Comic Book Review: Paper Girls #3 - Image Comics (2015)

Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Cliff Chiang

The girls are at Mackenzie's house and Mac is trying to get the gun away from her mother when there is an accident.  On the way to the hospital, the girls meet a visitor from elsewhere.

Paper Girls continues to add surprises to each issue.  Issue three has plenty of times that make you scratch your head wondering where this story is heading.  Who is the mysterious man at the beginning?  Who are the beings that the girls met in issue one?

A lot of questions but we still have good character development.  Brian K. Vaughan makes the most out of the limited amount of pages to use banter between the girls and demonstrate each of their personalities.  This tale takes place in the 1980s so there is a bit of nostalgia.  During Erin's dream/hallucinating experience she is ice skating with President Ronald Reagan.

Paper Girls is three issues in and I still have no idea what's going on.  That is actually a very cool thing.  I'm impressed by what Vaughan is doing, hooking the audience in and making us all wonder what direction he is taking Paper Girls.  Cliff Chiang's art is fantastic looking with this story and is capturing the eighties extremely well.

Are you reading Paper Girls as well?  What do you think of the review?  What other books would you like us to review for Maskerpiece Theatre?  Please leave your comments below.

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The Binge Watcher Review: Galavant Season One

Galavant (Season One)

Starring: Joshua Sasse, Timothy Omundson, Vinnie Jones, Mallory Jansen, Karen David, Luke Youngblood

Synopsis:

The adventures of Galavant, a dashing hero who is determined to reclaim his reputation and his “Happily Ever After” by going after the evil King Richard, who ruined it the moment he stole the love of Galavant’s life, Madalena.

The Good:

The Acting, The Singing, The Writing, Everything about this show is excellent from Timothy Omundson to Joshua Sasse. Each Actor is on point, and even though its not needed there are some great guest appearances by actors such as John Stamos, Weird Al Yankovic, and Ricky Gervais

The Bad:

This might be the only time I do this but I find nothing wrong with this show. 

Final Thoughts:

This is Disney for Adults in the best way possible. The songs are cheesy enough to be great and the show reminds me a lot of Monty Python and Holy Grail. The show in itself does not take itself seriously as seen with the last episode of the season while during the final song it makes fun of its self with a dig that all the singing possibly killing the nelson ratings. 

King Richard is played by the great Timothy Omundson, if you have seen psych you will understand why he is so great. His Henchman/Best friend is the Vinnie Jones, this role is definitely outside his normal role of bad ass bad guy which I believe make his appearance in the show that much better. But the star of the show is Joshua Sasse who plays the lead character of Galavant. 

Some of the moment that really sell this show is every time Galavant misses the opportunity to be the hero in order to proclaim his intentions of saving the day. Just Awesome. Than if that want enough there is the drunk song between King Richard and Galavant that really brings the show home for me.

If it wasn’t obvious with the review I definitely give this show Two Thumbs Up and if you have watched yet, check out Hulu for Season One while its still up. Let us know what your thoughts of the show and leave a comment below. 

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The Binge Watcher Review: Love in the Time of Monsters (2014)

Love in the Time of Monsters (2014)

Starring: Gena Shaw, Marissa Skell, Danny Vasquez, Michael McShane, Heather Rae Young

Synopsis:

Two sisters travel to a cheesy tourist trap where they battle toxic monsters dressed in bigfoot costumes in order to save the ones they love

The Good:

What seemed to be a low budget film was done extraordinarily well. The Cinematography was surprisingly well done, as was the Script. Even the acting was pretty solid, making this a fun movie to watch.

The Bad:

The only complaint I had for the film was at times it seemed to get long. I found I had a few spots through the middle of the film where I started to drift a little from watching. 

Final Thoughts:

The cheesiest aspect of this film had to be the kills. Its not surprising that the kills lacked the special effects which we can get used to from theater releases, its what makes the movie so charming the idea that you can laugh at such a ridiculous moment. The most surprising part for me after watching the film was how I walked away enjoying the film. The acting was actually good and the script made the movie watchable. This film has all the great qualities which is what you should expect from all horror films.

