The ‘burbs (1989, Joe Dante)

Until The 'burbs gets around to actually having to pay off on its premise–the strange new neighbors are really serial killers–it’s quite good. There’s no way the third act pay off can deliver and the film’s quality takes a number of hits in the last half hour or so. Olsen’s script is, technically, at fault… but it’s hard to think of how the narrative could have unfolded and not had problems.

What the film does have, even with the last act problems, is some of Dante’s most enthusiastic work. The film’s perfectly casted–I counted three times the actors were trying not to laugh during a scene–and he gets these great performances. Olsen’s script sets up these fine characters, Dante and the cast are able to turn them into something even better… then the script abandons them. At one point, Carrie Fisher just disappears. Instead of figuring out how to incorporate her (or even just keep her around), Olsen sends her away. Coincidentally, Fisher disappears about the time the film hits the bumps.

Tom Hanks is very good in the lead. He manages not to get overshadowed by Bruce Dern and Rick Ducommun, who are a lot wackier. Wendy Schaal’s good as Dern’s wife (she too disappears though) and Brother Theodore is hilarious as one of the villains. Corey Feldman is a tad broad… and looks a little old for a teenager.

Amazing Jerry Goldsmith score.

With its marvelous Dante direction, The 'burbs is almost a success.

2/4 ★★

CREDITS

Directed by Joe Dante; written by Dana Olsen; director of photography, Robert M. Stevens; edited by Marshall Harvey; music by Jerry Goldsmith; production designer, James H. Spencer; produced by Larry Brezner and Michael Finnell; released by Universal Pictures.

Starring Tom Hanks (Ray Peterson), Bruce Dern (Lt. Mark Rumsfield), Carrie Fisher (Carol Peterson), Rick Ducommun (Art Weingartner), Corey Feldman (Ricky Butler), Wendy Schaal (Bonnie Rumsfield), Henry Gibson (Dr. Werner Klopek), Brother Theodore (Uncle Reuben Klopek), Courtney Gains (Hans Klopek) and Gale Gordon (Walter Seznick).


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OTHER FILMS DIRECTED BY JOE DANTE
OTHER 1989 RELEASES

Voodoo 3 (January 2012)

I assume Marz uses Kyle Rayner because he created the creator, but literally any Green Lantern would do. The way Marz writes the character, it could be any of them either. There’s no personality besides Rayner having sympathy for Voodoo as he fights her alien sidekicks.

Of course, Voodoo is out to destroy the earth… or is she? It’s doubtful DC’s going to do a villain comic. But they might.

I think the aliens from Grifter show up at the end too, but I’m not sure and I’m not interested enough to investigate.

It’s a mediocre comic and nowhere near as strong as the first one, but it’s not bad. It doesn’t even suggest bad things for the series overall. Marz just needs to get Voodoo back on her cross-country David Banner jaunt and it’ll be fine.

Nice art from Basri, though his Rayner looks like a complete tool.

CREDITS

Into the Light; writer, Ron Marz; artist, Sami Basri; colorist, Jessica Kholinne; letterer, Jared K. Fletcher; editors, Rex Ogle, Darren Shan and Brian Cunningham; publisher, DC Comics.

Astonishing Tales 7 (August 1971)

If Herb Trimpe spent as much time on his figures as he did on the shading lines, his Ka-Zar story might not have been hideously ugly. It’s actually passable–ambitious at times even–until the dinosaurs show up. Trimpe can’t draw dinosaurs.

Roy Thomas scripts the story, which is an extended chase and fight scene. The narration’s weak and the dialogue’s weak. Ka-Zar is annoying with his Tarzan speaking, but he also lacks any personality. Sure, he’s got a sabertooth tiger for a sidekick… but it doesn’t make either compelling.

And Thomas’s conclusion is inept.

Then Gerry Conway and Gene Colan do Black Panther versus Doctor Doom. Frank Giacoia isn’t the best inker for Colan, but he’s not bad either. Sadly, Conway’s script is annoying beyond belief. He constantly questions the characters in the narration. I’m not even sure what person it is.

Overall, aside from Colan, it’s a waste.

Marvel Premiere (1972) #2

Marvel premiere 1972 2

Ladies and gentlemen… the writing stylings of Roy Thomas! Yay! Yay!

Oh, wait. Umm. No. Not yay.

I suppose if someone wanted to read some really bad seventies young person counterculture dialogue, he or she could read Roy Thomas’s Adam Warlock story. It’s painful to read. And eventually painful to see too.

It’s another issue where Gil Kane’s art falls apart after a certain point. There’s this private detective who Kane draws terribly, but also disturbingly. He looks like an evil, poorly drawn Peter Lorre.

Oh, and the villains. The villains are these giant animals–a rat, a snake–and Kane butchers them. It’s like he can’t draw anything but regular people. Worse, the art all starts good and then plummets.

It’s a confusing story. Thomas loves to overwrite.

There’s a Jimmy Woo backup too, from Jack Kirby. It’s not any good, but it’s mildly interesting as a fifties relic.

Green Lantern: New Guardians 3 (January 2012)

During the opening scene of this issue, Kyle Rayner–imbued with the powers of all the rings… well, not really but Bedard misses that plot hole–starts spewing like a Red Lantern.

