http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Tue, 28 Feb 2006 07:02:35 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/28/070235.php Dave HillThe Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805, by Richard Zacks (2005) - Audiobook narrated by Raymond Todd.State-sponsored terrorists! Kidnappers! Extortion! Human rights violations! Wishy-washy US and European response! US covert military intervention to enact a regime change! Meddling by self-aggrandizing diplomats! Peace treaties that solve nothing! Betrayed allies! Disgruntled war heroes! Vengeful, dissent-crushing presidents!If the above sounds like one of those "ripped from the headlines" stories, well, one could certainly draw parallels to US foreign interventions since ... well, since this one. This tale of the Pirate Coast -- the Barbary Pirates, to be exact -- recounts the first honest-to-gosh military conflict and covert ops on foreign soil ever pursued by the US.Ongoing piracy, enslavement, and ransom/tribute demands from the Barbary Coast -- the NW African coast from modern Libya to Algeria -- had plagued European and American shipping for decades leading up to 1805. In response, a former diplomat and army colonel, William Eaton, wangles a commission from Thomas Jefferson to try and displace the reigning pasha of Tripoli, Yussef, with his deposed and exiled brother, Hamet. The actual trigger for this action is the capture and enslavement of 300 men of a US warship that absurdly runs aground in Tripoli harbor and is captured.The ensuing military campaign is, on one level, trivial. Eaton, with a handful of US Marines, a hundred foreign mercenaries dredged up from around Egypt, Hamet's entourage, and as many Arab and Bedouin troops as he could manage to bribe from day to day, managed to take the Tripolitan port city of Durna from a vastly larger force and hold it for a month. It was the first time the US flag had been raised on foreign soil (outside of North America), and the campaign still echoes in the Marine Corps' hymn, "... to the shores of Tripoli ..."Outside of that, the story takes on aspects of tragedy and farce. Half the US navy in the Mediterranean -- a tiny fleet to begin with -- wants little to do with the firebrand Eaton, a Shakespearean mix of bravery, bombast, and bull-headedness. Certainly the diplomats and consuls in the area disdain the whole idea of a military intervention and undercut Eaton at every turn, ultimately throwing away his victory with a peace treaty that nearly gives away the store, and certainly betrays all those who had been egged on into action by the US.And afterwards, an embittered and debt-ridden Eaton returns home to a hero's welcome, but as he undiplomatically expresses his dissatisfaction with the episode's resolution, President Thomas Jefferson takes it as affront to his foreign policy and hand-selected negotiator, Tobias Lear. Jefferson decides Eaton must be crushed, and effectively does so, driving the celebrated hero to an untimely self-destruction.The tale is a great one, full of detail and recounting from primary records of the time -- diaries and letters from diplomats, naval officers and ratings, soldiers on the trail with Eaton, and Eaton himself. While real life rarely has the taut timing of fiction, Zacks does a good job of playing the different threads of the story together, and bringing the various players to life. While the campaign against the Barbary Pirates -- which would be resolved far more satisfactorily a decade later -- is now more of a footnote in history compared to what else was going on during Jefferson's administration, at the time it was the stuff of headlines, as the barbarous Musselman slavers dragged good Christian men and women -- some of them Americans, by God! -- into Dantesque hells of slavery and degradation! Zacks captures the tenor of the time, and, most importantly, a sense of William Eaton, a man whose love of liberty and the principles he saw America founded on (plus, to be fair, whose jingoism, bigotry, and self-righteousness) led him to one disastrous adventure after another, ultimately to be defeated by both a surprisingly political President and his own inner demons.While the subtitle on the book is "Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805," the focus is mostly on the latter (itself an ill-kept secret) and on William Eaton. Jefferson comes off much more as a political schemer, an ivory tower philosopher who learns far too well the ways of power and manipulation. The Marines -- a tiny portion of the US force, though important -- were not the renowned fighting troops they are today, but were usually lower-paid ship-board or dock guards, and they'd hardly show up in the title were it not for the "shores of Tripoli" connection.No, this is Eaton's tale, and the story of the events around him that shaped his mission and its tragic aftermath. And it's a tale about how some things never change, about how regime change and covert ops in foreign countries (as often bungled or uselessly thrown away as not) have been themes in foreign policy for years.Raymond Todd does a serviceable job with the narration, though the sound editing could use some work; while the recording is clear enough, some of the paragraphs, especially between narrative threads, get run together, and at times there are rather jarring transitions that almost certainly read more clearly on the page.Anyone with an interest in early US history, especially its military/diplomatic aspects, would be well-served to read this book. Edited: [!