Video Game Review: Lightsaber Dojo!

Today, at Dave and Busters, I was able to play a new game at the arcades, Lightsaber Dojo!   It is a port of an early part of the VR Oculus Quest game, Vader Immortal (2019).  The game is is from ILMxLAB and written by David S. Goyer, the screenwriter for Batman Begins (2005) and the Foundation series.  The black, curved cabinet with red lights is over six feet tall.  It does not have any kind of title on the cabinet so only when I saw a kid playing it, did I notice that it was for Star Wars.  Mybe you can port in other Oculus Games, if so then Oculus Quest should be the title.  There is a short walk up that has retractable belt stanchions around the game area.  Before the large screen, you swipe your game card, and the VR headset lowers to about kid height.  On the right are some sanitary wipes, so you can clean the headset and controllers after the last user.  Then, deposit them to the rubbish bin to the left.  This is a nice touch since I don’t think there is anything similar at other games. 

You adjust the headset, you don’t need to rush, the game only starts when you activate the controller button.  There are two controllers on cables on either side of the headset, a controller with a top and lower button.  Once you are ready, you aim the beam from the controller and you select your lightsaber; Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Kylo Ren are some of the selections.  Then you select the level you want to play.  Then,  you see through the headset three pedestals, press the overhead button and you use the Force to draw the lightsaber to you.  Then, you use the lower button to activate the lightsaber.  The practice sequence is detailed so give your lightsaber a try first.  You can Force throw your lightsaber at a target, face the stormtrooper or remote, and then press the top button and motion like you are throwing to long distance saber the target!  Also, I wanted to focus on using only one controller, so the cable on the other controller got in the way.  I guess you can use a controller to use the Force and the other the lightsaber.

This sequence takes place on Mustafar in the Oculus Quest game.  The first part is seeing a remote, there is a warning as it is about to blast you, of course you need to deflect the bolt back at it.  There are two remotes that fly around you.  It took some much time to get used to the lightsaber that I didn’t use the saber toss.  Plus, the opponents appear so fast, I think I destroyed two remotes and a stormtrooper on the second try.  Next, stormtroopers appear at the level above you.  Next there are droids to take on, which are easy to destroy when they get closer, and don’t blast you.  Stormtroopers also take cover at the pillars on your level, they take cover if you don’t deflect the bolts back at them.  Finally, Darth Vader (Scott Lawrence) appears in front of you, about a meter away.  While stormtroopers and remotes blast at you, Vader breaks apart pieces of the pillars to Force Throw at you, kinda easy to destroy if you are not distracted.  I didn’t have a chance to see if I can use the Force to counter Vader with the rubble.  I didn’t get a chance to duel with him.  The action of playing at that point was like a short jog.  Lightsaber Dojo is a fun Star Wars experience!

Four Lightsabers out of Five!     

#LightsaberDojo, #VaderImmortal, #ILMxLAB, #OculusQuest, #ScottLawrence 

Happy Birthday Carrie Fisher!

Happy Birthday Carrie Fisher!  Our princess’ first role was as Lorna Karpf in the comedy Shampoo (1975).  Her next part was iconic, Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars (1977)!  She sang beautifully “A Day to Celebrate” as Princess Leia in the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978).  Then, returned as Leia in The Empire Strikes Back (1980).  She played the Mystery Woman in The Blue Brothers (1980) and then was in wacky comedy, Under the Rainbow (1981).  Fisher was a sensation in Return of the Jedi (1983) with her metal bikini that was a nod to Dejah Thoris.  Next, Fisher was in the film, Hannah and Her Sisters (1986).  She had her first novel, Postcards from the Edge, published in 1983.  It was made into a film in 1990.  Fisher starred in “Gershwin’s Trunk”, a 1987 episode of Amazing Stories.  She had a cameo as Mary Brown in the comedy, Amazon Women on the Moon (1987).  Fisher was also that year in the sci fi film, The Time Guardian (1987).  She played the therapist Marie in the Rob Reiner directed romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally… (1989).  

