Category: Movies & Television (Books)

IRON MAN 2: PUBLIC IDENTITY (MARVEL Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 14, 2024

Primary Feature (Issues # 1-3) Written by Joe Casey, with Justin Theroux (as co-plotter).

Primary Feature Art (Issues # 1-3) by Barry Kitson; Ron Lim; Tom Palmer; Victor Olazaba; Stefano Gaudiano; Matthew Southworth; Matt Milla; & VC’s Clayton Cowles.

Cover Art (Issues # 1-3) by Adi Granov.

Iron Man 2: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. One-Shot Written by Joe Casey.

Artists: Tim Green II; Juan Doe; VC’s Joe Caramagna; Felix Ruiz; Ian Hannin; VC’s Clayton Cowles; Matt Camp; & Ian Hannin.

Cover Art by Salvador Larroca.

Collection Cover Art by Adi Granov.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2010 by Marvel Comics, this 152-page trade paperback compiles the three-issue Iron Man 2: Public Identity mini-series followed by the one-shot Iron Man 2: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – all from that same year.

Set after the first Iron Man film (2008), Public Identity presents a prelude to Iron Man 2. Tony Stark’s maverick international presence as Iron Man is making U.S. military leadership uneasy. Unable to corral Stark’s impulsive yet benevolent intentions, the military secretly recruits weapons designer Justin Hammer and U.S. General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross to help devise immediate alternatives. Lt. Colonel James Rhodes, despite exasperation with his own friend, tries to keep Stark attuned to the military’s ongoing concerns.

Interspersed with flashbacks to Howard Stark’s own past as a high-tech weapons manufacturer, Tony’s troubled childhood growing up is conveyed. Tony’s present-day playboy antics are of concern to Pepper Potts. Overseas, Iron Man successfully a notorious minefield with his own futuristic take on a mine-attracting magnet.

After a Hammer-designed armored ship goes down with the unidentified U.S. pilot landing in enemy hands, an exhausted Iron Man returns to battle. Stark and Ross later angrily confront one another. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury has been shadowing Stark before sending in a covert operative for closer surveillance.

The 24-page Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has Nick Fury, Agent Phil Coulson, and, finally, “Black Widow” Natasha Romanova, entering Stark’s orbit from different angles. In the eight-page “Who Made Who,” Fury has an undercover S.E.A.L. commando to observe Iron Man’s actions in the field. Yet, he may be unaware that Stark is conducting his own counter-intelligence. The eight-page “Just Off The Farm” has Agent Coulson recruiting a new S.H.I.E.L.D. operative named Hendricks via a trial under gunfire.

Lastly, “Proximity” (8 pages) sets up Black Widow’s undercover surveillance assignment at Stark Industries during Iron Man 2. Case in point: posing one of Stark’s legal notaries, Natasha Romanova devises a ruse to infiltrate his palatial beachside estate.

Note: This title is also available digitally.

REVIEW:

Deeming Iron Man 2: Public Identity a glorified movie ad would be accurate. Given its content, including a third of its page count as total padding, that should come as no surprise.

While its overall writing is fairly sharp, the primary feature’s artwork isn’t nearly as slick as the glossy paper it is printed on. Public Identity’s artwork, in that sense, is deliberately generic. Only Nick Fury resembles Samuel L. Jackson; to a lesser degree, this take on Justin Hammer passably resembles actor Sam Rockwell. One isn’t likely to recognize the other actors (i.e. Don Cheadle; Gwyneth Paltrow; William Hurt; and even Robert Downey Jr.) based upon their comic book counterparts. The story, overall, makes for an okay read, but the overindulgence playing up Iron Man 1 and 2 is a given.

The trio of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D tales prove fairly good, as are the likenesses of actors Jackson, Clark Gregg (with Coulson murkily seen), and Scarlett Johansson. Hence, casual fans will get a little more insight as to Iron Man 2’s plotting, as far as why some of its pivotal supporting players are joining the franchise. As for the Spotlight magazine, it’s fun to peruse once, but clearly the iconic Avenger’s die-hard fanbase is whom it would most appeal to.

Iron Man 2: Public Identity, overall, is by no means a must-read – except for the film’s ardent fans. At most, this book offers a welcome library find for nostalgic fans as to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s early days.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Adi Granov’s full-page Iron Man 2: Public Identity cover for each of the three issues precedes its story. The same applies to Salvador Larroca’s Agents of HIELD one-shot cover.

