Batman #45 Review

BATMAN #45
Written by: Tom King
Art by: Tony S. Daniel, John Livesay, Tomeu Morey, & Clayton Cowles
Published by: DC Comics

What it’s about…

“THE TRAVELERS” part one! Booster Gold has come to Gotham City, and he’s enlisting Batman and Catwoman to go on a time-traveling mission to rescue…Booster Gold! It seems a younger Booster Gold has gone back in time to kidnap an even younger version of himself, and to rescue his own past, Booster must pursue both of his previous incarnations through Batman’s history to find out what is going on. The start of a new story that will sow the seeds for a whole new epic to come—and also the return of Master Class artist Tony S. Daniel (DAMAGE) to BATMAN!

What I thought about it…

I’ve been reading Tom King’s Batman since he started on the title a couple of years ago. I know many fans don’t like what King is doing on this book, for the most part, I’ve really enjoyed his work on Batman. I’ve particularly enjoyed the stuff after “The war of Jokes and Riddles” as we get closer to the Bat & Cat wedding.

But Batman #45, WTF?!?

I did not like this issue one bit. In Batman #45 characters don’t act like themselves. I don’t meant Bruce Wayne, or Batman, I’m talking about Booster Gold. He doesn’t act like the Booster I’ve read for three decades. Booster is many things, but I seriously doubt he would just stand there while Green Lantern blows his own head off, let alone think it was “awesome.” The only character in this issue that is acting normal, it freaking Skeets.

Another disappointing aspect of this issue was the glimpses into the lives of the Robins. Tim Drake works at a cubicle, Jason Todd sells car tires, and Duke is lobotomized or something. These could have been interesting plotlines to follow, but we never go back to them. So I’m not sure what the point of even showing them was.

The art by Tony S. Daniel isn’t bad at all. However, a few times in Batman #45 I got the feeling he was trying to imitate Jim Lee rather than doing his own thing. This was especially noticeable in a scene where Batman “hangs” Boster Gold from a Batrope. Normally I wouldn’t bring this up, but because I’ve seen Daniel do draw some great stuff in the past, I feel like it needed mentioning.

Although Batman #45 is not my favorite issue of the Rebirth era, I’m still interested to see how things play out. Which we know they will, since as far as I know the Batman and Catwoman wedding is still on for Batman #50.

Batman #45 score: C-

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Venom Trailer 2

Much better trailer than the one Sony released a couple of months ago. Not only do we get out first look at Venom, but we also get a sense of what the story will be. I’m still not completely sold on “Venom” though.

I’m still worried about some of the action sequences. The car chase scene in this trailer looks generic, but maybe it hasn’t been fully edited yet. And I’m sure a lot of the other action scenes are still being worked on too. Regardless, it’s Tom Hardy, so of couse I’m going to see this on the big screen.

“Venom” hits theaters on October 5, 2018.

Captain America #700 Review

CAPTAIN AMERICA #700
Written by: Mark Waid, Chris Samnee
Art by: Chris Samnee, Matthew Wilson, Joe Caramagna, Jack Kirby
Published by: Marvel Comics

What it’s about…

CAP IS FINALLY “OUT OF TIME”! Frozen in time, awakened in a decimated future and once again a man out of his era, there is only one way for Steve Rogers to restore order and rebuild civilization—and that’s to rule it as King Captain America! No dream, no hoax, no lie, this IS Cap and this IS happening, believe it or not! PLUS: Mark Waid delivers an untold tale from Captain America’s past, featuring the classic artwork of Jack Kirby!

What I thought about it…

With this issue, Mark Waid’s “King Captain America” story draws to a close. This was an interesting arc that saw Cap out of time once again, but this time in the future. The first couple of chapters were quite good, but I’m afraid the ending felt abrupt. Perhaps it was, so that it could coincide with the book’s 700th issue.

Regardless, Mark Waid proved once again why he is one of the best Captain America writer of all the time. Waid understands the essence of who Steve Rogers is and the reasons he’s Captain America. In full display are Cap’s never give up attitude, his leadership skills, and his acceptance that even he can’t do everything that needs to be done.

