The Black Widow

aka Natasha Romanov, as played by Scarlett Johannsson in Iron Man 2. Looking good!!!

Comic-con!!!!!!

If anyone gets any news or pics from this event, the mecca for us geeks, please let me know. To begin with hows about some cool new pics from Iron Man 2!:

Doctor Who News: Preview

From the oficial website, The Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond!!!

Film News

He's been linked to every comic book movie property under the sun over the years but today it was officially confirmed that Ryan Reynolds (Blade Trinity, X Men Origins: Wolverine, Van Wilder) will be playing D.C's costumed, ring-wielding, intergalactic hero the Green Lantern (presumably Hal Jordan). Great choice methinks. It's fair to say the movie, directed by Martin Campbell (Goldeneye), has me pretty excited, not least due to the inevitable clash of heavy outer space sci-fi with comic book hero action.

Torchwood: Children of Earth - Final Thoughts

SPOILER WARNING: I will be discussing events which occurred so it may not make sense until you've seen the episode and if it does it may blow something you would have preferred to experience first hand, which I recommend. Proceed at your own risk.

So, that was an epic long story. Fortunately it held up brilliantly, there was a danger of collapsing under its own weight and on days 2 and 3 it looked that way but the show as a whole more than pulled off this format change, in style actually. If the show does carry on it might be wise to attempt more of these as it was the best work that it has done in all 3 seasons.
The one thing I'm unsure about is the incredibly horrific parts and bleak darkness, from the aliens use of kids to Frobishers terrible last acts or Jacks murdering his own grandson, describing back the events really doesn't do justice to how horrifying they come across, but the thing is they make damned good drama and do make you feel something so perhaps they were actually too effective!?.
Regarding Jacks decision at the end I was truly upset by it, I think for the reason that this man is irredeemable now as the Dr Who sidekick, travelling hero who simply uses more violent methods and a gun, it is impossible to imagine the Doctor doing something like this in one of his stories for example so its a shame the writers did it to Jack. A nice compromise might have been to have Stephen inherit his grandfather's "Lazarus qualities", an idea which normally I would complain about but was longing for here. As I said before love how it was left though with Jack essentially becoming the Doctor just after the Time War, traumatised and running away.
A lot of people have asked me if this was the last episode and I have to say whilst I really hope not I do think its probably the case, it makes an absolutely cracking final moment for the show and it does seem like Russell T is drawing a line in the sand under these projects now.
Direction, acting etc were all superb and the plot much better than I'd expected with some real horror elements done brilliantly and the best, most menacing villains yet seen in both the 456 and their government "accomplices". A sterling work all round, if you didn't see it I truly do advise picking up the DVD on Mon. In the meantime I'd be really interested to know everyone else's thoughts on the series, please feel free to comment below, I'll probably even respond. Thanks for sticking with it all week and stay tuned for more reviews.

"Haven't travelled far enough yet, got a lot of dirt to shake off my shoes."

:-) ("No don't do that I hate smileys")

Marvel Man Mike

TV Review: Torchwood

Children of Earth, Day 5

SPOILER WARNING: I will be discussing events which occurred so it may not make sense until you've seen the episode and if it does it may blow something you would have preferred to experience first hand, which I recommend. Proceed at your own risk.

Oh My Gosh. Complex, thought provoking, heart breaking, and gut wrenching. A great conclusion to an excellent mini series.

The Good:
- I want to discuss Jacks final decision in the overview tomorrow, suffice to say it was damned affecting and, like it or not, bloody good drama!
- Frobisher and his family's final fate was absolutely bleak (as a lot of this finale was) but totally captivating, at parts the show was too intense, I genuinely found it hard to watch, I'm not sure I could ever view this scene again, horror excellence with no monsters in sight.
- Euros Lyn deserves an award, look at little touches like Lois' eye shot through the cell or the close up of the contact lenses new wearer. Excellence.
- Is this the end of the whole show as a project? Certainly seemed that way, if so a fitting send off, with nice references to past members who have been lost right up to the pilot.
- Jack's new life is an absolutely blinding ending, I don't know if we'll see him again, or should, but I know he does have to wander the cosmos now, there was no other way to validate that character.
- Every conclusion was well executed, plotted and played.
- If sci-fi got BAFTA's this deserves one.

