Monday, March 28, 2016

"She Wolf" Howling for Image Comics This June


SHE WOLF LEAVES READERS HOWLING FOR MORE

The new series will be love at first bite for fans

SHE WOLF, by fan-favorite cartoonist Rich Tommaso (DARK CORRIDOR) will lead the pack this June with a chilling, fever-dream mystery that will keep fans hooked from page one.

A surreal exploration in horror, SHE WOLF follows a teenage girl who believes she's been bitten by a savage werewolf. Soon after, she begins to experience feverish nightmares that seamlessly bleed into her everyday reality.

"This is the most surreal thing I've ever written—a horror tale about a teenage werewolf who uses witchcraft to become a higher level of demon," said Tommaso. "The backdrop is Sparta, New Jersey—where I grew up during the wild '80s. As strange as this story is, the tiny parts that ARE autobiographical are more vivid blended into this mysterious world than some of the 100% straight-auto-bio comics I've done in the past."

SHE WOLF #1 (Diamond Code APR160661) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, May 30th, 2016.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Baltimore Comic-Con to Attend SC Comic-Con

Baltimore Comic-Con Visits SC Comic-Con

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - The Baltimore Comic-Con will be visiting the SC Comicon on April 2-3, 2016 in Greenville, SC. Run by our friend Robert Young from Borderlands Comics and Games, this growing event promises to be a fantastic weekend for all comics fans!

Featuring great guests (and friends of the Baltimore Comic-Con), including Neal Adams, Greg Capullo, Frank Cho, Steve Conley, Ron Marz, George Perez, and so many more, this show is a great opportunity to meet your favorite comic creator, pick up some new comics or merchandise, and just experience the wonder that is a Comicon!

And, of course, be sure to stop by the Cards Comics & Collectibles/Baltimore Comic-Con booth at the show. We will have Exhibitor forms, Artists Alley forms, and we may even have a secret or two we can share with you about our plans for September.

The SC Comicon will be held at the TD Convention Center, 1 Exposition Drive, Greenville, SC 29607 on Saturday, April 2, 2016 from 10am-6pm and on Sunday, April 3, 2016 from noon-6pm. Tickets are $15 for Saturday only, $10 for Sunday only, or $20 for two-day passes, and can be purchased online or at the door during show hours. Kids 12 and under get in FREE with a paying adult. For more details, please visit the website at sccomicon.com.

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Contact Information
Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:

press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution

promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications

registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations

harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet

general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries


About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 17th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 11 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

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Image Comics Announces "Jupiter's Legacy 2"



JUPITER’S LEGACY RETURNS WITH ALL-NEW STORY

The comic book series of the century will take readers on an emotional, action-packed ride

The sequel to the industry sales-beast JUPITER'S LEGACY is back and it boasts monthly jaw-dropping, eye-popping story from bestselling creators Mark Millar (CHRONONAUTS, HUCK, Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Frank Quitely.

In JUPITER’S LEGACY, VOL. 2 #1, superhero offspring Hutch and Chloe have come out of hiding with son Jason to assemble a team of super-crooks from around the globe.

JUPITER’S LEGACY, VOL. 2 #1 will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, June 29th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, June 6th, 2016.

JUPITER'S LEGACY VOL 2 #1, Cover  A by Quitely (Diamond Code: APR160648)
JUPITER'S LEGACY VOL 2 #1, Cover  B by Jae Lee (Diamond Code: APR160649)
JUPITER'S LEGACY VOL 2 #1, Cover  C by Mike Mayhew (Diamond Code: APR160650)
JUPITER'S LEGACY VOL 2 #1, Cover  D Blank Cover (Diamond Code: APR160651)
JUPITER'S LEGACY VOL 2 #1, Cover  E Quitely Sketch Cover (Diamond Code: APR160652)

JUPITER’S LEGACY, VOL. 1 trade paperback (ISBN: 978-1632153104) collects the first story arc of the series—issues #1-5, and is available at comic book stores now. It can be re-ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond code FEB150526. It can be ordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.

