Category Archives: Reviews

Flightplan Review

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I wonder how many of you readers remember Flightplan? It’s one of those movies that seemed to slip by many people. I can’t say that I’ve heard of it before, but you have to admit that it has a pretty cool poster. It’s slightly misleading and my one complaint is that she looks more horrified or shocked than determined and upset. Still, I’d say that the poster came out well and looks like a thriller/horror movie.

Flightplan involves the main character (Kyle) and her daughter (Julia) as they decide to board a plane. David Pratt had fallen off of a building, so they were going to bury him in Long Island. Julia seems to be worried since they were in a pretty seedy neighborhood, so Kyle made the logical choice and hailed a cab. They made it to the plane safe and sound, but that’s where things get dicey for the main characters.

Julia had wandered off to the side when she saw a nice snack. That’s never a good habit and Kyle warns her about that. Unfortunately, when Kyle takes a nap in the plane…Julia is gone! Even worse is the fact that she wasn’t on the Plane list and everyone claims to not have seen her. Obviously, she never got on the plane, but the heart that she drew is still there, not to mention that her Teddy Bear is still around. Kyle decides to check the entire plane, but she’s running low on suspects. There are two shady looking figures in the front, a really, overly cheerful guy in the back, a mean flight attendant, two irresponsible flight attendants,….The Captain! Maybe the suspect list isn’t as small as I had thought. Of course, if Everyone claims to not have seen Julia, could the entire crew be in on it? Julia must race against time as she tries to find Julia before the crew can arrest her.

Flightplan was a pretty solid movie, but it had some moments that were tough to believe. I won’t say whether she was hallucinating the whole thing, or if it happened. If it was the latter, wouldn’t someone notice a little girl being abducted? The crew was remarkably slow on the uptake in this film and nobody was willing to do what needed to be done. I can’t say that I was a huge fan of Kyle either, but she definitely beat the crew. Towards the end, the government gets involved, which definitely increased the stakes. There isn’t really a soundtrack on the film, but since there aren’t too many action scenes, it wasn’t necessary…right? Having a soundtrack is always a +, but not having one won’t hurt the film. (Of course, having one Would help the film) I’d recommend this film if you like classic mysteries and thriller films. Of course some scenes may make you facepalm.

Overall 5/10

True Grit Review

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True Grit is a call back to the old wild west days. If that didn’t start some alarms ringing in your head, then you may want to rethink that. I’ve never been a wild west person, but maybe this film could get past that. Maybe it could show me what a true wild west film should be like! Let’s see…..

The film starts out with a verse of scripture (Which is a solid way to start the film!) and then we get some narration. It appears that Tom Chaney defeated Mattie’s father and now she plans to avenge him. She mentions that everyone gets what’s coming to them at some point or other, but she’s going to take him down personally. First she needs to hire a gunman and get some money. In one of the better (but sadder) parts of the film, she negotiates with Colonel Stonehill. I liked his courage and dedication to the finer arts of negotiating, but Mattie is the protagonist, so things may not go his way. I’d say that this is where the film started going downhill. Slowly at first, but then it took a very steep nosedive towards the end.

Mattie hired a Marshall named Cogburn. They set out alongside LeBoueuf. (Who can get violent, but towards the end you’re supposed to sympathize with him because he’s a “hero”) They set off on a long trek to take down Chaney, but can they possibly catch him? Only time will tell I’m afraid.

Mattie isn’t a very good protagonist. I never liked a film to have a kid (Or in this case, very early teen) as the main character. I just can’t take the character seriously and it’s not as much fun. She has her “epic” scene at the end, but while it may have been temporarily satisfying, she should have listened to her own words. “Everyone pays for their sins” She’s all right with a gun, but she does freeze up when the going gets tough.

LeBoueuf is a pretty bad character. His opening scene is just awful and his next scene just keeps him on a spiralling track into oblivion. No matter what scenes he would get after that, it would be too late. He also tends to get taken out of a fight when things get tough.

How about Cogburn? Well, he tends to get drunk a lot and while he was a decent main character for a while, his poor treatment of his horse instantly put him on my bad list. That was just unacceptable and these characters could definitely learn a thing or two about true heroes.

Aside from Stonehill, I can’t say that I liked any characters in this film. Add to that the plethora of animal violence scattered across the film and some pretty cringe worthy scenes, this is not a film that I recommend at all. The Christian messages through the film are nice, but since the main character ignores all of them, you start to think about what the moral is. If you are squeamish about violence, you should probably avoid this film and if you like horses, then you should Definitely avoid this film. Next time you want to see something about the Wild West, check out the two part time travel episode in Justice League Unlimited. That’s the Wild West done right.

