The Titans, “Dick Grayson”, Review!

The last episode had Rachel bringing her father, Trigon, into the world. We have since Dick Grayson, the former Robin, take her in along with the rest of the Titans; Kory and Garfield.  He has dealt with his anger issues which he has attributed to his training by Batman.  He has destroyed his Robin costume and starts on a new path.  Dick entered the shield protecting the home of Trigon and his wife, Angela.  The episode opens with sunshine and Dick relaxing with sunglasses on a float in a pool.  The setting is California.  His son, Johnny (James Scallion), jumps into the pool and drops his father into the water.  They run into the house, the boy calling for his mother, who turns, a very pregnant Dawn!  She is busy choosing a color for the baby’s new room.  Dick watches out for her since she is a month away from giving birth.  They are interrupted by a FaceTime call from the computer.  The family rushes down to see a happy Rachel and Garfield.  He has given Johnny a white tiger stuffie he calls Growly. They are in Chicago going to college.  This is a distortion wave and Johnny sees someone in the driveway.  Dick was manipulated before at the Asylum, but doesn’t seem to recognize what is happening and can’t seem to resist it.  

THE TITANS -- “Dick Grayson” -- BRENTON THWAITES -- Christos Kalohordis//©2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It is Jason Todd in a wheel chair and he says it’s been five years since he saw him.  They go out to the pool and Jason explains that Riddler shot him in the back.  He also says the Joker killed Commissioner Gordon three days ago.  Jason also says that Alfred died.  He says that Dick is the only one who can convince Batman not to kill the Joker.  Dawn prepares a meal while Dick explains the situation.  She adds that Barbara Gordon is missing.  He says he will go after the baby.  There is another distortion.  Growly falls down and Johnny stares at it.  He runs and tells his parents that Growly wants to go with his father to Gotham City.  Dawn also says that he is the only one to save Batman.  A jet lands at night in Gotham.  Dick takes a taxi, not an Uber?, and the driver doesn’t want to drive into certain parts of Gotham, only uptown.  He recommends the Four Seasons hotel.  Dick tries to call up Bruce while he sees Gotham turned into Pottersville, the crime ridden Back to the Future II-world, which doesn’t make sense if Batman has gotten violent.  There are fights and bodies in the streets.  The taxi pulls up to the hotel which has a rat scurrying around its floor.  The clerk finds out that he wants to stay the night and ask if he wants fresh sheets.  

THE TITANS -- “Dick Grayson” -- MINKA KELLY, JAMES SCALLION, BRENTON THWAITES -- Christos Kalohordis//©2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

He enters his room and sees Growly in his bag.  There is a distortion and the television switches to the news report of the new commissioner, Stable (Tony Craig).  Who has the Bat Signal taken into a truck.  Dick gets a call from Dawn, Johnny is sick, and Dick says he wants to return home.  A distortion wave and then the neighbors slam the wall.  He hears an argument and calls in the police.  Dick knocks on the door and then kicks it in.  The man (Simon Northwood) has a knife, but Dick takes him down, he flashes his badge to a Gotham police officer.  Dick overhears a 391 which the officer says is a code for masks.  He heads over to the crime scene and flashes his LAPD badge.  The Joker lies head first in a car window.  Dick gets a notice that his flight is leaving soon on his phone.  Another distortion wave and we get a police officer who says his name is Captain Frank Finney (played by Seamus Dever whom we also saw was Trigon). Dick explains that the body was thrown from another building from the angle and position of the body. Captain Finney says the building is locked up and so he suspects its Batman. Dick says he is headed home.  The bloody hand of the Joker reaches out from the body bag!  This of course is a dark version of The Killing Joke (1988) and The Dark Knight Returns (1986) comic books.  

A taxi pulls away from the dark Wayne Mansion. Dick climbs up and opens a window to enter.  He passes the portraits of the Wayne Family.  Dick plays some keys on the piano and the clock shudders, but does not move away.  He speaks to Bruce and says he is lucky because the Joker is not dead.  Dick wants to talk, but there is no response.  He walks away and we see Dick Grayson on the monitor watched by a dark figure in the Batcave.  At the Our Lady of the Orphans Hospital, Dick walks in and says Finney asked for him.  He sees the Joker intubated.  Dick is interrupted by Agent Kory.  She is more attractive with straight, black hair.  Kory tells him that he has a better life, there is a distortion wave, then the power goes out.  Dicks runs and sees the body of the Joker with a bloody Batarang, then the shadow of Batman before he leaps from the window.  The neighbor is bothering another woman so Dick pulls him off and beats him up.  Morning in California, Dawn gets a call from Dick, he gets angry that Hank is there painting the room.  He apologizes, gets a call from Kory about Arkham Asylum, and Dawn hangs up.  Dick walks to Arkham Asylum, which strangely doesn’t have a gate, and bodies are taken to the morgue or hospital.  One of the bodies in the cell has a bloody coin.  Another has a fallen ventriloquist dummy.  Kory shows him to a room with the bodies of guards, nurses, and the warden.  Kory tells him that the Batman has to be stopped.  This does not seem like Arkham Asylum. 

THE TITANS - “Dick Grayson” - Christos Kalohordis//©2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Dick is at the police department and Captain Finney promises Dick will be in charge of the operation.  He reveals that Batman is Bruce Wayne.  Dick briefs the officers who are fully armed and tells them that Batman has to be taken alive.  Finney tells Dick that they will use tranquilizer cartridges.  The police vehicles surround Wayne Mansion.  They break in the window.  Dick watches the police cameras from a van.  Officers place two charges.  Dick directs Finney to the passageway behind the clock.  He speaks to Bruce that they are coming for him.  They rappel in by the Batmobile. A Batarang explodes! Batman drops in and slices up officers with his Batarang. Dick calls for a retreat.  He sees officers drop as Kory closes in.  The officer’s digital signals start to blink out with each death.  Batman smashes the monitor.  Captain Finney faces Batman who slices him with the Batarang.  One edged Batarang?  I think Batman has more deadly devices, grappling rope and thrown Batarangs.  Kory sees the bodies, Captain Finney points out Batman before dying, she sees him with his back turned, she raises her hand charging up her power.  Batman turns with Mr. Freeze's cold gun!  He fires and its ray hits Kory sending her frozen corpse back.  I think her Starfire powers would keep her body at room temperature.  Dick screams and activates the charges! Wayne Mansion explodes.  Dick walks in the ruins of the Batcave.  He sees the body of Kory.  Batman struggles under some rubble.  Dick says that Batman wanted him to give into the darkness.  He crushes Bruce’s chest and kills him.  Dick’s eyes become demonic. We get a wild tilt back to the home of Angela.  Rachel tries to reach him, but it is too late.  Her father says that Dick chose this path.  Angela says he is “part of the family now.”  Demonic Dick Grayson tells Rachel, “It feels so good to be home.”  Again the corruption of Dick Grayson doesn’t seem right and the Batman emphasis of the episode makes sense at mid-season, but not as a finale.  I do like the Trigon lasts more than two episodes. The end credit scene hints at a well known clone in Metropolis.  