Select praise for JUPITER’S LEGACY:

“Millar and Quitely have constructed a world as rich and vibrant as our own, peopled with individuals who are neither heroes nor villains.” —IGN

It definitely lives up to the hype.” —Bloody Disgusting

What Millar and Quitely do here, and do so well, is show us a world where superheroes exist, yet nothing is better, then invite us to consider what that says about the way we have chosen to abdicate responsibility in favor of comfort. I wish more creators were willing to push the boundaries of the genre in such a compelling way.” —Newsarama

Elegantly written and drawn… this is a book to be proud of.” —Comic Book Resources 

Mark Millar and Frank Quitely have successfully created a new superhero universe.” —Comic Vine


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Image Comics Announces New Howard Chaykin Series, "Midnight of the Soul"


CHAYKIN WEAVES A STRIKING JOURNEY IN MIDNIGHT OF THE SOUL

Begin an all-new miniseries from the artist of SATELLITE SAM

Fan-favorite and cult cartoonist Howard Chaykin (AMERICAN FLAGG!, SATELLITE SAM) will launch an all-new, full-color, noir-infused, miniseries entitled MIDNIGHT OF THE SOUL, which will hit comic book stores this June.

Set in 1950, MIDNIGHT OF THE SOUL follows Joel Breakstone, a former G.I., one of the liberators of Auschwitz, and a walking pile of seriously damaged goods. He hasn't exhaled a sober breath in five years—until the sheltered life he's created for himself unravels and he begins the long night that will change his life forever.

"Midnight of the Soul is a labor of love," said Chaykin. "A dream project I've been working on for nearly twenty years—and I'm thrilled to finally get the chance to put it on paper."

MIDNIGHT OF THE SOUL #1 (Diamond Code APR160655) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, June 8th, 2016. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, May 16th, 2016.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Saturday, March 26, 2016

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 20th to 26th, 2016 - Update #33

Support Leroy on Patreon.

BLACK LIVES MATTER - From PopSugar:  New York City cop arrest Black mailman because he didn't want them to hit him with their car.

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COMICS - From Forbes:  "Batman Vs. Superman" could have a $185 million weekend at the box office.

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POLITICS - From Politico:  #CruzSexScandal

POLITICS - From RSN:  The coming Republican Party crack-up also needs to occur to the Democratic Party.

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OBITS - From Variety:  The writer Earl Hamner, Jr. has died at the age of 92, Thursday, March 24, 2016.  He is best known for creating CBS' beloved drama, "The Waltons."

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POLITICS - From Harpers:  Richard Nixon started the "war on drugs" in order to wage war on the anti-war left and Black people.

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POLITICS - From RollingStone:  The magazine endorses Hillary Clinton for President of the United States, and publisher, Jann S. Wenner explains why.

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OBITS - From Variety:  Comedian, actor, writer, and producer, Garry Shandling, has died at the age of 66, Thursday, March 24, 2016.

From YahooCelebrity:  Hollywood reacts to the death of Garry Shandling.

From YahooTV:  Garry Shandling's most memorable roles.

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OBITS -  From YahooSports:  Legendary baseball broadcaster, Joe Garagiola, has died at the age of 90, Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

From YouTube:  An interview with the late Garagiola, conducted by David Spada.

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COMICS - From iDigitalTimes:   Some early reviews are in for "Batman Vs. Superman."

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MOVIES - From Collider:  Shane Black talks about his "Predator" reboot.

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CRIME - From HoustonChronicle:  Keeping Black people of juries in Wharton County, Texas.

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OBITS - From DeadlineTV:  The Emmy-winning actor, Ken Howard, has died at the age of 71, Wednesday, March 23, 2016.  He was best known for his role on the CBS television drama series, "The White Shadow" (1978-1981).  He was the current president of the actors' union, SAG-AFTRA.

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COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Marvel's "Captain Britain" may get his own television series.

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OBITS - From THR:  The actress, Rita Gam, has died at the age of 88, Tuesday, March 22, 2016.  She was considered a "glamorous actress" in the 1950s.  Gam was also the wife of director Sidney Lumet, and she was a bridesmaid at Grace Kelly's 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier.

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OBITS - From TheWrap:  The rapper, Malik Taylor, has died at the age of 45.  He was better known as "Phife Dawg," the founder of the seminal rap group, A Tribe Called Quest."

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POLITICS - From BuzzFlash:  Sarah Palin hits far-right hot buttons.

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CULTURE - From TheDailyBeast:  Banksy strikes back.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Sports broadcaster/sideline reporter, Craig Sager, known for his colorful and odd suits, has said that his doctor has given him 3 to 6 months to live.

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COMICS - BleedingCool:  A look at a nice copy of Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman, worth over $3 million.

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COMICS - BleedingCool:  A look at some of Marvel Comics' hot comics for June 2016.

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STAR WARS - From Twitter:  See a Star Wars bonus clip featuring Maz Kanata.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Emma Stone to star in film about Rose Marie "Rosemary" Kennedy, "Letters from Rosemary."

