Worth A Read? Guardians of the Galaxy: Guardians Disassembled

Remember that hit movie from the summer with the walking tree and the talking raccoon? Well it was actually based on a comic book series that hardly anyone had ever heard of, but ever since writer Brian Michael Bendis restarted the title it's been a hit comic book series.

In the third volume of the GotG reboot the Guardians are on the run from Star-Lord's father, the king of the Spartax Empire, who has a bounty on all their heads. One by one the Guardians are picked off and separated to various parts of the universe. Rocket is back to being a science experiment, Drax is put on trial by the Shi'ar Empire, and Peter's dad gives him one more chance to join him or be executed. Their only hope lyes with the Guardians newest recruit; Venom, a.k.a. Flash Thompson.

I've always enjoyed Bendis's work but now that he writing Guardians of the Galaxy as well has several X-Men titles I find myself reading his words more than usual.  The book starts out with Tony Stark asking Venom to take his place with the Guardians as Earth's representative.  I like the newest interpretation of Venom in the Marvel U as a dark/slightly unstable hero.  Flash's journey ends on a sour note, but I'm curious if they'll dive more into the symboite suit's origin since every alien Flash runs into seems to know more about it than he does.

Bendis writes the characters very well, giving them each their own brand of personality and fun.  Captain Marvel shows up to help lend a hand; out of nowhere I might add. It's never really explained what she is doing on that side of galaxy so I guess we're just supposed to roll with it. The end of the book gives you previews into the current Captain Marvel and Venom comics with the purpose of getting to know Carol Danvers and Flash Thompson a little better, whether it be for the sake of the book or other "cinematic" reasons. Another preview in this book is Guardians of the Galaxy 3000.  If you've read the previous GotG series you'll recognize the leader carrying Captain America's shield as Vance and even Yondu from the 2014 movie.

The main artist in this volume is Nick Bradshaw, who previously worked on Wolverine and the X-Men, but Michael Oeming does finish off the storyline. I'm not a fan when a book switches artist mid-story but I'm sure something came up since it's not that common.  I do, however, miss the art of Steve McNiven from previous GotG books, but Bradshaw is a decent substitute. And while I don't dislike Oeming, I don't think he's right for GotG.

Guardians Disassembled was a good four-part story but felt I like it could have been a better six-part plot. The end of the book was full of teasers from Captain Marvel to Spider-Man that I really wasn't interested in. I feel like since this is the first GotG graphic novel released post-movie they filled it with other titles they want you to read, knowing people who liked the movie might pick up this book. From a marketing perspective it's good move, but as a regular reader I'd rather get more story.

This volume does make a good starting point for anyone who just saw the Guardians of the Galaxy and wants to dive deeper. Tony Stark even explains each Guardian, and their history, to Flash and new readers. As long as Bendis keeps writing Guardians of the Galaxy I'll keep reading it.

Worth A Read: Yes

Mallrats 2? Why?

Last week, filmmaker Kevin Smith announced he is working on a sequel to his 1995 film, Mallrats.  The original film came out just as I was on the cusp of my adolescence.  It was full of swear words, fart jokes, and lots of comic book references.  So naturally I loved it.  And all these years later, I still consider it one of my favorite comedies of all time.  But when word came down from high that a sequel was in the works all I could think was; who cares.

Growing up, I loved the films of Kevin Smith.  His Jersey-verse helped shape a part of who I am today.  Since those early days, Smith has gone on to do films like Zack and Miri Make A Porno, Red State, and Tusk.  All films that have nothing to do with Jay and Silent Bob.  I thought it was a natural progression for Smith to make films that weren't centered around New Jersey. Now, with another Clerks sequel on the horizon as well, it appears Mr. Smith may be just trying to return to properties that made him famous to begin with. 

The first Clerks movie was about two friends trying to figure out life in their 20's, and the sequel was the same, except in their 30's.  The upcoming third Clerks film is set to have the same premise, except now the characters are in their 40's.  That idea seems like it would work.  The end of Clerks II saw Dante and Randal opening up their own convenience store and looking like life was going to be ok.  But as most of us know, that's never the end of the story.  I would be curious to see Dante and Randal ten years later, wondering how they've changed, and what new struggles running their own business has brought them.

Mallrats, however, ended with the audience being told what became of the characters.  Brandy and T.S. got married. Brodie took over hosting The Tonight Show with Renee as his band leader.......and was well liked by his mother.  That already sets up what happened.  The movie itself was about these particular characters and how they spent one day at the mall.  I love watching Mallrats, but given that's it's 20 years later I don't want to see a sequel when I was already told what happened to everyone.

