Ahsoka, “Master and Apprentice”, Review!

The two part premiere of Ahsoka has started streaming on Disney+ today! Ahsoka Tano made her debut in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) movie voiced by Ashley Eckstein. This was released in theaters so it is technically the seventh Star Wars film. The film was made up of episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the computer animated series, which also begun that year. At age fourteen, she became the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker during a battle on Christophsis. Ahsoka wielded a green-bladed lightsaber and then added a shoto lightsaber with a yellow blade. She fought in the Jar’Kai style using the lightsabers. Ahsoka ultimately left the Jedi Order and gave her lightsabers to Anakin in “The Wrong Jedi” (2013) that was intended to be the series finale. This was not the end of her story, in Star Wars: Rebels, there was mention of an intelligence source named Fulcrum. 

She helped the Spectres, the group consisting of Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar), Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall), Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray). In “Fire Across the Galaxy” (2015), Ahsoka reveals herself to join the emerging Rebellion. Her lightsabers were now white which was explained in the novel, Ahsoka (2016), by E.K. Johnston. Anonymous after Order 66, Ahsoka finally confronts an Inquisitor, the Sixth Brother, and defeats him. She is able to transform his red-bladed lightsabers to white! Ahsoka realized that her former master, Anakin, was now Darth Vader and faced him in “Twilight of the Apprentice” (2016). This was at the Sith temple on Malachor. She sacrificed herself to save Ezra. Still, Ahsoka is a survivor, Ezra had found his way to “A World Between Worlds” (2018) in the Jedi Temple on Lothal. The conclusion of the Siege of Lothal had Ezra join Thrawn and be taken away by Purgils, whale-like creatures that can space warp. 

Ahsoka re-appeared in The Mandalorian episode, "Chapter 13: The Jedi" (2020) dueling with Magistrate Morgan Elspeth to find information on Grand Admiral Thrawn.Ahsoka was on Ossus and met Din Djarin in The Book of Boba Fett, "Chapter 6: From The Desert Comes a Stranger" (2022). Ahsoka started with a two part episode, “Part One: Master and Apprentice” is written and directed by Dave Filoni. We get supspencful drumming as we see the logos in red. Stars. Then an opening crawl with red text. The Imperial Remnants are searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka Tano has found a secret map. She is following the map as Morgan Elspeth is a prisoner headed to trail. Moody music, one of the best parts is Filoni bringing in Clone Wars and Rebels composer, Kevin Kiner! 

An Eta-class shuttle confronts a prison ship and asks to see prisoner. Captain Hayle (Mark Rolston) agrees for them to land at the hangar and waits for them with security. I didn't recognize Rolston from Shawshank Redemption (1994)! Two dark robed figures emerge, they are not Jedi, which is what Captain Hayle says. He thinks they are former Imperials and stops the leader (Ray Stevenson) from going forward. Stevenson was also in RRR (2022) as Governor Buxton. Jakris, a Mon Calamari officer, is called to have RD-3 to scan them. The woman (Ivanna Sakho) cuts down the guards with her red lightsaber and uses the Force to knock away guards. The captain’s grip on his blaster is twisted by the leader. First Officer Jensen Corbyt (Shakira Barrera), her name isn't mentioned, gets the reports and takes out her blaster. 

The strangers are reported to have split up. The door opens and the woman brings down her lightsaber! The guards try to run blasting at the intruder. The leader casually deflects their blaster fire and then uses a Force choke. He uses the Force to open the cell lock, the door opens revealing Morgan Elspeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) in yellow prison fatigues. He takes off his hood. Morgan holds out her arms, Baylan gestures, and the binders fall. He says he is well paid for his word. She says a Jedi knows about Thrawn and is looking for the map. Baylan asks who is she and Morgan tells him, “Ahsoka Tano.” Dusty wind blows past ruined columns of the world Arcana (new planet), the figure of Ahsoka appears, she walks towards a tall, almost crystal-shaped statue of a robed figure. She looks at a ceremonial circle half covered by black sand. 

Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) takes off her hood and this is the first time we fully see her face. Dawson recently also stars in Haunted Mansion. Ahsoka is a Togruta, an alien with two horn-like mortals that leads to head tails. She wears a brown tunic and boots. Ahsoka uses the Force to send out her lightsabers to carve a circle around her to drop Ahsoka down Underworld-style down to a dark chamber. At this point, viewers will need to be up to speed on Ahsoka. She sees carvings of robed aliens with black eyes, Jedi?, holding a metal ball, the map. Ahsoka goes to a white column with carvings, I’m getting Fifth Element vibes, her eyes are closed and she is running her hand on the column. She has turned the base of the column to activate mechanisms. Ahsoka turns the disc top and this reveals a glowing, gold ball in one of the reliefs. 

