Author: ljablesnik

Streaming Reviews

‘Daredevil’ – Netflix Adaptation Done Right or Too Mature for a Comic-book Hero?

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Carrying on the Mighty Marvel tradition, Netflix rolled out a 13-episode series this past spring, adapting street-level hero, ‘Daredevil,’ with the same care and creativity afforded to the Marvel studio brand on the big screen.  Perhaps the most interesting, and possibly alienating, factor about this series is the TV-MA rating it received for putting its’… Continue reading ‘Daredevil’ – Netflix Adaptation Done Right or Too Mature for a Comic-book Hero?

Movie Reviews

‘Straight Outta Compton’ – Artistic expression or Glorification of Gang Culture?

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‘Straight Outta Compton’ blasted into theaters last weekend, captivating the country by challenging the status quo of the musical biopic, similarly to what the subjects of the film did almost 30 years ago as the incendiary rap group, N.W.A., challenged the status quo of what young black Americans were dealing with in the streets of… Continue reading ‘Straight Outta Compton’ – Artistic expression or Glorification of Gang Culture?

Movie Reviews

‘Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ – The best in the series?

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What is more impossible, the fact that Tom Cruise is 53 years of age and still pushing the limits of what action films can be, or that this 5th installment in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise is the most assured, exciting, pulse-pounding, and intelligent one yet?  Cruise is the guiding force behind this unique series –… Continue reading ‘Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ – The best in the series?

Comics Reviews

‘Secret Wars’ – Marvel’s Mess of Confusion or X-over Event Masterpiece?

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Marvel Comics’ summer-long-plus comic book cross-over mega-event, ‘Secret Wars,’ shouldn’t work.  Cross-overs are typically the comic-book world’s version of blockbuster entertainment – lots of bombast, huge expectations, but ultimate letdown.  Heady ‘big-idea epic’ writer Jonathan Hickman has been building to this ultimate breakdown of the MCU as we know it since he started writing for… Continue reading ‘Secret Wars’ – Marvel’s Mess of Confusion or X-over Event Masterpiece?

Movie Reviews

‘Terminator Genisys′ – Reinvigorating a Classic Franchise or Reboot Disaster?

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When the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger to the role that propelled him to icon status is the highlight of a film intending to re-vitalize a stale franchise, the whole proceeding is in real trouble.  ‘Terminator Genisys,’ is the most recent attempt to reboot and spark interest in a property that hasn’t been successful since mastermind… Continue reading ‘Terminator Genisys′ – Reinvigorating a Classic Franchise or Reboot Disaster?

Movie Reviews

‘Ant-Man’ – the super-hero no-one asked for?

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OK, admittedly there is no fan of either the Marvel cinematic or comic-book universe that was clamoring for a film adaptation of the ‘Ant-Man’ character, a super-hero that can change his size at will and control ants.  Despite this, for eight years, writer/director Edgar Wright pushed Marvel Studios to finance his vision of a comedic adventure/heist… Continue reading ‘Ant-Man’ – the super-hero no-one asked for?

Movie Reviews

‘Ted 2’ – Yet another DOA Comedy Sequel?

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Sequels to comedy classics are inherently hard to pull off – the successful ones (’22 Jump Street’, ‘Toy Story 2’) both build on what has come before and take the conceit in a new direction, while the middling ones (‘The Hangover II’, ‘Men in Black II’) directly repeat the same formula, providing decent laughs and evaporating. … Continue reading ‘Ted 2’ – Yet another DOA Comedy Sequel?

Movie Reviews

‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ – Gratuitously Violent Bond Send-Up?

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‘Kingsman: The Secret Service,’ the newest film by writer-director Matthew Vaughn, is available now for rental after a successful theatrical release earlier this year.  It’s an overly violent, darkly comic send-up of the James Bond spy genre based on comic-book writer Mark Millar’s ‘The Secret Service,’ a decidedly adult comic book collaboration between the prolific… Continue reading ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ – Gratuitously Violent Bond Send-Up?

Television Reviews

‘Arrow’ – Can Stephen Amell continue to save the DC universe?

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The CW’s vigilante series, ‘Arrow’ completed its’ 3rd season a few weeks ago, and it appears to have really found its’ stride after building on a very solid 2nd season.  With the introduction of Barry Allen’s Flash as part of this emerging DC Comics television universe, Oliver Queen’s Arrow has become the reluctant mentor-figure /… Continue reading ‘Arrow’ – Can Stephen Amell continue to save the DC universe?