We’re ranting about comic book events, upcoming Dreamworks Animation films, and my hometown makes the news!
Monthly Archives: May 2009
Episode 2.33: Rick n’ Roll
Some episodes of U62: The Targ and lovingly handcrafted, and brimming with issues that I’m just burning to talk about. Others are phoned-in affairs that I throw together the day before just for the sake of making sure this show remains weekly.
And this week’s episode, Episode 2.33: Rick n’ Roll, tends to be that second kind of show. I fall back on my old stand-by topics of KFC, 7-11, and Pixar. I couldn’t even think of a third fast food/convenience type of business to round out the trinity. Next time, I’ll be sure to slip in Husky.
Episode 2.32: Assorted Rants
This week, there’s nothing but rants on my mind. I’m ranting about dropping a lot of cash on action figure accessories, I update you on what Kevin Smith’s got cooking, and a reflection on the state of music in superhero films.
Episode 2.31: Great Time for Geeks!
We’re live on location talking about Free Comic Book Day, Car Culture and the new Star Trek!
Movie Review – X-Men Origins: Wolverine
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Directed by Gavin Hood
Starring Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Will.i.Am, Lynn Colilns, Taylor Kitsch, and Ryan Reynolds.
Backstory
Once upon a time, a long time ago, a friend of mine told me that the dream for an X-Men film franchise would be to start off with a Wolverine film, finally detailing Wolverine’s mysterious origins, and have it end with Wolverine joining the X-Men. And then, for a sequel, we can have an X-Men movie. Well, it’s the 21st century, and we now do things backwards, thanks to the concept of prequels. We’ve had an X-Men trilogy now, and they figured it was finally time to tell us where Wolverine came from. Well, where did he come from?
Plot
Young James Logan is born on a sprawling ranch in the Northwest Territories in 1845. He discovers his mutant powers when he kills his father’s murderer in his first berserker rage. With his half-brother Victor, they become legendary soldiers, fighting in war after war after war. Eventually, they are recruited by William Styker for his black-ops team made of mutants. However, Logan begins to tire of the fight, and walks away, starting a new life in the Rockies with a schoolteacher name Kayla Silverfox. But, one day, Victor returns to Logan’s life and murders his love. Seeking revenge, Logan goes back to Stryker, and submits to an experiment to make him the ultimate killing machine. Will Logan have his revenge? Or is it all part of some larger, more sinister agenda?
What I Liked
Ryan Reynolds was really good as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, and I really wish we got more of him. Same with Taylor Kitsch as Gambit. Shreiber was a surprisingly intimidating Sabertooth, and Jackman still delivers as Wolverine.
What I Didn’t Like
It really offers nothing new to the X-Men film franchise, being devoid of suspense. It just seems. You get the feeling that you’ve seen it all before.
Final Assessment
I found it vastly underwhelming.
2 Nibs
Movie Review – Star Trek
Star Trek
Directed by J. J. Abrams
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, Bruce Greenwood, Eric Bana, and Leonard Nimoy.
Backstory
Well, here it is, my most anticipated summer blockbuster of 2009. I’m a huge trekkie, and the thought of a Star Trek reboot was one I approached with an open mind. The more I learned about this project, the more I was reminded of a scenario played out in the book Star Trek: Phase II — The Lost Series. It asked “What if Star Trek was just another fondly remembered TV show and just now was being turned into a movie?” That’s really what is seems like Abrams and crew set out to do with the original series. I booked a day off work so I could see it opening day. Did it meet my expectations?
Plot
A mysterious rift opens up in space, and out comes a Romulan ship of advance design, which promptly destroys the U.S.S. Kelvin. During the evacuation of the Kelvin, a child is born…James T. Kirk. We flash forward 25 years. Kirk is now a brash young man who is dared to join Starfleet. While in the academy, he makes his friends with a rising medical officer named McCoy, and enemies with an undergraduate instructor named Spock. But, before things can be settled, a distress call is sent out, and these cadets are called into action! That mysterious Romulan ship has returned, and it has a mysterious connection with Spock. Will Kirk and the rest of these young cadets made to command the Enterprise be able to stop this mysterious threat?
What I Liked
Ever since the Star Wars prequels and Lord of the Rings, this is the Star Trek movie I’ve been waiting for. Finally, all the special effects technology at our disposal was used to tell a truly epic Star Trek story. This doesn’t feel cheap, this doesn’t have a 2-hour special episode of Voyager vibe. This is a Star Trek movie. The characters are as close to I remember them, with Karl Urban’s McCoy being very dead on. And there’s lots of clever in-jokes to the rest of the franchise if you know what to look for.
What I Didn’t Like
Well, despite all their attempts at something new, they still manage to fall victim to some of the cliches of the franchise. They made one change to a certain character relationship that just kind of comes out of nowhere. The space scenes are darkly lit, making it tough to figure out what was going on. And who the hell decided that Chekov should have the same accent as Borat?
Final Assessment
This is Star Trek writ large. We’ve never seen it on this scale, and it looks good on this scale. A fine beginning to what will probably be the latest Star Trek series.
3.5 Nibs
Episode 2.30: Inconvenience
I rant about my education, read up on Expo 2010, and more on the new Star Trek film!