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Wednesday 30 November 2016

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #9 Review

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For as many giant pigs, chickens and eye-ball men the Power Rangers faced during their original television run, actual stakes were hard to come by. That’s changed in a big way since their BOOM! Comics debut, creators Kyle Higgins and Hendry Presetya dialing up plenty of drama over the first eight issues. While issue #9 continues that trend by introducing yet another Morphin malady, its way of doing so somewhat shortchanges the events leading up to it.

At the start of the issue, the Rangers find themselves with their collective backs to the wall. Billy is missing, their powers are gone, and their Zords are in the control of the very monster they’re set to face. It’s high-stakes, all-or-nothing stuff, and Higgins does a great job of setting the tone to match. Tommy gifting his powers to his fellow Rangers was teased last issue, but it’s still fun to see Team Green in action. As far as memorable moments go, Jason’s arrival to reclaim his Zord stands as easily one of the series best, both in terms of narrative impact and in the awesome splash shot by Presetya. It’s some inspiring stuff, which makes the book’s back-end all the more disappointing.

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Ghost Rider #1 Review

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With Ghost Rider currently lighting up the small screen, this new debut couldn’t have come at a better time. At least, that would be the case if this first issue had anything to do with the signature skull. Taking a strong backseat to a slew of unnecessary guest stars, the latest from Felipe Smith and Danilo Beyruth hits the road with more of a sputter than a spark.

If all you knew about Robbie Reyes going in to this issue is that he’s a good brother and a demonic vessel, well, you won’t leave with much else. Smith takes a stripped down approach to this first chapter, ultimately letting the opening bio-page tell the reader all they need to know. The bulk of Robbie’s page time revolves around his disabled brother, Gabe, and while there’s certainly a degree of depth that comes with their interactions, it comes off as overly manufactured and not altogether genuine. There’s a lot of tell and not as much show, the driving force of Robbie’s character only loosely defined.

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What Did You Think of Tonight's South Park?

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Life in the South Park universe continues to grow more bleak, with President-elect Garrison settling into his new job and more of humanity trying to flee the coming Troll Wars and make a new home on Mars. But for cartman, the greatest struggle this week was preventing Butters from stealing away his new girlfriend.

Cartman is not amused. Cartman is not amused.

We'll have our review of "Not Funny" up a bit later tonight. Until then, let us know what you thought of the new episode in the comments below.

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Vikings: Midseason Premiere Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

"Forgive me for all my faults. All of my failings."

The second half of Vikings' fourth season -- which basically feels like a fifth season thanks to that time jump at the end of midseason finale -- kicked things off with a ragged, regretful Ragnar weighed down by his massive failures. "The Outsider" featured the fractured King doing somewhat of a (final) apology tour as he visited upon his sons, Floki, and Lagertha in an attempt to reconnect, once more, with his past before offing himself.

This was an excellent way to bring us fully, and quietly, into the time jump. It allowed us to meet new characters (some actually new, others new because they're now grown) while reflecting upon the entire journey so far. Ragnar's life with Lagertha, his frayed friendship with Floki, the doomed settlement over in Wessex - the breadth of the entire series to date was at the center of this one and the idea that one is only as beloved as their last triumph, or despised as their last mistake, truly hit home.

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Lethal Weapon: "Can I Get a Witness?" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

"Can I Get a Witness?" may have been the slightest Lethal Weapon episode so far. Not that the beach shoot out at the end (set to CCR's "Run Through the Jungle") wasn't fun, or reminiscent of when Riggs' trailer got shot up in Lethal Weapon 2, but throwing a kid into the mix is always a tricky thing. Especially when the child character is meant to be a conduit for therapy.

There's never -- or let's say rarely -- a time when a protagonist insta-bonding with a child doesn't feel forced. Riggs has never really needed help finding touchstones for grief and the show's never really had to heap cliches onto him like it did this week. Things started off well, on the trauma front, with him getting bent out of shape over the check for his house sale, but then the introduction of the 8-year-old boy witness seemed to derail that train.

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Suicide Squad #7 Review

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It's taken a while, given it's short, choppy structure, but "The Black Vault" is rapidly approaching its conclusion. And this arc seems to be getting better as it moves towards the finish line, with issue #7 offering one of the better-paced and more memorable chapters to date.

Chaos continues to unfold at Belle Reve as the titular vault drives everyone into a bloodthirsty frenzy. Everyone, that is, except Harley Quinn, who has suddenly been rendered sane and lucid for the first time in years. That's certainly a promising development, though a bit worrisome as well. Describing Harley in binary terms like "sane" or "insane" is a little reductive and doesn't really get to the root of her particular brand of madness. But writer Rob Williams seems to understand that. What's interesting about his portrayal of Harley in this issue is that she isn't a drastically different character. She's a bit more lucid, perhaps, but the biggest difference now is that she's not empowered by the utter fearlessness and disregard for her own safety that's usually her greatest weapon in battle. For once, Harley Quinn is afraid. Honestly, it might be neat to see this revamped Harley stick around past the end of "The Black Vault."