She does the same with other two columns around the chamber. Now I had a sense of a Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) homage, finding an artifact in a dusty chamber. They sink into the floor and a triangular shaped column rises with a black shape in its center. Ahsoka is about to grab hold of it, but the shape crumbles into black sand. This reveals the gold ball, the Golden Snitch! Ahsoka contemplates it and uses her wrist comlink to contact Huyang (the voice of David Tennant who reprises the role). Tennant is also on the show Good Omens. Huyang was a droid professor introduced in the Clone Wars episode, "A Test of Strength" (2012). He was with Younglings with Ahsoka In "A Necessary Bond" (2012), but his fate was unknown until now. His signal is distorted, but the word “jammed” is heard. 

She Force leaps upwards to find a red armored figure, an HK assassin droid with an electrostaff. They were seen working for Morgan in "Chapter 13: The Jedi." The droid approaches and Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber to warn it. She is told that they want the map. She leaps down and begins cutting holes to drop two of the assassin droids. Then, Ahsoka begins dueling the other droids, easily defeating them, the head of one droid is severed. It says to initiate “self-destruct protocol.” I was expecting a Predator-like explosion. Ahsoka starts to run and calls for Huyang and his shuttle. The destruction of the droids causes a firestorm that sweeps through the area. Ahsoka joins Huyang in the cockpit who was keeping the ship at a distance following Jedi protocol. She shows him the map globe and raps his metal chest, nice touch, saying she found it from Morgan.

Huyang gets a message from Home One, he uses the code name Fulcrum, the report is of an incident. Three X-Wings pass by New Republic ships, the T-6 shuttle comes out of warps and is cleared to land at Home One. The ship is a Mon Calamari flagship of Admiral Ackbar that we haven’t seen since Return of the Jedi. This part “feels” more like Star Wars than the so called “Sequel Trilogy” movies. At the landing bay, the familiar brown, bomber jacket is seen of Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) meeting Ahsoka. Winstead starred in the action movie, Kate (2021). Hera is a Twi'lek, green skinned, with two lekku, head tails. She is the ace pilot of flew the ship, Ghost in Rebels. She is now General Syndulla. Hera tells her that the prisoner has escaped. Huyang follows them. At a briefing room, just like in the Battle of Endor, a holo projector shows Baylan and his associate.

Hera reports that they took out the security and “scuttled” the new ship. The holo recording survived. They are unknown to Ahsoka. Huyang suggests that one could have been a Jedi. Ahsoka asks Huyang to copy the recording and match their lightsabers. Ahsoka hands the map to Hera saying it has the location of the last Grand Admiral. This is stunning because the Purgil are creatures can warp, their migratory patterns? At this point, I think only long time Star Warriors will be able to catch up with what is happening in Ahsoka. Hera can’t believe that Thrawn is alive. Ahsoka says she heard “whispers” about him leading her to Morgan. Hera is about to bring up Ezra. Huyang says that the map is locked and is unable to open it without a key. A Mon Calamari from the balcony asks General Syndulla for an update. Hera says there is one person who can help with the map, but Ahsoka is uncertain if she would help. 

Ships fly towards Lothal City which is having a celebration. Governor Azadi (Clancy Brown reprising his voice over role in Rebels) announces that the Empire was defeated at Lothal thanks to Commander Ezra Bridger. Brown also was in Shawshank Redemption and is currently in the drama, Billions. He is dedicating a monument to Ezra and rebel leaders. The speaker introduces one of them, Commander Sabine Wren, he gestures to a wall that has the Lothal Jedi Temple painting. She is missing so he brings up Senator Jai Kell (Vinny Thomas). The character was an Imperial Academy cadet with Ezra who was in disguise. Kell escaped, he was found to be Force-sensitive, and helped defeat the Imperial forces. The governor uses his comlink to call for security to find her. On the highway outside of Lothal City, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) is taking a speeder away from the city, her pink/red hair flies in the wind, her face is solemn. Bordizzo starred in the horror comedy, Day Shift (2022). 

She is listening to a form of rock music. Two Spectre ships fly to her side. A pilot, Captain Porter (Matt Law), contacts her about the ceremony. The actress doesn’t seem like the reckless, young Sabine nor a New Republic officer. The other pilot, Callahan (Michele Weaver) lands her ship ahead of them. Sabine accelerates the speeder. The pilot leaves her fighter and Sabine slides the speeder underneath the ship in Fast and Furious fashion. Captain Porter pulls away his ship as Sabine heads towards the communication tower where we first saw Ezra. Inside the tower, Sabine greets a Loth-cat, she takes a bowl to feed her cat. Underneath a table is her Mandalorian helmet. In a box, Sabine takes out a Jedi imagecaster. She plays a final recording of Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). The actor was in the drama, The Inspection (2022). He says he thinks of her as a sister and ends with “May the Force Be with You.” 