The problem with Captain America #700 is that there’s too much going on in one issue, and the story almost collapses because of it. “King Captain America” needed to be a long story, maybe even a year-long arc. Instead, everything you can possibly imagine was jammed into four issues.

I’m not saying this comic is bad, it isn’t. But even with the extra sized #700, it still feels like we’re only seeing the Reader’s Digest version of what this strange world has to offer. Simply put, this story just needed more room to breath.

However, Chris Samnee’s artwork in this issue is a thing of beauty. I can’t remember the last time I browsed a comic just for the art after reading it. The was Samnee draws an apocalyptic world is just stunning. But the art never loses that glimmer of hope that Captain America always brings with him.

One of the best things to spill out of last Fall’s Marvel Legacy, was the Captain America run by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee. Sadly, with Captain America #700 is the final issue for Waid and Samnee together. Waid will stay on the title until the relaunch in July, while Samnee has left Marvel altogether.

Even with the problems Captain America #700 has, I highly recommend picking up this run. Waid and Samnee’s work on Cap’s book is one of the best I’ve read, and a welcomed return the Cap fans love. If only Marvel had kept them on the book a little bit longer.

Captain America score: B

I paid to see that: Catch that Kid

Every once in a while, the mood to see a movie strikes you. It doesn’t matter what movie you go see, all that matters is that you go to the movies, overpay for a small soda, a bag of stale popcorn, and watch something on the big screen. Doing this lead me to some interesting viewing choices over the years, like 2004’s “Catch that Kid.”

If you’re too young to remember, you should know that by early 2004, kid spy movies were all the rage in Hollywood. This was due to the success of the likes of “Spy Kids,” “Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams,” and “Agent Cody Banks.” Since those movies scored big for Dimension Films and MGM, 20th Century Fox decided to take a stab at the genre with a little film called “Catch that Kid.”

Or at least, that’s what 20th Century Fox wanted you to believe with some of their marketing campaign. But once you watched the movie, you quickly realized “Catch that Kid” is in no way shape or form a spy movie. If anything, “Catch that Kid” is a heist adventure movie.

“Catch that Kid” was directed by Bart Freundlich and starred Kristen Stewart, Corbin Bleu, Max Thieriot, Jennifer Beals, and Sam Robards. Pre-crazy Stewart stars as Maddy Phillips, an athletic young girl whose father Tom (Sam Robards) once climbed Mount Everest. He took a nasty fall on the way back down, which is why he discourages Maddy from climbing like he did. Her mother Molly (Jennifer Beals) also forbids her to climb thing. But Maddy is young and not likely to listen to her parents, and as the movie opens, she’s scaling the local water tower.

Anyways, Maddy has two best friends. Austin (Corbin Bleu) who happens to be a computer geek. Gus (Max Thieriot) is the mechanic at the go-cart track operated by Maddy’s father. And because this movie is aimed at young people, they both have crushes on her.

But this sort of thing does happens in real life I suppose. And like I said earlier, this was before Stewart lost her marbles for a bit.

Maddy’s seemingly perfect life changes one night while her dad and mom are dancing in the living room, he falls to the floor and says, “I can’t feel my legs!” It’s not the best dialogue, but at least he didn’t say “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” We then learn her dad is paralized, and the condition is incurable, except for an experimental procedure offered in Europe that costs $250,000. This of course, is money the family doesn’t have.

To add some drama, Molly the mother is turned down for a loan at the bank where she has installed the security system. The bank president, Brisbane (Michael Des Barres), is the cartoon version of a 1960’s Bond villain. After the bank turns the family down, the kids decide to take things into their own hands. With Maddy’s climbing skills, Austin ability to hack into the bank’s security system and Gus creating mechanical devices and mapping out the getaway, they’ll break into the bank vault and steal the $250,000.

