Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES
Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s mostly unsatisfying slice of absurdity delivers numerous pointless plot turns and way too many instances of improv that are wacky but really not funny. A few scenes frustratingly point to a smart satire of the superficiality of cable news that ANCHORMAN 2 could’ve been.

For more, see here.

Evil Dead

EVIL DEAD
What’s the point in remaking an iconic film if you’re going to eradicate everything that made it iconic? Utterly lacking in character development and humor, Fede Alvarez’ reboot/sequel ramps up the gory grossout EXORCIST / slasher / SAW tropes to 11, the excess ultimately feeling ironically lazy and tiresome.

The Woman in Black

THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Daniel Radcliffe stars as a widowed lawyer who encounters a vengeful spirit terrorizing a small Edwardian England town by killing its children. Unabashedly playing with classic horror tropes, Hammer Films’ gloriously retro ghost story is beautifully evocative and so damn chilling that it literally gave me shudders.

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle

SUPERHEROES: A NEVER ENDING BATTLE
PBS’ 3-part documentary trods such well-worn ground that it’s suitable for non-fanboys only. Glossing over or completely overlooking some seismic shakes, ignoring interesting B-listers, peppered with anachronistic visual errors, SUPERHEROES is nice to look at it, but ultimately feels superfluous, a missed opportunity for deeper insight into the genre.

Just Like Being There

JUST LIKE BEING THERE
Scout Shannon’s ode to gig poster artists spotlights a wide range of talent (from very to not so much) with a tone that’s so reverential and serious, the film feels more precious than inspiring. Ironically, the section on Mondo’s movie poster reinterpretations (appropriating the rock esthetic) is the film’s highlight.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
ABC’s AVENGERS spinoff suffers from a typical tee-vee casting of young, pretty dullards in roles created for the show, rather than actors of varying ages and comeliness playing more diverse characters from the source material (too bad Dum Dum Dugan was wasted in CAPTAIN AMERICA). Thus far, a disappointment.

Room 237

ROOM 237
Rodney Ascher’s documentary about wacky interpretations of Stanley Kubrick’s THE SHINING would’ve benefited from putting the theorists on camera. By keeping these obsessives completely offscreen, their stories blur into a maze of conjecture, which may have been the intent, but leaves me longing for more clarity in the crazy.

Chernobyl Diaries

THE CHERNOBYL DIARIES
Yet another yawn-inducing horror film that takes way too long to set up (a bunch of young, pretty American tourists run around an abandoned Russian city screaming in terror while being stalked by irradiated mutants), then adds the injurious insult of having almost all of the scares occur offscreen.

Gravity

GRAVITY
Alfonso Cuarón’s “Stranded in Space” epic is indeed visually staggering (see it BIG), but the film is ultimately weighed down by so much ham-fisted metaphorical / metaphysical rumination on “rebirth” that my eyeballs were rolling as much as Sandra Bullock in Zero-G. Worth seeing, but 2001 did it better.

Breaking Bad Season 5 Part 2

BREAKING BAD Season 5 Part 2
Heisenberg’s rise and fall has been one of TV’s most compelling stories, and while the behavior of the Aryans at times felt deus ex machina, this final arc lived up to its promise, delivering just enough redemption that we could regain the empathy to mourn the end of Walter White.

Lifestyle Illustration of the 50s

LIFESTYLE ILLUSTRATION OF THE 50s edited by Rian Hughes (Goodman Fiell)
The quality (and size) of reproduction varies wildly in Hughes’ follow-up to his 1960s book, but this remains an indispensable compilation of gorgeous work by the mostly unsung illustrators of the so-called women’s magazines of the mid-century. Domestic bliss, pensive contemplation, and agonizing heartbreak never looked so good.

Hannibal Season One Blu-ray

HANNIBAL Season One Blu-Ray
If any show ever warranted the crystal clarity of Blu-ray, it’s Bryan Fuller’s gruesomely lush RED DRAGON prequel. Numerous featurettes delineate the fastidious attention to detail that makes HANNIBAL the most visually arresting (as well as brilliantly written, acted, and scored) show on TV. Digital downloads do not suffice.

Tony Bennett / Dave Brubeck, The White House Sessions, Live 1962

Tony Bennett / Dave Brubeck, THE WHITE HOUSE SESSIONS, LIVE 1962 (Columbia / RPM / Legacy Recordings)
While most record labels’ vaults have been long cleared of marketable leftovers, sometimes a true gem is unearthed, as with this short but sweet set recorded in 1962, with the two jazz legends at the heights of their powers, performing both separately and together. Required for fans of both artists.

