When You Can Save Venom The Last Dance For Me, There’s No Need to Hold Anyone Tight

Although The Drifter’s song was not intentionally referenced, anyone paying attention to the last moments of this final instalment of the Venom The Last Dance will certainly be thinking about this tune!

Venom The Last Dance Movie Poster
Saving the best bits of lore for the finale is perhaps why I liked Venom The Last Dance over the other two films. Although this alien ooze’s personality is not changed since the start, where he’s basically a bombastic young kid, I’m amazed at how well Tom Hardy can pull double duty and bring that out even more. This character was originally voiced by Brad Venable and to still see him get partial credit is great. And to watch how this actor can balance between performing against himself is a clear demonstration of his versitile talent.

And at long last, the secrets of the ooze (the alien symbiote) are revealed! Knull is some dark god who said that he created them, but when they saw “The Light,” they rebelled and exiled their creator. It’s a fantastic start to a mythology and when he’s produced another race, the Xenophage, to exact revenge (they’re his new heralds), all I can say it’s about time this film is diving deep into the comic book lore!

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Examining Madame Web’s Lost Threads on Home Video

And we also got ideas on how to fix it, had Madame Web dealt more with the mythical lore that’s barely spun.

Madame Web Bluray Cover
Available to purchase on Amazon USA

After watching the bonus features of the home video release of Madame Web, I’m surprised that showrunner S. J. Clarkson actually knew what she was doing. She looked into what made this supporting character from the Marvel Comics Spider-Man comic books special. She got some bits right which gets quickly explained in “Oracle of the Page” but to change it around lots resulted in making it the mess that it is. Between getting a copy to review versus paying to see it made the difference in when I’d eventually watch this film.

By radically changing specific details up and having this story take place early in the MCU continuity might cause problems. There’s a moment concerning Ben Parker, the father to Peter, but will enough people catch the reference? The bigger question concerns how much of this tale is also part of that grander design versus being Sony Spidey-verse specific? The only good part of the film is in how the second incarnation of Spider Woman looks perfect. Sydney Sweeney (instead of Carpenter from the books) is perhaps the best part of the film when she finally dons the black and white costume.

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All the Heavy Metal is with the Nostalgia

Fans of Heavy Metal the Movie noiw have a remastered 4K and ATMOS presentation to thrill to.

Heavy Metal Steelbook Edition in 4KAvailable to order on Amazon USAHeavy Metal

Heavy Metal was the magazine to read during the 70s and 80s. The reason is that it was the place for talents to write or draw what they want–and not be restricted by censorship. In its original format, I was introduced to the works of Jean Giraud (a.k.a. Moebius). In the American edition, names like H. R. Giger, William Gibson and Harlan Ellison soon graced this publication.

Some of the writing and the artwork featured was once considered cutting edge; it’s very clearly a product of its time. The sexist works won’t hold up today for obvious reasons, and releasing this movie is mostly for those who are okay to the violence and adult themes portrayed. Fans of this anthology series have a remastered 4K presentation of the first movie to thrill to. An extra disc of the main and the second film on blu-ray was unusual. When comparing the prices of the Amazon USA and Canada edition, the former is the better place to order from.

In looking at the purchased physical release rather than an advanced online screener (that I had to wait to arrive by mail order), there’s plenty to like in this remaster. A bit of that soft grainy look is gone, and the better images come later in the film than earlier. Plus, for collectors, the Steelbook offering is a huge draw!

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Ghostbusters Afterlife & Ultimate Set in Review

The difference between buying the individual releases of the Ghostbusters film on Blu-ray and the massive 4K box set is not just the cardboard.

Win GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE on Blu-ray - STARBURST Magazine

Bluray Available to Purchase on Amazon USA (all countries)
4K Ultimate Collection (limited to USA)

The difference between buying the individual releases of the Ghostbusters film on Blu-ray and the massive 4K box set is not just the cardboard. It’s a fairly big box that can be put on a display shelf, and as for the individually cardboard sleeved discs, perhaps moving them onto proper cases is better. Those can be placed on the video library shelf.

The collectable edition has a cool green-coloured light-up effect when you open the faux ghost trap to reveal the packages. The study cardboard construction can take some bruising, but I’ll be trying to keep mine as prestine (still with the plastic sleeve) as possible and dusting it more often than usual. The two bonus discs is the reason why long time fans are buying this edition over the single. I’m still going through them all (as time allows) and find reading the recreation of Don Shay’s Making Ghostbusters book from 1985 the big bonus. 

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Going Back to Zombieland: Double Tap

Zombieland Double Tap Teaser Movie PosterBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Waiting 10 years for a Zombieland sequel is hardly anyone’s cup of tea. The groans is more or less with false starts than in the news of the team–Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin (now much older)–are back.

The reason for the delay, as reported by Digital Spy, lays more in writers Rhett Reese. Paul Wernick, Dave Callaham coming up with the right idea and having more experience under their belt before moving forward.

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There’s No Need for a Hellboy Reboot

Heavy MetalBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Studios desiring a higher profit margin is most likely behind the reason Hellboy is being rebooted. I can not and will not accept anyone other than Ron Perlman to play the title role. When news broke Monday night about this Columbia Pictures distributed film getting a second life, please pardon my french, “F*** No!” Since the business heads could not come eye-to-eye with Guillermo del Toro‘s pitch and the production costs involved (yes, he’s famously known to go over budget), don’t stab this director in the back by saying we’ll simply reboot it with Neil Marshall helming the second incarnation like this series can be changed around like Doctor Who.

Marshall has modest hits like Descent and Dog Soldiers to show he has the chops, but I do not think he has the comic book cred to pull off an R-rated version. Whether that means more blood or scarier content, that remains to be seen as no proper word is given if he will also be part of the script-writing team.

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