--GH--] Books44212@blogcritics.org Tue, 28 Feb 2006 07:02:35 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/09/14/194431.php Dave HillI've been reading (and listening) to a lot of books of late. Here are some to share with you"Officer-Cadet, by Rick Shelley (1998): A young cadet on his first tour faces a not-very-mysteriously-motivated civil conflict. Slogging ensues. Unlike most military SF, this tale has neither moral quandaries, exciting tech, bloody melodrama, nor philosophical musings. Or, for that matter, interesting characters, compelling plotting, or much reason to finish it, let alone pick up the succeeding editions of the Dirigent Mercenary Corps series. Not bad, just numbingly pedestrian and routine in both tone and story.Serenity, by Keith R.A. DeCandido (based on the screenplay by, duh, Joss Whedon) (2005): A decent, but almost blandly faithful, rendition of the screenplay (for the upcoming movie) in novel form. For three-quarters of the book, the only differences between the two are the insertion here of scenes (from the TV show) of the Battle of Serenity Valley, and Simon trying to convince his parents that something is wrong with River, and even that is played with very straightforwardly. The problem is, with an adaptation of a movie like this, what the fans (or even the interested) want is something that provides some extra depth, added details, background from Joss translated into novel form, whatever. Instead, we get something that neither adds to nor detracts from the movie&#8212the screenplay without the visuals, which ends up making it fairly ho-hum. Even in the last quarter, when we begin to get some perspective work, the book remains fairly unilluminating. My recommendation? Purchase. Serenity: The Official Visual Companion, by Joss Whedon (Intro.) (2005): Ah. Truly sweet. A lengthy intro from Joss about the making of the movie and the Firefly universe, followed by the screenplay (including a few deleted scenes), all interlaced with numerous gorgeous color shots. A wonderful book for anyone with interest in the movie, or the 'Verse.Three for the Chair, by Rex Stout (1957): Three "fish out of water" Nero Wolfe tales, each having to do with an occasion that brings Wolfe out of his comfortable brownstone and out to the scene of the (eventual) crime. The individual stories are fine ones, but the combination robs the oddity of ... well, its oddity. Still, a decent Wolfe book is always worth it, and I've begun rereading my fairly extensive collection of them as "comfort food." Good stuff.The Crystal Gryphon, by Andre Norton (1972): One of Norton's finest fantasy novels, from her Witch World/High Hallack series. Having read this when it was new and I was young, I may have "impressed" on it like a baby chick, but this tale of the war- and magic-crossed protagonists, one a noble maiden who seeks her independence, the other the magically mutated scion of another duchy, still resonates with me. How they face prejudice, betrayal, war, and other Shakespearean-class plot complications continues to appeal.I recently purchased a second-hand hardcover edition of this, to make up for my worn-to-falling-apart paperback. It's a pity it's out of print.Smoke and Mirrors, by Neil Gaiman (1998): This was a fortuitous "airport bookstore" purchase for me, a fine collection of short and super-short stories by one of today's best fantasists. Though I could do without the poetry, the prose simply rocks, juxtaposing the normal with the magical (and often the dark) in a gripping fashion. I would seriously consider trading in a limb in order to write as well as Gaiman does. (And I have no doubt that he would write an interesting, charming, creepily delightful tale of someone making such a trade.)His Excellency George Washington, by Joseph J. Ellis (2004)&#8212Audiobook narrated by Nelson Runger: A methodical and well-crafted biography of Washington, portraying him neither as demigod nor demagogue, but as a strong, heroic man with occasional feet of clay, someone who well deserves to be considered the Hero of the Revolutionary War and the Father of His Country, but who was also possessed of both a temper and an aggrieved sense of sleights from others, as well as a fear of ridicule and poor reputation that drove him as much as any noble commitment to revolution and principle. Headstrong in battle, Washington was still the best and most effective military leader of the Revolution, and his careful style and insistence on stepping aside when the time was right (versus become the military dictator that some feared and many expected) entitle him to much of the admiration that subsequent generations have given him. An excellent review of the Revolutionary period and the First Presidency. This unabridged 13-CD (versus 352-page) audiobook proceeds at a decent pace, and Runger's narration is clear and even, almost, but never quite, to the point of being soporific. Adams vs. Jefferson: the Tumultuous Election of 1800, by John Ferling (2004) Audiobook narrated by Jack Garrett: While the focus is on the critical election (the first truly contested Presidential election that led, eventually, to a peaceful transfer of power in the nascent Republic) this book spends considerable time providing biographies of the principals&#8212Adams, Jefferson, Pinkney, Burr, Hamilton, and others&#8212involved in the contest. It gives extensive and understandable background to the conflict between the Federalists and the new Republicans&#8212a conflict whose rhetoric made the elections of 2000 and 2004 look like the calmest of civil debates (albeit the modern candidates couldn't hold a candle to those in 1800). Political dirty tricks, statehouse maneuverings, and a flawed electoral process defined in the Constitution ended up sending the election to the House of Representatives, where further furious deal-making and political chicanery barely led to our not ending up with a President Burr. Again, another fine, clear tale of the Revolutionary Era and the election that served as its "consummation," both proving that the Republic could endure and setting the grounds