Marvel’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ shocked movie audiences and comic book fans when it came out in August of 2014. It was a film that flew its’ freak flag high, carving out a weird corner across the galaxy, away from the more grounded characters previously introduced in the MCU, but it all clicked. Sporting a bright… Continue reading ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ – More Kooky Fun and Surprising Pathos?
The conceit fueling Netflix’s latest binge-worthy original program, ’13 Reasons Why,’ is an extremely challenging one. Its’ exploration of the events that led to a teenage girl’s suicide could be construed as exploitation of a very serious subject, but since the series’ structure is so compelling and its’ content so wrenching, it succeeds on multiple… Continue reading ‘13 Reasons Why’ – Addictive and Exploitive, or Absorbing and Vital?
In order to even begin to enjoy the “The Fast and the Furious” movie series, a healthy suspension of disbelief and willingness to put aside notions of logic are required. The latest installment, ‘The Fate of the Furious,’ the 8th (?!) in a steady two-year release cycle starting in 2001, is no exception. The movie… Continue reading ‘The Fate of the Furious’ – A Franchise Firing on all Cylinders or Running Out of Gas?
The head-trippy FX series, ‘Legion,’ recently wrapped up its’ initial 8 episode run, amounting to the most interesting creative venture to come out of the 20th Century Fox / Marvel X-Men factory yet. It’s probably no surprise that the mature audiences program is categorized by non-linear, visually and sonically arresting storytelling technique, since it comes… Continue reading ‘Legion’ – A Different Kind of X-Men Comic TV Show?
‘Ghost in the Shell,’ the live action version of the popular 90’s anime and manga of the same name arrived in theaters last weekend, trailing with it some high expectations for adapting the source material and controversy around its’ casting choices. The final verdict on the end product is that it basically leaves little… Continue reading ‘Ghost in the Shell’ – A Visual Feast Without Much Meat?
* * * WARNING – SPOILERS ABOUND * * * Season 7 of ‘The Walking Dead’ premiered last October with the audience held in the palm of its’ hand. Although much derided for its’ blatant manipulation of fan emotion, the season premiere accomplished what it meant, to leave the cast of characters and the viewers… Continue reading ‘The Walking Dead’ (Season 7) – A Creative Lull or the Decline of Appointment TV?
‘Life,’ the recent thriller in theaters now, is meant to be a heady shocker about very capable people dealing with the first indisputable proof of life on Mars. What it ends up being is a film that looks great, is populated by recognizable actors, yet is in service to a plot driven by some very poor… Continue reading ‘Life’ – A Thriller in the ‘Alien’ Vein or Just a Series of Bad Decisions?
For better or worse, the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers have been popular with people across multiple generations around the world, starting in the 1990’s, and continuing right into today. Since nostalgia is hot (and very profitable), studio Lionsgate obtained the rights to bring the television and action figure stars to the big screen, backed by a… Continue reading ‘Power Rangers’ – A Failed Attempt at Modernizing a Global Phenomenon?
Fans (and who isn’t, really) of the 1991 original animated Disney classic, ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ should be blown away by the fine-tuned detail on display in the new live action adaptation in theaters now. All of the original Alan Menken songs are present and staged with the aid of computer effects. The costumes evoke the… Continue reading ‘Beauty and the Beast’ – A Painstakingly Live Action Staging of a Classic?
As kids, who didn’t want to see King Kong ten times his size, taking on the humans who would otherwise exploit or kill him, even fighting on the side of the good guys? ‘Kong: Skull Island’ arrives in theaters with all this in mind, in an attempt by production house Legendary and studio Warner Bros. to kick-start a shared universe of… Continue reading ‘Kong: Skull Island’ – The Ultimate B-Movie Experience?
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