The Not So Good
- If I'm nitpicking the method of defeating the aliens was a bit rushed and convenient but that was unavoidable and was more about the personal cost anyhow.
- As I say, not sure about the darkness and that last choice, have to have some time to let it settle in. When I do the stars rating may have to be reevaluated, its on the cusp.

Apologies for the delay on my promise but I will post a series overview tomorrow when I can devote the time I'd like to it, and it deserves. Until then I leave you with my favourite explanatory, moving quote and the final scores. Phew! It seems like a long week...

"There's one thing I wish I had asked Jack back in the day. I wanted to ask him about this Doctor of his, who swoops in from nowhere and saves the world. Except sometimes he doesn't. I wanted to ask him why? Now I don't need to ask, now I know the answer, sometimes the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame."

Day 5: **** 4/5

Whole show: ***** 5/5

Doctor Who News: Preview

The official BBC website for Doctor Who over at www.bbc.co.uk/doctor who has its first previews of the next special up now. The hour long episode entitled "The Waters of Mars" will air, as they say, "later in the year", but don't be surprised if it's near halloween as it looks like they too are going down the sci-fi horror route...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/episodes/s0_07/

TV Review: Torchwood

Children of Earth, Day 4

SPOILER WARNING: I will be discussing events which occured so it may not make sense until you've seen the episode and if it does it may blow something you would have preferred to experience first hand, which I recommend. Proceed at your own risk.

Yes! Wow, wow, wow. This is what I had been waiting for, a roller coaster of excellence. Too much greatness. Can't recommend it enough.

The Good:
- Nice that Jack had a kind of twisted nobility in his original actions if a bit easy and taking away some darkness, that can be a good thing though.
- I cant single out anyone because literally every actor was great in every scene, Lois stepped up to her purpose briliantly, Ianto's death scene was heartbreaking recalling Owen and Tosh last year and there was uniform excellence, even in the smallest parts (JOhnson and Alice's interplay for example or Nick Brigg's slimy government spin doctor).
- Euros Lyn's direction, still great as it should go without saying by now, I especially noticed the composition of faces in the frame today, kudos.
- The intensely terrifying scene inside the "gas" chamber was sooo unbelievably good, better than ninety per cent of sci-fi horrors, the final hideous reveal of one of the children and what has been done to them was captivatingly horrifying.
- Such a relief to see the team getting their shining hero moments, which made it all the more brilliantly, fantastically shocking when it emerged how futile there efforts were and everything fell spectacularly apart.
- The scenes with the government were greatly acted and shot but more than that were incredibly intelligent and thought provoking, mining the ultimate true horror from our dull, real lives. How many other places would you see tackled issues like fascism, overpopulation, public fear and propaganda, and the terrifying potential natural decline of our world and its resources. Puts the alien into perspective.
- I strongly do suggest that everyone watch this , I can't support it enough.

The Not So Good
- Noooooo!!! Ianto's dead! They can't have seriously kiled off another regular? The stones on these guys. I am too much in shock to comment further.
- That's IT!!!

I could be here for hours singing this parts praises but all I want to say is that it was definitely worth the wait, I am more eagerly awaiting the finale than ever and I will weigh in with my thoughts on that and the series as a whole tomorrow. Until then join me in a silence for the late Ianto Jones and the tolling of bells ringing towards the collapse of civilization and the end of the world...

"On the fifth day we will be at war."

***** 5/5

TV Review: Torchwood

Children of Earth, Day 3

SPOILER WARNING: I will be discussing the events which occured so it may not make sense until you've seen the episode and if it does it may blow something you would have preferred to experience first hand, which I recommend. Proceed at your own risk.

