Like so many, I was there with Ash from the very beginning with EVIL DEAD.

Honestly, I really wasn’t all that captivated, but EVIL DEAD II sealed the deal, basically retelling that first story but in a much more visually captivating way, one that practically required audiences shut up, sit up, and take notice 'cause somethin’ special was about to happen.  And I was even one of the rare few who saw the oft quoted ARMY OF DARKNESS (occasionally subtitled as EVIL DEAD III) when it ran theatrically.  Again – like so many – I ate it all up, reveling in Ash’s cunning with words and weapons as only the most dedicated fanboys do.
 
So do you think I was going to let ASH VS EVIL DEAD pass me by without a glance?

Not a chance in Hell.

Buckle up, deadheads.  We're goin' for a ride.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
​

Here's all one needs to know about the ever-expanding universe of the EVIL DEAD: either you get it, or you don't.  It ain't Shakespeare, sweetheart.  Heck, it isn't even Grisham.  Seriously, it doesn't require much explanation, and it requires very little thought.  It is what it is, and basically that amounts to some lunatic storytelling told in such a way that even the lunacy ends up making perfect sense.

From the product packaging:
​
"Campbell reprises his role as Ash, the stock boy, aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity, and the terrors of the Evil Dead.  When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons -- personal and literal.  Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its 'Evil' grip."

There is a bit more -- much of it about the cast -- so let's leave it there.  After all, what matters most is the story, and there's just enough of that in there to tickle the fancy of anyone watching.
​

I’ve said it before, so allow me the leeway to say it again: Ashley ‘Ash’ Williams is one of the greatest cinema characters of the Twentieth Century.  Now, mind you, I’m not talking necessarily about Ash of Evil Dead I and II because – truth be told – those flicks are more about the visceral experience of Sam Raimi’s storytelling than they are the people in them.  (That’s not a complaint, just a statement of fact.)  Ash – as that character – really came into his own with Army of Darkness; and, yes, I’ve read that for the purposes of ‘canon’ that film isn’t legally to be considered a part and parcel of ASH VS EVIL DEAD … but a guy can dream, can’t he?
 
Well, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell did the unthinkable here: they tapped right back into fertile ground and brought Ash back to life, complete with the Evil Dead still plaguing practically every one of his waking hours.  They even upped the ante here by giving the glorious dead slayer not one but two sidekicks (Ray Santiago as Pablo and the comely Jill Marie Jones as Amanda) as well as a new kinda/sorta adversary in the guise of Ruby, played by everyone’s warrior princess Lucy Lawless herself.
 
But the real question here is: did ASH VS EVIL DEAD deliver the goods?
 
Meh.  But think of that as a good “meh.”
 
VS takes a while to find its groove, as it were, but when it aims for the cheap seats it does generally hit at least a double, occasionally a triple, and from time to time even a home run.  The trouble I had with it is that there’s a fair amount of time exploring and establishing what the Necronomicon is, isn’t, can, and can’t do (every incarnation of Dead does this, mostly for newbies, and VS does no less); that and the fact that Lawless’s Ruby kinda/sorta kept evolving into something a bit different than what had come the episode before made for some periodically frustrating developments.  Again, I don’t offer this feedback up as complaint so much as it is just a justification for my minor quibbles with the storytelling; these elements always tend to slow down the pace, and a slow pace doesn’t work well when you’re counting the minutes between roadkill, if you catch my drift.
 
Still, Ash is a character that largely still fits Campbell like a glove, and the Master Thespian does the Academy proud by slipping so effortlessly into this crazy, hazy world once more.
 
That last few episodes wear a bit thin, especially given that the big idea ends up being a return to the bloody cabin in the woods where all of this started.  A few of the last minute developments – such as a band of hikers showing up primarily to give audiences a body count – don’t feel all that organic here; so it’s best to think of the last hour (or so) as the creation of a writers’ room more than anything else.  The cast and crew do give this perhaps an ending as unpredictable as anything else they could’ve come up with, but rest assured there’s always the lingering promise that blood can and will still be shed for the inevitable season two.  And thank God for a soon premiering Season Two as I, for one, miss Ash’s merriment as much as the rest fan.