Overall 2/10

Jack Reacher Review

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Jack Reacher is another film in a new trend of mysterious agent films. You know the type, the main character used to be the best of the best, until he retired or disappeared. Now he’s back and ready to roll! (Bourne, MI4. If James Bond were actually “The best of the best” you could add him to the list as well) Jack Reacher is a pretty good film and while it is weaker than the previous two films mentioned, it can hold its own.

The plot is that this guy shoots some people (And pays the parking meter!) before getting caught. At least the police were pretty quick on the draw this time, but they were too late. The convict asks for Jack Reacher to come, but the Police can’t contact him. Helen is the convict’s defense lawyer and she’s determined to help him. One day Jack shows up and tries to show why he’s the best. Helen decides to team up with him and together they can prove the convi-(I might as well say who the suspected convict is) James Barr’s innocence or vice versa. Unfortunately, some villains want to stop them, and they have the muscle to make it happen!

From there, there is a lot of shooting and fight scenes as Jack solves the case. He’s pretty smart and also physically powerful. In the film he’s capable of taking on several opponents at once and according to his trash talking, he always wins. Jack’s a pretty good character for the most part. When he’s in agent mode, he gets the job done. That’s the important thing. He’s also a pretty skilled marksman and did I mention that he served in the Government?

Helen is the other protagonist. She’s an all right character, but she’s mostly just there to be there. She doesn’t really help all that much and she’s definitely not much of a fighter. Towards the end, she doesn’t do so well, but at least she kept her dignity.

James Barr and Sandy aren’t very good characters either. Barr let his primal urges to shoot things get the better of him and Sandy doesn’t make the right move on several occasions. Cash is a pretty good character and it was nice to have at least one other fighter for the heroes. He’s all right with a gun and he did some damage. Zec is one of the big villains, but he’s very generic and not interesting. Let’s just say that he’s not much of a fighter. We also have the cop, but…..he’s not very good either.

Jack Reacher is a good film and if you like the subgenre of agents who must save the day, I’m sure that you will enjoy it. The final scene for Reacher can make you take a step back, but remember, Reacher’s no hero. He says so himself after all. You may be able to guess some of the plot twists early on, but it’s a good, popcorn fun movie to watch. Maybe it’ll get a sequel at some point. Either way, I recommend this film.

Overall 7/10

Justice League The Flashpoint Paradox Review

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DC has had a pretty good track record for dvd films. Crisis on Two Earths, Apocalypse, Public Enemies, and Doomsday were excellent! Wonder Woman, JL Doom, Batman Under The Red Hood and the two GL movies were pretty solid as well. Some films may have been a little weak (Year 1, Gotham Knights, Dark Knight Returns…basically the Batman films) but even the weak ones were still decent. This is a Justice League film so the expectations are pretty high…right?

This movie is based off of the Flashpoint event that happened in DC a while ago. Unfortunately, I’d say that it was easily the worst big DC event of all time. So, I actually didn’t go into the film with high hopes and it looks like I made the right move. One happy thing for fans is that Barry finally got his own film…only it doesn’t feel like a Flash film. It’s still Justice League in the end.

The film starts out with the Flash remembering his childhood. Unfortunately, he came home one day to find out that his mother had been attacked by some villains. Unfortunately, no heroes had been around and the villains got away. Barry realized that if he had just been a little faster, he could have saved her. The we cut to the present, where The Flash is attacked by many of his old foes. Mirror Master, Captain Cold, the whole gang is here! Even the Reverse Flash/Zoom. Flash quickly calls the Justice League and things come to an end very quickly. If the rest of the film had stuck to this format, it would have been the usual solid JLA film. Unfortunately, this is where the film goes downhill.

Reality has changed when Flash wakes up. Things have drastically changed, so something major must have happened. Metropolis was hit with a large explosion and Thomas Wayne was slightly quicker than his real version counterpart. Going into a new reality is always an interesting concept, but it isn’t handled very well. The Flash loses his powers, so he can’t use them to their fullest. Someone must have messed with time itself!

