'The Punisher' Episode 8: 'Cold Steel'

As we move closer to season's end, the plot takes a brief hiatus to focus on character development.  It works pretty well, though I can't help but feel like there are things here that should have happened earlier.

The main crux of the plot focuses on the quasi-love triangle between Frank- Sarah, Micro's wife, and Micro himself.  Sarah plants a kiss on Frank after a couple of glasses of wine and some nice conversation.  It doesn't go much further than that, but it is enough to vex Frank's partner in conspiracy busting.

Scenes where Frank and Micro just talk always work quite well and this is no different.  Both reminisce about their lost loves whilst taking good-natured potshots at each other.  Micro even shows Frank his genitals....it makes sense in context...sort of?

The episode doesn't dwell too much on it.  Even Micro himself is rather understanding given the circumstances, but at the same time, he can't just entirely shrug it off either.  The episode managed to pull off a believable response to the apparent transgression.

On other fronts, Madani uses the bug to set up a trap and try to lure out the people who planted it there.  It does work, though despite an intense gunfight, there's not much to show for it.  Credit where it's due, Madani's team held their own.  I was expecting Russo's mercs to wipe the floor with them, but both sides took their licks. 

Random note, there's a huge shootout and Frank Castle never picks up a gun.  Instead, we see Frank entirely in chummy, everyday mode and Bernthal pulls it off.  I think that's one thing that the MCU has done really well.  Frank could easily be a one-note, ultra-violent thug (something Micro's potshots frequently center on), but Bernthal gives the character more depth and allows you to connect with him more.  The results speak for themselves as he has gotten nothing but universal praise on multiple occasions.

Similarly, Ben Barnes came out strong in this episode.  Russo may not be one of the more memorable villains in the MCU (even just within the confines of the Netflix branch,) but his picture is becoming a bit clearer.  We get a dose of backstory that explains his desire for money, we see his ruthlessness become more apparent, but we also see that he too has layers.  He still holds his friendship with Frank in high regard and laments the fact that circumstances are leading them to face off against each other.  He is also reluctant to endanger Madani,  While both parties play off their relationship as nothing more than friends with benefits, it seems his feelings go deeper than that.

Even with that, though, he seems to have no qualms about helping her wash off the blood of her partner, who he had just killed.  It's a quick scene, but it is a pretty disturbing one nonetheless and even if it isn't cliffhanger material, it is a hell of a note to end the episode on.

All in all, what this episode did, it did well.  As said before, I don't know if it's placed very well in the narrative. However, as you're watching it, you'll definitely appreciate what it does bring to the table. 

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'Children of the Corn: Runaway' Movie Review

Like many other horror movie franchises, the line of 'Children of the Corn' movies just doesn't know when to stop.

To this film's credit, it does at least try to do something different and tell a unique story.  Here, we follow Ruth, a woman who was a part of the He Who Walks Behind the Rows worshipers, but turned her back on it after losing her family, friends, and boyfriend.  Now, with a child of her own, she has spent her life fleeing.

It's a pretty good character and plot hook.  The movie puts a good deal of emphasis on the trauma that haunts Ruth.  Some of it works, such as scenes where kids will be standing around and she'll immediately associate it with the psychos she knew.  Other times...not so much.  The flashbacks are supposed to act as a form of character development, but mostly they just come off as filler and a pretense to add some gore and violence to remind you that, yes, this is a horror flick.

Even when people do start dying.  The movie does so many fake-outs and "visions" that it can become hard to tell what's actually happened.

The characters themselves are also rather flat.  A part of this is due to casting, but I think the script shares some blame as well.  The romance between Ruth and her boss comes out of nowhere and the ensuing drama from the botch isn't all that compelling.  Plot elements that could have been fleshed out (such as the rivalry between Ruth and the school principal) are also underdeveloped due to a lack of time.

Also, why on Earth would Ruth settle into a small, rural, midwestern town?  You'd think she'd want to avoid those like the plague; go to a big city.  Sure, it wouldn't stop the freaking demon that's chasing her down, but it still seems like it would make sense to stay as far away from corn and big, empty fields as humanly possible. 

It isn't until the tail end of the movie that Marci Miller is actually given something to work with.  You can see much more emotion there than you did in the first two thirds of the movie. It does make you appreciate it, but it would have been nice to see more of that throughout.  It's frustrating as there is potential, the movie just doesn't seem to want to tap into it as much as it could have.

The movie does a decent job of creating some tension and atmosphere.  Sara Moore has no lines, but still has a creepy air about her.  The movie doesn't have her do anything that other "creepy kid" characters haven't done, but she still pulled it off.

