‘Ghost In The Shell’ Review: When Good Enough Isn’t Enough

*Spoiler Free Review*

Ghost in the Shell takes place in a near-future world where humans are enhancing themselves with cybernetics and the line between man and machine is starting to blur. The film tells the story of Major (Scarlett Johansson), a woman in a synthetic body with a human mind inside, the first of her kind. She works for Section 9, a law enforcement division of the government, as the perfect weapon in eliminating terrorist threats. When a new criminal emerges, Major and her team set out to stop him, all the while she is questioning who she really is and why she exists in the first place.

It’s relevant to point out that I’m no expert on the source material. I’ve only ever seen the original 1995 anime Ghost in the Shell film. I have yet to check out the sequel films or series, so I can only judge this film against the first movie. However, from what I can ascertain from a bit of research, the exact details vary from iteration to iteration, so this film may or may not feel too off the mark for some long-time Ghost in the Shell fans.

Also read: ‘Ghost In The Shell’: 9 Minutes Of Footage Officially Released

Also, before I go any further, it’s important to address the giant white elephant in the room. It’s 2017 and cinematic whitewashing is still very much a problem in this day and age. You wouldn’t think it would be, but it is, sadly. I’m Caucasian myself and even I’m sick of it. It’s unfortunate, but I get why it happens, at least in the case of this film. It comes down to what it always comes down to in these situations: money. The studio wants a hit. It’s hard to argue that famous people get butts in seats and thanks to Marvel and other films like Lucy, Scarlett Johansson is one of the biggest stars in the world at the moment, in action films or otherwise. This role is right in her wheelhouse and I actually thought she was pretty great in the film, which will, unfortunately, be overlooked because of the controversy surrounding her casting. While I’d have loved to see an Asian Major headlining this film, I’d be hard pressed to name a Japanese actress that could open a movie as big as ScarJo. The fact that they’re never given the opportunity to try certainly has a lot to do with that, but alas, that is the state of things right now in Hollywood. The film does show an effort to at least justify why Major is white instead of Japanese in this iteration. This was fine, but still, it shouldn’t have needed to be justified in the first place.

That being said, this film does have a pretty diverse cast, just not where it really counts. As far as I can tell, the original film is completely Japanese, across the board, but just like how I wouldn’t want a 100% white cast, an entirely Asian cast probably wouldn’t have been the right move either, though that would have been cool. You do have a Japenese actor, “Beat” Takeshi Kitano, in one of the prominent roles as Aramaki, the badass head of Section 9. I liked this casting a lot, but they do something with the character that I often find frustrating in films. His dialogue is entirely in Japanese whereas all of the other characters are speaking English, even when talking to him. I would have preferred if everyone else spoke Japanese when conversing with Aramaki. It would have felt a bit more respectful.

I thought Danish actor Pilou Asbæk was great as Batou, and aside from his ethnicity, he really looked the part too, more so than anyone else. I liked the dynamic he had with Major, even though it’s not quite as warm as it is in the original film. Aside from Batou, the rest of the Section 9 team is pretty diverse as well, even though they are all pretty underutilized. I could have definitely used more of Togusa (played by Chin Han of The Dark Knight and 2012 fame), as he was a character I quite liked in the original. Ishikawa (Lasarus Ratuere), Saito (Yutaka Izumihara) and Borma (Tawanda Manyimo) are all characters from the various iterations of Ghost in the Shell, so I’m sure fans might be excited to see them here, I just wish we saw a bit more from them. As far as I could tell, Ladriya (Danusia Samai) is original to this version, but I thought she too fit in well. Perhaps if this film gets a sequel, we’ll see the team get more time to shine in the future. Also, I thought Juliette Binoche brought a lot of much-needed gravitas in her role of Dr. Oulet.

As far as the story goes, and here’s where things start to get bogged down a bit for me, it seemed as if the writers (Jamie Moss, William Wheeler and Ehren Kruger) borrowed liberally from the original film, but really only utilized some of the cooler recognizable aspects as seasoning sprinkled throughout their own original spin on the material. I did really enjoy seeing some of these moments in live-action, but when it came to the original storyline, the exploration of Major’s backstory that was created for this version, that’s where things felt a bit flat for me. The problem is, we’ve seen this sort of story told a million times over. The original 1995 anime was so influential at its time, inspiring such films as The Matrix and filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg and James Cameron. The plot wasn’t horrible, it worked for what the writers were going for, it’s just a shame the main thrust of this story was so uninspired. The film also drags a bit near the end of the second act, which shouldn’t be the case because the run-time is still well under 2 hours.

Also read: 5 Reasons Why The Original ‘Ghost In The Shell’ Is A Masterpiece

Additionally, this movie could have used a little work in the villain department, something that is a frequent problem with most mainstream fare these days. Peter Ferdinando’s Cutter feels like more of a cardboard cutout placeholder than an actual villain and it should be pointed out that he appears to be another original creation of the writers. Also, while I liked Boardwalk Empire‘s Michael Carmen Pitt as Kuze, the character could have been utilized a whole lot more. He’s a character from subsequent iterations of the anime, so I’m sure fans of the TV series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex will be disappointed with the amount of screentime he was given as well.

One thing that’s for certain, however, is that this definitely is a beautiful looking film. I’m not familiar with director Rupert Sanders’ previous work (Snow White and the Huntsman wasn’t really on my radar when it came out), but he certainly impressed me with this film. I thought he did a really great job of introducing us to this Blade Runner-esque world with its abundance of neon and holograms. The CG, and there’s a ton of it, was pretty solid, and there were only a few instances where I felt the concrete parts of the world didn’t quite look real. Overall, I thought the story, which may have been a bit lacking, was at least told well, visually-speaking. When the credits rolled, I found myself hoping the film does well enough at the box office to warrant a sequel because I would definitely be down to seeing more of this world.

As a whole, I found Ghost in the Shell to be a decent enough film, for the most part. It’s not a great film, but I definitely enjoyed it and felt like I got my money’s worth. If you’re just an average movie-goer looking for a solid sci-fi film to check out, then this is a pretty good bet. However, if you’re a fan of the source material, you may just find that it’s little more than a pretty shell, with a ghost inside that leaves one wanting. I hope not. I really do hope Ghost in the Shell fans dig this movie, but I’d have to be more knowledgable on the series to predict if they will or not. At the very least, it was better than I expected going in and it’s definitely the best live-action adaptation of an anime property we’ve ever gotten. Unfortunately, that’s not saying too much (**cough, cough** Dragonball: Evolution **cough**).

