The Binge Watcher Review: Hard Target 2 (2016)

Hard Target 2 (2016)

Starring:

Scott Adkins, Robert Knepper, Rhona Mitra, Temuera Morrison, Ann Truong, Adam Saunders, Peter Hardy, Sean Keenan

Synopsis:

Retired mixed martial artist Wes “The Jailor” Baylor can’t refuse a million dollar purse he’s offered for one final bout in Myanmar. But when he arrives for the fight, he learns he’s been tricked into becoming the target of a human hunt. Carrying only water and a ruby-filled money belt ruby-filled money belt for the last person standing.

The Good:

An action packed movie filled with great fighting sequences. The movie itself had a decent plot and the acting was ok.

The Bad:

This movie is just another in a wide range of movies where people are taken to a remote place and hunted for sport. The one movie that stands out in comparison is The Condemned Starring Stone Cold Steve Austin. In Comparison this movie just doesn’t have the star power to get excited about.

Final Thoughts:

Scott Adkins does a good job portraying a man lost after the he was responsible for the death of a friend during and MMA bout, but it seems to be a meaningless plot point for the entire story until the end. It never seems to drive him even though the movie touches on it multiple times throughout the film.

Even with some of the odd storylines through out the movie, I must say there was a lot to like about Hard Target 2. Its defiantly falls into he “Movie for Guys that like Movies” and is a great Saturday afternoon movie. Let us know what your thoughts of the movie were and leave your comments below.

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Comic Book Review: Wonder Woman # 6 - DC Comics (2016)

"Year One: Part Three"

Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Nicola Scott
Colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The continued origin story of Wonder Woman brings she and the now healed Steve Trevor home in his jet that has been repaired(and now invisible).  Steve Trevor was believed to be dead and now the United States military are wondering about Steve's
new friend.

The Wonder Woman series is one of the most interesting of all of the DC Rebirth series.  The odd numbered issues are present day Wonder Woman doing personal soul searching and the even numbered issues are a "Year One" origin story.  This is great for those that have been wanting to get to know Wonder Woman, or even those who have been longtime fans to see where she got started.  Greg Rucka is an excellent writer for this task.  Six issues in and I'm pretty well hooked.

Since this is an even numbered book, we are in "Year One" and, as of this moment, Wonder Woman(Diana) does not speak English.  She is speaking an ancient language that is proving hard to decipher.  People generally fear what they don't understand so Diana is put into a holding cell while Steve Trevor is checked out by doctors and her weapons are inspected.  Wonder Woman is doing everything she can to stay peaceful and Steve is doing everything he can to keep her safe.  It's a very cool dynamic and I look forward to seeing where this story line goes.

What are your thoughts on Wonder Woman?  Are you enjoying the DC Rebirth titles?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?

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Comic Book Review: Trinity #1 - DC Comics (2016)

"Better Together: Part One - Family Dinner"

Script, Art and Cover by Francis Manapul

Lois Lane invites Batman and Wonder Woman over for dinner.  This is a surprise to Superman.

For those that may not know, Superman of the current DC Universe has died.  The Superman from the previous DC Universe had been in hiding, coming out every now and then to secretly save the day.  Batman and Wonder Woman want to know more about the Clark Kent that is now in their universe and what he truly stands for.  I feel that this book will be excellent in the exploratory nature of finding out how well the Trinity works together.

Francis Manapul is doing it all for this series.  Not only is he writing an excellent story, he is providing incredible artwork.  The artwork doesn't stop at pencils and inks as he is also in charge of colors.  Manapul has his own style and it definitely works for this series.  Trinity is a great looking book and is worth the $2.99 cover price.

The introductory issue does not have anything Earth shattering happen in it which is good.  I wanted to see the interaction of the characters.  Superman tells a funny story about Batman and Robin from his "world" which of course does not amuse Bruce Wayne.  There is also interaction between Lois and Wonder Woman which is cool since the Amazon had a relationship with the now deceased version of Superman.