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  There will be an all-new and all-different Batman comic book debuting later this year from writer Scott Snyder.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Ryan Murphy reveals who will be back for the next season of "American Horror Story."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/18 to 3/20/2016 weekend box office is "Zootopia" with an estimated haul of $38 million.

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From MintPressNews:  Daniel Ellsberg - top military brass knew in advance that the Vietnam War would fail.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From SeattleTimes:  Tim McGinty could not do his job and prosecute Cleveland Patrolman Timothy Loehmann and his partner, Frank Garmback, for killing Tamir Rice.  So the voters decided that he could not keep his job as Cuyahoga County Prosecutor.

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COMICS - From CBR:  Jeremy Renner says he would be "open" to a Hawkeye Netflix series.

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COMICS - From CBR: The writers, artists, and editors behind Marvel Comics's "Civil War II" talk.

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  An overview of news from C2E2 about Marvel's "Civil War II" comic book event.

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Mike Mignola says he does not know how the film, "Hellboy 3" would end, although that movie seems unlikely to happen.

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STAR WARS - From CheatSheet:  The site's weekly Star Wars round-up.

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POLITICS - From TheWrap:  Scott Baio ("Happy Days") endorses Donald Trump.

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TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  A clip from Richard Linklater's "Everybody Wants Some," entitled "Cologne."

From YouTube:  A sneak peak at "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" deleted scenes.

From YouTube:  I think this is the first trailer for the "Ben-Hur" remake, which is due August 2016.



Amazon Announces "Thunderbirds Are Go" for April 22, 2016

Amazon Debuts Original Animated Kids Series Thunderbirds Are Go on April 22 on Prime Video

Special one-hour sneak preview will premiere on April 15 with Ring of Fire Parts 1 and 2

The five Tracy brothers catapult back onto television screens following the 50-year-old classic Thunderbirds series; Rosamund Pike stars as Lady Penelope

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced its brand-new Amazon Original Kids Series, Thunderbirds Are Go, is scheduled to premiere on Friday, April 22, 2016 on Prime Video in the US. Ahead of the series launch, Prime members will get a sneak preview on April 15 with the one-hour special Ring of Fire Parts 1 and 2. Thunderbirds Are Go is a reinvention of classic Thunderbirds, and features the world’s most famous family of heroes, International Rescue. Rosamund Pike (The World’s End, Gone Girl) also stars as Lady Penelope. All 13 episodes of the first season will debut on Prime Video in the US on April 22 for streaming and download for Prime members, and will subsequently air on Prime Video in the UK, Germany and Austria, following a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

    “We’re delighted that Thunderbirds Are Go will be blasting off in the US on Amazon next month”

Thunderbirds Are Go catapults the five brave Tracy brothers back onto television screens, where they’ll pilot their remarkable, cutting-edge Thunderbird vehicles from the depths of the oceans to the highest reaches of space, performing impossible rescues across the globe. Produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures in collaboration with world-famous Weta Workshop, the series is made using a unique mixture of CGI animation and live-action model sets. Thunderbirds Are Go will deliver a new level of action-adventure animation for today’s audience while paying tribute to the characters and locations from the original series.

“We’re excited that our customers and their families will partake in a new rendition of a classic property with the Tracy brothers at the helm,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “The new series will pay tribute to the legacy of the original series while adopting a new level of action-adventure and groundbreaking mix of animation and live-action.”

“We’re delighted that Thunderbirds Are Go will be blasting off in the US on Amazon next month,” said Dan Gopal, EVP EMEA Distribution and Global Digital Partners for ITV Studios Global Entertainment. “This will give children and families across the country the opportunity to enjoy the full, action-packed series whenever and wherever they want.”

Thunderbirds Are Go is executive produced by Estelle Hughes (Driver Dan’s Story Train), Giles Ridge (Pocoyo), Richard Taylor (The Lord of the Rings), and Andrew Smith (District 9), written by Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, Teen Titans), and directed by David Scott (LEGO Star Wars) and Theo Baynton (The Wotwots). It is distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

The first season of Thunderbirds Are Go will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Customers who are not already a Prime member can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. Thunderbirds Are Go will also be available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids. FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire Kids Edition.


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video offers customers unlimited access to tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, including award-winning Amazon Original Series, through Amazon Prime; monthly subscriptions to SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more; and hundreds of thousands of titles including new-release movies and current TV shows for rent or purchase.

The entire range of selection can be instantly accessed through the Amazon Video app on TVs, streaming media players, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online at Amazon.com/amazonvideo. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.

