Batman: Bad Blood Sneak Peak From DC Animation

Fans of Batman are in for a big 2016. Along with the release of the long-awaited Batman v. Superman, two DC animated features are set for release the same year. While the details of the buzz worthy animated version of  Batman: The Killing Joke, remain in the shadows, DC Animation is giving fans a taste of the other animated feature set for next year, Batman: Bad Blood, which was announced at this year’s Comic Con International. 

Dexter: 8.06 – “A Little Reflection”

A Little Reflection was yet another disappointing episode in this final season of Dexter. On paper, this sounds like it could be an interesting episode. For instance, Dexter takes on an “intern”; the boy he was going to kill, Zach Hamilton. Last episode we got to meet Zach for the first time and you could tell right away that he was bad news. In this episode, we found out that he is in fact a killer and a psychopath, so much so that he is being seen by Dr. Vogel. This obviously was not a surprise.

Vogel suggested that she and Dexter teach Zach “the code”. What the hell is Vogel’s deal?! Let’s take this guy who’s already killed an innocent woman, who is drawn to the blood like Dexter, and who was going to kill his father, and give him a set of rules to live by. If Dexter has this much trouble following his own code, what do you think will happen when this kid is told it’s okay to kill?! Zach pulled on Dexter’s heartstrings when he said he was killing to protect his mother… something Dexter has always wished he could have done. This seems like another situation like Miguel Prado or Lila; where Dexter lets them know who he is, they kill someone innocent, and then Dexter kills them. Only this time, we know little to nothing about the killer in question. Yawn.

There is something unsettling about Deb being fine suddenly. She was psychotic and tried to kill Dexter and herself, and now she is like regular old Deb. She keeps saying she has PTSD, but you can’t just shut off PTSD merely because you want everything to be like it used to be. She has just decided to let Dexter be Dexter.

I don’t even care that Hannah McKay is back. Like… at all. I cared so little about her when the whole season (7) revolved around her, it is obvious why I cannot muster up an ounce of give-a-shit now that she is back. We’ll see what happens, but I suspect I will continue to feel disinterested. I feel no connection to most of the characters. I feel little connection to Dexter anymore, as he just comes off as tired and aging.

I don’t know what to say, really, other than hopefully this show gets better. Unless I see some wicked action in the next few episodes, I will be horribly disappointed with the final season of a show that should have ended after season 4. It can never get any better than Trinity! Speaking of which… did Astor & Cody die or something? Where the hell have they been?

I give this episode a 1/5.

[Ed. Note – Just want to say, despite the show spiraling into mediocrity, I really enjoy that Dora Madison Burge is here.]

Dexter: 7.03 – “Buck the System”

The beginning of this episode of Dexter was simply amazing. When Dexter is dropping a package off at the post office, he imagines slitting the throat of the woman behind the counter (we’ve all been there!). Later, he does the same to Masuka. Being constantly watched by Deb is smothering him to the point that he cannot fulfill his need to kill. Deb’s babysitting solution is clearly not going to work.

In regards to his ‘Louis Problem’ – Dexter sent the ‘Ice Truck Killer Prosthetic’ and a letter to the Miami Metro PD Forensics Department, which got Louis fired. He also sent Jamie a video of Louis getting a BJ from a hooker – Louis isn’t having the best day.

His solution is to drill holes in Dexter’s boat, resulting in the sinking of the Slice of Life. Unfortuately for Louis, the last place Victor’s GPS tracking system pinged was from the dock where Dex keeps said boat. This led Issac to the dock to find Louis, who lies and claims it is in fact his boat. That lie all but sealed his fate as the next person murdered on screen. Implausible set of circumstances? Maybe. Nevertheless, it led to Louis’ death, which felt like this was a very lazy kill-off, but may very well end up Mr. Morgan’s ultimate undoing. As Issac is less concerned with disposing of bodies than Dex is, Louis’ blood is all over the boat. Sure that won’t come into play later…Unable to suppress his urges, Dexter tells Deb about Speltzer, a guy who Dex is pretty sure will kill again, and is a perfect subject to be Dexter’s much needed release. Deb is disgusted at the thought of letting her brother continue killing. However, after everything Dexter says turns out to be true, another girl is dead and Speltzer gets away, Deb tells him that she now understands why this is a necessary evil. This is the only way they could continue the show for another season and a half, making Deb accept him, though she will likely still bring about his demise in the end. She does however set him free from her gaze as she allows him to move back to his own place. Baby steps…

In an amazingly surprising turn of events, Quinn is sleeping with a woman who is directly involved in the case, who told him that her boss wanted her to get close to him, and who is a stripper… yawn. Typical Quinn. Speaking of romantic interests though, Yvonne Strahovski was introduced! She will be helping out with an old case which she was involved in. A case where she fell for a serial killer… Now, Dexter has to get a swab of her saliva from her mouth, and it was honestly sexy. How did she make that sexy? She is magical!

Overall, this episode was slow. You would think that with the murder of an increasingly more important character, this would be a more memorable episode; alas, it was not. The death of Louis seemed like it was very forced, he tells the mob that the boat is Dexter’s, and gets shot. It is too easy, though it’s obvious they are using it to set something else up.

