The final two episodes of Spider-Noir wrapped up our story with Ben Reilly in the final showdown with Silvermane and the other superpowered henchmen.
This show does a great job of building towards everything. Ben came out of episode six in a bad place, at a bar, drinking heavily, and getting into a bar fight with some loud mouths.
The finale gave us some Spider-Man action, with a big time battle with Sandman and Megawatt.
Nicolas Cage is amazing in this. There is a scene in the bar that Cage is completely stunning with his performance. A shoutout needs to go to Lamorne Morris, whose performance as Joe “Robbie” Robertson was excellent.
There were some great moments in the trope of mirrors, like a funhouse when Cat Hardy is confronting Silvermane. I will say that Silvermane’s death felt a little anti-climactic. Still, I was pleased that Cat was able to get the final shot on Silvermane.
Another shoutout for this series is Karen Rodriguez, who played Ben’s secretary Janet Ruiz. This secondary character was awesome and she felt like she was the glue holding everything together. The montage of Janet finding out the “truth” about The Spider (over and over) was hilarious.
I also loved how this show was full out fil noir without any excuses or apologies. The black & white version that I watched was so beautiful. I am curious about the color version, so I may have to watch that some time during the summer.
Widow’s Bay dropped episodes 6 & 7 together on Wednesday this week, probably because of the format of episode six, which took us back in time to see the origins of the curse of the island with Richard Warren and Sarah Westcott.
Richard was a horrific monster back in the day, which led to them to burying him alive, as his wife Sarah took his children off the island. At the time, they did not know that this would mean they would all be doomed. I have a suspicion that some of the bloodline of Richard Warren survived that encounter.
The present day, Wyck and Patricia dug up the coffin of Richard Warren to retrieve the object he wore around his neck. However, they found a surprise in the grave… Richard Warren was still alive.
This was a hoot of a twist. I actually thought of the idea as Wyck was digging up the grave, but I never seriously considered it as an option. Hamish Linklater played the town founder and man who entered into a pact with the demon of the island. He was great, both as the demonic killer from episode 6 and the ancient man surviving in the coffin for hundreds of years.
Evan discovered a lie that Tom had been telling him. He found pictures of his mother, who he thought died in childbirth, alive while Evan was alive too. These moments are very powerful and Kingston Rumi Southwick, who played Tom’s son Evan, does a solid job conveying his heartbreak.
Stephen Root had some powerful scenes too as he recounted a time as a youth where he lost his best friend because of his own poor choices and the island’s curse.
Patricia’s job was to distract the sheriff so Tom and Wyck would get Richard onto the boat to take him past the “Dead Zone” because Richard believed that if he went past that spot, he would turn into dust because of age. Patricia’s scene with Sheriff Bechir Clemmons as she started to tell him about what they were doing was hilarious. Sherriff Clemmons tapped out and said he did not need to know any more. That was one of the funniest parts of this episode.
While it seemed this were good when it came to the curse on the island, I would guess that there is a surviving bloodline of Richard, keeping the conflict on the island.
There are three more episodes in season one of Widow’s Bay. This has been one of my favorite shows of the year as it really combines styles with LOST, Twin Peaks, and Northern Exposure.
So far this year, we have had several YouTubers taking a step into the world of big theatrical movies. Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach’s film Iron Lung, which made $51 million on a three million dollar budget, and Curry Barker’s film Obsession was hugely successful over the last couple of weekends.
This week, 20-year-old Kane Parsons entered the world of big screen films with this adaptation of his own web series, Backrooms.
Backrooms has been anticipated by a lot of the movie audience as they have done a great job of promoting the creepiness of the film.
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell, this film was a crazy, weird, creepy film, using techniques of found footage movies, to build the suspense and anxiety of the situation.
According to IMDB, “After a therapist’s patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, she must venture into the unknown to save him.“
The film was great. The mystery of what was going on was very psychologically scary and unsettling. The found footage camera work showed the strength of that technique. I found it thrilling and there was great acting involved in it.
This does a great job of using the concept of liminal space, which is one of those internet memes/deep dives that many are intrigued by.
I am not sure how I felt about the ending of the film. I was not as satisfied by the ending as I was the rest of the film. Obviously, I can not spoil it, but I just did not love the end.
I found this creative film fun and engaging, keeping the audience unsettled and anxious.