Fisher wrote a 1997 episode of the sitcom, Roseanne, that featured her mother Debbie Reynolds.  She had a cameo as a therapist in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997).  Fisher was in the horror movie, Scream 3 (2000) and then starred in the comedy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).  She co-wrote and executive produced the tv film, These Old Broads (2001) starring her mother.  Fisher played Pauline Kahn in “Thirst” (2005), an episode of Smallville.  Another cameo was a doctor in the Fanboys (2009) film.  Fisher returned as General Leia in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).  She published filming Star Wars stories in her biography The Princess Diarist (2016).  Also, Fisher was in the documentary, Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (2016).  Then, she had finished filming for Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  Her unused footage from Force Awakens was brought in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).  Carrie Fisher died on December 2016, but she will always be remembered as our princess.  Happy Birthday Carrie Fisher! 

#CarrieFisher, #StarWars, #PostcardsfromtheEdge, #ForceAwakens, #ThePrincessDiarist

Re:tro Re:view - The Haunted Mansion (2003)!

The Haunted Mansion has a light tone, similar to the ride, a story behind the attraction with some horror moments thrown in!  The film was directed by Rob Minkoff, the co-director of the animated Lion King (1994), he later directed The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), I like that film too! The screenwriter is David Berenbaum who also wrote elf (2003), released the same year, and his first film. The movie is currently streaming on Disney+. Of course, there was a recent Muppets Haunted Mansion that is also streaming on Disney+. Guillermo del Toro had planned a Haunted Mansion film. There is a new film that has begun filming with Justin Simiens in the director’s chair.  The actors in that cast include LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, and Danny DeVito. The 2003 movie begins with the “Welcome Foolish Mortals” title and line.  Then, we get the mansion doors opening and glimpses of a masquerade party, a dance like in the ride's ballroom, and a close-up of a letter being written.  

The envelope is sealed and then slipped under a door. A masked man (Nathaniel Parker) looks at the letter horrified and rushes away. A woman’s gloved hand falls dropping a cup. The man holds the body of the woman and then tearfully carries her body in front of the dancers who silently stare at them. Close-up of the letter, “Forever yours, Elizabeth.” A Gothic romance, this is a great opening. Then, we find the man has hung himself from the ceiling as lightning flashes, the skeleton that it is in the attraction’s stretching room, and then we pull back to the mansion. I really like attraction references in a movie based on a ride. They are only hinted at with the Pirates films, the first one, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), was out five months before Haunted Mansion. It easily overshadowed this film. The music by Mark Mancina also has some of the creepy organ music from the ride. 

This shifts to daytime, much later, as a paperboy (Zach Minkoff) rides up to the mansion gates on his bicycle. A ghost bursts from the mansion and he yells before riding away! He has left behind flyers of the Evers and Evers. They are Louisiana realtors, including Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) with his wife, (Marsha Thomason). Murphy plays the lead and this was in his kid movie phase with Daddy Day Care (2003) that year. Thomason is currently in the COBRA action series. This switches to Jim showing a house to a married couple, Mr. Coleman (Jim Doughan) and Mrs. Coleman (Rachael Harris). Mr. Coleman finds something wrong about every house and Mrs. Coleman threatens a divorce. Still, Jim doesn’t give up, but has to take a call from Sara. Jim handles her questions about a dinner reservation and also keeps the Colemans thinking it is another house buyer. This convinces Mrs. Coleman to buy the house. We get more couples at a tacky Tiki Lounge. Maybe a bit too much of this set-up.  

Jim returns home and tries to make up for his late anniversary with a teddy bear and watch. Sara goes over how many activities with their kids he missed out on. Jim says they will have a weekend to spend at a lake. He goes upstairs to tell his kids and his son, Michael (Marc John Jefferies) runs out terrified of a spider in his room. Jim goes to Michael’s room and takes up a magazine so Michael can whack the spider with it. They argue until his daughter, Megan (Aree Davis), takes the magazine and crushes the spider against the window. A nice introduction of the young characters. Sara is taking a phone call downstairs with an elderly man (Terence Stamp) who wants her to go to the house past Old Miller Road. The master says she has a “trustworthy face”, but not her husband.  Jim sees her on the call, she shows him the address, and he is excited that there are mansions in the area. We see the Evers family driving to the “detour.” It is very swampy land with overhanging trees that is creepy in the daytime.  