Prime Video, included in Amazon Prime, enables Prime members to enjoy binge-worthy TV shows including Amazon Original Series airing now such as the multi-Golden Globe award-winning series from Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, Mozart in the Jungle, the multi-Golden Globe award-winning and Emmy award-winning series Transparent, the breakout hit The Man in the High Castle, based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, the hour-long drama Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books, and the comedy created by and starring Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe, in addition to favorites like The Sopranos, True Blood and Girls, and popular primetime series including 24, Downton Abbey, Extant, Falling Skies, Grimm, Hannibal, Justified, Orphan Black, Teen Wolf, The Americans, and Under the Dome. Prime members also have access to a collection of kids shows now airing including Amazon Original Series Just Add Magic, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and the Annecy, Annie and multi-Emmy award-winning Tumble Leaf, as well as popular shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Blue’s Clues. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/primevideo.

About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

About ITV Studios Global Entertainment
ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) is one of the world’s leading international TV distribution, home entertainment, publishing, merchandising and licensing businesses. ITVS GE distributes celebrated content across all genres from both its in-house production business, ITV Studios, and in collaboration with leading producers from around the world.

Part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, ITV Studios Global Entertainment has offices in London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Sydney.

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Friday, March 25, 2016

Review: "American Ultra" is Impossibly Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

American Ultra (2015)
Running time:  96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexual content
DIRECTOR:  Nima Nourizadeh
WRITER:  Max Landis
PRODUCERS:  David Alpert, Anthony Bregman, Kevin Scott Frakes, Britton Rizzio, and Raj Brinder Singh
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Michael Bonvillain
EDITOR:  Andrew Marcus and Bill Pankow
COMPOSER:  Marcelo Zarvos

ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walter Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, Tony Hale, Stuart Greer, Michael Papajohn, Monique Ganderton, Lavell Crawford, and Sam Malone

American Ultra is a 2015 action-comedy written by Max Landis and directed by Nima Nourizadeh.  The film focuses on a stoner who finds himself targeted for extermination because he is a government sleeper agent, facts of which is he unaware.

American Ultra opens in small town Liman, West Virginia where we meet Mike “Mikey” Howell (Jesse Eisenberg), a stoner and slacker.  He lives with his girlfriend, Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart), in a small wooden house, and he works at a convenience story.  Meanwhile, in Langley, Virginia, CIA section boss, Adrian Yates (Topher Grace), has decided Mike's fate.  Mike is the sole remaining asset of “Wiseman” which was part of the “Ultra” program, and Yates considers Mike a liability, thus targeting him for extermination.

Yates deploys a team of “Toughguy” operatives to kill Mike, but Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton), who once supervised the Wiseman program, is determined to save Mike's life.  She arrives in Liman ahead of Yates' men, but reactivating Mike is a bit more difficult than she realized.  Mike slowly begins to remember his training, but it is a messy and chaotic process... for everyone.

American Ultra's CIA conceits are preposterous, of course.  What sells this is that the screenplay by Max Landis constructs a love that feels real and a relationship that seems genuine between Mike and Phoebe's characters.  Director Nima Nourizadeh takes the time to properly transform Landis' romantic conceit into a true-blue movie romance.  Once you buy the Mikey-Phoebe dynamic, the rest of the movie – the believable, the ridiculous, and the sublime – encourages the audience to suspend disbelief so they can enjoy one of the most inventive action-comedies of the 21st century.

Landis's script offers some interesting ideas, and Jesse Eisenberg's turn as the stoner Mikey distracts the viewer from taking a good, hard look at those ideas.  After all, the fun is in running through the world of secret and sleeper agents, not in examining what is and isn't plausible in that world.  [Of course, how many people actually take that hard look in the real world.]  Landis' concept is perfect for Eisenberg's performance, and Eisenberg's performance makes Landis' concept work perfectly.

I admire how director Nima Nourizadeh maintains the off-beat, slacker charm of this story even as the movie turns increasingly violent, but here, the gore actually has a splattery charm all its own.  In truth, Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables movie franchise could use the Nourizadeh-Landis touch.  I cannot emphasize enough that this movie is just a blast to watch, and it is fresh and imaginative in a genre, CIA-themed films, that is rapidly growing stale.

Any action-movie franchise could use some Kristen Stewart.  There is something about her that goes beyond merely being the spine of a billion-dollar movie franchise (Twilight).  Stewart is authentic in this movie, and her performance is one of the many things that come together like serendipity to make American Ultra one of the best films of 2015.

9 of 10
A+

Saturday, December 5, 2015


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