The movie's theme, a soft music box style leitmotif also lends a lot of weight to things.  It's simple and haunting...but also kind of sad?  I thought it worked really well.

Other horror aspects fell flat.  As noted, the reliance on flashbacks to provide some obligatory violence didn't work too well.  The film's direction also had some odd decisions.  The camera would cut away randomly for no apparent reason.  There were also some aerial panning shots that served no purpose whatsoever and seemed shoved in there for the sake of having them.

The film really shines in its final act.  Despite a lackluster start, the movie actually does kick into something resembling high gear and it feels like there are real stakes and some solid plot twists.  I also have to give the movie credit for giving He Who Walks Behind the Rows some of his cred back.  After so many movies, viewers likely wouldn't have been impressed.  I won't spoil anything, but this gives him a good deal of his menace back.   

The movie had potential to be better than it was.  It definitely has its upsides.  In some ways, though, that just makes the flaws and structural problems that much more vexing.  Still, credit where it's due; it did try something different and it wasn't a total disaster like some of the movies that had come before it.

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'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 3, Episode 14: 'Amazing Grace'

This episode has the team travel to 1950's Memphis in order to ensure that the career of Elvis Presley goes off without a hitch.

The anachronism this time around isn't an intentional machination, just some dumb luck, as Elvis buys a guitar enchanted with the mysterious sixth totem.  At first, I was unsure about the idea of Elvis' musical abilities being due to supernatural effects, but the episode does allow him to show off his own chops by episode's end.  Even when the presence is there, the episode undermines any potential insult by playing it up as a deep and profound connection with Elvis' long lost twin brother.  I'm not sure if Elvis actually had a twin, but it came off as a random nod to "The Identical" to me.

Speaking of, while Elvis doesn't fight any mummies, ghosts are the villain du jour.  Both are undead, so it's something, right?

Sadly, while the ghosts certainly look creepy (the effects crew did a stellar job on that front) they don't really have any sort of menace.  They lurk, but that's about it.  The episode does say that the town eventually goes insane as a result of their presence, but they seem pretty chill all things considered.

It is a bit odd seeing Ray play the skeptic, albeit briefly.  I get it.  He's a scientist, so on paper he should be dismissive of the paranormal.  On the other hand, he's the Atom and this is the Arrowverse.  The episode doesn't dwell on it too much and it seems like it was more of a means to a joke than an actual plot quirk, but it still felt a little odd to me.

On other fronts, Wally is showing himself to be a great addition to the team.  Not only does his personality bounce well off of others, but the episode does a good job of showcasing his storybreaker power and also mining the imbalance for laughs.  More than once, the team decides to embark on some fetch quest, only to have Wally zip over and bring it right back in a matter of seconds.  It was an interesting subversion of usual Legends endeavors.

Is it odd that one of my favorite parts of the episode is Mick saying goodbye to his rat.  The funeral was played for laughs, but at the same time, Ray did a great job of delivering a sincere eulogy that also acknowledged the other losses that the team has faced this year.  It wasn't the most active role for Mick, but what it lacked in time, it made up for in emotional weight.

Nate and Amaya's relationship also adds a bit of feel to the episode, though maybe not as much as the writers would have hoped.  The fact that the two were able to dance together and kiss in 1950's Memphis without raising any eyebrows was pretty impressive, though.  I have to give them that.

All in all, this episode was average at best.  It had some good parts, to be sure, but it didn't have the energy or charm of some of the other episodes.  The plot did move forward a little, but not as much as it could have.  Hopefully, the next episode is able to pick up the slack.  The number of remaining episodes continue to dwindle as we enter the final four.

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'The Punisher' Episode 7: 'Crosshairs

With Q4 just a stone's throw away, a long list of things left on this year's to do list, and a possible recession on the horizon; it's time to kick things into high gear.  With that, let's dive back into "The Punisher".  It's been more than a while since I last talked about this series.  As a result, some details are rather hazy for me.

I was still able to mostly follow what was happening, but I did need to go back and refresh my own memory.  I knew that Lewis killed a person (that much is made obvious by the opening scenes where he's washing blood off his hands) but the who and the why initially escaped me. I also glossed over who Morty was and how he was connected.  The episode outright states that he knows who "Agent Orange" is and thus gives us all the motivation we need for Frank to bust into his house and try to glean it from him.

There is a bit of a twist, this time around, though.  Where Frank would otherwise just kill people who got in his way, he's less inclined to do the same to soldiers who are just doing their jobs.

