Sunday Morning Sidewalk #85

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Black Bird

“The Place I Lie”

The penultimate episode of Black Bird was something else. I have to say that Paul Walter Hauser’s dialogue today gave me chills. His description of his time with the girl Jessica, who we see in flashbacks and who is narrating sections of the episode, was absolutely frightening and made me feel the darkness surrounding Larry. It was a remarkable performance.

I can understand the tears coming from Jimmy at the end of the episode.

It also feels as if the noose is tightening around Jimmy, as it seemed as if more people were eyeballing him, wondering about Jimmy’s turth.

We spent time with  Detectives Miller and MacCauley as they continued their investigation into Larry’s crime. They were able to find Jessica’s bike that was a prized possession, and they had a witness to swear that Larry had given it to her. Apparently, that was not enough to prevent the appeal.

There is definitely a feeling that everyone is racing against a clock. I am concerned for Jimmy’s well being as it feels as if more of the convicts are catching on to what is happening.

The scene with Larry and his psychiatrist was powerful too. It gave us a new look at Larry and how he was feeling at that time. When the psychiatrist had taken over Jimmy’s appointment and tried to get him to think about the mental health of her clients. I thought that was horrendous of her. Why does Larry seem to build such support from some of the authority?

I really wanted to keep watching the final episode, but I shut it off. Next week, the final episode of Black Bird has to be something else.

Daily Countdown: Animated Movies #31

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#31

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Released: December 25, 1993

Runtime: 76 minutes

Rating: PG

Animation Style: “dark deco” or art deco neo-noir animation style

Studio: WB

One of the best animated Batman movies of all time, Mask of the Phantasm came from the iconic animated series, Batman: The Animated Series by Bruce Timm. This is a a story that rocked so hard, there were several Batman live action movies that I wish would have taken this route (I’m looking at you, Batman and Robin!)

Voice cast: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill,  Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings, Robert Costanzo, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Stacy Keach, Abe Vigoda, Dick Miller, John P. Ryan, Marilu Henner, Arleen Sorkin, Dan Castellaneta, Tress MacNeille, and Jeff Bennett .

Fall 2: Deadpoint

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I was excited for this movie. Honestly, I did not immediately recognize the original film from the title of the sequel, because the title Fall was so generic. However, once I refreshed my memory, I remembered how tense and thrilling that first film was and how it had a really great twist. I was excited to hear that it was getting a sequel.

After seeing Fall 2: Deadpoint, I’m at a mid level for it. There were moments where the film was tense and filled me with anxiety, but, unfortunately, there seemed to be more moments that were just so stupid and that they tried to force a twist in the movie at the end that really did not work for me.

According to IMDB, “Grieving her sister Shiloh’s death, Jax Hunter bonds with Shiloh’s bold friend Luce. Together they tackle dangerous Mount Kwan in Thailand. When a rockslide traps them on a narrow plank 4,000 feet up, Jax must face her fears to survive.”

I did like how they tied this movie to the original, by giving Shiloh (played by Virginia Gardner) a younger sister. This is part of the plot that worked as her sister Jax had to deal with her grief and her own fear.

I did like the new setting for the situation the girls found themselves in and there were some really tense and scary moments. If the film would have been happy just to build suspense in that manner, this would have been an acceptable film and a decent sequel. Unfortunately, you could tell that they were trying to one up the surprise twist of Fall, and that was where this film fell flat.

Because the fact is that the third act of this film was easily my least favorite part of this film. It felt added on that damaged the film dramatically.

Some of the images shot for the film was fine, but nowhere near as well done in the first movie. It felt like there were more shots that were obviously green screen compared to the first one.

This film has its positives, but the stupid stuff really hurt this movie for me. I didn’t hate watching Fall 2: Deadpoint, but there were enough issues with the film that made me disappointed.

2.7 stars

Onslaught

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Onslaught is a new movie this weekend that had some elements about it that I liked, but it was not a film that I would want to watch again. There were too many times where I rolled my eyes or found myself thinking that it was just too stupid for its own good.

According to IMDB, “When a rogue squad of genetically engineered super soldiers break loose in the desert, a badass Army sniper must unleash hell to protect her young daughter.”

Adria Arjona, who is rumored to be the next DC Wonder Woman (though unconfirmed), is the lead role of the film, the badass sniper whose daughter gets dropped off with her without warning. Then, a bunch of murderous super soldiers attack her for… you know.. reasons, and one of them turned out to be the most coincidental character ever in cinema history.

