Noir/ Windsor Watch: The Narrow Margin (1952)

Watched:  05/11/2018
Format:  Noir Alley on TCM - DVR
Viewing:  Fourth
Decade:  1950's

Holy smokes I love this movie.

DC has a "Death of Superman" Problem

I wasn't reading Superman comics in 1992 when DC killed Superman.

Noir Watch: Armored Car Robbery (1950)

Watched:  05/10/2018
Format:  Amazon Streaming
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1950's

It will surprise you that a movie entitled Armored Car Robbery (1950) is, indeed, about the robbery of an armored car and the fallout of that same robbery.

Regret Watch: The Hard Way (1991)

Watched:  05/07/2018
Viewing:  First
Format:  DVD sent by JimD
Decade:  1990's.  So very early 1990's.


The trend so far for 2018 is me watching movies other people put in front of me.  Whether it's watching whatever is served up on TCM's "Noir Alley" by Eddie Muller, what my collaborators want to watch for a podcast, or - in this case - The Hard Way from 1991.

A couple of weeks back I watched a movie from 1943 called The Hard Way, a backstage melodrama featuring Signal Watch favorite Ida Lupino.  More than one of you asked me if I'd seen the 1991 Michael J Fox starring feature of the same name, and, no... I had not.  I did look it up, and remembered the film from the posters and commercials and it wasn't too hard to pin down why I didn't see it back then.  And before you ask - there is no connection whatsoever between the Lupino film and this thing.

Flashforward about a week and I get a package at my door, open it, and sure enough... once again Jim D has sent me a movie I had absolutely no intention of watching and told him several times I did not want to see.  So, I'm now the proud owner of a copy of The Hard Way starring James Woods and Michael J. Fox.

So, let's talk about the movie, 1991, and why I didn't see it.  Because I did watch this dumb movie and I have opinions.

Noir Watch: Hollow Triumph/ The Scar/ The Man Who Murdered Himself (1948)

Watched:  05/06/2018
Viewing:  First
Format:  TCM Noir Alley on the DVR
Decade:  1940's

If you're wondering why I have three names listed for this movie, it's because this movie was released under three different names at three different times - but I think it was first released under Hollow Triumph (1948).  However, I can't find a poster I like better than the one for The Scar, so.. behold!

This movie was a *lot* of fun.  It's not a glossy studio movie, but acting talent, direction and cinematography carry you really far in a picture.

Marvel Watch: Avengers | Infinity War (second viewing)

Jamie and I went and saw Avengers: Infinity War (2018) again.  And realized we were glad Thanos was not a fan of beat poetry.

Superman Comics Talk: Action Comics Special #1 / DC Nation #0

Superman variant for DC Nation #0 by JLGL

With DC's Rebirth event now a couple of years in the rear-view mirror and a status quo set-ish for the DCU at this point (at least until the next reboot), the Superman books seem to be on solid ground, even as they head into the next series of changes as Brian Michael Bendis arrives at DC and takes over both Action Comics and Superman.

I've been considering writing more often on Superman comics the past year, but it was impossible to write about them without spending half the post explaining to anyone not reading Superman titles what was going on - continuity wise - in the comics.   Tomasi and Gleason's take on Superman and Dan Jurgens and a rotating group of artists' run on Action Comics worked very well for me, messy continuity and all - but getting past the "now Superman is married to Loid with a 10 year old son" bit - not that hard, but he's from another dimension (no he's not!), he lives on a farm except when he lives in Metropolis...  all that stuff was hard to talk about, and, frankly, when Superman and family didn't just make the jump back to Metropolis and the Daily Planet the way I expected, began to feel a bit like a holding pattern awaiting some coming change.  Still, the tone was right, the adventures depicted hit the right Super-buttons, and I returned to regularly reading comics (because I always start my stack with my Super-books).

Ancillary titles have been shakier, with occasional highlights.  Supergirl isn't exactly critical reading, but found footing in recent issues.  I am so far behind on Superwoman and New Super-Man that I can't comment.  