They drive up to the mansion’s gate, Jim honks, but he and Sara walk up to the locked gate. She is about to leave, when the gate opens. Everyone gets out of the car and Jim has them check out the back of the mansion. Jim and Michael see the headstones and dark trees that covers hills, a very Gothic and beautiful shot. Lightining flashes and it starts to rain so the family heads over to the porch of the mansion. The door suddenly opens and they walk in to see the cobwebbed interior with a large fireplace. The dark hallway underneath the fireplace is revealed by lightning showing the figure of the old butler (Stamp), this is a little chilling. He introduces himself, with a stoic face, as Ramsley.  The butler explains that Master Gracey wanted to discuss plans over dinner. They pass armors of knights and then finally reach the ballroom. Sara looks at the fireplace when lightning reveals Master Gracey (Parker) who introduces himself. Gracey was part of the backstory of the attraction, named after Imagineer Yale Gracey?  

                                                                    Haunted Mansion zombie head, Disney Gallery, Disneyland, 2003, photo by the author.

Jim tries again to introduce himself with a handshake and smile, but is again ignored. It appears that Gracey is charmed by Sara who is impressed by the house. Jim senses Gracey’s interest.  Ramsley looks out the window and says that the storm has caused the river to overflow. The family must stay overnight. Gracey has Ramsley take the children to a room and then Jim and Sara to their room. Jim annoys Ramsley who leaves their room. Sara is angry that Jim is obsessed with work that has them trapped in the mansion. Jim brings up his expensive gifts and she locks herself in the bathroom. He is startled by Ramsley who takes him to see Gracey at the library. Alone, Jim sits in the library’s chair and then activates a secret door moving a statue’s head. It closes behind him! In their room, Michael opens a music box that shows the dancing figures of Gracey and Elizabeth, then he turns to see a glowing, blue “ghost ball.” Megan follows the ghost ball and her brother follows her. Sara sees a maid, Emma (Dina Waters) holding towels, but she silently runs off. She is startled by Ramsley who says that her husband is in the library.  

Sara instead finds Gracey, he shows her the mansion, and tells the story of the mansion and of Elizabeth. Jim walks from behind a painting, he walks the hall with the transforming paintings, and the statue heads that turn towards him.  Jim hears a telephone ring and Ramsley, on the other end, hangs up. He looks at a mirror and sees his face horribly mummified, make-up effects are by Rick Baker, he worked with Murphy on Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000). The ghost ball has led the kids to the attic. Megan looks at the white wedding dress. Michael who sees a painting of a woman who looks exactly like his mother! The servant, Ezra (Wallace Shawn) tells the kids that they don’t belong there. Emma says that the painting is of Elizabeth. This is the connection with Sara to the mansion. Still, there is a dark secret yet to be revealed. Ezra and Emma are friendly to the kids and allies to the family. Jim follows a voice into the Séance Circle and the crystal ball of Madame Leota (Jennifer Tilly)! There are more surprises from the attractions, including the Hitchhiking Ghosts and the Singing Busts (the Dapper Dans!), plus some zombie terror! The Haunted Mansion is a fun romp with a mix of humor and horror!  

Four Ghost Balls out of Five!  

#HauntedMansion, #RobMinkoff, #RickBaker, #EddieMurphy, #MarshaThomasen, #NathanielParker, #TerenceStamp, #MarcJohnJeffreis, #AreeDavis, #DinaWaters, #WallaceShawn  

Re:tro Re:view - Star Wars: The High Republic #8!

Star Wars: The High Republic #8 concludes the Heart of the Drengir arc that started with issue #6 and ends with confronting the ultimate Drengir master! “Chapter III: The Root of Terror” features Cavan Scott’s writing and the return of artist, Ario Anindito!  Jedi Knight Keeve Trennis has discovered the threat of the plant-like Drengir at the end of There is No Fear arc, but her mentor, Jedi Master Sskeer is corrupted by the Drengir.  The Jedi and the Hutts team up to fight the Drengir and Keeve finds the Root Mind is on the world of Mulita in Wild Space. Still, she has visions and is assigned to Chortose to face the Nihil.  Keeve also finds two alien Chortose, Pango and Gru, (whom I want to see again) and the mysterious Orla Jareni.  The Phil Noto covers shows Orla with her double-handled white lightsaber and Keeve with her two-bladed lightsaber.  