That might be hyperbole, or it may not. The plot of this movie, as it was, was lacking. It was really dumb and had really no reason to happen as it did. It all felt too unbelievable across the whole movie.

The film does have a fine cast, led by Arjona, who I liked as the protagonist. There were also roles for Dan Stevens (though nowhere as used as I anticipated), Reginald VelJohnson, Michael Biehn, Rebecca Hall (who was on screen less than Stevens), and young actress Blake Kennedy. At the beginning of the film as the names were flashing across the screen, I thought that this had a great cast. I then realized that the cast was, for the most part, wasted.

There were some fun kills along the way and Arjona was definitely a bad ass, but this is one of those films that really did not have much to it. It was paper thin, and it depended on the blood and gore. That’s fine for some movies, but this one felt like it should have been more.

2.7 stars

Mayday

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The new Ryan Reynolds film debuted on Apple TV + this weekend, called Mayday. One wondered why this was not released theatrically. That did not make me optimistic about the quality of the film. However, those fears were squashed after I watched Mayday.

Co-starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh and written/directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who also directed Dungeons and Dragons, Mayday was just a lot of fun. I thought this movie was really funny and had some really good action. I’m not sure why this was not released in the theater, but it would have certainly been a worthwhile addition to the big screen.

Navy Pilot Lieutenant Troy Brennan (Ryan Reynolds) was recruited for a top secret surveillance mission over the Soviet Union. The mission led to the plane being shot down and Brennan being injured after falling through trees in a forest. Nikolai “Nick” Ustinov found the injured pilot and took him to his cabin to nurse him back to health. Nick was an American-loving Russian who was more than what he seemed. The buddies tried to find a way to get Troy home.

Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh had a tremendous chemistry and they carried the film. The friendship developing during the movie was one of the standout keys to the film. Reynolds’ one-liner quips were very clever and funny.

The action was fun, if not silly at times. There is a chase scene that takes place in Moscow that is one of the most original and ridiculous chase scenes I have seen, and yet, somehow, this bizarre scene worked.

The film had a surprising heart to it. There were some wonderful moments between Nick and his daughter Anna (Maria Bakalova).

The film is highly entertaining and I enjoyed watching this film. Is it perfect? No, of course not, but it is definitely worth watching. Mayday is streaming on Apple TV +.

4.2 stars

Daily Countdown: Animated Movies #32

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#32

Tangled

Released: November 24, 2010

Runtime: 100 minutes

Rating: PG

Animation Style: computer-generated (CG) 3D animation style

Company: Disney

Based on the story of Rapunzel, Tangled was a wonderful surprise. It has some great comedic moments and cool songs.

Voice cast:  Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi,  Donna Murphy, Brad Garrett, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, Richard Kiel, M. C. Gainey, and Paul F. Tompkins.

Silo S3 E10

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“Troy”

During this awesome season finale, my first thought was… I don’t know the time frame happening in this show. I originally thought that the Juliette timeline was really a long way into the future. But… now…

We saw Victor, who was the doctor who helped Daniel back in the flashback timeline, watching the events of Silo 18. Turned out that Victor was the voice of the Algorithm. We see Daniel wake up from a cryogenic sleep, only to be called Troy and not remember anything about his past. We see Daniel’s sister Charlotte, now called Susan, and neither Troy or Susan recognized each other.

I have to say, the people looking generally the same age in the present timeline threw me for a loop. I was not expecting it. I assume they all have some time in cryo to account for it, but it took me a good deal of time trying to decipher the answer.

Big swerve. Camille helped the rebels in silo 18 as she delayed the failsafe just long enough for the crew to cap the pipe that would have delivered the poisonous gas into silo 18. I did not see Camille’s turn coming at all.

Another big swerve. After the failed failsafe attempt, Victor ordered Troy awakened. Before that could happen, Victor ends his own life with a handgun he had hidden in his desk. He left a message for Troy, answering a question Troy had been asking… about a woman he had been seeing in visions as he is awaken. Victor told him her name was Helen.

I did not mention that we saw the massacre of the people of silo 17, and that Troy was the person who ordered the deaths. In one of the hardest scenes of the series, we saw the poison released after the people had left their silo and how the drones would mow them down with weapons.