Rumor said that the original idea for this parody came from Madonna herself, as she asked someone when Weird Al was going to make “Like a Virgin” into “Like a Surgeon.”
Lyrics
I finally made it through med school Somehow I made it through I’m just an intern I still make a mistake or two
I was last in my class Barely passed at the institute Now I’m trying to avoid, yah I’m trying to avoid A malpractice suit
Hey, like a surgeon Cuttin’ for the very first time Like a surgeon Organ transplants are my line
Better give me all your gause nurse This patient’s fading fast Complications have set in Don’t know how long he’ll last
Let me see, that I.V. Here we go time to operate I’ll pull his insides out, pull his insides out And see what he ate
Like a surgeon, hey Cuttin’ for the very first time Like a surgeon Here’s a waiver for you to sign
Woe, woe, woe
It’s a fact I’m a quack The disgrace of the A.M.A. ‘Cause my patient’s dying, yah my patient’s dying Before they can pay
Like a surgeon, hey Cuttin’ for the very first time Like a surgeon Got your kidneys on my mind
Like a surgeon, ooh like a surgeon When I reach inside With my scalpel, and my forceps, and re-tractors Oh oh, oh oh, woe, oh
Ooh baby, yeah I can hear your heartbeat For the very last time
I watched the next three episodes of the Amazon Prime series, Spider Noir. I loved the first three episodes of this pulpy-fun and we jump right back into the action.
When episode three left off, Silvermane was shooting someone, and it turned out to be just another guy with Winston.
We are introduced to another ex-army platoon guy, who turns out to be a low-level villain from Marvel Comics named Megawatt. The Spider fought him in public and does defeat him.
We are introduced to actress Amy Aquino’s character, Dr. Faber. She was the connection between the four villains, as she treated them all just before their powers manifested. She was a decent person who made some bad choices trying to save her son, who was another person in the experiment.
We get an origin of The Spider, and see how he is connected to Sandman, Tombstone, and Megawatt. It was one of the scarier moments of horror in the show as Ben got bit by a transformed man-spider.
The third episode, “Nightmare on a Gurney,” felt very much like a sci-fi, B-movie, crazy scientist noir. The show has been great, using all noir tropes in the different episodes.
An interesting point mentioned in that third episode included Faber’s son telling Ben Reilly that they were looking for the Spider, but he had changed his name, so they could not find him. Could Ben have been originally Peter Parker and changed his name to Ben Reilly. We know they could not use the name Peter Parker because of rights and technicalities, but this way covers the base.
Ben Reilly has been playing this character as anything but a hero. He is downright selfish, but it feels as if that came form Ruby’s death more than anything else.
Nic Cage is spectacular in his Cage-i-ness. Brendon Gleeson has been doing a great job bringing the sinister to Silvermane.
This has been great. I can’t wait to watch episodes 7 & 8.
Topic: Palindromes, meaning it reads the exact same forwards and backwards.
This is a remarkable song as, if you are not keyed into the topic of the song, it does sound like a bunch of nonsense. However, every line of the song reads the same forward and backwards… and rhymes with the next one. Bob is a lyrical masterpiece from Weird Al.
Lyrics
I, man, am Regal, a German am I Never odd or even If I had a Hi-Fi Madam, I’m Adam Too hot to hoot No lemons, no melon Too bad I hid a boot Lisa Bonet ate no basil Warsaw was raw Was it a car or a cat I saw?
Rise to vote, sir Do geese see God? Do nine men interpret? Nine men I nod Rats live on no evil star Won’t lovers revolt now? Race fast safe car Pa’s a sap Ma is as selfless as I am May a moody baby doom a yam
Ah Satan sees Natasha No devil lived on Lonely Tylenol Not a banana baton No X in Nixon O stone, be not so O Geronimo, no minor ego “Naomi” I moan A Toyota’s a Toyota A dog, a panic, in a pagoda
Oh no, Don Ho Nurse, I spy gypsies, run! Senile felines Now I see bees, I won UFO tofu We panic in a pew Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo God, a red nugget, a fat egg under a dog Go hang a salami, I’m a lasagna hog
This is the last week for the Comic Covers of the Week coming out on Thursday. Next week, I will be getting all my books on Wednesday and will do this post on Wednesday evening until school resumes in August.