The white haired woman walks the burning remains of the temple. She asks about it to Mogan Elspeth who says it was built by the Nightsisters of Dathomir! I was surprised that Morgan is a survivor, the people of Dathomir were almost wiped out by Count Dooku. Dathomir is interesting since it was created in the non-canon novel, The Courtship of Princess Leia (1994), by Dave Wolverton. It was made canon in the "Nightsisters" (2011) an episode of Clone Wars. It was the homeworld of Maul, rancors, and the Witches of Dathomir were strong in the Dark Side of the Force. It was made canon in Baylan says the map was destroyed or held by Ahsoka. Morgan sends the woman to Lothal and walks away. Baylan says that Lothal has the former apprentice of Ahsoka, Sabine! So Sabine was a Padawan to Ahsoka which we didn't see in Rebels, I suspect it is to find Ezra, but in not completing that quest, she left Ahsoka. Sunset at the tower, Sabine has a restless sleep, hearing the voice of Ezra. She is startled awake saying his name. Sabine sees a beeping alarm and then goes outside to see the T-6 shuttle and two X-Wings head to Lothal City. Governor Azadi is meeting with Ahsoka when they are joined by Sabine. 

She mentions that not everyone was at the ceremony. Huyang greets her and then goes to the ship. Azadi is about to leave and tells her that she has to listen to Ahsoka. They are both wary and guarded. Ahsoka holds up the map globe and tells her that they can find Ezra. Sabine has memories of her bunk in the shuttle with her drawings on the wall just like her bunk at the tower. I’m going to assume they were drawn by Dave Filoni. Ahsoka says that she found the map on Arcana that was used by the Witches of Dathomir. She activates a conference table that rises up and Sabine starts to analyze it, thinking that there would be a key. Ahsoka activates a holo scan of the temple made by Huyang. Sabine asks where she stays and Ahsoka replies that it stays on the ship. It seems there is a rift between master and apprentice. This instantly brings to mind, Ahsoka talking to Din and Luke Skywalker. Huyang interrupts them. Ahsoka tells Sabine that the map has to stay in the ship. 

In a side room, Huyang reveals that he had taught lightsaber construction and has identified one of the lightsabers as belonging to Baylan Skoll. The other would mean an apprentice and that Ahsoka may not be able to handle two of them alone. Ahsoka goes to talk with Sabine who is gone. She rides her speeder from Lothal City, a globular probe droid scans her, and then like the one that reported to Darth Maul goes to the cloaked woman. It is dangerous, but I’m thinking Sabine has something that will unlock the map. She projects the holo map onto a table and then starts to go through some charts. A map to a missing Jedi? This makes me think of Force Awakens. The Favreau and Filoni series have a way of weaving in all eras of Star Wars. Ahsoka discusses the situation with a holo projection of General Syndulla. Ahsoka says Sabine is stubborn and Hera counters that she is Mandalorian. Where we last saw Ahsoka, she seemed to be thoughtful in the training of Grogu, but doesn’t seem to have succeeded with Sabine. Ahsoka says she didn’t finish her training with Anakin and walked away from him and the Jedi Order like she did with Sabine. 

At her tower room, Sabine contemplates the three figures, the triple interlaced symbol from the temple chamber is seen also on the map globe. She starts to turn it like a Rubik’s Cube, also like the cryptex in The Da Vinci Code, book and movie. Sabine gets the right combination and it starts to glow. The map hovers and then projects a map of the galaxy and then another galaxy with a location. Her Lothal Cat growls and Sabine rolls away from blaster fire from the droid soldier. She is pinned by another droid as the droid goes to take the map and bash up computers. Sabine is able to get the droid’s blaster free and calls for Huyang! She sees that the map is gone and finds under the table her lightsaber! Sabine runs out to find the woman and droid. She activates her green-bladed lightsaber. A very good lightsaber battle, but I could tell Sabine is not as skilled. A great dedication to Ray Stevenson at the end of this part. Ahsoka is the best of Star Wars with a fan favorite character and the continuation of the Star Wars: Rebels story! 

Five Lightsabers out of Five! 

#Ahsoka, #DaveFiloni, #RosarioDawson, #NatashaLiuBordizzo, #DavidTennant, #MaryElizabethWinstead, #EmanEsfandi, #ClancyBrown, #VinnyThomas, #MattLaw, #MicheleWeaver, #MarkRolston, #ShakiraBarrera, #RayStevenson, #IvannaSakhno, #DianaLeeInosanto 

Re:tro Re:view - Bram Stoker's Death Ship #1!