Also included is 2010’s 48-page Iron Man 2 Spotlight promo magazine. With movie promo images and a plethora of Marvel artwork, the magazine consists of:

Full-page cover and then a table-of-contents;
Jess Harrold’s interview with artist Adi Granov (7 pages);
Four Granov covers (1 page) and his Extremis Armor sketch designs (2 page);
Chris Arrant interviews co-writers Marc Guggenheim and Brannon Braga about the Iron Man vs. Whiplash feud (3 pages);
Black Widow: # 1 With A Bullet” promo summarizing the character by Dugan Trodglen (4 pages);
Harold interviews writer Matt Fraction (10 pages);
John Rhett Thomas interviews writer/artist Bob Layton (8 pages);
Arant interviews writer Warren Ellis (5 pages); and
Trodglen reviews Marvel’s definitive Iron Man moments (5 pages).
The last page is filler.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 4½ Stars

Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Movies & Television (Books) STAR TREK-Related

STAR TREK: THE RETURN

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date September 26, 2024

Written by William Shatner, Garfield Reeves-Stevens, & Judith Reeves- Stevens

SUMMARY:

Released in 1996 by Pocket Books, the 371-page Star Trek: The Return is the direct sequel to the first ‘Shatnerverse’ entry – 1995’s Star Trek: The Ashes of Eden. Given occasionally retroactive contradictions with Trek’s established mainstream continuity (i.e. the fate of the U.S.S. Enterprise-A), the so-called ‘Shatnerverse’ evidently occupies its own self-contained alternate timeline.

Set a few weeks after Star Trek: Generations (and as teased by The Ashes of Eden), Starfleet’s Veridan III salvage operation of the crashed U.S.S. Enterprise-D is unexpectedly besieged. At the base camp, Commander William Riker and Counselor Deanna Troi barely survive the unknown enemy’s onslaught. Is this ruthless attack merely a diversion? Meanwhile, elsewhere on Veridan III, a visiting Ambassador Spock directly witnesses the theft of Captain James T. Kirk’s remains from his mountaintop grave.

As it’s soon revealed, the Romulans have joined The Borg in a sinister alliance to destroy Federation opposition. Joining a covert Starfleet strike team, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher confirm this joint invasion has already commenced with the assimilation of the remote Starbase 804.

Worse yet, through use of alien technology, Kirk has now been resurrected and then brainwashed. His new mission is to kill The Borg’s greatest threat: Picard himself. As a sleeper agent for the Romulan/Borg alliance, Kirk’s restored body is infested with bionic nanites that helped bring the Starfleet legend back to life. Simultaneously, these same nanites are now slowly killing him. Kirk, meanwhile, experiences enigmatically haunting dreams occupied by the ghost of Spock’s father, Sarek.

Targeting Picard’s temporarily displaced crew (i.e. Worf, Geordi LaForge, & Data), a disguised Kirk intends to extract Picard’s whereabouts by any means necessary. Though instinctively resistant to his brainwashing, the amnesiac former captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise finds himself on an intercept course with allies turning on one another. With Riker and later Picard suspecting Ambassador Spock’s current Romulan ties, they wonder why The Borg didn’t assimilate Spock upon his brief capture. Spock, in turn, questions Picard’s own previous Borg assimilation. The rogue Kirk intends to take full advantage of such distrust – even as he is reunited with his two best friends.

With Dr. Julian Bashir’s help, a team of U.S.S. Enterprise luminaries (Picard, Riker, Troi, Crusher, Data, Worf, LaForge, Spock, Admiral McCoy, and Kirk) join a desperate Starfleet strike mission. Targeting The Borg’s home world, the Federation’s new makeshift Enterprise is caught in the crossfire by the same Romulans who had abducted Kirk. With their new Enterprise’s weaponry rendered inoperative, Starfleet’s two greatest captains both realize an ultimate sacrifice must be made. In order to thwart The Borg, will the simmering rivalry between Captains Kirk and Picard again end in tragedy?

The initial Kirk resurrection storyline subsequently concludes with 1997’s Star Trek: Avenger. The ‘Shatnerverse’ chronology would resume with two additional trilogies and, finally, a Starfleet Academy prequel in 2007.

Notes: In addition to hardcover, this title’s alternate formats include paperback and audiobook; however, as of this writing, a digital format isn’t available.

Purportedly, Shatner had pitched to Paramount Pictures after 1994’s Star Trek: Generations that the second Next Generation film explore Captain Kirk’s resurrection for the franchise’s upcoming 30^th Anniversary. As Paramount opted to instead produce Star Trek: First Contact, one wonders how closely The Return expands upon Shatner’s initial premise.