Score: C+

Have you seen the film yet? If so, what did you think? Are you a fan of the original anime or manga? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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‘Powerless’: ‘I’ma Friend You’ Review

Powerless has been M.I.A. for a few weeks, but it’s finally back tonight with a brand new episode, entitled “I’ma Friend You.”

When Emily (Vanessa Hudgens) learns of Jackie’s (Christina Kirk) recent financial problems, she immediately jumps at the opportunity to “Emily” the situation and tries too hard to help the woman she desperately wants to be her friend.

Meanwhile, Van Wayne (Alan Tudyk) discovers that someone has been using his private restroom and he embarks on a witch hunt to suss out the culprit, putting Teddy (Danny Pudi), Ron (Ron Funches) and Wendy (Jennie Pierson) in his crosshairs.

There’s a lot to talk about in this week’s episode of Powerless, so hit the next button below to follow along as we break down the highlights and critical moments of “I’ma Friend You.”

5. Bitch, I’ma End You!

4. “Who Was Perusin’ While They Were Number Two-sin’?”

3. Charm City Needs A New Hero

2. DC Comics Easter Eggs

1. Final Thoughts

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‘War For The Planet Of The Apes’ Debuts New Trailer

As promised in yesterday’s sneak peek, 20th Century Fox has today released a brand new trailer for War for the Planet of the Apes, the third installment in the rebooted series.

You can watch the trailer below.

Directed by Matt Reeves, War for the Planet of the Apes features the likes of Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Judy Greer, Karin Konoval, Amiah Miller, Terry Notary, Sara Canning, Max Lloyd-Jones, Aleks Paunovic, Gabriel Chavarria and Chad Rook. Here’s the official synopsis:

In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.

War for the Planet of the Apes opens on July 14, 2017.

10 ‘Godzilla’ Kaiju That Need To Be In The MonsterVerse

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With both 2014’s Godzilla and this year’s Kong: Skull Island managing to outperform expectations, the MonsterVerse from Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers is off to a good start. That being said, there’s room for growth amongst the roster of kaiju – thus far, only five classic kaiju have been confirmed to exist in the MonsterVerse: Godzilla, King Kong, Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah, and of those, we’ve only seen two of them in action. Should the series continue to succeed, the setting’s going to need more than original monsters like the M.U.T.O. and the Skullcrawlers – it will need to pull in some fan-favorite monsters from the classic creature features to keep things interesting. Here are ten of Toho’s best kaiju that would make fine additions to the MonsterVerse, with explanations of who they are and why they need to be a part of the setting.

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VIEW IN GALLERY

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‘Legion’: ‘Chapter 8’ Season Finale Review

What a strange and wonderful first season of Legion it has been. Last episode was clearly the climatic point in the season, so perhaps I should have known that this episode was going to be more about the falling action. Nevertheless, I was left a little disappointed by this season finale, but that’s not to say that it was bad. Legion ended it’s first season in a pleasantly surprising and optimistic way.

One thing that was unfortunately missing from this episode was the amazing stylistic sequences that have played a pivotal role in many episodes, including last week’s masterpiece. Despite this, ‘Chapter 8’ had a number of important moments for the series going forward. Click next to start, or chose from one of the topics below!

#5 Meet Clark

#4 Lenny Appears to Syd

#3 The Shadow King Breaks Free

#2 King Oliver

#1 Final Thoughts & Verdict

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‘Arrow’: ‘Disbanded’ Review

Tonight’s episode of Arrow picked up right where we left off last week with Oliver having just returned to the lair after being captured and brutally tortured by Prometheus. Now that Prometheus has forced Oliver to face the truth that his crusade to save Star City was a lie to cover up the fact that he enjoyed being a murderer, the Green Arrow is left broken and has decided to hang up the hood and disband the team.

Diggle, Felicity, and Curtis try to talk to Oliver. Curtis feels he at least owes the team an explanation. But Oliver has fallen to a new low that we’ve never seen before and simply tells them that everyone around him either suffers or dies. The following morning Team Arrow meets at Felicity’s apartment to decide what do with Oliver’s decision to disband the team. Diggle has faith Oliver will bounce back and explains the team must push forward.

Since they won’t be able to suit up in their costumes as Oliver has changed the access codes to the lair, Diggle has asked Lyla to loan the team tactical gear from Argus. In the meantime, Team Arrow will continue to protect Star City but Felicity has a plan up her sleeve and veers off to Helix on her own.

With no options left, Oliver turns to Anatoli and the Bratva in present day for help to take down Prometheus. But in exchange for their help, Oliver has to give up the location of a shipment of a diabetes drug called Oplimid. This becomes a problem for Oliver when the Team gets alerted of the break-in at the medical research lab and they make a move on the Bratva.

Diggle confronts Oliver several times over his deal with the Bratva in this episode. First, he is ordered to stand down as Oliver isn’t letting anyone else get hurt. After Felicity tells Diggle he shouldn’t stand in Oliver’s, Diggle is shaken. He pleads with Oliver to not continue on the path he is on and Oliver reveals to him the truth that his crusade was built on a lie. He orders Diggle to let the team die.

Back in Russia, Oliver is getting ready to head back to Lian Yu. Anatoli wishes Oliver would stick around because he’s afraid he can’t rebuild the brotherhood without him but Oliver has already decided he’s going back to the island. Anatoli has 48 hours left with him in Russia. Later they participate in one last heist together to provide children with Tuberculosis medicine the hospital is too poor to provide.

At Helix, Felicity discovers the hacktivist group has found a video of Chase unmasking himself as Prometheus on camera. But there’s only one problem: Chase is using an optic scrambler to prevent his face from being captured on camera. Alena is confident they can reverse engineer the technology and the two get to work. Felicity discovers the optic scrambler Chase is using is a technology being developed by Kord Industries. Helix can use an algorithm to remove the distortion from the image of Prometheus but she needs access to Chase’s scrambler first.

When the team prevents the Bratva from killing Chase, Curtis manages to use one of his T-Spheres to capture the optical scrambler off of chase. This gives us yet another confrontation between Oliver and Diggle only this time it’s meaningful as Diggle finally breaks through to Oliver using the exact lesson he taught him when he was in prison and motivated him to use his crusade as a way to atone for his sins as a murderer.

Curtis then uses tracking nanites to follow Felicity to Helix and brings her the optic scrambler he stole from Chase but in order to break the installation algorithm, he and Felicity have to break into Kord Industries. Together they infiltrate Kord at the same time that the team goes up against the Russians and stops them from stealing more drugs from the Zarn Corporation.

While Oliver has managed to pull himself back together and they now have the hard evidence they need to prove that Chase is Prometheus — which Felicity says she is uploading to YouTube —  it has all come at a great cost as Team Arrow has made yet another major enemy for themselves with the Bratva and Felicity has further compromised her moral integrity.