for the Jeffersonian Republican dynasty that so profoundly shaped American history.This unabridged 10-CD (versus 260-page) book is well narrated by Jack Garrett, who brings a newscaster's flare to the conflicted tale he tells. (Originally posted to my blog) Edited: PC Books36185@blogcritics.org Wed, 14 Sep 2005 19:44:31 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/01/30/210211.php Dave HillTime for more 40-word comics graphic novels/trade paperback reviews ...Review code format: [writing (5-1, faboo to mediocre) / art (5-1) / suitability for jumping on as a new reader (5-1) / suitability for hooking a non-comics reader (5-1). Doctor Mid-Nite (DC) [3/2/5/2] (collects mini-series #1-3) w. Matt Wagner, a. John K. Snyder III Batman-like intro of the new Doctor isn't helped by Snyder's odd painting style. The evil eco-terrorist corporate types seem trite, and Doc's street gang supporters are embarrassingly cliché. Not one of Wagner's better works, but worth a read for JSA background. Adventures in the Rifle Brigade (DC Vertigo) [3/3/4/2] (collects first mini-series #1-3 and second mini-series #1-3) w. Garth Ennis, a. Carlos Ezquerra Ennis's iconoclastic, scatological sense of humor falls flat here, over-hammering weak gags -- but at least ties into the stereotype of the combat crew of stereotypes. Glad I decided to wait for the TPB, and am sorry I bothered with that. Justice League of America: Another Nail (DC) [4/5/3/1] (collects mini-series #1-3) w/a. Alan Davis, i. Mark Farmer An Elseworlds sequel, but definitely feeling like a big "mid-summer cross-over event," and a decently over-complicated, overly-swift one at that. Not as good as the original, but a fine, friendly read. Ultimate Fantastic Four, Vol. 2: Doom (Marvel) [4/3/3/3] (collects #7-12) w. Warren Ellis, a. Stuart Immonen This alternate FF is oddly compelling, even while feeling shallow compared to four decades of the original. The four here learn more about their powers, as the evil Victor Van Damme (!) displays premature monomania against Reed. Fun, but no substitute. Hulk Visionaries: Peter David, Vol. 1 (Marvel) [4/4/3/3] (collects Incredible Hulk #331-339) w. Peter David, p. Todd McFarlane The first part of David's run, picking up from a goofy setup to the initial, decent exploration of the Grey Hulk. The stories improve during the run, even as neophyte McFarlane goes from crude to solid. (Fits right into a previous Hulk collection, which I expect to soon see republished under new title) Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne, Vol. 3 (Marvel) [4/5/3/1] (collects FF #251-257, Annual #17, Avengers #233, Thing #2) w/a. John Byrne Continues one of the title's best runs (and one of Byrne's), these 1983 issues focus mostly on the Negative Zone, Galactus stuff, and black uniforms. Byrne captured much of the old Lee/Kirby magic, albeit better drawn and less fresh. Classics. Mage, Vol. 1: The Hero Discovered (Image) [5/4/5/4] (collects the maxi-series #1-15) w/a. Matt Wagner Finally, a decent collection of a seminal moment in the mid-80s indie explosion, and in incorporating myth into modern forms. Wagner's tale starts a bit crudely, but rapidly grows polished, and the series remains one of my favorites. The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye and The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us (Image) [5/4/5/4] (collects #1-6 and #7-12) w. Robert Kirkman, a. Tom Moore, Charlie Adlard Kick-ass tale of a zombie post-apocalypse US. A strong tale, the undead as catalysts for inter- (and intra-) personal drama, the survivors confronting (sometimes badly) the changes they must face. Great horror, not from outward gore but inward anguish. Kirkman rocks.(This review originally posted on my blog.) Books24907@blogcritics.org Sun, 30 Jan 2005 21:02:11 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/12/06/192952.php Dave HillA few graphic novels that have been stacking up ... and up to forty words each about them.Review code format: [writing (5-1, faboo to mediocre) / art (5-1) / suitability for jumping on as a new reader (5-1) / suitability for hooking a non-comics reader (5-1). ]Mystique Vol. 2: Tinker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy (Marvel) [3/3/3/2] (collects #7-13) w. Brian Vaughan; a. Michael Ryan/Manuel Garcia Xavier's coerced covert operative, shape-shifter Mystique, plots her freedom (and deal with a past flame), even as other parties plot to slave her to them. Decent villain-as-protagonist action, a reasonable way to while away an hour or two. Invincible Vol. 3: Perfect Strangers (Image) [4/4/2/3] (collects #9-12) w. Robert Kirkman; a. Ryan Ottley An ostensibly simply-crafted tale of a teen hero coming-of-age takes an appropriately shattering lurch, as Invincible learns who really killed the Global Guardians, why, and what it means to his loyalties and his future. A great read.Outsiders Vol. 2: Sum of All Evil (DC) [4/4/3/2] (collects #8-15) w. Judd Winick; a. Tom Raney et al. Demonic Mafia threats, electric parental conflict, and the Fearsome Five -- Winick makes even goofy villains (and heroes -- Black Lightning? Captain Marvel Junior?) feel gritty and menacing. Nice, edgy heroic action. Essential Iron Fist: Vol. 1 (Marvel) [3/5/5/3] (collects pretty much everything to PM/IF #50) w. Chris Claremont, et al.; a. John Byrne, et al. The most super-heroic of the Kung Fu comic era, and arguably the most successful. Claremont/Byrne were a key to that success, after some rocky and fusty backstory and establishing eps from Thomas, Wein, Moench, and Isabella. Things begin to drift, then the unexpected Power Man shows up, and the classic (and stereotyped) odd couple is established. (Since the book's three times as thick as the rest, I gave myself twice the words. Deal.)Common Grounds: Vol. 1 (Top Cow) [4/3/5/4] (collects #1-6) w. Troy Hickman; a. Various Astro City meets Starbucks, as various short stories, centered around the neutral ground of a super-hero coffee shop, examine what life is really like for capes (heroes and villains) between bouts of fisticuffs. Edgy, hip, good writing, varied (decent) art. (Originally posted to my blog.) Books22980@blogcritics.org Mon, 6 Dec 2004 19:29:52 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/11/06/014129.php Dave HillIn a world where super-heroes once saved the day, but are now outlawed and "relocated," what happens to a super who just wants to help people, and his equally-powerful wife who just wants to raise their family without any trouble?It's funny. It's poignant. It's not terribly deep, but it's not just a laff riot. And it is freakin' beautiful.The Incredibles.I'm not going to go into the plot, simply because it's too much fun to watch it unfold unspoiled. It holds together quite well, though, without getting in the way of the action.Influences The influences behind The Incredibles' story are many. There's the whole super-hero comics genre, of course. Indeed, there are some superficial similarities with, of all things, Alan Moore's classic Watchmen.More on the surface, the Fantastic Four are an obvious parallel -- the super-family with a strong guy, a stretcher, an invisible girl with force fields, and a super-speedster ... well, make that three out of four. Toss in a mysterious younger child who appears to have no powers, and a final cameo villain appearance, and one has to wonder whether Marvel might not expand its suit against Disney (just kidding).The other major media influence on the look and feel of the film is the James Bond movie series. Many of the villain's lair set pieces look to have bought surplus from Blofeld, Goldfinger, Stromberg and Drax, complete with cool monorail pods, huge modern rooms carved out of the living rock, volcanoes, rocket silos, and endless guards. The score by Michael Giacchino (Alias, Lost) evokes some of the quieter riffs of John Barry's work from those "Golden Age" Bonds (Barry's music from On Her Majesty's Secret Service was used in some of the trailers). It lacks a truly powerful action theme or anthem, but it works pretty well, especially in those less busy moments.There's even an amusing homage (probably too subtle for most) to at least one Jonny Quest episode, "The Robot Spy."Animation The Pixar animation for The Incredibles is fabulous. This is the first major film of theirs with truly human (as opposed to, at best, toy) characters, and they do solid job of creating "solid cartoons." There are a few bobbles -- the nostrils don't quite look right, and some movement feels strangely at odds with gravity -- but overall it's quite good, and the expression of genuine emotion in such a cartoon form is eerily moving.Two flashy examples of both great animation and great understanding of the comics genre are:Dash's super-speed flight from the pursuing guards. Practically every super-speed shtick, from running on water to bugs in the teeth, takes place here, but it feels real (the guards' menacing rotary sawblade craft work marvelously here, too). Dash's ongoing discovery of what his powers can do is delightful to watch.Mr Incredible's buddy, Frozone, is an ice projector. He swings into serious action in the climactic battle at the end, and I suddenly understand, in his movements and the solidity of what he does, exactly how an ice projector (e.g., Ice Man) would actually operate, what it would look like. Truly marvelous.I'm glad the decision was made to run with this in CG form. The movie, at 115 minutes, is the longest all-CG film to date. The plot actually fills the time out nicely -- I never felt bored, rushed, waiting for the next scene, or wondering why we hadn't seen more of the goings-on. It wouldn't be nearly as good a film in either traditional animation, nor in live-action. In the CG realm, the amazing powers of these supers look both incredible and natural. With live actors, they will always look like special effects unless done really well, really subtly, or with the suspension of belief firmly in place before you get anywhere near them.Creative stuff While the movie's a great action romp, there's a bit of meat to those bones. There are themes about being yourself, and following your dream. There are themes about achievement, and what makes someone special (and whether, if everyone is treated as "special," nobody actually is). And, of course, there's the question of honesty in relationships. None of these gets explored in too much depth -- this is, after all, a fun action movie -- but they're there, almost subversively in some cases. To take an example, if you have a kid who run a few hundred miles an hour, what do you do when he wants to compete in sports? How do you teach him to be proud of himself, if you don't let him be himself?Kudos, by the by, to the writer for coming up with a long list of decent sounding yet unique super-hero names. It is not, I can attest, easy.The Kid Factor The movie is rated PG for "Action Violence," the first non-G rating for a Pixar film in the US. People get hit, things (and a few people) get blown up. Things get a bit anguished at times, and slightly dark, and a bit alarming. Katherine, who's going on 4½, and who's well familiar with Jonny Quest (the violence and menace are at a similar level) and Justice League, started out the movie over between Doyce and Lori, but, about mid-way through, moved over to sit on her mother's lap. She opined it was a little scary, and that she wished she had brought Blue Bunny with her -- but that was the extent of her upset, and she laughed and cheered at many of the parts. Overall, she said she enjoyed it, and she sat through the whole thing, and I don't think any lasting harm was done. I probably wouldn't