For a Smart Guy Barry Allen Can Be Pretty Dumb

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May 25, 2016

Barry thinks too much with his heart…

The Flash has been an enjoyable show over its first two seasons. For the most part, Barry Allen has been the superhero we all want him to be. He’s a guy who loves saving the day and helping people. He’s also a smart scientist but man he can do some dumb stuff.

Last season Barry was obsessed with going back in time and preventing his mother’s death. Yeah, it’s a noble idea. But as any Dr. Who or David Bowie fan will you tell you “you can’t change time.” Trying to do so will just make matters a whole lot worse. Yet Barry plowed forwarded putting the needs of one against the needs of the many. He risked destroying everything to bring his mom back. Not a good superhero move at all. In the end, everything wasn’t destroyed but he did manage to open a rift between his Earth and a parallel Earth. Thus allowing the deadly Zoom into his Earth to wreak havoc.

From there Barry seems to get dumber. He heads to Earth-2 to track down Zoom on his home turf. Instead of keeping his mind on the prize he ends up fascinated by his powerless Earth-2 doppelgänger being married to Iris. Barry knocks out “other Barry” and wastes time playing house with Iris. This ends up getting Earth-2 Joe dead. Sure, that Joe didn’t like Barry, but he certainly didn’t deserve to die.

SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE LAST EPISODES YET

Barry continues the trend of putting the needs of a friend in front of the needs of the many. Zoom has Wally West and demands Barry’s speed in return for Wally’s life. Barry decides to take the deal. He’s not even thinking that “Gee without my speed nobody will be able to stop this crazed superhuman from killing whomever he wishes.” This one is also on Harrison Wells, who against his better judgment helped Barry transfer his speed to Zoom. Really between Barry, Harrison, Caitlin and Cisco they couldn’t come up with a better plan than, “Yep Zooms a crazy mad man but let’s give him the speed.” Zoom for his part doesn’t kill Wally but takes Caitlin.

Next, Wells may have a way for Barry to get his speed back giving him a chance to stop Zoom. Instead of saying, “yes let’s do this!” Barry dilly-dallys and when your suppose to be the Flash that’s not a good thing. On one hand you can sort of see Barry’s logic about being afraid what another particle accelerator accident could do. Kind of weird time for Barry to start thinking of the needs of the many. Plus, there is already a crazed super human killer at large in the city who threatens to kill anybody who opposes him. Yet it still takes the murder of a dozen innocent cops to spring Barry into action.

After that, due to a “mishap” Barry ends up in the Speed Force (It’s best not to think about it). With a bit of effort from his friends and soul-searching on his part, Barry returns from the Speed Force. Zoom is still free and crazy and all, but Barry is big eyed and sweetly optimistic that “the force is with us.” Of course, as pretty much-telegraphed, things don’t work out so well for Barry as Zoom kills his dad. Zoom does this to show Barry how they are alike.

In the finale, it turns out Zoom’s main goal is to just prove he is the fastest man on any Earth. He simply wants to race Barry. Oh, he also wants to use Barry’s speed plus his to power up a doomsday type of device that will destroy all the multiverse Earth’s except this Earth. Barry’s team realizes it’s pretty foolish of Barry to even consider this. They knock him out and place him in a holding cell. Suffice to say, Barry gets out and finally manages to defeat Zoom and save the multiverse. All appears to be fairly good. Iris even wants to hook up. But no, Barry is not content. He decides once again, the “heck with all of reality” he travels back in time and saves his mom. He realizes he messed things up big time when he sees his past self disappear. Good job Barry, good job.

Yes, it appears the writers are setting up Flashpoint from the comics for season 3. Which if done well should be quite fun. Still, let’s hope when it’s over Barry (and the writers) learn a lesson and in the future, Barry will act more like the smart dude he is.

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BoJack Horseman Returns in Season 3 Announcement Teaser

By

Will Ashton

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May 25, 2016

Middle-aged horse angst has never sounded more enticing. Will Arnett took to Twitter this morning (via Splitsider) to announce the 2016 debut of his anthropomorphic horse. Netflix will official stomp out the third season of the (rightfully) acclaimed animated series on July 22nd, with all 13 episodes coming in their regular full swoop.