​ASH VS EVIL DEAD: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (2015) is produced by Renaissance Pictures and Starz.  DVD distribution is being handled by Anchor Bay Entertainment.  As for the technical specifications?  Boo-yah!  ASH delivers with a wealth of quality sights and sounds, so don’t fret your little self in any way.  Buckets and buckets of blood are necessarily captured in wonderfully vivid detail.  If you’re looking for special features?  All episodes are provided with audio commentaries, and there are some obligatory ‘making ofs’ if that’s the sort of thing you’re desiring.
 
RECOMMENDED.  Look, you already know whether or not Ash – as a character – interests you or not.  If he does, then you’re likely to enjoy the wild ride at the heart of ASH VS EVIL DEAD.  If you don’t, then what are you doing here?  Why did you read all the way down to this?  Why haven’t you surfed over to check out what’s left of the Merchant Ivory catalogue already?  Quit bothering me and get on with your life, knucklehead: I’ve got dead to kill, and all you’re gonna do is slow my roll, homey.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Anchor Bay Entertainment provided me with a copy of ASH VS EVIL DEAD by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

I’ve always – ALWAYS – had a fondness for classic monster stories.

Most of this is owed to the monster story’s central conceit – that it ain’t easy being green … or hungry … or blood-thirsty – and most of the genre’s finest examples manage to deliver a powerful undercurrent of sympathy for the ogre, the Frankenstein, and even the vampire.  After all, they’re the original victim, you see.  In fact, most of them never ‘chose’ to be that way; and now they’re forced to live a life wherein they can’t escape that singular monstrosity – life itself – and we as an audience are taken along for a thrilling ride, one which all too often ends in their ignominious defeat.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
​

Guillermo Del Toro’s THE STRAIN wasn’t unknown to me when it premiered on the FX Network, one of the best channels on the pay cable dial.  I’d read several of the comic book collections (from Dark Horse Comics), and – while I hadn’t read any of the novels – I was familiar with the series of books that explored a vampire plague in modern day New York (as well as the greater United States).  Vampire tales have always intrigued me because they fall into that happy collision where science meets fantasy, and the results hint heavily at Science Fiction in the way even Ridley Scott’s original ALIEN so strongly typifies SciFi/Horror hybrids: once bitten, you’re inevitably doomed.
 
In many ways, THE STRAIN’s second season was an improvement over the first, a run of thirteen hours that (necessarily) spent a lot of time setting pieces of the ‘big game’ on the board more than it did put any of them in motion.  Those first thirteen hours – like the first act of a three-act play – introduced audiences to Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (the omnipresent Corey Stoll), Abraham Setrakian (the venerable David Bradley), Thomas Eichorst (Richard Sammel), and the greater cast of characters, sparing little time for the kind of ‘character beats’ which inevitably help audiences care about their individual and collective fates.  Season Two amped up those moments … but more often than not the results were middling to downright frustrating at times.

​Too much time was wasted on unproductive relationships.  For example, the aging Eldritch Palmer was given a romance (one methinks most viewers found downright implausible if not – well – icky) with show newcomer Lizzie Brocheré as the comely Coco Marchand; the fact that Coco was young enough to be a child Eldritch’s granddaughter once babysat was a calculated creative misfire.  Setrakian spent far too much time and energy obsessed with locating an ancient tome – one that promised to a key to defeating the vampires – but little explanation was offered as to what good would immediately come from it; and the pursuit of it via purchase then auction then theft felt more of a screenwriter’s creation than it did anything organic.  And Goodweather’s descent into alcoholism?  Well, it wasn’t handled well over its proposed arc, leaving viewers to wonder why those around him didn’t see it coming as easily as the audience did.
 
