After the blast off debut that was “The Flash” Season One, a lot of fans and audiences were expecting an interesting follow up that would continue the saga of Barry Allen. Lo and behold, Season two of “The Flash” upped the ante by introducing new characters, a brand new horrifying villain, and the concept of the multiverse. If you thought no one could be more intimidating than reverse Flash, than the series introduces Zoom. Zoom is yet another speedster from the Universe who is dressed in black and looks very much like a demonic speedster. Voiced by Tony Todd, Zoom is an enigmatic figure with a secret identity that plans to take Barry’s speed for himself and has plans for the world. Barry realizes all too soon that Zoom is faster than he ever hopes to be, and he finds himself completely in over his head.
Tag Archives: Crime
The Killing of America (1981) [FrightFest 2016]
Originally released in 1981, The Killing of America is a “documentary of the decline of America.” The film is a collection of news footage and interviews about violent events that have happened in the United States up until the murder of John Lennon in Manhattan in 1980 and the violence at the gatherings following his death.
Francesca (2015) [FrightFest 2016]
In Italy, a detective and an inspector investigate a string of murders happening in their city. They are soon led to a 15 year old kidnapping case which may shed some light on their current investigation. Director Luciano Onetti with his co-writer Nicolas Onetti builds an almost perfect old school giallo, however it was shot in 2015. Their film builds a story and characters straight out of the subgenre and these create an entertaining film about two police detectives looking for a serial killer.
Downhill (2016) [FrightFest 2016]
After his best friend’s death during a mountain bike race, Joe goes into hiding. After a while, his friend Pablo sets up a race for big money in South America, with Joe’s girlfriend Stephanie convinces him to go do the race and enjoy his trip. Once there, they go for a training ride. While on the mountain, they hear gunshots and find a man in need of help. Assisting him only leads them to be hunted by the local bad guys.
Arrow: The Complete Fourth Season [Blu-Ray/Digital]
This is the season that finally broke the fans, prompting the loyal fan base for “Arrow” on reddit to turn a group devoted to the series in to a group about “Daredevil.” The CW and Warner are at a really tough crossroads with “Arrow,” where they somewhat seem hell bent on sticking with what doesn’t work with the series, while pulling back on what does. Yes, they reward fans by bringing back John Constantine from the hell of cancelled television to resolve his television storyline, but he’s on for only two episodes. When Oliver Queen and company find themselves battling the evil Damian Darhk who is all powerful thanks to a supernatural relic, the answer invariably pops up: “Why isn’t Constantine helping them?”
Sinful Cinema Series: The Abductors (Volume 1) [Paperback]
Combing the landscape of obscure cinema is tricky. It’s a journey that will often leave you with a lemon if you’re not careful. Author Doug Brunell’s reasoning for the “Sinful Cinema” book series makes a lot of sense as spotlighting certain movies that not many authors out there would be willing to spotlight is a neat idea. If you’re someone who wants to visit films that are completely out of the ordinary, author Doug Brunell seems intent on delivering spotlights for films you wouldn’t normally see discussed in most books about film. Sure, you can probably find summaries and brief essays about something like “The Abductors” in a review compilation, but author Brunell devotes an entire book to it. I’ve been a fan of Brunell’s since his days on Film Threat, so it’s fun to see him releasing a series of books for film lovers old and new.
“Injustice for All” and Other Joker Themed Shorts
With the release of “Suicide Squad” in theaters and its Joker making movie headlines, now is the perfect time to look at a few shorts and fan films starring or about The Joker; or “Mr. J,” if you’re nasty.
Injustice for All (USA) (2016)
Lex Luthor visits Harleen Quinzel who is kept in solitary at Arkham Asylum to find out as much as he can about her beloved Mr. J. Through her storytelling and expanded scenes of The Joker’s activities, we see a bit of his past and his visits with other DC characters including Catwoman. This short film written by Donavan Darius and Joseph Bryce Hart and directed by Danny Mooney is a look at The Joker taken from a different angle compared to most of his feature film appearances.