Batman Black and White #1

BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE #1 (DC Comics)
This monochromatic anthology’s resurrection is good news for longtime fans of the Dark Knight who aren’t thrilled with the current, convoluted regular comics. Running the gamut from lighthearted retro adventure to sultry detective stories and even a hot rod tale, the book’s only misfire is a bizarre Neal Adams screed.

Dexter Season 8

DEXTER Season 8
My once-favorite show shuffles off this cable coil with another mixed bag of good acting and bad plot developments. Making the final season an ill-fated love story detracts from the core Dexter-Deb dynamic, and even though the (Breaking Bad inspired?) ending felt right, it was still too little, too late.

Low Winter Sun

LOW WINTER SUN
Has the anti-hero jumped the shark? A bleak yet bland look at crime and corruption in Detroit wastes a solid cast (headed by Mark Strong) by dumping them into a story that fails to grab, despite making every attempt to evoke both THE WIRE and THE SHIELD.

The Defibulators, Debt'll Get 'Em

The Defibulators, DEBT’LL GET ‘EM (PigCow Records)
Watching this band’s maturation over the years has been terrifically exciting, as Bug, Erin, Roadblock and the boys have stomped out their wildly addictive, completely distinctive musical aspic. The Defibs’ new LP is a retro-modern country masterpiece (really!), with not a single clunker in its beautifully succinct 35 minutes.

(NOTE: The Defibulators' debut EP was the second thing ever reviewed on this blog when it started in 2007. This post marks the 500th review on 50 Words or Less...)

Man of Steel Novelization

MAN OF STEEL Novelization by Greg Cox (Titan Books)
I haven’t read a film novelization since 1981, and did so here only in the hopes of divining some semblance of empathy towards the victims of the wanton destruction wrought by the Kryptonian battles. It’s there, but the mitigation still feels a bit too slight and way too dark.

Batman '66 #1

BATMAN ’66 #1 by Jeff Parker & Jonathan Case (DC Comics)
With the rights finally cleared, the floodgates of POW!-era Batman merch have opened, and this workmanlike attempt at emulating the feel of a Silver Age comic book as well as the iconic TV show ultimately feels like it was produced for no reason other than they finally could. Wholly unnecessary!

Drunk History

DRUNK HISTORY
I keep waiting for the concept to wear thin, but the caliber of lip synching actors and ridiculously high production values keep these location-themed, booze-fueled vignettes feeling fresh, surprisingly insightful, and most of all downright hilarious. Derek Waters is the perfect travel guide / enabler. Just don’t let him drive.

Rocketeer Adventures Treasury Edition

ROCKETEER ADVENTURES TREASURY EDITION (IDW)
A plethora of A-list cartoonists (Kaluta! Cooke! Plunkett! Darrow!) pay tribute to Dave Stevens’ retro hero (and Betty) in this oversized anthology that’s mixes adventure, drama, melancholy, whimsy, and a bit of required cheesecake. A few tales feel somewhat rote, but don’t really detract from the book’s heartfelt allure.

Dredd

DREDD
A dystopian exercise in video game violence and 3D excess, this reboot of a franchise I never much liked in the first place manages the seemingly impossible feat of exorcising any semblance of charm from Karl Urban as the titular arbiter of justice. DREDD is worse than ugly; it’s pointless.

(NOTE: I confess this review is based only on the first 57 minutes of the film. I stopped watching after that point. Because I hated it that much.)

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE FLASHPOINT PARADOX
If this deeply wearisome adaptation of the DC series that transitioned into the DC Comics reboot is any indication of what’s to come (clunkily animated New 52 tales), then I think I’m as done with the animated DCU as I am its printed counterparts. Bruce Timm, you are missed.

Ray Donovan

RAY DONOVAN
Liev Schreiber plays a Hollywood fixer whose ability to keep the rich and famous out of trouble can’t seem to carry over into his own personal life, particularly regarding his ex-con father (a delightfully decadent Jon Voight) in what may be the grayest depiction of family values since THE SOPRANOS.

Lemuria, The Distance is So Big

Lemuria, THE DISTANCE IS SO BIG (Bridge Nine Records)
The third full-length from Buffalo’s aural equivalent of salted caramel is another solid confection that alternates between ambience, dissonance and harmony, with lyrics that likewise straddle cynicism and optimism in a shared voice that’d make Elvis Costello proud. A few overly-twee tracks don’t do permanent damage to the sweet-n-sour balance.

