End of My Year Review 2010

FILM


Toy Story 3

Honourable Mention:
How To Train Your Dragon, Ponyo, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World


TELEVISION


Terriers

Honourable Mention:
Breaking Bad


COMICBOOK

Madame Xanadu

Honourable Mention:
Hellboy, BPRD, Sweet Tooth, Batgirl, Freedom Fighters, The Great Ten, Power Girl, Savage Dragon, Black Widow


SOFTWARE

Ted

Honourable Mention:
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, Wallpaper Cycler Lite, Norton Internet Security

March Comics

CBR has the new DC, Dark Horse, Marvel and Image solicitations for March.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.



XOMBI #1
Written by JOHN ROZUM
Art and cover by FRAZER IRVING
1:10 Variant cover by BRENDAN MCCARTHY
You can’t keep a good XOMBI down! The immortal David Kim – kept “alive” by nanotech enhancements – returns to the DC Universe in a new ongoing series! Creator John Rozum and hot BATMAN AND ROBIN artist Frazer Irving team up to deliver the finest in contemporary urban horror – with a Super Hero twist! As an undying, unchanging Xombi, David Kim must watch the world consume itself and burn while humanity grows more distant from each other due to the rise of technology. What would a Xombi do just to feel change again? And where will he ever be able to find a kindred soul?
On sale MARCH 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I don't know much about this but the creator writing it plus the horror element and the price.


DOLLHOUSE: EPITAPHS
Maurissa Tancharoen (W), Jed Whedon (W), Cliff Richards (A), Michelle Madsen (C), Phil Noto (Cover), and Steve Morris (Variant Cover)
On sale Mar 30
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
One-shot
Having penned the show's final, post-apocalyptic episode, show writers Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon continue the tale of three survivors in a world overcome by a devastating technological virus.
The wealthy and powerful could buy any kind of companionship at the Dollhouses, where the Rossum Corporation paid young people to have their minds wiped clean and be imprinted with computer-enhanced personalities and skills—all according to a buyer's request. Now the technology has gone viral, wiping the minds of everyone it reached, turning them into mindless butchers. Those who've avoided the call must try to survive their friends and families if they hope to destroy Rossum and save the world.
• Written by T.V. series writers Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon!
• An excellent introduction to the upcoming comics series!

Not sure if I'll get the series but I watched the show so...


UNCANNY X-FORCE: THE APOCALYPSE SOLUTION #1
Collecting UNCANNY X-FORCE #1-3.
72 PGS./Parental Advisory …$4.99

The regular book is $3.99 so this is great value.


BUTCHER BAKER, THE RIGHTEOUS MAKER #1
written by JOE CASEY
art & cover by MIKE HUDDLESTON
MARCH 30
32 PAGES / FC
$2.99
Maybe you’ve seen the PR — now read the comicbook! At one time, BUTCHER BAKER was the preeminent, All-American superhero. Now, he’s getting laid. A lot. But one last mission could signal his return to glory, so he’s back on the blacktop! It’s a balls-out, surreal super-epic from creators JOE CASEY (GØDLAND, Ben 10) and MIKE HUDDLESTON (The Coffin), and it starts right here!
BUTCHER BAKER — THIS COMICBOOK’S GOT BALLS!
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

CARBON GREY #1
story HOANG NGUYEN, KHARI EVANS, PAUL GARDNER & MIKE KENNEDY
art & cover HOANG NGUYEN, KHARI EVANS & KINSUN LOH
MARCH 2
32 PAGES / FC
$2.99
To a noble family twins are born: Mathilde and Giselle, the Sisters Grey. For generations the Sisters have protected and counseled the Kaiser, ruler of Mitteleuropa. But this is a different time. At the birth of the industrial age a great war is raging. When the Kaiser is assassinated, Giselle is accused. Pursued by her sisters and hunted by the enemy, Giselle must unravel the prophecy of the Carbon Grey before history itself is rewritten.
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES

Both of these seem intriguing.

Tom Brooks’ list of the top ten films of 2010

Video link and another.

