Fantasy

The Desolation of Smaug

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
  • IMDB: link

The Desolation of SmaugThe quest of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his dwarves to reclaim the lost kingdom of Erebor under the Lonely Mountain continues in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Captured by elves, attacked by orcs, and journeying into the depths of the lost kingdom, the sequel is more successful than The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey but still suffers from director Peter Jackson taking his damn sweet time with unnecessary subplots and a host of new characters to introduce.

Of all the new faces in the second of three films needed to adapt a 300-page children’s book, Evangeline Lilly stands out. In Tauriel we finally get a prominent female elf who is more warrior than ethereal plot device (Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler). The plot thread of Tauriel forced to balance here duty to her king (Lee Pace) and Legolas (Orlando Bloom) against her unexpected feelings for a dwarf (Aidan Turner) is one of the film’s most-successful storylines.

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Once Upon a Time – The New Neverland

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Once Upon a Time – The New Neverland
  • wiki: link

Once Upon a Time - The New Neverland

Reunions are the big theme of “The New Neverland” which begins with Ariel (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) and Eric (Gil McKinney) finally finding each other and the return of the Jolly Roger and its crew to Storybrooke. Wendy Darling (Freya Tingley) is finally reunited with her brothers John (Matt Kane) and Michael (James Immekus) and Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) returns home to Belle (Emilie de Ravin). Despite being relieved to be home, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) can’t shake the feeling there’s something wrong with Henry (Jared Gilmore) and becomes even more concerned after Pan’s Shadow, who only obeys Peter Pan (Robbie Kay), begins killing members of the town.

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Once Upon a Time in Wonderland – Bad Blood

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland – Bad Blood
  • wiki: link

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland - Bad Blood

As Alice (Sophie Lowe) and the Knave (Michael Socha) work on a plan to get into the floating tower, unaware that Cyrus (Peter Gadiot) has already escaped his prison, Jafar (Naveen Andrews) puts his latest plan into action by taking the form of Alice’s father (Shaun Smyth). Despite his clever ruse Alice sees through the deception, but that doesn’t stop the wizard from putting her father’s life in danger and forcing Alice’s hand to use her second wish to save his life and return him home.

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Once Upon a Time – Save Henry

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Once Upon a Time – Save Henry
  • wiki: link

Once Upon a Time - Save Henry

With Henry (Jared Gilmore) slowly dying and an even more powerful Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) in control of the young boy’s heart, Regina (Lana Parrilla) is able to buy the group a little time while Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) convinces the Lost Boys to help with a desperate plea to save the life of her son and promise to see each of them home as well along with Wendy Darling (Freya Tingley) and Tinker Bell (Rose McIver). In the end it’s Regina, and her drive to do whatever needs to be done without regretting the consequences, who rips Henry’s heart from Pan’s chest and returns it back to her son’s chest where it belongs.

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Red Sonja #5

/ / Comics

Red Sonja #5Writer Gail Simone’s opening arc continues as Red Sonja returns down the mountainside with her bodyguards Ayla and Nias to receive the rest of the cure for the plague slowly destroying her body and exact vengeance on her former friend Annisa for killing the king who freed them both from the pit while leaving his kingdom to die of plague.

Dealing mostly with Red Sonja returning from her exile and slowly regaining her strength and fire at witnessing the atrocities of a woman she once loved as a sister, Red Sonja #5 spends most of its time setting up next month’s final issue to the opening arc as the two warriors step into the arena to battle one more time.

The issue does end with a bit of a twist as both women come face-to-face with a common foe from their past suggesting that the epic final battle between the two warriors that the storyline has been leading to may not occur in the arc’s final issue (or perhaps at all if both don’t survive the attack of their former slave master). Worth a look.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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