REVIEW:

William Shatner (far more likely, his ghostwriters: Garfield Reeves-Stevens & Judith Reeves-Stevens) sharply concocts a slam-bang Trek adventure no doubt meant to be as cinematic as possible. Including tidbits of well-informed fan service (i.e. V’Ger, Spock’s prior mind-melds, etc.), Star Trek: The Return devises a plot far more aggressively complex than the old school ambitions of Kirk & Picard’s ill-fated Generations team-up. Think of it this way: Star Trek: The Return aspires for a complicated storyline more akin to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (and Star Trek: First Contact) than Generations.

Whereas Generations clearly made Kirk its expendable guest star, The Return boldly flips that concept upside down. Hence, it’s indisputable that Shatner’s take on Star Trek is that the franchise ought to still revolve around James T. Kirk. Everyone else (from Spock, Picard, etc. on down), therefore, comprises his high-profile supporting cast. As to a sixty-something Kirk’s inexplicable vigor, one might presume that his murky nanite-infused resurrection has transformed the Trek icon into something just short of ‘The Six Million Dollar Kirk.’

In addition to lots of Kirk, this storyline supplies a welcome exploration of Spock and, to a lesser degree, the ever-cranky Admiral McCoy, as to their geriatric presence in the Late 24^th Century. As for Jean-Luc Picard, William Riker, and the primary Next Generation roster (plus guest star Dr. Julian Bashir), this novel at least lives up to their established characterizations. One can credit Garfield Reeves-Stevens & Judith Reeves-Stevens for ensuring that Picard’s team isn’t merely a hollow afterthought in a ‘Best of Both Worlds’ (pardon the expression) bridge between generations.

The significant difference, however, is that the Next Generation characters have been obviously diminished in favor of emphasizing Kirk’s star power. For instance, various scenes where Picard’s crew merely stands in the background observing Kirk (or Kirk & Picard) (or Kirk, Picard, & Spock) or make minimal contributions become abundant in the novel’s second half. For that matter, the amount of deference aimed at Kirk is never left lost upon readers (who should already get the point).

Spelling out further numerous contrivances building towards ‘Kirk vs. The Borg’ would likely present too many plot twist spoilers. Suffice to say, the Shatner team’s efforts to re-imagine The Next Generation as far more action with dense plotting and far less technobabble can be construed as a worthwhile endeavor. Conversely, The Return’s mostly coherent plot risks being cluttered with non-essential characters and still squeeze in sufficient ‘screen time’ for everybody. This gamble, in terms of pure entertainment value, pays off, but anyone’s reasonable sense of Trek plausibility may be stretched at times too thin.

Ultimately, as long as one doesn’t mind Shatner’s ego assuming the captain’s chair (to the shock of no one), Star Trek: The Return still delivers an intriguing read for Trekkers from any generation.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

None.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars

Books & Novels General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books) Humor (Books) Movies & Television (Books)

YES PLEASE

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date January 3, 2024

Written by Amy Poehler

SUMMARY:

First published as a 2014 hardcover, HarperCollins/Dey St. subsequently released Yes Please in paperback in 2015. The book was then updated in 2018 for this 360-page mass market reprint. Dedicated to her two young sons, actress/comedian/Saturday Night Live (SNL) alum Amy Poehler tries her hand as a humorist intermingling her self-analysis memoir with an assortment of anecdotes and self-help tips for grown-ups.

Unleashing her distinctive brand of humor, Poehler begins with “Part One: Say Whatever You Want.” With tales of her life starting out with childhood in suburban Boston, Poehler alternates with womanly advice segments, including her takes on giving birth, motherhood (as compared to Poehler’s more traditional mother), being a working mom, and touching upon her divorce from actor Will Arnett. A supplemental chapter by her long-time SNL cohort and Late Night host, Seth Meyers, is also included.

Subsequent sections consist of “Part Two: Do What You Like;” and “Part Three: Be Whoever You Are.” Including more tales of her pre-stardom improv background in Chicago and later New York City, Poehler provides advice regarding marriage, sex, and sleeping. In the last section, she mostly concentrates on her professional life and life lessons she has learned over time as a celebrity. Poehler also discusses her six-year stint as the lead actress on NBC-TV’s Parks and Recreation. Her last entry describes her somewhat befuddled assessments of computerized technology, i.e. inadvertently sending a critical text to the wrong person.

Note: This title is also available digitally and as an audiobook.

REVIEW:

Amy Poehler’s adult-friendly humor and off-the-wall spontaneity is imbued with an endearing charm, but a little tends to go a long way. Though hardly pretentious, her snarky, stream-of-consciousness writing style can make a reader’s eyes pop trying to follow along with an occasionally confusing narrative. For the most part, Poehler at least presents a far more engaging and down-to-earth read than trying to absorb Jack Kerouac. That is, if one doesn’t find her large quantities of musing hodgepodge filler to be increasingly tiresome.

