Name: JPRoscoe
Email:
Bio: Follow me on Twitter @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.
Posts by JPRoscoe:
Spyro the Dragon
June 15th, 2019|
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Game Info
Game Name: Spyro the Dragon
Developer(s): Insomniac Games
Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform(s): PS1/PS4/Xbox One
Genre(s): Retro Gaming/Action/Adventure/Platformer
Release Date(s): Original—September 9, 1998/Reignited—November 13, 2018
ESRB Rating: E
Got to free them all!
The Dragon Kingdom has come under attack by Gnasty Gnorc, and Gnasty Gnorc has turned all the dragons into crystal. Only Spryo avoided Gnasty Gnorc’s curse, and now it up to Spyro to free the other dragons, defeat Gnasty Gnorc, and retrieve the dragon treasures to save his kingdom!
Spyro the Dragon is a 3D platformer originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. The game was developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment and became a best-selling game for the system. The game was remastered and released as part of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy (also including Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! and Spyro: Year of the Dragon) for various platforms in 2018.
I didn’t have a PlayStation, and I was pretty rooted in Nintendo at the time. Nintendo released Super Mario 64, and Super Mario 64 at the time was the top notch of 3D gaming. I finally was able to play Spyro as part of the Reignited Trilogy (which is the version reviewed here) and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Flying will be fun…right? Or insanity driving anger raged filled…
I will admit that Super Mario 64 had more variety in its levels, but when cleaned up, the game’s lack of variety doesn’t affect it much. The game is a relatively quick play in the world of 20-30 hour games with probably about 8-10 hours if you are exploring the world relatively decently and 15 hours if you are going for competition. The puzzle solving is relatively easy and the game keeps moving as you rush through the levels.
The controls for the game are quite slick. Over the years the camera aspect of 3D games has improved and Spyro feels natural as he runs. There are times when the camera angle works against what you are trying to do (especially in flying levels and some of the extreme jumps and angles), but you can pick up the game easily and master the skills needed to finish it.
Nothing is more fun than running around in circles for hours…literally.
Spyro the Dragon remastered version shows how much games have improved in the twenty years since the game’s original release. The original game’s scenery was pretty sparse (which was typical at the time), and the characters, other than Spyro, are rather underdeveloped. The new version is really clean, crisp, and beautiful. It also flows smoothly as Spyro glides and jumps from level to level with strong voice actors and sound…even if you played Spyro in 1998, it is worth seeking it out again.
Spyro the Dragon is one of those fun flashback games and a great game for younger gamers and older gamers who find games too complex now. A complaint would be that there is a large gap in skillset in some levels and you can whisk your way through one level but find yourself struggling on a flying level or a difficult jump for 100% competition which could become frustrating…not that I was swearing or anything as I failed to hit multiple runs or anything…nope, not me at all. Flame on, Spyro. Flame on! Spyro the Dragon was followed by Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! in 1999.
Related Links:
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
The Wild One (1953)
June 14th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: The Wild One
Studio: Stanley Kramer Productions
Genre(s): Drama
Release Date(s): December 30, 1953
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Oh, Johnny…you are so mysterious and brooding
Johnny Strabler (Marlon Brando) and his biker gang the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club have just rolled into the dusty town of Wrightsville, California. When Johnny and his friends start causing trouble and rival gang member the Beetles led by Chino (Lee Marvin) arrive in Wrightsville, a battle between the town and the bikers begins. Johnny finds himself attracted to Kathie (Mary Murphy) but learns that her father is police chief Harry Bleeker (Robert Keith). Harry discovers he’s trapped in a tough space with the town demanding the bikers out and the bikers antagonizing them…an explosion is brewing and Johnny could pay the price!
Directed by László Benedek, The Wild One is based on the “Hollister riot” of 1947. The story was originally told by Frank Rooney in “The Cyclists’ Raid” in Harper Magazine (January 1951). The film gained a cult following and helped propel Marlon Brando to fame.
You’re right Chino…nothing says intimidating like your pipe smoking friend who looks like Yukon Cornelius
The Wild One is one of those movies that you know the imagery surrounding, but you might not have seen. Unlike Rebel Without a Cause (which came later in 1955), it seems like The Wild One was always less available…and there is some reason to that. In the UK, it was banned, and in the US, if feels like later motorcycle movies filled in for The Wild One. Though iconic, The Wild One is even more of a cliché than Rebel Without a Cause.