I feel like Kevin Smith is just hoping we fans will flock to the nostalgia and spend money to see these long overdue sequels we once craved.  I also feel like this is a step back for Smith as a filmmaker.  Sure none of his films following the Jersey-verse were a huge hit, but all Kevin Smith films seem to fly under the radar, and most of them, like Mallrats, do not get a cult following until much later.  If he has an idea that he thinks will for work great than I am all for a Mallrats sequel.  It was already announced that major cast members like Jason Lee and Shannen Doherty have already signed on to be in the sequel.  But most of the time, when a sequel comes out decades after the original, it's usually just a cash grab for a studio or filmmaker who is out of ideas.  I truly hope this is not the case, but my skepticism is on high alert, especially when talking about a film so close to my heart. If Mallrats 2 is great then I'll be ecstatic.  But if it isn't, Mr. Smith can expect a stink palm the next time I go to one of his Q&A forums.  Snoochie Boochies.

Cinderella Finally Turns Disney Animation Into Live-Action Magic

How do you get a guy like me to watch a movie like Cinderella?  Well, first, you get the director of Thor; Kenneth Branagh.  Then you fill the supporting cast with great actors like Cate Blanchett, Helen Bonham Carter, Stellan Skarsgard, and Game of Thrones star Richard Madden as the prince. Being a big GoT fan I couldn't help but rush at the chance to see Robb Stark at a party his entire family doesn't die at.

Lily James stars as Ella, a young woman who has lost both her parents to tragedy, and is then forced into servitude by her step-sisters and step-mother, played by Blanchett.  When Ella runs into a charming man named Kit she desires to go to the royal ball in hopes of seeing him again, but her step-mother will have none of it.  With some help from her fairy godmother Ella becomes the belle of the ball and meets Kit on the dance floor; still not knowing he is the prince.  However, Ella must depart from Kit at midnight leaving behind only a glass slipper. The prince must find his love before he is forced to marry someone else, but if it's up to Ella's step-mother that day will never come.

Well, now that I've just given you an overview of a story we all know let me try and tell you something new.  Cate Blanchett nails the part of the wicked step-mother.  It's no surprise given her talent, but he helps carry James through a few scenes that make their relationship work on-screen.  Not that Lily James wasn't a delight. She played the lead wonderfully, and seemed to have some actual chemistry with Madden.  The only other actors who I think made a difference in this film were the two girls that played Cinderella's step-sisters; Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger.  They were quite funny; just as their characters are supposed to be.

Kenneth Branagh has always been good at period pieces.  He has a way of making an unfamiliar time and place seem recognizable and comfortable.  However, I felt like the film could have used at least one decent action sequence, and chasing a stag nor fencing practice counts in my book.

The real surprise delight in this film was the music by Chris Doyle.  Doyle worked on Thor with Branagh and has also scored films like Brave and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  I think his music helped elevate the more memorable scenes like when Cinderella arrives at the ball and Ella and Kit meeting at the end of the film.

If I were to give this film any strikes it'd be the constant narrating by Helen Bonham Carter throughout the film.  After a while I just wanted her to shut it and let us see the events unfold without color commentary.  I didn't even mind the CGI mice that Cinderella seemed to communicate with.  If they were wearing clothes like in the 1950 animated film I might have taken issue with it though.

I also enjoyed how well Branagh and company stuck to the original source material.  Other classic Disney animated movies turned live-action like Alice in Wonderland or Maleficent tried to put a modern spin on their tales.  This film was a straight adaptation with a good message.  "Have courage, and be kind."

Overall, when the film was done, I felt like this was the best interpretation of the material I've ever seen.  I only wished my daughter was a little older as I saw girls in princess outfits dancing in the aisles after.  I will buy it when it comes to blu-ray so she can grow up watching it.  Though, for now, I'm sure she'll enjoy the Frozen Fever short more than the actual movie.  Then, one day, when she comes of age to watch Game of Thrones, she'll probably find it even more terrifying when Kit, his wife, his mother, and unborn child all die a horrible, bloody, death. 

RATING:  B

Worth A Read? Daredevil: Devil At Bay

A few days ago the second trailer for the upcoming Daredevil TV series premiered.  On April 10th, Netflix will give us the entire season all at once, which means I will not will be reachable for about two days.  With that in mind, I've started re-reading older Daredevil titles to prepare myself.  Of course the Frank Miller story lines are the foundation of the Man Without Fear, but I've also been continuing the current series being written by Mark Waid.  

In a new continuity for the Guardian of Hell's Kitchen, Waid has taken Matt Murdock out of New York and placed him in San Francisco for a fresh start. Having all of the Big Apple know he's Daredevil puts his friends in danger, but that's why Matt doesn't have anyone he cares about except his law partner and semi-girlfriend, Kirsten, and his former law partner, Foggy, who is as good as dead to the rest of the world. In the City By The Bay, Matt is working with the local police to help fight crime during the day as the blind lawyer and at night as Daredevil.  But another vigilante in San Francisco is looking to clean up the streets; the Shroud. Matt teams up with this D-rated hero,who is borderline psychotic, in order to take down one of Daredevil's oldest enemies;  the Owl. But when they face-off against the villain Matt isn't sure whose side the Shroud will come down on.