If you're a fan of these three heroes, go out and pick up this book.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

What are your thoughts on Trinity?  What titles from the DC Rebirth are you enjoying the most?  Are there any other comic books you would like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?

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Act 178: Farley Quinn

Masked Blogster, Jessie Saenz, Handsome J, Uncle Frank, Kevin and Mandy talk about Phoenix FanFest, Luke Cage on Netflix, Monty Python and a Halloween costume for Jessie.

To listen, click here. To download, right click and "Save As..."

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Comic Book Review: Kill or be Killed # 2 - Image Comics (2016)

Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Sean Phillips
Colors by Elizabeth Breitweiser

Dylan is looking for a target as he must kill someone tonight or he will be the one that dies.

Ed Brubaker writes some of the best crime stories today.  I like that this story incorporates elements of a supposed otherworldly type of character.  The main character Dylan is having a hard time believing there is a demon that is keeping him alive as long as Dylan kills on a regular basis.  The first issue has Dylan wrestling with this idea but after some real injuries, our main character becomes more of a believer.

The second issue is all about Dylan not only looking for someone to kill, but also a murder weapon.  This search makes Dylan think back to his past and he is able to find a gun and also bring up a memory that helps him find the right type of person to kill.

Sean Phillips works with Ed Brubaker pretty regularly when it comes to these crime stories and that is wonderful for us; the readers.  Sean Phillips is a magnificent artist whose style captures the grit of the story and gives the best visuals that can be laid down on a page.  The art captures the essence of what the story is about.

I am really enjoying "Kill or be Killed" so far.  I like that we don't truly know if the demon is real or not.  I also like that the main character is going through a lot of emotional issues and that this killing is seemingly making Dylan feel cathartic.  There are only two issues out so go out and get them.

What are your thoughts on Kill or be Killed?  What other comic books do you want Maskerpiece Thatre to review?  Please contact us and let us know.

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Comic Book Review: Spider-Man #8 - Marvel Comics (2016)

Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Nico Leon
Colors by Marte Gracia

Spider-Man is approached by Jessica Jones and Luke Cage due to Jones being hired by Spider-Man's(Miles Morales) grandmother to see what young Miles is up to.  This verbal exchange happens as Spider-Man is on his way to the Triskellion to meet with Tony Stark.  Spider-Man doesn't know what Stark wants, but if Iron Man calls you, it must be important.

I like the multiple stories happening within Spider-Man's life.  Being spied on by Jessica Jones, meeting with Marvel's biggest heroes and being in the midst of the heroes' Civil War.  This story is fun and is definitely going places.  This is the good part.

The dialogue is a bit cheesy.  There are parts that call out the cheesiness but that's not an excuse.  This book is rated T for teen but the cheese goes well below that.  Luke Cage refers to himself as "badassiest."  Maybe I haven't read enough Luke Cage stories, but I never thought of him as a guy that would talk like that.  I hope the Netflix series doesn't do that.

Nico Leon is a very good artist and conveys the story visually in a nice way.  Facial expressions look great as well as overall body language.  There are a lot of emotions within this story and all were represented extremely well through Leon's artwork.

What are your thoughts on Spider-Man?  Do you like Miles Morales being in the same universe as a live Peter Parker?  Are you keeping up with the Civil War II books?

Please let us know what other comic books you would like Maskerpiece Theatre to review.

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The Binge Watcher Review: Interrogation (2016)

Interrogation (2016)

Starring:

C.J. Perry, Adam Copeland, Julia Benson, Erica Carrol, Patrick Sabongui, Michael Rogers, Mitchell Kummen

Synopsis:

After the FBI receives a threat that endangers the entire city, an Interrogator and an I.T. Specialist are plunged into a series of mind games with a criminal mastermind, desperately racing against time to uncover the villain’s true agenda as they fight to protect thousands of lives. 

The Good:

This may be the best WWE Studio’s film that has been made couple that with Adam Copeland’s ever improving performance and you end up with a solid movie.