I can’t say I loved the plot of The Wild One. It was pretty typical of motorcycle movies but at the time, it was original. You have the loner who isn’t a bad guy, caught in a bad situation, and unable to clear his name. It is loaded with bad beatnik dialogue that sounds more goofy than menacing and characters who are bad clichés of bikers (I particularly like the Scottish looking pipe smoking biker of Lee Marvin’s group).
The movie does excel in its cast however. Marlon Brando is good as the devil-may-care Johnny who doesn’t even known what he’s rebelling against. Mary Murphy is a little bland as his love interest and good girl who wants to escape the small town. Lee Marvin is even more over-the-top as the biker bad boy Chino (who likes to speak in third person), and Robert Keith plays the wimpy push-over police chief who needs to develop past his stereotype.
Wait…do we like Johnny at this point or not? I’m not sure…
The movie is visually iconic. Marlon Brando’s stylish outfit as Johnny has been imitated multiple times (including recently in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as Mutt’s outfit). Of course now, Brando’s edgy biker looks more like a member of the Village People than someone threatening. The movie’s set however is pretty weak and just looks like your typical Hollywood backlot (and even more western than seem appropriate for the time).
The Wild One is rather short, and it has that going for it. It doesn’t feel like you have to commit to the movie, but it did leave me wondering if I should just watch Rebel Without a Cause again since it had similar themes and more depth…I actually expected it to end darker like Rebel. Regardless, the movie is a classic and should be seen in that respect. If you watch The Wild One, you might be hoping for a little more from a “shocking story” that “could never take place in most American towns”.
Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come—Part 1
June 14th, 2019|
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Comic Info
Comic Name: Justice Society of America (Volume 2)
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Geoff Johns/Alex Ross
Artist: Dale Eaglesham/Fernando Pasarin/Alex Ross
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2008
Justice Society of America (2) #8
Reprints Justice Society of America (2) #7-12 (September 2007-March 2008). Someone is killing people claiming to be gods and an attempt to stop it leads the Justice Society to release an older, wiser Superman from a parallel world. As Superman tells of the destruction of his world, the Justice Society works to recruit new members and expand on the idea that the Justice Society must honor its past to move forward. As Mr. America is called in to investigate the Heartbreak Slayer, the JSA is about to discover a greater danger that they never even expected.
Written by Geoff Johns and plotted by Johns and Alex Ross, Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come—Part 1 is a DC Comics superteam collection. The comic is a sequel to Mark Waid and Alex Ross’s critically acclaimed Kingdom Come and features some flashback sequences by Ross. Following the events of Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga, the collection features art by Dale Eaglesham and Fernando Pasarin. The issues in the collection were also a part of JSA—Volume 3.
The Justice Society has always held a soft spot for me. I like the idea of the “family” JSA which feels much more akin to the Super Friends that first introduced me to many of the DC characters (though not many of the ones in the JSA). The idea of the JSA crossing over with the darkness of Kingdom Come is both potentially interesting and dangerous since you don’t want to see the “family” destroyed.
Justice Society of America (2) #12
This collection is largely set-up for the bigger Thy Kingdom Come storyline. It ties up a few loose ends and sets up a new batch of recruits for the JSA. DC’s collection of the JSA has been a bit odd up to this point since Justice League of America trumps Justice Society of America and the previous collection was actually a Justice League collection. It is too bad that the issues were just collected as a giant collection (or at least the back half of this book) to make the Thy Kingdom Come a little less divided.
That being said, I do like the set-up. The JSA seems to be loaded with tragic characters that powers are almost ironic. Power Girl is powerless to change her situation, Superman was unable to save Kingdom Come, and Citizen Steel can literally feel nothing due to his powers which make him a slow, hulking monster who can unintentionally hurt. The true danger of Thy Kingdom Come is Gog who cameos a bit in the volume (in shadows), but is set to be the baddy…but you don’t really know how he is tied Magog of Kingdom Come due to revisions in the DC Multiverse. His character had made appearances before, but DC continued to alter his origin.
Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come—Part 1 feels like the start of an epic that the JSA deserves due to their long and epic history. The issues in the collection still have the great Alex Ross covers which show the heroes at their most heroic and makes the story inside pop. Justice Society of America: They Kingdom Come—Part 1 is followed by Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come—Part 2.
