2025年2月13日 星期四

Some Other Movies From 2025

I'll be adding to this as the year progresses.


1. Captain America: Brave New World

Perhaps the most thoroughly OK (if thoroughly forgettable) movie that Marvel Studios has yet produced.  The parts they tinkered with after filming wrapped are obvious, and as a whole the production lacks focus.  Oh well Marvel, you can't win 'em all?  It's been a weird few years for everyone...

The most compelling character here is probably Harrison Ford's Thaddeus Ross, even though the way in which Sam Wilson defeats him is one of the most contrived plot points ever.

Anthony Mackie has some good moments in this film, and for what it's worth Brave New World increased my appreciation for his character, but I still think the wings + shield combo is a bit much, especially since neither the wings nor the shield obey the laws of physics.  The fight scenes that don't involve either the wings or the shield are better, but even so Mackie's character seems lost within his own movie, sidelined behind WAY more interesting characters like Isaiah Bradley, President Ross and even Sidewinder.

A straight-ahead Red Hulk movie would have been more to the point.

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2025年2月11日 星期二

"Generation X" by Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza and Others (1994-1995)


It's the early- to mid-90s, dudes!  Time to get extreme!  I'm talking about MASSIVE shoulder pads!  I'm talking about MORE pouches!  I'm talking about BIG, ridiculous guns that would be almost impossible to shoulder!  I'm talking about ponytails, tiny, thin feet, and cool-sounding names like "Phalanx," and "Emplate" (whatever that's supposed to mean) and "Chamber!"

Yes, it's time to carefully unsheathe our double-bagged, holographic comix with their embossed 3D trading cards.  It's time to carefully open these "spare copies" (NO CRINKLING) of Generation X and get down to business!

But hold on a minute!  I'll have you know that these X-men aren't your parents' X-men!  No, no no!  These X-men are way more broody than those other X-men... these X-men have ISSUES!  And not just double-bagged, holographic with the the embossed trading card issues!  By "issues" I mean that they get dark!

It could have worked.  The problem is that the villains in this series outshine the heroes, and what might have been an interesting little horror comic fails to stay in its lane.  Every time the more colorful, more "adult" X-men show up it really kills the mood, and the costumes these new heroes are saddled with could have been done away with entirely.  

Leaving them in street clothes would have worked a lot better, and ramping up the horror elements would have improved Generation X even more.  As it is it's a decidedly lukewarm effort, a slightly darker take on the Image titles that were probably outselling Marvel titles at the time.  Youngblood it ain't, (Jim Lee's) X-men it ain't, and they failed to venture into Swamp Thing territory, which would have been a more natural fit.

Oh well.  For the record I enjoyed it.  I can't say I remember most of the character's names, I can't say I remember what most of the plots were about, but it was an enjoyable detour back into a time when the comics industry was in a state of flux, and when a signed copy of Generation X might have been something that someone actually wanted.

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2025年2月1日 星期六

"The Hellboy Omnibus" Volumes 1-4 by Mike Mignola and Others (2021)


Hellboy comics are awesome.  If you're tired of the superhero stuff -- and who doesn't get tired of the superhero stuff now and then? -- Hellboy is the answer.

The Wild Hunt is, by the way, one of the best comic book series I've ever read.  It really brings the hammer down in the end, and what's more it's a satisfying lead-in to Hellboy in Hell, another memorable comic book series that left me wanting more.
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