Beyond the Screen

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Bullet Train

An over the top action romp, Bullet Train is an ensemble cast of well known actors all performing in this high octane film. Brad Pitt leads as a hitman wanting to retire getting caught up in the hijinks going on in a bullet train traveling through Japan. Alongside him are Joey King as a manipulative Russian assassin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Bryan Tyree Henry as twin assassins who argue constantly over Thomas the Tank Engine, and Hiroyuki Sanada a mysterious old man with connections to the Yakuza. Adapted from a Japanese novel, so while certain characters' races are changed, it at least makes up for it by having a very diverse cast. The writing from Zac Olkewics is fun even if it doesn't offer that much new and is very similar to many other action movies, but between the well written characters and David Leitch's direction you don't really notice and just enjoy having a good time with his mix of Tarantino and Ritchie. You'd think with such a confined space most of the time in the train that the action would be stale, but between the production design, Jonathan Sela's cinematography, and the editing from Elisabet Ronaldsdottir it manages to be energetic, inventive, and exiting. Bullet Train is one of those movies that prove that even if you've already seen something like it before, it doesn't mean that there isn't a way to enjoy it. Over all: 88%

2022 top list so far:

1. Top Gun: Maverick

2. The Black Phone

3. Nope

4. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

5. The Northman

6. The Batman

7. Lightyear

8. Dog

9. Everything Everywhere All at Once

10. X 2022

11. Scream 2022

12. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

13. Bullet Train

14. Thor: Love and Thunder

15. Jurassic World: Dominion

16. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

17. Uncharted

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Top 10 Moments From My First to Third Ten Sets of Comics

First Set:
1. Supergirl's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
2. The Ghost Patrol always humiliating the Nazis in The Comic Cavalcade: Archives Volume 1.
3. The Fourth Doctor's appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2.
4. Batman and Superman's fight in The Dark Knight Returns.
5. The Hulk's death in Old Man Logan.
6. The villains killing off Falcone in Batman: The Long Halloween.
7. Jason's weekly life in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1.
7. The unnamed narrator plotting to kill Batman in An Innocent Guy.
8. Finding Captain America in Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1.
9. Batman's enemies revealed to be mutated in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5.
10. Alpha growing big in Justice League/Power Rangers #5.
Honorable Mentions:
Punisher refusing to fight back against Captain America in Civil War.
Goldar's backstory in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1.
The Rangers confront Batman for the first time in Justice League/Power Rangers #1.
The Flash's sacrifice in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Second Set:
1. The death of Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
2. Captain Marvel seeing through Shazam's Cerberus illusion in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2.
3. Doctor Octopus hijacking a plane in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
4. The Doctor preventing a fight in an alien diner in Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018.
4. Mister Mind tricking the Marvels into believing he grew giant in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1.
5. The destruction of Fairfield in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1.
6. The Necronomicon summoning an undead Deadite army against the Marvel zombies in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness.
7. Krang's defeat in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6.
8. The Laughing Man becoming the Joker in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4.
9. Batman meeting the Flashpoint version of his father in Batman/The Flash: The Button.
10. Wonder Woman using the Lasso of Truth on herself in Wonder Woman: Rebirth (2016) #1.
Honorable Mentions:
The altered origins of Batman and the Turtles at the beginning of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3.
The opening chase and fight sequence from Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR.
Zim's blob taking over and then restoring Earth in Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Schmoopsy.
The death of Captain Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
The reveal of Krang using the Anti-Monitor's body as a suit at the end of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1.

Third Set:

1. The image of Doctor Doom weeping over the remains of the World Trade Center in The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #36.

2. Lana's letter finally inspiring Clark to become Superman at the end of Action Comics Vol. 1 #800.

3. Hal Jordan's failed attempt at recreating Coast City in Green Lantern Vol. 3 #48.

4. Clark waking up to having powers in Superman: Secret Identity #1 (of 4).

5. Ted Kord's death at the end of Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1.

6. The early history of the Watchers in Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1.

7. Green Arrow confronting Argy in DC Retroactive: Green Lantern - The 70s #1.

8. Darkseid escaping and killing the Quintessence at the end of Infinite Frontier #0.

9. Green Lantern realizing he made a mistake protecting a slumlord in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #76.

10. Zordon pleading to the Emissaries in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers FCBD 2018 Shattered Grid Special.

Honorable Mentions:

Ignatz being fooled by a music box actually having Krazy inside singing in The George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz 1916-1918.

Gertrude killing the writers of Image Comics in Free Comic Book Day 2017 I Hate Image.

Wolverine and Conan the Barbarian's fight in Savage Avengers Vol. 1 #1.

Paul and Jimmy witnessing the Golden Age Atom and Sandman fighting mobsters in DC Universe: Legacies #1.