When one soldier accosts him as he's leaving the premises, Frank makes a concerted effort to convince the guy to just leave.  It doesn't work and Frank is forced to wound him.  While Frank does lament the situation, he ends the conversation by saying that he's just going to kill everyone next time.  It kind of seems like he missed the point of the whole thing, but at least it was nice to try and give Frank some more nuance and complexity to his approach.

Sadly, the same can't be said for the show's villains.  It turns out that Russo is largely motivated by money and Rawlins aka Agent Orange is after Frank because....Frank emasculated him?   Granted, it's just a theory thrown out by Russo during a conversation, but there's no effort to refute it or provide a more solid reasoning.  It just seems so flimsy.

Conversely, Lewis is a much more compelling character.  He hasn't fallen to "villain" yet, though we do see him building a bomb for some as of yet undetermined purpose, but he has more depth and pathos than either of the show's two "big bads" so far.  He's still off doing his own thing, but I do hope that his character arc crosses paths with the main one at some point.  While his story has still been compelling in its own right, it seems like a waste to just have it off completely independent of the show's main narrative.

On a similar note, Sam and Madani continue to operate on the sidelines.  They are given a small quest, of sorts, as Madani suspects that her office is bugged.  It is.   The plus side is that they know about it, the down side is that they're unsure of what to do now. 

Oddly enough, the idea of using this to their advantage never comes up.  You'd think they'd use this to throw the people listening off track.  Give them false info or make it sound like you know less than you actually do.  If nothing else, start trolling them.  Have debates about whether or not Iron Man is naked under the armor or play some country music.  There are certainly options.

Not surprisingly, this episode suffered from schedule slip.  As a result, it was hard to get too invested in what's happening.  The details of the conspiracy are foggy so I'm just kind of going along just because.  Thankfully, Lewis' arc is present to give the show a bit more umph.  We'll see how things progress from here, as we move closer to the first season's end.

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'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 3, Episode 13: 'No Country For Old Dads'

This episode focuses on Ray, who is still in the clutches of the Darhks.  It turns out his captivity is a blessing.  Not only does it allow him to acquire some key pieces of information that will help the team later on, but it makes for great viewing material for us.

It should come as no surprise that Ray's boundless optimism and goodness clashes with the Darhk's perspective.  It allows for some "buddy comedy" elements to come into play when he and Nora are dispatched to retrieve a scientist who has cracked cold fusion so that said information can be used towards reassembling the fire totem.

It also allows for some solid character development.  Even though Nora is still a villain.  We see that she does have layers.  Her time with Ray does start to change her a bit (something even Damien admits he should have seen coming) and her relationship with her father gets both examined and developed over the course of the episode.

Speaking of Nora's father. Damien was in rare form this episode.  His hammy comedy worked, his menace remained intact, and we actually got some genuine pathos from his devotion and commitment to his daughter.  This was what made him such a solid villain before and it felt like it had been lacking as of late.  We see that there is still some fuel to the Darhk fire and it's refreshing to say the least.

There's not much for the rest of the team to do, but we do get some plot advancements there as well.  Amaya learns that the Darhk's possession of the totems is corrupting the spirit plane.  Rip also alludes to some dark secret of Ava's that could threaten her relationship with Sara.

That last part seemed a little shoehorned in for forced drama, but we'll see what the secret is and how its inevitable reveal plays out.

Wally joins the team in earnest.  He doesn't get a whole lot of screen time, which is a bit sad seeing as not being utilized was one of the major criticisms for his character on "The Flash".  He does get to save the day, though.  He and Sara also have some nice exchanges peppered throughout.

It was also nice to see Rip start to get accepted back into the group.  He isn't exactly welcomed with open arms, but it does seem like the wounds are starting to heal.  His genuine remorse and determination to fix things probably had a lot to do with that as well.

While Mallus himself doesn't appear, his arc does get advanced on several fronts.  We know how the anachronisms tie into his end goal and he appears to take over Nora at the episode's end.  Oddly enough, Darhk seemed unfazed by this.  Yeah, her voice didn't change and her eyes didn't go red, but those big black veins around her forehead seemed like a dead giveaway.  I guess we'll see how that develops later.

Overall, this was a very strong episode.  The script was solid, the cast all did great, and we saw some pretty big developments for the season's story as a whole.  It was also nice to see the heroes come away with a win.  It seems like it's been a while for them.  True, they didn't get Amaya's totem back yet, and Nora now seems to be attuned to it, but Wally did snag the fire totem and Ray still has the formula for cold fusion, which I figure has to be a game changer for the future of the Arrowverse's Earth.  There's only a handful of episodes left, so it should be interesting to see how things play out from here.