Related Links:
Justice Society of America: The Next Age
Justice Society of America: Black Adam and Isis
Justice Society of America: The Bad Seed
Justice Society of America: Supertown
New Avengers 11: Search for the Sorcerer Supreme
June 13th, 2019|
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Comic Info
Comic Name: New Avengers (Volume 1)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Billy Tan/Chris Bachalo
# of Issues: 4
Release Date: 2009
New Avengers (1) #53
Reprints New Avengers (1) #51-54 (May 2009-August 2009). Doctor Strange has lost the title of Sorcerer Supreme and now he is trying to help find his own replacement. Unfortunately, the Hood and his master doesn’t intend to let a new Sorcerer Supreme be discovered. With the help the Avengers, Doctor Strange finds himself in a race against time…and a new Sorcerer Supreme will be chosen!
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, New Avengers Volume 11: Search for the Sorcerer Supreme is a superhero comic book collection. Following New Avengers Volume 10: Power, the issues feature art by Billy Tan and Chris Bachalo. The issues in this volume were also collected as New Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete Collection—Volume 4.
I haven’t enjoyed much of Brian Michael Bendis run. I held on to it for too long when it was new and going back and re-reading it further points to its weaknesses. I hadn’t read these issues when they were new, but of the New Avengers comics, I do enjoy it more.
The Avengers themselves are putting themselves in a position to go to war with Norman Osborn. Hawkeye finds himself facing off against Osborn and the conclusion of the collection has Hawkeye calling out Osborn to a public audience (something that Osborn has seemingly avoided most of the Amazing Spider-Man and with his tenure as the leader of H.A.M.M.E.R. It shows a plan for an end of Bendis’ Dark Reign storyline that wasn’t very cohesive to begin with.
New Avengers (1) #54
What makes this collection stand out a bit more is my love of minor characters. Even the Hood was on my radar back during his limited series (though I found Bendis ruined him as well). The appearance of Son of Satan (yeah, I still have a hard time calling him Hellstrom) and Brother Voodoo are pleasing…plus, Brother Voodoo finally gets his due in this volume. It is a bit too short, and I almost feel that Doctor Strange should have had a limited series to really do this storyline justice.
New Avengers is a problematic title because the issues often don’t stand on their own nor do they really flow together as a whole. The shortness of this collection is unfortunate and I wish that this story had been expanded upon (when other stories presented in New Avengers often feel too drawn out). I look forward to Brother Voodoo’s tenure as Sorcerer Supreme (though as a typical comic book reader, I know it won’t be permanent). New Avengers 11: Search for the Sorcerer Supreme is followed by New Avengers 12: Powerloss.
Related Links:
Unity 2: Trapped by Webnet
June 12th, 2019|
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Comic Info
Comic Name: Unity/X-O Manowar (Volume 3)
Publisher: Valiant Comics
Writer: Matt Kindt/Robert Venditti
Artist: Cafu/Lee Garbett
# of Issues: 4
Release Date: 2014
Unity #5 Variant
Reprints Unity #5-7 and X-O Manowar (3) #5 (September 2012-May 2014). In a small village in Taiwan, an alien ship of the Vine has crashed. With Livewire captured by a man named Dr. Silk, Aric, Gilad, and Ninjak must go on a rescue mission…but Silk’s plans could be worldwide. An outbreak of massive proportion could occur, and only Livewire, the Eternal Warrior, Ninjak, and X-O Manowar can stop it!
Written by Matt Kindt, Unity Volume 2: Trapped by Webnet is a Valiant Comics comic book collection. Following Unity Volume 1: To Kill a King, the collection features art by CAFU. Written by Robert Venditti and illustrated by Lee Garbett, the collection also features X-O Manowar (3) #5 (September 2012) which has the first encounter between Aric and Ninjak. The issues featured in the collection were also collected in Unity Deluxe Edition—Volume 1.
Valiant’s relaunch was an interesting thing. Marvel was picking up steam with their movies, and DC Comics had just restarted their whole universe with New 52. Valiant jumped into the fray, and Unity featured a few of the Valiant’s heavy hitters as a quasi-team book. While Valiant needed a team, the format of Unity is problematic.
The collections for Unity are tiny. This volume has a three issue story-arc and an unrelated issue of X-O Manowar. This isn’t worth the price of the collection…when you can get bigger collections for the same price or a little bit more. This makes it a challenge to bring in newer readers. If nothing else, readers should have an overload of comics and more value…making them want to buy more.