Overall:

1. The image of Doctor Doom weeping over the remains of the World Trade Center in The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #36.

2. Lana's letter finally inspiring Clark to become Superman at the end of Action Comics Vol. 1 #800.

3. Supergirl's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
4. The death of Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.

5. Hal Jordan's failed attempt at recreating Coast City in Green Lantern Vol. 3 #48.

6. Clark waking up to having powers in Superman: Secret Identity #1 (of 4).

7. Captain Marvel seeing through Shazam's Cerberus illusion in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2.
8. The Ghost Patrol always humiliating the Nazis in The Comic Cavalcade: Archives Volume 1.
9. The Fourth Doctor's appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2.
10. Batman and Superman's fight in The Dark Knight Returns.
Honorable Mentions:

The Hulk's death in Old Man Logan.

Darkseid escaping and killing the Quintessence at the end of Infinite Frontier #0.

Zordon pleading to the Emissaries in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers FCBD 2018 Shattered Grid Special.

Alpha growing big in Justice League/Power Rangers #5.
The Necronomicon summoning an undead Deadite army against the Marvel zombies in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness.

Top 10 First to Third Sets of Comic Book Events/Volumes As A Whole

First Set:
1. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2017
2. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
3. Free Comic Book Day: All New Guardians of the Galaxy 2017
4. Justice League/Power Rangers
5. An Innocent Guy
6. Batman: The Killing Joke
7. Batman: The Long Halloween
8. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1
9. Deadpool Kills series
10. Crisis on Infinite Earths
Honorable Mentions:
Star Trek/Planet of the Apes: The Primate Directive
Old Man Logan
Cartoon Network Super Secret Crisis War
Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1
The Comic Cavalcade: Archives Volume 1

Second Set:
1. Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018
2. Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys
3. Howard the Duck Vol. 1
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II and III
5. Deadpool Kills Deadpool
6. DC Comics Presents: Shazam! collections
7. Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness
8. The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018
9. Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond-VARGR
10. Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Schmoopsy
Honorable Mentions:
Wonder Woman Vol. 5
Ant-Man Vol. 1
The Unworthy Thor

Third Set:

1. The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2

2. Superman: Secret Identity

3. Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight

4. Power Rangers: Shattered Grid

5. The George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz

6. Countdown to Infinite Crisis

7. Reckoning War

8. Superman vs. Predator

9. Savage Avengers Vol. 1

10. Action Comics Vol. 1

Honorable Mentions:

Aliens: Dead Orbit

Free Comic Book Day 2018: 2000 A.D. Regened

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 2

Tintin in the Land of the Soviets

Overall:

1. The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2

2. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy
3. Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys

4. Superman: Secret Identity

5. Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight

6. Power Rangers: Shattered Grid

7. The George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz

8. Countdown to Infinite Crisis

9. Free Comic Book Day: All New Guardians of the Galaxy 2017
10. Justice League/Power Rangers
Honorable Mentions:

Batman: The Killing Joke
Deadpool Kills trilogy

Crisis on Infinite Earths
Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Top 10 Comics From My First to Third Ten Sets Of Comics

First Set:
1. Justice League/Power Rangers #6
2. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2017
3. Justice League/Power Rangers #5
4. Free Comic Book Day: All New Guardians of the Galaxy 2017
5. Deadpool Killustrated
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6
7. Civil War: Choosing Sides Vol. 1 #1
8. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4
9. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3
10. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2
Honorable Mentions:
Batman: The Killing Joke
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2

Second Set:

1. Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018
2. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6
3. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #5
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4
5. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1
7. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #2
8. DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2
9. Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys
10. Howard the Duck Vol. 1 #1

Honorable Mentions:Deadpool Kills Deadpool
Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness
The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018
Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Shmoopsy
The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500

Third Set:

1. The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #36

2. Superman: Secret Identity #1 (of 4)

3. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #48

4. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers FCBD 2018 Shattered Grid Special

5. The George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz 1916-1918

6. Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1

7. Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha #1

8. Superman vs. Predator

9. Savage Avengers Vol. 1 #1

10. Action Comics Vol. 1 #800

Honorable Mentions:

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1

Free Comic Book Day 2018: Riverdale

DC Universe: Legacies #1

Free Comic Book Day 2017 I Hate Image

Overall:

1. The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #36

2. Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018
3. Justice League/Power Rangers #6
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6
5. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #5
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4
7. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3
8. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1

9. Superman: Secret Identity #1 (of 4)

10. Green Lantern Vol. 3 #48

Honorable Mentions:

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers FCBD 2018 Shattered Grid Special

Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2017
Justice League/Power Rangers #5

The George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz 1916-1918

Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Top 10 Moments From My Third Ten Sets of Comics