In 2010, there was a four issue limited series from IDW Publishing, Bram Stoker’s Death Ship: The Last Voyage of the Demeter, it expanded on the five pages in the Dracula novel! The film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, was just released in theaters. It had a long in development script by Bragi Schut that dates to 2006 inspired by Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979). “A Stranger on Board” is by Gary Gerani, one of the screenwiters of the horror film, Pumpkinhead (1988), and he wrote the comic limited series, Dinosaurs Attack! (2013). The artwork is by Stuart Sayger, who wrote and drew his own horror comic series, Shiver in the Dark (2002). The covers are by Cliff Nielsen with the first issue, very Gothic, showing a black and white Demeter lashed by stormy seas. The issue opens with a woman at a picnic with her son asleep under trees as a man approaches. 

Colorist Dom Regan has the scene in watercolors making it very dreamlike with blue, greens, and splashes of yellow for the woman’s hair and dress. She looks up and sees a bearded man, the artwork has the sketchy lines of Bill Sienkiewicz and the dark, almost cartoony figures of Sam Keith. Then, we shift to their house on a street in Varna, Moldovia. It is 1897, the departure date of the Demeter, the captain, now older, looks at his family photo. It is on a bureau and he looks at it with sadness. Then, we get one of the crew, Anataole, in bed with a dark-haired woman. He callously leaves her to be on time for the voyage. A very different beginning than the film. The Demeter is at the docks, the cook greets the young crew member, Yuri and the captain waves to him on board the ship. 

Workers are loading onto the ship six crates of Carpathian earth coordinated by the First Mate named Constantine. A name of Latin origin when Stoker has him as Russian. David Dastmalchian plays Wojchek in the film. Anatole, threatens one of the workers, but is calmed down by Constantine. We get the captain’s log entry. The daughter of the First Mate sees him off in her mother’s arms. Then, the ship sets out to sea in a splash page. The captain is at his desk as we see the Demeter’s course from Bulgaria through Turkey with the Whitby destination. We see a line up of most of the crew. The captain speaks with Constantine about his wife while Anatole makes crude comments. Actually, this would be in the officer’s quarters, the captain’s room, and Anatole could be sent somewhere while they have the private conversation. 

Anatole goes on deck to start drinking and he thinks he hears something from the cargo hold. He brushes it off, but we see the suspicious look of another crewman, Olgaren. The next day, the captain records that they are stopped by custom officials at the Bosphorus which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. The captain has Anatole to take the officials to check the cargo. He pries open a crate to show them that the cargo is only earth. The officials leave on a boat and the captain checks on Yuri climbs up to the crow’s nest. At the captain’s cabin, Olgaren meets with the captain and confesses about the previous night’s watch. 

He says he went to the deckhouse during a rainstorm and then saw him. We see Olgaren terrified, a reaction right out of EC horror comics, seeing a dark figure. Olgaren describes him as a “tall, thin man”, but could not find a trace of the man afterwards. This is Bram Stoker’s description of Dracula and takes place in the July 17th entry. The captain reassures him that it was a dream. We see a closeup of the clawed hand of Dracula approach a large crewman who turns and then a shadowy, snarling form leaps on him and we hear a scream! The first victim, Petrofsky, was the day before, so there is some changes to this adaptation. Death Ship #1 showcases the specific incident of the Demeter like the film with moody, dark visuals, but has its own touches that are unique.  

Four "Boxes of Earth" out of Five! 

#BramStoker, #DeathShip, #TheLastVoyageOfTheDemeter, #GaryGerani, #StuartSayer, #DomRegan, #CliffNielsen, #Anatole, #Constantine, #Olgaren, #Petrofsky  

A Visit to the Hollywood Museum on their 20th Anniversary!

 The Hollywood Museum is one of the best Hollywood attractions especially for visitors who love movies! It is the 20th anniversary for the museum with extensive movie and tv collections. The museum is located in the historic Max Factor building right next to Mel’s Drive In, they are connected by a hall, on Highland Avenue. Tickets are affordable, $15 for adult, the most expensive ticket. Check out more information at: https://thehollywoodmuseum.mybigcommerce.com. I actually haven’t visited the Hollywood Museum since 2017 when they had displays on Baywatch and the Little Rascals! The lobby opens to a series of rooms, Hollywood Glamour, one display had the Max Factor Beauty Calibration Machine that has head gear with points like something out of Saw (2004). One room featured Marilyn Monroe, I also stopped by her star on 6774 Hollywood Boulevard. 

Screen accurate replica of the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters.