The Bad:

While the movie itself and the star of the movie were solid, the supporting cast left a lot to be desired. I am not saying it was horrible but it definitely felt like a movie which had the cast of a Straight to DVD Movie.

Final Thoughts:

Interrogation is the third film in the WWE/Lionsgate movie agreement which was agreed upon to showcase emerging talent. If you haven’t figure out yet, this really is to showcase WWE Talent. Interrogation is not the exception, as this movie stars former WWE star and Hall of Famer Edge (Adam Copeland) and current WWE Star Lana (CJ Perry). Usually you would have to be a Hard Core WWE fan to enjoy the movie, but this film is different, Its actually a solid movie

Adam Copeland performance is a major improvement since his first major movie “Bending The Rules”. It’s one of the reason’s this movie came across as much more watchable than most WWE Films.

This movie starts with the interrogation of man who is terrorizing a community and ends with a major twist which you wouldn’t see coming. With a film like this it was nice to see that the action used was spaced between the plot of the movie, leaving the viewer with a nice fast pace film that doesn’t leave you bored and wanting to turn the channel. I recommend this film for your viewing pleasure.

Let us know what your thoughts of this movie were and leave your comments below.

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Bad Moms - Box Office Review

When the trailer begins playing there are times we instantly know what we’re getting from a film and there are times we do not. In this particular case, I knew exactly what I was getting from the trailer and I was glad to walk into the theater, turn my brain off for a bit and just be able to laugh. So let’s dive in and take a look at my thoughts of “Bad Moms” in this box office review…

The first surprise, almost immediate, was that the main character Amy played by Mila Kunis was not a single mother. She was married to a good for nothing man who offered little to the relationship or the family. From the previews I assumed she was a single mother and in fact she may as well have been because the husband offered zero support and only heightened her stress/frustrations. He’s caught jerking off to porn but it turns out that it’s not porn it’s actually a video chat with a girl across the country. And so, the story begins.

The overall story was, I felt, relatable because the characters express many frustrations, concerns, insecurities and emotions I have heard in real life from mothers. Now, being that I am clearly not a woman I can’t speak on the level of relatability but I feel that at least one of the women in this film will speak to mothers on a personal level, if even briefly. The stress for work, self, the home, the kids, the family and more is all discussed and made humorous as well as touching. You don’t dig much further than the surface for these characters but as I stated previously in this review, we knew that from the trailers. 

The story wastes no time which was nice. In fact, I believe the story goes from a crawl to a sprint within the first act. The two mothers who are more reserved and professional turn into party-time, booze infused, dirty talking, morally questionable women in no time. It’s a race to claim freedom and become something from a personal disaster or a sheltered existence. These characters wasted no time and go so far as to have a humorous adventure at the grocery story while shopping for their family, or at least that’s the reason they went to that store to begin with. While this film deals with a few characters it’s “Amy” who drives the narrative and the coming of age tale is fulfilled. What starts off as a comedic look at the life of a woman who is trying to do it all evolves into the story of a woman who does what she can but in that she does all she can for her kids, her work and her personal life. 

“Bad Moms” is in theaters now. If you want a fun comedic film that won’t tax your brain, go see this film. It’s funny, at times emotional, and possibly relatable for some women who are single mothers or mothers in a relationship that’s more of a relationshit. If you don’t like crude humor I’d stay away from this film but if your sense of humor knows little boundaries you’ll probably appreciate the comedy and you’ll probably never look at a hoodie the same way ever again. It’s almost hoodie season too which is a shame for those of us who enjoyed and laughed way too had during that scene.

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Comic Book Review: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #4 - DC Comics (2016)

"Sinestro's Law Part 4: The Fear Engine"

Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Ethan Van Sciver
Colors by Jason Wright

Sinestro contines to fuel his Fear Engine as he awaits the arrival of Sinestro Corps' latest prisoner: Hal Jordan.  Sinestro is in for a surprise as there is a captured Green Lantern but not who he thinks.  Hal Jordan was redirected and taken by someone else while on planet Moga, John Stewart must make a decision as to what he should do next.