Lance then presents the evidence to the SCPD but before Chase can be taken into custody, he savagely murders the officers who have been protecting him and escapes from witness protection.

Hit the next button below and let’s go through some of the highlights and important moments of the Arrow Season 5 episode: “Disbanded”

#5: Atone

#4: I Need Your Help

#3: Attack On Chase

#2: Rescuing The Hostages

#1: Verdict & Other Thoughts

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‘Legends Of Tomorrow’ Review: ‘Doomworld’

The Legion of Doom remake the world in their own image in this week’s episode of Legends of Tomorrow, entitled “Doomworld.”

Thanks to Leonard Snart’s (Wentworth Miller) calculated manipulation of Mick (Dominic Purcell) last week, the L.O.D. have managed to use the Spear of Destiny to rewrite reality to suit their own sinister purposes. Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher), now the smartest man in the world, runs S.T.A.R. Labs. Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough) is Mayor of Star City and he’s also got his magic back. Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) has his family and his hand back. Snart and Mick run Central City, but bank robberies aren’t as thrilling as they used to be with the local police in their back pocket. This new world is great for the L.O.D., but Thawne knows there’s only one way to make sure it stays that way and that’s to destroy the Spear of Destiny.

There’s a lot to talk about in this week’s episode, so hit the next button below to follow along as we break down the highlights and critical moments of “Doomworld.”

5. A Whole New World

4. Trust In Mick

3. Thawne Versus All

2. A Fallen Legend

1. Final Thoughts

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‘The Flash’: ‘Abra Kadabra’ Review

The Flash kicks off this week’s episode with the arrival of a new baddie, Abra Kadabra who has come to Central City to obtain certain tech that he needs for his time machine so he can return to the 64^th century. He gets confronted by two guards inside of Stagg Industries, but uses his nanotechnology (which is disguised as magic) to trap them inside a glass container that suddenly gets filled with water. Joe, Barry and Julian get alerted about the incident and head over to Stagg Industries to investigate the crime scene. Elsewhere, a robbery is happening at Kord Industries and Barry speeds over there where he meets Abra. However, Abra reveals that he knows Flash’s identity and about Barry’s battle with Savitar. Gypsy shows up through a breach and tries to attack Abra, but he manages to get away. Later at Star Labs, Gypsy explains that Abra is a time traveling criminal and one of his crimes was killing Gypsy’s former partner.

As the team tries to find Abra, they discover that he is located at Mercury Labs. Vibe, Gypsy, Kid Flash and Flash rush over there to try and stop him, but they were tricked as Abra was just a hologram. Abra zaps over to Star Labs and attacks Joe, Julian and Caitlin. During the showdown, Barry shows up and cuffs Abra. However, Abra reveals to Barry that he knows how to stop Savitar as he knows who is underneath that armor. Gypsy doesn’t agree with Barry’s decision to lock Abra up, but eventually goes along with it.Abra reveals to Barry the future where Flash stops Savitar, but only after Iris dies in the future. He is willing to give them the answer if the team lets Abra walk free. In a later conversation, Barry and Iris discuss whether they should let Abra go in order to get the identity of Savitar. Joe, however, is desperate for answers as he agrees to Abra’s conditions and lets him out. However things go south when Gypsy shows up and tries to attack Abra who zaps away. Abra shows up on the upper floor of Star Labs and enters Eobard Thawne’s time vault where he steals another piece of tech for his time machine.

Joe tries to stop him, but Abra causes an explosion which leaves Caitlin deeply injured by several pieces of shrapnel. The team can’t take her to a hospital as Caitlin is a wanted meta-human. Cisco suggests that Caitlin takes off her necklace and uses her powers to heal herself, but she refuses. She decides to walk Julian through a surgery as they manage to get the pieces out. When the team figures out that Abra is building a time machine to travel back to the future, they go after Abra who has completed the machine. A big chase takes place through the city as Abra tries to open wormholes. Barry succeeds in stopping him and takes him back to Star Labs. Before Abra is taken back to Earth-19, he teases Barry again about the future the two of them will have as enemies. Barry, however, has nothing to offer Abra in exchange for the information about Savitar, but begs him to tell them who Savitar is so they can save Iris. Abra mocks him and refuses to give up the information the team needs before Gypsy takes him back to Earth-19.

The episode concludes with Caitlin getting a seizure as they start losing her. Despite their efforts, they fail to save Caitlin as she passes away. Julian rips off her necklace, hoping it will trigger her powers to start healing Caitlin. As her heart start beating again, Caitlin’s eyes turn ice cold and she begins attacking them as Killer Frost has fully taken over. With so much happening in tonight’s episode, there is a lot that we need to discuss and breakdown. So hit the NEXT button below and let’s go through some of the important moments and highlights of The Flash Season 3 episode: “Abra Kadabra”.

#5: Introduction Of Abra Kadabra

#4: Gypsy/Vibe Conflict

#3: The Teasing Of Savitar’s Identity

#2: Caitlin Snow’s Next Chapter

#1: Verdict & Other Thoughts

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DCTV’s Arrowverse Episode Roundup: Lost & Found

Welcome back to the DCTV Arrowverse episode roundup! This week in The CW’s superhero universe, our heroes dealt with matters of the heart, some surprises, song and dance, psychological torture, and the rewriting reality.

You can check out all of my previous DCTV Arrowverse episode roundups here!

Supergirl had Kara meet the king and queen of Daxam (also Mon-El’s parents), The Flash sang and danced through a musical dream world via Music Meister, Arrow suffered at the hands of Prometheus, and Legends of Tomorrow worked with J.R.R. Tolkien to retrieve the blood of Christ (yes, you read that correctly).

The connecting theme this week is that no matter how lost (mentally or physically) you are, you can always come back from that.

Each episode roundup recaps the show’s main plot points, with a section for commentary.

Let’s get started! Click through the gallery to read through each episode!

Up next: Supergirl

The post DCTV’s Arrowverse Episode Roundup: Lost & Found appeared first on Heroic Hollywood.

‘Power Rangers’ Review: The Reboot Is Harmless Fun

First thing’s first; I loved the Power Rangers when I was little. Like Spider-Man, X-Men and Justice League, Power Rangers was one of the most-watched programs in my household. Unlike many, I did not grow up with the original incarnation – Mighty Morphin – I was introduced to the franchise thanks to the 2003-rendition, Power Rangers: Ninja Storm. However, as I grew, I went back and discovered the charm and cheese of the original series. I had the toys, games, costumes; you name it, I probably had it.