Ten
Please Give

Nine
True Grit

Eight
Toy Story 3

Seven
Black Swan

Six
Inception

Five
Winter's Bone

Four
Another Year

Three
I am Love

Two
The King's Speach

One
The Social Network

Tron Legacy

Cast
Jeff Bridges
Garrett Hedlund
Olivia Wilde
Bruce Boxleitner
James Frain
Serinda Swan
Michael Sheen
Screenwriters
Edward Kitsis
Adam Horowitz
Director
Joseph Kosinski
Running Time
126 minutes

TRON: Legacy is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world that's unlike anything ever captured on the big screen Sam Flynn, a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn, a man once known as the world's leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade—a signal that could only come from his father—he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe—a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with never-before imagined vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape. (Walt Disney Pictures)

Disappointing on all fronts but just about OK.

Unstoppable

Cast
Denzel Washington
Chris Pine
Rosario Dawson
Kevin Dunn
Screenwriter
Mark Bomback
Director
Tony Scott
Running Time
99 minutes

An unmanned runaway train is carrying a cargo of toxic chemicals. An engineer and his conductor find themselves in a race against time. (Firm Films)

It was exciting but the shaky cam was clearly hiding the actual lack of speed of the train and the news reports that kept precapping and recapping everything were a ludicrous idea.
A name popped out to me in the credits Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc flying a helicopter. I haven't seen it for a while but remember seeing him credited on so many movies over the years and looking at imdb, WOW!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Cast
Daniel Radcliffe
Emma Watson
Rupert Grint
Alan Rickman
Ralph Fiennes
Helena Bonham Carter
Tom Felton
Bill Nighy
Michael Gambon
Jason Isaacs
Maggie Smith
John Hurt
Robbie Coltrane
David Thewlis
Rhys Ifans
Brendan Gleeson
Timothy Spall
Screenwriter
Steve Kloves
Director
David Yates
Running Time
145 minutes

Fantasy Adventure. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series, is a much-anticipated motion picture event to be told in two full-length parts. Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction--the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort's Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort...alive. Harry's only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale--the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks. Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became "the Boy Who Lived." No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

It's sometime since I've seen the others, I keep not watching them when they're on TV but this is in lots of ways maybe the best. Certainly the three leads get more screen time hanging out together which makes the whole thing matter more.

Skyline

Cast
Eric Balfour
Scotty Thompson
Brittany Daniel
David Zayas
Donald Faison
Screenwriters
Joshua Cordes
Liam O'Donnell
Directors
Colin Strause
Greg Strause
Running Time
92m 25s

Strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth. (Universal Pictures)

It was fun and I enjoyed it for the most part. I've always liked Brittany Daniel and wished she was in more stuff but I now see why she isn't because her performance is pretty bad not that the dialogue does her or anyone else any favours. [spoiler]The ending I could see coming from a mile off when they kept repeating the weird hand on face thing over and over combined with the aliens stealing brains.

February Comics

CBR has the new DC and Marvel solicitations for February and Newsarama the Dark Horse.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.



YOUNG JUSTICE #1
Written by ART BALTAZAR and FRANCO
Art and cover by MIKE NORTON
Based on the highly anticipated, all-new hit animated show from Warner Bros. debuting in January on Cartoon Network!
It’s moving-in day for Superboy and Miss Martian as they choose their rooms at their new headquarters! But the Boy of Steel is haunted by the Cave’s memories and strange visions of his past…
On sale FEBRUARY 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #1 & #2 (OF 5)
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by WELLINTON ALVES
Covers by MIKE PERKINS
Charging from the pages of SHADOWLAND comes the collector’s item first ever POWER MAN & IRON FIST #1! When Danny Rand transformed his multinational corporation into a non-profit foundation, he thought he had left fighting behind – but with so many innocents wrongly convicted, the battle never ends! Their first case is Luke Cage and Danny Rand's former secretary Jennie Royce, imprisoned for a murder she didn't commit…or did she? And Iron Fist isn’t fighting alone -- he's got a new partner with him: Victor Alvarez, the all-new Power Man, he of the exploding punches – and exploding temper! Can Danny train his new charge well enough to face returning foil El Aguila as well as new threats Don Pagliacci, the Commedia Dell’Morte, and the beautiful, deadly Noir? That’s right, Marvel’s original mismatched action duo begins a new era of greatness right here!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99