Three Wing Dings out of Five!  

#TheTitans, #DickGrayson, #JamesScallion, #TheJoker 

Happy Birthday Samuel L. Jackson!

Happy Birthday Samuel L. Jackson!  One of Samuel’s first movie roles was in the Spike Lee film, School Daze (1988).  It was the beginning of a collaboration with Spike Lee in other films. Then, he played an unnamed robber foiled by Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem in the comedy Coming to America (1988). Samuel played the dj, Mister Señor Love Daddy, in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing (1989).  He followed it up with Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues (1990).  His first genre picture was in The Exorcist III directed by William Peter Blatty.   He played Stacks Edwards in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990).  Then, Samuel played Gator Purify in Jungle Fever directed by Spike Lee.  Samuel played Robby Jackson, friend to Jack Ryan, in Patriot Games (1992). It was playing the computer technician, Arnold, in Jurassic Park (1993) that made Jackson’s lines memorable.  He reached icon stats playing Jules Winnield in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994). Another standout part was Samuel playing Zeus Carver in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995). In Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown (1997), Samuel played Ordell Robbie. Next, he was in another Michael Crichton adaptation with Sphere (1998).    

  

In 1999, Samuel played Jedi Master Mace Windu in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.  Then, he took on the sharks of Deep Blue Sea (1999).  He played the title role of the action icon Shaft (2000).  Samuel played the criminal genius, Elijah Price, in Unbreakable (2000). Samuel returned as Mace Windu in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). Agent Augustus Gibbons was played by Samuel in the action movie, xXx (2002).  Next, he played Rufus in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) directed by Quentin Tarantino.  Samuel had another iconic role voicing Frozone in The Incredibles (2004).  He returned as Agent Augustus in xXx: State of the Union (2005) and then Mace Windu in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005).  Another film with memorable Samuel L. Jackson lines was in Snakes on a Plane (2006).  In 2007, he voiced the title character in the animated series Afro Samurai. Samuel entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his cameo as Nick Fury in Iron Man (2008). Later, he returned as Nick Fury in Iron Man 2 (2010) and then Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). 

Nick Fury helped form the team in The Avengers (2012).  He worked again with Quentin Tarantino in Django Unchained (2012).  Samuel was back as Nick Fury in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).  He was the villain Valentine in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014).  Then, returned as Nick Fury in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). He was Dolmedes in Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq (2015).  Then, worked again with Tarantino in the western The Hateful Eight (2015).  Samuel played sharpshooter, George Washington Williams, in The Legend of Tarzan (2016). He next was the shapeshifting Mr. Barron in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016).  xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017) was also the return of Augustus Gibbons.  Samuel was hunting King Kong in Kong: Skull Island (2017).  He had the role as hitman, Darius Kincaid, in The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017).  This year, Nick Fury was a cameo at the end of Avengers: Infinity War.  He also reprised Frozone in The Incredibles 2.  Next year, he returns as Elijah Price in Glass and then Nick Fury in Captain Marvel. Happy Birthday Samuel L. Jackson!  

#SamuelLJackson, #PulpFiction, #TheIncredibles2, #GlassMovie

Fantasy, Superhero, and Sci Fi Movies - The Late Aughts (2006-2009)!

We are now reaching the end of the Aughts with strong genre films.  2006 began in May with X-Men: The Last Stand now under the direction of Brett Ratner.  The battle between the X-Men and Magneto was pushed to absurd lengths and this movie was pushed out of continuity. Next, was the movie Bryan Singer was working on instead of X-Men, Superman Returns.  The film attempted to be a direct sequel to the Donner movies, but was too silly with Superman lifting an island of kryptonite and Lois Lane’s super child.  Still, Brandon Routh made a great Superman, so I still like this film.  It was nominated at the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, it lost to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Alfonso Cuaron directed the sci fi drama Children of Men based on the P.D. James novel. Civilization is collapsing as humans are infertile, Clive Owens plays Theo who is protecting a pregnant woman in a dystopian UK.  It was nominated for Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, and Film Editing.  The year ended, December 29th, with the release of Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.  The Spanish title, El laberinto del fauna, is more accurate.  It is my favorite del Toro film, one of the best fantasy films, and truly captures the darkness of fairy tales.  Ivana Baquero plays Ofelia who is trapped in the Spanish Civil War and has to face the terrors of the Pale Man, one of del Toro’s best creations.  It is the winner of Best Art Direction, Cinematography, and Make-Up.  The film was nominated for Original Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Original Score.  del Toro was not nominated for Best Director, but later won after eleven years. 

2007 was fairly weak with genre films, really a mixed bag with two superhero films ending their franchises.  It began with an ending with Spider-Man 3 on May 4th.  It was the last of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films throwing in Venom to appease fans.  It was only eleven years later that we had the symbiote with his own movie.  On June 12th, there was Transformers, it was nominated for Best Sound Editing and Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects.  It was also eleven years before we had a Transformers movie, Bumblebee, with a new director, Travis Knight.  We also had Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the second film that ended this series, the chemistry still wasn’t there with the cast.  Doug Jones did play Silver Surfer.  The next month was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  David Yates began his run with that film and concluded the Harry Potter films.  The second Fantastic Beasts reminded me of the fifth Harry Potter movie, it threw everything at you, but ended up hollow. Stardust was based on the fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman.  It was directed by Matthew Vaughn who has a great visual style with comic book based films, but I can’t say the same here. Then, we had AVP: Aliens vs. Predator combining two franchises, but setting the action on Earth. Its director worked on the Resident Evil movies.  Lastly, we had The Golden Compass based on the Philip Pullman book. It featured a great cast with Nicole Kidman and Ian McKellen who voiced the polar bear, Iorek Byrnison, but the film was weak. The movie was nominated for Best Art Direction.  His Dark Materials, the book series, is being adapted by the BBC with Dafne Keen, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and James McAvoy.    

  

2008 revitalized and in some ways legitimized comic book films.  It started in May with Iron Man which launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  This also put superheroes into franchises and made Hollywood look for the latest IP to turn into franchises.  Director Jon Favreau really risked everything to turn Robert Downey Jr. into a bankable star.  His portrayal of Tony Stark, inventor and superhero, is now iconic.  It was only nominated for Best Visual Effects which shows that the Academy doesn’t honor films that change the industry.  Andrew Adamson directed the sequel, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, which was bittersweet with the older siblings having their last adventure in Narnia.  It did introduce Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian.  Peter Dinklage starred in his first fantasy project, outside of the comedy Elf (2003), here.  Next, there was the second MCU film, The Incredible Hulk, it was directed by Louis Leterrier.  Edward Norton played Bruce Banner, but was re-cast for The Avengers (2012).  This an interesting exploration of Banner dealing with the curse of being The Hulk resulting in his counterpart The Abomination.   Peter Berg directed a superhero film not based on any comic book, Hancock, co-written by Vince Gilligan from Breaking Bad.  It of course starred Will Smith as John Hancock.  Then, there was the 3D sci fi film, Journey to the Center of the Earth.  A fun, family version of the 1864 Jules Verne novel with Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson taking on dinosaurs and dangers of the Center of the Earth. 