have taken her a year ago, but she was able to handle it now.Extra bits In addition to main feature, the movie started with an entertaining (and much more kid-sensible) short Pixar tale, Boundin', an uplifting story of a dancing sheep and a jackalope (and one which is oddly and unexpectedly appropriate for this post-election period). And, yes, we got to see the Star Wars Ep. III trailer, which, remarkably, still gets the pulse pounding, even as you know that Lucas will manage to screw it up again.The only thing missing from The Incredibles was Pixar's trademark end-credit out-takes and fun bits. The end credits were creative, but nothing overly special.In short I'm not sure I agree with those who suggest that this is the best super-hero movie ever -- but the bar just got firmly nailed up higher, both in terms of what will need to be visually presented, and what will need to be described believably in a world of super-heroes.Overall, I highly recommend The Incredibles for lots of entertainment, lots of eye candy, a true appreciation for the genre, and just plain fun leavened with a spice of seriousness.(Originally posted at my blog.) Video21929@blogcritics.org Sat, 6 Nov 2004 01:41:29 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/10/17/151149.php Dave HillI am not a South Park fan, though I enjoyed the movie well enough. Still, I was eager to see TAWP, based on both my love adventure flicks (especially the old Thunderbirds series) and based on the bits I saw at the San Diego Comic-Con.The movie appropriate has the dual tag lines, "Putting the 'F' Back in Freedom" and "Freedom Hangs by a Thread!" If you're looking for ostensibly adult dialog coming from technically proficient but (intetionally) poorly handled marionettes, this is your movie. There are, in fact, a lot of funny bits in TAWP. The better ones send up one or another trope of action flicks and the Anderson Supermarionation shows, or lampoon some of the blind attitudes that characterize the "dicks," "pussies," and "assholes" of the world regarding the War on Terror (as explicated in a marvelously amusing speech near the end.)A goodly percentage of the humor, though, and not surprising in a Trey Parker production, relies on simple shock value, "I can't believe they'd say/do that" sorts of moments. It's a form of humor with limited utility, and by the time this film winds down, I found my own outrage circuits more than numbed -- which meant some of those bits had gone from shockily humorous to simply nasty or gross or pointless. You can only go over the top so long before it gets it gets passé. And judging from the scattering of laughter and groans in the movie audience, I wasn't the only one feeling that way.Which isn't to say that I particularly regret having invested the time to watch this Parker/Matt Stone flick. There is a lot of seriously funny stuff here, some of it remarkably subtle (and much of it set to music -- the "Montage" tune alone is worth the price of the sound track). And they are able to get away with a lot because of their willingness to lampoon and offend anyone (I can easily think of a dozen interest groups, including the Screen Actors Guild, which will not be offering the film makers any awards this year, and I strongly advise them to not travel to or near North Korea any time soon). But it all gets to be a bit much (I mean, you can poke fun at Tim Robbins and Alex Baldwin only so long, even if you do a great job of it). Indeed, I suspect the film would have been better about half an hour shorter, edited a bit more rigorously for the bits (even the outrageous and grotesque ones) that were really funny, and not just exercises in sniggering self-indulgence.This is probably one for the rental bin (and with some friends with you and some beers in you), though I suspect it will get plenty of quotation action in the coming years.(Originally posted to my blog) Video21087@blogcritics.org Sun, 17 Oct 2004 15:11:49 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/10/12/160639.php Dave HillBeen a while since I did one of these. Review code format: [writing (3-1, faboo to mediocre) / art (3-1) / suitability for jumping on as a new reader (3-1) / suitability for hooking a non-comics reader (3-1) / and and eagerly waiting the collected TPB (Y/N). ] All reviews in 40 words or less.Teen Titans/Legion Special #1 (DC) w. Geoff Johns, Mark Waid; a. Ivan Reis/Joe Prado, Barry Kitson [2/2/3/1/Y] Wraps the Superboy-in-the-Future arc, as well as the end of the current Legion incarnation. (Huzzah for Waid on Legion, but, gads, another reboot? Oddly anticlimactic for such a big cosmic issue. Too many cooks, but still fun.Loki #4 of 4 (Marvel) w. Robert Rodi; a. Esad Ribic [3/3/1/2/Y] Loki finally admits success isn't happiness, and decides to break out of his (and Thor's) destiny. Alas, it's too little, too late. Nice (non-canonical?) story, fabulous art. A must for any Thor fan -- better than the recent Jurgens work.Queen & Country #27 (Oni) w. Greg Rucka, a. Mike Norton [2/2/1/2/Y] Relatively dull second chapter of "Saddlebags." The plot thickens ... slowly. Politics at home, international scandal (industrial espionage, or military?), and conflicts between field agents dominate a tale more cinema-worthy than suited for comics. More excitement next time, one hopes.Green Lantern #181 (DC) w. Ron Marz, a. Luke Ross [2/2/1/1/N] Hal Jordan's coming, so we have to clear away Kyle. A "final" confrontation with Major Force provides a way -- but haven't we seen this angsty whining before? Bookends well with Marz' intro to Kyle, but not a good era change.Wonder Woman #208 (DC) w. Greg Rucka, a. Drew Johnson/Ray Snyder [2/2/2/1/N] Medusa attacks Diana at a Washington function, making an interesting mix of magic, combat, and dignitary schmoozing. A bit of politics, some slowly plodding C