In this gritty world, the heroes are mostly not heroes anymore. (How they survived the Doomsday encounter we’ll never know! Maybe he just didn’t show up) Hal never got the GL Power Ring and Captain Atom vanished. Batman is pretty different and he doesn’t mind using guns in this version. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are also having a quarrel, which involved the fate of Earth. The government gets Slade and Luthor to help gather intel, while the remaining heroes have formed a resistance. They want to defeat both Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

Well, the animation is pretty solid. It does feel more like an anime which is definitely a plus. The night scenes have the most impact, but particularly the early ones. Cyborg’s usual blue blast is now a neon pink and it definitely seems to be more intense. Unfortunately, it does little to no damage, making Cyborg a pretty big non factor. (Like usual) Of course, he did figure out that Batman is the best tactician on the planet…somehow. (Beating up those crooks does earn you a good rep)

Unfortunately, the character designs are pretty awful. Everyone looks pretty off model in the Flashpoint world and even a couple of them in the real world. (Yes, they’re the same world, but they’re so different, that I may as well switch that) Superman is just….weird. His head is so small compared to his huge body. You would almost think that it was a parody. Batman (Pre Flashpoint), Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman seem to be accurate for the most part.

The fight scenes are an interesting thing. The first fight scene between Post Flashpoint Batman and the new Harley Quinn is pretty good. I’d say that it was probably the best fight scene in the film…which is part of the problem. When it all comes down to it, where were the fight scenes? Flash has a brief fight at the end, but it’s not much of a fight, since they barely exchange blows. Wonder Woman and Aquaman have a brief skirmish, but it is very brief. Some fighters attack both of them, but we don’t get to see the fights for long and they just weren’t handled in a very epic way.

I noticed that many people were talking about the controversial Wonder Woman vs Captain Thunder climax. It isn’t very violent, but I suppose the concept is a touchy subject for many. If you are of the opinion that children shouldn’t be used in fights (Like how I think animals shouldn’t get involved) you may want to skip the scene towards the end. You’ll know that it’s coming when WW’s battle against Captain Thunder is concluding.

The film is about average length for the DC films. (Little over an hour) There’s not a large amount of time to show things off, but it never got to be very rushed. The cast isn’t very likable, but it happens. I liked the real JLA and the new Batman was pretty good. Deathstroke was a pretty interesting character as well. The rest of the characters were either all right, or just pretty uninteresting. While this film definitely didn’t satisfy the JLA in me, but it is still a good film. The moral is also very off putting. By the end, we’re told that you shouldn’t mess with time, because things just happen. I definitely didn’t agree with that one. Someone messes with time, but it’s for the right reasons (Unlike AoU) and the time traveler is pressured into restoring time to how it was. The Flashpoint Universe is messed up, but time travel could fix that as well. Hopefully the time traveller will make the right move!

I’d recommend watching the film, but beware that things do get a little intense. This is based off of the gritty comic after all, but if you could endure Dark Knight Returns Part 2, then you should be okay. I came down pretty hard on this film, but that’s because JLA always has pretty high standards. Just wait until I review the upcoming live action film! I do recommend this film to comic book fans. After all, they would appreciate the cameos a lot more. Plenty of heroes get to appear for a brief amount of time, but they are nice easter eggs for the fans. If you are new to the world of heroes, check out Crisis on Two Earths!

Overall 6/10

The Wolverine Review

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The Wolverine is a film that puzzled me for a long time. Not the film itself, but the concept. Wolverine is one of those characters that I never thought would get more than 1 film to himself. Wolverine is very popular, but it was just hard to picture, not to mention that the first one came out a long time ago. Now that the film’s out, it is a lot easier to picture Wolverine having a third film. The film is pretty solid and it’s a good superhero film.

Wolverine hasn’t had a very happy life. After the events of the first Wolverine film, and the 3 X Men films, Wolverine has decided to stop being a hero. The X Men can deal with their own problems and he’ll just live out in the woods. It’s a pretty neat set up, but ultimately it was never going to work out. After a very unnecessary subplot, Wolverine heads with Yuriko to japan. They meet with Shingen’s dad (Who is pretty awful. He makes some veiled threats along the way, but they aren’t to be taken seriously…), who is very old. Wolverine saved his life back in the day and now the old man wants to make sure that Wolverine gets what’s coming to him…..Wolverine declines and gets ready to leave. Unfortunately, he’s shot! Wolverine still does pretty good, but can he survive the odds without his healing factor? Also, Mariko is being targeted by the mafia, but why would they do such a thing?

