Multiverse travel is weird, folks. Weird enough for Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 to give a new meaning to “conflict with oneself.”
Gwen remains stranded in an unknown alternate universe after the events of Spider-Geddon #2. She’s also reuniting with some familiar faces, though everyone seems to have played a bit of a role change in this alternate world. The result is a tense working relationship for Gwen as she tries to find the one person who can help her get back to her own reality.
The Writing
The book’s subtitle, The Ballad of Gwen Stacy, fits the theme of the issue well, with about a quarter of the book spent recounting the fates and struggles of this new world’s Peter, Gwen, MJ, and Harry. Still, the writing from Seanan McGuire is tightly focused throughout Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2. Everything serves to move the plot forward, while allowing characters enough emotional space to build pathos.
I did have some minor gripes about the characters’ actions. Namely, Gwen and the natives of this world seem overly-reluctant to help one another.
On the one hand, the reader could understand why these people would endure pain from being around one another. Another part of the problem could be Gwen’s single-minded focus on reminding other characters that her friends are in danger on her own world. However, interactions are standoffish and even hostile, especially between Gwen and MJ. It’s to the point that they seem almost like enemies forced to fight a common threat.
The characters’ attitudes don’t really hurt the larger narrative, though. Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 maintains the fast-paced storytelling of the previous issue with an interesting and engaging alternate universe story.
The Artwork
Rosi Kampe’s artwork carries the same momentum as in our last issue. Each frame carries a sense of animation, with figures that jump right off the page. The close-up frames, in particular, showcase how great Kampe is at capturing facial expression.
The work is nicely stylized throughout Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2. Backgrounds tend to bounce back and forth between intricate detail and starkly minimal. That’s not always a compliment, as in the hands of a lesser artist, it could be gratingly annoying. However, it reflects the storytelling nicely here, with no small help from colorist Ian Herrin.
Colors are used throughout as an expressive tool to highlight the emotional pitch of each frame. The more somber first half of the book is dominated by subdued green and purple hues. However, as the tone changes, more oranges and lighter colors take over the backgrounds.
Final Thoughts
Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #2 continues on the strong trajectory set by the previous issue with tight, punchy writing and eye-catching artwork. I highly recommend you add this one to the pull list.
Heroes In Crisis #3 hits your local comic book shop this week, with Lee Weeks handling the bulk of the artwork for Tom King’s story; Clay Mann worked on the first and last pages (nine-panel grid).
Colors are by Tomeu Morey, with letters by Clayton Cowles.
King builds on his story with the third issue, but it feels more like a filler episode of LOST as the second set of survivors walk across the island. We get to see the final moments of Wally West, and a fantastic side story with Lagoon Boy, but the main plot does not move an inch.
Which brings me to my dilemma. Is a very well written filler issue good? Marc Guggenheim holds the gold standard when it comes to filler issues with Amazing Spider-Man #574. This is a powerful issue where Flash Thompson loses his legs saving a group of his fellow soldiers during the Iraq War. Guggenheim gave readers a single issue that rocked Marvel Comics. Does Heroes In Crisis #3 have that same type of gravitas? The short answer: no. What this third issue of a nine-issue story establishes is that an editor needed to step in and trim the fat to create a tighter narrative.
King is writing about issues that are personal to him, and he’s pouring his guts out. The Lagoon Boy plot thread in this issue is intimate and utterly painful to read. This is what makes it so hard to critique this book. Yet, what an editor should have said to Tom is, replace Lagoon Boy with Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman. You can tug at the heartstrings with Lagoon Boy, but you can rip the reader’s heart out with Wonder Woman, and that’s great writing.
With the art on the issue, you feel sorry for Weeks. The book was billed as King and Mann, but that is not what readers are getting. The first issue of the series is some of the most amazing artwork I’ve seen in a very long time. So to switch artists is tough, and no matter who stepped in, the artwork would take a step down.
With all of that said, halfway through the book, there is a single panel page of Booster talking to Sanctuary, and it is brilliant. It looks nothing like the rest of the book; the art team knocks it out of the park. Clayton Cowles’ letters are perfectly aligned to keep the conversation flowing. Weeks pulls every ounce of emotion possible out of the page. Plus, you’ll stay up all night trying to figure who’s fingerprints are on the page.
