CineGeek Webcast Episode 70: Alien Nation, Captain America, Watchman, and Electric Boogaloo!
This week we take a look at bonus features on the Watchman blu-ray, the Transformers box office, a new Alien Nation television series, the end of an era for the epic Thor comic book and a ton more!
On Blu-Ray: Friday the 13th Part II
Starring: Warrington Gillette, Betsy Palmer, Walt Gorney, Adrienne King, Amy Steel, John Furey
Directed By Steve Minor
You know how I feel about Jason Voorhees. I think he is one of the most tragic characters in horror cinema history. Read my review of Friday the 13th Part III to hear the whole theory. Paramount Home Video recently released Friday the 13th Part II on Blu Ray and I gave it a try.
The Movie
If you thought Jason Voorhees was “swimming with the fishes” after the first installment of this seminal horror series, guess again. Jason survived and was able to witness the murder of his mother, who was avenging his death and on a murdering spree in the first film. Remember, it is Ms. Voorhees that is the killer in the first film, not her offspring.
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On DVD: Transformers The Complete First Season
Starring Frank Welker, Peter Cullen, Chris Latta, Dan Gilvezan
Directed by Peter Wallach
Getting to take a trip back in time to this classic bit of pop culture was good and bad. Some things don’t stand up well to the test of time and some things do. Seeing how this show would hold up on its 25th anniversary was my biggest concern as I popped the first disc into the DVD player.
The Season
The Transformers was a television series created to sell toys. Hasbro actually had the toy long before they had the TV series or the comic books. That was a common practice back in the 80’s.
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In Comics: Detective Comics #854
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III (Elegy) / Cully Hamner (Pipeline)
With Bruce gone and Dick busy in the new Batman and Robin story, it’s time for the girls to come out and play with a double feature. The headlining story starts Batwoman, while Renee Montoya takes the back-up tale. Both stories are each the first part of on-going story arcs.
The Story
In Batwoman’s story, Elergy, she’s chasing down members of the Religion of Crime who have come to Gotham City. She’s still a bit ticked at them from the events of 52, so she may be taking this a bit personally. This is the main story of the book, being on the cover and having over 20 pages dedicated to it.
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On Blu-Ray: Friday the 13th Part III 3-D
Starring: Richard Booker, Dana Kimmell, Jeffrey Rogers, Tracie Savage
Directed By Steve Minor
Jason Voorhees always seems like such a tragic character to me. Okay, hear me out. He can’t help who he is in a lot of ways. He was born with “challenges”, neglected at a summer camp and has a mother with issues and now lives as a “monster”. Jason is full of hurt and he is only releasing that hurt. He is different than Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger. Jason has more in common with Candyman, another tragic horror character. Anyway, that is my theory. Paramount Home Video recently released Friday the 13th Part III on Blu Ray.
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CineGeek Webcast Episode 69: The One Year Anniversary!
Yes dear readers it has been one year today that the first episode of the CineGeek Webcast was first released to the world. We’re still talking pop culture and all things geek and looking forward to many more years. This is no cheesy clip show though! We’re talking GI Joe, Transformers 2, digital comics, iPhone 3Gs and lots more!!
On Film: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox
Directed by Michael Bay
I was a fan of the original Transformers television series. I wasn’t a rabid fan though. So when the first film was announced, I was curious but not as over the moon as some of my friends. That first film was bloated, horribly written, and plotless. On top of that, a lot of the action was shot and cut in such a way that it was tough to follow. I had hope that the sequel would improve on all of these weaknesses but this is Michael Bay we’re talking about.
The Movie
This second film, again, is definitely bloated. Right away I can say an hour of the film’s two and a half hour running time could be cut. Some of the action scenes are an endurance test because they just seem to go on and on and some of the comedy bits fall flat and could have easily been left on the cutting room floor. There’s a lot in this film too that’s been ripped from other robot films including Terminator, Short Circuit, and the new Battlestar Galactica. There’s not an original idea at all in the writing of this film, but the action scenes look cool….
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On Blu-Ray: Defiance
Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber
Directed By Edward Zwick
There have been many World War II films over the last several years. On top of that, if you’re a videogame player, the World War II era has been highly overused as well. I believe there are unending stories to be told from that war but at the same time filmmakers must find a unique way to engage viewers to sell them on a story that trailers can make seem way too familiar.
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In Comics: Ex Machina #43
Written by Brian K. Vaughn
Art by Tony Harris
This is eighth issue and counting until Brian K. Vaughn ends his drama about Mitchell Hundred’s term as mayor of New York City, struggling with all the problems that entails in addition to his little ability to talk to machines.
The Story
This issue, chapter three of the Ring Out the Old story line, deals with a growing problem of murderous rats infesting NYC right as New Year’s Eve and the big ball drop in time square approaches. Out will go 2004 and in comes 2005 and Mayor Hundred’s last year in office.
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On Blu Ray: Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Directed by Greg Colton
Featuring voicework by Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Seth MacFarlane, John Viener
The name Seth MacFarlane either makes you want to check this out immediately or makes you run for the hills. Some of us find Family Guy funny and others simply do not in any way. Personally, I like it so this brightened my doorstep when this Blu Ray DVD showed up.
The Collection
Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy: Blu Ray is an uncensored and uncut collection of the web series from the twisted mind of MacFarlane.
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