So, the day has arrived. A whopping 14 years later, the Power Rangers grace the big screen. This 2017 reboot comes from Project Almanac helmer Dean Isrealite, and features an incredibly talented – and young – cast. Isrealite’s Almanac was a fine-little film, but the director is gifted a grand budget this time around, and he really embraces the colour and fun of the original series.

Telling a similar story to the 1993 TV show, Power Rangers follows five teenagers; each with a reason as to why they are outsiders and “freaks.” The five discover an ancient spaceship buried underground, and are gifted the “Power Coins.” The team must shape up and become the Power Rangers before Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) conquers Earth in a few very short days. The team of heroes will need to find the power within them to work together as a team, before it is too late.

There is a lot to like about Power Rangers. The film’s opening is incredibly strong, and fascinatingly dark. From there, we meet our main hero, Jason Lee Scott, the Red Ranger. Portrayed wonderfully by Australian actor Dacre Montgomery, the character is your high-school football star, whose career – and school year – go down the drain when a prank goes horribly wrong. Montgomery embodies the essence of the Red Ranger –he is confident, and yet shy. His performance is elevated by his spectacular co-stars; specifically, Naomi Scott. Scott takes on the role of Kimberly Hart, the Pink Ranger, and she has a blast. Like Jason, Kimberly has a tragic past. A touching scene between the two escalates when Jason reassures Kimberly of his kindness, saying, “Just because you did an awful thing, doesn’t mean you’re an awful person.” Little moments like that elevate the film in ways most blockbuster films do not. Isrealite and the film’s scribe, John Gatins (Kong: Skull Island), understand the importance of humanity in these characters. Gatins creates five roles with specific complexities that these young talents nail.

Becky G’s turn as Trini is another positive. She conveys the character in a way we have never really seen. She is remarkably different to her TV show-counterpart, but it works. Of course, Trini — in the film– is gay. However, instead of forcing it on the audience, G and Isrealite subtly hint at it, allowing them to make the connection themselves. RJ Cyler’s turn as Billy Cranston is also enjoyable. He provides most of the film’s funniest moments, and shares excellent chemistry with anyone alongside him. Cyler’s portrayal of Billy’s Autism was also enlightening. Like Trini’s sexuality, Isrealite and Cyler refuse to shove it down the audience’s throats; he lets it come naturally. Billy and Jason share a comedic scene, in-which Billy states that he is “on the spectrum.” Jason responds “Is that a new workout plan or something?” Ludi Lin’s Zack Taylor is another touching casting. Zack is quite different to the source material, but it works wonders. In this version, Zack’s Mother is dying of an undiscussed disease. His proclamation, that his “Mum is the best!” only adds to the audience’s sympathy.

Bryan Cranston, Bill Hader and Elizabeth Banks all provide solid performances. Banks looks – and sounds – like she is having a blast in this film. Repulsa is terrifying in this rendition – she has one of the best jump-scares in a blockbuster film I have ever seen. Hader provides some whit and snark as the trusty robot Alpha 5, but is brought down by his lack of screen time. Cranston portrays Zordon in an extremely unique manner. Unlike the source material, Zordon is not this incorruptible and indisputable character. Cranston and Isrealite humanize the role – as much as they can. Cranston’s Zordon has a reason behind his quarrel with Repulsa, and it provides an added layer of complexity and reason.

Visually, Power Rangers is great. Isrealite, and his cinematographer Matthew J. Lloyd (Cop Car) give the film a nice and dark look. From the get-go, we know this is not your Daddy’s Power Rangers. Brian Tyler’s score is also a standout. Though subtle, when at it’s finest, Tyler provides an emotional theme that brings the film full-circle. Full credit goes to Isrealite here, but Power Rangers is incredibly small. It keeps its characters and situations to a grounded, and simple-level. A worse film would have made the big-finale take place in a city like New York or Tokyo. Here, however, Isrealite sets it in the quiet town of Angel Grove. It is a welcome change in the realm of big-budget blockbusters.

Minor spoilers follow:

There are, however, problems. The film is 50% a dark and realistic reinterpretation, and the other 50% of it is a stupid, fun Power Rangers movie. It struggles to balance its dark and interesting opening 45 minutes with its popping, and loud finale. Banks’ performance as Repulsa is not the problem; many reviews say she is hamming it up, but I beg to differ. Repulsa is fine – it is the tone that is off. Up until the Rangers sport their iconic armour, the film knows what it is. It is once they become the titular heroes that we slump into your typical summer blockbuster. Isrealite and his cast craft a really fascinating world, with characters who you genuinely care for, but he sadly goes full-blockbuster with the final act. I wish the film stuck with its original tone; the dark and edgy version. I understand that I am in the minority who believe this. However, I totally understand why Isrealite went with the finale. It is tremendous fun. However, it is sadly a betrayal to what had been promised earlier in the film.

Tying in with the film’s tonal issue is its pacing. Power Rangers’ opening 45 minutes is awesome. We meet our protagonists, are introduced to our main villain and we know where everybody is at. While the movie keeps chugging along, we arrive at a point where the filmmakers… lost it a bit. Once the Rangers begin their training, Alpha introduces the Dinozords; these huge robot-versions of Dinosaurs. Now, the Dinozords are not the problem, everything after that is. The film speeds up. It glosses over things that should be built and expanded upon like they are nothing. The final battle – for instance; while entertaining and amusing, it is utterly cliché. Isrealite almost forgets about the careful job he has made in building towards this finale that he feels we should get it over with so we can see the Megazord.

That being said, Power Rangers – at its heart – is a kids film. It’s a movie about something children love, and in saying that, children will adore this film. Power Rangers is harmless fun. It is the TV show-reincarnated. Despite its tonal issues, I think Isrealite has created a really interesting blockbuster. If the chance comes around, I would love to return to this world and its wonderful characters. Hopefully – when the inevitable sequel comes around – the filmmakers take note of what people loved about the movie (the cast, characters, chemistry, style and opening-tone) and expand on that. Now that the origin-crap is out of the way, let’s explore this universe and its limitless possibilities. All in all, Power Rangers is a fine start to a – potential – franchise.

Rating: 3.5/5 

Power Rangers is in theatres now.

The post ‘Power Rangers’ Review: The Reboot Is Harmless Fun appeared first on Heroic Hollywood.

‘Life’ Review: An B-Movie Done With Flair And Care

I love a good survival movie, especially the And Then There Were None model married to creature feature. The seminal ones for me are Alien and The Thing, but I even, maybe especially, knockoffs like Leviathan, Deep Rising, Deep Blue Sea. The great thing about imitators is that it can call attention in the present to the forerunners in the past. Alien did that with Lovecraft, The Thing as a remake of the 1951 feature The Thing from Another World (itself an adaptation of a novella by John W. Campbell, Jr.). With so many familiar tropes stamped by predecessors, it can be hard to stand out nowadays. Life doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it takes it and gives it a worthy spin.