There was a display for her black dress from her honeymoon and USO Korea, 1954. Also her bustier from How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), I’m going to think marriage would involve that bustier.  Next, is a sci fi section with a mini-room for the work of movie makeup artist, John Chambers, on Planet of the Apes (1968). It won him the Special Achievement Oscar since there was not yet a makeup category. A similar Oscar should have also been given to Andy Serkis’ performance. I’m still stunned by the makeup and costumes, specifically Roddy McDowall’s Cornelius, of that film. Next was the Eleven dive helmet in Stranger Things. Then, a display of costumes from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989). Also, the black armor of The Prince in Snow White and the Huntsman (2012). There is the red and yellow boxing robe from Rocky (1976) plus signed script and boxing gloves. 

The Godfather script and production notes.

In a lower, blocked off room is the yellow and silver of Ben Richards from The Running Man (1987). There are some costumes from Hunger Games (2012). The highlight for me still is the pea-green baby from V: The Final Battle (1984), equal parts goofy, vicious, and cute. In another room is a display case with script and production notes from The Godfather (1972). The second floor, Lights - Camera - Action, is accessed through some steep stairs. I was kinda stunned to see a Ghostbusters Exhibit that was put together by Sony Pictures and collectors. The Colander Hat worn by Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters (1984). Also there was a screen accurate replica of the Ecto-1 with a Slimer above it and costumes. Next to it was Back to the Future costumes and a signed prop of Clara’s telescope from Back to the Future III (1990). 

                                                                                      Batman and Robin costumes plus the tail rotor from the Batcopter!

I really intended to go to the museum to see the bike and grey suit of PeeWee Herman. His star is at 6562 Hollywood Blvd. All of the stars mentioned are on the south side of Hollywood Boulevard with the Hollywood Museum. The third floor features 100 Years of Hollywood. The first display is Christopher Reeve’s Superman costume, this was in a case in the lobby, and now has a sculpt of Reeve’s face. This starts off a superhero section. It had Batman and Robin costumes from the `66 show. Batman’s costume is a little faded with the cowl and gloves turned purple. The Hollywood stars of Adam West and Burt Ward are at 6764 Hollywood Blvd. There was also replicas that look more like right out of the television program. This also had the signed tail rotor blade from the Batcopter from Batman: The Movie (1966).

                                                                                                The Catwomen, costumes from movies and tv!

On a table were screen used Batman gloves and Robin’s utility belt. Also a white Batcycle and a costume of villain, King Tut, played by Victor Buono. Next by the entrance was also a room of Catwomen. At the edge is the Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman. I really like the Lee Meriwether costume from the movie since it has a series of test tubes filled with the dehydrated UN members.There was the Julie Newmar Catwoman with golden pistol. Plus, Eartha Kitt Catwoman on a throne and cat, awesome! Her Walk of Fame star, for music, is at 6600 Hollywood Blvd. Then, Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman ending with Halle Berry’s Patience Phillips. Past Batman and Robin were the costumes of Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman and Batgirl played by Yvonne Craig. The room also had cars including Bumblebee from the Transformers movies. I haven’t even covered the Dungeon of Doom costumes and props in the basement! It really spooked some young guests. There are many more costumes and props to explore at the Hollywood Museum!  

#HollywoodMuseum, #HollywoodGlamour, #MaxFactorBeautyCalibrationMachine, #MarilynMonroe, #JohnChambers, #PlanetOfTheApes, #StrangerThings, #StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier, #SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman, #TheRunningMan, #HungerGames, #VTheFinalBattle, #TheGodfather, #Ghostbusters, #BackToTheFuture, #Supeman, #ChristopherReeve, #Batman, #Robin, #AdamWest, #BurtWard, #BatmanTheMovie, #Catwoman, #MichellePfeiffer, #LeeMeriwether, #JulieNewmar, #EarthaKitt, #AnneHathaway, #HalleBerry, #LyndaCarter, #YvonneCraig, #DungeonOfDoom 

Blue Beetle Review!

Blue Beetle is driven by the performance of Xolo Maridueña which makes it surprisngly fresh with the current crop of superhero films! It is caught between the DC Extended Universe and the new DC Films, but seems to be moving into the later’s universe. He is a hero backed by a family. Angel Manuel Soto, is the director, and he previously directed the drama, Charm City Kings (2020). It is interesting to bring on a director for a comic book movie who is known for dramas and shorts. 

The writer is Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer who also wrote the action movie, Miss Bala (2019). This version of the character was introduced in Infinite Crisis #3 (2006). He also appeared in the Smallville episode, “Booster” (2011) played by Jaren Brandt Bartlett. The story opens with a helicopter heading to the snowy base of Kord Industries. This is the business of Ted Kord, the original Blue Beetle, from Blue Beetle #1 (1986). 