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What Did You Think of Tonight's Arrow?

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Arrow had quite a big episode tonight, as it was both the middle act of The CW's Invasion crossover and the 100th episode of the series. Even as Barry Allen and his dwindling list of allies fought to rescue their captured friends from the Dominators, Ollie was subjected to visions of his past and the many people he's lost over the years.

We'll have our review of "Invasion!" up a bit later tonight. Until then, let us know what you thought of the big episode 100 in the comments below.

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Star Wars Annual #2 Review

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Even though this issue features a completely different creative team, in many ways it reads like a direct follow-up to Mark Waid and Terry Dodson's Princess Leia mini-series. It's not just the fact that the script revolves around Leia and a new partner, but that it focuses on her efforts to move past the destruction of Alderaan and continue inspiring her fellow Rebels. It's a proven formula, and one that still works even when this issue loses any sense of subtlety.

It's actually Leia's temporary partner, Pash "Bash" Davane, that gives this issue most of its unique flavor. Bash is a different breed of Star Wars protagonist. She's a musclebound miner who would just as soon stay out of the Galactic Civil War and has little love for either the Rebels or Empire. Writer Kelly Thompson strikes at something I think is too rarely explored in Star Wars stories. For people whose lives are overturned by war, be it the fight against the Empire or the Clone Wars, neither side falls into a strictly good or evil category. Bash speaks to that nicely, in addition to being an amusing protagonist with her own Han Solo-worthy level of swagger.

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Injustice: Year Five Annual #1 Review

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Once again, DC is capping off a volume of Injustice with a standalone annual issue. But unlike the Year Four annual, which briefly brought writer Tom Taylor back into the fold and directly set the stage for the Year Five status quo, this issue is more in line with the other Injustice annuals. It offers a trio of what are essentially "lost" stories set during writer Brian Buccellato's Year Five run. As such, it's a decent read for those who need a little more Injustice to fill the wait until the sequel comic, but only one of these tales is particularly noteworthy.

First, Buccellato and artist Mike S. Miller touch base with Harley Quinn in the aftermath of Year Five. Disillusioned and alone, Harley is prepared to hang up her costume for good when she runs afoul of a the Joker Gang. Buccellato is basically setting up Harley for her role in the Injustice: Ground Zeroes comic here. The script toys with the idea that even someone as twisted as Joker can become a symbol for positive change and resistance, but never really digs deep enough. Nor does it examine the tragedy of Harley coming so close to reclaiming her old life and then slipping back into old habits. Buccellato delivers a decent Harley story, especially with Miller's energetic pencils bringing life to the pages, but there's a nagging sense that more could have been accomplished with the character.

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The Eyes of My Mother Review

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From the first moments through the last, The Eyes of My Mother proves to be a disturbing, unsettling film. Written and directed by Nicolas Pesce, the black and white images which float across the screen will stay with you long after the credits roll.

The Eyes of My Mother is a film which works on many levels. While the story may sound relatively basic when written out, there is a power in seeing—and listening—as it unfolds.

Briefly, The Eyes of My Mother tells the story of Francisca, who lives with her mother (Diana Agonstini) and father (Paul Nazak) out in the country. Francisca's mother was an eye surgeon in Portugal and passes some of that knowledge on to young Francisca (Olivia Bond). When a door-to-door salesman comes by the house (Will Brill, with crazy-eyed wonder), the lives of the family are changed forever. We see this in greater detail when the movie jumps years ahead to an older Francisca (now played by Kika Malgahães), living alone in the same house and still dealing with those changes.

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Man Down Review

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Directed by Dito Montiel, with a script from Adam G. Simon and Montiel, Man Down offers the harrowing tale of one U.S. Marine and his experiences both at home and abroad. When it is at its best, Man Down is a powerful film, but it is a movie so caught up in the trappings of storytelling and a big reveal, that all too often it trips over its own feet.

Shia LaBeouf plays lead character U.S. Marine Gabriel Drummer who, along with his best friend, Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney), is seen early in the film walking through the rubble of an abandoned city. It is a post-apocalyptic cityscape, made eerie for its silence as much as for the devastation. Is it the U.S.? Is it somewhere overseas? What has caused this incredible level of devastation?

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Batman Annual #1 Review

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Batman Annual #1 is one of those comics that sells itself on the strength of its ensemble cast. Where else can you buy a comic that features such an an impressive lineup of classic Batman creators and current favorites? None of the stories within are necessarily career-defining work, but the overall package offers a fun look at how the Batman family celebrate the holidays.

This issue opens with a new story from current Batman writer Tom King and rotating artist David Finch. The story essentially serves as a new origin story for Ace the Bat-hound, tracing the poor pup's journey from rejected Joker experiment to valued member of the Wayne household. Basically, if you've enjoyed Grant Morrison and Pete Tomasi's work with the Bat-pet menagerie, you'll be right at home here. King's script makes for a lighthearted alternative to his darker work on the main series, and one that's suitably heartwarming. It's not a story that caters especially well to Finch's storytelling strengths, but Finch is still able to convey the warm emotion of King's script.