Siren: The Bewitching Art of Dan Brereton

SIREN: THE BEWITCHING ART OF DAN BRERETON (Big Wow! Art / Imaginary Beast)
Painter / illustrator / cartoonist Brereton’s loose yet cohesive work synthesizes Gene Colan, George Petty, and Basil Gogos into a dynamic, evocative style all his own. This lavish collection of seductresses, adventurers, monsters, and seductive adventurer monsters is monograph manna for geeky Goths.

Hans Zimmer, Man of Steel Soundtrack

Hans Zimmer, MAN OF STEEL Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (WaterTower Music)
Don’t look for heroic marches in THE DARK KNIGHT composer's MoS score, which alternates between percussive aggression and evocative—frequently plaintive—leitmotifs. The non-linear sequencing is annoying, and a few tracks veer dangerously close to New Age cheese, but overall, it’s a solid, neck-snapping addition to Superman’s musical legacy.

Meeting Evil

MEETING EVIL
Samuel Jackson plays the titular malevolence who pushes a browbeaten Luke Wilson to the edge in this cartoonish allegory about the many evils men do (from simple rudeness to murder). Writer / Director Chris Fisher shoots for a Lynchian feel, but there’s a marked lack of style, cleverness, and coherence.

Walt Kelly: The Life and Art of the Creator of Pogo

WALT KELLY: THE LIFE AND ART OF THE CREATOR OF POGO by Thomas Andrae and Carsten Laqua (Hermes Press)
This scholarly tome about the genius cartoonist forgets the adage about a picture’s worth, dryly explaining Kelly’s pointed satire and gentle whimsy when more of his masterful line and wordplay would’ve done the trick. A staid design adds to the textbook feel of what should’ve been an essential monograph.

Our Idiot Brother

OUR IDIOT BROTHER
Imagine a Woody Allen movie with a hippie protagonist and a stellar cast led by the always dependable Paul Rudd. Now subtract story, wit, and charm, and replace with meandering, quasi-amusing vignettes that lead absolutely nowhere. The result is a dull, head-scratching waste of time and talent.

Man of Steel

MAN OF STEEL
An initially promising sci-fi reboot of the quintessential superhero gets bogged down in more destruction than fifty Michael Bay films. The dark, humorless tone is partially mitigated by some great performances and visuals, while a boneheaded climactic twist needs to be further qualified in the sequel to avoid character damage.
(For a whole lot more, see here)

Mad Men Season 6

MAD MEN Season 6 (AMC)
As “Dreamy” Don Draper, with a glistening whiskey sheen, continues his slide into irredeemable douchebaggery (both at work and home), all’s the better for the drama, with SD&P struggling to adjust to an ever-changing dynamic amidst constant pissing contests. But who’d have guessed Sally would have the best story arc?

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer

PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER
The fact that the Russian feminist collective’s message seems to change depending on the audience doesn’t lessen their importance as a force for freedom in Putin’s sadly repressive Russia. One can’t help but feel a chill at the similarities between closed-mindedness in their culture and our own.

Behind the Candelabra

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA
Steven Soderbergh’s tale of the “complicated” relationship between Liberace (somewhat UNDERplayed by Michael Douglas) and dimbulb companion Scott Thorson (Matt Damon, fantastic) is a ridiculously entertaining glimpse inside the insular life of the furried key-tinkler (but Rob Lowe steals the shows as a hilariously taut, unscrupulous plastic surgeon).

Game of Thrones, Season 3

GAME OF THRONES Season 3 (HBO)
Three seasons in, and while I’ve faithfully watched every episode (some more than once), I still have just the faintest glimmer of what’s going on (there’s a throne, dragons, and boobies). But one thing I do continue to suspect is that George R.R. Martin is one twisted, bitter little man.

The Revolution Was Televised

THE REVOLUTION WAS TELEVISED: THE COPS CROOKS, SLINGERS AND SLAYERS WHO CHANGED TV DRAMA FOREVER by Alan Sepinwall (Touchstone)
NJ Star-Ledger TV critic, Sepinwall revisits modern classics that set the tone and pace for a TV renaissance, including THE SOPRANOS, BUFFY, and MAD MEN. Mixing history and insightful criticism, the book makes a strong, highly entertaining case for the argument that television has eclipsed film as a storytelling medium.

Petra Haden, Petra Goes to the Movies

Petra Haden, PETRA GOES TO THE MOVIES (Anti-)
Decemberists (et al) alumnus’ second a capella collection tackles 16 movie themes, including REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, SUPERMAN, 8½, GOLDFINGER, TOOTSIE, and more. The eerily perfect PSYCHO main title and A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS work best, while some 80s cheese remains, well, cheesy. A mixed bag worth digging into.

