Corn and Swedes – The Umbrella Academy, Season Two, Episode Three

Continuing our foray into The Umbrella Academy's wonton chaos, Episode Three starts to bring two major subplots to a culmination but ends up prompting more questions than it answers. As an early entry into the season, that's not necessarily a problem, but the season is solidifying in form, and as we get to the midpoint,…

“It’s Hip, It’s Wow, It’s Now, And How!” – Spider-Man 3

Now I know what you're thinking: Hat, what are you doing? Why would you review Spider-Man 3 without having reviewed the first two Spider-Man films? It's not even new, it came out in 2007. It's the bad one. Where's our Umbrella Academy review? And yes, of course all of those are very valid points. (The…

I’ll Meet You at the Crossroads – Hellboy, Book One

I have a fondness for monsters — the fanged, scaled, hairy, be-tentacled sort. They make our world a more interesting place, give us some respite from the darker things out there that aren’t as up front about what they really are. You know what to expect from a scary-looking monster. And when they prove you…

3P Reviews: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Season Five, Episode Fourteen (Episode Sixty-Four)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Season Five Episode Fourteen: Journey's End - *** Spoilers: Yes. Audience Assumptions: None Part One: Pictures of a Cast We get a few different jumps forward in time to establish where the characters have ended up, the first two months, then two years, then presumably many more years in the future. because this…

3P Reviews: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Season Five, Episode Twelve (Episode Sixty-Two)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Season Five Episode Twelve: A Fierce Counterattack - ***   Spoilers: Yes. Audience Assumptions: None   Part One: Punching I’m kind of getting Game of Thrones flashbacks with this one, mainly in the sense that this almost feels like it should be the final episode but we still have several more to go.…

3P Reviews: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Season Five, Episode Eleven (Episode Sixty-One)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Season Five Episode Eleven: He Who Would Swallow God - *   Spoilers: Yes. Audience Assumptions: None   Part One: Reversals Woof. Here we go. So after the previous episode impressing me more than I thought it would, the show comes crashing right back down with a whole load of nonsense. Lovely. Again,…

Lessons in Adaptation: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

A few years back, I was in an introductory filmmaking program. This was not crucial to my degree (which is in rocks), but it was fun, and if we finished up with our projects for the day with time to spare, the instructors would show us films they thought demonstrated parts of the craft uncommonly…

3P Reviews: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Season Five, Episode Five (Episode Fifty-Five)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Season Five Episode Five: Adults' Way of Life - ***   Spoilers: Yes. Audience Assumptions: None   Part One: Why Does Armstrong Have No Nipples? I Demand Manly Nipples! This is the episode that broke me originally. During my first run at this show, I got all the way to Episode Fifty-Five, and…

3P Reviews: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Season Five, Episode Two (Episode Fifty-Two)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Season Five Episode Two: Combined Strength - *   Spoilers: Yes. Audience Assumptions: None   Part One: The Blue's Clues-Style Exposition is Back! Well, that episode was... packed. Normally when an episode of anything has so much going on, at least some of it is worthwhile, and that is the case here. There…

3P Reviews: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Season Four, Episode Nine (Episode Forty-Seven)

Series Breakdown Rating: Characters and Character Development: 7 Aesthetics and Style: 7 Creativity: 7 Overall Plot: 5 Dialogue: 4 Sum: 30/50   Spoilers: Yes. Audience Assumptions: None   Season Four Episode Nine: Emissary of Darkness - ****   Part One: Silly Coat I had fun with this one. The episode has a narrow focus, which allows…