The film follows six astronauts aboard the International Space Station, who are tasked with retrieving a returning Martian rover and analyzing its samples for signs of extraterrestrial life. They succeed on both counts, to terrifying effect. They discover the alien lifeform is an all-brain, all-muscle nigh-indestructible creature responsible for wiping out life on Mars millennia ago. Naturally, the creature gets loose and violent with the crew, picking them off one by one as they try their damnedest not only to survive, but to prevent it from reaching Earth.

Life is the kind of mid-budget genre picture we’re seeing less and less of. It’s well-aware of its origins but its refreshingly subtle with its knowledge, taking the familiar structure of this type of film and revives them better than Ridley Scott did in his 2012 return to the Alien franchise Prometheus (hopes are high for his May sequel Alien: Covenant). The movie is refreshing by simply being good. It cuts to the chase from the start and the plot proceeds in an organic and engrossing way. There are few, if any, decisions by characters that feel unnatural. It’s tightly constructed as a film, perhaps even to its detriment. That said, the film’s focus and slow-then-relentless pace signals the filmmakers understand the story they’re telling and know how best to tell it to audiences.

Jake Gyllenhaal as David Jordan, a combat medic about to break the record for longest time in space, and Rebecca Ferguson as CDC scientist Miranda North are great leads and make the most of their parts, embodying the former’s detachment and the latter’s determination. Ryan Reynolds is along for the ride as technician Rory Adams, bringing his trademark charm and snark. The Wolverine‘s Hiroyuki Sanada, who also starred in Sunshine, a recent cult classic in the space thriller oeuvre, is an always welcome addition to the cast. Olga Dihanovichnaya and Ariyon Bakare round out the cast with aplomb as the commander and science officer, respectively.

Each member is given the briefest moment or two, but they make them count. Screenwriters Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick rise to the challenge of developing doomed characters; they know we need to care about them at least a little before they start dropping like flies. Better yet, they know how to do it economically. The character development is a little spare but that’s expected by the lean editing. What’s there is incorporated well into the action of each scene. Director Daniel Espinosa (Safe House, Child 44) impresses from the get-go with a long tracking shot in zero-gravity, which the cast is in for the majority of the film. The work of Seamus McGarvey, cinematographer behind The Avengers and Godzilla, makes the most of its setting.

The creature itself is initially quite plain, by virtue of its single cell nature. It evolves into a protoplasmic octopus and then starts following movie monster rules into a more traditional shape. Personally, I appreciated the shift and went with it, even if its scientifically pointless. It never took me out of the movie. In fact, because the creature’s intelligence grows along with its body, I fully went with its evolution, which has an intriguing arc of its own. Its kills are appropriately gruesome and are never throwaways. Part of the appeal of these movies is seeing what happens to people in a pressure-cooker, when the chips are down. And, of course, if we like and/or empathize with them, we want them to survive.

You can see the strains of its influences in its story and structure but it is never overt. Because of Reese’s and Wernick’s work on such meta-referential works like Zombieland and Deadpool, it’s easy to imagine a version of this movie that plays up even more its allusions. But they and Espinosa wisely keep the awareness subtle, giving them leeway in moments when characters’ make an impulsive choice. The awareness doesn’t exist so much in its characters as in the intelligence of its telling. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the ending. The filmmakers wisely save their boldest choice for last and, like good cinema, retroactively makes previous frames and sequences more meaningful.

My fandom around such pictures makes me both predisposed to them and their biggest critic, if they besmirch one of my favorite subgenres. When I was a kid, one of my favorite pastimes was acting out stories with Legos and K’Nex. Similar to the recent flick Kong: Skull Island, the genuine passion and competence give the films their strength. Beyond personal gripes, I’m happy to say Life is a worthwhile time at the movies. It doesn’t zig-zag as much as it could, but it’s hard to fault a good movie for not being great.

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‘Iron Fist’ Episodes 11-13 Reviews: Knockout Punch

Iron Fist ends its first season by going back to the beginning in many ways. We get some flashbacks to Danny’s time in K’un L’un and wrap up the Bakuto threat before moving onto to Danny’s most personal adversary, David Wenham’s Harold Meachum, the Ra’s al Ghul-meets-corporate raider who has tormented his children Ward and Joy all season. Jessica Henwick, Rosario Dawson, Sacha Dhawan, and Carrie-Anne Moss all get cool moments to wrap up their arcs in this latest addition to the Marvel/Netflix-verse. The show completes much of the heavy-lifting in preparation for The Defenders and there are many threads left hanging for both that show and a potential season 2 to explore. Let’s get to it!

Also read: 20 ‘Iron Fist’ Easter Eggs & References To The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Whether this is your first of my reviews (my initial overview of the first six episodes is here) or followed along with all of them, thank you so much for joining as we watched Iron Fist together! Check out the previous pods of episode recaps through the links below:

• Episodes 1.1 – 1.4: A Sluggish Start
• Episodes 1.5 – 1.7: Can I Get A Hand?
• Episodes 1.8 – 1.10: Unnecessary Evil

Click Next to start or click which episode review you’d like to read first:

• 1.11: “Lead Horse Back to Stable”
• 1.12: “Bar the Big Boss”
• 1.13: “Dragon Plays with Fire”

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‘Iron Fist’ Episodes 8-10 Reviews: Unnecessary Evil

Iron Fist transitions to the endgame of its first season in episodes eight, nine, and ten. The story reveals, though long delayed, clarify the stakes of the show and add much needed depth, notably in the form two secret series regulars. Sacha Dhawan plays Davos (known as Steel Serpent in the comics), a villain who gets the Mordo treatment as an ally-turned-rival from the hero’s training days, and Ramon Rodriguez returns from episode 7 as Bakuto, Colleen’s enigmatic sensei.

Also read: ‘Iron Fist’ Review: A Hero And Show In An Identity Crisis

We also get some cool new information and context on the Hand, the activities of which have remained shrouded in mystery across their previous appearance in the two seasons of Daredevil. While much of it will be pleasing to fans of the character or fans of the Marvel/Netflix universe (of which I am one), there is too much flab and narrative missteps to allow the show’s bright spots to shine through clearly. Though the show won’t likely change what is fundamentally working against it as it approaches its first season finale, there are plenty of new developments and twists that are very much worth talking about.