The short stories in Heroes In Crisis #3 will impress you, but if you step back, you’ll realize the train has yet to leave the station.
Are you reading Heroes In Crisis? What do you think of the series so far? Comment below with your thoughts.
The Flash is finally on his Force Quest! After the several Force incidents in Central City, Barry and Iris travel across the globe to search for them. They start in the country of Badhnisia, where the duo comes across a pair of thieves named Gemini. The criminals are able to use their tech to drain Barry of his speed to get away. As the Central City couple recovers from their loss, The Flash senses a disturbance. The Speed Force points him towards Gorilla City, and the pair takes off. What will our couple find and how does Gemini play into this?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
The Flash arrives in Gorilla City with Iris to find a complete massacre. While they search the city for any survivors, they come across a trio of gorilla scientists. While they aren’t sure what caused the killings, the scientists have something for Barry. A projection of King Solovar appears and explains what will happen with the Forces. Like The Flash and the Speed Force, the other three forces will find avatars. It’s up to Barry to find them all and work together. Before they can learn what they must face, Commander Cold points the pair in the direction of Corto Maltese, where the first avatar has appeared.
This issue gives us tons of promises of this grand team up that’s coming down the pipeline. The problem is that it’s just that: promises. There isn’t much to the issue other than The Flash getting the message from Solovar and then going to Corto Maltese. It’s kind of disappointing as I was hoping to see a brawl in Gorilla City. Instead, we get more talking and running in place.
The good of the issue comes, surprisingly, in the exposition. It’s interesting, especially with tying the Gorillas of Gorilla City to the Sage Force. The description of what the Force Avatars duties also gets me excited for the future Flash team in the making. It, unfortunately, isn’t enough to save the issue, but it’s welcome.
Art:
The art of this issue is also a bit of a mixed bag regarding quality. There are some fantastic illustrations from Rafa Sandoval, especially in terms of scale. When The Flash arrived to get Solovar’s message, he learns it in this amphitheater of a lab with giant projections. It was moments like that which captured the feeling of grand adventure which Force Quest is aiming towards.
Despite this, the faces on our heroes and villains bring the issue down. While it isn’t every panel, our characters have the common problem of bizarre faces. It appears to come down to the colorwork and illustrations not meshing well. Hopefully, as the arc continues, the art will find its balance.
Conclusion:
I can honestly say this issue hyped me for the next one. That’s only because this issue’s greatest strength was exposition about the Force Avatars. The Flash needs to have more action than the past two issues, which is implied to come by the ending. As it stands, however, this issue left me disappointed.
Following last week’s mediocre adventure where the Doctor primarily fights Amazon she returns with a much stronger historical episode.
The Doctor and her companions find themselves in 17th century England. What they discover is the landowner of a small Lancashire village has been trying women as witches, resulting in 35 deaths. The Doctor sets out to find what’s happening in the village with the activities of the landowner drawing the attention of the king.
The best episodes of the season so far have been the historical episodes. They have had the best stories, characterization and the most creative. “The Witchfinders” is the episode that felt most like a classic era story or a story during the Davies/Moffatt era. It’s a historical set story that has an extra-terrestrial threat.
The setting of the witch hunts was a logical one considering the Doctor’s new gender. Historically men were also tried as witches, but in popular culture, most people associate women as the victims. This is the first episode where The Doctor is marginalized for being a woman – she is dismissed from any role of leadership or being able to make any useful contribution. Due to the social climate, she is quickly seen as a witch. The Doctor points out that she would have been taken more seriously if she was still a man. She is also more accepting of her new gender, using more female pronouns to describe herself.
Due to the setting, anything alien would easily be seen as witchcraft. People of the era wouldn’t have understood concepts like aliens and advance technology and were superstitious. It’s surprising that the modern era of Doctor Who hasn’t used this setting before. The alien element played a much more important part of the story than in the other historical episodes in this season. The rural setting makes it plausible that the events in the village would be forgotten – it has been done before in episodes like “Human Nature”/”The Family of Blood.” I particularly liked how the alien threat was presented in the episode since there was not an invading force or disguising themselves as humans and control people from within. The aliens’ presence was due to an accident.
