Submitted by Jeff Ritter on Fri, 05/22/2015 - 00:13
“Tomorrowland” is an interesting film for Disney Pictures. It’s based on the Tomorrowland theme parks found within the greater Disney World and Disneyland campuses, and is very exciting visually. It also a PG movie, which surprises me a little, as profanity is sometimes hinted at and there are occasional moments of unexpected violence that could leave the little ones in a bit of shock. In fact, the movie’s message itself probably would be lost on the kids that get excited for films like “Frozen” and “Despicable Me” (I know, not Disney, not the point).
Submitted by Meredith Tate on Thu, 05/21/2015 - 09:50
*WARNING: This review has spoilers for THE SELECTION trilogy. It will NOT spoil the newest book, THE HEIR. *
As someone who absolutely loved Kiera Cass’s THE SELECTION trilogy, I was so excited when she announced a follow-up book, THE HEIR. However, I was also a bit nervous; spin-offs can be a hit or miss, and since the trilogy ended very nicely, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one.
I am happy to report that I just finished THE HEIR, and it did not let me down.
One of the things we love to do at Critical Blast is provide a platform for artists who haven't had much exposure -- the people you haven't heard of yet, but the people you'll likely hear of in the future.
One of those people is Kris Mobley, who's taken a unique approach to the subjects who sit for his portraits. They're monsters. And Mobley toys with them.
Fortunately for Mobley, these monsters are plastic figures. Let's find out what's behind all that.
It's not unusual for graphic artists to do portraits of classic monsters, but you're approach is to use the toy versions of them as models -- and retain the toy appearance. What drove this decision, and why the REMCO models as opposed to items like the Aurora model kits?
Submitted by Chris Delloiacono on Wed, 05/20/2015 - 17:27
I've been a regular at comic and sci-fi conventions, or whatever you want to call them these days, since the '80s. The experience has changed quite a bit in those decades. In the past, they were mostly a place to shop for merchandise and meet creators. Today cosplay, video games, movies, and, most especially, celebrity signings, are the predominant aspect of cons. Geek has inherited the Earth and everyone wants to take part in the fun. That popularity has caused ticket prices to spike, show floors to be overcrowded places impossible to navigate, and worst of all, it's increasingly difficult to get tickets for San Diego Comic Con or New York Comic Con.
Submitted by Critical Blast Staff on Wed, 05/20/2015 - 09:43
by Tricia Delloiacono and Mike Maillaro
Mike: This column is dedicated to our mom. Along with her love of reading and writing (and MANY other things), Mom passed on a great love and appreciation for David Letterman. Thanks, Mom! My sister is far more eloquent than I am, so I am passing the mike to her:
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 11:33
Thor #8 finally reveals who our mysterious new Thor is. More on that later. So many people discussing this issue (really this whole series) have only focused on the mystery, but I also want to point out that Thor has been an excellent comic series. Jason Aaron continues to give us a fresh and creative look a Thor’s mythology each and every month.
Thor #8
Written by: Jason Aaron Art by: Russel Dauterman Cover by: Sean Chen Colored by: Matthew Wilson Lettered by: VC’s Joe Sabino
Published by: Marvel Cover Price: $3.99
Warning! This review contains quite a few spoilers!
Submitted by Critical Blast Staff on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 07:21
Blast of the Week - What do you think about Marvel and DC’s upcoming film projects?
Mike Maillaro: After all that talk about Avengers: Age of Ultron last week, I couldn’t help but think about all the movies Marvel and DC have already announced over the next five years. These slates are pretty ambitious to say the least….21 movies already announced and scheduled.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 07:14
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week. Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that. Let's get to it!
Convergence Week 7 - Only two weeks left of Convergence. Honestly, week 3 was probably my least favorite of the first issues, but there are still some I am really looking forward to. Batman and the Outsiders, Justice League America, New Teen Titans, Wonder Woman.
This contest has ended. The winner is DAVID P of NORTH HILLS, CA.
From executive producer Amy Poehler and Creator Greg Poehler comes what The Los Angeles Times calls "The best thing to happen to broadcast-network comedy since MODERN FAMILY."
Bruce is an accountant ready to start a new life with his smart and sexy Swedish girlfriend Emma, but moving from New York City to Sweden isn't as easy as he thought. With new customs, new cuisine, her outlandish family and his needy, but hilarious celebrity clients hindering his efforts to adjust, no one is sure if Bruce and Emma's love will survive this comical culture clash.