I saw “Catch that Kid” by myself one Wednesday morning. The theater was pretty empty, except for a couple of moms and their kids. I don’t know if the women liked the movie, but the kids seemed to enjoy the hijinks. I have to admit that I didn’t completely hate this movie, and thought some of the action scenes were well-made, and entertaining.

The film’s plot is pretty straightforward, and the main arc doesn’t get bogged down in a lot of cute kid stuff. Once the film gets on with telling the main story, things move fast. “Catch that Kid” even had an unexpected surprise: the getaway scene with the kids in go-carts was fun and creative, and im surprised the idea isn’t used more often in movies or television.

However, where the film falters is early on with all the melodrama about the dad. It’s fine to have his illness be the cause for he kids actions, but the plot about him going climbing and not wanting his daughter to follow in his footsteps was unnecessary. Had the filmmakers just said the dad is sick and needs to money for treatment, things would have moves along at a better pace.

This movie isn’t perfect, but at least it was better than “Agent Cody Banks” and a bunch of other movies from that time. Maybe “Catch That Kid” doesn’t have the flash of the Spy Kids movies, but it was still a solid piece of entertainment, and a clever heist film.

Movie Flashback: Wild Things

Twenty years ago this week, I saw the film “Wild Things” on the big screen. The movie came along a few weeks after I had turned 20 years old, and going to see “Wild Things” that Saturday was a belated birthday present from some of my coworkers, or so I thought.

Turned out the coworkers I saw “Wild Things” with only wanted me to go because I could get them all into an R rated movie. Regardless, going to the General Cinemas in Braintree Ma. that night was fun and it was an event. The 7:05 showing was sold out, as was the 8:15 on another screeen. But since we really wanted to see the movie, we decided to stay until the 10:30 show.

Going in, I don’t remember any of us knowing much about “Wild Things.” Sure, we knew the movie starred Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards and Bill Murray, but it wasn’t like today where you can find out spoilers the second a movie opens. So it was nice when all the twists and turns the movie had, really surprised us.

From what I remember, everyone in our group liked “Wild Things.” But of course after we saw it, all the guys in the group couldn’t stop talking about was the scene where Neve Campbell and Denise Richards got it on with Matt Dillon. Like I said earlier, I was twenty years old, and neither I nor my co-workers had girlfriends.

Meanwhile, the girls in our group made fun of us for liking the threesome scene, but all they could talk about were Kevin Bacon’s bits, so we made fun of them for that. However, everyone agreed that Bill Murray stole every scene he was in. Strangely enough, “Wild Things” was the first time I liked Bill Murray in anything. Yup, you heard that right. I didn’t care for him before I saw him here. Crazy, I know.

I haven’t watched “Wild Things” since probably 2000 or 2001, so I don’t know if it still holds up. But on the night I saw it in the theater, I was amused in a couple of ways. One, “Wild Things” was surprisingly funny, and one of the most entertaining crime flicks from the 1990’s. The script was clever, and the characters were engaging.

Another thing that struck me while I sat in the theater, was how good Neve Campbell was. She only plays one character, but Campbell found a way to giver the role distinct personalities in each act of the movie. It was a shame she never got the credit she deserved for her work in this film.

At the end of the day, going to see “Wild Things” turned out to be just as much fun as the movie was. It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty years already, and it’s a shame we never got a proper sequel. And no, the low-budget direct to video crap that followed does not count.

For my money, nothing will beat the original “Wild Things.”

 

Domino #1 Review

DOMINO #1
Written by: Gail Simone
Art by: David Baldeón, Jesus Aburtov, Clayton Cowles
Published by: Marvel Comics

What it’s about…

Impossible curves. Impossible shots. Impossible targets. Marvel’s #1 soldier of fortune is back in an explosive new ongoing series!

The product of a failed super-soldier program, Neena Thurman always made her own luck as the sharpshooting mercenary known as Domino… but what happens when her own powers betray her? The hunter becomes the hunted as every mercenary in the game smells blood in the water! Plus: A pair of beloved Marvel characters return!

What I thought about it…

I’ll keep this one short: Domino #1 is the funniest comic I’ve read in years. Thank you Gail Simone!