plots, and threats to the moderately loved supporting characters makes for a decent, if undistinguished, issue.Daredevil #65/445 (Marvel) w. Brian Bendis, a. Diverse Hands [2/2/3/2/N] It's DD's 40th Anniversary, so let's ... recap Bendis' tenure. Ho-hum, with mixed art. It's okay, but we've had so many recaps already, the overall plot feels tired even while Bendis does his usual sterling work with dialog.Runaways #18 (Marvel) w. Brian Vaughan, a. Adrian Alphona/Craig Yeung [3/2/1/3/Y] A "last" hurrah from this "fugitive mutant kids" title, as the remaining Fugies adjust to life with foster parentage. No longer on the run, can they find happiness? Three guesses. Can't wait for the next chapter in 2005.PvP #9 (Image) w/a. Scott Kurtz [3/3/3/3/Y] One of the most consistently funny web comics around, this earlier chapter includes Skull as an experimental gorilla and a "panty raid" on a not-quite-sorority. *Snork* There are few geeky topics that don't get loving lampooning here. Triffic fun.Nodwick #25 (Dork Storm) w/a Aaron Williams [2/2/3/3/Y] Piffany meets the "Clerics In Black" over french toast, recapping some past reality-twisting fantasy tales and foreshadowing the next arc of stories. Typical fun, along with a PS238 backup tale.Outsiders #16 (DC) w. Judd Winick, a. Dan Jurgens/Nelson [2/2/2/1/Y] Nightwing and Arsenal bicker over team leadership. Someone has other plans, though, along with a new member. Oh, and some bad guys get beat up. This second-tier title continues to produce better people stories than many higher-profile team books.Superman/Batman #12 (DC) w. Jeph Loeb, a. Michael Turner [1/2/1/1/N] Supes/Bats take on a brainwashed Supergirl (bleah) and Darkseid. Surprisingly ho-hum, except when Bats gets tough with the Apokalyptan ... and, I suppose, the "shock" (ho-hum) ending. Not one of Loeb's better efforts. A sad conclusion to a mediocre arc.Batman #632 (DC) w. Bill Willingham, a. Kinsun/Aaron Sowd [2/2/1/1/N] Part of the "War Games" cross-title arc, which looks to be intended to clear the decks of various Bat-cast and subsidiary heroes. Oh, and a crusading journalist is turning the city against Bats. Again, ho-hum.New Invaders #2 (Marvel) w. Allan Jacobsen, a. C.P. Smith [1/1/1/1/N] A muddled, muddled mess, as a bunch of second-string and refurbished heroes do goofy black ops. Lots of folks you don't know, and the ones you do don't actually behave they way you expect. Edgy? No, just dull. [On my drop list.]Exiles #52 (Marvel) w. Tony Bedard, a. Jim Calafiore [2/2/2/1/N] Ego! Celestials! A sentient Earth! The Exiles! The FF and Doom! Hard to mess that up. Still, we we end up with something only moderately interesting. This title continues to coast, and I hope it improves (or is canceled) soon.Wolverine #20 (Marvel) w. Mark Millar, a. John Romita, Jr./Klaus Janson [2/3/2/1/Y] Begins Millar's new tenure and year-long arc, as Wolvie gets captured -- and, we learn (bloodily), effectively brainwashed by Hydra . A good, solid start, though I'd rather do it not inside of Logan's head -- and I'll miss Rucka's more personal tales. (Originally posted on my blog.)(Note that the Panoply o' Amazony Goodness below doesn't reference these individual issues, but TPBs of these titles and writers.) Books20900@blogcritics.org Tue, 12 Oct 2004 16:06:39 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/09/17/192926.php Dave HillTo say that Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a mere trifle is to misspeak, for there is nothing "mere" to it. It is a massive candy shop of trifles, trifles everywhere, elaborately decorated, lovingly presented -- and ultimately empty of anything but the blissful experience of having consumed them.Visually, the movie is everything that a lover of pulp magazine tropes could love. On this, alone, the movie merits viewing on the big screen. Robots of every shape and size menace and march. Aircraft of different sorts soar, zoom, and more. Cities, both modern and hidden, are art deco wonders. Every scene looks like a cover of Amazing Science Fiction Stories during the 30s, with airships and rocket ships to boot.That the visuals are so incredibly rich can help mask that there's not much more behind the curtain. The action is relentless, though more to move us on to a new scene with new wonders. There's some recurring humor, some decent acting by the principals, but, frankly, Indiana Jones (which is what most often came to mind) looks like Citizen Kane compared to the depth, characterization, or plotting of SCatWoT. Things just happen, with the barest veneer of rhyme or reason. A freaking pantheon of deus ex machina outs serves merely to keep us from wondering for more than a few seconds how Our Heroes will survive. (Sometimes they don't even bother with that -- folks get captured, then escape, all off screen with the barest of explanations). Characters appear and disappear (and sometimes reappear again), places are visited and departed, with nothing (not even the the final scene) providing any sense of closure -- which makes the film seem to end almost abruptly, it's biggest weakness.Indeed, it's amusing that one of the ongoing bits is Gwyneth Paltrow's spunky reporter (out-Lois Laning Lois Lane in all categories) and her unwillingness to take one of her last few photographs for fear that they'll encounter something even more wonderful -- because they always do, which seems to be at least half the purpose of the film, the other half being a homage to every cool thing from that era of SF magazines. Plot almost gets in the way, and is just an excuse to show off how amazing the fx are. And they are, to an extent that you end up not caring why the bad guy is doing X, but then turns out to be doing Y.To that endthere's enough plot lacking, and enough action and settings and just sheer incredible stuff to have made a whole trilogy