Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Cast
Rebecca Hall
Scarlett Johansson
Javier Bardem
Penélope Cruz
Chris Messina
Patricia Clarkson
Screenwriter
Woody Allen
Director
Woody Allen
Running Time
96 minutes

Two young American women, Vicky and Cristina come to Barcelona for a summer holiday. Vicky is sensible and engaged to be married; Cristina is emotionally and sexually adventurous. In Barcelona, they’re drawn into a series of unconventional romantic entanglements with Juan Antonio, a charismatic painter, who is still involved with his tempestuous ex-wife Maria Elena. Set against the luscious Mediterranean sensuality of Barcelona, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is Woody Allen’s funny and open-minded celebration of love in all its configurations. (The Weinstein Company)

My first Woody Allen review, who I adore, but who has had sadly patchy results for a couple decades now. I had high hopes going in which did not materialise. There was narration all of the way through like Benjamin Button which again didn't help. Perhaps had Woody done it I would have liked it more, after all some of the greats have his voice-over. I enjoyed it but it was very slight.

May Comics

Newsarama has the new Marvel and DC solicitations for May.

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


POWER GIRL #1
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Art by Amanda Conner
Covers by Adam Hughes and Amanda Conner
In her own ongoing series at last! Straight from the pages of JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA, Power Girl starts life anew by building herself a secret identity. But a major villain from her past has other plans in store for the Super Hero, and to get his way, he’s holding Manhattan hostage!
From the fan-favorite writing team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (JONAH HEX, TERRA) and featuring the vivacious art of Amanda Conner (JSA CLASSIFIED, TERRA) comes this rip-roaring new series!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers by Amanda Conner and Adam Hughes that will ship in approximately 50/50 ratio. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale May 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Woo Hoo, been waiting for this for a long time.



PLANET SKAAR PROLOGUE
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by DAN PANOSIAN
Cover by ALEX GARNER
Reed Richards just found out that the Hulk has a son. A great, big barbarian son named Skaar who's known nothing but blood and rage after being abandoned by his father to be born on fire on a war-torn alien planet. And now Skaar's coming to Earth, where a showdown with his father could literally split the globe in two. So with just twenty four hours to spare, Mr. Fantastic must determine how to face the advent of... PLANET SKAAR! Don't miss the perfect jumping on point for a brand new epic in which the Son of Hulk finally slashes straight into the heart of the Marvel Universe! PLUS, 8 pages of Director's Cut style extras!
40 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$3.99

Regular Skaar book is great so definitely getting this.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Cast
Cate Blanchett
Brad Pitt
Tilda Swinton
Julia Ormond
Jason Flemyng
Taraji P Henson
Screenwriters
Eric Roth
Robin Swicord
Director
David Fincher
Running Time
165 minutes

“I was born under unusual circumstances.” And so begins The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man’s life can be. Benjamin Button is a grand tale of a not-so-ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time. (Paramount Pictures)

It wasn't bad but it was an odd film. Apart from the beginning and end Pitt narrated it all the way through, I never got to spend time and observe the characters to discover them for myself. I think if this had been removed and maybe the Hospital prologue it would have benefited immensely. The artificial look of the characters, from the cgi for young Benjamin to the latex masks for adult Daisy was always very noticeable plus Blanchett was peculiarly dubbing the voice for the child actors. It was like watching the inner working of a strange, intricately made mechanical device. However having said all that I was never really aware of the length and the time passed pleasantly enough.

TPB Reviews

I intended to do a lot more TPB reviews here but through several circumstances the chief being my laziness that hasn't materialised until now. Recently I've read quite a few so here are some.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Legacy HC

Writers
Dan Abnett
Andy Lanning
Artists
Paul Pelletier
Rick Magyar

Led by Star-Lord, the newly reconstituted Guardians of the Galaxy include a who's who of the mightiest - and most bizarre - protectors the stars have ever seen! Rocket Raccoon, Adam Warlock, Drax the Destroyer, Quasar, Gamora, and Cosmo the telepathic space dog take on the menaces against whom a war-weary universe cannot stand - and have a little fun while doing it! But there's nothing funny about the skrull threat - a secret invasion that pits teammate against teammate in a game of shadows and secrets that could tear the new team apart!

Really great, in ways more jokey than Nova and of the two I favour this probably because I tend to enjoy team books more.

Nova: Annihilation HC

Writers
Dan Abnett
Andy Lanning
Artists
Sean Chen
Wellington Alves
Paul Pelletier
Mahmud A. Asrar
Klebs jr.

After a devastating wave of destruction slaughters the ranks of the galactic peacekeeping Nova Corps, average Earthman Richard Rider is the last surviving "space cop". The young man called Nova possesses virtually unlimited power, but can one lone human police a desperate galaxy crying out for law, order and protection? After encountering threats both on Earth and on worlds far away, Nova faces his darkest hour as he rockets into an epic quest to defeat the techno-organic X-Men foes known as the Phalanx!

I read this after Guardians of the Galaxy which is the wrong way round, although it doesn't matter that much. I really enjoyed it.

The Spirit

Writers
Darwyn Cooke
Jeph Loeb
Artist
Darwyn Cooke

The Spirit, Ebony, Commissioner Dolan and his daughter Ellen are reintroduced in this go-for-broke, shoot-the-lights-out collection of crime stories filled with action, adventure, humor and sexy girls! In these thrilling tales, Cooke maintains the spirit of Eisner's creation while still bringing his own sensibilities to the characters.

Wonderful stuff, the only reasons it doesn't get full marks is that I'm not that familiar with the character and it's a little too wacky.

Batman: Ego and Other Tails

Writers
Darwyn Cooke
Paul Grist
Artists
Darwyn Cooke
Time Sale
Bill Wray

A collection of pulse-pounding stories featuring award-winning writer/illustrator Darwyn Cooke's unique visions of Batman And Catwoman.

Catwoman: Selina's Big Score is great and on it's own would be 4 stars but the first story Batman: Ego I found disappointing.

Revolutionary Road

Cast
Kate Winslet
Leonardo DiCaprio
Kathy Bates
David Harbour
Kathyrn Hahn
Michael Shannon
Screenwriter
Justin Haythe
Director
Sam Mendes
Running Time
119 minutes

Adapted from the landmark novel by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is an incisive portrait of an American marriage seen through the eyes of Frank and April Wheeler. Yates’ story of 1950’s America poses a question that has been reverberating through modern relationships ever since: can two people break away from the ordinary without breaking apart? (Paramount Vantage)

Rather like American Beauty this is a serious well made drama which impressed but didn't blow me away.