Alan Cumming is the biggest name guest star in this season. He plays King James I of England (or James VI of Scotland) and the fears of the trailer that he was going to be an outright villain who relished the chance to kill ‘witches. Fortunately, his characterization was more nuanced. The king was a product of his time – he was a pious man who feared the unknown. James, I was justifiably paranoid because he has seen those closest to him being killed and there have been attempts on his life. The Doctor is hostile to the king, but he does form a friendship with Ryan.
Doctor Who Series 11 – Picture Shows: PRE-TX Becka (SIOBHAN FINNERAN) – (C) BBC / BBC Studios – Photographer: Sophie Mutevelian
Siobhan Finneran who played the main villain of the episode ran the witch hunt did it out of fear. While her acts are reprehensible, she wasn’t a sadistic monster who enjoyed the suffering of others. Her actions were based on the culture of her time.
The big issue with this episode was the acting. Cumming played James I as if he was a bit camp and he spoke with a posh English accent yet used Scottish terms. James, I was born and raised in Scotland, and he was the first king of England and Scotland so it would have been more logically for Cumming to use his natural accent. Finneran was the worst performance being so over-the-top – she acted like she was in a pantomime. Her performance was so forced, and it did not come across as fun or funny.
“The Witchfinders” is a classic style episode of Doctor Who. People who are unhappy with the new direction of the show should be happier with this offering.
Devil Within #2 is out now from Black Mask Studios, and it doubles down on the scares of the first issue.
The series is written by Stephanie Phillips, with art by Maan House, colors by Dee Cunniffe, and letters by Troy Peteri.
Issue 2 picks up in the aftermath of last month’s cliffhanger, with Samantha and Michelle confronting a priest about her possible possession. The holy man is, of course, skeptical, and the horrors just escalate from there.
And that’s what this issue does great: it escalates. The mystery deepens, and the scares get scarier.
Maan House just solidified himself as one of the best horror artists working in comics today. Everything that worked last issue is still here: his use of shadows, his emotional and powerful close-ups, etc. But this is a ghost story, so as it goes on, we’re introduced to more spectres, and House gets to show off more of his stuff. There is one scene in particular involving a young ghost that will stick with you long after you’ve finished reading, which is the sign of a truly great piece of horror.
Cunniffe also nails the colors, as usual, capturing the perfect tone for each scene. His use of blues and purples creates an otherworldly and mysterious sensation, and his use of yellow makes an already disturbing scene truly unsettling. Even Peteri’s letting has a raw edge to it, with more of a handwritten style. This art team clicks on every level.
But this series is about more than ghosts; it’s about relationships and insecurities. Phillips widens the schism between Sam and Michelle this issue, throwing some bombshells into the mix and preying on fears inherent in any relationship. You feel for these characters, not just because they’re going through hell, but also because you can see yourself in them so easily. Their dialogue and banter with one another rings true to anyone who’s been in a long term relationship.
Again, Phillips is escalating the story in more ways than one, and by the time the last page hits, you can’t wait to get your hands on the next issue. Sam and Michelle’s relationship is at the core of this series, and this is what makes Devil Within feel so real and relatable in spite of the ghosts.
If you’re the kind of person who binge watched The Haunting of Hill House and craved more, you need to be reading Devil Within. It’s got all the emotional complexity and spooky ghosts you need.
After their multiverse-spanning return, Fantastic Four #4 sees the team take a bit of a breather. This latest issue is much lighter fare, but that’s certainly not a complaint.
Ben, Johnny, and the Richards clan make their return to Earth, only to find they’ve been upstaged by knockoffs. What ensues is less of a cosmic adventure and more a comedy of errors as the heroes trip over one another to save the day. The result is a pretty endearing little story.
The Writing
Dan Slott’s run thus far has been marked by a tendency to rely more on sentiment than on heavier emotion. Here, the Richards family has been away from Earth for, in their timeline, roughly five years at this point. Despite that, they seem pretty nonchalant about their return. More than anything, they seem bemused by the superhero showdown they’re dropped into.