Hmmm. Was expecting a really big kick off, especially as this episode was written by 2 of my favourite writers, one of whom has horror pedigree (which kind of showed) having written the movie "Severance" and a creepy horror-like episode of Primeval. What we got was still quite contemplative but essentially boiled down to one ace scene that stood out among the others,...

The Good:
- The scene in question being right after the 456's initial arrival and Frobisher's first encounter with them, an absolute master class in tension and building it from what is NOT seen, entirely compelling and rather scary.
- Capaldi absolutely shines in this scene, showing the value of an actor at the top of his profession, in a scene which could have been potentially cheesy and ridiculous he is one hundred and ten per cent believable and mesmerising.
- Euros Lyn's direction, still great but didn't notice anything extravagant, so arguably doing the job even better.
- Love the reveal of Jack's involvement in everything, whilst not exactly astoundingly shocking it is a nice return to the darker, more complex character of episodes like "Small Worlds" (which this storyline seems to owe a debt too).
- O.k, it was slightly cool seeing the gang reunite and that moment of Jack striding back out in the coat.
- Nice bit of morality and great interplay between Jack and Frobisher in the scene on the mobile, "you're a better man than me" could turn out to be vitally important words.
- Black ops team still cool but we still need some more investment, it worked wonders that we found out the little bit about Alice from them and I really want to know more about who Johnson is and why she's doing these things.
- Some slight nice reveals about the past but we still need more of the 456's intentions, two eps to go...

The Not So Good
- I can't emphasise enough how furious I am that the best and cleverest way the writers could find of getting the team rebuilt was to have them do BAD things and become the "Hustle" crowd, especially in light of the conversation later, which I referenced above re Jack being a good man, too many innocents are suffering throughout these events in random, crap ways.
- Lois is still waaay too unbelievable and convenient. Needs to be better plotted perhaps but honestly nobody realistic would be so brave with no real reason or visible connection to the people she's helping
- It's a shame that when the alien creature did appear in glimpses it looked like a 70's era Dr Who prosthetic, as I feared. With writing itself up like this show has been doing it needs a better effects budget, its all the more annoying because I know it can do it, both this show and Who have done in the past!
- Bit of a let down cliffhanger again, I'm waiting to be as impressed as I was at the start of this piece.
- The show is in danger of losing its USP by rooting action so far out of Cardiff then travelling up and down there (somehow avoiding any security, talk about lax) as if it was up the street.

Still lots of build up but I'm getting increasingly annoyed and losing interest, the last pieces of the puzzle will have to be spectacular to deliver on all this foreshadowing. A creepy villainous concept though with the child stealing, truly nightmarish and presented well again, the acting of all is keeping me involved but some more than others. It was also a wise decision to show less of the menacing alien and it's gross, ominous splutters and deep language were pretty cool, I hope we'll still see the badass though. The first 3 stars are for masterful technical direction of the villain moments and well written bad guy sequences and dialogue. And if you're keeping score Capaldi earns the 4th star single handedly (I would otherwise have docked it for the "Hustle" behaviour).



**** 4/5

TV Review: Torchwood

Children of Earth, Day 2

SPOILER WARNING: I will be discussing the events which occured so it may not make sense until you've seen the episode and if it does it may blow something you would have preferred to experience first hand, which I recommend. Proceed at your own risk.

Some interesting building of stakes, but an exercise in regrouping and perhaps treading water a bit, still it increases all the dynamics so can't be all bad, and it was wonderfully action packed and has some truly precious personal moments and little scenes between people. Still no bloody answers though...

The Good:
- No shortage of top notch energy and action, the story seemed to slow down but the characters remained as kinetic as before.
- Maybe its just because I'm a fan who has been there from the beginning but you really do root for this team, and get some real punch-the-air moments when they come through.
- Euros Lyn's direction is noticeably bold and a thing of beauty to watch.
- Gwen is always good value at centre stage, Eve again didn't let the audience down and she and Kai make a really watchable couple.
- Lois was nice and seemed a perfectly pleasant new potential team member after the red herring of yesterday, I just hope she grows into more than a conveniently deus-ex-machina amalgam of her job skills.
- Still a bit creepy with the "Midwich cuckoos" thing, but getting old fast, we need the reveal tomorrow that we're promised, much better was the horror film worthy scene of Jacks tortuous journey through being a collection of incinerated parts to being a screaming, agonised cinder of a torso.
- Some very, very, very slight cheese but some cracking dialogue too, though most of it from Johnson oddly.
- Even Ianto's annoying family had a plot function after all, and quite a cool one actually, metaphorically being the power of people against the state, Robert Lindsay would be proud.