At the station, Starlight Beacon in the Outer Rim, Estala Maru, deals with the holo transmission of Sskeer asks for reinforcements for the battle of the Drengir.  He notes that the Jedi are also needed at the Republic Fair when Sskeer’s signal cuts off.  Then, we shift to Mulita where we have the Jedi, Myarga the Hutt and Trandoshans, plus a Rancor, facing the endless hordes of Drengir, in a stunning two page splash!  Who knew that Hutts were formidable warriors?  The Jedi give a war cry, “For Light and Life!”  I like the Ugnaught Jedi, what is his name?  Very cool, I wish this somehow showed up in the Clone Wars.  Myraga is fighting and tells Sskeer on a Rancor that she wants the Great Progenitor’s head on her dreadcruiser. I don’t know what is a dreadcruiser, but I hope there is a comic focusing on Myraga!  Gotta be my favorite Hutt!  The Drengir crash Myraga and her battle sled into the rancor throwing off Sskeer, both are trapped by Drengir vines!  

Jedi Master Cohmac hears the insectoid reinforcements for the Drengir join the battle.  Cohmac first appeared in the The High Republic: Into the Dark (2021) novel by Claudia Gray.  The creatures are about to swarm over Myraga and Sskeer, but are destroyed.  It is the arrival of Keeve and Orla!  The Wayfinder recognizes Sskeer.  There seems to be history between them!  The Jedi twins, Ceret and Terec, say that Jedi Marshal Avar Kriss left to take on the Drengir leader.  Keeve trips over the head of a Nihil corpse with a Drengir vine through it!  She cuts through the vines with Terec only to find that the Great Progenitor has Kriss in its vines with a smaller vine in her mouth!  She says in Dark Side voice that the Dark Lords fell to her and plans to spreads her rule of the Empire of Thorns.  Keeve explains to Terec that the Sith had trapped the Drengir on Amaxine Station, this was also in Gray’s novel.  This was seen by Keeve in a vision.  

The Jedi fight against the Drengir’s insect creatures.  Keeve explains to the Great Progenitor that Avar Kriss is like the Jedi’s Root Mind.  The Great Progenitor thinks that it can use Avar to lead its armies.  It uses Avar’s Force Grip to choke Keeve, but she thinks this a trap.  Keeve closes her eyes.  All of the  Jedi on the planet are unified in an amazing two page splash with closeups of the Jedi concentrating.  A very cool power that the Jedi could have used in the Clone Wars.  I also really like the mantra that brings the Jedi together.  Avar pulls away from the Drengir leader and lands superhero style.  Keeve explains to the Great Progenitor that the Dark Lords cut it off from the Root Mind.  She adds that the Jedi have done this not to save the Sith, but to protect the galaxy.  Myraga has her soldiers ready to blast the leader of the Drengir, but Avar has them stand down.  The Jedi protect all life.  This is a great distinction of Jedi and Sith even though the Sith are not present in this story.  

The Jedi twins have brought out stasis field generators.  Myraga is impatient and unleashes her whip that is destroyed by Keeve’s lightsaber.  Jedi Master Vitus has his apprentice Reath activate a mirror that captures the Drengir leader.  Orla tells Myraga that the Great Progenitor will be sealed in the Starlight Beacon’s Bogan Vault.  Bogan was the Dark Side of the Force in the early Star Wars drafts.  In Legends, it was one of the moons of Tython, that had the early Je’daii in the comic book, Dawn of the Jedi.  The light side of the Force was called Ashla.  Myraga still wants to kill the Great Progenitor, but has to face all of the Jedi who have activated their lightsabers!  She thinks better of facing the Jedi and leaves.  Avar tries to thank Keeve, but she says reasonably, it was all of the Jedi that stopped the Dreginr.  Victory is still short lived.  Estala is finally able to contact Avar and informs her about the Republic Fair.  The threat of the Nihil has proven deadly!  Star Wars: The High Republic #8 features some great moments with the Jedi and a satisfying ending for this storyline, but of course there are more adventures!     