There are a lot of questions that are left to the viewer, but I’m sure that you can guess them all. If you can’t, I recommend reading some Bleach and then getting back to this movie. Wolverine is a pretty solid character, but they did have to tone his healing factor down in this film. For most of the film, it is out of commission. There are circumstances involved, but I don’t find them plausible. This may not be a known fact, but Wolverine is still an expert hand to hand fighter. He’s gone up against Captain America and Spider Man in the past. The film shows us a little of that, but not too consistently. While his healing factor is working well, his fighting gets very sloppy. When his healing factor is fizzing out, Wolverine starts using tactics. Maybe that’s just the way he fights. Wolverine is a pretty solid character. (Even if he says a few “hardcore” things that take away from his character)

All of you should remember Yuriko from the anime, but for those who didn’t watch it; Yuriko is an expert close range combat fighter. She is able to fight against some pretty skilled opponents and it’s always good to have other characters who are able to fight alongside the main protagonist. Yuriko was definitely one of the better characters of the film and she gets 2 critical fights to herself. Her first fight was one of the best fights in the film and it’s always good to see a sword battle.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Mariko. I didn’t find her to be a very good character and she was mostly the damsel in distress of the film. She has a few “tough” moments where she took on the minions and actually defeated a few. I dunno, if she had kept fighting the whole time, then it would have helped. Maybe even some classic lines like “I promise you Revenge!”.

The villains are definitely the weak point of the film. We have Viper, who plays a decently large role. Her power is pretty awful and not one that I would want to have. She’s actually pretty weak, but stays in the game somehow. She didn’t really add anything to the film and I think that she shouldn’t have been added. Shingen is a pretty tough villain, but he’s not very likable. His sword skills are pretty impressive and he makes for a good challenge to Wolverine. He wasn’t nearly as powerful as his anime counterpart, but it happens.

The “Silver Samurai” is a pretty tough mecha. What he lacks in character (Though his character is pretty awful), he makes up for (Somewhat) in sheer power. His Fire Blade is made of adamantium and it’s one of the strongest swords in XCU (Xmen Cinematic Universe) history. The Silver Samurai is pretty tough, but he does lack speed. Still, he was a decent final boss for the film.

On the negative side of the film, there are three main things. The opening scene involving the bear was pretty awful. They should have cut the scene out, but most live action films have a few cringe worthy scenes. The next one would be the excessive language in the film. It’s not extremely over the top, but more than you would find in the average superhero film. Sure, he’s Wolverine, but we don’t need the film to keep reminding us. He says his “iconic” line from X Men Origins, but there’s pretty little point. There are a lot of things that he could have said that would have been more epic. Also, this film has a romance subplot which is pretty annoying. Jean Grey’s ghost (Who is still inhabited by the Phoenix it would seem) keeps goading on Wolverine to just die already. He refuses, but she did cross the barrier between the living and the dead. Possible foreshadowing?

The Wolverine is a pretty good film. The atmosphere is a lot lighter than the first film and it’s more fun to watch. I would say that this film is better than the first, but the first film had a better final battle. (Deadpool FTW) The music is decently good for the film. The film does have more romance than you may have expected. The scenes are pretty wince worthy, but as long as you block them out, you’ll still enjoy the film. I recommend this film, but if you want a true superhero experience, then I recommend checking out The Avengers.

Overall 7/10

Transformers Regeneration Volume 1 Review

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Transformers is a huge franchise and just about everyone knows about the Decepticons and Autobots. I’d even say that Transformers is a household name at this point. Many people grew up watching the original show, (Which was awesome!) while the others went and saw The Transformers Trilogy in theaters. (Which may give people the wrong impression about the franchise) Transformers just had a very positively received show in the form of Transformers Prime, which can only help to solidify it’s popularity.

Transformers Regeneration is a comic series that is meant to be a direct sequel to the 80 issue series that was created a loooong time ago. I’ve always enjoyed Generation 1 of Transformers the most, so it was good to see that part of the franchise, getting the spotlight. While you don’t need to read the original series to jump into this one, I would recommend it. You’ll have a better feel for the characters if you do and the emotional moments will have a much bigger impact.

It has been years since the Autobots left Earth and returned to Cybertron. It has been a time of peace for over a decade, but you can never count the Decepticons out! Some of the bots feel that Optimus Prime has lost his edge, are they right? After being brought back to the realm of the living, Prime is definitely a changed person. He’s more of a pacifist than ever, which isn’t a bad thing. The only problem is that he seems to ignore the problems that are right in front of him.

Kup takes a squad to Earth, but they were unprepared for what awaits. The humans (That are left) are pretty upset and you can’t help but agree with them. How could the Autobots just leave and not even keep a security camera active or send patrols once in a while? Optimus Prime leads a group of Autobots to Earth to end this eternal battle once and for all! Can he defeat Megatron!? Prime’s battle against Megatron is easily the best part of the comic. The art is solid and the character’s personalities are done justice.