Hellboy II: The Golden Army, directed by Guillermo del Toro, hinted at his destiny and taking on the Elf Prince Nuada (Luke Goss).  It was nominated for Best Make-up.  Christopher Nolan continued the Batman story with The Dark Knight.  Heath Ledger posthumously won Best Supporting Actor for playing The Joker.   The acting award is prestigious for superhero films.  The film also won Best Sound Editing and was nominated for Best Sound Mixing, Art Direction, Cinematography, Make-up, Film Editing, and Visual Effects.  The last film is The Day The Earth Stood Still which 57 years after the original.  It has an alien visitor, Klaatu, that takes the form of Keanu Reeves.  2009 was another year for interesting genre films.  After he played the Human Torch and two years before he took up the shield, Chris Evans was in Push.  He played Nick Gant, a telekinetic Mover and has to help a psychic girl escape from Division.  In May, we had the film adaptation of Watchmen, but I’m not keen on adaptations that take from Alan Moore’s work. Then, we had the vision of director Duncan Jones with Moon starring Sam Rockwell playing a man alone on the moon having an identity crisis. The following month, July, was Race to Witch Mountain 34 years after the Disney film. It featured Dwayne Johnson as a cab driver who gets involved with two teens with power, a good action movie that has fun with UFOlogists and conspiracies.   The next month was the release of District 9 directed by Neill Blomkamp.  It was based on his 2006 short film, Alive in Joburg.  The film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, and Visual Effects.  Blomkamp’s directing potential seemed to diminish with his other movies.  Terminator Salvation was yet another sequel without James Cameron’s involvement.  The near future was not apocalyptic and had the human Resistance fighting against Skynet and the Terminators.  

JJ Abrams rebooted Star Trek, this was set in the Kelvin timeline, it had Chris Pine as a young Captain Kirk and it is his first voyage on the Enterprise.  The movie won Best Make-up and was nominated for Best Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects.  Also, released on the same day was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it featured the story of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and was based on Wolverine: Origins comic book.  It seems like this origin and movie may have happened, but let’s not mention it.  The film was not well received by fans and awkwardly introduced Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool seven years before his own film.  In November, there was the sci fi thriller, The Fourth Kind, starring Milla Jovovich as a psychologist who uses hypnosis to uncover alien encounters.  David Yates directed Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where Harry now works with Dumbledore to destroy the Horcruxes that contain Voldemort’s soul.  It was nominated for Best Cinematography for Bruno Delbonnel.  All of the films were overshadowed by James Cameron’s Avatar released in August.  We were introduced to the world of Pandora which had its own eco-system, native people, and mysticism.  Cameron popularized 3D with the film, but that trend seems to be faltering really because filmmakers don’t understand the medium, but Cameron had experience with the Universal Studios attraction T2 - 3D: Battle Across Time. It was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing Best Sound Mixing, and Best Film Editing.  It won for Best Art Direction and Cinematography.  The long delayed sequels begin with Avatar 2 in December 18, 2020.  The year finished with The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus directed by Terry Gilliam.  Heath Ledger passing away resulted in his character transforming into Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. The movie was nominated for Best Art Direction and Costume Design. We have great entries with fantasy, superheroes, and science fiction with this decade!    

#ChildrenofMen, #PansLabyrinth, #IronMan, #Avatar

Mary Poppins Returns Review!

Mary Poppins Returns is a gift for the holiday!  The film is a welcome wonder fifty four years after the original Disney movie.  We need a magical movie in these dark times.  P.L. Travers wrote eight Mary Poppins books. It shares the introduction of Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Comes Back (1935) and some elements of the third book, Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943).  The new movie is directed by Rob Marshall who also directed Chicago (2002) and Into the Woods (2014) for Disney.  The story is by Rob Marshall, David Magee who wrote Finding Neverland (2004), and John DeLuca, who produced Into the Woods.  The screenplay is by Magee.  

The film starts with an extreme closeup of a flame, this pulls back to a street lamp tended by Lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda).  This is his first big role, but he provided lyrics to Moana (2016) and voices Gizmoduck on the DuckTales animated series for Disney.  Miranda of course is known for the musical Hamilton (2015) and here he shows all of his singing, acting, and dancing ability.  It is inevitable that a comparison is made to Bert and the opening proves Miranda as a character to fit right in with the Mary Poppins fantasy.  He immediately goes into the “Underneath the Lovely London Sky” song, The lyrics are by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman.  Scott Wittman worked on the television series Smash along with Marc Shaiman who also provides the score.  Original lyrcist, Richard M. Sherman, is noted as musical consultant.      

We get the foggy London background as Jack bikes through the streets lined with people in a food line.  Jack reaches a park and then we pan down Cherry Tree Lane, the setting of the first Mary Poppins, that features epic matte paintings that remind me of the work of Peter Ellenshaw.  It is realistic, but enhances the beauty of the setting.  Jack rolls up and smiles to see the ship molded onto a house rooftop.  Out comes Admiral Boom played by the great David Warner, he was in an episode of The Alienist, also Titanic (1997), and the perfect villain in Tron (1982).  It was just a joy to see him in a movie.  He is assisted by Binnacle played by Jim Norton.  

Jack takes out a ladder to tend to the lamp as two children watch him from the window.  This is Anabel (Pixie Davies) and John Banks (Nathanel Saleh).  Pixie was previously in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and currently in the sci fi show Humans.  Nathanel is in Game of Thrones as Arthur.  The kids prove themselves as actors and also handle the complicated singing and dancing.  Jack finishes his song and we shift to the grey London sky which is a painting that immediately took me back to the original movie more than the street setting with overtures of the score.  Admiral Boom is annoyed at the clanging of Big Ben’s chimes which he says is too early.  Binnacle points out storm clouds as two suited-types approach the Banks house.   

Inside, the house is in disarray with the housekeeper, Ellen (Julie Walters) rushing out to say the sink is spraying water.  Walters is Rosie in the current Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and played Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter films.  She calls out for Michael and Jane.  These were the kids from the first film all grown up played by Ben Whishaw, who was last year the voice of the bear in Paddington 2 and also Q in the James Bond movies, and Emily Mortimer, she is in this year’s drama Head Full of Honey and voiced Holley Shiftwell in Cars 2 (2011) for Disney.  Jane calls for Anabel and John who immediately set to working on another house emergency.  

Down the stairs also comes Georgie played by newcomer Joel Dawson with his stuffie giraffe.  I was immediately thinking the youngest would be our pov character and the older siblings Ellen hears knocking and goes to answer the door.  The suited strangers introduce themselves as lawyers.  They have put a notice of repossession of the house.  Ellen shuts the door.  Very funny.  The knocking continues and Michael invites the lawyers in.  There is the formal Hamilton Gooding (Jeremy Swift) and Templeton Frye (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith).  Jane plays at the name of their law firm and Gooding notices that Jane works for S.P.R.U.C.E.  She explains that it is an organization that protects worker rights.  Jane is in the mold of her activist mother, but we never get to see her actually working so her character is not as strong.  Frye asks about the family and this leads to Michael who explains his wife, Kate, died last year.  Her death is a sobering central point of the film, she was the lynchpin of the family, this is so sad a young child started crying at the showing I saw, so be warned about very young ones. 