That said, the series has a definite sense of charm. I’ve especially enjoyed seeing Reed and Valeria work alongside one another as a veritable two-person brain trust and the lighthearted tone of the series are two of its strongest suits thus far. Both characteristics shine through on Fantastic Four #4.
As mentioned before, the series kicked off with a pretty epic introduction. I always find that dedicating an issue or two to a smaller story after a big, cosmic adventure is a good move. It gives readers some breathing room, while also taking a moment to explore the more human aspects of the characters. Fantastic Four #4 develops a couple of critical plot points, while also bringing the team back to basics.
The Artwork
While I enjoyed Sara Pichelli’s work on the first three issues, artists Stefano Caselli and Nico Leon offer solid work for Fantastic Four #4. The art has a slightly-cartoonish feel, with more rounded and less-detailed character designs. I miss the more intricate and illustrated look of the first three issues. However, the style here gels with the tone of the writing, so it’s easy to forgive.
Regarding layout, they do a pretty good job of capturing each beat within a distinct panel. That said, the extensively-overlaid panels can make the pages feel a bit chaotic and distracting.
Speaking of chaos, I’m a bit conflicted on the work from colorist Erick Arciniega here. On the one hand, I appreciate the level of detail throughout, with meticulous attention to backgrounds. However, there is such a wide range in contrasting colors on every page that it can be hard to focus on any one element.
Final Thoughts
Fantastic Four #4 is a nice breather after the last few action-packed issues. I have minor gripes, but it’s a good chapter overall, allowing us a bit of downtime with the newly-reunited family.
It’s been a long and enjoyable run with our adamantium-laced, grey-haired grump. Dead Man Logan #1 starts the final leg of his story. With the original Wolverine back in action, it was only a matter of time.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Writer Ed Brisson picks up the story right where it left off in the conclusion of Old Man Logan. We begin with the aftermath of our hero’s fight with Maestro, both of them getting scraped off of the ground.
Once Logan gets his bearings, we’re given a twelve-month (and twelve-issue) timeline to work with before the old man bites the dust. It’s a blast to see him start to cross the last few things off of his bucket list. Hunting down Mysterio leads us to another confrontation with another handful of villains at the Bar With No Name. Artist Mike Henderson puts on a show in the action sequences.
Miss Sinister almost steals the show in a brutal showing of strength, taking out Tarantula even after he didn’t snitch. Her involvement in this story makes it all the more exciting.
Especially when Sinister meets up with Quentin Beck. Catching up with a retired and broken Mysterio gives us a brief glimpse at the post-supervillain life that we don’t see very often. Brisson has a great voice for Beck, who’s tired of getting beat by all times of web-slingers.
Brisson gives us another great Logan and Hawkeye team-up, calling back to the original duo’s time in the Mark Millar Old Man Logan that started it all. Their digs at each other are enjoyable, Logan’s being especially grumpy.
As the plot develops further, we’re treated to a delightful extraction of information out of another patient that saw what happened to Quentin. Brisson has a knack for these little time-outs where we take a breather and just have fun with these ridiculous characters meeting an unreasonable human.
Mike Henderson’s artwork is fantastic, there’s just one problem – the tone. We’ve grown accustomed to some great art in this era of Old Man Logan comics, and there was a certain tone of darkness throughout. Henderson’s work is beautiful, but it’s a tad light for the finale of such a character.
It may even just be a personal preference of my own, but the more youthful look to Logan in this issue doesn’t help sell that he’s preparing to close up shop. Even still, Henderson’s pencils and layouts are a joy to gaze at. It also helps that Logan has all his lingering battle damage to constantly remind us of the meat grinder he’s been through since joining our timeline.
Aside from Logan, every other character flourishes with Henderson’s art. His lighter, cartoon-ier edge lends a hand to the chaos and interactions. This art style elevates the supporting cast and masks the odd tone for our protagonist.