Five Lightsabers out of Five!  

#StarWarsTheHighRepublic, #TheRootOfTerror, #GreatProgenitor, #JediMasterCohmac, #BoganVault

Brzrkr #5 Review!

Last issue, our lead character, B., starts to remember his ancient past living in a village.  He started his endless battles against warriors until they sack his village and he has his first death.  In the present, he walked into the home of Diana, the researcher who is studying him.  The cover of Brzrkr #5 by Lee Garbett has B. Shouting, colored red, and with a blood splattering.  The Brzrkr story continues with Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney.  The issue opens with a series of closeups of B. in some lab submerged.  This shifts to Diana’s home, the interior lit by a fireplace, is soaked in orange colors by Bill Crabtree.  Garney’s art has some of the thick blacks and line work of Frank Miller’s Neo-noir, but I also sense some Stan Drake in the face details.  B. questions Diana about her past in numerous scientific disciplines, but wanting anonymity.  

They listen to a song with the notes wrapped around them in borders and the lyrics large in the panels.  Still, the song brings up images of his past through time, possibly something Diana detected with her instruments and replicated with the song.  In the captions, b. Says that there is a desire for “it”, which he tells Diana is love.  Then, B. leaves out in the rain. This shifts to the next day, the panels are splashed pink like a romance comic.  Barbara gives him a solution to help him “relax” and then a needle to insert into his temple.  The next panel is a splash of Brzrkr with countless wires attached to him.  An almost Weapon X situation.  Barbara in her monitoring room, activates a machine, a new protocol to bringing B. into an almost hypnotic state.  This bring a memory of “79,990 years ago” for Brzrkr in the wilderness.  

He is in a river and faces a massive cave bear.  B. Turns to see a woman by the lakeshore, startled at the bear, his eyes flare blue.  The bear roars and then runs away.  The woman smiles.  No names, not even the bear, whom I’m calling B. bear.  Her tribe’s warriors have him surrounded by spears while she gives birth.  We have a closeup of Brzrkr’s face and then we see that chains attached to horses have him drawn and quartered!  He sees the child turned purple.  An axe is swung at his head!  The woman cries at the fate of the child and then becomes old Highlander-style.  No Immortal can have children.  He meets and holds hands with an Egyptian woman.  She dies in childbirth.   The fate of Brzrkr’s lovelife could be expanded in a film or series past a few panels.  Then, we get a Conan-style harem.   We get more stories, an Egyptian woman who also becomes elderly and leaves him alone.  

An Asian woman meeting him wthile planting, the Berserker loses purpose as the planting withers.  An African woman he kisses, she cries, and it fades to black.  He calls the Berserker his ally.  At a Japanese village, B. is in samurai armor, very much like Reeve’s part in 47 Ronin (2013).  The youthful looks of the young woman turn old.  Then, we have a monastery where Brzrkr tires to find solace, but all of the monks fall to age. At a Norse, icy battlefield, he has fallen with his axe as a swordswoman cries over his death.  She takes him to a funeral pyre.  He has not found the reason behind his existence, and only repeats, “…why…”., Barbara tries to reassure him.  Then, his eyes burn blue and the chamber explodes!  Brzrkr #5 gets us closer to this mysterious research project.  Most likely the test subjects will die like his children since his immortality is only set for B.  Zombie soldiers?  I sense that if we get answers to questions, that we would have to see Brzrkr’s mysterious father, a Zeus and Hercules situation.                

Four Protocols out of Five! 

#Brzrkr, #KeanuReeves, #MattKindt, #RonGarney, #LeeGarbett, #BillCrabtree 

The Last Duel Review!

The Last Duel has Ridley Scott directing, his next film is House of Gucci, and the return of the onscreen duo of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.  Affleck’s last film was the sports drama, The Way Back (2020).  Damon was in this year’s drama, Stillwater, and starred in Scott’s film, The Martian (2015).  Still, the movie is about neither actor’s character nor the squire played by Adam Driver.  The actor was also in this year’s musical drama, Annette, he is also in the House of Gucci.  It is really about Jodie Comer’s character, the Lady Marguerite de Carroughes.  Comer was also in the action movie Free Guy and is known for playing Villanelle in Killing Eve.  The film is based on the book by Eric Jager, The Last Duel:A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France (2004).  The screenplay is co-written by Affleck and Damon, their first collaboration since Good Will Hunting (1997).  