Gooding says that Michael has taken a loan against his house, he has five days to pay back the loan or the house will be taken away.  Michael is stunned since he works for Fidelity Fiduciary Bank as a bank teller, part time, since he is also a painter.  This is the same bank his father worked as a partner.  Jane brings up that their father had shares in the bank.  The explosion from Admiral Boom’s cannon rocks the house.  Frye seems to be sympathize with the Banks and Gooding sees themselves out.   Michael, of course, wants to keep the house since it keeps the memory of his wife.  He suspects the shares could be in the attic.  The children are sent to buy groceries while Michael and Jane check the attic.   They reach the park and meet Miss Lark (Sudha Bhuchar) who walks her dog, a cameo character from the first film.  

In the attic, Michael finds a music box and a pearl necklace belonging to his wife, he sings “A Conversation” to his wife explaining that he is at a lost without her.  He is annoyed by things from their childhood like a snow globe and the kite.  Michael packs them up in a box and takes it outside.  The wind tosses the kite away, it passes Jack, and Georgie runs after it in the park.  He finds it and immediately begins flying it, the wind is strong, and pulls Georgie away.  Jack helps Georgie with the kite, the clouds break, and out comes Mary Poppins floating down gracefully.  She of course is played by Emily Blunt, also in A Quiet Place, and earlier was the Baker’s Wife in Marshall’s Into the Woods.  Mary Poppins is dressed in a smart blue coat and red hat, the costumes are by Sandy Powell, who also designed the costumes for Cinderella (2015). Blunt’s performance is interesting, it is not to divert the children with magic, it is really to help them and the family take care of the situation on their own.    

She knows all of the children which surprises them and Jack explains he was their age when he worked for a chimney sweep.  Mary asks about Bert and Jack says he’s traveling the world.  She has them return home since Michael obviously needs a nanny again.  Georgie enters his house screaming for his father and brings in Mary Poppins.  Michael is stunned, Mary tells him to close his mouth, “we still not a codfish”, and she tells Jane not to giggle.  The children join them, Mary Poppins says they need her services, Jane agrees.  The children go upstairs and Michael and Jane discuss if their childhood adventures really happened while Mary Poppins floats up the stair rail, love it!  

Georgie is amazed at the magical things that Mary Poppins does including her talking parrot umbrella voiced by Edward Hibbert.  Mary Poppins says she will be there “until the door opens.”  In the bathroom, Mary has the kids in the bath clothes and prepares the bath including bubbles.  She starts to sing “Can You Imagine That?” confronting Anabel and John’s cynicism with imagination.  A dolphin pops out of the bubbles.  Georgie goes into the tub following by his siblings.  Mary says, “Here we go”, she is telling everyone that the adventure is going to begin, and drops in.  We get the underwater world that is more convincing than what was in Aquaman.  They see persons from Cherry Tree Lane, Mary Poppins in aqua colored swimwear, and sing along with her song.  The songs are clever and bring in some hints of adult humor.   

Picture of the Banks family prop, El Capitan Theatre, photo by the author. 

The children are excited about their adventure, but their father silences them and then apologizes.  I really like Michael’s parenting, he deals with frustration, but the children are his biggest concern.  Jane brings up that their father may have kept the shares in his safety deposit at the bank.  Michael and Jane go to find the key.  Mary Poppins picks up a paper to put in a box, the papers float into it, and she gives Georgie the box.  I’m reminded of the movie The Prestige (2006) and can see the magic trick here.  You have to pay attention that Mary Poppins will do something seemingly ordinary, but she is really setting into motion things that will turn into something good.  Georgie takes the box to the kitchen and finds a drawing by his father of their family.  He folds the paper into his pocket.  

The next day, it is pouring rain at the bank, Michael has not found the shares in the safety deposit box.  Jane asks if they can get help from Mr. Dawes Jr.  Michael explains his nephew is in charge of the bank. Jane goes to meet him.  Jane greets the receptionist, Miss Penny Parthing (Noma Dumezweni), love the name!  Her conversation gets the interest of the bank chairman, William Wetherall Wilkins, played with flair and menace by Colin Firth.  He is also in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and of course won the Academy Award for The King’s Speech (2010).  Wilkins takes them into his office and says that Mr. Dawes is out of his mind.  They ask about a record of the shares and Miss Farthing brings in the shareholder’s record book.  He says there is no record, but he will be there until midnight to give them time.  We have the animated segment that looks like traditional animation from Jim Capobianco and Ken Duncan with the “A Cover is Not the Book”, one of the most fun songs in the film.  The movie offers a very emotional core, fun, songs, and a touch of romance.  It features some magical cameos not only from the original film, but also from Disney legend.  Mary Poppins Returns is practically perfect! 

Five Balloons out of Five!

#MaryPoppinsReturns, #RobMarshall, #EmilyBlunt, LinManuelMiranda  

Archie Meets Batman `66 #5 Review!

The latest issue features a cover by Mike Allred that has Archie in his football uniform with Batman holding the bomb from Batman: The Movie (1966) and surrounded by zombie football players in `66 jerseys.  We continue the crossover story by Jeff Parker and Michael Moreci entitled “To Fight Another Day."  It of course features the simple pencil work by Dan Parent that keeps the flavor of both franchises.  Archie and the gang see the Bat Signal in the sky, it is really an inverted crown, Jughead’s crown, not a bat.  Mayor Penguin warns the citizens to stay calm.  Reggie bursts in angry that the money he was paid is fake.  Riddler only wants to know how to get to the lake and Reggie wants to get paid which impresses the super villain and insults him.  Archie sees Bruce Wayne whom he thinks is mind-controlled and he says a friend is out by the bushes.  They hide as the United Underworld villains discuss their plans.  Veronica says they are keeping Jughead in her dad’s warehouse.  They are about to take Reggie’s car when the gang is covered by the shadow of a bat.  

It is of course Batman and Veronica offers to ride in the passenger seat of the Batmobile so she gets to set “atomic batteries to power.”  Meanwhile, Robin and Batgirl have to take the assault of the toy monkey’s cymbals CLANG!  Jughead just rattles nursery rhymes.  Batman and the gang use a white cat battering ram to break into the room!  Batman has Archie and Reggie bashes up the speakers pounding in the noise.  Betty and Veronica free the dazed Robin and Batgirl.  Jughead threw off his crown, Robin hit Batgirl’s chair, who pointed the signal to the sky.  Jughead is still repeating nursery rhymes and Archie has a solution to bring him back to his senses!  The tray of no long warm burgers that the Joker brought in.  Reggie has found a model that the United Underworld intends to remake New Riverdale.  It includes Catwoman’s Go-Go Club, the Kitty Kat, which sounds like the perfect club!  Batman heads them to the Lab of Crime where they find a chained Dilton Doiley!  He explains that the villains forced him to make teens fall for Siren’s song.  Everyone finds themselves surrounded by the United Underworld and the entire town including their parents!  They find themselves corned by the dock and Batman has Alfred bring in the Batboat!  This is not a perfect escape since everyone boards the Batboat except Batman who is captured by the villains!  This looks like the end for Batman!  Return next time, Same Archie Channel! Same Riverdale Time!   