Grimlock has a sideplot where he is searching for a way to regain his ability to transform. He is desperate enough, that he is heading to confront Scorponock about it. It’s a pretty risky plan, since Scorponock is so tough, but maybe it’ll pan out. While Grimlock is away on his journey, and Prime has taken the Autobot warriors to Earth, where does that leave Cybertron? Well, Rodimus Prime is there, but they definitely don’t have much in the way of firepower at this point. The Neo-Decepticons are ready to take over on and there doesn’t seem to be anything that the Autobots can do.

This was definitely a solid way to start the new Transformers series. It feels like a continuation of the old series and quite a few plot points have already been established. The characters are very interesting to read about and they are consistent with their original G1 counterparts. (In short, nearly every character in the volume was cool. A drastic change from the average comic) Optimus Prime is a very different bot. Coming back to life can change a fellow I suppose, but it wasn’t for the better. Optimus Prime is still a good leader and he does bounce back from the event. All he needed was a little goading from Megatron. After that happens, it’s the Prime that we all know and love.

The art is very solid and it makes the fight scenes even more epic. Optimus Prime’s fight against Megatron was definitely iconic and not a battle that I’ll be forgetting anytime soon. With all of these villains on the loose, this should definitely be a long series. The Neo Decepticon plot by itself could be a few volumes and that’s not including Scorponock or the plot on Earth. I recommend this volume to all Transformers fans, or fans of other mecha series. Even if you just want to read a fun action comic, this is the collection for you!

Overall 7/10

Future Foundation Volume 3 Review

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As you saw in my review of Volume 2, I enjoyed the last volume a lot. It was a big step up from the first volume and things were definitely getting high tier. The fate of the Earth hung in the balance and all of the villain’s were making their move. Unfortunately, this collection lacks a lot of what made the 2nd volume so great, but it was still end to the arc.

The last volume ended with the Marvel Universe teaming up to stop the Kree from destroying Earth, while the FF went to deal with the Inhumans. Well, none of that is shown in this comic. Instead we get a mild time skip and we see the kids land in the Arctic. They managed to translocate themselves to Dr Doom’s lair. Apparently they were attacked by Annihilus, so they were forced to escape. Dr Doom sends some Doombots to escort them to the mansion. Nathaniel is still talking tough and acting as if he’s smarter than Reed Richards. Albeit, it is a “fake” Reed so he’s not quite as smart. Dr Doom still has the collar around him, so he can’t defy Reed or he will basically become a mindless zombie. Dr Doom’s son is also around, but he doesn’t really get to help out.

A large part of the comic is Valeria having an inner monologue. She made several deals with various characters and continues to be a key part in ending this fight. She builds her own Lightsaber and the group gets ready to fight their ultimate battle. The Celestials have arrived and they aren’t here to have fun. Franklin holds them at bay for a little while, but then it’s time for Dr Doom and Reed Richards to give it a shot. In the meantime, the others take on one of the Celestial’s fingers. (Which can transform into a robot)

Reed Richards has the Infinity Gauntlet so he should be “All Powerful”. Not to mention that he also obtained the Ultimate Nullifier as well. Unfortunately, no gadget can make you obtain unlimited power (Unlike Bass, who possesses it normally) so Reed is defeated. Dr Doom holds his own for a few seconds, but the Celestials won’t be stopped. Finally, Franklin Richards of the future and Galactus come to even the odds.

After that, we get another time skip, so we don’t get to see the fight….which is pretty disappointing. The Fantastic Four and the Avengers are back home. They start to make repairs and also ground Valeria for saving the world behind their backs and not being very trustworthy. Spiderman takes it all in stride and heads off, but Human Torch decides that they should be roommates. The comic ends with Dr Doom finding something…interesting!

The Fantastic Four were absent for just about the whole time, so they looked pretty bad. The Celestials took them out pretty easily. The Celestials also didn’t seem to be that smart and while they’re “Really Tough” they just felt like really big Sentinels. I didn’t like any of the kids, but Dr Doom was cool. He kept his composure through the entire battle and met his end like a true her-villain. Franklin Richards (Future) was pretty good for the most part, and I’m glad that he’s actually fighting. (He should have stayed around for the Age of Ultron.)

This collection was good, but it was definitely missing a lot of things. It’s sad for readers of the series, since they skip most of the battles. Marvel expects you to transfer series (Or buy them both) to read the whole adventure. That’s pretty disappointing and the art also takes a major dip for the first half. The art gets better for the climax, but that definitely didn’t help matters. I’d still recommend it to the average fan, but don’t expect to see the Avengers or the Fantastic Four for very long. This story is really about the Future Foundation. Maybe that’s how it should have been all along…..or not. Either way, we still got to see the Dr Doom and Reed vs Celestials fight, which was pretty fun. One thing I’ve always liked about FF comics, is the epic dialogue. Reed’s definitely smarter than the other Marvel geniuses. So, hurry and check this comic out guys!