They worked with Nicole Holofcener, who won an Academy Award for her screenplay, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018).  In Scott’s body of work, Kingdom of Heaven (2005) would be the closest in setting (two centuries before this story) and tone.  It opens in Paris, December of 1386, a snowy jousting field, crowds of citizens circle the field.  Marguerite (Comer) is also getting prepared with her attendants.  The crier announces the duel.  The cinematography by Dariusz Wolski has murky skies.  He worked with Scott on several films including All The Money in the World.  It pans across the nobles watching from the stands including Queen Isabeau (Serena Kennedy) and King Charles VI (Alex Lawther).  Kennedy was in the 2019 movie, Remember Me and Lawther is in the Wes Anderson movie, The French Dispatch.  The young king is amused by the duel, smiling, which last happened before his time.  

We also see in the stands, Count Pierre Alençon (Affleck) almost unrecognizable with blond hair and beard.  The two duelists, in their tents, are getting dressed and fitted with their armor; Jean de Carroughes (Damon) with a wicked scar on his right cheek and Jacques Le Gris (Driver).  Note that the names are not introduced, only over some time, do you realize their names.  Marguerite has her black dress slipped on.  Her face is morose as she waits.  Jean mounts his white horse and Jacques his black horse.  The horses symbolically tie into a later scene.  The duellists eye each other and then ride up to the king’s box.  Jean gestures for his lance.  Jacques lowers his helmet’s visor and gets his lance.  Jean charges forward.  I noticed that the crest on Jacques’ shield is a snake on a field of green.  They both charge until striking their lances.  The rest of the duel is very violent and bloody with no honor.  This shifts to “Chapter 1: The Truth According to Jean de Carroughes.” 

The narrative device of getting the perspectives of different characters on a single story is from the Akira Kurosawa film, Rashomon (1950).  I find it interesting that Damon was in a movie with a simliar plot device, the wartime drama, Courage Under Fire (1996).  Jean and Jacques are squires that ride to the Caroline War battlefield, the war between England and France, part of the Hundred Years’ War.  Across a river, English soldiers have French citizens lined up and a woman is beheaded.  Jean calls for a charge against the lord’s order to hold the bridge.  Jacques joins the charge across the river.  This battle that begins a film and then ends in a duel is similar to Scott’s other historical movie, Gladiator (2000).  There are other battles that Jean fights in, but this one is just a part of the narrative so this shifts to Pierre having the squires and others swear loyalty to him.  

Jean returns home to see his father, Jean de Carroughes III (Oliver Cotton) who was a knight and protector of a fortress.  The last film for Cotton was Wonder Woman 1984 (2020).  Also, his mother, Nicole de Buchard (Harriet Walter), a demanding, severe woman.  Walter was in the drama, Rocketman (2019).  Jacques visits Jean at his castle and says that Pierre is raising taxes, Jean is struggling with finances, and Jacques says that he will talk with Pierre. Later, he is at a gathering when Sir Robert de Thibouville (Nathaniel Parker) introduces his daughter, Marguerite.  Sir Robert has defied the king so his reputation is in question.  Jean wants a parcel of land that is hunting grounds for the dowry, Sir Robert is hesistant, but then agrees to the marriage.  Jean tells Marguerite during a dance that he is a jealous man. We also find out later that he is demanding and stubborn.  

He finds out that the hunting grounds promised to him is instead handed over to Jacques by Alençon.  Jean tries to sue for the land since it was dear to Margueritte, but it is tossed out by the king.  Then, Pierre hands the captaincy and the fort of de Carroughes to Jacques after the death of Jean’s father.  This makes a personal rivalry for Jean.  At a gathering and he has Margueritte kiss Jacques as sign of their friendship.  The couple is childless and of course Jean wants a son.  Later, he goes to fight in Scotland and is knighted.  He returns home and then travels to Paris to get payment for his services.  He has his mother to watch over the castle with Margueritte even though there is tension between them.  Jean returns to find his wife saying that his mother left her alone and she was raped by Jacques.  He screams at Margueritte to find if she is telling the truth.  This ultimately leads to the king permitting the duel. 