Per the industry standard, her publisher briefly collects critical quotes applauding Yes Please, but the general tone of these snippets are actually illuminating. None of them claim that Poehler’s book is a modern humor masterpiece, but that she provides a welcome gift to her fans. That’s really the most accurate assessment one can make of Yes Please.

By no means merely a zippy self-philosophy lesson, Yes Please balances Poehler’s wit and mostly positive attitude with some relatable life lessons one can best learn from his/her own experiences. Suffice to say, Amy Poehler’s vibrant personality drives Yes Please into a much better read than the actual content might have for somebody else.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A table of contents is provided. Including her 1977 kindergarten report card, a preface presents Poehler’s insights regarding the obstacles she faced as a novice author. She then includes ‘instructions’ on how to interpret Yes Please’s context. An assortment of black-and-white photos and an eight-page color insert are provided. The book concludes with Poehler’s acknowledgements.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars

Books & Novels General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books) Movies & Television (Books)

THE GARNER FILES

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date August 27, 2023

Written by James Garner & Jon Winokur

SUMMARY:

First released as a hardcover in 2011 by Simon & Shuster, actor/producer (and self-described curmudgeon) James Garner co-wrote his 273-page memoir with professional scribe Jon Winokur. The book was published three years before Garner’s death in 2014 at the age of 86.

Recounting his life’s journey, Garner (birth name: James Scott Bumgarner) starts with his turbulent youth growing up in Depression-era Oklahoma. Though later chapters diverge on side topics, such as his passions for auto racing and golf, producing, his personal brand of politics, and a reluctant 1958 appearance on TV’s This Is Your Life, Garner’s account initially follows a linear path.

With minimal parental supervision, Garner explains how he was essentially emancipated by age 14 and briefly joined the Merchant Marine just prior to the end of World War II. Scrounging at various odd jobs before and after his Korean War stint, Garner wandered back and forth from his hometown in Oklahoma to Southern California.

Sheer luck would land him his first Broadway role as a co-star to one of his big screen idols (and subsequent close friend), Henry Fonda, in The Caine Mutiny Court Martial. As a struggling 28-year-old actor, Garner would soon marry Lois Clarke in 1956 beginning their 58-year union.

Subsequent professional success ignited with his instant fame as the title character in the Maverick TV series followed by a series of memorable 1960’s films, including The Great Escape. His impressive transition between films, television shows, and commercials would continue through the 1970’s, especially with his signature role as private detective ‘Jim Rockford’ on NBC’s The Rockford Files.

Standing on principle, Garner describes his lawsuits against Warner Bros. over first escaping his Maverick contract and, years later, multiple lawsuits against Universal Studios over The Rockford Files. Meanwhile, Garner’s favorite hobbies, including golfing at various links worldwide, auto racing, and participating multiple times in the annual Baja 1000 race, are explored.

Despite multiple lingering injuries impacting him throughout production of The Rockford Files, Garner’s workaholic attitude continued through the 1980’s, in films such as Victor/Victoria and Murphy’s Romance. As the actor states, by now efficiently producing his own projects, he had become more selective of what scripts appealed to him and what projects he would decline (i.e. First Blood).

Though not necessarily evasive, Garner discusses little of his family life as both husband and father. Still, he acknowledges at least one marital separation and his battles with alcohol, smoking, and, briefly, a sampling of illicit drugs with John Belushi. Garner also expresses his unpretentious feelings on the acting process, and by extension, his disgust with present-day Hollywood’s blend of condescension and shallowness.

While well-regarded, both personally and professionally, he also relays his propensity for hot-tempered fits on the golf course, road rage, and multiple instances of fisticuffs. For someone who claims to abhor violence and gunplay, the at-times ornery Garner conveys a complex personality, given his own experiences defending himself (or, at the very least, his sense of honor).

In lieu of musing upon his lesser films and various projects late in his career (aside from 2004’s The Notebook), Garner supplies a filmography to briefly address his full body of credits. For the most part, Garner, threads personal viewpoints on a variety of topics through his autobiography. The experience is reminiscent of having a sit-down interview with him.

Note: This title is available in these other formats: digital, audiobook, & paperback.

REVIEW:

Ironically, the front side jacket begins by describing Garner as one of Hollywood’s ‘all-time great leading men,’ which isn’t necessarily the actor’s own personal assessment. Still, this bit of publisher’s gushing really isn’t that far off the truth.

By Garner’s own admission, he headlined some classic Hollywood properties (i.e. The Rockford Files, Maverick, The Great Escape, etc.). Garner also readily winces that, either by contractual obligation or merely later for the paycheck, he appeared in his share of awful films, too. Hence, The Garner Files projects the actor’s candor and humility balancing his life’s successes, failures, and various obstacles in making his memoir a solid read.