It seems like this episode is definitely setting up for the next episode. Nevertheless, 3.5/5 Grizzlies. The beginning was very well structured, and you could see the anguish in Dexter’s eyes as he tried to hold back from going all Dark Defender on everyone’s asses.

The Avengers 2: Casting Ms. Marvel’s Costume…

Emily Blunt? Ruth Wilson? — according to Bleeding Cool, either one of these lovely leading ladies could be up for the role of Ms. Marvel in the next Avengers movie.

Dexter: Season 7, Comic-Con & More!

Dexter: Season 7 – Trailer and Cast Updates!

There is a new cast member joining the Dark Defender in Season 7! Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck) will play Hannah, a woman who helps the LAPD out with a few cold cases, according to Vulture. She will be in a handful of episodes. Supposedly, her character is somewhat suspicious, and Dexter thinks she is withholding something from them. I think this may be a chance for Dexter to get a pretty blonde in his saran wrap web. Or could she be a love interest? Will she have to fight Dexter’s sister Deb for his affection? So many possibilities!

With two seasons left for Dexter to leave its mark on fans, Showtime is really putting a lot of effort into Season 7. According to Uproxx, (BE CAREFUL-SPOILERS THERE) season 7 is supposed to operate as the first part to the series’ end. We already know that Deb knows Dexter is a killer… well… at least that he’s killed once. She walked in on that.

TVGuide has an interview with Dexter Executive Producer Sara Colleton in which she explains how Deb will react to the Season 6 finale. Dexter’s secret is out, and just Deb’s luck, it came out while she was coming to terms with being IN LOVE with him. Colleton said:

If the series-long quest for Dexter was to finally have someone who really knows him — well, be careful what you wish for because Deb now knows everything and that’s a game-changer.

In regards to Deb seeing Dexter kill Travis, TV Guide asked Colleton if Deb will learn everything this season.

Yeah. Obviously this whole season we’re going to have great fun playing with every permutation that can be played between Debra and Dexter in their relationship now that this information has come out. She was on her way to the church at the end of the last season because she had come to realize that she not only loved her foster-brother Dexter but she is in love with him. So now what does she do?

For the whole interview, check out the TVGuide website.

Dexter returns to Showtime on September 30th.

Grizzly Review: Killer Elite

Last night I saw the newest Statham movie, and I have to say I was surprised. Not at all what I was expecting. In the trailer (which we talked about in June) we heard ’80s rock and got lots of punching and shooting and all around violent types of imagery. So naturally I expected your general type of Statham movie. However, we were rewarded with something even better (Well, depending on your mood), a real movie with an actual plot.

Taking place in 1980, Killer Elite revolves around the desired redemption of the disgraced Sheikh Amr. For Amr to gain said redemption and lift his exile to return home, the men who murdered his 3 sons must confess and be killed themselves. That seems straight forward enough, but where the twist comes in, and what seemed to confuse others in the audience, was just how exactly Jason Statham gets sucked into this vendetta. And as it turns out, it’s all a result of multiple betrayals, as well as his own loyalty.

From the trailer it looks like a movie full of Statham vs. Owen, but in truth they are little more than pawns, neither really knowing the real reason they are there. And that reason is something I don’t really want to give away, because I’m gonna go ahead and recommend  you see this movie, so I don’t want to ruin anything. I can say this though – the trailer is not the most accurate representation of a movie that I’ve seen.

The vague overview: De Niro takes the job from the Sheikh blindly, and then upon learning further details tries to back out. This doesn’t go over well with the powers that be, so old Bobby D is held captive. This forces his old friend (the Stath) to end his freshly begun retirement, and complete the job in exchange for De Niro’s release. Statham puts together a team and proceeds to hunt down the men responsible – all Ex-SAS officers that were under orders at the time of their crimes.

Enter Clive Owen, an ex-SAS soldier in his own right, acting out on the behalf of ‘The Feathermen’, a much older group of retired SAS. He’s looking to stop Statham, and in the background is all sorts of politicking our principles don’t know about.

Overall I found the movie quite enjoyable, though if I had to nitpick there is one thing that bugged me, which was the camera work during the fight scenes. So of Director Gary McKendry I might ask that next time – pan out. The super fast extreme closeup angles during the  action scenes make it hard to see the action. But that’s really about it. I liked the movie more than expected. DeNiro had a scene so badass the audience cheered, ‘Mr. MFWIC’ – [Mother F–ker Whats In Charge] was amusing, and Dominic Purcell‘s mustache was too awesome to criticize. I went to see a mindless action movie and instead got an action movie that actually stimulated the brain as well…

I’ll give it a 4/5 Bears. Booyah.

Also, for the Chuck fans out there, I should mention that Statham’s girl is played by Yvonne Strahovski…

New Killer Elite Trailer: Statham, Owen, De Niro and The Scorpions Team Up

Statham, Owen, DeNiro and The Scorpions Team Up – and they are going to rock you like a hurricane.  Below is the new trailer for Killer Elite which stars the aforementioned Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro. Watch, enjoy, absorb and once you quit fist pumping, meet me down below for a brief discussion.