SILVER SURFER #1 (of 5)
Written by Greg Pak
Pencils by Stephen Segovia
Cover by Carlo Pagulayan
A new beginning for the SILVER SURFER!
The sentinel of the spaceways walks the Earth once more, a stranger feared by many. Only the HIGH EVOLUTIONARY understands his true potential, but the Evolutionary’s mysterious grand design may cost the Surfer everything and change the cosmic balance forever! He’s traded blows with Thor and matched wits with Mephisto, but can the herald of Galactus survive the judgment of NORRIN RAND, the man within the Silver Surfer? It’s a character-defining epic showing the Silver Surfer as you’ve never seen him before, brought to you by “Planet Hulk” writer Greg Pak and “Dark Wolverine” artist Stephen Segovia.
32 PGS./Rated T+…..$2.99


MARVEL GIRL #1
Written by Josh Fialkov
Penciled by Nuno Plati
Cover by Roger Cruz
When Jean Grey's best friend was tragically killed in a car accident, her strange psychic powers appeared. Only with the aid of PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER was she able to control her mutant abilities. Now, alongside four other gifted youngsters, she must learn to master her powers…before they destroy her!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

Another Year

Cast
Jim Broadbent
Ruth Sheen
Lesley Manville
David Bradley
Imelda Staunton
Stuart McQuarrie
Oliver Maltman
Screenwriter
Mike Leigh
Director
Mike Leigh
Running Time
129 minutes

In the Spring, happily married Gerri, a medical counselor, and Tom, a geologist, tend their allotment. They entertain Gerri's lonely work colleague Mary, and their community lawyer son Joe, throughout the year. (Sony Classics)

It's very finely performed and I was thinking this is great up to the last part winter where it seemed not to know how to end.

January Comics

CBR has the new DC, Image and Marvel solicitations for January.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.



STARMAN /CONGORILLA #1
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by BRETT BOOTH
Cover by GENE HA
In this tie-in to the “JLA Omega” storyline, the new blue and gold team of Congorilla and Mikaal Tomas work to unlock the secrets behind the toxic Omega Man’s dark energy, which encases Washington D.C. To do this they must embark on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth, encountering diverse heroes from the DCU along the way including Animal Man, Sirocco and a certain wonder dog named Rex. And all the while, Mikaal and Congorilla must outrun and outwit a cadre of terrorist assassins from Gorilla City. This is a breakneck chase through the DCU, but with a serious end-goal – saving the lives of their fellow members of the JLA!
ONE-SHOT • On sale JANUARY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

WONDER GIRL #1
Written by JT KRUL
Art by ADRIANA MELO & MARIAH BENES
Cover by NICOLA SCOTT & DOUG HAZLEWOOD
Spinning out of the pages of TEEN TITANS comes this spotlight on Cassie Sandsmark, the wonderful Wonder Girl! Even though not every moment of Wonder Girl’s life is spent being a Titan, strange adventures still follow her everywhere. In this issue, she’ll cross paths with the odd new hero known as Solstice!
ONE-SHOT • On sale JANUARY 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


That so much including one-shots and minis are going back to $2.99 is wonderful and I'm interested in these two and feel able to get them.



JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #53
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by MARK BAGLEY, ROB HUNTER & NORM RAPMUND
Cover by MARK BAGLEY & ROB HUNTER
1:10 Variant cover by DAVID MACK
The final chapter of “JLA Omega” arrives as the World’s Greatest Heroes and the Crime Syndicate struggle for survival. But the Syndicate’s betrayal of their own pact results in a final, savage confrontation – and Ultraman does some betraying of his own! Can the JLA defeat Omega Man, the harbinger of death? Can they save the Crime Syndicate’s world and the Tangent Universe? And in the midst of this war between good and evil, which side will Dark Supergirl choose?
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale JANUARY 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

JSA ALL-STARS #14
Written by MATTHEW STURGES
Art and cover by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Who – or what – are The Puzzlemen? Ancient artifacts are being stolen from museums around the world. So far, there seems to be little significance to their individual potential power. Put the puzzle together, though, and the All-Stars are up against a threat that endangers more than just all of humanity! Meanwhile, Roxy gets schooled in compassion by a Justice Society member from the past!
On sale JANUARY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


Both of these I had dropped, JLA with #50 when it went from £3.99 to whatever it was and JSA All-Stars when the back up ended and it stayed $3.99 so now I get to happily put them back. :)

A Town Called Panic

Cast
Jeanne Balibar
Veronique Dumont
Bruce Ellison
Stéphane Aubier
Vincent Patar
Nicolas Buysse
François de Brigode
Screenwriters
Stéphane Aubier
Vincent Patar
Directors
Vincent Patar
Stéphane Aubier
Running Time
77 minutes

