Archive for the ‘LanternCast’ Category

The Durlan story-line is FINALLY over so Mark and Chad decided that THIS episode would be entirely devoted to the literal “better half” of the Lantern titles! Woohoo! Listen in as they discuss slightly revised Guardian history, reactions to space statues, the logistics of planetary positioning and its relation to the laws of physics and MORE! Be sure to chime in on our voice-mail at 708-LANTERN!

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The end of the incessant, eternal, monotonous, interminable, perpetual, unending, everlasting, ceaseless Durlan saga is here! Thank the New Gods! Oh yeah, that reminds me…SIGH. Oh well, join us anyways as we sort through the good and the bad and toss in a healthy mix of LISTENER FEEDBACK! Be sure to chime in on our voice-mail at 708-LANTERN!

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Brett Ratner’s “Hercules” is a solid if unspectacular swords and sandals epic that rises and falls on the broad shoulders of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. While the movie is slow to develop and the creative decision to attempt to demystify the beginnings and labors of Hercules is questionable, the film does pick up considerable steam in its second half.

Many of the twists in the final act are predictable, though Johnson’s presence is able to still make the experience fun and as believable as possible.  It is also a testament to his popularity and his relentless use of social media that “Hercules” has even been as moderately successful as it has (considering an overall lack of interest in the project by movie-goers).

Dwayne Johnson has proven to be a shot-in-the-arm to many existing franchises, but creating one of his own has thus far been elusive.  “Hercules” is unlikely to change his fortunes anytime soon.

Mark J. Marble

In between review episodes, Mark and Chad use their time to discuss the recent news out of the 2014 San Diego Comic Convention! Arrow, The Flash, Batman Vs Superman, Ant-Man, Avengers 2, Guardians of the Galaxy, Legos, Revival, Godzilla and a WHOLE lot more! Be sure to chime in on our voice-mail at 708-LANTERN!

Download the episode HERE!

If Hollywood wants a blueprint of how to reboot a franchise, they need look no further than Fox’s last two “Planet of the Apes” pictures.  Despite presenting a different way for the Apes to rise to dominance, the new series pays respect to the themes, legacy and heart of the original five films.

Much like its predecessor “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” Dawn is driven by the performance of Andy Serkis as Caesar.  Caesar is such a noble and honorable character that not only is it  almost impossible not to root for him, but you truly want to see more of his story.  As an Ape messiah who was raised by loving humans, he truly is a child of two worlds.

While natural expectations (and marketing) would lead you to believe this was simply going to be another case of the bad human/good ape morality play, the plot itself is a great deal more gray than black and white.  Director Matt Reeves powerfully delivers home the belief that there always is good and evil on both sides of every conflict.

Caesar’s human counterpart is Malcolm, played by Jason Clarke.  He becomes an ally and unexpected friend to the Ape leader, proving that there are still good people left despite the aftermath of devastating war and disease.  The closeness between the two echoes back to the loving and respectful relationship between Caesar and James Franco’s Will in “Rise,” especially in one touching scene towards the end.

While the ending points to a future that we knew was probably unavoidable, the final acceptance of this fact is still a bitter pill for Man, Ape (and movie-goers) to swallow.

With great writing, direction and acting, this classic sci-fi series has been reborn and the next chapter is definitely something I’m looking forward to.

Mark J. Marble

Rebirth was the opening bell, but Sinestro Corps War was the knockout event that spawned a frenzied focus onto Green Lantern. Listen in as Mark and Chad are joined by LanternCast co-founder Jim Ford and longtime listener Corwin Crowl to discuss this timelessly epic Green Lantern event! Sinestro, Anti-Monitor, Cyborg Superman, Superboy-Prime, Parallax and the revelation of the Emotional Spectrum! All of this and more awaits you in one of the LanternCast’s most requested episodes! Be sure to chime in on our voice-mail at 708-LANTERN!

Download the episode HERE!

Sinestro got his own series and surprise, surprise, it’s FANTASTIC. So what makes it so good? Listen in as the guys talk about the first three issues of the new series! All of this and the MOST LISTENER FEEDBACK EMAIL we’ve ever received! Be sure to chime in on our voice-mail at 708-LANTERN!

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No Green Lantern talk this time around kiddos! But never fear, Mark and Chad are discussing something equally epic! GAME OF THRONES SEASON FOUR! What happened? What’d we think about what happened? What do we hope will happen? All caught up on the hit HBO series? Then listen in! Be sure to chime in on our voice-mail at 708-LANTERN!

Download the episode HERE!

Living abomination constructs, Black light lanterns, sudden familial closeness, Oblivion junior, non-coincidental New Gods references and much, MUCH more! All of this and LISTENER FEEDBACK! Be sure to chime in on our voice-mail at 708-LANTERN!

Download the episode HERE!

The expression “Seen one, Seen them all” could have practically been invented to describe Michael Bay’s “Transformers” franchise.  Each film gives you pretty much the same thing: state of the art special effects, explosions, poor screenwriting and mostly uninteresting human characters.

“Transformers: Age of Extinction” takes this formula to the extreme, including in running time as the movie clocks in at nearly 3 hours long.   While Mark Wahlberg is definitely an upgrade from Shia “My Career is Imploding” Labeouf, he isn’t entirely believable as a struggling inventor/ repairman who is barely keeping his head above water.  Still, he’s the only interesting human in the film (at least until Stanley Tucci begins to get more and more screen time).  Tucci is clearly above this material.  He steals the show in the second half of this overly long “epic.”

The plot this time around revolves around a government conspiracy to eliminate ALL Transformers (Autobots & Decepticons) while learning enough about their DNA and power source to create their own homegrown Transformers (which is where Tucci’s character comes into play).  Throw in an alien bounty hunter (Lockdown) for good measure, and you pretty much have it.

The much-hyped Dinobots only appear in the movie’s final hour and they don’t really get to do very much, though they are visually impressive.

How you feel about this film will greatly depend on how much you enjoyed the previous three.  While I’ve never loved any of them, I did think “Dark of the Moon” was the best of the original trilogy.  “Transformers: Age of Extinction” feels like a big step down in the wrong direction though.