There are a few others, but I’d rather not beat a dead horse here, as there’s nothing more to be gained.  THE STRAIN is what it is at this point, and perhaps Season Three will help right the ship, bring the characters back together in a fashion that engages those still onboard with it, and ratchet up the evil surrounding Eichort’s villainy and The Master’s deviousness.  As bad guys go, the show certainly has two worth following in those two creations; saddling those seeking to rid the Earth of their scum with situations more befitting nighttime soap operas is rarely a way to endear sympathy.

Besides, aren't genre shows best when they're revelling in the central premise -- that good must triumph over evil at the expense of all other things?  Try as it might, THE STRAIN will never be SCANDAL (WITH VAMPIRES) any more than it would be THREE AND ONE-HALF MEN (WITH VAMPIRES) because the conventions that go hand-in-hand with such entries just don't lend themselves to the fantastical notions that vampires and vampire hunters exist in everyday universes.  Shows like this were meant to be 'out there' on the fringe a bit, and their audiences consequently can usually spot attempts to force feed conventional elements which just don't fit.

Put more simply, THE STRAIN works best when 'Good Vs. Evil' remains center stage, even when those moments are played out in the present or in flashbacks as the screenwriters have been prone to explore.  Viewers will sit through exposition and character development so long as it serves the main thrust of the series, not when it gives actors and actresses acting 'meat' for meat's sake.  Maybe I'm a 'stick to the issues' kinda guy, but that faithfulness always achieves results, even when they're paired with mild disappointment.

​All that said, THE STRAIN is a show that I want so very much to like so very much more than I so very much do.  It has a solid cast, and – even though a few characters aren’t as fleshed out as they could be – the talent makes good strides through even the most cumbersome plot developments and contrivances.  There’s a part of me that honestly believes that there’s some genius potential yet untapped in the SciFi/Horror storytelling (especially on television), and THE STRAIN just might fit that bill … so long as it can leave the melodrama behind, centralize the narrative around its strongest characters, and spill blood only when necessary (not merely BECAUSE it’s expected).

​THE STRAIN: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON is produced by Mirada.  DVD distribution is being handled via 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.  As for the technical specifications?  Much of the time, THE STRAIN is one of the smarter productions on television, so you can expect high quality sights and sounds that go with it.  Also, the effects work is pretty exceptional consistently, and that’s a hard level to maintain in weekly procedurals of this sort.  Lastly, if you’re looking for special features, then the set boasts an audio commentary (“Night Train”) as well as the usual making-of, deleted scenes, and gag reels you’re bound to find with any quality effort.  Nice job to all involved, and keep up the good work!
 
RECOMMENDED.  Far from perfect, THE STRAIN still offers enough escapism to warrant being part of any genre fan’s visual diet … but let’s not kid ourselves: the melodrama only works so far as the characters appeal to us.  Bring back the scientist Goodweather.  Bring back the hunt for a cure while balancing it with the stand against evil.  Heroes are allowed to “fall off the wagon” from time to time, but when the world’s at stake let’s everybody pull ourselves together and get the job done, no?
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at 20th Century Fox provided me with a DVD set of THE STRAIN: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

Full disclosure: I totally missed the film upon which this sequel/prequel extends from, and that’s mostly because as I’ve said many, many times I’m not as huge a fan of traditional Fantasy as I am Science Fiction properties.  Oh, I do see quite a few of them, but what typically leaves me cold with so very many is the fact that the various worlds see far too similar for my tastes.  I think I end up “blending” them all together in my head, and – when that happens – I begin to question whether or not the world-building required did its job or was even up to the task of telling this singular story.