Dead Man Logan #1 has it’s tonal issues, but it’s a complete package otherwise. The cliffhanger ups the stakes for our heroes, and there’s even an obituary for the Logan family attached to the end. Forge discovering the Wasteland timeline that Logan comes from promises to be juicy (I bet Logan’s family is alive because comics).
Whether you’re ready to say goodbye to grumpy Logan yet or not, this final chapter of his story looks to be a satisfying and fitting end. Dead Man Logan respects the characters and stories that came before. Where the issues are with Logan in the art, there is strength to literally every other character.
IRONHEART #1 hits your local comic book store on November 28, and Eve L. Ewing comes out swinging with an emotional tale of purpose.
The first issue is a classic superhero tale where the hero defeats the villain, but it’s the plot points in between the action that become the brick and mortar of the book. Riri Williams is not a happy character, and the question of ‘Why am I a hero?’ is a great way to start off the series.
What is refreshing and enjoyable is the lack of gadgets and MacGuffins used by Ewing. Riri uses her problem-solving skills to get through the adventure, and the basic science makes sense. So, when you get to the last page, and you’ve been paying attention, the cliffhanger makes sense too.
SIDEBAR – Do not let astrophysicists explain comic books to you, they will crush your dreams.
Going back to Ewing’s writing, it was like reading early issues of Amazing Spider-Man. The pain that Riri feels is vaguely similar to Peter Parker’s. The lonely scientist is also a similar trait. Riri is perfect for a new set of readers, and when written well, this pain and loneliness is real and reading the book becomes cathartic.
Kevin Libranda and Luciano Vecchio’s art provides a solid match for Ewing’s words. Riri’s facial expressions lead the way, as the character goes through a spectrum of emotions and the art team delivers. The first issue has a ten-page sequence of a conversation that doesn’t get boring or glossed over; this is because Libranda and Vecchio give each panel the attention it deserves. The conversation had the same emotional intensity of Charlie Adlard’s work on The Walking Dead. The different shot angles used in each panel add to the intimacy of the conversation.
The open face design of Ironheart on the Amy Reeder cover works really well; it was a bit sad to see the Iron Man look in the inside of the book. With that said, the first two pages of the book just float with grace as the art and words blend. This is where Clayton Cowles is a professional. His lettering is just enough; he understands you need to experience the words and art as one. Also, there is a panel with CLASH that is insanely good. Matt Milla’s colors are spot on, and the expression of pain on the guard’s face is so violent.
Overall, Ironheart #1 is a perfect jumping on point for the character. Marvel also goes the extra mile providing a reading timeline if you want to catch up on Riri’s adventures.
Aaron, Jesus, and Daryl are out looking for missing Eugene, and they have no idea what danger is hunting them in the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead.
Upon their arrival at Hilltop with the newcomers, Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Siddiq (Avi Nash) aren’t exactly met with open arms. There’s obvious tension between Michonne and Tara (Alanna Masterson), and Michonne’s conversation with visiting Carol (Melissa McBride) was awkward. We’re still left in the dark as to what happened between the communities that has caused this turmoil.
Callan McAuliffe as Alden, Matt Lintz as Henry – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Henry (Matt Lintz) has taken up residence at Hilltop to apprentice with blacksmith Earl (John Finn) and immediately acts like a college freshman away from home for the first time. He meets some new friends who are a bad influence, gets wasted, and ends up in jail. Way to go, kid.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
In another bonehead move, Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) drops the ball in a big way. He’s been trying to peel away the layers of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), in hopes of getting to the root of his evil, but he hasn’t had any breakthroughs. His mind is elsewhere as Rosita (Christian Serratos) is recovering at Hilltop, and he forgets to lock Negan’s jail cell door. Now, Negan is out, no one knows it, and no one knows what he’ll do with his unauthorized freedom.
With the help of “Dog,” Aaron (Ross Marquand), Jesus (Tom Payne), and Daryl (Norman Reedus) find hiding Eugene (Josh McDermitt) with relative ease, and he tells his rescuers about this herd of walkers being different than any they’ve ever encountered. He knows he was being hunted, and he knows that they’re coming back for him. He believes that the walkers are evolving, becoming able to talk. It’s not far-fetched, as Jesus even seems to agree with him. The walkers still have brains, even if they are mush, so an envolved walker could be as possible as the undead walking among them.