After all the drama, Juliette led a small group of people including Camille to the door. It was here when Troy spoke using the Algorithm voice and offered Juliette a deal. There would be no further failsafe attempts if the people of silo 18 promise to not try to contact other silos. Juliette accepted, but it was part of her rouse. Juliette has a better idea, something that the people of silo 1 would not expect. Juliette wanted to have an all out assault on silo 1.

So many questions still up in the air. I believe the creators of the show hinted at a connection between Troy/Daniel and Juliette. Could she be the descendent of Daniel and Helen’s baby?

I love how everyone in silo 18 now seems to be working together instead of against each other. About damn time.

I do think an actual timeline of events would help picture all that there is. It seemed as if the massacre that Troy led in this finale was the same one that Solo (Steve Zahn) experienced as a child.

We learned that season four will be the final season of the show and that we do not have to wait long for Silo to return. It showed us clips from season four at the end of the episode and told us that it would release in the summer of 2027. We are under a year away from the final season. I found this season of Silo to be filled with surprises and fantastic character work. Even when it was frustratingly slow at times, it always felt like they had a destination in mind, and the end of season three paid off dramatically.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe S1 E7

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“Spoiler: Dexy’s Midnight Runners Get a Royalty Payment”

I have not been much of a fan of the last couple of weeks of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. It had felt lacking of any real story beats and, despite the enjoyable cast, I was not pleased with what they had given us. The episodes felt too short to have any sort of a developed story.

Then episode seven was dropped on HBO Max and I was back in, full bear.

In this episode, the crew wind up in a universe where everyone has telepathy, which is a great hook for some funny comedy bits. It also has one of the best defenses to the power ever imagined… singing Come On Eileen in your head.

Also, one of the funniest lines came from Bert wondering why Kripke’s mind has a lisp.

But the episode had more than that. It had a sudden twist as Stuart and the group run into another Stuart and the group with their own machine. Then a military version of the group showed up. Suddenly, the mystery of the show was slapping us in the face.

I loved this idea that there may be countless Stuarts jumping around the multiverse, all trying to figure out what is happening.

Who started this whole thing going? Why did alternate Stuart come to see Big Bang Stuart only to do the same thing again?

I’m intrigued and excited. There are only three more episodes of the show, and I hope that means that we get some of the mysteries answered. However, since the show has been renewed for a season two, I’m worried that it will be spread out over the years.

Bernadette made a memorable appearance in the Telepathy universe as a tap dance instructor with a bunch of foul-minded little kids.

Daily Countdown: Animated Movies #33

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#33

Zootopia

Released: March 4, 2016

Runtime: 108 minutes

Rating: PG

Animation Style: 3D computer-animated style

Studio: Disney

The original Zootopia is a movie that came out of nowhere to be a highly entertaining film. A big part of the film’s success could be given to the characters of Judy Hopp and Nick Wilde.

Voice cast:  Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy Chong, J. K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk, Shakira, Phil Johnston, John DiMaggio, Katie Lowes, Gita Reddy, Jesse Corti , Tom Lister Jr., Josh Dallas, Leah Latham, Rich Moore, Fabienne Rawley, Peter Mansbridge, Byron Howard, Jared Bush, Mark Rhino Smith, Josie Trinidad,John Lavelle, and Kristen Bell. 

EYG Favorite Comic Cover of the Week

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September 3

Big week of covers this week. Lots of great foil covers and a plethora of EYG Hall of Famer, “Weird Al” Yankovic hanging out with Superman and Batman.

Also-Rans: World’s Weirdest #1 (D cover, A cover), Fantastic Four #16, Legion of Superheroes #1 (C Cover), Daredevil #6, Warbird #1, Crowbound #1, Bludwire #3, 100 Bullets #3, The Deadman #4, Archie #1, and Absolute Superman #23.

Bronze Medalist

World’s Weirdest #1

Variant Cover B

Cover art by Mark Spears

Weird Al and Mark Spears? Yes, please. This is a fantastic cover featuring Supes and Bats in their neat little Al shirts. And Al’s hand resting upon the cowl of Batman… well, only Weird Al can get away with that.

Silver Medalist

Daredevil #6

Variant Cover C Foil

Cover art by Superlog

One of the foils this week that just stood out like crazy. The beautiful foil of DD’s radar sense really bring the energy. I have no idea who Superlog is, but he gets a Silver Medal.

Gold Medalist

World’s Weirdest #1

Variant Cover E foil

Cover art by Dan Schoening

Many foils are just a foil copy of another cover, but this version is an all-new one from Dan Schoening… and who knew Mr. Mxyzptlk could play the accordion?