Four Milkshakes and Batarangs out of Five! 

#ArchieMeetsBatman, #ToFightAnotherDay, #NewRiverdale, #Batboat 

Aquaman Review!

Aquaman has brilliant visuals and some comic book touches.  It needs more danger for its characters and bring the viewers slowly into the underwater world.  I think I was fascinated by the character of Aquaman when I picked up a Happy Meals mini-comic, “The Secret Origin of Aquaman”, this is a Silver Age version of his origin, Adventure Comics #260 (1959) by Jack Miller and Ramona Fradon.  Much of the Silver Age Aquaman art is by Fradon and Nick Cardy.  I was fortunate to purchase original art from Cardy and Fradon, my favorite artists.  Another limited series, Atlantis Chronicles by Peter David and Esteban Maroto, filled in the pre-history of Atlantis.  Maroto's designs for Atlantis may have inspired the film's designs for Atlantis, Maroto, Cardy, and Fradon are noted in the credits.  

Aquaman was of course in the Super Friends cartoon and his own.  There was of course the parody in Entrourage of an Aquaman film to be directed by James Cameron.  Aquaman is really driven by director James Wan who is brilliant launching horror franchises like The Conjuring and also his continuing to finish Furious 7 (2015) without Paul Walker.  The story is by Geoff Johns, who worked on the New52 Aquaman comic book, James Wan, and Will Beall, writer of Gangster Squad (2013).  The screenplay is by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who also wrote The Conjuring 2 (2016) and Wrath of the Titans (2012), and Will Beall.  The base of the film’s story is based on Geoff Johns’ Throne of Atlantis” storyline that ran in Aquaman #14-17 (2013) and Justice League #15-17 (2013).  Warning: Warner Bros. does a terrible job with its trailers spoiling the entire movie, the first one was a good teaser, but the others have moments from the whole film.  

Aquaman was realized in live action played by Alan Ritchson in Smallville with the episode “Aqua” (2005).  There was a television pilot, Mercy Reef, by the Smallville creators that was not picked up in 2006.  Justin Hartley played Aquaman in the pilot.  On film, Aquaman was introduced in Beavis played by Jason Mamoa with a more developed role in Justice League (2017).  We get Mamoa as Arthur Curry narrating the story of his parents at Amnesty Bay, Maine, 1985.  There is a storm that lashes the sea and lighthouse keeper, Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) is trying to secure a door when he notices on the rocky shoreline, a woman in white.  Morrison is of course known for playing Jango Fett, but also played a DC hero, Abin Sur, in Green Lantern (2011).  Morrison has been de-aged through computer graphics.  

He takes her in and she wakes to find her wound is bandaged and is in an unfamiliar world thinking a fish tank holds snacks.  We find that she is in white scaled armor and that her name is Atlanna.  The characters first appeared in Adventure Comics #260 (1959).  Aquaman was created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris in More Fun Comics #73 (1941).  His father in that version was a “famous undersea explorer” who discovered Atlantis, and from its secrets he trained his son to be Aquaman.  Atlanna explains that she is a queen and escaped from Atlantis.  They have a child whom they name during Hurricane Arthur, which struck the East Coast in 2014, but this may be different in this universe.  

The white-armored Atlantean guards burst into their home and Atlanna defends her family with her trident.  The white armor smacks of stormtroopers, helmeted soldiers, but they have plates that sometimes resolve into watery faces.  She decides to return to Atlantis so Tom and Arthur will be safe from King Orvax and leaves from the pier next to the lighthouse.  Her diving into the sea shifts to an aquarium tank at the Boston Aquarium, Massachusetts.  It is really known as the New England Aquarium.  Young Arthur, nine years old (Kaan Guldur), is bullied by kids for looking at the fish.  We get the shark bashing into window and then all of the sea creatures at the command of Arthur.  This power, called Marine Telepathy in the comics, is not a power Aquaman uses it to its fullest.  

This turns to the current day with a Russian submarine that is attacked by a prototype aquatic vehicle in the shape of a manta ray.  They are pirates led by Jesse (Michael Beach) and his son, David (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).  The rest of the crew have sealed themselves in the back of the submarine.  Jesse gives his son a knife from his father who was a Navy frogman turned sea scavenger called Manta.  The submarine is struck by some force and lifted to the surface.  Of course, this is Aquaman (Mamoa) who enters the submarine and bashes the pirates, some fun action, but Aquaman shrugs off automatic rounds.  He moves to free the Russian crew who escape on rafts.  David has been looking forward to the fight with Aquaman.  He has a long blade that extends from the arm of his black dive suit and armor.  

Aquaman defeats him, but is struck by an explosive round fired by Jesse.  He recovers and rips off a railing that he spears Jesse against a wall.  This invulnerability becomes more troubling later since we don't know how much damage Aquaman can take.  Jesse fires a round that Aquaman dodges that breaches the hull.  David wants Aquaman’s help to free his father, but Aquaman says they killed innocent people and leaves them.  Jesse has armed an explosive and David is forced to abandon the submarine.  This is a version of the New52 origin of Black Manta by Geoff Johns.  Black Manta was introduced in Aquaman #35 (1967).  He gets weaponry that he modifies into his own armor.  Aquaman pulls the rafts with the Russian sailors at incredible speed.  

In Atlantis, King Orm (Patrick Wilson) meets with King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren).  He wants to unite the seven kingdoms as Ocean Master and grew up under the influence of Orvax.  We hear about the brutality of Orvax's rule, but not about his fate, he seems to be dead by this point of the story.  Orm’s first appearance was in Aquaman #29 (1966).  Wilson has been with Wan since Insidious (2010) and has previous DC superhero experience playing Nite Owl in Watchmen (2009).  King Nereus was also introduced by Geoff Johns in Aquaman #19 (2013).  He rules Xebel and his daughter is Mera.  Lundgren is well known as Ivan Drago whom he reprised in Creed II this year and he also has DC character cred playin Konstantin Kovar in Arrow.  They meet about a war against the surface world when a submarine fires torpedoes at them!  Orm pulls some rubble off of King Nereus, flies towards the sub, and slices through it with his trident.

Arthur meets with his father who is always at the pier waiting for Atlanna.  Tom takes his son for a meal and drinks while there are news reports about Aquaman.  Arthur joins his father at the bar and his fame has brought the attention of some of the bar patrons.  Later, they start for Tom’s truck when Mera (Amber Heard) appears from the harbor waters.  She first appeared in Aquaman #11 (1963) with the ability to create “hard water” in what is now called “Hydrokinesis.”  Mera had a cameo in Justice League and is my favorite character in this movie.  She brings up Arthur’s success against Steppenwolf which was in Justice League.  Mera tells him about King Orm and the threat of his invasion of the surface world. 