Unity #7 Variant
The story itself is basic comic book fodder with insane scientists, forlorn love, and a killer virus, but Valiant does put some twists on it. In one issue, Aric, Gilad, and Ninjak call the bluff of Dr. Silk…and kill and entire village. “I’ll be damned. It wasn’t a bluff” was the response from Ninjak. This wouldn’t happen in an Avengers comic book and that is kind of fun and different…I just wish the collection was longer.
Valiant also did a good job recruiting artists for their series. CAFU’s art for the core story is good, and it is a nice contrast to see Lee Garbett’s art for the X-O Manowar issue included in the volume, but the readers really deserved another issue.
Unity at this point feels clunky because the characters aren’t as known and developed as the characters of the DC Universe or Marvel Universe. The book feels close to something like Defenders (Marvel’s anti-team book). With solid solo books for most of the characters, Unity feels like it needs more time to develop. Unity 2: Trapped by Webnet is followed by Unity 3: Armor Hunters which was part of a bigger Armor Hunters storyline in the Valiant Universe.
Related Links:
The Flash by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar
June 11th, 2019|
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Comic Info
Comic Name: The Flash (Volume 2)/Green Lantern (Volume 3)/Green Arrow (Volume 1)/Flash 80-Page Giant/JLA: Secret Files
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Grant Morrison/Mark Millar/Ron Marz/Chuck Dixon
Artist: Paul Ryan/Ron Wagner/John Nyberg/Paul Pelletier/John Lowe/Will Rosado/Sal Buscema/Pop Mhan/Joshua Hood/Chris Ivy/Ariel Olivetti
# of Issues: 16
Release Date: 2016
The Flash (2) #131
Reprints The Flash (2) #130-141, Green Lantern (3) #96, Green Arrow (1) #130, The Flash 80-Page Giant #1, and JLA: Secret Files and Origins #1 (September 1997-September 1998). The Flash is in the race of life…literally. First he must face a debilitating accident while trying to stop the Suit. The Flash learns that the whole Earth hangs in the balance as the Flash is selected for an inter-dimensional race against time. The Flash finds his ultimate challenge when he must race death itself in the form of the Black Flash…and Wally’s life might never be the same!
Written by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, The Flash by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar also features a three part crossover with stories written by Ron Marz and Chuck Dixon. Following The Flash by Mark Waid—Book 6, the collection also features a short story from The Flash 80-Page Giant (August 1998) and an origin page from JLA: Secret Files and Origins #1 (September 1997). The collection has art by Paul Ryan, Ron Wagner, John Nyberg, Paul Pelletier, John Lowe, Will Rosado, Sal Buscema, Pop Mhan, Joshua Hood, Chris Ivy, and Ariel Olivetti. The issues in this collection were also collected in The Flash: Emergency Stop and The Flash: The Human Race.
Grant Morrison and Mark Millar often are revolutionary in their writing. Their stories are generally extreme and don’t always feel like they fit in with mainstream continuity. Like Morrison’s run on JLA, The Flash stories feel like they are part of the DCU but have a certain edge not found in the regular books.
The series has a surprising cohesion that seems a bit lost in recent years in comic books. The crossover between Green Arrow and Green Lantern feels like it fits in with all the titles despite different writers. JLA, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Flash seem to be at the right place at the right time…it doesn’t feel like any of the writers jerked their characters out of bigger stories to do the crossover. It fits.
The Flash (2) #138
Morrison and Millar manage to increase the odds throughout the book. When you read “Emergency Stop” it feels like it is rather intense and high stakes. This is taken to another level in “The Human Race” which has Flash racing to save the Earth in a race he cannot ever win. You think that Morrison can’t go beyond “The Human Race”, but “The Black Flash” storyline not only feels bigger than “The Human Race” but also more personal with Wally’s relationship with Linda.
I’d be curious to know how Millar and Morrison worked together. The stories in the volume feel both indicative to the writers, but it also feel like a solid flowing story that doesn’t “break” despite different writers. Many books now just relaunch with new teams and that is the lazy way to do it. I prefer an honest attempt to write a story that remains true to character and fits within a bigger context.