Love in the Time of Monsters is a must have for any movie night with friends, to learn about the different ways you can find this movie go to their website TBCFilms.com. 

This movie gets two thumbs up, let us know what your thoughts were and leave a comment below.

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Comic Book Review: The Flash #46 - DC Comics (2015)

Written by Robert Venditti & Van Jensen
Art by Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund & Andrew Dalhouse

Central City police want to arrest the Flash for the bombing of the police station but the Scarlett Speedster knows he can't take the time to talk with them as he knows he needs to stop Professor Zoom and his group of villains.

Fast and incredible action can be found on every page of this comic book issue.  Zoom has been trying to build the Flash as a threat to Central City so that if he does beat our hero, he isn't revered in his death.  This is no easy task and really isn't something he can push any longer as the fight is on.  Zoom has his super-powered villain group that is assisting, outside of Magali who he has since imprisoned along with Henry Allen, the Flash's father.  Henry was brought on to build a device that steals meta-human powers.  If he built a device that could steal the Flash's powers, Professor Zoom would let Barry Allen live.  Little does Henry know who the Flash truly is.

Caught up yet?  I know, there's a lot going on in this issue.  This has been a fun story line.  Professor Zoom is such an interesting character as everyone thinks he's a speedster but he's really controlling time.  It's going to be interesting to see how the Flash is going to do against Zoom.  Also, what will Zoom do after what happened to his villainous group?

I'm of the understanding that the art portion of the Flash team will be leaving the title soon.  That's unfortunate as I feel this is one of the best teams around.  I'm not overly fond of the tweaks made to the Flash's costume, but everything else is amazing.  The flow of each page, detail in the right places and I don't know where you'll find colors used much better.  Wherever Booth, Rapmund and Dalhouse go, I'm sure I'll be hopping onto that title as well.  If what I've heard is true, seeing this team working on underwater adventures could be some of the most incredible visuals of 2016.

As far as the writing team, I have no news as to whether staying or going.  Again, I can see myself checking out whatever Venditti and Jensen write.  It has been an extraordinary pleasure to read from this super team of writers and artists.

What do you think of the Flash review?  What other comic books would you like to see the staff at Maskerpiece Theatre review?  Please leave your comments below or let us know on Twitter @MaskedBlogster or @MPTheare2015

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Daddy's Home - Box Office Review

There are films that take you to new worlds, exciting landscapes and spark thoughts that challenge and stimulate the mind. “Daddy’s Home” is not one of those films. It would be a boring life if movies were all the same and thankfully certain films are produced just to make you laugh. This is a movie designed for laughter. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg return to the big screen to entertain and delight once more. 

The premise of the film is identifiable for some, which helps create an emotional connection, which is important for film. A stepfather is attempting to earn a place in the hearts of his step-children. Things are going well when the biological father returns and shakes up the family dynamic being established. That’s it. It’s humorous and it attempts, slightly, to deliver a positive message about family togetherness and acceptance. 

There are a few scenes where special effects were necessary for story telling and it was noticeable. I believe the decision was made to make even the special effects look humorous. If I believed anything else I’d be disappointed in how fake they looked. This movie doesn’t ask a lot from the audience except to laugh. I won’t ask a lot from this movie based on that impression. 

The onscreen chemistry between Will and Mark continues to delight. The combination of their personalities is one of the highlights of this comedy. Thankfully, when they share screen time it’s entertaining and comical. These two actors compliment each other so well in comedies. Will is the straight laced, tender hearted, smooth jazz listening stepfather. Mark is the motorcycle riding, marathon completing, manipulative, bad boy, biological father. They play off each other so well and you can’t help but laugh. 