Arthur refuses since her people killed his mother and drives away.  He of course is the reluctant hero that has to realize his destiny, classic mythology.  I also had the sense of Mera like Nala in the Lion King (1994), a loyal warrior sent to return a reluctant prince to return to his throne.  In the North Sea, on the surface of the prototype sub, is David. Atlantean guards walk up, and in a watery hologram, Orm says that the submarine was damaged.  David points to the intervention of his half-brother and wants revenge.  The guards drop coins, thirty pieces of silver?  Arthur is driving and sees the build up of a massive tsunami that picks up ships.  The truck is swallowed up by the tsunami and Arthur is torn away.   The waves part around him and the truck controlled by Mera.  Arthur checks on his father and he is unconscious.  Mera uses her power to draw out the sea water from his lungs.  He thanks Mera and they see the devastation of Orm's attack.

News reports come in about attacks around the world, waves are bringing up military ships and the things the surface world has thrown into the sea, there is one scientist, Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park) who insists Atlantis is real.  He was introduced in the Geoff Johns run with Aquaman #2 (2011). A global crisis?  Shouldn't that bring in the Justice League?  Wonder Woman?  There should at least be a cameo where Aquaman says to one member like the Flash that he will handle it. On a cliff, Arthur tells Mera that is the place where he trained with Vulko (Willem Dafoe) who is also de-aged by CG.  The long time Atlantean advisor was introduced in The Brave and Bold #73 (1967).  We flash back to the training with Vulko and thirteen years old Arthur (Otis Dhanji).  He tells Arthur about swimming and they leap off the cliff.  Arthur is surprised that they can speak underwater, this is never really explained, but their voices do echo. 

Vulko also shows the incredible speed at swimming that sends him accelerating away.  I’m not certain what is the propulsion that Atlanteans use, Mera can use her water powers, but I would hope they spring from rocks, Atlantean buildings, or the seafloor.  Young Arthur revels swimming with dolphins.  Mera leads Arthur to her Atlantean sub and they approach Atlantis.  The only question is how is Atlantis kept a myth?  Is there some magic shielding the kingdom?  It is not clear how Mera entered Atlantis.  There is a bridge that leads into Atlantis which instantly made me think of the MCU’s Thor films including the mythical city beyond it.  The city is protected by hydro cannons and guards.  The bar is set for an underwater world with Aquaman, but there is the upcoming Avatar movies, 2 and 3 are rumored to be underwater, that James Cameron is working on (using motion capture), will he exceed Atlantis?  He is the same director as The Abyss which had an incredible deep sea world and shown contempt for superhero films.  Remember that Cameron was the "director" of the Aquaman film in Entourage. 

Mera leads Arthur to the Old City, the ruins of the original Atlantis, and a shipwreck that has an air bubble.  She explains that High Born Atlanteans can breathe air and water.  Arthur has a reunion with Vulko who vowed to protect Atlanna’s son.  He tells his student about the Trident of Atlantis that was created by the first king, Atlan (Graham McTavish). Vulko goes on to explain that King Atlan used the trident, but its power sank Atlantis, and transformed its people into water breathers.  The trident was lost.  Vulko also mentions two tribes; the Deserters and a lost tribe.  He has a cylinder that can be used to find the trident.  

The Atlantean soldiers break in, Mera and Vulko slip away, and Aquaman is defeated by an Atlantean soldier in elite red armor who has a powered gauntlet.  He wakes up chained before his half-brother and challenges him.  Vulko wonders if Arthur has remembered his training.  We flash back to Arthur at sixteen years old (Kekoa Kekumano), Vulko explains that tridents are the weapons of Atlantean royalty, Arthur is battered by Vulko spinning his trident in an impenetrable barrier.  Shades of the Crane Technique?  He is tired of training and wants to see his mother and Vulko reveals that because of his birth, King Orvax was jealous, and sent Atlanna to her death.  Orm meets with his fiancee, Mera, who has an elaborate dress complete with jellyfish floating above her.  He gives her a bracelet and has Vulko take her to view the fight.

The fight with Orm, a gladiator duel like Thor: Ragnarok (2017) ,made me think that Aquaman really can’t be harmed, he wouldn’t be in serious danger, similar to Kevin Sorbo in the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.  I lost all empathy in the characters since they were only vulnerable to the script.  The octopus that plays the drums before the battle hints at Topo who first appeared in Adventure Comics #229 (1959).  The fight takes place at the Ring of Fire, lava which boils below them, and Arthur is defeated.  He is saved by Mera and they escape in Mera's craft.  They dodge manta ray-shaped Atlantean ships including one piloted by Orm. Mera and Aquaman escape as their craft crashes into the lava.

Aquaman uses his Marine Telepathy to have a humpback whale take them in its mouth.  Orm has tracked Mera and sends Captain Murk (Ludi Lin) to find her and his half-brother.  Murk is a character introduced in Aquaman #17 (2013).  Lin was the Black Ranger in last year's Power Rangers.  The story weaves in Aquaman’s origin, an impeding invasion by Atlantis to the surface world, Aquaman’s quest to find Atlan’s trident that takes them across the world and into the deepest parts of the sea, and the origin of Black Manta.  It reminds me more than a little like Gods of Egypt where Set is looking to take over other gods to get his goal while the heroes have their own quest.  I like Hercules and Gods of Egypt, also there is a touch of Avatar, Karate Kid (1984), Lion King, and of course the Thor movies.  The film picks up with the terror of The Trench which first appeared in Aquaman #1 (2011) by Geoff Johns.  There is of course too much Geoff Johns, Wan brings in seven underwater kingdoms, but it is difficult to believe in any of them.  Aquaman presents an incredible underwater world and I would like to dive in to it again! 

Three Tridents out of Five! 

#Aquaman, #JamesWan, #JasonMamoa, #AmberHeard 

The Titans, “Koriand’r”, Review!

We last left off with Angela taking the Titans to her house in Ohio, Rachel trying to heal Kory’s mind, and this turned her eyes blazing into choking Rachel.  We see Rachel waking in the darkened hall of a hospital.  She sees the ghostly form of Hank, then Dawn in her hospital bed, there is a glow and Rachel screams Hank’s name.  This is her image in the mirror from last episode.  Fire explodes in the hall.  She calls out for Dawn, seen in the brooch and computer screen, Rachel continues screaming as Kory’s fingers burn her neck.  Garfield tries to help Rachel, Kory chokes him, and then throws him knocking down Dick who has entered the house.  Kory is about to use her powers, but is commanded to stop as a golden lass is around her neck.  She struggles, but is knocked down by Donna Troy!  Dick checks on Garfield.  Angela says that Kory tried to kill Rachel.  Garfield knows that Donna Troy is Wonder Girl, but she gave up that identity.  Kory recovers, but doesn’t realize her actions.  Angela wants her to leave.  Kory apologizes and leaves.