Overall 7/10

The Kid Who Saved Superman Review

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*Jun 16 - 00:05*

This book had a pretty ambitious plot. How could a kid save the strongest comic book character of all time? It was definitely a bold move, but did it pay off? I don’t think so, since there’s no logical way for it to happen. As a result, Superman’s durability is pretty bad, but you still end up admiring his courage in the face of certain defeat.

Hakeem is the main character and he’s always wanted to be a Geologist. Hakeem knows many things about caves and rocks, but he hasn’t been able to prove himself to the world just yet. He’s still a kid, so the others haven’t been able to notice his greatness. Hakeem gets his big chance when his group heads for a cave. The others stop to take a look at the regulations, but Hakeem goes in. He doesn’t think that backup will be needed, but is he right?

Meanwhile, Superman’s flying at a pretty solid speed. He makes sure to remind the audience that he can’t stop natural disasters (Since when?) and he just needs to try and save the people who are in danger. He stops a flood by melting it, but it was a close call. He hears the calls of the group and decides that he’ll save Hakeem. Superman’s pretty brave, but he never stood a chance! Let’s just say that this cave is more deadly than it appears.

This may have been Superman’s closest call and he nearly died. In the end, Hakeem had to step up and prove to everyone what a great geologist he was. He’s also smarter than Superman in that regard. (Superman confirms this when he says that Hakeem noticed the earthquake line first…) I honestly felt bad for Superman, since the ending is pretty humiliating for him. He got beaten both physically and mentally in this book and he had to tell everyone about it. This Superman book was very short and barely cracked 40 pages. It definitely wasn’t as fun as the other Superman books, but it was a decent read. It’s always fun to see Superman finally meet his match! I recommend the book if you don’t like Superman, or if you like to see him beat up. I’d also recommend it, if you just want a school story that features Superman in it for a guest star appearance. As I mentioned earlier, it’s barely 40 pages. It’s not like this is going to take away 2 hours of your life. (Bring It On…..)

Overall 6/10

Super Smash Bros (VC) Review

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Super Smash Bros is a very intense battle series. After only having 3 games in the lineup, it has already attained a huge fan base. This game is what started it all. Melee finished the job that SSB had started, while Brawl helped to remind everyone why we love the game. With a new Smash Bros game coming out, it was time to check out the original.

The character roster is a lot smaller than the older games, but it can’t be helped. We still do have 8 characters right off the bat, plus 4 unlockables. Seeing that “Challenger Approaching” sign for the first time probably shocked and mystified just about everyone. It was such an epic moment in everyone’s life after all. Mario characters take up a decent chunk of the roster with 33% of the cast. (Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, DK) Pokemon gets 2 fighters, (Pikachu and Jigglypuff) so teaming up, the two series make up half of the cast. Metroid, LoZ, F Zero, Kirby, Earthbound, and Star Fox. Fox McCloud is still my favorite character to play as. but Link is also solid. His sword attack has a pretty good range.

The stage count isn’t huge, but considering that there aren’t many characters, I’d say that it’s enough. We have the classic Corneria, which is much bigger than in the sequels. The Pokemon stage was very fun to play on, while the LoZ stage is so nostalgic. There is also an unlockable stage that I recommend you try out. It’s a stage that every video game fan will likely remember. Final Destination is actually not available for multiplayer mode, but it’s the original, so they had to make some mistakes.

Classic Mode is a little different in this game. There is a set lineup, so you always fight the same characters. It’s actually a clever idea since it feels more like an Arcade Mode. It’s a very fun mode to play and who doesn’t remember taking on Metal Mario? The music is really cool and Metal Mario is pretty tough to knock out of the ring. I wish they had kept him in for the sequels, but maybe someday he will be back. During one of the events, we have a minigame where you need to get to the end of a 5 floor area. Several opponents will attempt to stop you, but it’s very epic. There’s a sense of urgency and the atmosphere gets pretty tense. In the 2nd final battle, you take on the Fighting Polygons! Those guys definitely mean business and they’re classic. My favorite villains of the Master Hand are still the Multiman (Melee), but these guys are a solid step up from the Multi Man. (Brawl) The idea behind them was definitely epic and they’re pretty cool to battle.