Observations by Julie Andrews and Lauren Bacall, among others, are consistent describing Garner as a top-flight, old-school professional, with all the makings of a traditionally good-natured gentleman. He is also someone that others foolishly crossed, and, by the actor’s account, Garner did not (and would not) back down, if provoked.

While describing himself as an “average American,” tales of his glamorously expensive hobbies somewhat contradict that assessment. Still, there is no mistaking that Garner’s perseverance and commitment to honest dealing readily merited his success, as well as a genuine legacy 21^st Century Hollywood might only aspire to.

For fans of Garner and/or Hollywood memoirs in general, The Garner Files is most likely a keeper. For others, this memoir serves best as a standard, one-and-done library find. Either way, The Garner Files offers welcome insights into one of the best Hollywood stars who evidently didn’t let iconic fame go to his head.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Following a table of contents, one of Garner’s favorite co-stars, Julie Andrews, provides the introduction. Garner supplies a brief “Dear Reader,” which aptly summarizes his attitude towards penning this memoir.

An unusual 31-page supplement (frankly, it’s a classy form of padding) entitled “Outtakes,” supplies anecdotes from his family, friends, colleagues, and even random acquaintances who recount meeting Garner.

For instance, Garner’s wife, Lois, presents her own version of their first meeting and short courtship in August 1956 prior to their marriage. Also included are entries from Garner’s two daughters; Lauren Bacall; Tom Selleck; James Woods; Doris Day; Carol Burnett; Dick Cavett; Stephen J. Cannell; and an amusing ‘confession’ from Steve McQueen’s widow, Neile McQueen Toffel.

Saved for last is Garner’s candid take on his career filmography, along with his appearances in television shows and TV mini-series. Of particular interest are his own star ratings of his big-screen films and side notes working on various productions. His insights are occasionally surprising and refreshingly blunt.

There are also two sections of black-and-white photographs (one is eight pages and the latter is sixteen pages). From his personal collection and those of family and friends, the photos appear in chronological order, but they don’t necessarily correspond to that section of the book.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars

Books & Novels Movies & Television (Books) Mystery & Suspense

VERONICA MARS: THE THOUSAND DOLLAR TAN LINE

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date September 10, 2022

Written by Rob Thomas & Jennifer Graham

SUMMARY:

Released in 2014 by Vintage Books, Veronica Mars series creator Rob Thomas teams up with author Jennifer Graham to concoct an immediate 324-page sequel to the Kickstarter-funded feature film.

Set a few months later, 28-year old Veronica has resettled in Neptune, California, as her father, Keith, recuperates from a near-fatal vehicular assault. Keith uneasily supports his daughter’s presence, but he would much prefer Veronica returning to a play-it-safe-life in New York City as an attorney. Running a struggling Mars Investigations with her receptionist/hacker, Mac, Veronica accepts a high-profile case from the city to locate college co-ed Hayley Dewalt, who ominously vanished during a riotous Spring Break party.

Veronica’s instant suspects include a disgruntled ex-boyfriend and even Hayley’s jealous older brother. Worse yet, the blonde sleuth discovers that the illicit party hosts are really heirs to an ultra-dangerous Mexican drug cartel. Then, another bombshell drops: a second party girl vanishes; only it turns to be Veronica’s previously unknown, 16-year old step-sister. Hence, Veronica’s dual cases are rocked by the re-appearance of her long-estranged mother, along with a step-father and much younger half-brother that she never knew of.

Shocking revelations are pushed into the light, as Veronica seeks out the truth. Still, there’s the potentially fatal reality that, with her father physically unavailable and boyfriend Logan overseas in the U.S. Navy, she has no back-up this time.

Notes: Sprinkled in the text are occasional F-bombs. The second (and presently last) novel in this series is titled Veronica Mars 2: Mr. Kiss and Tell.

REVIEW:

Very slickly written, this Veronica Mars caper is far superior to bare-bones movie novelizations. Painting boozing Spring Break college co-ed stereotypes with an unflattering wide paintbrush, the novel’s mystery initially delivers on its ominous premise. Yet, upon conveniently adding Veronica’s mother and her new family to the plot, subsequent twists revert The Thousand Dollar Tan Line to a somewhat clichéd “this only happens in movies and television” vibe.

Staying plot-focused, co-authors Rob Thomas & Jennifer Graham still effectively resurrect Veronica Mars, making it easy to visualize Kristen Bell, Enrico Colatoni, and Percy Daggs III reprising their roles. The plotting, in that sense, is faithful to the TV show’s style of gimmickry rather than merely phoning in a blatant cash grab.