of movies, if not more. They get around that by merely trimming all the characterization and motivation and story to the absolute bare minimum -- the better to wow you with the next CG-generated wonder. We never really learn anything about Sky Captain (played with pluck, charm, and determination by Jude Law), what he does, how he came to have his island full of toys. The backstory presented could be written in a short paragraph or two, for all the characters. But as soon as that thought comes to mind, it -- oh, my God, look at those really cool robots with the snaky tentacle arms!Like I said, it's like a candy store full of trifles. Afterward you might find yourself wishing for something with a bit more substance -- some meat, or potatoes, or even something salty rather than oh-so-sweet. But while you're shoveling it into your mouth -- er, eyes -- it's a fabulous time.(Originally posted on my blog.) Video19946@blogcritics.org Fri, 17 Sep 2004 19:29:26 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/08/21/102741.php Dave HillYes, I'm at least a full movie behind ...Many (many) years ago, I read Ludlum's novel The Bourne Identity. I enjoyed it, but not quite enough to read the sequels, or others of Ludlum's works. I didn't see the movie when it came out, either, but it was well-recommended, and always on my "Jeez, I'll have to borrow that from someone" list. Well, I did (in exchange for dog-tending duty). And -- well, heck, I'm glad I did. Quite a decent -- if sometimes eerily low-key spy/action/suspence flick.Matt Damon is a bit too baby-faced for the role, but he does it well nonetheless, exuding both bewilderment and ruthless earnest in the same breath. There are some nicely humorous bits, and some nicely serious bits, and some decent action, and a bit of emotion, all of it far less in-your-face than the Hollywood genre would normally indicate, and thus all the better for it. If you like spy movies, action movies, conspiracy movies, you'll almost certainly like this one.The DVD has the usual complement of extra scenes, few of which add much to the film (a good sign), though at least two of them ironically show up in the included trailer.Nothing profound here. It's a bit frothy, though slick as such. But, what the hell, it beats a lot of other films in its genre. And if I could get a bit of that atmosphere in my spy-based RPG, I'd be a happy GM.Now I have to go dig the book back up again. And hope that someone I know picks up the sequel movie ...(originally reviewed here) Video18904@blogcritics.org Sat, 21 Aug 2004 10:27:41 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/08/13/011457.php Dave HillNobody goes to AvP expecting Citizen Kane. It's a fan-boy movie, plain and simple. ("Heh-heh! Wouldn't it be cool if the Aliens fought the Predators?" "Heh-heh, cool, yeah, that's why Dark Horse has comic books about it." "Heh! Cool!") The only question one's going to take in with them is: does the movie suck or not, and, if it does, how badly?Remarkably enough, this movie doesn't suck.It's no Citizen Kane, all right. It's not even Aliens (which it parallels almost disturbingly). But it rings all the right bells, and plays all the right tropes, and surprises you and even impresses you in a few places. And if it's a breathtakingly rushed 90 minutes long, that just means there will be some really cool bits in the (inevitable) Directors Cut Super Platinum Extended Edition DVD.If you like either franchise, or just want some B-movie blood-and-guts-and-acid action, AvP will suit the bill, at least enough to satisfy matinee prices.Spoilers -- seriously -- below ...I managed to get into a "sneak preview" this evening. Certainly there were a lot of folks in attendance who wanted to see it. And most of them appeared to walk away happy, or at least satisfied. Me, too.Plot-wise, the movie is structured pretty similarly to Aliens -- big corporation funds ostensibly well-prepared expedition to investigate something weird, which turns out to be a bunch of aliens who proceed to take them all apart, except for the buff take-charge-but-with-motherly-instincts who, alongside a warrior sidekick, blows them all to flinders, except for a torqued-off queen who gets dispatched into the cold depths.There are other parallels as well, if you stretch a bit, and there are some visual and throw-away homages to the Alien and Predator movie franchises to boot. Pleasantly enough, though, they're simply swift winks to those who recognize them -- those who don't aren't going to be bothered by them in the least.And the parallels to Aliens (and, to be sure, any number of other Kill the Monster flicks) are not necessarily bad ones. It worked in that movie, and this movie has enough differences to make it work, too. And if it doesn't have a Newt (for good or for ill), it does have a similarly interesting ensemble cast -- albeit ones who get a lot less screen time before they get done in.The basic plot-line of the Predators building a initiation dungeon on Earth, manned by human cattle and filled with defrosted Aliens, is pretty cool, to be honest, and the "pyramid" dungeon, with its odd, claustrophobic passages and huge, spooky chambers, and its regularly shifting walls, really makes this movie work.For all that does work, there are two basic flaws, both of which can be laid at the feet of writer/director Paul Anderson. First off, the movie is way too short. Everything plows along at high speed, allowing for minimal suspense. An article I read the other day said that a distinct effort was made to keep the Aliens from showing up immediately, and it's true that they don't. But they still show up too quickly, and even if, arguably, there's no need to drag out a lot of people getting bushwhacked, the time interval between "He's in trouble" and "Oh, he's dead now" is disturbingly short. Ditto