Also Rans: Is Ted Ok? #4, Mark Spears: Monsters #10 (Variant Cover D), Mark Spears: Monsters #10 (Variant Cover B), Doomquest #1 (variant cover F), Justice League Unlimited #19 (variant cover D), The Ultimates #24 (variant cover C), Exquisite Corpses #13 (variant cover B), Feral #23 (variant cover B), and Red Roots #1,
Bronze Medalist
Mark Spears: Monsters #10
Variant Cover E
Cover art by Mark Spears
The issues of Monsters #10 were strong covers and this one stood out the most. The scary appearance of Drac here makes this pop off the cover. I love the colors in the background as well.
Silver Medalist
The Flash #33
Cover art by Gavin Guidry
The cover of Flash #33 is beautiful, with the exploding nuke in the middle of the city and reflecting in the Flash’s head. This stands out among the other books on the stands. The red and yellow of the explosions and of our speedster really work well together.
Gold Medalist
The Hab #2
Cover art by Charlie Adlard
What an image! This is remarkably distinct with the blood and the bed covers. This is a breath-taking cover that is both amazing and disturbing. Beautiful wrok.
Style Parody: The Jackson’s “State of Shock” (featuring Mick Jagger)
Title track to Weird Al’s first motion picture, UHF, which flopped at the box office, but reached cult classic level over the years since.
Lyrics
Put down your remote control, throw out your TV Guide Put away your jacket, there’s no need to go outside Don’t you know that we control the horizontal We control the vertical too We gonna make a couch potato out of you That’s what we going to do now
Don’t change the channel, don’t touch that dial We got it all on UHF Kick off your sneakers, stick around for a while We got it all on UHF (on UHF) Don’t worry ’bout your laundry, forget about your job (ah) Just crank up the volume and yank off the knob (ah) We got it all (we got it all), we got it all on UHF
Disconnect the phone and leave the dishes in the sink You better put away your homework, prime time ain’t no time to think All you do is make yourself a TV dinner Press your face right up against the screen
We gonna show you things you ain’t ever seen If you know what I mean, now
Don’t change the channel, don’t touch that dial We got it all on UHF Kick off your sneakers, stick around for a while We got it all on UHF (on UHF) Don’t worry ’bout your laundry, forget about your job (ah) Just crank up the volume and yank off the knob (ah) We got it all (we got it all), we got it all on UHF
You can watch us all day, you can watch us all night (ooh) You can watch us any time that you please (ooh) You can sit around and stare at the picture tube ‘Til your brain turns into cottage cheese, well, now
Don’t change the channel, don’t touch that dial We got it all on UHF Kick off your sneakers, stick around for a while We got it all on UHF (on UHF) Don’t worry ’bout your laundry, forget about your job (ah) You gotta crank up the volume and yank off the knob (ah) We got it all (we got it all), we got it all on UHF
We got it all on UHF (UHF) We got it all on UHF (UHF) We got it all on UHF (UHF) We got it all on UHF (UHF)
We got it all on UHF (we got it all) We got it all on UHF (UHF) We got it all on UHF (we got it all) We got it all on UHF (we got it all, we got it)
We got it all on UHF (we got it, we got it all) We got it all on UHF (we got it all) We got it all on UHF (ooh, on UHF) We got it all on UHF
Amazon Prime’s new series, Spider-Noir, starring Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly, aka The Spider.
The Spider was a character from Marvel Comics, a version of Spider-Man from the 1930s. It became even more popular when the character appeared in the Sony animated film Into the Spider-Verse, voiced by Nic Cage.
In a brilliant piece of business, the episodes of this series are available in both color and black & white. I, of course, chose the black & white version.
This was such a great first three episodes. Ben Reilly was a private detective, struggling, and no longer the Spider, since his girlfriend was killed by drowning.
Our main antagonist is Silvermane, played by Brendan Gleason. Other characters we get are Cat Hardy, played by Li Jun Li, Robbie Robertson, played by Lamorne Morris, Flint Marko (Sandman), played by Jack Huston, and Janet, played by Karen Rodriguez.
This had a real noir tone. We got the Sandman, and also Tombstone. I get a feeling we are getting more too.
The end of the third episode was a solid cliffhanger. I have really enjoyed the story we are starting here, and Nic Cage was in all his glory.