“Daddy’s Home” is in theaters now! I give this film a piano ballad by Yanni with a jazz flute solo and a rock tune by AC/DC for good measure. If you need a break from life and thought this is a film for you. If you decide that you would enjoy shutting off your brain box for an hour or two and enjoy some laughs, again, this is your movie. If you score matinee prices you might enjoy it more but if it’s date night, purchase those tickets and share some laughs with that special person in your life. 

Comment below if you’ve already seen it and share your thoughts! Join in on the fun of movie watching and share this post with anyone who you feel would enjoy another one of my Box Office Reviews.

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Comic Book Review: Batman #47 - DC Comics (2015)

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Greg Capullo

Batman, well the Gotham City Police Department's version of him anyway, is in the midst of battle with Mr. Bloom.  Duke, one of the "Robins," makes a narrow escape and is found by Bruce Wayne.  Duke makes an attempt to jar Bruce's memory.

Batman #47 has been my favorite issue of the Jim Gordon as Batman era.  Starting off the issue by explaining a poker game played by Gotham's police department and how it is different than any other card game was an interesting way to go.  It came full circle at the end when they explain how everything can change.  We are met with revelations about Bloom, Bruce and the possibility of another return.

I've made it no secret that this has not been my favorite era of Batman.  I do like what Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have done thus far and have, for the most part, trusted their vision.  The introduction of Mr. Bloom has been excellent as I really thought by starting the DC universe over in 2011 with the New 52, we would get a bunch of re-hashed stories of the known villains.

Catch up on Batman if you haven't been keeping up.  There's a lot that's going to be happening in the next few issues.  Mr/ Bloom is much more than we thought and I don't see Jim Gordon and his team being enough to save Gotham.

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The Hateful 8 - Box Office Review

Quentin Tarantino continues to thrive where violence, racism and character development are key to story telling. “The Hateful Eight” is a western that attempts to bring a sense of mystery into a story driven primarily by dialogue and the characters present on screen. It’s a lengthy film that makes zero apologies for moving at a more relaxed tempo. If long movies are key to you feeling like your money was well spent, it’s well spent on this movie. 

Overall, the characters in this story were engaging and for different reasons entirely. It is always good story telling to have 2 or more people on screen and they each depict unique personalities, driven by individual needs/circumstances. The story might require characters to share a common interest, temporarily, as this film does, but eventually those unique backgrounds drive the characters forward. The story develops nicely and by the end of the film it’s clear that this film shares the concept of Greek Tragedy over Comedy. 

There was one character in particular I wasn’t clear on. The actor is listed in the opening sequence which implies he is important but he doesn’t appear until the 3rd act of the film. It’s at this point he also proves to serve as a plot device more than an actual character and he clears up some of the questions that were in my mind as I watched the film. So, it’s unclear whether this individual character was actually a character for the story or a MacGuffin. 

The run time on this film was excessive in my opinion. Delivering the finale at 167 minutes (almost 3 hours) the film could’ve been 30 to 45 minutes less and I would’ve enjoyed it more. I don’t need to see characters walking back and forth on screen to drop things off if it does nothing to help move the plot along or develop characters. There was a great deal of screen time spent on things that could have easily been cut to make the speed of the film more entertaining. 

“The Hateful Eight” is in theaters now! I give this film 3 out of 6 bullets required for a  cowboy six shooter. If you enjoy Tarantino films you might appreciate this latest addition to his filmography. I’m not sold on recommending a theater viewing for this film but certainly a Redbox pick up wouldn’t hurt. The characters are rich and developed but the story is time consuming.

Comment below if you’ve already seen it and share your thoughts! Join in on the fun of movie watching and share this post with anyone who you feel would enjoy another one of my Box Office Reviews.

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Battle Hymn Vol 1 - Trade Paperback Review

Battle Hymn, Farewell to the First Golden Age (Vol1) 

Written By: B. Clay Moore

Art By: Jeremy Haun

The year is 1944 and the first gathering of hero’s commences to help stop the second World War. The Americans are beginning to wage a brand new form of specialized war fare in recruiting individuals with unique abilities. We meet a new crop of hero’s who all bring something particular to the group and each has a skill set the United States Government prizes… or so we think. 