Thomas & Graham’s concerted effort at devising necessary depth makes their mystery both stylish and multi-layered. The reader’s subsequent payoff is a solid finish worthy of the TV series. Hence, for stalwart fans, Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line becomes the next best thing to a filmed sequel to the 2014 film.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

The first page provides thumbnail bios and photos of the co-authors. There’s also a brief dedication to fans.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars

Books & Novels Movies & Television (Books) Mystery & Suspense

JAMES BOND: DIE ANOTHER DAY

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 14, 2022

Written by Raymond Benson

Based Upon Neal Purvis & Robert Wade’s Screenplay

SUMMARY:

In 2002, Berkley Boulevard Books released this 216-page paperback adapting Pierce Brosnan’s fourth and final cinematic appearance as James Bond.

In present-day North Korea, Agent 007’s undercover assignment goes spectacularly awry, despite eliminating a volatile, would-be terrorist: Colonel Moon. Taken prisoner by Moon’s vengeful father and tortured by North Korean forces over fourteen months, Bond’s release is secured in a dubious swap involving Moon’s associate: Zao, a devious henchman possessing diamond-encrusted skin.

Believing he is now irreparably compromised, M doesn’t hesitate in deactivating Bond, who suspects an insider’s betrayal during that fateful mission. Slipping away from MI6 custody, the recuperating Bond probes the nebulous truth behind his ordeal, which takes him to Hong Kong and then Cuba. While in the Caribbean, Bond meets the alluring yet enigmatic ‘Jinx,’ who has her own plan in mind.

Back in London, a reinstated Bond and a fellow agent, Miranda Frost, are assigned to investigate the cryptic diamond magnate, Gustav Graves, at a high-profile reception he is hosting in Iceland. Teaming with Jinx & Miranda, Agent 007 is unaware that there’s a traitor lurking in their midst. Facing off against the psychotic Graves and Zao, Bond discovers that his team’s present objective is ominously linked to his prior captivity in North Korea.

REVIEW:

Given Neal Purvis & Robert Wade’s preposterous script, veteran Bond scribe Raymond Benson’s novelization isn’t half-bad. Glamorizing North Korea’s real-world notoriety, the first two chapters (on screen, it’s the pre-credits teaser) seem promising enough.

The dilemma moving forward, however, is that Benson is stuck replicating the film’s increasingly silly plot twists without his novel devolving into a glorified synopsis. Hence, the lack of any semblance of flesh-and-blood characterization in Die Another Day isn’t surprising. Bond, Jinx, M, Moneypenny, the new Q, and the assortment of guest characters are packaged as nothing more than genre caricatures. Benson’s novel, in that regard, is often like reading literary cardboard.

Still, as long as one rolls with Die Another Day’s can-you-top-this? antics (which somehow work better on paper than on film), Benson delivers a generally smooth read. Even his reliable predecessor, John Gardner, likely couldn’t have done better with this same source material. While Benson’s tie-in adaptation is meant for die-hard fans, one can take solace in not being subjected to Madonna’s hot mess of a title song.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

In addition to a table-of-contents, there’s an ad for the movie.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5½ Stars

Books & Novels Movies & Television (Books) STAR TREK-Related

STAR TREK MOVIE MEMORIES

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date June 27, 2022

Written by William Shatner & Chris Kreski

SUMMARY:

Released by HarperCollins Publishers in 1994, this 358-page hardcover is William Shatner & Chris Kreski’s follow-up to their popular 1993 memoir: Star Trek Memories, which revisited the original TV series.

Utilizing the same narrative-by-committee format as before, Star Trek Movie Memories incorporates perspectives from: producers Harve Bennett, Rick Berman, & Ralph Winter; actors David Gautreaux, Ricardo Montalban, Malcolm McDowell, & Patrick Stewart; Gene Roddenberry’s former assistant, Richard Arnold; screenwriters Harold Livingston & Ron Moore; and directors Robert Wise & Nicholas Meyer.

Among Shatner’s long-time co-stars, Leonard Nimoy and George Takei are significant contributors. Included only briefly in the text are: Nichelle Nichols; Walter Koenig; Michael Dorn; James Doohan; Persis Khambatta; Christopher Lloyd; Kim Cattrall; and DeForest Kelley.

Shatner first recalls his July 1968 meet-and-greet with NASA personnel a year before Apollo 11’s historic launch. A few days later, Star Trek would commence production on its third and final season, which Shatner ruefully notes is soon doomed to failure. Recovering from Trek’s cancellation (both personally and professionally), the ex-Captain Kirk describes the franchise’s subsequent rebirth.