Master Hand is the final boss of course. He still strikes fear into the hearts of many, but with an intro like that, who wouldn’t be afraid!? The Master Hand is definitely awesome and he packs a punch. I’m not sure who thought of putting him in as the final boss, but it was definitely a good move. I still think that the Master Hand could be one of Mario’s gloves. It looks very similar after all.

Super Smash Bros had a cool mode that was called “Board The Platforms!”. It was pretty good and I dare say that it’s more fun than Target Test. The object of the game is to land on all of the platforms. Admittedly, it is pretty easy, but I’m sure that they could make it tougher in a future installment. We also have the usual Target Test mode, which was better than usual. Each character gets a unique Target Test course, which makes things a lot more interesting. The mode can be short at times, but it’s definitely exciting.

Of course, we have Vs. Mode, which is where you will probably spend most of your time. The gameplay is nice and fast. You’ll constantly be on the attack, unless you want to be attacked. The items are pretty fun to play with, and it’s nice to see the retro pokemon. The Ray Gun is a lot better than in the old games and it actually paralyzes the opponent. Not bad eh!? The C stick won’t work in this game, so we won’t have any spamage. It’s time to use pure skill to unveil your Smash Attacks.

Super Smash Bros was the start of a legendary series. When it first came out, I’m sure that everyone was in an uproar. It was unthinkable to crossover so many series and also give it such a great form of gameplay. When this first came out, I would have given it a 10. Things have changed and it has a lot of competition nowadays, so that is no longer an option. Still, it’s an incredibly fun game and I would still give it high marks. While it is a lot older than the other two Smash games, it is superior in some ways, while it can’t keep up in others. The music in the game is incredible and it still lives up to this day. I can’t think of a single “bad” song in the entire game. The animation is also pretty great and it’s definitely nostalgic. It reminds me of the N64, but maybe that’s because it started out on that console. It’s the best N64 game and also one of the best video games of all time. I don’t think we’ll ever forget Super Smash Bros.

Overall 9/10

Beet The Vandel Buster Review

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Beet The Vandel Buster is a manga that is missed by many fans. The series had a golden beginning and just kept getting better and better. The series had an abrupt ending with 12 volumes, but there is still a chance that the manga will continue someday. I find the chances of that pretty slim, which is why I’m doing my series review now. If the series ever does return, I’ll either continue from there on a weekly basis, do a new review covering “Part 2” or just update this one.

The manga is about a kid named Beet, who wants to end the darkness that covers the land. The world is filled with Vandels who basically have control over everything. There are various resistance groups who have made it their purpose to wipe these creatures out. They call themselves “Vandel Busters!” The more Vandels you take down, the higher your level and rep increases. There are some powerful Vandel Busters around, but for the most part, they don’t seem to have a chance. There are just too many Vandels and many of them are immensely powerful. It’s essentially the same as Naruto level fighters trying to take on Gokus and Vegetas.

There is one legendary group that are called the Zenon Warriors. They are possibly the strongest Vandel Busters in the world. The series starts off with them at a village, when the strongest Vandel in the world appears. His name is Beltorze and his design is pretty similar to Omega Shenron’s. His power is very considerable. The sheer power that is involved in Beet’s very first chapter, would make DBZ proud. Not even DBZ got to this level of power until later on. The battle is pretty good, but Beet comes along and things get dicey. Like Spiderman or Batman (Depending on the version) bad things happen that could have been avoided, if only Beet had made the right move.

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The battle may not look good for the heroes, but we see more of it near the end of the series. After a large time skip, Beet is now a very tough Vandel Buster. Along with Paola, he goes to end the Dark Ages. While Beet is mostly a close range fighter, Paola uses her magical abilities to attack foes from afar. They make a pretty solid team and take on various fighters. They’ve fought opponents like Beltorze and Garonewt in the past.

Eventually, the team gets a new recruit in the form of Kissu. Kissu is also a magic user and he is powerful, but only with his spells. His strength of heart is another matter. He lacks the resolve that Paola and Beet currently possess. It’s hinted that he may have finally turned around, but that’s exactly where the series ends. BB and Slade also help the team out when they’re in a pinch. Slade possesses great speed and BB is a magic user who turns the tables and actually prefers close combat.

The team goes around and takes down as many Vandels as they can. The series is always on the go and the heroes are doing pretty well. Beet currently has a 1 Star Bounty on his head. (Which is more than what a whole country is worth) Whichever 7 star Vandel destroys him, will become the legendary 8 Star Vandel. The pressure is on for Beet and his friends!