We see a man, Lt. Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo), with a cybernetic implant on his neck and mechanical arm, head towards the helicopter. Trujillo appeared in the sci fi action film, Riddick (2013) as Lockspur. The villain was also introduced in Blue Beetle #1. He is a simple, brutal henchman like the cyborgs mercentaries in Bloodshot (2020). Carapax meets with the head of Kord Industries, Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon). 

The action movie, Jolt (2021), featured Sarandon. There is a large globular object that it is being cut through and Victoria wants the recovery of the “scarab.” Victoria is the standard corporate industralist villain who seeks for a technology that will make her company take over the world. There is no consultation with a board, military, or government. She consults with Dr. Sanchez (Harvey Guillén) who tries to note that his name is not Sanchez. 

Guillén stars as Guillermo de la Cruz in the horror comedy show, What We Do In the Shadows. He is the scientist who works for the corporation and doesn’t question the end goals. We move into a massive cut of the globe to see the blue scarab. Then, there is a series of news articles, television reports on Victoria, and a comet coming to Earth. A hint of the scarab’s extraterrestrial origin? We move to the Palmera City, a location that first appeared in Blue Beetle: Graduation Day #2 (2023), though created for the film. 

It is apparently in Texas, but not made clear in the film except that it is an American city. At the airport, Jaime Reyes (Maridueña) is returning to the city and puts on his graduation cap. Maridueña is known for playing Miguel Diaz in the action series, Cobra Kai. He is pivotal in selling the superheroics and story, grounding it, and he succeeds.  Whatever part of the movie that has been seen before is just fine with the work of Maridueña and director Soto. 

His grandmother, Nana (Adriana Barraza), not Abuela?, is looking out for Jaime. Barraza starred in horror series, The Strain, as Guadalupe Elizade. Nana is a standout character who is of course endlessly supportive of Jaime. Some of the dialogue is in sub-titled Spanish and Spanglish, some of the dialogue is not translated which passes up the more adult words. This should be understood by audiences especially younger members and the violence and dramatic content may be too much under the suggested PG-13 rating. 

The other family members include his sister, Milagro (Belissa Escobedo), the actress was in the comedy horror movie, Hocus Pocus 2 (2022). Milagro is the closest family member to Jaime and jokes around with him, but she is still a comic figure until there is a sudden dramatic turn. Also important is Jaime’s father, Alberto (Damián Alcázar), he is a strong family figure in Jaime’s life. I later recognized Alcázar as Lord Sorespian in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008).  

Also at the airport pick up is Jaime’s mother, Rocio (Elpidia Carrillo), the actress played Anna in the original Predator (1987)! Then, we have the arrival of Uncle Rudy (George Lopez) in his truck, he is the conspiracist inventor like Brian Tyree Henry’s character in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). Lopez is currently in the sitcom, Lopez vs. Lopez. The movie just threads the use of Lopez throughout the movie. The family dynamic is what sets the movie apart from other superhero films. Milagro can’t keep the “bad news” from Jaime and says they are losing the house. 

They have three months to get rent and the auto shop is having problems with Kord Industries competition. On top of all of this, Alberto has had a heart attack! We see these problems is what the family has to overcome. We move to the Edge Keys separted from Palmera City by a long bridge. It is visually clear the division between the haves and have nots. The Reyes family continues the celebration of Jaime as the first Reyes member to graduate. We find out that Jaime graduated pre-law from Gotham Law, which is on of the few references to another DC character.  

Jaime looks out of the window to Palmera City and hopes to live in a mansion with an infinity pool. We cross over to see a similar mansion where Jaime and Milagro work as cleaners. They see Victoria, their employer, who is busy talking on a phone while walking next to Carapax. She is met by her niece, Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), who is the daughter of Ted Kord. Marquezine appeared as Roseli in the dance film, Breaking Through (2015). 

She of course is the daughter of a superhero like Cassie Lang in this year’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Jenny is the high tech, hero side, of the story. Ted Kord has disappeared and Victoria took over the company. Jenny brings her aunt’s attention to a Kord Industries commercial on promethium mines. This is the mysterious metal like adamantium in the Marvel Universe, and was introduced in New Teen Titans #9 (1981). The commercial showcases the OMAC (One Man Army Corps) program. This is the is the “future of policing” that reminds me of Robocop (1987), but more so the Cyberdyne commercial that was in the T2:3D: Battle Across Time attraction. 

This is comic book concept that creates armored cybogs that first appeared in The OMAC Project #1 (2005), but the acronym and original character was a sci fi hero created by Jack Kirby in OMAC #1 (1974). Milagro tells Jaime that she is going to use the private restroom. Jenny is opposed to the program that she says strays from her father’s vision of the company. She asks Victoria about Pago Island, but is told that it is classified.  This was a place introduced in Blue Beetle #2 (1967). 