He covers the full gamut: Roddenberry’s controversial God Thing script; the dawn of the convention circuit, the animated TV program, and Trek’s misfired relaunches as either a low-budget feature film or a sequel TV series (Star Trek: Phase II).

Supplemented by his colleagues’ observations, Shatner recalls each of the original cast’s six Trek films, including their collective satisfaction re: The Wrath of Khan. He also discusses his recruitment for 1994’s Star Trek: Generations, which includes the deleted orbital skydiving sequence. In detail, Shatner reveals, from Nevada’s scorching Valley of Fire, the filming of Kirk’s original death scene. The book’s last-minute final page reveals that he is being unexpectedly recalled to Generations’ Valley of Fire set for additional filming.

Notes: As with Star Trek Memories, this book is available in hardcover and paperback formats. Movie Memories’ paperback edition sports a different introduction discussing Star Trek Generations’ reshoot of the Picard & Kirk vs. Soran sequence (as well as mentioning Shatner’s second divorce).

REVIEW:

Shatner & Kreski’s likable style ensures that Trekkers again consume an insider’s account that is consistently both entertaining and intriguing. For instance, producer/screenwriter Harold Livingston’s take on his ugly feud with Gene Roddenberry, during the prolonged production of The Motion Picture, seems plausible. Comments from Leonard Nimoy (effectively Trek’s reliable statesman) and Nicholas Meyer coping with Paramount’s studio politics amidst creating Treks II, III, IV, and VI are also illuminating, as such obstructionism becomes a recurring pattern.

One should also give some credit where it’s due: Shatner concedes that Star Trek V was a failure, as he explains how it wasn’t necessarily all his fault, given the circumstances. It’s fairly acknowledged why Bennett, Nimoy, Kelley, Roddenberry, and screenwriter David Loughery all had misgivings re: The Final Frontier‘s dubious script. Unsurprisingly, Shatner doesn’t accept that the biblical-like epic he had first envisioned was his own bizarre Captain Kirk ego trip that Paramount gradually deep-sixed. Suffice to say, the heavily-diluted dreck Final Frontier became almost looks good by comparison to what first-time director Shatner’s initial story synopsis sought to do.

Shatner, at least, keeps his other self-serving claims to a minimum — i.e., an eye-roller about how, at a post-Star Trek IV premiere party, he amusingly pressures Paramount’s studio chief, Frank Mancuso, into letting him direct Star Trek V, or how he ‘improves’ Kirk’s weakly-devised murder on the Generations set just prior to its original filming.

The former, of course, stems from the long-standing Shatner/Nimoy ‘favored nations’ contractual requirement where they received equal everything, so Paramount already knew long before of Shatner’s directorial ambitions. As for the Generations death scene, the fact that test audiences despised the concept of Kirk being mortally wounded (by a cowardly phaser blast) enough to force a subsequent reshoot speaks for itself.

Still, the bulk of what Movie Memories states happened appears accurate, as corroborated by others, which stands consistent with Shatner’s mission statement in the acknowledgments section. No matter the extent Kreski actually penned Movie Memories, what Shatner has devised is a refreshing treat for any Trek fan. The only caveat is that its smattering of profanities should preclude middle schoolers as a potential audience.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

The acknowledgments section spells out Shatner’s mindset researching this project. Aside from black-and-white photos, there is an eight-page color photo spread between pages 150 and 151.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars

Books & Novels History & Biographies (Books) Movies & Television (Books) THREE STOOGES-Related

I STOOGED TO CONQUER: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE LEADER OF THE THREE STOOGES

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 2, 2021

Written by Moe Howard

SUMMARY:

Moe Howard’s posthumous memoir was first published in 1977 by Citadel Press as “Moe Howard & the 3 Stooges.” This updated 241-page edition was released by Chicago Review Press in 2013. Besides the sly title change (to one Moe evidently preferred), this update swaps out and/or shrinks several photos from the first book. As before, all photos are in black-and-white. Also, Moe’s daughter, Joan Howard Maurer, provides a foreword, as she had helped complete the manuscript following his death in mid-1975.

Moe recounts his immigrant family’s humble life in turn-of-the-century Brooklyn, including anecdotes of his and older brother Shemp’s shared penchant for troublemaking. In addition to revealing why he first got his trademark bowl cut, Moe discusses his stints as a child film actor and working professionally onstage in his teens.

