing his powers and agreeing to train his kids.  They are in a park with Mr. Incredible throwing a hay bale at them.  Violet captures it with her force field powers and Dash runs around his father to suck out the oxygen.  Mr. Incredible uses the Hulk hand slap to knock back his son.  Violet puts him in a force field, but he slams it with his fists until she drops the force field.  Love the use of super powers!  He says they used the correct tactics, but failed to use teamwork that would have defeated him. Mr. Incredible says they are ready for field mission.  He takes them to see their mother, Helen, playing with Jack Jack using a Pixar ball on a picnic blanket.  

They are driving back when a police officer says that a rockslide has blocked traffic.  Bob says that is perfect for the field mission.  In costume, the Incredibles head for the rockslide, a businessman complains to a police officer.  Dash runs around a boulder and rocks start pelting the businessman’s car.  Violet puts up a force field to protect the car, but it smashes the car bumper.  Mr. Incredible straighten out the bumper and the businessman drives off angrily.  Mr. Incredible decides to have them practice their powers noting the super villains that would not let up on him.  They reach the Municiberg National Bank where there is a robbery. Violet throws force field discs, new power?, and Dash runs off with the money bags.  Violet encases the robbers in her force field.  The bank security guard praises the kids but Mr. Incredible comes down on the new heroes.  

The smaller bank robber remarks about Mr. Incredible’s parenting is hilarious.  The Incredible kids quit and return home defeated.  Their costumes are in a hamper as they walk away right out of Amazing Spider-Man #50!  Clever writing and artwork!  The “Bedtime Story Part 2” continues Christos Gage’s script and art by J. Bone.  Bob Parr is telling his kids about the true story defeating Baron Von Ruthless.  He continues the story emphasizing that it was true to Dash and Violet.  Bob adds that he didn’t defeat the Von Ruthless’ robot, Elastigirl was the hero there.  While Mr. Incredible takes on Baron Von Ruthless inside the robot head on, Elasti Girl with powers slips into the robot and tears it apart!  Bob explains to his kids that was early in their time dating and they didn’t want the rest of the Supers to be gossiping.  

Elasti Girl and Mr. Incredible were not affected by Baron Von Ruthless’ power draining ray.  The reaction of the kids is funny there!  Mr. Incredible has more to the tale and continues Jack Jack’s bedtime story.  The last story, “How The Cookie Crumbles” is by Landry Q. Walker and Emilio Urbano.  Jack Jack is enjoying his cooke outside when he suddenly shrinks to the garden at Honey I Shrunk The Kids-size.  He falls into a crevice and his cookie bounces away. Jack Jack breaks out crying and is surrounded by ants.  Before you can say Ant Man, an ant brings him a piece of cookie then takes him ant back riding out of the ant tunnel.  Jack Jack is normal size looking at all of his cookies on the grass when Bob finds him.  He takes his son inside and sees a surprise!  The artwork is fun, the artists have different styles, but capture the likeness of the animated characters while adding in their own touches.  If you want more Incredibles story, find it in the comic book!     

Five Masks out of Five! 

#Incredibles2CrisisinMidLifeandOtherStories, #DarkHorseComics, #BaronVonRuthless, #JackJack 

Happy Birthday Hayden Panettiere!

Happy Birthday Hayden Panettiere!  At an early age, one of her first television part was as Sarah Roberts on the soap One Life to Live (1994-1997).  Hayden’s first film was voicing Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life (1998), ant friend to Flik.  She recorded several songs for Disney films and recorded her own single, “Wake Up Call” in 2008.  Hayden also had another soap opera part on Guiding Light (1998-2000). She had a part in a 1999 episode of Touched by an Angel.  Hayden provided the voice of Siri, the Iguanodon sister to Aladar, in the animated film, Dinosaur (2000).  

Hayden Panettiere at the New York Comic Con, 2007.

Hayden starred as the daughter of  Calista Flockhart’s characterizer in Ally McBeal (2002).  She had the lead role in the Disney Channel movie Tiger Cruise (2004) playing Maddie Dolan. The role that Hayden is most identified is Claire Bennet, the cheerleader in Heroes (2006-2010). She took on Ghostface in Scream 4 (2001) directed by Wes Craven.  Recently, she was Juliette Barnes, troubled, young country music star, in Nashville (2012-2018).  Her songs for the show were recorded for several albums.  Happy Birthday Hayden Panettiere!

#HaydenPanettiere, #PrincessDot, #ClaireBennet, #JulietteBarnes

Happy Birthday H.P. Lovecraft!

Happy Birthday H.P. Lovecraft!  Lovecraft is an icon in horror fiction published mainly in pulp magazines.  He followed in the footsteps of his idol Edgar Allan Poe, but did not achieve Poe’s recognition.  Lovecraft was known for crafting the Cthulhu Mythos which was featured in his story “The Call of Cthulhu” (1928).  It was made into a film by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society  in 2005.  The Haunted Palace (1963) starring Vincent Price used elements of Poe, but based it’s plot on “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” (posthumously published in 1941).  Lovecraft’s stories are guilty of overt racism and misogyny in a few stories, but his horror is unparalleled.  His story, “The Dunwich Horror” (1929) was made into a horror film with the same title in 1970.  Rod Serling’s television show, Night Gallery adapted “Cool Air” (1971) and “Pickman’s Model” (1971). There was the horror movie Re-Animator (1985) based on the Lovecraft story, Herbert West - Reanimator (1922), it led to two sequels.  If you need a good book to get started I recommend The Annotated H.P. Lovecraft by S.T. Joshi (1997). 

Figure of H.P. Lovecraft at the Guillermo del Toro: At Home with  Monsters exhibit, 2016, photo by the author. 

In 2001, Stuart Gordon directed Dagon which is based on Lovecraft’s The Shadow over Innsmouth (1936), one of my favorites of his stories.  The film lapses into horror movie cliches, but is the movie that I think most captures the atmosphere of Lovecraft’s work.  One of his most brilliant works was the novel, At the Mountains of Madness (1931) which Guillermo del Toro has attempted to make into a film.  If you are interested in Lovecraft films check out The Lurker in the Lobby: A Guide to the Cinema of H.P. Lovecraft (2006) by Andrew Migliore and John Strysik. H.P. Lovecraft has influenced role-playing games with the Call of Cthulhu game.  Spinning out of the Arkham Horror game is The Dark Waters Trilogy with the first book Ghouls of the Miskatonic (2011) by Graham MacNeill.  In comic book, I found the best vision was by Esteban Maroto who collected his work in Lovecraft: The Myth of Cthulhu. Alan Moore wrote the limited series Providence (2015-2017) for Avatar Press which was an adult treatment of Lovecraft’s stores.  I always give the warning to be cautious reading Lovecraft, his dark world view can start to affect you, but his work building in horror fiction is incredible. Howard Phillips Lovecraft died on March 15, 1937. 

#HPLovecraft, #TheCallofCthulhu, #TheShadowoverInnsmouth, #AttheMountainsofMadness 

Re:tro Re:view - Westworld (1973)!

Before Jurassic World, there was Westworld.  This film was written and directed by Michael Crichton, who created Jurassic Park as a novel in 1990.  It was Crichton’s first feature film in 1973 and was ground breaking in using CGI through the Gunslinger Vision.  Westworld does not feature “biological attractions”, but it is a theme park created for adults.  It in fact uses advanced robots to fulfill guest fantasies.  It begins with a reporter talking about the Delos park made up of Roman World which recreates Pompeii in its pre-volcano days, the 13th century Europe of Medieval World, and West World which is the frontier of 1880 America.  We've only seen the Westworld park in the HBO series.  He notes that it costs $1,000 a day.  Even at 1970’s prices, this is incredibly cheap with the number of robots destroyed and maintaining the park.  This switches to the hovercraft taking guests to Delos.  Two guests are ready for West World; Peter Martin from Chicago played by 70’s everyman Richard Benjamin and his friend, West World vet, John Blane played by a young James Brolin.  They are like William (Jimmi Simpson) and Logan (Ben Barnes) in the HBO series. 

They are later joined by Dick Van Patten who plays a humdrum, unnamed man.  It is explained that the robots of Delos are not perfected especially with the hands (which look plastic) and their low body temperature activates the guns.  They dress in Western wear before heading off to Westworld.  The duo arrives at the Grand Hotel via stagecoach.  After checking in, John reminds Peter that it’s just a resort, they head to the bar.  Peter is bumped by the man in black, the Gunslinger played by Yul Brynner.  Brenner of course sealed his Western cred in The Magnificent Seven (1960).  The freaky part is the glow of the Gunslinger’s irises.  This is equivalent to The Man in Black played by Ed Harris.  John encourages Peter to shoot the Gunslinger.  Peter shoots him three times and it looks like red paint spurting out of the Gunslinger’s wounds.  

We get a glimpse of a banquets at Medievalworld and then the duo head over to a whorehouse run by Miss Carrie.  She is played by Majel Barrett who played Nurse Chapel in Star Trek.  A little stunned to see her play a madam.  The character would be like Thandie Newton’s Maeve Millay.  The madam brings two of her girls, Cindy and Arlette (Linda Scott).  Arlette’s irises glow when she opens her eyes, she’s a Sex Model robot.  As they sleep, work crews in vans collect the robot bodies from the gunfight.  Alan Oppenheimer plays the Chief Technician checking on the robots.  Oppenheimer is a well known voice actor for cartoons (also the voice of Falkor in Neverending Story!) and is also known as Dr. Rudy Wells in the Six Million Dollar Man show after working in Westworld.  He would similar to Bernard Lowe, played by Jeffrey Wright. One of them had a malfunction and the supervisor ponders that this is a second one.  The supervisor believes it is working like a disease.  

The robots are frozen until the technicians have Resort Activation in the morning after sunrise.  John gets a knock at the door and the Gunslinger enters with his gun pointed at him.  Pete kicks in the door and shoots the Gunslinger until he crashes out of the window and falls bloody to the ground.  Pete is thrown in jail, but John arranges for a jail break.  At the canyon hideout of the outlaws, John is bitten by a snake.  The snake is examined at the lab and the Chief Technician reports that the logic circuits failed with the snake.  One technician suggests that the resort be closed for a month.  The resort has been booked so Delos remains open.  There is no Nedry to disrupt the park, this happens through a system wide breakdown.  A bar fight breaks out and John and Pete sit quietly until a man crashes into their table.  The creepy Medievalworld guest is rejected by a serving girl who slaps him.  He later gets in a fight with the Black Knight, his sword is bent in the duel, and he gets killed by the Black Knight’s sword.  

Then, the duo face the Gunslinger.  He guns down John and Pete knows this is for real and starts to run.  This is the classic Terminator hunt.  The control room notes that the robots are working independently now.  Guests are being slaughtered by the robots at every part of the resort.  Technicians note that the robots are working off stored charges and can go on up to 12 hours.  The Lycine Contingency.  They also find out that the doors are sealed and they are running out of oxygen.  Pete on horseback leaves Westworld, takes a service corridor in Romanworld, and ends up in the lab.  Pete finds a bottle of hydrochloric acid and pretends to be one of the robots on the tables throwing the acid in the Gunslinger’s face.  Pete walks away, but the Gunslinger is not finished.  His face is worn and part of his mechanical jaw is exposed.  Make-up right out of the Terminator.  

Pete races into Medievalworld.  The Gunslinger vision can only sense Pete’s heat signature.  Under a torch, he is hidden and he sets the Gunslinger on fire with it.  Pete reaches the dungeon starts to walks away to turn and face the Gunslinger who is charred from the fire.  He reaches out and then falls.  The Gunslinger picks himself up with no face only electronics and then collapses in a sparking death.  The relentless robot is what is copied nearly to a T in the original Terminator (1984), eleven years later, I'm certain Cameron has seen this movie.  Arnold is no Yul Brynner.  There was a sequel, Futureworld (1976), but without Crichton.  A television series, Beyond Westworld (1980) attempted to continue the story with a security chief John Moore (Jim McMullan), but it only lasted three episodes.  The HBO series which finished it’s second season is created by Jonathan Nolan is based on the Crichton film.  We don’t have the creator of the park like John Hammond or Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins). The park doesn’t have a head of security like Ashley Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth). There also doesn’t seem to be an equivalent to Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood).  This is a ground breaking film in terms of story and direction!    

Five Logic Circuits out of Five! 

#Westworld, #MichaelCrichton, #TheGunslinger, #TheTerminator

Archie Meets Batman `66 #2 Review!

The comic book cross-over continues! I love the Wilfredo Torres cover featuring the trio of heroes; Robin, Archie, and Batman, then the line-up of villain heads behind them; Riddler, Catwoman, Penguin, and Joker.  It has the writing team of Jeff Parker and Michael Moreci continuing the comic, but it is missing the fun Batman titles.  In the Batcave, Robin and Batgirl want to head straight to Riverdale.  Batman wants to know what is the threat first.  They go over the victims, Hiram Lodge and Police Chief Keller, both parents.  Batman is going to team up with Alfred to go over Bookworm.  He sends Batgirl and Robin to pose as students at Riverdale High, 21 Riverdale Street!  Batgirl says Robin will have to hang on with the Batgirl Cycle.  At Pop’s Soda Shoppe, the students are dancing, including Archie doing the Batusi!, but Pops breaks the record.  He is acting a little strange and puts a sign for his new menu item, Joker burgers!   

Pops kicks out the students when Principal Weatherbee happily greets them!, he has a dazed expression, and is welcomed by Pops.  Jughead sees the shadowy forms of the two adults, and a third vaguely Penguin-y shape.  Cheryl Blossom wants to get a ride with Archie, but his carburetor is still on order.  Archie is going to apologize to Veronica with all of the strangeness from the adults.  Jughead runs off from burger starvation.  In a car, is Siren, Riddler, and Catwoman.  She mentions the relay devices bought by the Penguin to send out her siren song.  Riddler mentions they are going to broadcast her song and it will affect women!  Riddler is looking for henchmen and sees Archie.  A postman has a package for Archie, his carburetor?, no a surprise from Reggie who was in disguise.  The Riddler has found a perfect henchman and has Siren entrance him.  Reggie is unaffected, but ready to join the Riddler especially with an offer of handfuls of bills.  

Bruce and Alfred in their business attire head to the Labyrinth bookstore.  Footnote, the henchwoman of Bookworm runs past Alfred, the clerk finds that she passed counterfeit money.  She drives away on a moped, but Bruce is ready changing into Batman, and he chases after her in the Batmobile.  Riverdale High, during a test Archie in his Batman symbol t-shirt, tries to whisper to Betty.  He is caught talking by Miss Grundy.  Archie tries to talk to the sleeping Jughead.  Miss Grundy warns Archie again.  Then, the new students enter, Archie is lovestruck over Barbara Gordon and Betty has the same eyes for Dick Grayson!  The villains are watching them via a see-through blackboard invented by the Penguin.  The Siren’s song not affecting teens is a problem.  Catwoman decides to become the new teacher, Miss Kitka, her identity from the Batman (1966) movie.  Joker needs a test subject for Siren’s song and selects Jughead!  This comic makes Gotham and Riverdale scenes so fun, I’m not ready to go back to either one, the potential of the two worlds is surprisingly realized. Dan Parents' artwork perfectly captures both franchises even when they run together.   

Five Milkshakes and Batarangs out of Five! 

#ArchieMeetsBatman, #PopsSodaShoppe, #DanParent, #MissKitka