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Super Mario Maker for 3DS Review

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Just like in the amazing Wii U version, the easy-to-use tools of Super Mario Maker for 3DS empower you to create vibrant, challenging or creative levels using the look and feel of several generations of 2D Super Mario games with relative ease, except now you can do it on the go! And the way it quickly switches between create and play is easily the best part of the experience. But as feature-rich as the 3DS port is, it has some crippling shortcomings when it comes to sharing the stages you make with it and playing other people’s creations.

With the exception of the Mystery Mushroom, a cute but needless costume that let you dress up 8-bit Mario as other sprite-based video game characters, nearly every piece of Super Mario Maker’s elegant creation toolset is crammed into the 3DS version. Due to the limitations of the 3DS, it can’t handle as many items as the more powerful Wii U version, but you’re looking at over 60 unique tools you can use to build whatever you want in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, or New Super Mario Bros. The levels I made were never hindered by the new asset cap, and I always had enough room to build the stages I wanted to make.

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Tuesday 29 November 2016

The Flash: "Invasion!" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

Though technically the second chapter of The CW’s “four-night crossover event,” The Flash marked the true beginning of the big Invasion crossover tonight. As expected, there was a ton of appeal in seeing so many heroes joining forces on the small screen. But without a well-defined enemy to unify these heroes, it was often the Flashpoint-related character drama that propelled this first act.

What struck me most early on was how little time this episode devoted to bringing the various groups together. There was a very efficient, no-nonsense approach to Barry’s recruitment drive. Even the build-up to Supergirl’s appearance was short and sweet. When it comes to comic book crossovers, I tend to prefer the ones that don’t waste entire issues bringing the players together. So Invasion clearly has the right idea. That said, it was odd how slow this episode felt despite the rapid setup phase. The characters came together so quickly and then spent so much time training rather than actively combating the Dominators.

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Agents of SHIELD: "Deals with Our Devils" Review

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Full spoilers for Marvel's Agents of SHIELD continue below.

Several weeks after Doctor Strange's release, we finally got the payoff for Agents of SHIELD's latest Marvel movie tie-in: Fitz, Coulson and Robbie were sucked into a space between dimensions, playing off the exploration of the multiverse in Doctor Strange.

It's one of the more organic crossover concepts for the show, and worked well as the show continues to muddy the lines between science and the supernatural. That continued to be a theme in this episode, as man of faith Mack got possessed by the Ghost Rider (such a cool twist) and Aida read the Darkhold.

First: the Ghost Rider of it all. With Robbie in an almost-alternate dimension, the Rider didn't want to stay separate from his quest for vengeance. That led him to possess Mack for a brief period of time -- and goodness but Mack, Spirit of Vengeance was fun. We get a hint of some of his anger at the end of the episode when we see him holding a piece of paper that says "Hope" and the date (I think?) 4/18/06. Given his and Robbie's team-up at the end of the episode, chances are we're going to find out a lot more about the meaning behind what's on that paper soon.

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Incorporated: Series Premiere Review

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Syfy's Incorporated premieres Wednesday, November 30th. However, the pilot episode is available online to watch for free over at Syfy.com. This review will still skirt around all major spoilers.

From executive producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and creators David and Alex Pastor (Self/less), comes a new dystopian sci-fi series set in a future world where, thanks to the disastrous effects of climate change, multinational corporations control 90 percent of globe.

It's an interesting, foreboding premise, for sure, but -- based on the pilot episode, "Vertical Mobility" -- not one that can stand entirely on its own. There are a ton of borrowed elements here, from the stories (and cinematic adaptations) of Philip K. Dick to movies like Gattaca, RoboCop, and Elysium, to certain episodes of Black Mirror to... well, just about any maladjusted premonition of society that involves cold corporate cruelty and a massive gap between the rich and poor.

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Jackie Review

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There’s perhaps no more famous First Lady in American history than Jackie Kennedy, the kindhearted and fashionable wife of John F. Kennedy, who stayed lovingly by his side during his presidency, and worked feverishly to honor his legacy in the days following his assassination. That story, in the wrong hands, could have been the kind of cold and emotionless biopic that most filmmakers would have simply bunted with, and still somehow managed to receive awards attention because of its subject matter alone. But that’s not Jackie, which coming from Chilean director Pablo Larrain is a haunting and poetic portrait of one of America’s most famous female figures. Luckily for all of us, it’s also one of the best films of the year.

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Dark Night Review

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This is an advance review out of the AFI Film festival.

There are two films playing at AFI Fest this year that address the topic of gun violence in America. The first is the star-studded Miss Sloane, which focuses on a group of political lobbyists trying to get a gun control bill passed in the Senate. The second is writer and director Tim Sutton’s Dark Night, which focuses on the people and events leading up to a movie theatre shooting loosely inspired by the events of Aurora, Colorado in 2012, when an armed gunman entered a midnight showing of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises and opened fire.

