Monday, April 28, 2014

Clif-Notes: Knights of Badassdom

In order to help mend his broken heart, Hung and Eric (Peter Dinklage & Steve Zahn) trick their friend Joe (Ryan Kwanten) into their big weekend of LARPing (Live Action Role Playing for the novices). While casting a spell in order to get Joe's character into the game, they find that the book used is actually filled with spells and an evil succubus is summoned. What follows is hilarity as any geek would love it.
Evil Dead, combined with Fan Boys with an ending that would give Tenacious D a run for their metal money, this movie was awesome. It wasn't brilliant. It has some pretty cheesy moments and the effects were a little hokey and Syfy-ish but it had down pact the feeling of geekdom and how things are looked at. As a proud geek, I say with the fullest of confidence that we take things a little too seriously at times and this movie doesn't stray from that. And it's not done with malice or even the greatest of intelligence, which is probably exactly how most of us would understand it the most. It doesn't have the greatest ratings across the boards (5.9 on IMDB and a 56% on Rotten) and I honestly understand why some people wouldn't like it. I am not one. I laughed and cried and wanted to change my life with every scene. Well, maybe not but I did laugh and I thoroughly enjoyed myself the entire movie and that's the greatest thing that any movie can do.


Thursday, April 24, 2014

NB of the Week

-WELCOME TO THE SPOILS, PAL-

Justice League United #0 - Justice League Canada: Part 1 (of 5)

Written by Jeff Lemire
Drawn by Mike McKone

Remember when DC was gonna give Canada their own Justice League team? Well, this is what happened with it. Throw in some space adventures and a home base in the Great North, and you know get Justice League United.
While at a fan convention of some kind, Animal Man and Stargirl are approached by Dr. Adam Strange, a local university professor and anthropologist. Turns out he needs their help after a dig went wrong. He and and "associate" (comic code for Lady Lover) had come across some weird skeletons. Bones that were not of the earthly kind. But before they knew it, his associate was suddenly beamed outta there. Now he needs the duo's help to find her.
As they follow him to the dig site, they are quickly attacked by aliens (thus confirming even more his story). In pop Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter after it turns out that Stargirl had called on her former teammates (former? Yeah, since Forever Evil still isn't finished, we have no idea why) for help. After stopping the attack, Manhunter and Arrow find that the alien's secret lair has been buried beneath them this whole time. As they prepare for an even bigger fight (as comics tend to setup), one of the aliens escapes, bringing us to their big boss as he says their plans are already in motion and gives us his name: Lord Byth.
Meanwhile and elsewhere, Strange's associate is imprisoned and being given to new, Pretty-Boy Lobo. As she tries to create an uprising amongst the others, she is joined by only one other who is willing to fight Lobo: Hawkman. How he was ever captured, I have no ides yet but that's a fight I can't wait for.
Here's the honest thing about this - DC kinda sucks. Their New 52 stuff has been mostly bust for me so another League book being launched wasn't the most exciting thing. Except they put Lemire on it. Not only has he been able to make such duds as Green Arrow and Animal Man awesome again but after reading his Sweet Tooth, he has my support in most anything. Yes it's an early start to this series but it's a very promising start and I look forward to reading it for hopefully a good while.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Trailer Watch: The Grand Seduction

The Doc Hollywood comparison comes strait to mind. I'm not sure that this will be a great movie but I feel like I could really get behind it.


Thursday, April 17, 2014

NB of the Week

It may feel like a small week but that's only because it was.

Wonder Woman #30
We get a smaller, lead-in issue to what we know is going to be a huge battle. Wonder Woman has to find a way to gather her troops behind her cause while First Born is still trying to conquer the rest of the Gods now that he has Olympus. Awesome, awesome stuff from Azzarello.

Witchblade #174
Sara Pezzini reunites the two parts of the Witchblade as she defeats the Angelus. There is still a large mystery as to how it happened (not to mention how the Darkness is apparently dead) but Image does claim that all will be revealed and that "good things come to those who wait". Marz back in the book is definitely a huge bonus for the title.

Ultimate FF #1
After Galactus nearly took out the Ultimate-verse, a new Future Foundation has taken the empty place that defunct-SHIELD left. The team now includes Sue Storm, Falcon, Iron Man and X-51. Oh, and the return of the original Doom. Good luck with that guy, FF.

Justice League #29
Cyborg, with the help of the Metal Men, shuts down Grid and plans to help free the League now... Is Forever Evil over yet?