You can catch up on my reviews of the first four episodes here and the fifth, sixth, and seventh episodes here. Click Next to start or click which episode review you’d like to read first:

• 1.8: “The Blessing of Many Fractures”
• 1.9: “The Mistress of All Agonies”
• 1.10: “Black Tiger Steals Heart”

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DCTV’s Arrowverse Episode Roundup: The Past Haunts

Welcome back to the DCTV Arrowverse episode roundup! This week in The CW’s superhero universe (multiverse?), our heroes dealt with a lot of action, some betrayal, thoughts on the future, and buckets and buckets of tension and angst.

You can check out all of my previous DCTV Arrowverse episode roundups here!

The Flash saw Barry re-enter the speed force in order to get Wally back; DC’s Legends of Tomorrow went to the moon to take back a piece of the spear of destiny; Arrow attempted to take prematurely take on Prometheus.

The connecting theme this week is that of your past coming back to haunt you in ways you didn’t think were possible.

Each episode roundup recaps the show’s main plot points, with a section for commentary.

Let’s get started! Click through the gallery to read through each episode!

Up next: The Flash

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‘Beauty and the Beast’ Review #2: A Good Movie Suffocated By A Perfect One

Throughout Disney’s remake of Beauty and the Beast, Emma Thompson performs the voice of Mrs. Potts in a not-particularly-good impression of Angela Lansbury, and you’re left to wonder why they didn’t just get Angela Lansbury to do the movie.

This, unfortunately, is Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast in a nutshell. A film so preoccupied with slavishly imitating its predecessor that it’s doomed to live in its shadow while the few new ideas that emerge over the course of its runtime feel almost alien. At times, it approaches Gus Van Sant’s Psycho levels of purposelessness – an attempt to reproduce the alchemical magic of perfect cinema as if it were a math formula.

And yet, Beauty and the Beast isn’t a bad movie, at least not exactly. For the first, perhaps, 20 minutes of the film, I was very worried it would be. After a brief prologue, the film opens with an off-tempo rendition of “Belle” sung by Emma Watson. I’ve heard people disparage Watson’s singing voice, but the truth is we never actually get to hear her sing. Whatever talent she does or does not possess is obfuscated by a thick layer of sonic manipulation; the result being a classical musical number performed with an overly processed voice that sounds like it was plucked from a Top 40 pop song.

But even beyond the unfortunate butchering of the song, the whole intention of it is lost on the film. “Belle” is a genius song, with lyrics by the incomparable Howard Ashman, that perfectly introduces Belle as a character, the world she lives in, the main thrust of the story and its broader themes all in a five minute musical number. So, naturally, the remake feels the need to restate, through dialogue, everything that the song already established. It’s not enough to have villagers singing about what a funny girl Belle is, we have to have a separate scene where she’s treated like a pariah for teaching a child to read.

Similarly, Gaston, an intentionally one-note character, is given scene after scene early in the film to remind us, again, that he’s a shallow, image-obsessed dimwit who desperately wants to marry Belle. It’s as if the movie doesn’t trust the audience to understand the archetype that is Gaston, except through constant repetition. Meanwhile all of poor LeFou’s dialogue could be replaced by the line, “Take heed: I am very gay,” and not be substantially different. I know, baby steps and all that, but somehow a character whose sole defining trait is his sexuality is not quite the win for representation that Disney wants to think it is.

Around the time the main action of the film moves to the Beast’s castle, however, the movie starts to settle into a rhythm. The staging and performances of “Gaston” and “Be Our Guest” are both fun and distinct enough from their hand drawn counterparts to stand on their own, but more importantly, the central relationship between Belle and the Beast really works. That’s maybe faint praise because it’s the bare minimum this movie needed to get right, but that shouldn’t diminish the effectiveness of this romance. There’s great chemistry between Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, and their shift from antagonism to affection feels earned and sincere. In the context of the early scenes in the film, Emma Watson’s slightly-more modern take on Belle felt somewhat out of place, but when it’s played off Dan Stevens’ Beast it works like gangbusters.

And speaking of which, holy crap is Dan Stevens terrific as the Beast. The Beast is an incredibly complex and difficult character; one who needs to be both believably frightening as well as romantically sympathetic. It’s a performance that’s balanced on a razor’s edge, and if it leans too far to either side it can either blunt the impact of his transformation or render him irredeemable. A lot of sophomoric Hot Takes have been written about how Beauty and the Beast is a story of Stockholm Syndrome, but it’s not. It’s a story about a broken person realizing that he has the capacity to change and trying desperately to act on it. Dan Stevens, even obscured by digital makeup, is able to convey the profound sadness of the Beast; his deep self-loathing and the hope that this other person brings to his life. It’s a performance that is able to stand alongside the legendary work done by Glen Keane and Robby Benson – not by imitation, but by smart acting choices that are respectful and yet distinct from the original.

In fact, the most interesting parts of this film are the moments where the back stories of Belle and the Beast are explored. That’s not something I ever thought I wanted, but these scenes have a spark of originality to them that stand out in the context of this movie. The problem is that these ideas are never given the room they need to breathe, and ultimately feel like tangential diversions, ones that could be easily cut if they wanted to trim the running time below the two hour mark.

That’s the tragic story of Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast. The best of Disney’s recent spate remakes (The Jungle Book and Pete’s Dragon) lovingly incorporate the classic Disney iconography into a new and distinct story. Meanwhile, Cinderella hewed very close to the original, but used that as a framework to more deeply examine the story’s characters and explore different themes. While it’s worlds better than the disasters that were Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent, Beauty and the Beast feels crippled by its own legacy. More often than not it’s a beat-for-beat remake of a movie that was already perfect, and the few times it ventures into new territory feel isolated and adrift from the main body of the film.

I’m the definition of someone who is too close to this (Disney’s original is one of my top five favorite films of all time), but I really wanted to give this movie the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately perfection just isn’t something that can be remade.

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‘Iron Fist’ Episodes 5-7 Reviews: Can I Get A Hand?

Iron Fist unleashes a storm of punches as it transitions into the second act of its first season. The fourth episode featured a couple cool fight sequences and finally moved past the “Is it really Danny Rand?” phase of the character’s journey. Now, the show digs into what Danny’s mission is in New York and how it connects to the broader Marvel/Netflix universe, leading up to this summer’s highly-anticipated team-up miniseries The Defenders.

Also read: Finn Jones Blames ‘Iron Fist’ Poor Reception On Donald Trump

This batch of reviews features the first episode I hadn’t seen prior to its release, (my review of the first six episodes is here), episode 7. Episode 6 in particular is a pretty cool homage to martial arts homages, courtesy of director and hip hop legend RZA. With the introductions largely taken care of, there is a more propulsive energy to these hours and the themes they explore. There remains interesting nuggets in the show, like how Danny the anti-materialist Buddhist adjusts to being a billionaire businessman and how drug addiction brings low everyone, from the rich to the poor. The show can never commit to making the show about these issues, requiring it to fall back on more tired tropes that we’ve seen in many other superhero films and TV shows.