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Dragon Ball Super Episode 68 Review

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Warning: The following contains spoilers about the episode.

With the chaos of the Future Trunks arc over, we get to see a lighter side of Dragon Ball Super. Episode 68 is filled with comedic moments and light-hearted conversation that was fun to watch, even if some moments dragged on longer than was necessary.

Shenron, the all-powerful wish granting dragon, is summoned again and serves to spark the comedic conflict of the episode. With several people demanding Goku relinquish his wishes, I found that the funniest moments came when we saw Shenron’s reaction. He is an incredibly powerful entity, but is forced to wait while the humans bicker among themselves. His growing impatience and anger at the situation is great, and given how many times they have put him through this, it’s a surprise he was as patient as he was.

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Monday 28 November 2016

Supergirl: "Medusa" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

Supergirl had a lot of ground to cover this week, as “Medusa” served as both the mid-season finale and, ostensibly, the first part of the four-night Invasion crossover. As expected, the episode barely devoted any time to setting up Kara’s team-up with Flash and the gang, but it did offer a satisfying cap to the first half of Season 2.

I’ll get the Invasion setup out of the way first. Past cast and crew interviews have made it pretty clear that the “four night crossover” The CW has been aggressively advertising is really just three nights with a tiny bit of connective tissue in Supergirl itself. That was exactly what “Medusa” delivered, no more and no less. I was glad to see the episode build towards the debut of Barry and Cisco rather than just spring it on Kara apropos of nothing, but otherwise their brief appearance unfolded exactly as expected. I can definitely see some viewers feeling misled by The CW’s marketing, especially if they don’t normally tune in to Supergirl, but it’s not as if we have to wait much longer for the real fun to begin.

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Gotham: Midseason Finale Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

As usual, Gotham went big with its fall finale, setting the stage for an interesting second half of the season. Jim falling hook, line, and sinker for Mario's tricks made him seem egregiously dense, though it's still always good to see things take a darker turn on this show.

Even after Jim figured out that he'd been had, and tried to talk to Lee on deeper, more emotional level, he still fumbled and failed his way into a corner. Lee got married, Jim got beaten, and it all ended with our hapless hero gunning down Lee's new husband in a hokey way that will now leave him unable to prove that Mario was trying to sneak up from behind and kill her.

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Final Fantasy XV Review

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Final Fantasy XV opens, quite fittingly, with a splash screen that reads: “A Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers.” Having played every numbered entry since the first, I can see both reverence for the old and a courtship of the new in this latest chapter. I’d like to say it’s an elegant fusion of the two, but in reality it’s more of a duality - a conflict that reaches into nearly every aspect of Final Fantasy XV. In the end, its beauty, charm, and commitment to the bond between its four protagonists keep it glued together, even when some of its design and story elements threaten to pull it apart.

Prince Noctis and fellow travelers Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto aren’t a loosely assembled band of strangers uniting to face evil, like in so many other roleplaying games - they are close, long-time friends, and it’s this closeness that gives Final Fantasy XV’s often incoherent story all the heart it has. While the danger that befalls the land of Lucis never truly materializes until the end of the tale and the would-be romantic element of the story never gets more than a handful of weepy, insubstantial cutscenes, the mutual respect, understanding, and kinship of these four is fleshed out and reinforced beautifully whether in combat, on the road, or everywhere in between.

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Sunday 27 November 2016

Westworld: "The Well-Tempered Clavier" Review

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Full spoilers for Westworld's latest episode, "The Well-Tempered Clavier," continue below.

And a second warning, just in case. This is a big episode, so be careful not to continue reading if you haven't seen the episode and are concerned about being spoiled to big reveals.

So there it was, folks: the Westworld episode to answer -- or at least almost-but-not-quite confirm -- most of the biggest fan theories about the series so far. With all that heavy lifting out of the way, you should be even more excited for whatever comes next in the finale.

This is a bit of a long review, so come down the rabbit hole with me...

In an interview with IGN's Eric Goldman a couple weeks ago tied to the first big Bernard reveal (that he's actually a Host), Jeffrey Wright described Season 1 as "really a prequel to the beginning of the show," and in "The Well-Tempered Clavier" we see that idea play out fully. The bulk of the heavy lifting of the nature of Westworld, the Hosts and their creators is out of the way, and now the real fun can begin.

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The Walking Dead: "Swear" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

Hey, it's Tara and Heath! The characters who took off near the tail end of last season on a two-person scavenger run so that star Alanna Masterson could have a baby and Straight Outta Compton's Corey Hawkins could free himself up to star on the new 24 series (which got picked up by FOX last April). "Swear" was all about what happened to them and their misadventures on the road aaaaannd...it was still too long.