I loved the secretary, Janet. I hope there will be more with her.
The music is great. I actually immediately purchased the theme song, “Saving Grace” by Kirby, on Apple Music.
The dialogue is wonderful. The Nic Cage performance as Ben Reilly is really witty and funny. It is beautiful to watch in the black & white. There are so many awesome shots.
After three episodes, I am a big fan of the series. The whole series was dropped on Prime today.
Parody: I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Written: Jake Hooker / Alan Merrill / Alfred Yankovic
Genre: Rock ‘n’ Roll/Comedy
Topic: The love of ice cream, especially Rocky Road.
Special Appearance: “Musical” Mike Kieffer
Lyrics
I hear those ice cream bells and I start to drool Keep a couple quarts in my locker at school Yeah, but chocolate’s gettin’ old Vanilla just leaves me cold
There’s just one flavor good enough for me, yeah me Don’t gimme no crummy taste spoon I know what I need
Baby, I love rocky road So, weren’t you gonna buy half a gallon, baby? I love rocky road So, have another triple scoop with me, ow
They tell me ice cream junkies are all the same All the soda jerkers know my name When their supply is gone then I’ll be movin’ on But I’ll be back on Monday afternoon, you’ll see Another truck load’s comin’ in for me, all for me I’m singin’
I love rocky road So, weren’t you gonna buy half a gallon, baby? I love rocky road So, have another triple scoop with me, ow
Oh, make it talk
When I’m all alone, I just grab myself a cone And if I get fat and lose my teeth that’s fine with me Just lock me in the freezer and throw away the key Singing
I love rocky road So, weren’t you gonna buy half a gallon, baby? I love rocky road So, have another triple scoop with me
I love rocky road So, weren’t you gonna buy half a gallon, baby? I love rocky road So, have another triple scoop with
I love rocky road So, weren’t you gonna buy half a gallon, baby? I love rocky road So, have another triple scoop with
I love rocky road So, weren’t you gonna buy half a gallon, baby? I love rocky road So, have another triple scoop with me
I have not seen Toy Story 2 very many times. Of the three original Toy Story movies, Toy Story 2 was my least favorite. That is not saying that is was a bad movie. In fact, it is a sensational film, but the other two Toy Story films are just so exceptional.
I did a rewatch of Toy Story 2 tonight and I found it much the same way. It is extremely clever and well-written. I laughed out loud multiple times.
According to IMDB, “When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and his friends set out on a rescue mission to save Woody before he becomes a museum toy property with his roundup gang Jessie, Prospector, and Bullseye.“
All of our favorite voices are back including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, John Ratzenberger, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, Annie Potts, Laurie Metcalf, and John Morris. The voice cast had several huge additions with Joan Cusack as Jessie, Kelsey Grammar as the Prospector, Wayne Knight as the toy collector Al, Jodie Benson as Barbie, Andrew Stanton as Zurg, and Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head.
The idea that Woody was a rare and popular toy that completed the set was a fun way to take the story. It brought us Jessie and Woody’s horse, Bullseye. I could relate to the collector part of the story, and I would have loved to have seen Al arrive in Japan only to find Woody gone.
I was not a fan of the musical song detailing Jessie’s origin. That felt too overly sentimental and manipulative on the emotions. It felt like the movie could have done this in a much more effective way. That was the one spot in the film where I thought the story took a dip.
Toy Story 2 is still on the lower end of the three original Toy Story movies for me (although it would be ahead of Toy Story 4 as of now). Though it was my least favorite of the three, does not mean it is not a spectacular movie with amazing CGI, clever writing, amazing characters and funny lines.
Next up will be Toy Story 3… one of my favorite animated movies of all time.
Written: Adam Young / Alecia Beth Moore / Allan Peter Grigg / Benjamin Levin / Brandon Roy Melancon / Breyon Prescott / Cathy Dennis / Charles Burgess Kelley / Christopher A Stewart / Christopher Brian Bridges / Christopher M Henderson / Cristina Flores / David Wesley Haywood / Dwayne Carter / Edmund Koestscher / Faheem Najm / Fraser Lance Thorneycroft Smith / Gaetano Lama / Hillary Dawn Scott / Jacob Milan Taio Cruz / James Thomas Brown / Jamie Foxx / Jared Lincoln Cotter / Jason Joel Desrouleaux / Jay Sean / Jeremy David Skaller / Johan/Al Yankovic
Songs included: “Liechtensteiner Polka,” “Poker Face,” “Womanizer,” “Right Round,” “Day ‘n’ Nite,” “Need You Now,” “Baby,” “So What,” “I Kissed a Girl,” “Fireflies,” “Blame It,” “Replay,” “Down,” “Break Your Heart,” “Tick Tock Polka,” and “TikTok.”