To celebrate, BoJack accompanied the announcement with a new teaser featuring some, shall we say, choice words regarding his critics. You know, the ones who have gone on to call his show “an empathetic portrait of middle-aged melancholy” and “one of television’s best shows,” among other things. It might not be much but, for fans of the show like myself, it’s a delightful little taste at what’s to come. And as one of Netflix’s best original programs only continues to get better with each wayward step, one hopes they’ll keep finding comedic/dramatic excellence to dig from their their pitifully self-aggrandizing, soulfully misshaped stallion-man.

After all, it be a shame if they started horsin’ around at this point.

Alright, that’s enough horse puns for one article, I’d say. I’ll let showrunner Raphael Bob-Waksberg do what he does best. Check out the video below, and try to contain your giddy excitement as best you can for the next two months-or-so.

All the drama. All the BoJack. He's back. pic.twitter.com/2hiHdxpjKt

— Will Arnett™ (@arnettwill) May 25, 2016

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‘True Detective’ May Be Gone Forever

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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May 25, 2016

Season 2 of HBO’s True Detective was an insane time in popular culture. Met with great anticipation, the debut episode left most scratching their heads. Then things got weirder for a while before eventually turning into something hypnotically fascinating. The middle episodes were pretty great, with the penultimate episode brilliantly setting up… utter failure.

Now it seems Nic Pizzolatto might be leaving True Detective behind entirely, scrapping any plans for a third season in lieu of a new project with HBO. Head of programming Michael Lombardo recently stepped down and was replaced by Casey Bloys, who was recently in charge of the comedy section at the network, namely the highly successful Veep and Silicon Valley.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

While juggernaut Game of Thrones and the final season of Damon Lindelof’s Peabody-winning drama The Leftovers shouldn’t require too much of Bloys’ time, other decisions, including the fate of True Detective, now fall to him. (HBO sources suggest a new project from creator Nic Pizzolatto is more likely.)

More likely. That means Pizzolatto, much maligned after the catastrophic failures of True Detective season 2 is more apt to tackle something altogether different. Outside the massive hit of Game of Thrones, a true cultural watershed moment for the network, HBO’s dramas have faltered. There was True Detective, the forever-delayed Westworld, and more recently the practically unwatchable Vinyl, which faded from the consciousness week to week.

Trying to reinvigorate the series, which took off like a rocket after the terrific season 1, could be a possibility. And maybe moving Pizzolatto off the project is the best move. After Cary Fukunaga jumped ship following constant disagreements with Pizzolatto, the show was left in Pizzolatto’s hands and he definitely screwed things up because of a profound lack of focus. I, for one, have retained fond memories from season 2 – most of which revolve around Colin Farrell – and I’d like to see a new direction for the show. I don’t want it to go away, but maybe it’s for the best.

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Trailer: Bryan Cranston Takes on Pablo Escobar in ‘The Infiltrator’

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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May 25, 2016

After singlehandedly dominating the meth game in New Mexico, Bryan Cranston is now an undercover Narc dead set on bringing down drug lord Pablo Escobar in this new trailer for The Infiltrator:

And here’s your synopsis:

Based on a true story, Federal agent Robert “Bob” Mazur (Bryan Cranston) goes deep undercover to infiltrate Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking scene plaguing the nation in 1986 by posing as slick, money-laundering businessman Bob Musella. Teamed with impulsive and streetwise fellow agent Emir Abreu (John Leguizamo) and rookie agent posing as his fiancé Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger), Mazur befriends Escobar’s top lieutenant Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt). Navigating a vicious criminal network in which the slightest slip-up could cost him his life, Mazur risks it all building a case that leads to indictments of 85 drug lords and the corrupt bankers who cleaned their dirty money, along with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, one of the largest money-laundering banks in the world.

So there you have it, a fairly generic cop thriller that could be elevated by the presence of Cranston, who brings incredible weight and energy to all of his work. Even Malcolm in The Middle.