Yes, it was good to finally discover what Tara and Heath have been up to while everyone else was suffering at the hands of Negan and his Saviors, and Tara's a character who definitely could benefit by having her own story, but the overall placement of this one, from a seasonal standpoint, felt wonky.

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Wednesday 23 November 2016

A.D.: After Death Book 1 Review

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Given that they run in similar circles and broke into mainstream superhero comics around the same time, it's a little surprising that Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire haven't directly collaborated on a comic book before. The closest they've come was the Rotworld crossover between Snyder's Swamp Thing and Lemire's Animal Man. And if there's any one takeaway from the first volume of A.D.: After Death, it's that these two should pair up more often.

A.D. has a pretty simple elevator pitch. It stars a man named Jonah Cooke who confronts his mortality (or lack thereof) in a near-future world where mankind has discovered the cure for death. But as Snyder and Lemire tend to be very character-driven storytellers, the concept and setting are secondary to Jonah himself. This first volume bounces between Jonah's childhood and perpetual adult existence, devoting much more attention to what makes this character tick rather than delving into the nature of his world or the particulars of humanity's death cure. It's often frustrating to read high-concept sci-fi comics that seem more interested in world-building than establishing a compelling cast of characters or narrative. That's not a issue here.

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The Grand Tour: The Holy Trinity Review

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Motoring presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May’s return to the small screen has been a long while coming but, with the debut episode of The Grand Tour, Amazon has certainly wasted no time showing us where vast sums of the reported USD$250 million it spent on its most expensive TV experiment to date have gone.

The Grand Tour picks up in the only logical place it could, with a dejected Jeremy Clarkson schlepping his way out of soggy England in search of a new start elsewhere. It’s ultimately all a bit of silly pantomime, really, but it does work. Clarkson links up with fellow presenters May and Hammond and the three join a Mad Max: Fury Road-esque convoy spilling across the Californian desert to the first site of the show’s roving, pop-up studio. Jets scream overhead as a live band pounds away and the thick crowd parts for the trio's arrival. For a moment it looks more like a sequence plucked from Forza Horizon than anything from Top Gear. It’s quite a grand (and expensive) statement for a show that’s ultimately still supposed to be about a trio of blokes faffing around in cars.

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Allied Review

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There’s something admirable about the relaxed nature that courses through a majority of Allied, the newest film from director Robert Zemeckis. Starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, the film is a love letter to Hollywood's old-fashioned, wartime love stories that Zemeckis learned his love of the craft by watching. Where his sole focus on pushing the visuals of his projects as far as they’re seemingly willing to go in recent years has led to some disappointingly shallow efforts (see Beowulf or The Walk), Allied is yet another visually-stunning and technically pristine effort from the veteran filmmaker, even if the rest of the film doesn’t manage to live up to that same level of craftsmanship.

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Who Is Marvel's New Venom?

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Venom #1 revealed which character is has bonded with the alien symbiote in the aftermath of Civil War II.

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Warning: this article contains spoilers for Venom #1!

Fans have been wondering if the new series would star a familiar face like Eddie Brock or Mac Gargan or if an entirely new character would take up the Venom mantle. As it turns out, the latter is the case. The symbiote has been passed on to a completely new character named Lee Price. Like previous host, Flash Thompson, Lee is a disabled military veteran, though he lacks Flash's strong moral compass.

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Planet Coaster Review

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Planet Coaster is just about everything I could have asked for in a modern resurrection of the theme park sim genre - and then some. A huge diversity of rides and attractions team up with a nearly absurd level of terrain, structure, and coaster customization options so effectively as to beg the question: where did this type of game go for so many years? It’s still far from an interesting economic simulator, and it’s definitely wanting for certain types of buildings, but many of these weaknesses are likely to fade over time thanks to the shrewd inclusion of full mod support.

The basic routine of building and running a park manages to be more straightforward and intuitive than its extreme versatility would suggest. I used simple keyboard shortcuts to place, reposition, resize, recolor, and edit gift shops, ice cream stands, coasters, carousels, and walkways. Fine control, such as setting custom angle-snapping and widths for paths, can almost seem overwhelming at first, but ultimately allowed me to tweak every square foot of my park to look precisely how I wanted it, down to the smallest details. The array of possibilities available just from remixing the stock items is gargantuan, and the pool of bits and pieces is already expanding through Steam workshop, which is easily browseable by a well-organized, responsive interface from within the client.

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Patriots Day Review

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Advance review out of the AFI Film Festival.

Reuniting for their third fact-based film about heroes and survivors following Lone Survivor and Deepwater Horizon, director Peter Berg and star-producer Mark Wahlberg’s Patriots Day recounts the April 2013 terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon and the frenzied hunt for its two perpetrators over the subsequent days.

The film presents a vigorous, frontline view of both the attack and the way in which first responders, law enforcement, and everyday citizens reacted by coming together and finding common good. It’s a heartfelt salute to the city of Boston and its denizens, and to the better angels of human nature.