The Not So Good
- Some great flourishes of personality but still a touch of the unnecessary funny, can veer too far if not reigned back a touch.
- The governments action and role as the bad guy is undeniably cool but it's hard to get invested without knowing exactly why they are behaving this way, and who they all are and what their link is to the (worryingly still absent) extraterrestrial threat.
- Lois was just too convenient as a friend on the inside with all the right access, knowledege etc, symptomatic of a few too many logic and security flaws (Ianto turning up to the bomb site, not shooting on sight, keeping Jack in one place to knit together, the list goes on). I would argue the same of the handily timed Ianto escape plan but it was so unexpected and ace that it was forgivable.
- Bit of a let down cliffhanger this time too.
- The nice moments with these guys are when they make mistakes, stumble and generally demonstrate that they could be us, they are getting a bit too skilled, turning them into super-capable gun toting John Woo rejects is to be avoided, if you need a capable good guy Jack is forgivable, he's got invincibility and hundreds of years of knowledge to back it up.

Interesting build up with some great scenes but a less than stellar whole, we can take away the righteous anger the good guys will have against the bad, and not much else, but I still can't wait until the next installment, I really hope the 456 are in some way badass.

*** 3/5

TV Review: Torchwood

Children of Earth, Day 1

SPOILER WARNING: I will be discussing the events which occured so it may not make sense until you've seen the episode and if it does it may blow something you would have preferred to experience first hand, which I recommend. Proceed at your own risk.

Wow!!! I've rarely been this impressed after the first part of any series, the show has visibly stepped up a notch in quality as its gone up to the top channel.
Where to start? Let's break it down:

The Good:
- Started really well, straight into the story and intrigue, whilst it was quite obvious from the start that the alien threat is clearly going to be the human children we see taken in the 60's. I suspect that we're supposed to be on the ball with that though and have the bigger questions to ask, like who was taking them? why? what presence is it represented in the light? What's up with Clem and why? I really am excited to find this out.
- The fact that the story, in the hands of a really talented writer, actually took the time to slow down and build, without seeming like dragging anything even slighly out. This seemed to be reallyt letting us know people better, or get to know new folks, giving us a chance for some of the best domestic scenes. For example I'd heard great things about the scene between Jack and Alice as she discusses hating him for being her father but not aging and watching her die, I feared it would be too science-fiction-y and unrelatable but as a scene it really worked, not least as Jack had to again demonstrate his increasing detachment from humanity and have his own kin tell him what a dangerous man he's become (a bit of foreshadowing perhaps?). Gwen's stuff was, as in previous years, brilliant but kept to a reasonable minimum since she is the one whose home life we know most about, it was really nice to see Rhys get a little moment to shine thuough
- The government and its connection to events, culminating in the reveal of the really supremely cool-looking black ops agency (led by the talented and immensely fanciable Liz May Brice) were an excellent plot, that seems to be ticking away nicely. I suspect we will learn more of their link to past events and the current crisis and who the secret team are. I fear we've seen all we will of Mr Frobisher revealed but his part still shines under the potential of a truly top rate actor (seriously just watch Peter Capaldi in that final scene).
- The big ending was one of the earliest things you could piece together from spoilers but still got my pulse pounding, and served to really highlight the team dynamics in a simple 2 words from Jack to Gwen delivered pitch perfectly ("You're pregnant!"), and the most heartfelt, desperate kiss between Jack and Ianto. The big story was top notch but these little moments were the cherry on the sundae. And how brave to have Jack become, ultimately, a suicide bomber, at the hands of the government.
- Having the balls to set up a new cast member and team replacement only to have him revealed as deep in the conspiracy and shoot one of the main stars in a true WTF moment!? Awesome.