The Infiltrator opens July 15.

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REVIEW: ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ all smoke and mirrors

By

Felix Albuerne

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May 25, 2016

Alice Through the Looking Glass, the Tim Burton-produced sequel to Burton’s 2010 re-visioning of Disney’s animated film based on Lewis Carroll’s classic stories, delivers all the visual splendor one might expect given its predecessor’s colorful sights and characters.

However, it’s all smoke and mirrors, eye candy meant to distract from a pedestrian sequel concept and a weak script. It’s slow and stiff at the start, and though it does manage to get rolling halfway through, by then it’s too late to salvage the film experience.

What’s it about?

After years at sea captaining her late father’s trading vessel, the Wonder, Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) returns to London to find her father’s legacy as well as her own future imperiled. While at a loss as to how to face that real-world crisis, Alice finds herself drawn through a magical looking glass by an old friend, the butterfly Absolem (voiced by the late Alan Rickman) and returned to “Underland”, the place of her fantastical childhood adventures.

Once there, her old tea party companions — the Tweedles, Dee and Dum (both voiced by Matt Lucas), Bayard the Bloodhound (Timothy Spall), McTwisp the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), Mallymkun the Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), Earwicket the March Hare (Paul Whitehouse), and Cheshire the Cat (Stephen Fry) — and White Queen Mirana (Anne Hathaway) beg her to visit the Hatter (Johnny Depp), who has become “mad” with melancholy over a discovery from his past.

That discovery and Hatter’s malady puts Alice on a quest through and against Time itself, literally, as the embodiment of Time (Sacha Baron Cohen) seeks to prevent her from re-writing the past in order to save her friend. Along the way, an old enemy, Iracebeth the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), rears her heart-shaped head hoping to use Time’s powers for her own purposes, and Alice must face the possibility that even for her, there are some things that may truly be impossible.

Not enough madness

In Alice Through the Looking Glass, screenwriter Linda Woolverton (Maleficent, The Lion King) makes sure to utilize all the wondrous toys she previously re-tooled and put to use in her script for Alice in Wonderland. She also promises in the film’s set-up to build some backstory for audience favorites Hatter and Iracebeth, while also creates a memorable new bauble in the character of Time. Sacha Baron Cohen clearly enjoys his time in the role, but audiences may enjoy even more all the opportunities for puns and one-liners at Time’s expense.

But even with all those exquisite toys at his disposal, director James Bobin (Muppets Most Wanted) chooses to play it safe with the material. Unlike Burton, who has never shied from at least intimating some undercurrent of darkness to his visual feasts, Bobin keeps things light, kid-friendly, and unsophisticated in Alice Through the Looking Glass. There’s no edge, not even a trace of real “madness” to be found, even in scenes featuring the Hatter, who’s more sad than “mad” for most of the film, and the once-murderous Red Queen, who is simply sullen and shrill here.

The rest of the returning cast is more or less walking, talking window dressing, with Anne Hathaway’s presence easily the most wasted here. There’s simply not enough for everyone to do, and their inclusion in the story feels obligatory. Yes, the characters would be missed if they were absent, but as constructed, Alice Through the Looking Glass makes them feel shoehorned in as little more than glorified cameos.

Tea party for the eyes

Where Alice Through the Looking Glass does not disappoint is in its visuals, which benefit from the ongoing improvement of CGI and motion capture technology. Make no mistake, must of the film looks and feels as though it was shot in front a green screen, but that’s the standard that was set with the 2010 film, and thus its to be expected here.

Taken for what they are, there’s much to enjoy in the spectacles delivered on screen, especially if seen in 3D. Sequences built around Alice traversing the Oceans of Time, or she and her allies making their way through Iracebeth’s gargantuan fortress make for memorable set pieces. Note that these sequences take place later in the film, helping Alice Through the Looking Glass overcome its relatively slow and stilted start.

Worth seeing?