In an attempt to escape the herd, Aaron, Jesus, and Eugene end up in a foggy graveyard after dark with a storm approaching. They’re overrun and are forced to fight, despite the numbers. Aaron’s cyborg arm and Jesus’ Matrix-style sword-fighting command the fight, then Michonne, Magna (Nadia Hilker), and Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura) come to their aid. As Jesus is wielding his sword, the walker ducks, and he is stabbed from behind. The walker whispers in his ear, “You are where you don’t belong” before Jesus drops to the ground.
The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Michonne is shocked to find fresh blood on her katana, and Daryl calls her over. He discovers that the “walker” that he killed wasn’t a zombie at all, but a normal human wearing the skin of a walker, sewn in the back of the head. What type of sick person would don such a disguise?
The final segment of the show was very eerie, which is a new kind of horror. It’s completely different from the explosions and huge special effects that we’re used to. It was unsettling and creepy. A little cliche, but so damn good.
It’s not uncommon for a leading character to die in a mid-season finale, and Jesus’ death will obviously change the dynamics of Hilltop’s leadership. This hiatus has come just when things were getting interesting.
The Walking Dead returns on Sunday, February 10, 2019.
Are you happy with the show’s direction under new showrunner Angela Kang? Let us know in the comment section below.
In my previous review of Can You Ever Forgive Me?,I mentioned it’s the time of the year where biopics run amuck, but after seeing Melissa McCarthy proving she can be a great dramatic actress, there was the need still lurking inside me to try and find a different kind of biopic. There were many different options available, yet the one which stuck out the most was the 1997 biopic-comedy Private Parts, the Howard Stern movie.
I’ll confess, I didn’t know who Howard Stern was for the longest time, unlike many 90s kids, he was just some guy who was on Sirius Satellite Radio pamphlets, all I knew he was someone famous, but couldn’t tell you why. Having said that, I knew what “Baba Booey” was, but didn’t make the connection.
Stern and his assembled Wack Pack.
Anyway, as time passed (and went to college) I figured out who he was, and the thing which got me interested in him was his praise of Norm MacDonald, whose Weekend Update work was admirable for the sheer audacity of it. Oddly enough, I consider Norm, to be the link between my study of SNL to being interested into Late Night/Show with David Letterman. Yet, I’m not here to talk Norm MacDonald; I’m here to talk about Howard Stern.
Anyway, on a trip back from a convention in Raleigh, NC, I saw a YouTube video which randomly showed up, which featured Stern talking about the Late-Night Wars in 2010 for five hours, I was intrigued, having loved The War for Late Night by Bill Carter, I took a chance and listened to the video for all five hours; despite sometimes it dragged on a bit, it was great stuff to listen to and was amazed how many plot-points he called in advance before The War for Late Night was ever published. At that moment, I became a semi-believer.
Make your own Letterman vs Leno joke here.
With all this backdrop, I was still kind of intrigued, plus Siskel and Ebert gave it positive reviews, and both haven’t steered me wrong (yet), so I’m there. So, as they say, roll ‘em.
The film begins with Stern (as himself) receiving an MTV VMA from John Stamos, but Stern comes out as his superhero “Fartman” descending from wires, which seems to set a tone which says, “I might not be the supposed audience for this.” Thankfully, this doesn’t sit for long, because Stern’s narration kicks in, nobody likes his work, and like most geniuses, he’ll always be misunderstood.
Each individual section of the biopic has a unique color tone, which is an interesting directorial choice.
He then gets on an airplane and meets a beautiful woman, whom he proceeds to tell his life story, or at least up till 1985.
I’m not going to spoil it, because, with my introductions, I don’t want these articles to be 20 pages long and take up a week of time just writing the damn things. However, as a film critic, let’s get into structure because it’s always interesting. (No, it really isn’t.)
Howard meeting the first of his big two radio partners in the film; his friend, Fred Norris.