THE TITANS -- “Koriand’r” -- TEAGAN CROFT, RACHEL NICHOLS -- John Medland/©2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

She has images of her past and leaves in the truck.  Donna throws a star with a tracker in the back of the truck.  Then, she goes after the truck with her jeep.  Rachel says to her mother that she sensed Kory’s emotions and that she was conflicted in wanting to kill her.  Angela gives some time for Garfield and Rachel and goes to another room.  There is a strange mirror, then a phone rings with a static.  Dick has the tracker as Donna drives.  She knows he has a relationship with Kory.  He has a “thing for dangerous women.”  Angela is out cutting vegetables in her garden and cuts herself.  She is met by an old friend, Tommy Carson (Jeff Roop), who shows his badge, asking about the problem at the train station.  He asks her out for a drink and she accepts.  Garfield is eating his meal, he tries to reassure Rachel, she tells him to leave.  He reaches to touch her hand and her demonic self leaps at him.  Garfield leaves as Angela joins them.  She admits that she was wrong leaving Rachel.   Garfield goes upstairs and enters the room with the mirror.  He sees himself with the bloody mouth in the mirror.  He goes outside and tries to call Dick Grayson, no answer with the signal.  Garfield then sees by the tree, the silent corpse of the scientist he killed at the Asylum, shades of An American Werewolf in London.  Rachel checks on him and says that she wants him to stay.  

Kory pulls the truck over to a factory warehouse.  The jeep rolls up, and Dick walks up, as well as Donna who says she knocked her out.  Kory has another memory flash.  They enter the building and are scanned.  Suddenly, a ship appears in the warehouse. Kory recognizes it has her ship.  A ramp is lowered and they enter the ship.  We have Rachel talking to her mother about the darkness inside her.  In her ship, Kory has a book and activates a hologram of her world, Tamaran, and it is burning.  Kory explains to them that a being from another dimension came to Earth.  She brings up another hologram of a hulking being and calls him Trigon.  Donna sees in the book a picture of Trigon, Rachel, and another woman in a robe.  Dick knows that Rachel is in trouble!  Night, the house, Garfield starts coughing. He goes to the bathroom mirror and then falls down.  Angela wakes up Rachel to tell her about Garfield.  A knock at the door, it’s Tommy, who checks on Garfield bleeding.  On the way to the house in the jeep, Kory tells the others about the Trials, 400 days of warrior training, that Rachel will have to take.  Tommy finds the power is shorted out and can’t make a phone cal.  He is about to call from his car, but Angela stabs him with,  but with her knife.  She says she’s in a relationship.  

THE TITANS -- “Koriand’r” -- BRENTON THWAITES -- John Medland/©2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Angela says that Tommy is going to get a doctor.  She tells Rachel to use her powers.  Rachel tells Angela that Garfield is dying.  Angela says that her father can save Garfield.  Rachel touches Garfield and her eyes turn demonic.  She reaches into the black mirror, screams, and pulls out her father (Seamus Dever)!  Trigon first appeared in The New Teen Titans #2 (1981), really as a red, horned demon with four eyes.  He showed up in the comics with the second series, New Teen Titans #3 (1984), so this seems rushed.  Dick, driving the jeep, finds that the power is out.  Kory says that he is there.  Angela kisses her husband telling him that it was all for him.  Rachel asks her ather to save Garfield.  Trigon’s hand twitches over Garfield saying, “Boy or beast?”  Garfield suddenly wakes.  Trigon opens his arms and Rachel hugs him.  In the dark woods, Kory, Donna, and Dick reach the house, but there is a shimmering field around it.  Dick runs, passing the field, and reaches the house.  Kory and Donna are unable to enter the field.  Angela asks Trigon, “Is it time to eat the world?”  He says when her heart breaks looking at Garfield and his daughter.  Dick opens the door of the house.  An ok episode, most of it brings up the appearance of Trigon, with just some sprinkling of Kory’s alien past.  There is only one episode left and really seems there should be at least two or even three to resolve this story.   

Three Wing Dings out of Five!  

#TheTitans, #Koriand’r, #JeffRoop, #SeamusDever 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review!

Sony has an interesting franchise in Spider-Man, teaming up with Marvel Studios with Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), the Tom Holland version, then there is this year’s Venom, with Tom Hardy’s character that originated in Spider-Man comics released in October, and now there is the animated Miles Morales Spider-Man.  Miles comes from Earth-1610, called the Ultimate Universe, in the comics.  The Earths are not identified.  This version of Spider-man was introduced in Ultimate Fallout #4 (2011) by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli.  The Spider-Verse storyline ran in the third volume of Amazing Spider-Man #10-14 (2015) by Dan Scott and artists Olivier Coipel and Giuseppte Camuncoli as well as the Edge of Spider-Verse title. 

In 2013, the second season of the animated Ultimate Spider-Man, covered Spider-Verse, but even if you know the comics and cartoon, you will be pleasantly surprised.  It has a directing team with Peter Ramsey who previously directed Rise of the Guardians (2012), and animation veterans, Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman.  The film has a screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman with story by Phil Lord.  His partner, Christopher Miller, is a producer.  It is an interesting year for Lord and Miller since they were dropped from finishing Solo: A Star Wars Story so this movie’s success will maybe make Lucasfilm doubt their decision.  Last note: the animation has all of the energy, perspective, and speed of the comic books including panels, captions, zip-a-tone shading and old school coloring, and sound effects, but I saw it in 2D and it looked like a few frames had the blur of 3D, so I think it is preferable to see it in 3D.  

The movie begins with the introduction of Spider-Man, this is the one glimpsed in the trailers, that has Sam Raimi Spider-Man feats.  This Spider-Man is voiced by Chris Pine, he voiced Jack Frost in Rise of the Guardians, but has super hero cred playing Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman (2017).  Peter Parker stresses that is the one and only Spider-Man.  We have the comic book cover of the True Life Tales of Spider-Man.  This of course shifts to Miles Morales who of course is voiced by Shameik Moore known for playing Malcolm in Dope (2015).  Miles is a street artist and conflicted since he has to leave public school winning a scholarship to a private school, Brooklyn Visions.  He has an imposing father, Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry from the Atlanta series) who tries to be close to his son.  An important character in the film.   

His mother, Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Velez who is in The First Purge film this year), is also loving and speaks to him in Spanish.  Miles tries to walk to school slapping stickers with his art around the city and is nearly run over by his father in his police car.  He expresses his dislike of Spider-Man who takes away from the hard work of police officers.  Then, we get Miles trying to leave his father’s car and Jefferson using the loudspeaker to force Miles to say “I love you, dad.”   This of course follows Miles as he enters Brooklyn Visions.  The film is brilliant capturing the nervousness of teens as he sees the gossip around him worse than any super villain.  He also happens to meet a blond-haired girl who introduces herself as "Gwanda", but it is Gwen Stacy voiced by Hailee Steinfeld who is also in Bumblebee.  Miles has a roommate, Ganke Lee, who is his confidant in the comics similar to Ned (Jacob Batalon) in Spider-Man: Homecoming which is probably why he doesn’t have a line of dialogue.  