The Not So Good
- As it's Russell T Davies there's usually always one bit of misjudged domesticity and comedy which doesn't fit with the rest of events and jars, and sure enough here we had Ianto's "hick" family and the SUV being stolen from a rough estate. Social comment or writing a scene too far? I fear the latter.

None the less I truly, genuinely loved this. Great acting across the board, some nice references to Doctor Who and Torchwood past but a seeming respect for new viewers too (and I recommend checking it out), seriously affecting emotional dialogue and performances (bar the aforementioned misjudged scene), some real directorial flourishes, an A+ script, and a tantalising and thrilling central mystery and threat, both creepy and astounding, all equals me on tenterhooks for tomorrow night!!!

***** 5/5

Spy-Fi Reviews: Chuck S2 Ep4

"Chuck Versus The Cougars"

The episode opens for the second time in a row with another really interesting glimpse into Sarah's past, possibly even better than last weeks as we see her as a slightly geeky, less attractive, socially awkward young teen, instantly making the character more relatable, and her relationship with Chuck all the more believable. We witness some intriguing hints of her past as her father is seen arrested by a covert government agency and Sarah flees. We cut from this to Sarah in the present day (still in the hideous new Orange-Orange uniform sadly), entering the Buy More there is some awkward relationship frisson with Chuck which seems to completely step on the dramatic tension of last weeks denouement (as if someone forget where this would air!). The guest star walks into the Buy More, and it's none other than... Nicole Richie. Oh god, I thought, this can't be good, especially as she was playing a role, attempting to act. Thankfully the role isn't too much of a stretch (spoilt bitch basically) and in these expository scenes she handles herself quite well, particularly as she is delivering important information of a link to Sarah's past (again, very interesting), and even her real name (Jenny Burton). The Sarah stuff is so compelling that you almost don't notice that the interpersonal stuff is actually superceding a plot yet! Unfortunately the next step is to introduce the "Buy More Sub Plot Of The Week" tm. Seriously I know people looove this part of the show but for me its just not firing, doesn't work. Especially since the concept is ridiculous (Lester thinks lowering sticker prices will be GOOD for business takings, no seriously). Yawn, a 3 year old could see whats coming. Yvonne aquits well as she portrays Sarahs discomfort entering into the mission briefing of the week (Copyright). There are small lapses into cheese but nothing too distracting. Overall the plot revolves around the shows equivalent of Tony Stark but boils down to Sarah getting back at a high school bully and revealing that all of her character stuff was wasted as she was, in fact, already training as a spy and using an alias. A shame...

**** 4/5

News - Smallville

The Hollywood Reporter and various other sites are reporting that Smallville, after nine seasons, has finally found it's General Zod and he is... British. Not so surprising. The kneeling fan, goatee sporting super-psycho will be played by actor Callum Blue. Previous credits that you may have actually seen include genre effort Dead Like Me and the frankly-awful-for-anything-but-softcore-porn brit "drama" Secret Diary Of A Call Girl. Zod will be a series regular and added to the credits alongside the season 8 surviving cast. No word yet if there'll also be a place for recently announced Metallo actor Brian Austin Green (of Sarah Connor Chronicles fame). Whose image is below...

Hello...

...and welcome to the newest blog outing from me, Marvel Man, aka Mike. If you've navigated from Thursday the 12th thanks and hi, consider this my solo outing to that band (along with Mr B), rest assured there's no splitting up the group though and this remains strictly a side project. The aim is for this to be a site for news, reviews, opinion, editorials etc on all the things that interest me in all geeky fields, be it sci-fi franchises, geeky based tv shows, films, comic books. You get the picture. Let me know if there's anything YOU wanna see, I'm hoping to begin posting actual material very soon. Thanks again, hope to see more of you round these parts.

Live long, and prosper.

Hi guys

Stay tuned, something epic, and geeky is coming...