He spews while speaking Bedard’s dialogue, which proves a nice metaphor for the issue in general and Bedard’s writing in particular. Obviously, not all of the problems are Bedard’s fault. He’s not the idiot who named the Orange Lantern leader Agent Orange, he just works for the idiot who did.

It’s a strange issue in how little happens. The ringless (but still able to survive in space and still possessing superpowers) supporting cast goes to Oa to confront Kyle. Except Kyle thinks they’re on their way to rescue him. Makes a lot of sense.

There’s nothing to recommend the comic.

Wait, there’s a funny fat ghost Lantern. It’s even kind of cute, like an orange Slimer from Ghostbusters.

CREDITS

Writer, Tony Bedard; pencillers, Tyler Kirkham and Harvey Tolibao; inker, Batt; colorist, Nei Ruffino; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, Sean Mackiewicz and Pat McCallum; publisher, DC Comics.

Marvel Premiere 2 (May 1972)

Ladies and gentlemen… the writing stylings of Roy Thomas! Yay! Yay!

Oh, wait. Umm. No. Not yay.

It’s a confusing story. Thomas loves to overwrite.

There’s a Jimmy Woo backup too, from Jack Kirby. It’s not any good, but it’s mildly interesting as a fifties relic.

Small Fry (2011, Angus MacLane)

I find Small Fry to be a little confusing. Not just in the narrative, though the plot also has an incredibly big hole, but the approach in general. It’s a Toy Story short, only MacLane gives it enough plot it could be a feature, not just a short.

A “Happy Meal” version of Buzz Lightyear tries to impersonate the real one, only to be found out by Woody. Meanwhile, the real Buzz has to get out of a fast food joint. He meets some other discarded Happy Meal toys and cuteness ensues.

The big surprise is Tim Allen and Tom Hanks being back. While the animation is still wonderful, this short screams Disney cash in. It seems like the exact thing Pixar didn’t want, back when Disney threatened to make Story sequels alone.

Small Fry manages to be cute and competent, but pointless.

Though Jane Lynch’s scene is really funny.

1/3 Not Recommended

CREDITS

Directed by Angus MacLane; written by Josh Cooley; animated by Eric Luhta; music by John Powell; released by Walt Disney Pictures.

Starring Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Tom Hanks (Woody), Joan Cusack (Jessie), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Teddy Newton (Mini Buzz) and Jane Lynch (Queen Neptuna).


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OTHER 2011 RELEASES

All-Star Western 3 (January 2012)

There’s something missing from this issue. There’s lots of Western action–including a great scene of a gatling gun taking out Hex’s associates on a Gotham street–and the atmosphere is amazing. So it’s not that part of it… it’s the rest.

There’s no story.

Gray and Palmiotti resolve their lame cliffhanger in a page, so fast I didn’t even realize what happened, and then things race along. There are a bunch of conversations, an action scene, and the revelation Hex has something else to do in Gotham.

All the conspiracy stuff and character development are gone. But the issue’s so fun… I didn’t realize it until I had finished reading.

Moritat is getting a little loose, but he still delivers.

The El Diablo back-up is weak, except for Jordi Bernet’s art. It’s really talky and Gray and Palmiotti seem to be going for an ominous finish. They fail.

CREDITS

No News Is Good; artist, Moritat; colorist, Gabriel Bautista. El Diablo; artist, Jordi Bernet; colorist, Rob Schwager. Writers, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Kate Stewart and Joey Cavalieri; publisher, DC Comics.

Creatures on the Loose 17 (May 1972)

For some inexplicable reason, probably because he liked to read himself (I don’t think Marvel paid by the word in the seventies), Roy Thomas has his protagonist spouting expository dialogue every panel.

Thomas and Gil Kane do the feature, Guillvar Jones, and it’s beautiful to read. Kane eventually does have some weak panels, but most of them are fantastic. Lots of fluid movement. Just great.

And Thomas doesn’t do bad with the first person narration. It’s fine. All the expository dialogue (protagonist talking to himself) is terrible and narratively pointless, if not incompetent.

The issue also has some old reprints. There’s a pretty good giant sea monster one from Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. The twist is the sea monster is intelligent, but Lee doesn’t explore that point enough. Nice art.

The other reprint is sci-fi (from Lee and Don Heck). It’s fine until the moronic ending.

Batman: The Dark Knight 3 (January 2012)

Batman’s a jerk. He badmouths Poison Ivy, saying she’s a villain, says he can’t trust the Birds of Prey (do they really refer to themselves by that name? How dumb) and then doesn’t apologize when he finds out he’s wrong.

But it’s not just Batman making the mistake. Jenkins and Finch mention this Gotham PD lieutenant doesn’t have a detective rank. So he’s a plainclothes lieutenant? Not sure they understand basic rankings. Or maybe they’re trying to have Batman tell a joke. They fail.

There are lots of attempts to bring the series into continuity. They seem pretty silly once Batman forgets the Joker doesn’t have a face… not to mention them having a previous relationship. I thought Detective established they weren’t bantering nemeses yet.

Finch’s Bruce Wayne art is bad. It makes the costumed stuff seem okay.

Still, it could be worse. Not a lot worse, but definitely worse.

CREDITS

Catch Me If You Can; writers, Paul Jenkins and David Finch; penciller, Finch; inker, Richard Friend; colorist, Jeromy Cox; letterer, Sal Cipriano; editors, Rickey Purdin and Mike Marts; publisher, DC Comics.