One of the big problems this film has to deal with happen almost immediately, the film’s a biopic about someone who is still alive and stars someone who is not an actor. Let’s talk about the first problem, most biopics are made after their subject dies, there are many reasons for this, but one of the most significant issues is the stipulation of creative control, nobody wants to look bad in their biopic, and it makes sense. You (as a studio) don’t want to be sued, so unless the source material is relatively sordid, most biopics can feel relatively generic, to people who’ve seen too many movies (like me). Private Parts side steps most of this, yes, the biopic part, does feel rather generic, but still has enough bizarre touches to make it interesting. Two examples come to mind, with Stern at a Detroit radio station, and one of their regular callers being a dominatrix, apparently, it was the same person, as had happened in Stern’s real-life show. You have to admit, this is impressive, they went to such length for the sake of accuracy, and still made it interesting. The other example also occurred, at the Detroit radio station, when Stern left the station, on air, and never returned, normally it would have been left out or described in a voice-over, but here, it’s shown. It does take incredible storytelling courage, to do so.
The other big problem is something I’ll dub the “Non-Actor Factor.” Normally, when there are vehicles for non-actors, the results tend to be very haphazard. For every A Hard Day’s Night, or even King Creole, you get a Glitter, an Under the Cherry Moon, or From Justin to Kelly. So most of these films try to play to the non-actor’s strengths, IE, don’t give them a lot of dialogue, fill it with music, and hope you get one of Elvis’ movies, it’s at the average end of the spectrum. On the positive end of the spectrum, these films can work, if you have a director who can force a non-actor out of their comfort zone and get them to act. If the “Non-Actor,” has the want to be a good actor, and the film is written solidly enough around the subject, you get something, again, A Hard Day’s Night or a Purple Rain.
When Howard Met Robin, so to speak. (The second big radio collaborator)
In Private Parts, we have three “Non-Actor” leads, Stern, his news anchor Robin Quivers, and his partner Fred Norris, all play themselves, in an inspired bit of casting. Say what you want, about him, he and his two partners do give good performances, but it does lead to this feeling, while watching the film, with all three of them in one scene, it feels like a documentary, and there’s this narrative film around it, a kind of matrushka doll effect, bizarrely enough. The real-life acting works here, because these are the actual people, and it lends a kind of verisimilitude to the proceedings. Stern and Quivers are surprisingly good, though there is something to be said to acting on the radio, but still…
The film is split distinctly into two different halves: The first is Howard’s evolution on the radio, as we see Howard evolve a geeky nerd, to someone brimming with a decent amount of confidence about the crazy crap he does, but still has these neuroses (what the Woody Allen inspired narration is for). Yet the film also takes inspiration from Warren Beatty’s Reds, and D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Now (the Bob Dylan documentary, especially regarding the Subterranean Homesick Blues sequence with the giant cue cards.) The Reds inspiration comes from various interviews spliced in from all these people, disputing Stern’s view of events. Unlike Reds, it doesn’t drag down the story, because at 110 minutes, it can’t afford to drag, unlike a 4-hour epic. The Pennebaker inspiration, comes from when some of Stern’s Wack Pack, hold up cardboard signs reading the location of where Stern goes next, it’s bizarre, but considering the rest of the movie, it’s not out of place.
It’s a bizarre choice to reference a film featuring Bob Dylan, but here, it fits within the confines of the film.
The second half is the relationship between Stern and his first wife played by Mary McCormick. As I said it’s surprisingly sweet, and is reminiscent of a Woody Allen film, without the horrifying undertones. Stern (in the movie) honestly is in love with his wife, and those scenes feel like a split between a romantic comedy and a dramedy, and yet it doesn’t feel schizophrenic.
How do these two things which seeming do not mesh together work? Rock solid writing, of course. One of the writers of the film is Len Blum, who wrote Meatballs and Stripes, and with Stripes, he blended comedy with a sweet love story, in a film could work, so there was a precedent.
The core of the film is a strong focus on the love story, between Stern and his first wife. Not surprisingly it works.
Private Parts is one of those movies which succeeds despite everything against it, it’s a comedy, with romantic elements (and not a romantic comedy), and a biopic thrown in, but it’s unique enough to work, which you could say the same thing about the man as well.