Also read: Iron Fist Will Not Fight Dragon Shou-Lao On-Screen

Check out my individual reviews of the first four episodes here. Click Next to start or click which episode review you’d like to read first:

• 1.5: “Under Leaf Pluck Lotus”
• 1.6: “Immortal Emerges from Cave”
• 1.7: “Felling Tree with Roots”

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‘Iron Fist’ Episodes 1-4 Reviews: A Sluggish Start

As you are no doubt aware, Iron Fist is here! How’s your watch going, fellow bingers? Whether you’re one episode in or have already consumed the whole 13-episode meal, these reviews are for you, a space to talk about what just happened as we go on the journey of Danny Rand aka the Immortal Iron Fist. There’s been a lot to talk about the show leading up to release, from the reviews to the character’s function in modern pop culture.

Also read: Iron Fist Will Help ‘The Defenders’ See The Bigger Picture

The first six episodes, which I was lucky to preview, were a very, very slow start. Nevertheless, there are some interesting ideas at work in Iron Fist and they’re worth excavating, ideas like what’s after death and a nascent critique of unbridled capitalism. For all its flaws, the show can offer a deeper exploration of the nitty-gritty of streaming television, comic book adaptations, and old-fashioned storytelling (the good and the bad). Let’s dig in, shall we?

Also read: ‘Iron Fist’ Showrunner & Cast Respond To The White Savior Backlash

The reviews will be separated into “pods,” this first containing episodes 1-4, and the three more containing three episodes each. Click Next to start or click which episode review you’d like to read first:

• 1.1: “Snow Gives Way”
• 1.2: “Shadow Hawk Gives Flight”
• 1.3: “Rolling Thunder Cannon Punch”
• 1.4: “Eight Diagram Dragon Palm”

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‘Legion’: ‘Chapter 6’ Review

 Back in the mad house! I thought last week’s episode of Legion was the best yet, and the ending really solidified that. As you know, David, and all the other Summerville mutants (plus The Eye and Lenny) were transported back to the hospital that the first episode took pace in parts of.

Obviously, if you saw the last episode, you will know that the hospital this time is not real at all. In fact, David and his friends are all in the astral plane. David and Sydney went to their “beach house” once The Eye started shooting at them in David’s house, but he inadvertently trapped everyone with him once The Devil with Yellow Eyes almost captured Syd.

Immediately, we see a “sane” Lenny talking to each of the Summerville mutants individually as if they were normal people with significant mental issues. She brings up Mrs. Bird’s inability to move past her husband’s “death,” Cary and Kerry’s unusually close relationship, and Walter’s (The Eye) insecurity with himself. It’s a great set up for the rest of the episode, even though it’s clear that this chapter is somewhat of a filler.

Anyway, I picked out a few of the most important parts of this episode of Legion to analyze. Click next or pick one of the topics below!

#5 Sydney the Schizophrenic

#4 Kerry and Cary

#3 The Walls Have Eyes

#2 Lenny and David Have a Chat

#1 Final Thoughts and Verdict

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‘Arrow’: ‘Checkmate’ Review

Arrow opens up this week with Oliver in snowy mountains as he is there to speak with Talia about Prometheus. She reveals to Oliver that she trained the villainous archer because both of them had lost their fathers at the hands of Oliver. Talia drops the big bomb that she is the daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul. Because Oliver killed her father, Talia wants to see him suffer in every way possible, but she reveals the identity of Prometheus: Adrian Chase.

Oliver returns to Star City to confront Adrian, but the district attorney reveals that Susan has been kidnapped and that she will die if Adrian gets taken down. Oliver stands down as Adrian takes off. Back at the bunker, Oliver informs the team that Adrian is Prometheus and everyone gives their respective reactions. Dinah and Curtis try to find Susan, but walk into a trap as they witness Susan being tortured by her kidnapper through live-footage. As Oliver tries to find Susan, he runs into Adrian’s wife and tries to convince her that Adrian is dangerous, but the ACU arrives in their apartment to try and arrest Green Arrow, but luckily Oliver manages to get away.

Back at the bunker, Felicity finally arrives and while she won’t tell Oliver about her Helix involvement, she reveals to Oliver that Adrian Chase is just an alias of Prometheus and not his birth name. At City Hall, Oliver announces that the Green Arrow has 24 hours to turn himself in before Oliver instructs the ACU to shoot the Emerald Archer. He then goes to the SCPD captain and tells him that Adrian isn’t who he is and that he is actually the Star-Shooting Killer. Oliver reveals that Adrian’s real name is Simon Morrison. When Pike leaves the station, he is stabbed by a mysterious person and this puts him in a coma. Oliver goes to visit him at the hospital, but Pike already has an unexpected visitor: Simon who reminds him that if Oliver tries to kill him, Susan will die too.

Oliver returns to the bunker with anger and hatred in his heart as he trashes the place while going through his emotions. When Diggle arrives, they have a heart to heart as Oliver questions whether or not letting people like Dinah, Curtis, Rene, Diggle, Felicity and so on into his life is the reason why he is in this mess to begin with. Felicity calls Oliver and informs him where Susan is being kept at and Oliver comes up with a plan on how to strike Simon mentally.

The team head to the location where Susan is being kept at and rescues her. Meanwhile, Oliver confronts Simon who reminds him that he is always ten steps ahead of the Green Arrow. Unfortunately for him, Oliver and Diggle have a surprise of their own as Doris Chase enters the room as she has now accepted the truth about her husband. Doris begs Simon to turn himself in, but he refuses as he stabs his own wife who later on passes away.

As Oliver gets ready to kill Simon, he gets attacked from the behind and it’s none other than Talia Al Ghul who together with Prometheus kidnaps the Green Arrow. The episode ends with Oliver held in restraints inside a prison cell as Simon reveals that he wants to help Oliver discover who he really is. Hit the next button below and let’s go through some of the highlights and important moments of the Arrow Season 5 episode: “Checkmate”

#5: Russian Flashbacks

#4: Oliver Learns About Prometheus’ Identity

#3: The Adrian Chase = Simon Morrison Situation

#2: Felicity’s “Darkness” Saga Continues

#1: Episode Ending = The Dark Knight Rises-Ish

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‘Legends Of Tomorrow’ Review: ‘Moonshot’

Houston, we have a problem in this week’s Legends of Tomorrow, entitled “Moonshot.”