for most of what else goes on. Characters barely get a few words, gestures, and moments for the audience to say, "Hey, she's cool, I wonder -- oh, she's been killed," or, "Hey, I wonder if we'll see another scene with -- oh, he's dead, too."Rush, rush, rush.The other major plot flaw is that, when all is said and done, nothing has changed. The main protagonist stays pretty much the same (aside from some new scars, an interesting walking stick, and, one would imagine, both a lot of bruises and some serious frostbite). She hasn't really grown, that we've seen. She hasn't resolved any internal issue. Aside from some interesting experiences in the Antarctic, she could be plopped right back into where we first saw her and she'd seemingly never bat an eyelash.Since she's literally the only human survivor, that's about that for that. Everyone else dies, quickly or slowly, with only a scream or a curse. And she simply just walks/SnowCats away, making us wonder exactly what she'll tell the folks back on the ship.As for the very end of the film -- yeah, okay, we needed something to punch it up. Does this spell sequel? It could. Or it could simply be a mediocre twist ending.The action scenes are okay, even if there's a lot of jerky action, quick camera cuts, dark shadows, and other obscuring bits. Yes, we get to see plenty of Predator kicking Alien butt, and vice versa, and if that's what you're looking for, you'll probably enjoy it.The sfx were also decent, if uninspired. The pyramid was fabulous. The CG Aliens were a bit less so -- some nice poses in some places, less so in others. And the "Eliza crossing the ice" flight through the whaling village toward the end -- just didn't quite gel. The CG and overlays were too obvious.Why does some Predator equipment get eaten away by the Alien acid, and other bits don't? If there was a reason, it escaped me, which made me think it was poor writing.Acting-wise, it was a decent enough cast. Lance Henriksen as Charles Bishop Weyland was a bit of a poor man's George C. Scott, but cruised along nicely nonetheless; whatever the spottiness of Weyland's motivation probably can be blamed on the ankle-deep cutting room floor. Sanaa Lathan as the protagonist Alexa Woods is no Sigourney Weaver, but she does a decent enough job with what she is given. Raoul Bova as Italian archaeologist Sebastian de Rosa doesn't give me any reason to look up his other movies (more on his character below).Ewen Bremmer is, to be sure, a lot of fun as geeky Scotsman Graeme Miller. His immediate lovability should be a sure sign that he's doomed to die horribly, and the writer definitely drags that doom out over a couple of scenes.The rest of the cast is visibly distinct and each person gets a line or two to establish their character. But they are too quickly swept away like leaves in a firestorm, including, alas, the cute Vasquez analog, played by Agathe De La Boulaye.Original music by Harald Kloser. Um .. was there music? I guess there was. Certainly nothing that distinguished itself. Some vaguely Aliens-like riffs, but that was about it.The Italian archaeologist is without a doubt the most annoyingly expositional character I've encountered for a while. He makes huge leaps of understanding, and then tells us all about stuff he couldn't possibly know. I don't believe that Aztec numbering was Base 10, and I'm pretty certain they had a lunar calendar, meaning his instant translation of today's date is something a bit less than believable. (Indeed, it was, ironically, the least believable bit in the movie.) He tells instead of shows, and serves as a short-hand way for the audience to understand what's going on, somehow.It seems to me we had a lot more chest-bursting and cocooned folks than in Aliens (or most of the other Alien movies). Maybe it was designed for folks who haven't seen those flicks a dozen times, but some of it felt gratuitous and unneeded.How fast do Aliens mature? Because either there were some warriors down in the deep freeze (which we didn't see), or we had adult Aliens within no more than an hour of chest-burst, as far as I can tell.The big gotcha plot development is that the humans -- food and incubators to the Aliens, cattle and target-fodder for the Predators -- find themselves caught in the middle of the conflict between the two groups. Indeed, by their unexpected meddling (via one too-clever-for-belief archaeologist) they have handicapped the Predators, meaning that the Aliens may actually escape and menace the world.Thus, Our Remaining Hero manages to ally herself (via grudging respect) with the remaining Predator. Can this Odd Couple survive without killing each other?Well, evidently, yeah, if they save each other's lives enough. It all seems to fall together too easily -- and the Predators being strong, silent types makes the interaction between the two of them perforce sketchy and limited, so we don't figure out why the Predator doesn't simply gut her and take his gun before she can try to parlay.And, yes, he begins to cut her some slack after she somehow manages to kill an Alien. The immediate turn-about, especially given his mission/goal, feels contrived.As usual, I harp above more on the bits that struck me badly than on the bits that struck me well. I liked the ensemble (though I disliked the too-brief opportunity we got with each). I liked the visual look of the film, particularly in the central set piece, and how it drove the action. I liked the backstory, and l liked the main thrust of the plot.And, yeah, watching Predators and Aliens duke it out was (when you could see it) pretty cool.Not Citizen Kane. Not even Aliens. But quite a bit better than I thought it would be, and one I will probably be waiting for the Extended Edition DVD on.(Originally posted here.) Video18603@blogcritics.org Fri, 13 Aug 2004 01:14:57 EDT