Domino #1 score: A+

Lost in Space Review

Possible spoilers ahead!

Netflix’s “Lost in Space” is based on the classic 1960s family sci-fi series created by Irwin Allen. The series saw a family of castaways thrown into deep space along with a manipulative old doctor, a young hot-shot pilot, and an overprotective robot. The premise was the same for a 1998 film version, but the execution was flawed to say the least. The new “Lost In Space” on the other hand, is rather good.

The series premiere and follow-up episodes deliver an exciting, fun, and surprisingly dramatic, re-imagining of the original series. In the new “Lost in Space,” Toby Stephens stars as John Robinson. He’s a Marine and absentee father trying to re-connect with his wife and kids after spending years away from home.

His estranged wife Maureen is played by the always great Molly Parker. Maureen is a genius-level engineer and with John gone most of the time, she became the primary caregiver to their three children: Penny Robinson (Mina Sundwall) is the wild child, Judy (Taylor Russell) is only 18 but already a doctor, and finally there is Will (Maxwell Jenkins), the youngest member of the family, and the center of most of the action.

I wasn’t sure how the whole estranged family angle would work, but I found it to be quite effective and one of the show’s best plotlines. Having a divided family gave the Robinson kids the opportunity to develop rather quickly. By episode two we know plenty about each of the Robinson kids, including their strengths and weaknesses and their individual personalities. We also see how their parents fractured relationship is affectiong each kid.

In this “Lost in Space, the Robinson family find themselves on a distant planet, however, they are not alone. Along for the adventure are, Parker Posey as the new Dr. Smith (with a nice little twist), and Ignacio Serricchio as Don West. Unlike previous versions, this Don West is not a hotshot pilot, but a mechanic with a fondness for smuggling and a chicken named Debbie. Watch the show, I promise the chicken thing will all make sense.

But that’s not everyone stranded on the planet. The new series sees the family as one of many survivors of a colonization effort set for Alpha Centauri. When their space station is attacked, many families escape in their Jupiter lifeboats. Many survive the crash landing, but have no way to contact the space station.

This is a big change from the old tv show and the 1998 movie. I don’t know how long time fans will feel about this, but for me, the change works. It works in large part because it gives the Robinsons other people to interact with. Therefore, new relationships are formed; Doctor Smith can play more mind games; and new adventures are launched.

In the acting department, Toby Stephens is very good as John Robinson. Stephens has really improved as an actor since his dreadful work in “Die Another Day.” His character here is a complex one, but the actor delivers a solid performance as a never-say-die soldier. John is also well aware of his failures as a father, and is trying to make amends.

Meanwhile, Molly Parker’s Maureen is fiercely independent and easily the smartest person in the family. Quite often, we see Maureen working out a problem while at the same team teaching her children how she’s doing something. It becomes clear from early on that the kids have much more in common with her, than with John. However, Maureen is also willing to break the rules, if it can ensure a better future for her children.

I should also mention that Parker and Stephens have great chemistry even when their characters are bickering with one another. But the two were at their best when they find themselves stuck in one of the Chariots.

The same can be said of the Robinson children, especially in later episodes when situations force each of them to carry the weight of an episode. The standouts for me were Penny Robinson (Mina Sundwall), and Judy (Taylor Russell). Will on the other hand, got annoying. However, I don’t blame Maxwell Jenkins for this. I think the blame goes to the script which made Will extremely naive and borderline stupid. But I will say that the character improved in the last couple of episodes.

The cast is solid for the most part, even the other survivors were surprisingly strong in supporting roles. But when it’s all said and done, Parker Posey steals the show in “Lost in Space.” She is awesome as Doctor Smith, and she’s scary too. Posey had this look in her eyes that makes you believe she would kill anyone to achieve her goals.

For the most part, “Lost In Space” impressed me with its unique take on a classic. The character development was strong, as was the world building, not just on the planet, but for the space station too. With this show, Netflix has delivered a fun sci-fi family adventure that had plenty of twists and turns that left me wanting more.

“Lost in Space” score: A-