Bendis's first pages showed up in Action Comics 1000.  While there's a novel hook to get folks interested in the Man of Steel mini in June Action Comics #1001 and Superman #1 arriving in July, if someone was expecting Shakespeare on the page in the few pages penned by Bendis - what we did get was pro-level comics, Bendis' first pages of set set up that actually kinda worked, and a feel for "Superman is back in his regular environs".

Action Comics Special #1

Ho, boy. We Should Talk About "Krypton" on SyFy

The most exciting thing in this show is a piece of fabric

Ignore Jamie's guffaws to the contrary, but I quite like being proven wrong about (some) things.  Example:  I started watching Supergirl because I like Kara Zor-El quite a bit as a comics character (and mad props to Helen Slater for being better than her bad movie).  I found the first couple of episodes of Supergirl hilariously bad, and then the show start playing against expectations and I found myself enjoying Supergirl in a sort of "this is okay TV and pretty fun" sort of way.  It's not exactly The Americans, and it can't sustain 22 episodes per year and I wish they'd cut it to 13, but it's in my TV rotation.

So despite the David S. Goyer association and SyFy channel "we're doing serious Sci-Fi now" and some pretty boring adverts for the show (which, weirdly, ran incessantly during the Winter Olympics on NBC), I wanted to give Krypton a try.  Sure, it looked plodding and joyless in the vein of Goyer's Man of Steel work, selling that "but this is seeerious, Mom" vibe that one can only get when everything is gray and poorly lit like a nightclub that will have a brief but forgettable existence.

Krypton has an uphill battle no matter what.  It's not a mistake that DC Comics has only explored Superman's home planet in bursts via single issue appearances and the occasional brief mini-series.  If the stories don't arc toward Superman - you're more or less looking at a planet knowing "oh, you guys are boned".  After all - the point of Krypton (the planet, not the show) is to be either a near Utopia that made some critically bad choices about getting out of Dodge, or to exist as a highly advanced planet that should have been named "Hubris".

Avengers Bonus Post! Answering Your Questions About the Movie

the parade of pretty people

As the foremost world expert on all things cinematic and Marvel Comics, my words on Avengers: Infinity War are already making their way around the world as the definitive statement on what any right-thinking human should believe about this movie.  So it's natural that so, so many of you would come to me with your questions in all things Thanosy.

Here, I shall address your queries, both penetrating and dumb as hell.

Let us begin with the following question paraphrased from an actual bit of correspondence:

Dear The League, 

I have somehow spent the last decade not seeing all - or even most of - the Marvel films.  Obviously, this is a sign that I should not be trusted with any decision-making whatsoever.  

Therefore, I must bow to your superior wisdom, which is great in so, so many areas, and ask the following: 

If I've only seen, like, five Marvel movies, should I see Avengers: Infinity War?   

Humbly yours, 

(name redacted to prevent a torrent of well-deserved shame)

Needless to say I was simply shocked that one of my readers - nay, one of my FRIENDS - would have fallen so far.  But I wanted to put some serious thought into this, and share my answer for everyone, give them a chance to ponder my response and apply that knowledge - yes, innate genius but also hard-earned - into their own life.

If you have not seen all 18 movies or whatever of the Marvel Cinematic Universe - will, indeed, Avengers: Infinity War be worth the viewing?  Will you glean all there is to grasp in each moment, in each line of dialogue, each meaningful glance?  Despite the less-informed experience, can you still squeeze some joy, taste the fruit of the labors of both creators and audience, or will the ambrosia be robbed of flavor for your lack of understanding?

My answer may surprise you in it's thoughtfulness and sincerity, it's consideration of every angle.  It follows after the break.

Marvel Watch: Avengers | Infinity War (2018)

Watched:  04/28/2018
Format:  Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

Warning - this write-up will have spoilers.  Do not read this post until you've seen Avengers: Infinity War (2018).