If you were a fan of the first film, then yes, Alice Through the Looking Glass is worth seeing, and further, its worth seeing in a premium venue, such as IMAX or IMAX 3D. Better that way to enjoy all that visual whimsy, and be fully immersed in the world crafted by the film’s truly talented special effects and production design teams.

But if you’re looking for depth beyond all the eye candy, or if you were just hoping for something a little more Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter-centric this time around, best to wait for video.

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. Directed by James Bobin.
Running Time: 113 minutes
Rated PG for fantasy action/peril and some language.

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‘The Man From Nowhere’ 2010 – Compelling Action Classic

By

Stephany Slaughter

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May 25, 2016

If you’re looking for bloody, crime oriented action thriller with a captivating storyline and bad ass fight scenes, the 2010 South Korean film The Man From Nowhere is the perfect watch!

Although there’s a lot to be said about this film, I will keep it very brief because I want potential viewers to watch this film with very little clues as to what the movie is about so it doesn’t ruin the awesome anticipation and twists the film provides. The movie basically centralizes around a quiet pawnshop owner named Cha Tae-sik, who is befriended by his adorable little neighbor So-mi. Unfortunately So-mi is a product of REALLY bad parenting in which her mother Hyo-jeong gets involved with some gang activity and therefore provoking the sudden kidnapping.

The thing I adore most about The Man From Nowhere is that is follows the tradition of illustrating an intriguing story line in South Korean form. If you haven’t had an opportunity to watch any sort of South Korean cinema, they tend to pack a surprise punch to the emotional gut on top of already reeling you in with their beautifully compelling style of storytelling while orchestrating a power music score to top it all off. And it’s not any different with The Man From Nowhere, as I totally unexpectedly caught myself embarrassingly choking up with tears streaming down my face as my heart completely melted at certain parts of this film.

However, there is an immense amount of action and fight scenes we can’t forget about. The relentlessness of Cha Tae-sik in regards to finding So-mi is what makes the entire film so fantastic. Just as with American film regarding the one lone badass taking out a huge platter of skilled men, this follows the same format but with a little more brutal qualities, as Cha Tae-sik isn’t in game to just temporarily knock those who get in his way out. He is literally out to seek and destroy leading up to one of the best knife fights I have ever seen in film.

So quit skipping past it on Netflix, and check out The Man From Nowhere today! It is also available on various streaming outlets such as YouTube, Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu.

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Marvel Profiles: Captain America

By

Don Draper

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May 25, 2016

By now, everyone is familiar with Steve Rogers, better known to most as Captain America. Captain America has managed to stay relevant throughout the years, and with the release of ‘Captain America: Civil War’ it’s not hard to see why. Be sure to get in on the action by checking out the Captain America online slot machine on the Ladbrokes website today! But where did the star-spangled-hero start out?

Created in 1941, Captain America was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and first introduced to the world in ‘Captain America Comics #1’. Capitalising on the patriotic feelings that were widespread during the Second World War, Steve Rogers was the all-American that the United States wanted to see, and his ongoing stories often saw him clashing with the Nazi forces on the frontlines.

Before he was a soldier, though, Steve Rogers (born in 1920) was just a scrawny kid from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, making his living as a comic book writer and artist while he studied fine arts. Rogers is finally moved into taking action against the rising Third Reich when the USA joins the Second World War. However, Rogers’ attempts to join the army are rebuffed, as he doesn’t measure up to the physical standards for recruitment. This rejection doesn’t deter him, though, and Rogers continually applies to different sectors of the military-and eventually, his determination pays off.

Roger’s commitment and drive brings him to the eye of General Chester Phillips, who is head of the Secret Project: Rebirth. The idea of the project is to use a special ‘super-serum’ to make a super soldier, and while he is only initially a test subject, Rogers reaction to the serum is perfect, transforming him into Captain America!

Taking part in many exciting battles and campaigns, Captain America was joined in the midst of World War Two by many different allies, the most recognisable being Bucky Barnes, the teenage sidekick who was featured in nearly all of Captain America’s adventures from the start. From punching Hitler in the face to thwarting the Red Skull, Bucky and Cap were inseparable-until (in the closing days of World War Two) the two came up against a sabotaged prototype drone plane that is rigged to explode. After failing to defuse the bombs, Bucky is caught in the blast, and Captain America is thrown from the plane into the North Atlantic Sea, where his body is frozen, and left in suspended animation.