The Flash entered a good “run” starting with Waid and Miller and Morrison make an honest attempt to make their takeover of the book their own. The Flash is a fun character and much more than “the guy who runs fast”. Morrison and Millar’s run is overshadowed by being sandwiched between Waid and Geoff Johns who took over the series with Flash (2) #164.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
June 10th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: John Wick: Chapter 2
Studio: Lionsgate
Genre(s): Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): January 30, 2017 (Premiere)/February 10, 2017 (US)
MPAA Rating: R
First his wife died, then they killed his dog, then they took his car, now his house is burning…not been a good year for Keanu
By seeking out vengeance, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has turned his life upside down. He’s broken a pact to stay out of the business, and Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) has come calling for John to fulfill his blood oath to honor his marker. John learns that his assignment is non-negotiable and realizes by completing it, he will have a target on his back…but John doesn’t intend to go down without a fight.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick: Chapter 2 is an action thriller sequel to John Wick from 2014. The movie was released to positive reviews and was a box office success.
John Wick was a pleasant surprise. It was a hardcore action movie that pulled no punches and seemed to have joy in presenting a film that was both modern and a throwback. The idea of a cadre of assassins living and working in our midst is fun…and John Wick: Chapter 2 does it up to the max.
He’s just a Common thug
With as much action that John Wick brought to the screen, John Wick: Chapter 2 had a tough act to follow, but it managed to do it. The movie is almost like a Wild West type picture with everyone shaking in fear at Wick’s name, but this movie has Wick more on the defensive. He’s trapped, brutalized, and forced to make tough calls. It is a little long at two hours of adrenaline, but it utilizes it well and dares to end on a down note the likes haven’t been seen in a while.
Keanu still breathes life into Wick with his ironically stoic and minimal emotion. Riccardo Scamarcio plays the big baddy of this entry, but the movie is loaded with cameos and smaller roles. Ian McShane and Lance Reddick return as the operators of the Continental Hotel, and John Leguizamo returns as Wick’s put-upon mechanic. Ruby Rose and Common take up high profile positions as assassins and Claudia Gerini has a small but memorable scene as D’Antonio’s sister Gianna. Keanu’s Matrix costar Laurence Fishburne appears, David Patrick Kelly, Peter Stormare, and ’60s and ’70s action star Franco Nero plays the Roman equivalent of Ian McShane’s manager.
I take it back…I don’t want to buy you a drink
The movie still excels in the visual department. John Wick was a feast for the eyes and John Wick: Chapter 2 surprisingly keeps up the pace. The movie has some great locations for the long fights like the white station and the museum maze. It explodes and bullets fly…but it still makes sense through smart editing.
John Wick: Chapter 2 is a great ride in a series that shows it has legs. The movie feels a lot like the American version of The Raid in style and energy, and this entry leaves you satisfied but wanting more. John Wick: Chapter 2 is followed by John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum in 2019.
Related Links:
New Avengers 6: Revolution
June 10th, 2019|
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Comic Info
Comic Name: New Avengers (Volume 1)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2007
New Avengers (1) #26
Reprints New Avengers (1) #26-31 (January 2007-August 2007). Following the events of the Civil War, the Avengers are on the run. Hawkeye’s quest to locate the Scarlet Witch leads to shocking results while Ronin’s attempt to take down Elektra and the Hand in Tokyo leads to an emergency mission for the Avengers. As the Avengers battle the ninjas, a revelation could change the fate of the Avengers and the fate of the world!
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, New Avengers Volume 6: Revolution is a Marvel Comics collection. Following New Avengers Volume 5: Civil War, the series features art by Alex Maleev and Leinil Yu. The issues in this volume were also collected in New Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete Collection—Volume 3 and the Secret Invasion Omnibus.
I liked how New Avengers started out, but it quickly degraded as Bendis’ “master plan” for the series unfolded. Millar’s Civil War really threw a wrench in a lot of Marvel titles and Secret Invasion kind of stuck the knife in and twisted. New Avengers 6: Revolution is the lead up to Secret Invasion and is a rather dull collection.
The first issue of this collection has hope and relates back to the House of M. Hawkeye is seeking out Scarlet Witch who has been missing since her big “no more mutants” declaration and was responsible for Hawkeye’s death. Here, the two (who have a long history) are allowed to mend fences and move forward. Of the issues in the collection, it is the best simply because it has a start and a finish.
New Avengers (1) #31
New Avengers #27-31 is the “Revolution” storyline which has the Avengers facing off against the Hand to rescue Echo. The story plods along and represents a dark period in Marvel. I don’t like the whole Iron Man vs. Captain America aspect of Civil War and this is even worse with Captain America being dead and the “New” Avengers in hiding. The mission to Tokyo goes on too long and the big reveal at the end is that Skrulls have infiltrated the planet…and anyone could be an enemy! This makes characters more unlikable and even sets up a generic out for Bendis “that character wasn’t really her…it was a Skrull”.