Miles later sneaks out to see his uncle, Aaron Davis, voiced by Mahershala Ali.  The actor won the Academy Award for Moonlight (2016), he is currently in Green Book, and has some super hero cred with Luke Cage.  The character was played by Donald Glover in Spider-Man: Homecoming who was one of the inspirations for Miles Morales.  Miles brings up the girl he met at school and Aaron tells him about the Shoulder Touch (!).  He has Miles practice the Shoulder Touch with the Look.  His uncle knows his police officer father has been taking down his stickers and offers to take him to a place where his facer won’t take down his tag.  Miles follows Aaron down a subway track and over a locked fence.  He finds a wall where he can use spray paint to put up his tag and also Aaron spray paints around Miles.  

While this is happening, a radioactive spider crawls towards Miles, this is changed from Aaron’s apartment in the comics.  It of course bites Miles and in a very funny turn, he is not bothered by the bite, and the spider dies.  The next day, Miles sees Gwen and tries to use the Shoulder Touch, and finds that his spider-clinging power sticks to her.  This results in a very funny scene, but Gwen could have helped him.  The scene builds with Miles power going out of control which he blames on puberty.  It is a funny mirror of the real world biological change, but we know that Miles is going through a super change.  He returns to the wall to find the spider.  This leads him to witnessing a battle between Spider-Man and Green Goblin (Jorma Taccone), turned into a hulking demon.  Spider-Man saves Miles and tries to keep him out of the battle.  He is fighting to stop a Super Collider from opening dimensions.  The Goblin holds Spider-Man into the vortex which of course sets the pattern of finding Spider-Man types across the Spider-Verse.  

It was built by the Kingpin voiced by Liev Schreiber.  He was the voice of Spots in this year’s Isle of Dogs and also has his super hero cred playing Sabretooth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).  The massive bulk of the Kingpin was based on the Frank Miller design during his Daredevil run.  The character is associated with Daredevil, but started out as a Spider-Man villain in Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967).  We later find out that he lost his wife, Vanessa, and son to a car accident and blames their deaths on Spider-Man.  In the comics, there was the Great Web that connected all of the Spider characters, and led to Spider-Man’s Earth.  I wonder if this will be in a sequel and if it will feature Morlun the super villain who hunts down all Spider avatars across the universes.  The Super Collider was built by Dr. Olivia (Kathryn Hahn), a science-type with glasses, Olivia is her first name.  

I noticed that Kingpin is protected by Tombstone, a pale gunman who was introduced in Web of Spider-Man #36 (1988).  Green Goblin is caught up in an explosion of the vortex.  The activation of the Super Collider is later attributed to an earthquake.  Spider-Man is hunted by the Prowler.  He has Miles promise to take a chip, an "access key", to load into a panel of the Super Collider to destroy it.  Miles takes the chip and has to escape the Prowler and manages to escape in the New York streets.  The next day, Miles purchases a store-bought Spider-Man costume to wear at services attended by Mary Jane Watson (Zoe Kravitz).  He tries to leap from a building, but falls and breaks the chip!  I found the sadness from the real world reflected into the fictional world of the movie.  So warning to everyone especially young ones, death is prevalent in the movie, and again very heavy with the passings we had this year.  

Miles goes to a snowy graveyard and is confronted by a strange man who happens to fire webs at him before being knocked out by Miles’ power called “Bio-Electrokinesis” called Venom Blast by Miles in the comics!  He later finds out that he is Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson).  Johnson is recently in the movie Tag, he was in Lord and Miller’s 21 Jump Street (2012), and also voiced Oxnard in Bojack Horseman.  This Spider-Man introduces himself explaining he comes from a dimension where Mary Jane divorced him.  He let himself go, poorly shaved, with a paunchy belly.  Spider-Man suffers from glitches that causes him pain and eventually we find his appearance from another universe will eventually lead to his disintegration!  The same goes with the other dimensions visitors.  

Miles tells Peter that the chip, Peter calls it a Goober, is broken and they go to Alchemax, secluded out in the snowy woods, to find replacement data.  It is a corporation that was introduced in Spider-Man 2099 #1 (1992).  Peter has Miles stand watch while he goes in to copy the data.  Miles spots the Kingpin and goes to help Spider-Man.   He discovers that he has another power, to turn invisible, what Miles calls “Spider-Camouflage" in the comics.  Still, all of Miles’ powers are unreliable, he has to learn how to control them.  They manage to escape with a computer and are helped by Spider-Gwen who calls herself Spider Woman.  She was introduced in Edge of Spider-Verse #2 (2014).  Her costume is one of the best in the movie.  Spider-Gwen comes from Earth-65 in the comics.  They head to the house of this Earth’s Peter Parker and answering the door is Aunt May voiced by Lily Tomlin.  The actress currently in the series Grace and Frankie and continues to voice Professor Frizzle in The Magic School Bus Rides Again.  She is one of the best versions of Aunt May, a survivor, who instantly realizes that Peter is from another dimension.  

Aunt May takes them to a secret passage, past the infamous Spider-Buggy, to Spider-Man’s collection of costumes.  There is also the other Spider-Verse visitors; Spider-Man Noir (Nicholas Cage) from Earth-90214, Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn) from Earth-14512, and lastly Spider-Ham (John Mulaney) from Earth-8311.  Spider-Man Noir has the black trench coat, hat, carries guns, but with black Spider-Man mask. The character first appeared in Spider-Man Noir #1 (2009).  Cage of course is a well known actor, winning the Academy Award for Leaving Las Vegas (1995), he currently voiced another animated film with Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, and he also has super hero cred playing Ghost Rider in two films.  I hope Cage moves into voice acting.  Edge of Spider-Verse #5 (2014) was the first appearance of Peni Parker.  She is an anime-style character in this film complete with a mecha robot called SP//dr.  Glenn is currently in the YouTube show, Liza on Demand, and voices Lena in Duck Tales.  

One of the most fun Spider-Verse characters, part of the Web Warriors in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series, is Spider-Ham, a Looney Tunes-type character.  He was introduced in  the one-shot Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham (1983).  John Mulaney is a well known comedian who has his special, John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City, on Netflix, he also currently provides voices for the Netflix animated series Big Mouth.  The Web Warriors have to help Miles become a hero.  They face the villainy of the Prowler, Tombstone, and also the mutant Scorpion (Joaquin Cosio).  Miles is one of the best Spider-Man characters, more relatable as a teen trying to cope with the complications of life, Moore is perfect as Miles.  He has to fulfill his promisee and destroy the Super Collider and return the Web Warriors.  There is a mid-credit and end credit sequence so don’t miss them!  This film is unexpectedly surprising, funny, and a real tribute to comic book characters and creators.  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the ultimate and definitive Spider-Man film1.      

Five Goobers out of Five! 

#SpidermanIntotheSpiderVerse, #ShameikMoore, #JakeJohnson, #HaileeSteinfeld