Awoken in the present day, Rogers body was recovered by the first iteration of The Avengers. Then consisting of Iron-Man, Thor, Ant-Man and Wasp, The Avengers were happy to welcome in the newly revived Captain America, whose skill and experiences lent themselves brilliantly as the leader of this new team. Together with his new comrades, Rogers would come up against many of the enemies he faced down in the Second World War; One of which being The Red Skull.

Once a leading Nazi, and now the head of the criminal organisation Hydra, The Red Skull is committed to his idea of a perfect world, and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Obsessed with domination and an insane need to defeat Captain America, The Red Skull is probably Rogers’ most threatening adversary-certainly the most recognisable.

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DC Rebirth Begins – Spoiler Free Review

By

Seth Frederiksen

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May 25, 2016

The first issue of DC Rebirth is here, and things are looking rather interesting for the DC universe. Spoilers will be kept to a minimum for those still wanting to have an untainted palette for the story…

For a first issue, it wasn’t too bad. It seemed at times to be repeating the same beat over and over with the focused character. This did help set up a decent climax but it did seem to be a little lagging in a couple of places. Personally I wasn’t turned off by this because of the ending, but I know many might not be keen on that element.

The story isn’t too complex in the general narrative. However, if you didn’t read Justice League #50 and Superman #52, you’ll be missing some important information in regards to setting up the whole scheme of things for DC Rebirth. Though in that respect, things weren’t too hard to catch up.

Legacy was a major element being played here throughout the issue. Mainly to the effect of a new generation being trained and taken under the wing of the established heroes of the DC pantheon. There was also the legacy of hidden truths and even lies being brought forth and how many would have to come to terms with this and figure out how to handle this problem in their own way.

One thing that I did appreciate was how this wasn’t a full reboot, like New 52, but simply added a new element to the already established story. So while this is a new beginnings of sorts for the franchise, it’s also not an attempt to wipe the slate completely clean and say “Mulligan.”

The epilogue of the first issue was also handled well. And there is a brief teaser at the greater foe to come. And I’m hoping the story stays the course, because so far I’m enjoying everything so far.

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‘The Flash’ Season 2 Review: The 5 Best Episodes

By

EJ Moreno

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May 25, 2016

Which Episodes From The Second Season Of ‘Flash’ Make It On This List?

As Season 2 of ‘The Flash‘ comes to a close, we look back at the 5 best episodes from this season. There will be spoilers for previous episodes and minor spoilers from the season finale so readers beware!

If you haven’t seen the season finale that aired May 24th, stop reading this and watch the insanity! After that, it’s time to fully take-in all that happened & rank which episodes stand out. From the return of the Reverse Flash to more Grodd, so much happened in the season that introduced another Earth and the evil Zoom.

“Run, Barry, Run”
–Everyone

Honorable Mentions:

-Enter Zoom
-Legends Of Today

5. The Race Of His Life

The latest episode and second season finale of ‘The Flash‘ was a grand spectcale. Following the heartbreaking ending of the episode before, “The Race Of His Life” wrapped up a season-long arc with villainous Zoom. It also left the fate of our beloved characters up in the air as Barry once again used his speed to cause some drama. Just when we thought Barry Allen’s Flash would finally be in a good place, his constant running has once again gotten him into trouble…

4. The Man Who Saved Central City

From the finale to the premiere! Season 2 started with a bang as we find out the damage that was done at the end of Season 1. Barry was in a dark place, something that would happen more this season, and the team was disbanded. It took a new foe to bring the group back together. They start to overcome all the previous drama when someone named Jay Garrick tells them their Earth is in trouble.