Berg, seemingly channeling Paul Greengrass, employs an observational approach to the events as he tracks the professionals trying to do their jobs the best they can given the circumstances. Berg lets the actions and responses, the verite images of carnage and courage, simply speak for themselves without further manipulation. It was a wise and respectful choice.

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Watch Dogs 2 Review

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By expanding on a lot of what the first game and its expansion got right and mixing action, stealth, and puzzle gameplay with handy remote-control drones, Watch Dogs 2 impresses with open mission designs with multiple ways to reach your objective and some great toys to find them with. I’m conflicted about the tone of its story and characters, but I had a great time exploring its Bay Area map. This is a significant improvement over the original Watch Dogs in nearly every way.

One of the chief complaints about the original Watch Dogs was that its “fixer” hacker protagonist, Aiden Pearce, is a bland and unlikeable character. Ubisoft listened and left Pearce in Chicago, picking up in the Bay Area with the much more personable hacker vigilante Marcus Holloway, who is motivated not by blind revenge but by a philosophy and doesn’t always take himself seriously. Aside from a few cringe-inducing jokes, I like Marcus a lot more. Even though he and his vigilante hacker gang, Dedsec, are a little obnoxious and petty about their crusade against the Orwellian surveillance state this version of America has become, they’re generally relatable.

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Venom #1 Review

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Warning: this review contains spoilers for the identity of the new Venom!

Few changes in superhero comics are truly permanent, and Venom is no exception to that rule. After a lengthy period where Flash Thompson bonded with the symbiote costume and served first as a secret agent and then a Guardian of the Galaxy, Venom is returning to his roots as an earthbound vigilante with a murky moral compass. This first issue doesn't immediately make a strong case for the new status quo, but over time the appeal becomes more clear.

If anything, Venom #1 is comparable to Mosaic #1 in that it hinges on a new protagonist who, at first glance, doesn't seem terribly remarkable. Lee Price is a disabled military veteran with a large chip on his shoulder and who finds himself turning to crime to pay the bills. Initially, readers might question why writer Mike Costa and artist Geraldo Sandoval couldn't tell this story with Flash Thompson as the main protagonist. Lee comes across as a decent protagonist, but not a particularly remarkable or eloquent one.

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Bad Santa 2 Review

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It’s a rule well-known by critics and general moviegoers alike that there are some films that really should be left alone. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes of watching Bad Santa 2 before you realize how much the filmmakers ignored that rule with this comedy sequel too, because as much as we all like to make fun of them, sometimes happy endings are the only, and best possible, outcomes for a film. So when the original Bad Santa ended with Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton) in the hospital with a girlfriend and even a surrogate kid, it felt strangely perfect for the admittedly awful protagonist.

The inherent problem with making a sequel to a film like that then, with the intent of making it even dirtier and raunchier than its predecessor, is that you effectively have to then take that happy ending away. This means that when we meet Willie again in Bad Santa 2, Lauren Graham’s Sue has left him, he’s even drunker and hornier than in the first film, and has lost yet another one of his dead-end day jobs in Arizona. As he sticks his head in an electric oven to commit suicide, you realize just how inhumane it was to bring this character back in the first place, and you don’t need to look much further than Thornton’s lifeless, lackluster opening narration for that fact to truly hit home.

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DC Universe Rebirth: Deluxe Edition HC Review

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DC Universe Rebirth #1 really set the tone for DC in 2016. It ushered in a bold new era for the publisher, one that cast aside the darkness of the New 52 and worked to restore sense of hope and joy in the DCU. Needless to say, that oversized one shot was a major success, and it paved the way for many great comics to come. Now, with the release of a Deluxe Edition HC, DCU Rebirth becomes ever so slightly better.

I wrote a detailed review of DC Universe Rebirth #1 just ahead of its release this past May, where I said:

For all the great stories that came out of the New 52, there was always something about this version of the DC Universe that didn't sit right. DC Rebirth manages to break the fourth wall and turn that idea into a story. This one-shot is a wonderful showcase for what this universe can be when it's executed properly. It's both a fitting farewell for Johns and a worthy template for DC's new wave of comics to follow. Reading Rebirth feels like coming home again.

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Civil War II #7 Review

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This issue would have marked the end of Civil War II, if not for the decision to expand the story by an extra chapter so that Brian Bendis and David Marquez can explore late-game developments in greater depth. As annoying as it is to see such a dull, disappointing conflict stretched out even further, Civil War II does pick up a little added momentum in this issue. The extra issue might just end up being justified.

Bendis maintains a fairly limited scope in this issue, splitting the narrative between two smaller groups of characters. On one hand, Miles Morales and Steve Rogers make a stand and try to compel Captain Marvel and Iron Man to see reason. On the other, the Inhuman Royal Family begins to panic as Ulysses' powers start growing beyond his control. The smaller cast is preferable. Some of the weakest moments in this series have involved large groups of characters all dissolving into a sea of interchangeable dialogue, dialogue that comes across more like a rehearsed performance than something organic. Here, Bendis is able to dig into the individual character personalities a bit more and cast Miles and Steve as the voices of reason in an unreasonable conflict.

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Tuesday 22 November 2016

Killing Floor 2 Review

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Killing Floor 2 wears its heart on its sleeve—a bold move considering there’s no ace stuffed up there. The few things it does, it does boldly and unabashedly well. It’s a fast, fun co-op shooter with cool classes, satisfying guns, and aggressive, grotesque enemies, all doused in fitting heavy metal music. However, zoom out from the gorefest a bit and you’ll see Killing Floor 2 is also an online shooter with only two modes, two boss battles, and some unnecessary time sinks. It’s not a buffet though; it’s comfort food, meant to be eaten again and again and again. With that mindset clearly front and center for developer Tripwire, Killing Floor 2 delights on the back of its great gameplay.

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The Flash: "Killer Frost" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

It’s growing more and more difficult to feel much enthusiasm about the future of The Flash lately. The overarching conflict in Season 3 isn’t measuring up to its predecessors. And if these past two episodes are any indication, Savitar is shaping up to be a far inferior villain than Reverse-Flash and Zoom. It’s the core Team Flash dynamic that continues to drive the show when all else fails. “Killer Frost” worked mainly because it hinged so heavily on that dynamic.

That’s not to say things started off on a great note this week. “Killer Frost” picked up exactly where “Shade” left off, with Wally trapped in Alchemy’s cocoon and Barry fighting for his life against Megatr… I mean Savitar. That opening sequence offered a much closer glimpse of the season’s main villain. And once again, it seems like history is repeating himself. Savitar is an evil speedster who can run circles around the Flash. Barry will have to dig deep and become much faster to overcome his new foe. How novel...

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Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection Review

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Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection does a wonderful job of reminding me how great the three-game arc of Ezio Auditore's life story was on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, while also reminding me just how much the series has evolved and improved over the past seven years. But while the frame rate and load times in the Xbox One and PS4 compilation are a big improvement over last-gen’s original games, there are some baffling lighting and texture degradations throughout the trilogy.

Experiencing Ezio’s life from literal birth to death is still every bit as exciting and emotional as it was back in 2009. Watching him grow from a brash rogue to a contemplative elder remains fantastic, and aside from the dynamic between Syndicate’s siblings, my favorite story in the AC series. But playing through Assassin's Creed 2, Brotherhood, and Revelations highlights just how much the series’ gameplay has improved over the years. The horizontal and downward parkour of Black Flag and Unity made moving through their respective worlds a joy, which is something I can’t say about the ample moments where I found Ezio unintentionally clinging to surfaces around Italy. While I feel like I was able to forgive these hiccups back in 2009, it’s tough to stomach them in a post-Syndicate world.

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American Horror Story: Roanoke Season Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for American Horror Story: Roanoke below.

The sixth season of American Horror Story came to us under a successful shroud of secrecy. An avalanche of intriguing teasers, with no clear central theme, kept us all guessing as to what these ten episodes would hold. Where did it take place? When did it take place? What kind of characters would our Horror Story roster be playing this year?

Keeping the haunted house story a secret, as well as the meta-reality TV/reenactment structure, was a good idea. It got us all talking about the show again, creating a buzz that a series entering its sixth season usually can't generate. The introductory gimmick, too, was fun at first. The scares weren't there because we were essentially watching the terror unfold onto actors playing the roles the "real people" who endured the torment, but, as always, the show gave us the initial, cheap thrill of watching its talented treasure chest of performers inhabit new characters. There were even a few new faces too, like Cuba Gooding Jr., André Holland, and Adina Porter (Porter, in particular, would shine on Roanoke as a side character turned pivotal, central figure).

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Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 4: Guardian Of Gotham Review

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Episode four of Telltale’s Batman series, Guardian of Gotham, adds a small amount of tension to an already very dramatic, multi-faceted series, but doesn’t make much story progress while doing so. Jumping off of episode three’s cliffhanger, the first minutes are rife with exciting, anxious tension from the get-go, but it almost completely throws that away with poor pacing decisions in the first act.

Episode four opens with the blatantly shoehorned-in introduction of Telltale’s version of the Joker, who unfortunately has no bearing on any of the conflicts I’m invested in. A character I should be enamoured with and excited about instead felt like a frustrating, heavy-handed brick wall standing between me and those I’ve spent around eight in-game hours developing relationships with. And Bruce Wayne’s decision to sit by the Joker and listen to him spout character-building nonsense totally ignores all of the remarkably pressing personal and professional issues it seems like he should be focused on, too, which is wildly out of character.

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Monday 21 November 2016

Supergirl: "The Darkest Place" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

At this point we’re only two weeks away from Supergirl’s mid-season finale. There’s a definite sense that the show’s pacing is accelerating as the writers work to arrange all their pieces and further the ongoing Cadmus conflict. That was all fine and well, but there was also too much Guardian gumming up the works this week. Clearly, not every character on this show is pulling their weight right now.