​So if there are any nuances lost to me (as a reviewer) by not having seen SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (2012) I’ll apologize in advance for missing them … but so far as WINTER’S WAR is concerned?  I had plenty enough fun with this swashbuckling tale that I’m giving it a thumbs up.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)

From the product packaging: “If it’s the Snow White tale you’re looking for, discover the story that came before …”
 
Genre favorites Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth bring their screen magic together in THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR, a fairy tale of star-crossed love transcending the force of Evil that would keep them apart in what appears to be a functional crowd-pleaser if there ever were.  As best as I can detail, it would seem that this tale kinda/sorta book-ends the SNOW WHITE tale its linked to as some of the action and adventures serve as set-up for the characters and then leap ahead seven years (or so) to the point wherein Hemsworth’s Eric learns that the love of Sara (the always lovely Jessica Chastain) denied him by the scheming Queen Freya (Emily Blunt) was a magical ruse: Sara lives, but now she’s an adversary who’ll stop at nothing to recover the Magic Mirror for Freya whom she serves.
 
Thankfully, WINTER’S WAR is structured like a big budget fairy tale, and it follows that formula consistently from start to finish.  There are magical kingdoms, evil queens, dwarves, trolls, and the like all thrown together around an epic quest to keep Ravenna (Theron) from controlling all of the known worlds; and the tale is even given an off-screen narrator who helps make sense of how these smaller moments combine with the larger action pieces.  Director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan keeps the pace up, and – about the time one experiences even a modest lull in the action – you can bet he’ll deliver another effects sequence to boggle the mind.  It’s effective and efficient eye candy, even when some of it feels more than mildly glossed over in the rush.
 
Still, Hemsworth’s charisma carries the picture about as far as it can; and Chastain proves yet again that she’s a bona fide screen presence alongside the sometimes Marvel comic book character.  (For those born on an island, Hemsworth plays Thor for the big screen.)  Theron’s work here feels a bit obligatory, much of which may be owed to the fact that she appears only in the opening set-up and the finale; as the central force for badness in the land, she chews scenery as required but is never quite given enough chutzpah to be more than a carbon copy villainess.  By contrast, Blunt becomes her own force to be reckoned with, and she’s necessarily provided a means to achieve redemption from the stroke of evil genius that set her on her own path.
 
Excepting the mythology set out for the film’s big leads, everything else here is a bit muddled.  There’s a point wherein I suspected more of it may’ve made perfect sense had I seen SNOW WHITE, but – in the end – films do need to stand on their own merits.  WINTER’S WAR has enough chemistry to make it palatable for newbies like myself, but I’m not sure all audiences would feel the same.  When you’re structured on fairy tales, methinks it all works to keep it simple, and – when it does – the flick works just fine as a few hours of mindless popcorn funnery.

​If you want more narrative substance or worldly messaging in your fantasy, then stick with Peter Jackson’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy instead.

​THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR (2016) is produced by Roth Films and Universal Pictures.  DVD distribution for this Extended Edition is being handled by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.  As for the technical specifications?  Well, the effects work is quite good (though there are a few sequences lacking in superb detail afforded other fantasy films as of late), and the sound mix is definitely solid.  If you’re looking for extras, then there are some commentaries, a gag reel, and the usual assorted ‘making-of’ bits that make it worth the purchase price.
 
RECOMMENDED.  At first blush, THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR doesn’t approach the level of cinematic importance of other Fantasy fare (I’m thinking here of THE LORD OF THE RINGS adaptation much more than THE HOBBIT trilogy of films, which I found bloated), but instead it takes a simpler road through the forest, one dedicated to delivering action, suspense, and romance in typical Hollywoodesque fashion.  On that level, I had absolutely no problem with the flick; the cast feels right at home, the story delivers on its fairy tale promises, and – in the end – love conquers all.  Consider it acceptable Friday or Saturday night fluff if you’re in for the night.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Universal Pictures provided me with a copy of THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

Just file this one under the helpful heading of "I Can; So Therefore I Do":

No, Starz Network's Ash Vs. Evil Dead isn't Science Fiction even by the most watered down definition, but -- as these pages are my property -- deal with it, baby!  SciFi superstar-in-his-own-mind Bruce Campbell headlines the program in only the way he can, and I thought it worthy of mentioning as most fanboys and fangirls certainly worship All Things Bruce.  I watched the program as it aired on the aforementioned network, and I thought it perfectly groovy.  I'll be penning a review of the first season -- which streeted on DVD this week -- so watch this space.