Now that Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill) is finally feeling like himself once again, the Legends’ next move is to track down Commander Steel, aka Henry Heywood (Matthew MacCaull), who has been charged with protecting the final fragment of the Spear of Destiny. Their hunt leads them to NASA Headquarters in 1970, where Henry is working on the Apollo 13 mission, but as we know from the closing moments of last week’s episode, Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher) has already beaten them there. In order to get their hands on the shard before Thawne can, the Legends must interject themselves into the space race (well, several years after it happened, but you get where I’m going with this).

There’s a lot to talk about in this week’s episode, so hit the next button below to follow along as we break down the highlights and critical moments of “Moonshot.”

5. Dark Side of the Moon

4. One Small Step for Ray

3. Keeping up with the Heywoods

2. Clash of the Captains

1. Final Thoughts

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‘The Flash’: ‘Into The Speed Force’ Review

The Flash follows up with the tragic events of last week’s episode when Wally West a.k.a. Kid Flash got sucked into the Speed Force as Savitar tricked him in order to escape his prison. Barry is determined to get Wally out no matter what. Before he takes off into the Speed Force, Cisco and H.R. come up with a way to pull Barry back into their world from the Speed Force, in case things got rough. Cisco helps Barry vibe him into the Speed Force and when Barry arrives, he finds himself in an abandoned version of CCPD, where only one person is waiting for him: Eddie Thawne.

But it’s not actually Eddie as the Speed Force is appearing in front of Barry in the shape of people that he has lost before. The Speed Force explains that Barry won’t get Wally back because It is angry about Barry’s decision to cause Flashpoint. “It” is disappointed that Barry, despite getting his powers back by getting over his mother’s death, went back in time and created Flashpoint. Despite Barry’s efforts, the Speed Force says that Wally now has to live with his choice and stay here. “Eddie” eventually lets Barry go and find Wally if he can outrun a Time Wraith that suddenly appears out of nowhere. He manages to outrun it and gets into the elevator that will take him to Wally.

He is suddenly in a creepy version of Star Labs where Barry fins Caitlin singing to a crying baby that is supposedly her child. The Speed Force appears again, but this time as Ronnie Raymond, the first Firestorm. It confronts Barry saying that all these people have sacrificed Barry over and over, which is why the Speed Force won’t let Wally leave so that Barry can take his place. Despite of that, Barry isn’t giving up and “Ronnie” says that he warned him before Hunter Zolomon who is now the Black Flash shows up and starts fighting Barry. Barry has no choice, but to use the weapon that Cisco created for him as a tracker to destroy the Black Flash.

Team Flash has now lost connection with Barry and don’t know if they can get him or Wally back. Barry then wakes up in a hospital where he finds Wally behind a locked door, but the Speed Force shows up again, this time as Captain Cold. “Cold” explains that Wally is re-living his worst moment over and over again which was when his mother passed away. Barry begs the Speed Force to let him take Wally’s place, but “Cold” isn’t having it. “Cold” goes on to start freezing Barry, but is stopped as Jay Garrick makes a surprise appearance after Cisco went to Earth-3 to ask for his help. Together they get Wally out of the room, but Jay then reveals to both of them that he has to stay behind, before assuring them that they will see each other again soon. Together Wally and Barry return to Earth-1.

While all of that was going on in the Speed Force, the team was busy analyzing the piece of metal that Barry managed to cut off of Savitar. Despite being told to stand down till Barry and Wally got back, Jesse decides to go after Savitar and she manages to run into him. Savitar demands to get the metal piece back while H.R. tips Jesse off about armors having weaknesses and that she should find Savitar’s. Before she manages to stab him, Savitar warns Jesse that he have “plans” for her in the future as he gets stabbed and takes off.

Once Wally is back, Jesse explains to him that she now has travel to Earth-3 to be the Flash of that world while Jay is trapped in the Speed Force. The two share a kiss before she leaves Earth-1. H.R. tells the other members that Savitar is no God of Speed, but a man who just like Barry, can feel pain. The episode ends with Barry and Iris having a big discussion about their relationship, the engagement as Barry tells her that the best thing for the two of them right now, is some space. A lot went down in tonight’s big episode that we want to discuss. So hit the NEXT button below and let’s go through some of the important moments and highlights of The Flash Season 3 episode: “Into the Speed Force”.

#5: Trip Into The Speed Force

#4: Jesse Quick In Action

#3: Speedsters Vs Speed Force

#2: The Break (Or Breakup?)

#1: Verdict & Other Thoughts

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‘The Walking Dead’ Recap: “Bury Me Here”

Last week on The Walking Dead, it was the Rick and Michonne sex-cation.  The two went looking for supplies for the Garbage people, and managed to have some good R&R.  The two managed to find a cache of both weapons and supplies.  Even though it was plentiful, it still wasn’t enough for their new best friends.  While they were salvaging the supplies, Rick almost fell victim to a zombie attack, which helped confirm Michonne’s love for him.  As a result, the two are closer than ever.  Elsewhere, Rosita still has been in a rut and continued to obsess over finding a way to get revenge against Negan.  Lucky for her, she manages to find a gun, and Sasha (eager for some revenge as well) wants to work with her to assassinate Negan.  What’s the worst that could happen?

We’ll have to wait until next week for that as this week focused on the members of The Kingdom.  Carol is a little worried as she knows that there’s a problem with Daryl’s story concerning The Saviors.  She asks Morgan for the truth, in which he tells her to speak directly with Daryl.  He kept her secret, and he’ll keep Daryl’s secret as well.

Things aren’t going so well for The Kingdom.  After a failure to produce 12 pieces of fruit for The Saviors, The Savior enact their own Savior justice, which sets in motion all sorts of problems going forward.  With the death of one of their own, Morgan starts remembering all the turmoil he has had throughout the show.  Morgan confronts Richard (the culprit in The Kingdom who wanted to sacrifice himself to finally start a war with The Saviors) and we learn a little bit of his backstory and why he wanted to make a change.  Morgan is left with a dilemma as to what to do next.

At the makeup drop to The Saviors, things take a turn for the worse as Morgan enacts Richard’s plan on capitulation to Richard’s surprise.  Morgan is now off the leash, as he is not only back to before his Zen days, but he also finally tells Carol the truth about what happened to Glenn and Abraham at the hands of Negan.  With that news, Carol moves away from her home on the road and settle in The Kingdom as she tells Ezekiel that they have to prepare for the upcoming fight, which Ezekiel agrees.

Before we can get to that next week, here are a few of the top moments of the episode. Click next to continue (Spoilers obviously) …

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