3. King Shark

Not only boasting amazing effects for the titular King Shark and being a fun ‘Jaws‘ homage, this episode also finally told us who Zoom really was. The entire season had some amazing fight scenes but the water finale with Barry vs a massive shark was some of the show’s best work. There was also a small crossover with sister-show ‘Arrow‘ here. Do you think King Shark will return in Season 3?

2. Welcome to Earth-2/Escape from Earth-2

Yes, these are two episodes but they work so well as a pair that I have to include them together. All season long, the characters of Earth 1 have heard stories of what Earth 2 was like. They have met good and bad people from that Earth but they were not ready to head to Earth-2. When Barry, Cisco Ramon, and Harrison Wells travel there, we had no idea how much it would impact the show. Also, we see the mysterious Man In The Iron Mask for the first time. Oh boy…

1. The Runaway Dinosaur

Film director Kevin Smith directed this stunning episode in which Barry Allen is taught a valuable lesson by the Speed Force. Rarely does the show find a balance between the main story and a side-story but this episode worked on all levels. Not to take away from everyone else but the stellar performance of Grant Gustin stole the show. I’m very excited that Smith will be return to direct another episode.

Do you agree with my list?

Let me know in the comments below if I missed your favorite episode this season.

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The Flash Review: The Race Of His Life Is An Intense Finale

By

Jonathan Bruce

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May 24, 2016

As “The Flash” reaches the end of its second season, the CW has succeeded in the building of a television multiverse. With “Arrow” and “Legends of Tomorrow”, the network is quickly shaping up to be a connected DC TV Universe- with “Supergirl” transferring from CBS. Yet Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns continue to produce consistently good work with “The Flash”, and this season finale is on such example.

Picking up from the last episode, Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) pursues Zoom (Teddy Sears) after the death of his father, Henry Allen (John Wesley Shipp). The burial scene is a quiet, somber moment, in which Barry, Iris, and Joe (Jesse L. Martin) come together in their grief. When Barry is unable to speak, Joe talks about how Henry lost both his wife and son after being framed for murder. Afterwards, Wally West (Kenyan Lonsdale) is able to confide in Barry, whom he now knows is the Flash. Barry admits to Iris (Candice Patton) that he was almost ready to move on after Henry had been exonerated for his mom’s death. Suddenly, Zoom shows up to face Barry again. He demands to know who is the faster man of Earth-1 and Earth-2. Barry warns him to leave his friends alone, but Zoom warns him that he cannot guarantee their safety.

Team Flash is skeptical as to whether a race is all that Zoom wants. Dr. Wells reveals Zoom stole a magnetar from Mercury Labs that could destroy the Multiverse. Since Zoom is hellbent on being the fastest man of both worlds, the device can syphon off the energy off of Barry and the rest of the Multiverse. Despite Joe’s protests, Barry states he has no choice but to race his foe, because he doesn’t want anyone else to die. However, he seems to forget the last time he raced brought Zoom back to terrorize their world Ultimately; this leads to the team placing him in a cell for his own protection.

With Barry sidelined, Team Flash decides to move ahead with sending Zoom back to Earth-Two. Cisco (Carlos Valdes), Wells, and Joe manage to corner him in a tense confrontation, but it results in Zoom and Joe being. Desperate to save his father, Wally frees Barry from his cell. Back on Earth-2, it is revealed that the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask is the real Jay Garrick. The Flash tracks down Zoom and agrees to race him in exchange for Joe’s freedom. As the two speedsters begin to race, Barry has to act quickly in order to stop Zoom’s magnetar and save both worlds, but is it possible for him to do so?

Directed by Antonio Negret, the episode is one of the series’s finest to date. Grant Gustin’s acting is one of the episode’s highlights. His monologue about nearly having moved on from his mother’s death is heartbreaking. Candice Patton is given a great material to work with in this episode. The post-funeral scene shows the emotional support Iris gives to Barry in moments of grief. Jesse L. Martin’s quiet, firm plea to Barry is another intense moment, in which Joe begs his foster son to not risk his life again.

“The Flash” has proven itself to be consistently good in its storytelling, acting and technical achievements. Berlanti and company should be proud of their work. Now all that remains is to wait for the third season.

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