Superman Unbound

SUPERMAN UNBOUND
This loose adaptation of Geoff Johns’ SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC storyline suffers from some weird character designs (Supes has a skinny head), the weight-sapping elimination of Pa Kent’s death, and a shoehorned marriage proposal. Supergirl’s characterization is nice, though, and whoever thought we’d get to see a cartoon Lois flip the bird?

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic

RICHARD PRYOR: OMIT THE LOGIC
Creative trailblazers have frequently led lives defined by pain, both suffering and inflicting it, perhaps none moreso than Richard Pryor. This too-short documentary offers a tantalizing glimpse into a life and career dotted by extreme highs and lows, but ultimately fails to capture the genius that trumped the drama.

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VAMPIRE HUNTER
I have nothing against stupid B-movie concepts. That is, unless they cloak themselves in A-level aspirations, production values, and actors who take it all seriously. What should’ve been a goofy lark instead feels like a slog through the the most pretentious slab of muenster ever put to film.

Star Trek Into Darkness

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS
The Enterprise docking underwater is just one example of how STID prioritizes spectacle over logic. While the cast shines, JJ Abrams’ second Trek feels like the work of a forced convert, with unsurprising twists and lazy storytelling. It’s a fun popcorn movie, but STAR TREK should be a full meal.

Toy Hunter

TOY HUNTER (Travel Channel)
While I glaze over any time some cheap, crappy 80s toy is featured (I have zero affinity for that garish, plastic era), as a collector myself, it’s fun to watch overly-caffeinated host Jordan Hembrough dig through boxes of old playthings to uncover (no doubt pre-planted) vintage geek gold.

The Office final episodes

THE OFFICE (the last three episodes of) Season 9
I stopped watching THE OFFICE a few seasons back, when the Jim and Pam story went from cute to nauseating, but decided to view the once-great series’ final episodes. I wish I hadn’t. This painfully tired, unforgivably unfunny treacle makes the most saccharine Disney tale look like an Albee play.

Hair Shirt

HAIR SHIRT by Patrick McEown (Self Made Hero)
There’s not much ecstasy, but lotsa agony in this tale of a sensitive young artist’s burgeoning powder keg relationship with an old childhood crush. McEown deftly plumbs the complexity and pitfalls of desire, insecurity, and trauma, his evocative art (simultaneously cartoony and naturalistic) greatly enhanced by Liz Artinian’s gorgeous coloring.

Hannibal

HANNIBAL (NBC)
Disappointed FOLLOWING watchers should check out this whip-smart, stylish and truly terrifying reinterpretation of Thomas Harris’ iconic cat and mouse game. Mads Mikkelsen’ creepy erudition amazingly manages to avoid comparisons with Anthony Hopkins’ Lecter, while Hugh Dancy’s preternaturally empathic Will Graham is more complex than any film version. Mesmerizing.

Iron Man 3

IRON MAN 3
Aside from the risible cliché of the precocious kid sidekick and too many empty armors, Shane Black’s post-AVENGERS adventure is suitably entertaining and refreshingly surprising (altho’ one bait-and-switch will infuriate intractable fanboys). Primary credit, of course, goes to Downey, who continues to inhabit Tony Stark with unmatchable wit and verve.

Genius, Illustrated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth

GENIUS, ILLUSTRATED: THE LIFE AND ART OF ALEX TOTH by Dean Mullaney & Bruce Canwell (IDW)
IDW’s extensive Toth trilogy continues with this examination of the artist’s work and life from the 1960s thru his death in 2006. The comics, illustration and design on display are breathtaking, while tales of many aborted and unrealized projects are heartbreaking reminders of what we both lost and never had.

The Nerdist

THE NERDIST
What I like about Chris Hardwick’s pop culture gabfest is that he doesn’t play to the masses. There’s a pleasant awkwardness with big stars, and even when the comedy bits miss, the whole affair has a delightfully DIY esthetic that makes you feel like anyone could just walk on set.

Louis C.K.: Oh My God

LOUIS C.K.: OH MY GOD
Look, I like Louis. I do. But his shtick is getting a little tired and predictable. “Stupid Americans take amazing thing for granted. I’m fat and middle aged. My kids suck but I love them. Close with controversial supposition.” Louie’s capable of genius, but this special is not it.

The Boy Who Loved Batman

THE BOY WHO LOVED BATMAN by Michael Uslan (Chronicle Books)
Longtime Batman film producer Uslan’s autobiography is heavy on childhood reminisces and light on moviemaking anecdotes (Uslan avoids even naming Joel Schumacher or his Bat-travesties, let alone dishing dirt), suggesting that a good Hollywood memoir cannot be written by an active player… or a nice guy? A friendly, missed opportunity.