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'Jessica Jones' Season 2, Episode 13: "AKA Playland'

The second season comes to its end.  As is befitting of a season finale, this episode manages to cram in quite a lot.

While Alisa may have initially taken Jess hostage, it isn't long before Jess is coaxed into going along with the plan.  Even with everything that has happened Alisa is still convinced that the two of them can work together for the greater good.  Jess is skeptical, even invoking a similar plea from Kilgrave (something Alisa seems to take offense to), but the episode gives us another example of the two actually working quite well together as heroes when they save a family from a burning car.

Alisa is even convinced that the two of them can go to some other country to feed the hungry or bring supplies to the sick.  Jess gives an odd look, but it was an oddly heartwarming moment.

It's enough to put Jess' two worlds at war.  She's reluctant to leave her life, but at the same time, she wants to reunite with her mom.  Similarly, Jess' old life isn't too keen on seeing her leave.  Both Acosta and Trish take it upon themselves to try and save Jess from the situation, even if she is on board with the plan.  It even seems like Alisa herself is second guessing the plan.  She has a nice moment with Jess where she's

Alas, things aren't meant to be as Trish's actions result in Alisa's death.  On a somewhat related note, Trish is a freakishly good shot.  Anyway, as you can imagine, Jess does not take too kindly to this.  Trish's pleas and reminders that she had Jess' best interests aren't enough.  Just as it was with Malcolm, Jess' connection to Trish seems irrevocably severed.

You'd think that this would give the episode a dark, downer ending.  Impressively enough, it actually ends on a more positive note.  Jess decides to start living her life and she has a nice dinner with Oscar and Vito.  The resolution is bitter sweet, but considering how much crap Jess has thrown at her, it's nice to see her get a nice moment like that.

All in all, this was a strong ending for the season.  It managed to tie up a lot of the season's loose ends and still sow some seeds for the next one.  Granted, it'll be a while before we get to that, as there are a few other Netflix MCU shows to cover, but it'll be interesting to see where the show goes and how it all wraps up.

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'Cell' (2016) Movie Review

John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson reunite to partake in another adaptation of a Stephen King novel.  Sadly, the results aren't nearly as impressive as the first outing.

The plot is fairly simple and straight forward.  A mysterious cell phone signal triggers what basically amounts to a zombie outbreak.  We follow an artist named Clay (Cusack) who makes it his mission to find his family amid the ensuing chaos.

There are moments here and there, but the movie largely falls flat.  There isn't nearly as much tension as it seems like there should be.  One major problem is with the phoners themselves.  They don't come off as particularly menacing due to the fact that the extras playing them make them come off as more ridiculous.  Given that their extras, one might forgive their lack of talent, but the camera spends a lot of time on close ups of them, making it a more noticeable flaw.

Things do get better when they start to coordinate and become more than just the typical rage zombies, but it isn't enough to make a lasting impression.

The human cast fares slightly better, though they don't have a whole lot to work with.  Samuel L. Jackson brings some of his trademark gravitas to the table and his character does have a lot of the best lines, but you can see better from him in other films.

Stacy Keach also could have used more screen time.  He's great in the portion of the film he's in, but he's pretty much a one-scene wonder.

Isabelle Furhman stands out as the only one who seems to be making a genuine effort.  She's the only one who shows signs of shock, grief, and horror at what's going down.   She's probably the one you connect to the most.

As a result, even the film's attempts to be more emotional don't work as well as they should.  When Clay goes on what amounts to a suicide mission, the big goodbye should be a powerful and moving moment, but it's just kind of there.

The movie also has structural problems.  The group just kind of wanders from place to place.  I honestly forgot what their end goal was at one point, which is odd given that it's pretty simple.  There needed to be more of an impetus behind the characters' actions.

Even when Raggedy shows up, not much is done with him.  He's just there because he was there in the book.  Granted, he wasn't the most impressive King villain in the source material, but at least he did stuff.  There's no development or exploration of what he is or what his end goal is. He just stands there.

Pacing is also a problem.  Like in the book, the pulse hits very early allowing for the action to start almost immediately.  However, with only a 98 minute run time, the film's plot feels both underdeveloped and unnecessarily padded out.  A part of me wishes that the movie had more time to explore certain aspects, but it didn't really use the time it had very well.

The Pulse itself is never really explored.  Even the speculation scene amounts to one line from Jackson's character.  It's pretty much just a plot device.

Overall, this was a lackluster outing.  It had potential and there are sparks here and there, but it is another film that isn't really worth going out of your way to see.

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