I cannot give a film a pass simply because it is fun to watch. There are plenty of really bad films that are fun to watch, but that doesn't make them good films. Which is why to some degree it pains me to give the latest entry in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise a modestly negative review. It almost gets everything I like about the series right, but once you leave the theatre it will dawn on you that what you just saw wasn't all that great.
This is the episode that Whovians have been waiting 47 years for, but just didn't know it. With a woman-turned-TARDIS, companions running through actual TARDIS corridors and Neil Gaiman on board, it would be very hard to go wrong. There is no doubt that " The Doctor's Wife " will go down as one of the most iconic episodes within both Series Six and the decades-spanning television series Doctor Who as a whole.
The fifth episode of HBO's Game of Thrones , titled ” The Wolf and the Lion ,” was the most action packed and gruesome of the first season so far. If we were to compare the series through five episodes to a Rube Goldberg machine – and why not – the first four episodes were the set up. In this week's episode the start button was pushed, and the machinations began to pay off dramatically: the pace quickened, threats flew in earnest and lots of blood was spilled.
The Doctor, Amy and Rory have decided to go on adventures after three months of fighting The Silents. Their first stop is a pirate ship manned by one Captain Avery. Avery and his fellow pirates are being picked off one by one by a siren who can smell even the smallest drop of blood. Episodes immediately following the premiere episode are least spectacular episodes of each series. They are often self-contained stories that are lighter in theme that usually go back in time rather than forward. Series Six's "Curse of the Black Spot" follows in this same vein, but thankfully for Doctor Who audiences," Curse of the Black Spot " blows the previously mentioned episodes out of the water.
DC's summer super-event, Flashpoint has both the fun of an alternate reality tale and the reward of a continuity storyline. Written by Geoff "I am DC" Johns, with stunning artwork by Andy Kubert, the first issue is largely spent setting up this previously unseen ”˜world’. And what a world they have crafted! Though I'm more a fan of Green Lantern than of The Flash, this event looks to be far more exciting... and dare I pun ”˜fast paced’, than Blackest Night or Brightest Day .
Grant Morrison's seminal run on X-Men returns to print... and just in time for the new movie! Originally penned when the first X-Men film was reigniting the public's favour with these long running characters, Morrison sought to incorporate new, modern elements while remaining true to the spirit of the earliest issues. What resulted was signature-style Morrison bizarre, which is to say, pure mutant gold.
A hero of the indie circuit with a legitimate knack for homing in on the current American spirit, filmmaker Kelly Reichardt has become recognized by many as tragically overlooked by many, many others. Well look over no longer, Toronto, as this week the TIFF Bell Lightbox begins a retrospective on the filmmaker, screening her catalog of films from the past two decades, including Wendy and Lucy , Rivers of Grass and her latest, Meek's Cutoff .
In Superheroes , director Michael Barnett introduces to a gallery of men and women who take it upon themselves to don masks and capes, lurking the streets for criminals to thwart. But in a subculture that is so much more showmanship than substance, Barnett's film begins to stumble on almost identical faults.
The fourth episode of Game of Thrones , entitled Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things, has a steady supply of all of the aforementioned outsiders and invalids. Jon Snow continues to face challenges as he trains to become a brother of the Night's Watch, while young Bran Stark - whose dreams are being haunted by a mysterious three-eyed crow - struggles to come to terms with his new life as a parapelegic.
Heavily embedded in the culture and locations of Queen Street West, Snow , by Benjamin Rivers, is a very Toronto-centric indie graphic novel. It's the 30-something equivalent of Brian Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim saga, but with a more culturally relevant storyline and less manga-influenced art.
The National Parks Project documentary is about two hours long. Two things will result from this: 1) If you see it in a theatre, your ass and legs will hurt by the time it’s over; and 2) If you see it in a city, you will emerge from the film incredibly restless after seeing thirteen of this country’s prettiest places.
In the last few years, Paul Peterson and Jason Gilmore talked to four suicide survivors, about their experiences, the lead up and the aftermath. The compilation of these talks is called The Next Day , illustrated by acclaimed artist John Porcellino, accompanied by an interactive online component co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada. So even if you can’t talk to anyone else about it, I’m sure you may be comfortable reading it.
It’s been about six months since Conan O’Brien took back the night with his talk show on TBS, but any fan of his or at least anyone still interested in what happened while he was off the air will want to see this documentary.
I should preface this review with one caveat: I've never read or watched ”” or heard of Thor at all, really ”” before seeing the film. As you can probably guess from the preceding sentence, I don't even know what format of text or media from which its story originates. Colour me uneducated and largely incurious. Instead of attempting to hide this gaping hole in my nerd credentials, I'm sure that highlighting my lack of Thor knowledge will make for a pretty interesting review.
I didn’t know it until I saw it, but I have been waiting for a summer movie like Thor for a long time. It is fun, far more fun than any comic adaptation I have seen in years. Its director brings to it a distantiation that allows for investment in the fun of it all: the outrageous narration, exaggerated and impossible action sequences, and actors who can just let go and enjoy the ride without any pressure while still maintaining their integrity and talent. This, my friends, is what a summer movie should be: exciting, clever, comedic, and a joyride.