And if any of you knuckleheads want to sit on your keister and get yourself a copy, you know what to do: just follow the link right here.  Baby.

Thanks for reading, and -- as always -- live long and prosper!

One of my chief complaints about comic book adaptations in the past few years is that they've occasionally taken themselves far too seriously, and that's largely why I found so much of the CW's DC's Legends of Tomorrow so refreshing.  Once again, here was a television show based on comic book material which embraced comic book sensibilities: it had fun with its characters and situations, and it did little more than try to wrap all of it up in some big finish for its inaugural season.  For those of you who missed it, Season 01 streeted on DVD this week, and I strongly encourage readers here to check it out.  If you're interested in purchasing a copy, you can find it up on Amazon.com right about here.

Thanks for reading, and -- as always -- live long and prosper!

One of the elements of the FX Network's ongoing episodic adaptation of Guillermo del Toro's The Strain is the fact that -- when the storytelling is at its best -- the show very cleverly combines science into the realm of the far more traditional horror aspects of the narrative: Corey Stoll's portrayal of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather is a man tortured as much by the science which fails to cure those succumbing to a vampire-like condition as he is by the vampires themselves.  I've also received a complimentary copy of Season 02 -- which is available on home video this week -- and I'll be posting a more in-depth review later in the week.  Keep your eyes peeled for the coming darkness.

For those interested, you can surf over to Amazon.com right here and purchase yourself a copy.

Thanks for reading, and -- as always -- live long and prosper!

Truth be told, I'm not as big a fan of Fantasy as I am of more traditional Science Fiction.  I think that's largely because I see so many works in the realm of Fantasy as sharing far too many elements to see them as individual properties, and all of that inevitable 'blending together' confuses me more than it entices my old brain.  Still, I do appreciate some talented folks playing dress-up and making an honest go of it, and that's why I wanted to highlight the fact that The Huntsman: Winter's War is available on home video this week with some special 'Extended Edition' bonuses for all who are interested.  I have received a complimentary copy, and I'll be putting up a review this weekend (after I've had the chance to fully digest the picture), so be certain to watch the Main Page for more details.  In the meantime, if you're interested in purchasing yourself a copy from Amazon.com, you can follow the link right here.

Thanks for reading, and -- as always -- live long and prosper!

Hey, peeps!

​It's a hearty 'Welcome Back' to Yours Truly, back on the blog after a much needed vacation.  I thought I'd put that quick notice here so that you knew the Main Page was "back in action" as it were, and I should be posting a variety of items over the course of the days remaining in this week.  So welcome to Hump Day!  Thanks for reading, and -- as always -- live long and prosper!

In fairness to the Resident Evil franchise, I can't much tell the movies apart all that much, but I've never been certain that one needs to.  This video-game-adaptation from Paul W.S. Anderson has largely been a popcorn(ish) guilty pleasure at best or passable screen filler at worst.  Still, I have nothing but respect for a property that gives tough ladies a chance to join in the action, and Milla Jovovich never disappoints.

According to IMDB.com, this one hits the megaplexes next January (2017), so you've got plenty of time to clean up your calendars now and no excuse whatsoever to miss the big finish ... assuming there's truth in advertising, that is.

​As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

Funny.  I was just thinking the other day that it had been some time since an intelligent Alien Invasion drama came "Straight Outta Hollywood" ... and, lo and behold, today a trailer drops starring the always soft-speaking Amy Adams in yet another role wherein she speaks softly.  (Seriously, can't this gal project?!)  It's appropriately called ARRIVAL, and the coming attraction actually feels kinda/sorta Arthur C. Clarke to me.  This one looks to also star Jeremy Renner and the always reliable Forest Whitaker.  IMDB.com states that this one comes out this November, and I, for one, am looking forward to it.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!