Beet is a pretty solid main character and he’s one of the more heroic fighters currently out there. He inherited several Saiga and they have helped him to become a very well rounded fighter. He can fight up close thanks to his Feather Sword and Burning Lance, while fighting from afar with his Air Gun. Beet can use his Shield to block many powerful attacks as well. If Beet needs to land a single, but powerful shot; then it’s time to take out the Axe. Beet uses his powers wisely and he’s definitely cool.

Paola is the first member to come and help Beet out against the villains. She did pretty well on her own and got quite a few level ups. She is a magic user, so she can fire off magic blasts to defeat her opponents. Being a long range fighter does have its disadvantages, such as not obtaining the speed and power that Beet has acquired through rigorous training. She’s a pretty good character and never backs down from a fight.

Kissu is only arguably a good character. He’s always having self doubts and his physical abilities aren’t so good. His magic is very potent, but he rarely gets to show it. When the going gets tough, Kissu is usually taken out pretty quickly. I never became a fan, but Kissu was starting to show some promise. If only the series had kept going.

BB is a skilled fighter who arrests those that break the law. Her magic can be used for long range, but she can wrap it around her for close range. This way, any Vandel that makes contact with her, will be destroyed. She’s definitely not as cool as the main fighters, but perhaps she will get better. Slade is a bit of a part timer. He helps out when Beet is in a pinch, but he’s usually not on the team. Slade’s really quick and his weapon is pretty much impossible to spot. Unless your skin is extremely hard, one hit is all he needs to take you out of the fight. I guess you could call him Beet’s rival.

Zenon is the commander of the Zenon Forces. At first he may not impress you, but he’s pretty epic during the climax of the series. Not only is he able to fight against Beltorze, but he was able to transcend his very limits. He’s easily one of the strongest characters in the franchise. He was able to keep up with Beltorze, only one other fighter has accomplished such a feat. (Beet, albeit it was only a fake) There is another character known as the Winged Knight. He’s very similar to Zenon and some suspect that they are one and the same. I definitely think that he is Zenon. (The light aura is a giveaway) This shows that Zenon is even more resourceful than we thought. The other Zenon members aren’t that likable yet, but there’s always a chance for that to change. We just need them to take up arms and fight again! Or at least get a solid flashback.

There are many Vandels, but let’s focus on the 7 Star fighters. Noa is known as the smartest member of the group, but he hasn’t gotten to fight yet. It’s safe to say that he’s immensely powerful, but we have no proof yet. He’s a decent character, but it would be good to see him more excited about fighting. Lady Rodina is another 7 Star fighter. She is scheduled to be Beet’s final opponent, which could mean that she’s…the strongest? I don’t know if that’s possible, considering how tough Grineed and Beltorze were, but that’d certainly be a plot twist. If only she had gotten to fight.

Next up, let’s talk about Hysterio. He had a really cool design, but he seems to be pretty unimpressive so far. Baron completely pulverized him and his powers aren’t the greatest that I’ve seen. He was pretty disappointing, but they can’t all be winners. Garonewt is one of the strongest fighters so far. He has many creatures hidden in stones that are on his body. He also controls gravity, which makes it almost impossible to even stand up, let alone fight. His battle was definitely epic and few could hope to take him down.

Baron is an aerial Vandel whose abilities are very potent. He’s a legend, even among the 7 Stars and he’s been doing well so far. Not only did he nearly defeat Beet, but he also took down the rest of the cast, (Including The Winged Knight) except for Kissu. Can Kissu really defeat him? I don’t think so, but that’s exactly how the series ended. Right before their big, climatic battle.

Grineed is another solid villain. He’s much better when he turns into his true form. In that form, his power is definitely lethal and he was one of the most impressive villains in the series. He definitely felt like a high tier fighter and he had one of the best fights in the series. Beet had some pretty solid/long fight scenes throughout the manga and this one definitely ranks up there.

Beltorze is the final 7 Star Vandel, and I’d say that he’s the strongest. Not only did he take down the Zenon Warriors, but he’s also devastated Beet and his pals as well. Beltorze never ceases to impress me and he’s basically got everything that a villain could want. Speed, Power, Endurance, Regeneration…Everything! I can’t wait until he fights again, but that could be a while.

Beet The Vandel Buster is definitely a remarkable series. It’s one of the greatest manga that I’ve ever read and the art is excellent. The author really knows how to draw a fight scenes, not to mention that he’s good at writing interesting villains. I really hope that Beer continues at some point in the future. Some may not like that the plot isn’t exactly deep, but it makes up for it with plenty of battles. The series is essentially non stop action. The fighting never stops and the art helps everything go smoothly. Even if it doesn’t continue, this is one series that I won’t be forgetting. I highly recommend reading it.

Overall 9/10