The collection also isn’t helped by the art. Alex Maleev’s art for New Avengers #26 is ok. I’m not a huge fan of his style, but I am definitely not a fan of Leinil Yu’s art. Not only is everything always over-inked like some bad ’90s comic, it always looks like everyone he draws has pink-eye. The gritty realism attempted in the art just comes off as sloppy and not very good.
New Avengers was a low point in Marvel’s publishing in that it really took a lot of fun out of the comics. Bendis really wasn’t very good at controlling team books and he also wasn’t very good at crafting “Big Event” series. It just lacks the fun and escapism that comics generally provide and can provide while still presenting a story for adults and younger readers. New Avengers 6: Revolution was followed by New Avengers 7: The Trust.
Related Links:
New Avengers 11: Search for the Sorcerer Supreme
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
June 10th, 2019|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Oz the Great and Powerful
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Genre(s): Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action/Adventure/Family
Release Date(s): February 14, 2013 (Premiere)/March 8, 2013 (US)
MPAA Rating: :PG
I don’t think I’m in Kansas anymore
Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is a charlatan. As a performer in a travelling circus, Oscar finds himself on the run after bilking the wrong people and is sucked into a tornado. Touching down in the land of Oz, Oscar finds himself caught in the middle of a war for leadership. The people of Oz think that Oscar is the Wizard whose coming has been foretold, but Oscar finds himself teamed with a flying monkey named Finley, a delicate China Girl, and Glinda the Good Witch (Michelle Williams) against sister witches Theodora (Mila Kunis) and Evanora (Rachel Weisz). The fate of Oz and its people hangs in the balance!
Directed by Sam Raimi, Oz the Great and Powerful is based on the Oz novels by L. Frank Baum which began with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. The movie also serves as a bit of a prequel to the classic The Wizard of Oz from 1939. The film was released to mixed to positive reviews and a strong box office return.
I always like Baum’s Oz stories. Though light and fluffy, they had a lot of heart and great characters. The original Wizard of Oz movie was always a special occasion that aired once a year (pre-VCRs) and it was always a big deal when it was coming on. I am always happy for an Oz movie to do well and Oz the Great and Powerful hits a lot of the marks (but also misses some points).
Sorry Mila…Margaret Hamilton still wins (though your winged baboons are also terrifying)
The story takes its framework from the original film. It has the black-and-white dullness of the “real” world mixed with the beauty and wonder of Oz. It also takes the idea of parallel characters which in the original film gave the movie a dream-like quality, but in this version feels a bit more arbitrary since Oz obviously isn’t a dream. The story takes parts of the film and Baum’s original novels for the story, but the movie is simply too long with it dragging at points. It also kind of feels like set-up for future films but nothing has ever come of this film.
Franco does have the stage quality that would make a good vaudevillian performer and he’s a charmer which the Wizard needs to be (but he doesn’t line up well with Frank Morgan’s Oz of the original movie). The three witches played by Williams, Weisz, and Kunis all have their moments and are decently cast. Baum originally had a Witch of the North that kind of faded from the stories, but it would have been interesting to have this story. Zach Braff is a bit distracting because Finley just feels like Braff talking out of a CGI monkey. Joey King is more effective as the China Girl who has attitude. Raimi regular Bruce Campbell plays a guard while Raimi’s brother plays a person at the magic show and Evil Dead vets Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker, and Theresa Tilly also appear in small roles.
I loved this part in La La Land!
The movie is aided by a big budget, but this also distances it from the 1939 movie (also it is not a musical). It is very visual and Sam Raimi has some of his stylized look added to some of the scenes (especially the fight between Glinda and Evanora). The original stories had all the countries divided by colored landscape and that might have been an interesting visual theme to take up in this outing.
Oz the Great and Powerful is for the most part an entertaining film. It could have been pared down and tightened up to make it a better film, and it would have been good if sequels had been guaranteed to round out aspects of the story. I am still waiting for a great Oz telling and with so many streaming groups looking for content, I wonder if we’ll see the books all brought to life.