This is an homage to Weird Al’s album “Weird Al” Yankovic in 3D.

Last week, The Greatest American Hero #2 claimed two spots in the medal round and this week it goes to Weird Al. Ain’t it great?

Daily Countdown: Animated Movies #34

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#34

Coco

Released: November 22, 2017

Runtime: 105 minutes

Rating: PG

Animation Style: 3D computer-animated style

Studio: Pixar/Disney

Few movies cause a flood of tears like Coco does. The scene near the end when Miguel sings “Remember Me” to his Grandma Coco is the most beautiful scene and, absolutely, falls into the category of Pixar moment (right up there with Bing Bong’s “Take her to the moon for me” line in Inside Out). Coco won two Academy Awards, for Best Animated Feature Movie and Best Song.

Voice cast:  Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía, Edward James Olmos, Alfonso Arau, Selene Luna, Dyana Ortellí, Herbert Sigüenza,  Jaime Camil, Sofía Espinosa, Luis Valdez, Carla Medina, Polo Rojas, Montse Hernandez, Lombardo Boyar,  Octavio Solis, Gabriel Iglesias, Cheech Marin, Blanca Araceli, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Salvador Reyes, and John Ratzenberger.

Ted Lasso S4 E5

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“Riches of Embarrassment”

A fabulous episode of Ted Lasso with a return to form for Ted and the others.

And some Ted Lasso quotes to add to it…

My favorite… “There’s a reason the rearview mirror is smaller than the windshield.” That was a classic Ted Lasso-ism.

I do hate what the show is doing with Keeley and Roy. Having Roy find another woman after Keeley insisted he go on a series of dates is just too cruel. I don’t know if this is leading to a Keeley-Rebecca pairing, but I still want Roy-Keeley to be together. I hope that is the endgame of this relationship section.

Ted and Beard realized that they have a “coach problem,” as Alice’s negativity is isolating her and making her an outcast among the team. There is a definite story here that is unresolved and I am here for it. I was shocked when Ted told Alice that he was suspending her for a game so she could figure out what was going on with her. He made a reference to Nate without mentioning his name.

Ted Lasso’s positivity is just off the charts and he does a whole halftime speech on embarrassment that is just so great that it carried the entire episode.

However, drunk Rebecca is right up there too.

The match against Chelsea was well done and Richmond’s defeat felt right. They fought back to tie after being down 2-0 at half when Ted’s inspirational message on embarrassment brought them out of the tizzy. However, the sudden defeat did feel like it was right for the overall narrative of the show.

This was an episode that reminded me of how much I wish I was like Ted Lasso. He is such an awesome model to inspire to.

Oh, and Beard is hilarious. What was up with that play?

Daily Countdown: Animated Movies #35

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#35

The Lego Batman Movie

Reelased: February 10, 2017

Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes

Rating: PG

Animation Style: emulated stop-motion computer-generated (CG)

Studio: Warner Brothers

What else could follow up the classic Lego Movie, but Batman? Even though this is played for humor, this is actually one of the best renditions of Batman that you are going to find.

Voice cast:  Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson,Ralph Fiennes, Jenny Slate, Héctor Elizondo, Ellie Kemper, Mariah Carey, Lauren White, Todd Hansen, Brent Musburger, Ralph Garman, Chris Hardwick, Channing Tatum,Jonah Hill, Mark Jonathan Davis, Adam DeVine, Adam West,  Billy Dee Williams, Riki Lindhome , Jason Mantzoukas, Matt Villa , Kate Micucci, Doug Benson, John Venzon, David Burrows , Laura Kightlinger , Jemaine Clement, Riki Lindhome, Eddie Izzard, Seth Green, Lauren White, Nicholas Briggs, and Siri.

Daily Countdown: Animated Movies #36

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#36

The Little Mermaid

Released: November 17, 1989

Runtime: 83 minutes

Rating: G

Animation Style: classic, hand-drawn traditional cel animation

Studio: Disney

The Little Mermaid is one of the iconic films in one of Disney’s greatest run of animation in history. It has some of Disney’s top songs ever in a film. Urusla has to be considered on a list of the best Disney villains too.

Voice cast: René Auberjonois, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Paddi Edwards, Buddy Hackett, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Ben Wright, Will Ryan, Frank Welker, and Samuel E. Wright.