From starting in vaudeville with Shemp to working for childhood friend Ted Healy, Moe describes the Stooges’ evolution from Healy’s low-paid sidekicks to achieving their own stardom at Columbia Pictures for a quarter-century and beyond. With gradual changes in the trio’s line-up (including why younger brother Jerome, aka ‘Curly,’ replaced Shemp and later vice-versa), Moe’s narrative continues through to early 1975, including his activities in retirement.

REVIEW:

It’s an undemanding read for those who prefer a loose overview vs. detailed accounts. Moe shares several terrific anecdotes, but there’s scant details re: his fellow Stooges outside of work.

Other than briefly explaining why the trio twice broke up with Healy, Moe rarely dishes dirt, so to speak. Presumably, this classy gesture is meant to guard his family and friends’ privacy, so other biographical sources are necessary for a fuller account of the Stooges’ show biz history – for instance, The Three Stooges Scrapbook (co-authored by Moe’s daughter) would be an ideal supplement. Still, Moe’s humble memoir proves a fun and endearing experience for Stooge fans, preferably for ages 12+.

Parental Notes: Young readers might need clarification of some vaudeville terminology – specifically, the difference between ‘whiteface’ and ‘blackface’ acts. Also, the ‘n-word’ twice appears in an early 1930’s racist incident Moe describes. Specifically, Moe is quoting a Jacksonville, FL theater manager, who angrily fires them for Moe’s friendly interaction with an African-American passerby.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

From the Stooges’ films, stage work, promos, and Moe’s home life, there’s innumerable photos. Joan Howard Maurer’s insightful and poignant foreword expresses more of her dad’s sentimentality than he himself was willing to admit. She also acknowledges that a few details in the book’s original text are incorrect. For instance, she specifies the year (1928, not 1925) and location re: when Ted Healy first recruited Larry Fine into the act at a Chicago nightclub.

Like its previous version, the book includes an afterword acknowledging Moe’s passing before his memoir was completed. There’s also a full Stooges filmography and an index.

Note: Moe’s text claims that, he, too, was present when first meeting Larry, but other reliable sources (i.e. The Three Stooges Scrapbook) state that Shemp was there with Healy (without Moe).

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars

Marvel Comics MARVEL-Related Movies & Television (Books)

MARVEL HEROES & VILLAINS: MARVEL’S AVENGERS – THE POSTER COLLECTION

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 23, 2020

SUMMARY:

Released by Insight Editions in 2013, this 16 x 12” collection contains 20 double-sided posters from stills and movie posters of Marvel Universe films.

Among the actors included are: Chris Evans; Jeremy Renner; Scarlet Johansson; Hayley Atwell; Tommy Lee Jones; Gwyneth Paltrow; Jeff Bridges; Terrence Howard; Sebastian Shaw; Hugo Weaving; Mickey Rourke; Don Cheadle; Idris Elba; Tom Hiddleston; Anthony Hopkins; Natalie Portman; Jaime Alexander; Samuel L. Jackson; Mark Ruffalo; Cobie Smulders; and Ben Kingsley.

Specifically, the images and their flip-sides (none of which double up) are:

Captain America/Hawkeye/Black Widow (Avengers) —Captain America (Captain America: The First Avenger)
Iron Man movie poster–Iron Man 2 movie poster
Iron Man falling (Iron Man 3)–Captain America: The First Avenger movie poster
Marvel’s Avengers movie poster–Thor movie poster
Iron Man 3 movie poster (Downey Jr.)–Iron Man 3 poster (Downey Jr., Cheadle, & Paltrow)
Black Widow (Iron Man 2)–Black Widow (Marvel’s Avengers)
Heimdall (Thor)–Black Widow (Iron Man 2)
Odin (Thor)–Hawkeye (Avengers)
Loki (Thor)–Loki (Avengers)
Thor (Avengers)–Thor (Avengers)
Thor & Captain America (Avengers)–Thor (Thor)
Hawkeye (Avengers)–Sif (Thor)
Black Widow (Avengers)–Nick Fury (Avengers)
Nick Fury (Avengers)–Hulk (Avengers)
Hulk (Avengers)–Mandarin (Iron Man 3)
Captain America (The First Avenger)–Captain America (The First Avenger)
Maria Hill (Avengers)–Whiplash (Iron Man 2)
Iron Man & War Machine (Iron Man 2)–War Machine (Iron Man 3)
Iron Man (Iron Man 3)–Iron Man/Tony Stark (Iron Man 3)
Tony Stark (Iron Man 3)–Iron Man (Iron Man 2)

REVIEW:

Its slick photo stock is remarkably sturdy, especially after the pin-up sheets easily pull out of this portfolio-style book. The literal flipside is deciding which side of a poster to display, so keeping them intact inside the portfolio may work out best. For what this poster book is, its overall production quality is impressive.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

None.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars