Will Thanos Deliver in Infinity War?

Ten years and eighteen movies within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have led us to the moment fans have been waiting for as Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters this weekend.

The trailers have revealed glimpses of all-out war, hence the title, along with the powerful infinity stones and the big purple bad guy who has been the looming threat over everything that has occurred in the MCU. Thanos is coming, and he is the ultimate evil in the universe.

However, Marvel has only produced a small handful of compelling antagonists. That can’t happen with the extraterrestrial warlord; Thanos needs to be the villain of the ages.

The entire column is up at Forces of Geek.com

Does Krypton Soar?

Krypton debuted on the SYFY channel this week with a family story where the past and the present collide to dictate the future. Superman’s grandfather, Seg-El, learns of an impending threat to destroy Krypton, all to prevent the birth of his future grandson.

When I first learned of this new series, I wondered if it would only appeal to die-hard Superman fans.

I’m a die-hard Superman fan, so that wouldn’t bother me. However, for this show to succeed long-term, it can’t just rest on the laurels of its mythology.

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Retrospective of The Last Jedi

I absolutely loved The Last Jedi. I saw it three times in the theater, and I’m going to buy it on Blu-ray next week. I listened to the audiobook of The Last Jedi, which expands the film’s narrative. I didn’t like it, and you can click here to read my review.

One thing that listening to the audiobook did was cement my stance on the film’s most divisive moments. I understand why some people are disappointed with the finished product. However, after two years of rampant fan speculation and there are still unanswered questions.

Let’s discuss the most divisive moments of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Non-Spoiler Review)

A distressed Luke Skywalker’s words of warning to an unwavering Rey: “This is not going to go the way you think,” impeccably sets the tone for the Rian Johnson-helmed Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Stunning visuals, a fantastic story augmented by old, returning, and new characters, along with a plethora of impactful moments, hurl the audience on a journey that they will never forget, regardless of how they feel about the film.

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Crisis on Earth-X: Review

While DC Comics is having difficulty getting their act together on the silver screen, their television properties are coming up all aces. The CW Network’s yearly crossover event premiered last week as Crisis on Earth-X saw the heroes from all four “Arrowverse” television shows battle Nazis from Earth-X.

A little history lesson. There are 52 versions of Earth in the multiverse. The heroes from Arrow, Flash, and Legends reside on Earth 1 while the crew from Supergirl live on Earth 38. Interdimensional travel called breaches allows the heroes to travel between parallel Earths where they sometimes meet different versions of themselves, aka doppelgangers.

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Justice League: Review

Divisive is the name of the game when it comes to DC Comics’ films. Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, and Suicide Squad all received mixed reviews. Wonder Woman was a bonafide hit with everyone, but now it’s back to the status quo with the latest film in the series, Justice League.

Digital mustache removal, crappy CGI, inept story, and a botched Superman resurrection led to a massive critical lambasting of the film. Bad reviews don’t scare me out of seeing a movie because I need to see it for myself before casting judgment.

Is Justice League another step down for the DCEU? Is Justice League worth your time and hard-earned money? I’m here to report that Justice League is freaking amazing despite any minor problems, and these issues do not distract from an enjoyable movie. Continue reading “Justice League: Review” →

Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View (Audio Book Review)

Star Wars is also known for its iconic sayings along with space battles, lightsaber duels, and a wide array of colorful creatures. “From A Certain Point of View” is not just a clever variation of the truth explained by Obi-Wan Kenobi; it is also the title of the newest novel from a galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars: From A Certain Point of View celebrates the 40th anniversary of its cherished namesake with forty short stories that occur during A New Hope.

Every tale is told from different perspectives by various characters brought to life by a cast of renowned writers, including John Jackson Miller, Matt Fraction, Christie Golden, Chuck Wendig, and Claudia Gray. The narrators range from celebrities to voice actors/narrators, including Ashley Eckstein, Marc Thompson, Jon Hamm, and Neil Patrick Harris.

Some of the stories fill in minor plot holes from the film, other stories answer some long outstanding questions, and others are purely entertaining. Some accounts miss the mark, but the overall collection is an audible delight to the ears.

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Trailer Review

The official trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released on Monday night, along with the official movie poster. There are some beats borrowed from The Empire Strikes Back, however, it seems that they will be molded into something different.

Yes, there will a Jedi master reluctant to train the newbie with the refusal based on fear as opposed to doubt. Sleight of hand plot points round out the highly anticipated two minute and thirty-five-second preview of the Rian Johnson directed film.

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Star Wars: Phasma (Book Review)

It’s safe to say that the chrome-plated Captain Phasma was highly underutilized in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Looking back on all of the hype going into the film, absolutely nothing was promised to the importance of Phasma. Still, the plethora of merchandise in her likeness, along with the fact that Brieann of Tarth herself, Gwendolyn Christie, was playing the towering stormtrooper all but guaranteed this amazing new character that we never got.

Force Friday II saw the initial launch for Star Wars: The Last Jedi merchandise. There were action figures, vehicles, clothing, puzzles, nerf guns, Funko Pops, and books as far as the eye could see. One of those items was one of the new canon novels written by Delilah Dawson appropriately titled, Phasma.

Captain Phasma’s origin story is told in an interrogation session where the Resistance spy Vi Moradi was captured by First Order captain, Cardinal. Cardinal dons crimson-colored stormtrooper armor with a left captain’s cape just like Phasma. Cardinal is convinced that his highly respected and feared colleague cannot be trusted and believes Vi has the proof he needs to bring her down. Continue reading “Star Wars: Phasma (Book Review)” →

Spider-Man Homecoming: Review

The sixth film featuring everyone’s favorite wall-crawling superhero has the added caveat of officially being a part of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Spider-Man: Homecoming not only presents a different on-screen version of the titular character but also its most endearing.

High School is the name of the game here. While Sam Raimi and Marc Webb used Peter Parker’s high school experience as a set piece to establish a bigger narrative, Director Jon Watts etches it in Homecoming’s DNA. Homework or crime fighting? That is the question.

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