Thor: God of Thunder #21
Roxxon attacks Thor where it hurts the most: Broxton. As they buy up all the land and begin to pollute everything, Thor is helpless as a restraining order prevents him from nearing the place. Very well written stuff but a little on the boring side this story. Thor vs Big Business Pollution is not the most exciting thing.

Winter Soldier: The Bitter March #3
Winter is a bad mother Shut-Yo-Mouth. Shen tries his best to not die again as Winter proves just how deadly he is. However, electricity is undoing his brainwashing. Will he remember Cap and his history? Well, not for long if he does since we know what happens after all this. But damn good story.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

NB of the Week

-WHERE DID CAPTAIN AMERICA LEARN TO SPOILS A CAR?-

Iron Fist: the Living Weapon #1 - Rage: Part One
Written & Drawn by Kaare Andrews

The Dragon returns in a new ongoing series from the extraordinary Kaare Andrews. And if you ever read his
Spider-Man: Black Reign, you know what kind of flare he can bring. However, the Rand we get is a bit of a downer. The issue does a great job of retelling his origin with a little more spunk thrown in but Danny seems pretty mopey. He seems like a hero lost. Somebody how isn't as happy as the last time we saw him but not quite to the emo-dancing-Spidey we all remember from Spidey 3. He is a man who feels haunted by his father and his legacy and ultimate fall. As Rand tells a reporter his story, we get a little change in that his father, on his quest for the city of K'un Lun, is a bit obsessed. To the point of crazy, as Danny tells it. In fact, it's those same crazy eyes that he now has. As he stands over his penthouse (I assume penthouse) window, staring at the corporate name his father left, he is attacked by undead ninjas. The worst possible kind of ninjas. The fight here is pretty badass as he fists the hell outta them (yes, I used just the words I wanted). Turns out they came after looking were looking for a little girl. As Rand thinks he's won, in walks the little girl. She falls to the ground, arrows impaled over back, telling Rand that he must return to K'un Lun.
Iron Fist can be an amazing story, as Brubaker and Fraction have proven. This story, while a little "simple" in it's initial premise, feels like it's bringing him back to that. He's powerful and dark and slightly brooding right now but it all fit together so nicely that I don't mind if he's mopey. What I do know is that I want more Fist, more ass kicking and more Kaare Andrews doing it. Marvel may have the next big book on their hands.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

NB of the Week

-Just call me The Rock cuz you're getting the Rundown!-
(yes, I know how bad that one was but I couldn't find anything better. Sue me)

Inhuman #1
After the events of Infinity (last year), the Terrigen mists have been released upon the world. What that does is change anybody with an Inhuman gene into an Inhuman. If they're lucky. But not all societies of the Inhuman culture are happy with it. Charles Soule does a pretty decent job of taking over from the brilliant Matt Fraction as writer. Not much past set-up but a solid start.

Starlight #2
Duke McQueen is not 40 years older and out of shape since he save Tantalus and now some kid wants him back because they're in even bigger trouble now. Hero epics don't get any more basic than this and Millar's pulling it off wonderfully. Now we just hope Duke survives this time around.

Artifacts #36
Apparently Ron Marz is done writing this book and every issue gets worse and worse. I think it's time to drop this one. Oh, and Tilly comes across an equation that is making people kill. Yay.

Earth 2 #22
Alan Scott is back and more pissed off than ever. Too bad those first pages telling us that are all wee see of him. Meanwhile, Superman attacks Batman and the others. As he goes for the new, young Kryptonian (a Zod...), Lois reveals herself to him to his big surprise. End of Issue. Again, not much progress but a good issue.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Prelude #1
Turns out Nebula is a big ol' failure. Gamora, Korath and herself are agents of Thanos and after an Orb that he really, really wants. Only she fails to get it. I assume this is what we see Quill take in the trailer and if these guys all want it, Thanos can't be too far behind.

Ultimate Spider-Man #200
As a lead into the new Miles Morales: Spider-Man series, we get what would be the 200th issue is Ult Spidey (with some mini series trickery I don't agree with). Bendis uses it beautifully as all the characters join to remember the like of Peter Parker and what he meant to them. Only (AND SPOILS BE FOLLOWING) it looks like he may be back as on the last page of the issue, we see what looks likes the back of Pete as he watches everybody leave his Aunt's home. Guess dead isn't so dead in the Ultimate-verse.

Captain America #19
Not much here but still really awesome as Cap attacks Mindbubble and Iron Nail. He gets the upper hand of Nail but by the end, falls prey to Mindbubble's mind bubbles. Hopefully Cap can get back to basics and start kicking ass again. My bet's on that happening.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Trailer Watch: The Drop

James Gandolfini, Tom Hardy. I'm in.