Panic stars three plastic toys named Cowboy, Indian and Horse who share a rambling house in a rural town that never fails to attract the weirdest events. Cowboy and Indian’s plan to gift Horse with a homemade barbecue backfires when they accidentally buy 50 million bricks. Whoops! This sets off a perilously wacky chain of events as the trio travel to the center of the earth, trek across frozen tundra and discover a parallel underwater universe of pointy-headed (and dishonest!) creatures. Each speedy character is voiced—and animated—as if they are filled with laughing gas. With panic a permanent feature of life in this paper-mâché burg, will Horse and his equine paramour—flame-tressed music teacher Madame Longray—ever find a quiet moment alone? A sort of Gallic Monty Python crossed with Art Clokey on acid, A Town Called Panic is zany, brainy and altogether insane-y! (Zeitgeist)

Funny and very inventive but would work better in a shorter format.
I remembered during this that in all animations when there's a static scene I can't help thinking that most of the reason for that 2-3 seconds was to pad the film out saving themselves some work. Those moments always pull me out of the story while in a live action film it's more the opposite.

The Social Network

Cast
Jessie Eisenberg
Justin Timberlake
Andrew Garfield
Rooney Mara
Armie Hammer
Screenwriter
Aaron Sorkin
Director
David Fincher
Running Time
120 minutes

On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in his dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history... but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications. From director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin comes The Social Network, a film that proves you don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies. (Sony Pictures)

Smart and entertaining.

Made In Dagenham

Cast
Sally Hawkins
Andrea Riseborough
Jaime Winstone
Daniel Mays
Bob Hoskins
Miranda Richardson
Rosamund Pike
Screenwriter
Billy Ivory
Director
Nigel Cole
Running Time
113 minutes

Based on a true story, Made in Dagenham portrays a decisive moment in that decade of upheaval, when the fight for equal rights and pay was led – unexpectedly – by ordinary working-class women with one foot in the kitchen, one foot on the factory floor, and ears glued to the pop coming over the radio and telly from far-off London (19 kilometers and a world away). It's a vintage “girl power” tale. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Informative, dramatic and funny but the small budget lets it down a little.

The Town

Cast
Ben Affleck
Rebecca Hall
Jeremy Renner
Blake Lively
Pete Postlethwaite
Chris Cooper
Jon Hamm
Screenwriters
Ben Affleck
Peter Craig
Aaron Stockard
Director
Ben Affleck
Running Time
124 minutes

There are over 300 bank robberies in Boston every year. And most of the professionals live in a one-square-mile neighborhood called Charlestown. One of them is Doug MacRay, but he is not cut from the same cloth as his fellow thieves. Unlike them, Doug had a chance at success, a chance to escape following in his father's criminal footsteps. Instead, he became the leader of a crew of ruthless bank robbers, who pride themselves on taking what they want and getting out clean. The only family Doug has are his partners in crime, especially Jem, who, despite his dangerous, hair-trigger temper, is the closest thing Doug ever had to a brother. However, everything changed on the gang's last job when Jem briefly took a hostage: bank manager Claire Keesey. When they discover Claire lives in Charlestown, Jem gets nervous and wants to check out what she might have seen. Knowing what Jem is capable of, Doug takes charge. He seeks out Claire, who has no idea that their encounter is not by chance or that this charming stranger is one of the men who terrorized her only days before. As his relationship with Claire deepens into a passionate romance, Doug wants out of this life and the town. But with the Feds closing in and Jem questioning his loyalty, Doug realizes that getting out will not be easy and, worse, may put Claire in the line of fire. Any choices he once had have boiled down to one: betray his friends or lose the woman he loves. The Town is a dramatic thriller about robbers and cops, friendship and betrayal, love and hope, and escaping a past that has no future.(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Hard boiled crime movie with a detailed story focusing on the characters. I enjoyed it a lot.

The Hole

Cast
Chris Massoglia
Hayley Bennett
Nathan Gamble
Teri Polo
Screenwriter
Mark L. Smith
Director
Joe Dante
Running Time
92 minutes

Doctor Susan (Polo) uproots her two children, teen Dane (Massoglia) and younger brother Lucas (Gamble), to that old cinematic staple, the small American town. Soon the kids, joined by literal gal-next-door Julie (Bennett), discover a bolted-up trapdoor in the basement...[Empire]

I liked it but whether it was that the horror had been watered down for kids or the lead male performer was a little bland, something stops it from being great.