So we are brought into “Chapter 2: The Truth According to Jacques Le Gris.”  There is the Caroline battle except it is Jacques who orders the attack.  In places, we can see where he is lying.  We find out that Pierre has his wife leave a dinner while he goes with Jacques to engage with other women.  Jacques chases a woman and then throws over his shoulder, very Neanderthal-like, to take her to bed.  This is about two flawed men who think they are righteous.  Jean, husband and warrior, is shown as a complainer and also largely ignores his wife.  Jacques thinks of himself as an educated, social climber, but anyone outside of his social circles especially woman are beneath him.  He has no problems with this violence towards women, the no means yes mindset, and very topical for our current times and issues.  Very topical.  Of course these two characters are unreliable narrators and the real story is Margueritte’s perspective.  Comer’s acting is impressive through the two biased stories and we can trust her story and her strength.  We see this with her taking care of the finances and people of the castle.  The Last Duel is a character study of three people, their world is very much like our own, fantastic acting, especially showcasing Jodie Comer!  

Five Lances out of Five!  

#TheLastDuel, #RidleyScott, #JodieComer, #MattDamon, #AdamDriver, #BenAffleck, #HarrietWalter, #OliverCotton

DC FanDome - The Conclusion!

DC FanDome continues with more previews, anniversaries for Smallville and Wonder Woman, and of course The Batman trailer!  A clip was shown of the Injustice animated movie.  So Superman contacts Batman about a nuclear submarine.  Superman lifts the submarine and enters it with a green gas.  This part doesn't make sense, a green gas?, Superman would super spin drawing it out or use his freeze breath, but instead he just walks through it?  Batman analyzes the gas and finds out that it is Scarecrow’s fear gas mixed with Kryptonite.  The Justice League arrives and Batman tries to tell Superman that his vision of Doomsday is not real.  He takes Doomsday to space and finds out that it is really Lois Lane!  His x-ray vision reveals a device inside her that sends a signal to destroy Metropolis.  The Joker laughs at the destruction.  The Blue Beetle panel is next with director, Angel Manuel Soto, screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, and Xolo Maridueña (Blue Beetle) on screen.  Maridueña is excited for the Blue Beetle suit and artwork is seen of the suit.  I’m not too interested in the Reyes Blue Beetle, but Maridueña, who is great in Cobra Kai, and the filmmaking team make the character top priority. 

Clips of Smallville are shown.  Tom Welling (Clark Kent) and Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) are interviewed.  Guests like Julian Glover (Lionel Luthor) are shown on screen. Then, Justin Harley (Green Arrow), Cassidy Freeman (Tess Mercer), and Laura Vandervoort  (Kara) celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show.  Kristen Kreuk (Lana Lang) sent a message.  Patton notes that the Monkey Prince character from the DC Festival of Heroes special is spinning off into a series with Gene Luen Yang and Bernard Chang.  Javicia Leslie (Batwoman) hosts the Gotham Knights segment with the trailer the video game is shown.  Nightwing is on an the edge of a stone eagle head.  Penguin is telling him about the Court of Owls.  We see the table of the Court of Owls.  Batgirl walks a corridor.  Red Hood is there with the Court of Owls masked villains.  A behind the scenes video features co-creators, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo with Jim Lee, along with the game personnel.  It is called an RPG and this is a mislabeling.  Role-playing games are not pre-generated characters.  

Rachel Skarsten joins Leslie to show the latest scenes of Batwoman.  A clip is shown of the Alice and Batwoman working out a killer’s motive. Camrus Johnson says he became Bat Wing on the show.  He notes the glider cape.  He notes writing Batman Urban Legends #4.  Elizabeth  Gillies (the voice of Catwoman) speaks about the Catwoman: Hunted, the DC animated movie in 2022, and introduces the trailer.  Catwoman’s stolen gem has made her travel the world with Batwoman. Next, Constantine: House of Mystery, Teen Titans Go! &DC Superhero Girls, Green Lantern: Beware My Power, and Battle of the SuperSons, a CG animated movie.  Clips of all of the seasons of Legends of Tomorrow are shown in 100 seconds.  Elsass and Garfin show the preview of the pre-school series, Bat Wheels, sort of like a Cars world merged with Hot Wheels.  Leslie Grace is introduced as Batgirl, she has a zoom call with the directors, and Christina Hobson, the screenwriter.  Hobson says that the film will be a first time for Barbara to be Batgirl.  