Lyrics
Mum mum mum mah Mum mum mum muh Oh whoa oh oh oh
Can’t read my, can’t read my No, he can’t read-a my polka face (She’s got to love nobody) Can’t read my, can’t read my No he can’t read-a my polka face (She’s got to love nobody) P-p-p-polka face p-p-polka face (Mum mum mum muh) P-p-p-polka face p-p-polka face, hey
Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you’re a womanizer Oh, womanizer, oh, you’re a womanizer baby You, you, you are You, you, you are Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer (Womanizer)
Boy don’t try to front I, I know just what you are (are are) Boy don’t try to front I, I know just what you are (are are)
You say I’m crazy I got your crazy You’re nothing but a Womanizer
You spin my head right round, right round When you go down, when you go down down You spin my head right round, right round When you go down, when you go down
Day and night The lonely stoner seems to free his mind at night He’s all alone through the day and night The lonely loner seems to free his mind at night At, at, at night
It’s a quarter after one, I’m a little drunk and I need you now Said I wouldn’t call but I’ve lost all control and I need you now And I don’t know how I can do without I just need you now
And I was like baby baby baby Baby baby baby Baby baby baby I thought you’d always be mine
So, so what, I’m still a rock star I got my rock moves and I don’t need you And guess what, I’m havin’ more fun And now that we’re done, I’m gonna show you tonight I’m alright, I’m just fine and you’re a tool So, so what, I am a rock star I got my rock moves and I don’t want you tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it, The taste of her cherry chapstick I kissed a girl just to try it, I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it It felt so wrong, it felt so right, Don’t mean I’m in love tonight I kissed a girl and I liked it, I liked it
And I’d like to make myself believe That planet earth turns slowly It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay Awake when I’m asleep ‘Cause everything is never as it seems
Blame it on the goose, gotcha feeling loose Blame it on the ‘tron, gotchya me in the zone Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol Blame it on the vodka, blame it on the Henny Blame it on the blue tap, got you feeling dizzy Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol
Shawty’s like a melody in my head That I can’t keep out Got me singin’ like Na na na na everyday It’s like my iPod stuck on replay Stuck on replay Stuck on replay Replay Replay-ay-ay-ay
Baby, are you down, down, down, down, down? Baby are you down?
I’m only gonna break break your break break your heart I’m only gonna break break your break break your heart I’m only gonna break break your break break your heart I’m only gonna break your heart
Don’t stop, making pop DJ blow my speakers up Tonight, I’mma fight Till we see the sun light Tick tock, on the clock But the polka don’t stop (no) Yodel-yodel-lady-hoo Yodel-yodel-lady-hoo
P-p-p-polka face p-p-polka face (mum mum mum mah) P-p-p-polka face p-p-polka face Oh no you can’t read my p-p-polka face Talk about my polka face P-p-p-polka face
The final movie I got a chance to see today in an animated movie on Netflix called Swapped from Skydance. The main character of the show was voiced by Michael B. Jordan.
The synopsis of this movie says that two creatures swap bodies, hence the title, but to be honest, that is not accurate. They do not actually swap bodies like in Freaky Friday or any other number of movies. Instead, there is a magic plant that changes them into a different species. It is only coincidental that they change into the species of each other.
This movie started real slowly for me. I was having a hard time getting into the film and it was not grabbing my attention. However, the movie picked up and by the middle of the film, and by the end, I was fully engaged with the story and the results.
The animation was lovely and the character designs were very impressive. The kids will love the look of this movie.
Along with Michael B. Jordan, the voice cast included Juno Temple, Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer, Justina Machado, Ambika Mod, John Ratzenberger, and Nate Torrence.
It did feel a little long, but the last half of the film flied along with a better pace. I think this eventually found its voice and turned out well.
EYG- Embrace Your Geekness 