How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town lacks shocks but never bores

Crash Bandicoot slumps on his couch, grabs the greasy remote and switches on the telly. “Man, this freelance racing gig bites!” He sighs, brooding over the golden days of his first high octane adventures; the slick, razor-sharp turns, the smell of gasoline, and the pure rush of adrenaline each time his foot hit the pedal. Today, all that seems so far away. He …

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You Directed by Rachel Grady & Heidi Ewing USA, 2016 Legend is a term that gets thrown around a lot in Hollywood. Any actor/actress with a charming smile, a great head of hair, who can survive in Hollywood’s shark infested waters long enough, will eventually get slapped with the term …

Veep, Season 5, Episode 3: “The Eagle” Written by Steve Koren Directed by Chris Addison Airs Sundays at 10:30pm on HBO A key test of how fleshed out a show’s characters are is how well the story holds up when they’re pulled apart. Are their personalities interesting enough to sustain themselves in isolation? Or do the …

Director Bryan Singer helms a sprawling epic that’s merely cobbled together from familiar plot points and franchise curtain calls.

Gotham really heats up this week as Azrael is unleashed onto the City causing everyone within his purview to scramble to try to avoid or try to end his rampage. There is Professor Strange covering his tracks, Tabitha planning her departure, and Gordon trying to take down Azrael before he can do any more harm. It’s a race to beat the clock in this week’s action packed hour.

Earlier last month, the Oxnard, California hardcore/crust/death metal hatemongers known as Nails released the title track and video from their upcoming album “You Will Never Be One of Us.” It’s everything a Nails fan could have wanted; it’s short and blunt, the riffs are dense with vitriol and the lyrics vocalist Todd Jones spews in …

Embrace of the Serpent (El abrazo de la serpiente) Written by Ciro Guerra & Jacques Toulemonde Vidal Directed by Ciro Guerra Colombia, 2015 It’s a tricky matter, trying to describe the defining features of a national cinema. In some ways it’s foolhardy: film industries are made up of many different filmmakers, all with different styles, …

Silicon Valley, Season 3, Episode 3: “Meinertzhagen’s Haversack” Written by Adam Countee Directed by Charlie McDowell Airs Sundays at 10pm on HBO The end of last week’s episode of Silicon Valley was the biggest blow to Richard’s original Pied Piper vision yet; the new CEO Barker had gone all in on the presumably misguided advice of …

While the marketplace for multi-million dollar Hollywood blockbusters is certainly thriving, the reality is that the future of the industry is directly tied to the health and success of independent filmmaking. This is where the majority of Hollywood – from actors to directors – get their start. Unfortunately, though, many challenges exist. While independent filmmaking …

Where is Rocky II? works both as an engaging documentary and a unique cinematic hybrid.

What makes How to Build a Time Machine such a great documentary is that isn’t just interested in watching Niosi and Mallett chase after their eccentric goals. Cheel really keys in on the nature of fixation.

Does edgy humor uplift the downtrodden, or use their misery as a crutch for easy jokes? The Last Laugh may not offer any definitive answers but it does provide enough well thought out arguments, sharp insights, to spark conversations.

ASK ANY fan of The Simpsons and they will tell you without hesitation that dolphins are exceptionally intelligent creatures. They might speak in unintelligible clicks and use echolocation to hunt out a good meal, but the extensive brain curvature of these ocean-bound warriors exceeds even that of homo sapiens. Despite this, one important question still remains unanswered …

The Punisher #1 Story by Becky Cloonan Art by Steve Dillon Colors by Frank Martin Letters by VC’s Cory Petit Published by Marvel Comics   With an iconic character like the Punisher, it takes an all-star team to do him justice. Fortunately, Becky Cloonan and Steve Dillon have got it covered. Dillon returns to the …

‘Satellite Falling’ #1 charms the reader within the first few pages with its Samantha Spade protagonist navigating a strange new alien-filled world. The lush color palette on an imaginatively constructed setting elevates the engagement and enjoyment, while an action-driven plot makes reading both fast and fun.

Renato Jones: The One% #1 Written and Drawn by Kaare Kyle Andrews Published by Image Comics Released May 5th, 2016 The super-rich are villains, the book’s anti-hero Renato Jones proclaims. “With that kind of power, how can anyone stop them? How can anyone make them pay? Who will make them pay?” Just like Bernie Sanders, …

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season 1, Episode 14: “River of Time” Written by Cortney Norris & Anderson Mackenzie Directed by Alice Troughton Airs Thursdays at 7pm ET on The CW Sometimes, in the course of time, it becomes necessary for a TV show to showcase all of its worst aspects with determined abandon over the …

In, Kings Quest #1, writers Ben Acker and Heath Corson craft a relatable POV character in the “other Phantom” Karen, keep a winking sense of humor throughout the story, and let Dan McDaid and Omi Remalante draw and color plenty of punching, kicking, sword slicing, and mysticism from the various members of Team Supreme. It’s a fun introduction to these classic characters for the summer superhero blockbuster generation. (Which includes me.)

The fascinating ‘Men & Chicken’ will make you laugh and cringe in equal measure

‘Captain America: Civil War’ has everything a superhero movie needs to save the day

Whether you’re a documentary lover, political junkie, or just appreciate really good movies, go out of your way to see Weiner.

The Family Fang Written by David Lindsay-Abaire and Kevin Wilson (adapted from his novel) Directed by Jason Bateman U.S., 2016 Jason Bateman’s sophomore directorial feature is not the follow-up to Bad Words that many expected. While that low-key comedy based around a grown man through a child’s spelling bee was a pleasant surprise, this adaptation …