December Comics

CBR has the new DC, Dark Horse and Marvel solicitations for December.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.



HEROES FOR HIRE #1
Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING
Penciled by BRAD WALKER
Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Variant Cover by BRAD WALKER
Variant Cover by HARVEY TOLIBAO
In the aftermath of Shadowland, Marvel’s greatest street heroes – Punisher, Moon Knight, Shroud, Elektra, Paladin, Silver Sable, Ghost Rider, Iron Fist, Falcon, Misty Knight and more – leap into one all-new series! Who has brought these dangerous loners into one fighting force? How is this network different from all other teams? Who is their first target, and what mysteries wait for them? Discover the answers and enter the action on Marvel’s mean streets, courtesy of fan-favorite writers Dan Abnett & Andly Lanning (THE THANOS IMPERATIVE, PUNISHER: YEAR ONE) and artist Brad Walker (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY)!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Only if it drops to $2.99 next time which is a long shot. I've missed Iron Fist and the writers I know from Guardians of the Galaxy.

Avatar Special Edition 3D

Cast
Sam Worthington
Zoe Saldana
Sigourney Weaver
Stephen Lang
Michelle Rodriguez
Matt Gerald
Giovanni Ribisi
CCH Pounder
Wes Studi
Screenwriter
James Cameron
Director
James Cameron
Running Time
170m 26s

Jake Sully is a former Marine confined to a wheelchair. But despite his broken body, Jake is still a warrior at heart. He is recruited to travel light years to the human outpost on Pandora, where a corporate consortium is mining a rare mineral that is the key to solving Earth's energy crisis. Because Pandora's atmosphere is toxic, they have created the Avatar Program, in which human "drivers" have their consciousness linked to an avatar, a remotely-controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air. These avatars are genetically engineered hybrids of human DNA mixed with DNA from the natives of Pandora... the Na'vi. Reborn in his avatar form, Jake can walk again. He is given a mission to infiltrate the Na'vi, who have become a major obstacle to mining the precious ore. But a beautiful Na'vi female, Neytiri, saves Jake's life, and this changes everything. Jake is taken in by her clan, and learns to become one of them, which involves many tests and adventures. As Jake's relationship with his reluctant teacher Neytiri deepens, he learns to respect the Na'vi way and finally takes his place among them. Soon he will face the ultimate test as he leads them in an epic battle that will decide the fate of an entire world. (20th Century Fox)

This is the third time I've seen it, the second at the cinema [first review]. The new footage consists of little bits spread throughout the film most of which seemed pretty incidental.

The Expendables

Cast
Sylvester Stallone
Mickey Rourke
Jason Statham
Forest Whitaker
Jet Li
Dolph Lundgren
Eric Roberts
Steve Austin
Screenwriter
Sylvester Stallone
Director
Sylvester Stallone
Running Time
108 minutes

The only life they’ve known is war. The only loyalty they have is to each other. They are the Expendables: leader and mastermind Barney Ross, former SAS blade expert Lee Christmas, hand-to-hand combat specialist Yin Yang, long barrel weapons specialist Hale Caesar, demolitions expert Toll Road, and precision sniper Gunnar Jensen. Living life in the fringes of the law, these hardened mercenaries take on what appears to be a routine assignment: a covert, CIA-funded operation to infiltrate the South American country of Vilena and overthrow its ruthless dictator General Garza. But when their job is revealed to be a suicide mission, the men are faced with a deadly choice, one that might redeem their souls…or destroy their brotherhood forever. (Lionsgate)

It was OK. It was let down by bad CGI, nondescript villains and a weak story.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Cast
Michael Cera
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Chris Evans
Brandon Routh
Alison Pill
Mae Whitman
Ellen Wong
Anna Kendrick
Kieran Culkin
Screenwriters
Michael Bacall
Edgar Wright
Director
Edgar Wright
Running Time
112 minutes

Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in order to win her heart.

I knew it was stylised but I didn't think to this degree. The overall story is sleight so you need to enjoy the elements and I did, each ex was good and the fights were ingenious, funny and unexpected. I enjoyed it a lot but I have the feeling when I see it again I'll enjoy it either more or less than I did this time [5* or 3*] but I can't predict which.