Waid has been one of my favorite writers ever since he wrote the phenomenal Kingdom Come. His first Daredevil series started out good, but wained my attention has it went on. Daredevil started fighting more supernatural villains than street crime. I loved the beginning of this series as Matt is using his super senses to help the SFPD hunt down a kidnapped child, and they know about his alter ego. I also enjoyed the Shroud being a mirror image to what Matt could be if he wallowed in his self-pity all the time. But I don't think he's a character that has enough depth to stick around of the long haul.

Chris Samnee is back drawing for Waid on this series.  His style seems a little less edgy compared to those of previous Daredevil artists like Joe Quesada and Alex Maleev. However, given Waid's more lighthearted writing of the character, I think Samnee's cartoonish style compliments Waid's words well.

Given my declining enthusiasm for Waid and Samnee's previous Daredevil series I'm still not ready to put Waid in the league of great DD writers like Miller, Brubaker, or Bendis.  But I'm willing to give him time to see how he ends his journey with Matt Murdock.  Eventually, Daredevil will return to Hell's Kitchen.  Any blind man could see that.

Worth A Read?  YES

CHAPPiE Brings A Human Element

     Have you ever seen the film Short Circuit?  It stars Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy about a military robot who gets struck by lightening and comes "alive."  This is the first thought my brain went to as I watched the trailer for CHAPPiE.  I felt like it was a modern take on the 1980's film.

     In the near future, a squad of police robots are made to bring down crime in a foreign land.  The robot's designer, played by Dev Patel, has even went a step further and created true artificial intelligence with CHAPPiE.  But a trio of criminals want to use CHAPPiE to help them with their work.  Meanwhile, a competing engineer, played by Hugh Jackman, is looking to use CHAPPiE as an excuse to push his own robot design, and create urban chaos in the process.

     As I browsed online for reviews of this film they seemed mainly negative.  But I don't see why.  My only problem with the movie was the ending.  There were too many slow motions shots during the final battle, which loses it's effect, and I'm not quite yet sure how I feel about the way Patel's character ended up.  But I thought the story of CHAPPiE was quite entertaining and I applaud director Neill Blonkamp by making a robot the most human character in the film.

     Sigorney Weaver also guest starred in the movie, who is said to be working with Blonkamp on the next Alien film.  But her part seemed was so small I don't believe it was of any significance.  Jackman however gave a refreshing performance by playing the film's true villian, a role we have not yet seen him play.  The best bad guys are the ones you are rooting for to die in the end, and I was definitely wanting Jackman to get what's coming to him. 

     I would be interested in seeing a sequel to this film just to see how the story continues for CHAPPiE and his maker.  I think Blonkamp's style is great and I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with the Alien franchise.  There were moments in this movie that made my heart break, and times I quietly cheered, and that's what I consider a good movie; when you got through the range of emotions and hope everything turns out OK in the end.

                                    

MY RATING: B-

Worth A Read? Aquaman: Sea of Storms

Anyone who reads my posts knows my nepotism for Geoff Johns.  DC's Chief Creative Officer has been a favorite writer of mine for years now.  He's ability to flesh out and expand the mythology of DC heroes has always been spectacular.  He's blown the door wide open for Green Lantern, brought the Flash back from the dead, and made Aquaman cool.  But after leaving Green Lantern and The Flash, the titles just dried up for me.  The current writers just don't hit the right notes.  So I sat down to see if the same would be true for Aquaman. 

Jeff Parker takes over writing duties for the King of the Seven Seas.  In Johns last run, Death of the King, Arthur found out his ancestors weren't the true rulers of Atlantis, but the betrayers.  We also learned that Atlantis is one of seven underwater kingdoms, each with a magical weapon to control their part of the ocean.  Parker continues this tale with Arthur and Mera returning to the surface for a much needed vacation, and Aquaman attending his high school reunion.  It seems a little cheesy, but actually pretty entertaining. 

Arthur also learns of Triton Base, a human operation that has set-up shop under the sea , and are looking to defend the surface world in case of another Atlantian invasion.  They are aided by Aquaman's frenemy; Dr. Shin.  Triton accidentally awakens the Karaqan and it's up to Aquaman to stop it.  On top of this fight, Arthur runs into a psychotic Hercules and teams up with Wonder Woman to re-incarcerate some greek monsters.  Meanwhile, Mera is diving deeper into Atlantis to discover who is still trying to kill her and Aquaman.

As I read on in this book my interest seemed to wane, except when the focus was kept on Atlantis problems.  Parker didn't provide any good dialogue or insight into the Aquaman/Wonder Woman relationship so it wasn't that good of a read, neither was the appearance of Swamp Thing.  But Mera's investigation into her assassination attempt, and Triton's secret plans, were enough to get me to finish the book.  I think Parker just needs to stay focused on expanding the Atlantis mythology Johns set-up.  Paul Pelletier and his accompanying artist aren't Ivan Reis, so the story has to be strong to hold my attention.

WORTH A READ?:  Only if you're an Aquaman fan.