Related Links:
Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return (2013)
Spider-Man: Spider-Island Companion
June 9th, 2019|
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Comic Info
Comic Name: Spider-Island: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu/Spider-Island: The Avengers/Spider-Island: The Amazing Spider-Girl/Spider-Island: Spider-Woman/Spider-Island: Cloak & Dagger/Herc/Black Panther: The Most Dangerous Man Alive/Spider-Island: Heroes for Hire/Spider-Island: I Love New York City
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Greg Rucka/Anthony Johnston/Kelly Sue Deconnick/Christopher Yost/Joe Caramagna/Paul Tobin/Skottie Young/Fred Van Lente/Nick Spencer/Greg Pack/David Liss/Dan Abnett/Andy Lanning
Artist: Max Fiumara/Sebastian Fiumara/Leandro Fernandez/Chuck BB/Mike McKone/Pepe Larraz/David Guertin/Giuseppe Camuncoli/Emma Rios/June Brigman/Francesco Francavilla/Kyle Hotz
# of Issues: 14
Release Date: 2012
Spider-Island: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #2
Reprints Spider-Island: The Amazing Spider-Girl #1-3, Spider-Island: Cloak & Dagger #1-3, Spider-Island: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1-3, Herc #7-8, Spider-Island: The Avengers #1, Spider-Island: Spider-Woman #1, Spider-Island: Heroes for Hire #1, Black Panther: The Most Dangerous Man Alive #524, and Spider-Island: I Love New York City #1 (October 2011-December 2011). The Jackal has unleashed bedbugs upon New York City whose bite grands people the powers of Spider-Man. With superhumans popping up all over, Spider-Man has his hands full and the other heroes of New York City are finding themselves with new powers and abilities while trying to contain the crisis growing on Manhattan. The new “Spider-Men” are a threat, and heroes must rise!
Written by Greg Rucka, Anthony Johnston, Kelly Sue Deconnick, Christopher Yost, Joe Caramagna, Paul Tobin, Skottie Young, Fred Van Lente, Nick Spencer, Greg Pack, David Liss, Dan Abnett, and Andy Lanning, Spider-Man: Spider-Island Companion is a collection of limited series and one-shots surrounding the Dan Slott Spider-Island storyline which ran in Amazing Spider-Man. The collection features art by Max Fiumara, Sebastian Fiumara, Leandro Fernandez, Chuck BB, Mike McKone, Pepe Larraz, David Guertin, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Emma Rios, June Brigman, Francesco Francavilla, and Kyle Hotz. The Cloak and Dagger limited series was also collected in Cloak & Dagger: Runaways and Reversals, Spider-Island: Heroes for Hire #1 was collected in Heroes for Hire by Abnett & Lanning—The Complete Collection, and Black Panther: The Most Dangerous Man Alive #524 was included in Black Panther: The Man Without Fear—The Complete Collection and Black Panther: The Kingpin of Wakanda.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Slott’s run on Spider-Man and Spider-Island seemed kind of gimmicky. Despite this, I was rather interested in the “side” series that arose from Spider-Island. Not only did I like some of the characters covered in the collection, but I like that many people in NYC gaining Spider-Man powers actually affected other people and comics…something that comic books often forget today.
Spider-Island: The Amazing Spider-Girl #1
I will say that this collection is a real mixed bag. Since it is composed of multiple limited series and continuations of series that were already running, it doesn’t have much flow between storylines. Things like Spider-Girl’s battle with the Society of the Wasp really have little effect on Shang-Chi’s battles. The issues are as the title implies; it is a companion. You have to have some background on the story and the characters to follow it.
If nothing else, Spider-Island is a nice ode to minor characters. Shang-Chi just has never quite caught on in the modern age (though Marvel keeps trying), and I love the character so any chance to see him back is a good thing. The same can be said of Arana or Spider-Girl as she was known as at this time (this ended her solo series), and Cloak & Dagger went through more changes as it seems they always do. They are all interesting characters who never seem to get their fair shake. The Herc tie-in issues, the Avengers, Black Panther, and Spider-Woman all are a bit more expected with what was being published, but they still fill a bit of an oddity because how they were handled here.
Spider-Man: Spider-Island Companion is interesting if you have an interest in the Spider-Man storyline or you have a long-standing interest in any of the characters who get stories in this volume. If you are newbie just starting out in the comic book world, sticking to the core titles (like Spider-Man) is advised because much of this collection doesn’t make sense as a stand-alone. The world of Spider-Island was revisited in the Secret Wars title Spider-Island.