Grace explains that she is currently training and also asks about the red hair, the directors confirm it, yes!, this is Barbara Gordon!  Then, Titans is shown with Brendan Thwaites, Nightwing.  He says there is a season four and shows a season three finale.  It has Gar (Ryan Potter) trying to break into Wayne Manor's security monitor.  He has to fight some men and then Dick Grayson hurries in.  Gar is told to cut the red wire and then the security question is “Who is the one who got away?”  The segment on the new animated show, Batman: Caped Crusader, brings in executive producer, Bruce Timm, awesome!  Timm notes that Bruce Wayne is the identity created by Batman.  Sad, this is the reverse of Superman.  The series sounds like the early days of the Dark Knight, Batman: Year One.  It will debut on Cartoon Network and HBO Max.  Still, the question is will Kevin Conroy voice Batman?   Then, we have Young Justice: Phantoms, a sneak preview of season four.  Ava Duvernay is introduced working on DMZ, directing, with screenwriter, Roberto Patino.  The series is based on the 72 issue Vertigo series written by Brian Wood.  It stars Rosario Dawson as Z.  The big question is Duvernay still on New Gods?  

Patton then brings up Duvernay’s next project, Naomi, with lead actress, Kaci Walfall.  She started as the same age of Naomi, 16!  We get a preveiw of the show, with Naomi getting text messages about Superman, she skateboards through the school halls, but she stops, just breathes, and then collapses.  This is right out of the first issue!  Asher Angel speaks about the new Shazam! Fury of the Gods, then it switches to Zachary Levi.  A making of video is shown with the super suits of Helen Mirren’s Hespera and Lucy Liu’s Kalypso.  Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary video has director, Patty Jenkins, and Gal Gadot.  Jenkins talks with Lynda Carter.  The actress talks about her song, “Human and Divine” about Gadot and Jenkins when she filmed the second Wonder Woman.  Carter hints at Wonder Woman 3.  Patton talks about the Trial of the Amazons crossover.  Not much about the Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary comic, Wonder Woman Day Special Edition, and Nubia and the Amazons.  Patton has to be permanent host for DC.  Christan Convey, who plays Gus, answers questions about Sweet Tooth, the Netflix series based on the Jeff Lemire comic book.  Then, we have the Pennyworth show set in 1960’s London with Jack Bannon (Alfred Pennyworth) and Ben Aldridge (Thomas Wayne).  It is moved to HBO Max.  

Jim Lee reveals the panels that add up to a Crisis on Infinite Earths collage homage.  He hints at what it all means.  There is a sneak peek of the Batcave from The Batman.  Matt Reeves, Robert Pattinson, and Zoe Kravitz are shown in a behind the scenes video.  Reeves talks about Batman Year One.  Then, they are shown on screens.  Kravitz talks about her screen test in which she had to take off a helmet.  Pattinson had to put on the Val Kilmer Batsuit for his costume test.  Now, they introduce the second trailer!  Rainy, dark night, police corner someone at a diner, closeup to his coffee cup which has a question mark.  Batman rises to fight groups of clowns.  Shots are fired at his suit.  He hits one with a taser.  We see Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon.  Andy Serkins’ Alfred warns Bruce Wayne.  Batman fights with the Penguin (Colin Farrell) prominent and largely unrecognizable in the trailer.  Selina walks with a red wig.  Batman says, “I’m vengeance!” An explosion and the Batmobile jumps through it.  I think the fight scenes are excellent and the duo of Pattinson and Kravitz works.  The trailer looks kinda epic, but also a re-tread of Batman’s origin again, even if it may be his second or later year as a crime fighter.  DC FanDome had a number of actors participating some fun, less about hosts with no info on them, and some peeks at trailers!  

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