Salt

Cast
Angelina Jolie
Liev Schreiber
Chiwetel Ejiofor
August Diehl
Daniel Olbrychski
Screenwriter
Kurt Wimmer
Director
Phillip Noyce
Running Time
99m 51s

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who Is Salt?" (Columbia Pictures)

The bbfc site says it was cut to make it's rating which is annoying. It was perfectly fine, it could have been much better.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Cast
Nicolas Cage
Teresa Palmer
Jay Baruchel
Toby Kebbell
Alfred Molina
Monica Bellucci
Alice Krige
Screenwriter
Carlo Bernard
Director
Jon Turteltaub
Running Time
108 minutes

Balthazar Blake is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath. Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler, a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It'll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." (Walt Disney Pictures)

It started with something like a "previously on" bit which had me thinking whether this was a sequel although I knew it wasn't. I was enjoying it a lot but it seemed to go wrong somewhere but it was still pretty good. I can't quite place what goes wrong but the thing is the comedy sidekick has somehow become the lead which is kind of strange although his performance is good. There's a lot of explaining which isn't unusual but somehow here it was weirder. When the Nicolas Cage / Monica Bellucci plot-line moved to centre stage at the end, because you had only really seen snippets in the prologue and some explaining scenes it seemed to come out of nowhere.

November Comics

CBR has the new DC, Dark Horse and Marvel solicitations for November.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.



BATWOMAN #0
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III & W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art by J.H. WILLIAMS III and AMY REEDER with RICHARD FRIEND
Cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
1:10 Variant cover by AMY REEDER
“I suspect that Batwoman is socialite Kate Kane. I intend to prove it beyond a shadow. I need to know if she can be trusted, what her motivations are. I’m going undercover.” – Batman: Mission Log Entry 2756
Featuring a unique story composition that combines the art of Eisner Award-winner J.H. Williams III (DETECTIVE COMICS, PROMETHEA) and Amy Reeder (MADAME XANADU), this special #0 issue acts as a new introduction into the life of Batwoman! Things pick up roughly where the BATWOMAN: ELEGY HC left off, and this issue acts as a primer for the upcoming new series featuring multiple award-winning creators!
Retailers please note: This issue ships with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale 24 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Read the dollar reprint of Detective Comics #854 so providing it drops to $2.99 next month I'll get this.


SUPERBOY #1
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by PIER GALLO
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
1:10 Variant cover by JOHN CASSADAY
Superboy is back in a brand-new ongoing series! Join Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and amazing up-and-coming artist Pier Gallo as they take Superboy on a journey to a side of Smallville not even Superman knows about! What mysteries lurk beneath the surface of this all-American town – and what are their direct ties to Superboy? The start of the next great DC Universe epic begins right here!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Maybe this, got to tackle my pile of Sweet Tooth to help me decide.

The Karate Kid

Cast
Jackie Chan
Jaden Smith
Taraji P. Henson
Wenwen Han
Rongguang Yu
Zhenwei Wang
Screenwriter
Michael Soccio
Director
Harald Zwart
Running Time
140 minutes


12-year-old Dre Parker could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying—and the feeling is mutual—but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has no one to turn except maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life. (Sony Pictures)

I was surprised by how good this was. It outstrips the original in almost every way except maybe "wax on, wax off" beats "jacket on, jacket off" because it's visually clearer how that works. It was surprisingly violent and some of that must have been cgi aided but I didn't spot it although the final blow seemed odd because surely they weren't close enough for that to have really connected.

Inception

Cast
Leonardo DiCaprio
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Marion Cotillard
Ellen Page
Cillian Murphy
Michael Caine
Ken Watanabe
Tom Hardy
Tom Berenger
Screenwriter
Christopher Nolan
Director
Christopher Nolan
Running Time
147m 57s

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. This summer, your mind is the scene of the crime. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Given the high reviews I was disappointed but it was good. The problem is it's more clever than entertaining. The visuals are great and a lot of time must have gone into them, my guess on the floating fight in the corridor is that they may have built the set in one of those planes which do the parabolic flights to simulate weightlessness given the effect and that it was a corridor. The lack of concrete detail of the characters I suppose is to give a possible layer of meaning that the whole thing is a dream which I'm having but there's such a thing as being too clever for your own good, it's too distancing and they sacrificed my caring more deeply for the characters for another level of complexity.