The comic references are very deep in this film. Victoria counters Jenny saying, “Your father abandoned this company and abandoned you.”  Carapax is about to reach out for Jenny, but Jaime interrupts them. In some bad timing, Milagro leaves the private bathroom and Victoria fires the both of them! Jaime and Milagro wait outside the mansion for their ride when Victoria promises a job for Jaime and puts her number into his phone. Then, she leaves in her chauffered Mercedes. Milagro teases her brother that he hopes that Jenny will pull him out of the barrio like María la del Barrio. 

We see Nana watching that same telenovela starring Thalía. Clever. There are many cultural touchstones that are fun to catch. Jaime talks to Alberto that he feels he let the family down. Alberto says that he has yet to find what he is supposed to do and says, “Familia that’s forever.” This is what separates this movie from other superhero fare. Jaime decides to text Jenny that he will accept her job offer. The next to day, Jaime, dressed in a suit, walks towards the stunning Kord Industries building. 

The family is there in Rudy’s truck to tease and see Jaime at his potential new job. Jenny passes Dr. Sanchez and takes his i.d. She scans it to enter a lab that has the scarab! She pulls it from attached tubes and into a Big Belly Burger box. This is a DC universe fast food franchise that also appeared in the Flash tv series. Later, Sanchez enters the lab to eat his burger, but then sees that the scarab is missing and reports the security breach. Jaime runs to see Jenny who is hurrying to leave the building. An alarm sounds and Jenny gives Jaime the burger box to guard with his life. Then, she directs guards as Jaime leaves. 

At his family’s dinner table, Jaime sets the burger box, Milagro takes the scarab and then tosses it to Rudy. Once Jaime takes it, the scarab begins to glow, and attaches to his face! Rudy tries to pull it off, but is thrown back by some electrical energy! The scarab starts to crawl around Jaime and burrows inside him. It bursts out of his back and attaches him to the ceiling. The armor forms and starts to burn off his clothes! He then stands in full armored form, a comics accurate suit, and Jaime hears the armor, Khaji-Da (Becky G). The singer also played Trini, the Yellow Ranger, in Power Rangers (2017). 

There is an alien based armor that has a female sentient voice and can form powerful weapons with the Valiant Comics character, X-O-Manowar, created in 1992. The strength of Blue Beetle is not the originality of concepts, but their use. Jaime tries to find a way to remove the scarab with the help of Jenny and Rudy. They go to the Kord Estate to uncover secrets, then deal with Carapax, and Victoria’s plan for the OMACs. I would like to see more adventures of Jaime Reyes! Blue Beetle takes the usual superhero ideas, but makes them fresh by centering them on family, the earnestness of Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime, and the energetic direction of Angel Manuel Soto! 

Five out of Five Scarabs! 

#BlueBeetle, #AngelManuelSoto, #XoloMadurena, #BrunaMarquezine, #BeckyG, #GeorgeLopez #BelissaEscobedo, #AdrianaBarraza, #DamianAlcazar, #ElpidiaCarrillo, #RaoulMaxTrujillo, #SusanSarandon, #HarveyGuillen   

Skull Island, “Maritime Pilot”, Review!

The Monsterverse has mutated to animation form with Skull Island developed by Brian Duffield. He previously wrote the sci fi horror film, Underwater (2020). Legendary previously produced the anime series, Pacific Rim: The Black. The animation is from Powerhouse Animation which also worked on Blood of Zeus for Netflix. The Original Kaiju starred in King Kong (1933). In 1966-1929, there was from Rankin and Bass, The King Kong Show, Toei Animation provided the visuals. Kong entered the Monsterverse in Kong: Skull Island (2017). The film’s setting was 1973. He faced the King of the Monsters in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). The ultimate fight had a setting of 2024. Skull Island currently streams on Netflix. We hear running and a struggle, it is a young girl (Mae Whitman), a stowaway. Whitman voiced Batigrl in DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis (2018). 

She is escaping from several men on a ship at sea. The mysterious girl is handcuffed with a heavy coat. The research crew tries to calmly corner the stowaway against a railing, she leaps onto a boy covered with tires, one of the burly crew men leaps after her. He tries to climb up to catch her, but the girl kicks him off, and reaches the railing of the ship. One fires a tranquilizer dart at her, but still the stowaway evades them all. Yes, the girl is resourceful, but this a useless crew that can’t secure a handcuffed stowaway. She threatens them with a lighter and then tosses it over to a spilled fuel can! This causes a fire to break out that the girl uses for her escape, sliding down a rope, to a boat. She sends the boat forward across the unknown sea. Above is the stormy sky which brings down lightning strikes! There is another boat making its way on the same sea. 