Submitted by Jeff Ritter on Sat, 05/16/2015 - 03:08
Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. Three pretty unassuming Canadians fellows who, unlike many high profile celebrities, can often enjoy a peaceful meal without people recognizing them. I don’t know when they arrived in St. Louis for tonight’s gig at the Scottrade Center, but I bet they’re not quite as incognito here as they might be in Denver or Atlanta or Houston. St. Louis is a Rush town. If Sammy Haggar is our musical mayor, Rush is our Board of Aldermen. Kind of makes you think of their hit “Subdivisions” in a whole different way, doesn’t it?
Submitted by Dennis Russo on Fri, 05/15/2015 - 19:53
There’s a good portion of America these days that probably hasn’t heard of Ed Sullivan or his variety show and thus don't know just how popular and important it was to the people of the US and to the careers of the performers who now occupy the status of legend in the entertainment industry.
Then there’s a good portion of us who were too young to remember THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW when it was on because we were too young by the time it wound down in 1971.
But there is still a sizable number of Americans who remember the show because they tuned in every week to see it. Those, dear reader, are the luckiest of all… because they got to see Elvis, the Beatles and so many more before all the rest of us.
Now, thanks to StarVista Entertainment, the rest of us can count ourselves lucky too. This 6-DVD set spans the entire run of THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, showcasing many of the talents that performed on it through the years.
Submitted by Nicole Crites on Fri, 05/15/2015 - 09:23
PITCH PERFECT 2 hit a high note with me. I tried not to set my expectations too high—I just wanted a light-hearted comedy that I could take at face value, and PP2 delivered! Elizabeth Banks, who apparently likes to announce for both a capalla competitions and Hunger Games, directs this fun and fancy free sequel. The movie starts out with the Barden Bellas going back to school in their senior year of college. They have already won three national a capella titles after PITCH PERFECT, and end up in a more exhilarating singing competition faced with formidable German opponents Das Sound Machine.
Submitted by Critical Blast Staff on Fri, 05/15/2015 - 08:37
Maillaro: We really needed a break from all the EVENTS we’ve been covering lately, so we retreated to cover some Image stuff. This week, we hit Ellis’s new series, Injection, and flash back to look at the first Saga trade.
The angel choir just got a whole lot sweeter Thursday night. Legendary blues guitarist Riley B. King -- "Blues Boy" King, and better known as B.B. King -- passed away in his Las Vegas home while undergoing home hospice care for dehydration.
King's particular guitar style and soulful voice were instrumental in elevating the blues genre into the mainstream. Together, he and his trusty Gibson ES-355 went on to produce more than forty albums, including "There Must Be a Better World Somewhere," "There is Always One More Time," and the unforgettable "Lucille," named after the moniker he gave his guitar after rescuing it from a burning bar in Twist, Arkansas, caused by a fight by two men over a girl named Lucille.
Twitter today is overflowing with tribute posts from musicians of all genres, a testament to the influence the man had on all of music.
Submitted by Tricia Delloiacono on Thu, 05/14/2015 - 12:00
If you weren’t lucky enough to get swept up in Chuck the first time around, you truly missed something unique. I got caught in the tidal wave at the very last scene of season two. My husband was watching the show and I was on my way through the living room. I stopped, watched the lead character, Chuck, do this thing where he looked at his bad guys, had some sort of flash, then did crazy, flipping kung fu. I remember looking at my husband and saying, “That was cool. Does he always do that?” To which he laughed and said, “Not like that!” I didn’t realize until I watched the seasons and caught up for myself that that scene was an awesome ending to season two. It truly only takes one scene to pull the viewer in. It’s a show made with passion that bleeds through to the audience.
Submitted by Tricia Delloiacono on Thu, 05/14/2015 - 08:00
I very clearly remember when they announced there would be a second series of this critically-acclaimed, fantastic show Broadchurch, and thinking, how on Earth is that possibly going to work? If you’ve seen the first series, it is quite clear, cut, and dry. The ending is a complete wrap-up. Sure, maybe there are a few lingering questions, but nothing that couldn’t be swept away with a short epilogue or possibly even left hanging on purpose to have the viewers realize that nothing is ever completely tidey. But, nonetheless, since the first series was amazing and the acting was spot on, how could I resist not coming back to Broadchurch for another visit? I hoped with crossed fingers the producers knew what they were doing and this wasn’t just a cash grab to keep a wayward series going, ie. Lost-style.
I've been a regular at comic and sci-fi conventions, or whatever you want to call them these days, since the '80s. The experience has changed quite a bit in those decades. In the past, they were mostly a place to shop for merchandise and meet creators. Today cosplay, video games, movies, and, most especially, celebrity signings, are the predominant aspect of cons. Geek has inherited the Earth and everyone wants to take part in the fun. That popularity has caused ticket prices to spike, show floors to be overcrowded places impossible to navigate, and worst of all, it's increasingly difficult to get tickets for San Diego Comic Con or New York Comic Con.
