Posts

Spider-Man…or Spider-Clone? (The Amazing Spider-Man #150) (1975)

-
Image
Writer: Archie Goodwin  Artist: Gil Kane  Inkers: Mike Esposito & Frank Giacoia Tortured by his dilemma, Spider-Man goes web-slinging, but he does not go unobserved. He enlists the aid of Dr. Connors to determine whether he is the genuine article or a clone. Spider-Man is recovering after a series of debilitating tests, but his rest is disturbed. The battle has an unexpected conclusion. Round two! And we all know what happens when the Sandman gets wet! But not this time. After a similar encounter with the Kingpin, Professor Smythe and his Spider-Slayer show up to make everything clear. Spider-Man has his own epiphany while on the verge of being battered to death. Gerry Conway passes the writing torch to Archie Goodwin for a pretty underwhelming anniversary issue. A flimsy plot is constructed just to give an excuse for some of Spidey’s iconic villains to make an “appearance,” although it’s nice to see artist Gil Kane getting a shot at drawing them. Peter’s decision to toss ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Source Code (2011)

-
Image
Director: Duncan Jones Writer: Ben Ripley Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Arden, Cas Anvar, Russell Peters, Brent Skagford, Craig Thomas Helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up on a commuter train in the body of another man just moments before the train is destroyed by a bomb.  He learns that he is part of a mission to find the bomber, and that's all I feel comfortable saying.  Director Duncan Jones and writer Ben Ripley allow us to share Colter's confusion, and the main pleasure of this intelligently scripted film is watching him discover not only the identity of the bomber but the true nature of his assignment.  Most science fiction films are really action movies or horror films, so it's nice to see one that relies on clever writing rather than special effects.  Jones infuses his thriller with a believable and touching love story through the introduction of Christina (Michelle Monaghan), a doo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kick-Ass (2010)

-
Image
Director: Matthew Vaughn Writers: Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn, based on the comic book by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mark Strong, Nicolas Cage, Lyndsy Fonseca, Clark Duke A high school nobody and comic book aficionado (Aaron Johnson) decides to become a real life superhero (despite the lack of superpowers), christens himself Kick-Ass, and promptly gets his ass kicked by a couple of street goons.  This tips us off that we are not in store for the typical superhero movie.  Displaying incredible courage-slash-unbelievable stupidity, he persists in his mission and is drawn into a war between a drug kingpin (Mark Strong) and a couple of Batman and Robin knockoffs, Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and his daughter Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz), who are the real thing.  Some may be put off by the violence and profanity, particularly since many of the characters are so young, so be warned: this film des...
Post a Comment
Read more