I am extremely glad I started reading this series.  Robert Venditti is crafting an other-worldly story happening across the universe with some of the most incredible heroes and villains in the DC Universe.  Hal Jordan bringing the Green Lantern Corps together and Sinestro coming back into power and looking to bring his version of order to the universe.  We are only 4 issues in(5 including the Rebirth Issue) and it feels like the best is yet to come.  This is also a comic book to read.  I Enjoy that there are lengthy conversations being had.  I feel like dialogue within comic books is a fading art.

Ethan Van Sciver is an extraordinary artist.  This series is worth picking up for the art alone.  Luckily the story is excellent as well.  The colors look amazing as well.  The use of light and the fact that it looks like it glows is a remarkable feat by colorist Jason Wright.

What are your thoughts on Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps?  Are you enjoying any of the other DC Rebirth titles?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?  Please contact any of the blogsters or the social media pages and let us know.

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Morgan - Box Office Review

The box office is filled with sequels or reboots and I hear often how people want new concepts or stories on screen. Well, when these movies come out it’s exciting because we’ll be treated to something that we can’t precisely figure out from the trailers. So let’s dive in and take a look at my thoughts of “Morgan” in this box office review…

I was excited about this film from the first time I saw the first trailer. I sat in the theater after the trailer ended and could only look forward to something that felt original, terrifying and well acted. The cast in this film was an immediate selling point and I’d recommend following the link to the IMDB page at the end of this review to see all the talented actors. Unfortunately, this film failed to live up to my expectations and according to Rotten Tomatoes I’m not alone in my feelings. This film has a audience score of 35% and the Tomatometer is Rotten 40%. This film was a disappointment.

The short-comings weren’t actor based and they weren’t special effects based. The actors I enjoyed and the look of the film and the special effects all were entertaining and drew me in. The story fell short, as well as fell apart, in the 3rd act. There’s a scene early on where Morgan is in the forest and sees a deer that is dying because it was impaled by a tree branch. She kills the deer. This is only important because near the end of the movie the character that is chasing her, trying to kill her, also becomes impaled on a tree branch.  Unlike the deer however Morgan doesn’t kill the lady chasing her. So I guess that deer scene wasn’t important because if it was, the tension building towards that ladies death would’ve been completed with her death by Morgans hands. Follow the story telling logic, deer is impaled Morgan kills dear. Lady chasing Morgan trying to kill her is impaled, we as the audience just saw Morgan kill the deer so our tension builds because Morgan should be killing the lady and a surprise character will be responsible for killing Morgan or letting her escape. Either way, the lady chasing Morgan should die because that’s what the deer scene was foreshadowing! 

There’s more to the ending that I won’t spoil because while I hated the third act of this film I’m sure some people might enjoy it and I don’t want to take away the shock value that the film tried to create at the very end. The very end, by the way, also frustrated me. There is almost zero acknowledgement in this film that the ending would be possible. After the final scene I did say out loud in the theater, “Oh come on!” because it was so ridiculous. I get surprise endings where we as the audience are shocked or stunned but there’s usually some ground work laid in the film prior to that “WHOA!” moment at the end which makes that scene more impactful and believable. The only build up I recall is one scene where Morgan is looking at the top of her hands and then the palms of her hands but that’s not enough to build an ending off of. If you look down for popcorn or yawn (which is possible in the third act) you’ll miss it and then the ending makes even less sense.

“Morgan” is in theaters now. If you like science fiction horror than the first two acts you’ll enjoy and whether or not the third act is enjoyable will entirely be up to you. If you enjoyed the film comment below and please explain why. I’d love to read why someone enjoyed this movie as a complete film. Maybe you’ll change my mind and I’ll go back and revisit it. Maybe you won’t. Either way let me know. 

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