There was so much that happened in this origin story. It’s a collection of the first five issues and what a fantastic read. Sure, some of the characters are similar to popular characters from other comic book stories or share similar powers. Once you are able to get past that and enjoy the personalities of these new characters the story develops into something new that feels fresh. 

The deviousness and cruelty personified by certain characters is matched by noble and upright characters who stand for certain values otherwise missing in this story. It’s a spy thriller meets action comic and it’s superb. I’m not surprised this hasn’t been turned into a movie yet; however, I am surprised I haven’t heard anyone considering this for the big screen. This story is primed for film. The relationships between characters, clashing personalities and goals, espionage and combat are all front and center. This first volume literally has it all. There’s even a robot that can ignite things and people on fire and a fish/man thing that is super strong and intelligent! 

I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this initially, to be honest. I picked it up because it looked like a familiar story with a unique twist and was it ever enjoyable. I finished volume one and was upset I didn’t pick up any additional volumes. If you’re looking for something familiar but different this is a fantastic collection to read. If they made this first volume as a Netflix film I’d be happy. It begins strong and ends with a twist and keeps you guessing throughout. Great read. So much fun. 

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Movie Review: The Hateful Eight (2015)

The eight film from Quentin Tarantino brings yet another all-star cast filled with incredible performances.  Along with great dialogue, the violence was definitely not lacking.  I was originally going to see this movie as part of the 70mm Road Show.  There were about 100 movie theaters across the United States that were showing The Hateful Eight on actual film as opposed to the digital projectors.  I was excited to enjoy the viewing experience but the cost was double what I ended up paying a week later to watch it digitally.  The film is still beautiful, and I had a great time.

The Hateful Eight takes place in the state of Wyoming where a blizzard is sweeping through. Throughout the movie, you find yourself trying to figure out who the bad guy, or perhaps bad guys, are.  This proves difficult as all of the characters are more sinners than they are saints.

Kurt Russell is the bounty hunter John Ruth and he aims to collect when he delivers Daisy Domergue who is played amazingly by Jennifer Jason Leigh.  With their stagecoach driver O.B.(James Parks) hey cross paths with Samuel Jackson who played the part of Major Marquis Warren and later run into Walton Goggins' character, Chris Mannix.  These four characters have reputations that proceed them, so everyone has an idea of who they're dealing with and it's explained why everyone is on edge.

The majority of the film takes place in a cabin where nothing seems to go as planned.  This is where we meet the characters played by Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir and Bruce Dern.  The rest of the film is spent figuring out who is who and if anyone is truly on the up and up.

Also starring Channing Tatum, Zoe Bell, Dana Gourrier, Gene Jones, Keith Jefferson, Craig Stark, Lee Horsley and Belinda Owino.

The Hateful Eight is in theaters now and I highly recommend seeing it if you enjoy a film with gratuitous violence, remarkable banter between characters and the all around movie-going experience.  Tarantino has an eye and ear for what makes movies such an enjoyable pastime.

What are your thoughts on The Hateful Eight?  What other reviews or content would you like to see from Maskerpiece Theatre?  Please leave your comments below.

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Comic Book Review: The Goddamned #2 - Image Comics (2015)

Written by Jason Aaron
Art by r.m. Guera

Noah continues his quest across land with the animals he has collected in preparation for the flood.  Cain finds an unlikely ally as he looks for something that can possibly kill him.

I loved the first issue of The Goddamned and issue two continues the awesomeness.  Cain is continuing his travels across what looks like a barren wasteland.  He meets a woman who has lost her son to Noah's group and he is reluctant to assist.

The action is absolutely brutal.  If you like comics that are overtly violent, than pick up the first two issues of The Goddamned.  Jason Aaron is authoring a bloody tale that doesn't show any signs of letting up on the ferocious barbarity.

What are your thoughts on The Goddmaned review?  What other comic book titles would you like to see reviewed by the staff at Maskerpiece Theatre?  Leave your comments below.

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