The big news this week was the fact that Kara was lured to Cadmus’ headquarters and came face-to-face with both Lillian Luthor and Hank Henshaw (the real one). Even more significant was the confirmation that Hank has indeed become Cyborg Superman and looks to be a recurring threat this season.

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Gotham: "Time Bomb" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

"Time Bomb" was a fairly busy episode of Gotham, though it also used its ensemble really well, which isn't always the standard for this series. Basically, everyone the show has to offer, main cast-wise, popped up in this one and had a meaningful moment. Some more meaningful than others, sure, but it was a still good use of the large roster.

I still don't know what to think of Tabitha as a character. She's never been clearly defined. I understand why Butch would be into her -- perhaps even love her like he told her he did this week -- but we've never quite been given an explanation as to her motives for anything really. She's a survivor, but is that it?

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Dragon Ball Super Episode 67 Review

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Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the episode.

After the conclusion of last week’s episode, I came into this one expecting something more light hearted. I figured the heroes would be celebrating their victory and returning the timelines to normal but Trunks just can’t catch a break. Episode 67 ended up delving into some dark places, but only for a moment before the story goes down some very questionable paths.

It only takes a few minutes for everything to fall apart for Trunks. On the visual side, this isn’t handled very well. Zamasu’s power is represented by an energy field that now covers the planet, and within the field is a repeating image of his face. The many faces look odd and appear more like strange sketches in the sky, not intimidating and powerful like they should be.

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The Monster Review

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Although it is an imperfect film, The Monster features a fantastic setup for a horror movie – a mother and daughter who don't get along find themselves on a back road on a dark and stormy night as their car breaks down. Soon enough, noises emanate from the surrounding woods, some sort of nefarious beast is clearly nearby, and help is still far away. Written and directed by Bryan Bertino, The Monster does indeed start off quite well, but it never lives up to the scenario it establishes.

The mother here, Kathy, is played by Zoe Kazan. She is a divorced alcoholic who has promised to bring her daughter, Lizzy (Ella Ballentine), to Lizzy's father's house. It is a trip which, much to Lizzy's upset, starts hours later than it is supposed to due to Kathy's hangover. Making the whole thing that much more somber, Kathy surmises that Lizzy has no intention of ever coming back to their house, that Lizzy intends to stay with her father until she reaches adulthood.

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Sunday 20 November 2016

Westworld: "Trace Decay" Review

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Full spoilers for Westworld continue below.

Plenty of unanswered questions remain after Westworld's third-to-last episode of Season 1, "Trace Decay," but at least one key theory is confirmed: there are multiple timelines. As the HBO series further teases out the mystery of the maze and of who Arnold is, Dolores's complicated storyline actually offered the most insight into what's to come.

The two biggest early theories of Westworld were that Bernard was a host and that there are parallel timelines unfolding through Season 1. While some of the finer details of those theories remained unconfirmed (or denied) -- Is Bernard a Host version of Arnold? Is William the same person as the Man in Black? -- the broad strokes of both theories have been confirmed in the most recent two episodes.

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The Walking Dead: "Go Getters" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

I just want to bring up the fact here that, so far, only three people have died this season. Yes, two of those deaths were pretty big, but compared to last year's body count come this time, Season 7's feels light from a carnage standpoint.

That's neither a good thing or a bad thing, really. It just stands out more now I guess since this episode, "Go Getters," and last week's chapter, "Service," both featured the Saviors making house calls but leaving no one dead in their wicked wake. They make a lot of blustering speeches, and subject folks to a ton of bullying, but no one's been Lucille'd since Glenn hit the dirt.

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Ash vs Evil Dead: "Ashy Slashy" Review

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Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.

NOOOOOOO!

First Brock and now Pablo!

Ruby wasn't kidding when she told our "powerful vagina" that even if everything went perfectly, he still probably wouldn't survive.

To be honest too, I had my doubts about Pablo making it out of this season alive. I wasn't absolutely certain, but I had a tingle. His storyline, what with him being merged with the Necronomicon and all, felt like one of ultimate sacrifice.

Plus, as much as Pablo was Ash's number one cadet, Kelly, as of late, has really been stepping up as a possible Ash-ccessor. Hell, given her awesome and brutal fight with the Ashy Slashy puppet this week, she's already kind of there, and I wouldn't even put it past this show to kill off Ash by the end of this year.

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Friday 18 November 2016

Split Review

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THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE ADVANCE REVIEW.

After emerging in the '90s and early 2000s as one of the top directors to watch thanks to films like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, it’s no secret that M. Night Shyamalan’s career began to experience an unfortunate downward spiral starting with 2004’s The Village leading up to the truly irredeemable Last Airbender and the absurd After Earth. Then, after more than a decade of disappointing outings, something strange happened when Shyamalan released The Visit in 2015. Not only was it unlike any other film that he had released up until that point, but the horror tale about kids visiting their disturbing grandparents for the weekend seemed to show the first signs of a possible comeback in the making from Shyamalan.

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