Aboard is father, Cap (Benjamin Bratt), and his son, Charlie (Nicholas Cantu). Charlie is eager to go to college rather than with his father on his research monster hunting. Cap goes  with his briefcase to talk with his colleague, Hiro (Yuki Matsuzaki). Sam’s son, Mike (Darren Barnet) talks with Charlie. Mike is more comfortable on the boat. It seems like a Jonny Quest (1964) group. A bearded enginner, Boomer, sets charges and then fires them off the side of the boat. The explosion is monitored by the research fathers. Charlie on his own sees on the side the stranded girl. She starts to sink into the depths when Charlie ties a rope to leap for a rescue. He pulls her up and calls for help from Mike. Safe on deck, everyone sees the runaway girl and Mike takes her away. I’m amazed there is no medic on board. 

In the control room, she is startled awake, and Charlie can see she is handcuffed. This research crew is incredibly trusting to a stranded person with handcuffs. I think the show should have started with her rescue. She sees a flare and says, “the sky’s on fire”, the fathers go to check on it. Charlie and the father’s use a binocular to see the approach of the ship. They discover that the ship is no longer seen. A pontoon boat with the dark dressed mercs bumps into the ship’s bow. Charlie introduces himself and the girl finally says her name is Annie. He tries to explain that they are on an expedition to find cryptids; mysterious creatures like the Loch Ness Monster. She doesn’t understand expeditions or what is a deep sea charge. Once he explains it, Annie is shocked that the charges will “bring it back.” 

She says a monster had destroyed her lifeboat. Charlie goes to warn his father. Mercs have slipped onto the ship. The fathers go into the control room, Charlie and Mike rush in hearing noise, Annie has used a wrench. She has bashed the radio in trying to stop a merc. Cap wants to know Annie’s story, but the merc has revived and threatens them with a knife. Another merc is about to shoot Boomer, but is suddenly pulled away! Then, he is dragged away by a tentacle, a giant squid or kraken! The tentacles have a strange way of finding victims without any kind of eyes or sensory parts. Boomer is splattered against the window and then thrown to the sea. Annie tells Charlie that they should leave to her island. This is the island where Charlie and Mike find themselves on escaping the kraken. There is a gradual pacing to get to the expected Kaiju, logic gaps, but then we get to a lost group on Skull Island! 

Three Binoculars out of Five! 

#SkullIsland, #NicholasCantu, #DarrenBarnet, #MaeWhitman, #BenjaminBratt, #YukiMasuzaki, #IanJamesCorlett 

Happy Birthday Julie Newmar!

Happy Birthday Julie Newmar! She is iconic as Catwoman, but started out as The Gilded Girl in the film about Cleopatra, Serpent of the Nile (1953). Newmar won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in The Marriage-Go-Round (1958). She also appeared in the 1961 film musical that won her the Tony Award. Newmar began genre work with the Twilight Zone season 4 episode, "Of Late I Think of Cliffordville" (1963) where she played Miss Devlin. Next, Newmar starred as the android, Rhoda Miller, in the sci-fi sitcom, My Living Doll (1964-1965). Then, there were 13 memorable episodes of Batman starting with season 1's "The Purr-fect Crime" (1966). From there, Newmar played Eleen in the Star Trek episode, "Friday's Child" (1967). 

Julie Newmar played Claudette in the "Black Magic" (1976) episode of the Bionic Woman. "The Flight of the War Witch" episode of Buck Rogers featured Newmar as Zarina. The comedy, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) featured a cameo appearance by Julie Newmar. She also played herself in the TV movie, Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt (2003). She voiced Martha Wayne in the "Chill of the Night!" (2010) episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Next, Newmar wrote the book, The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth (2011). In 2012, Newmar wrote with Marc Shapiro and art by Emiliano Urdinola, the comic book series, Secret Lives of Julie Newmar. he returned to the Catwoman character voicing her in the animated film, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016). Then, voiced her again in Batman vs. Two Face (2017). Happy Birthday Julie Newmar!  

#JulieNewmar, #Catwoman, #SerpentOfTheNile, #TheMarriageGoRound, #TwilightZone, #MyLivingDoll, #Batman, #StarTrek, #BionicWoman, #BuckRogers, #ToWongFooThanksForEverythingJulieNewmar, #ReturnToTheBatcave, #BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold, #TheConsciousCatwomanExplainsLifeOnEarth, #SecretLivesOfJulieNewmar, #BatmanReturnOfTheCapedCrusaders, #BatmanVsTwoFace