Mon
05
Oct

Lack of Energy Bogs Down Blumhouse's "The Lie"

Blumhouse The Lie

There’s nothing like a murder to bring a broken family together.

That’s the core conceit of Blumhouse Films’ latest release, The Lie, and there are not-so-subtle parallels between the bleak wintry setting and the cold emotional distance of a once-happy family shattered by divorce and miscommunication. The frigid cinematography of the opening scenes in upstate New York, where teenaged Kayla admits to her divorcee father that she purposely pushed her friend from a footbridge into the freezing river waters below serve to set up the icy tone of lies, deceit and eventual bloodshed that follows.

Mon
05
Oct

Blumhouse's Black Box Has Seriously Creepy Atmosphere

Black Box Blumhouse

Let's begin with an existential exercise: Who are you? Or put another way, How do you know who you really are? The most obvious answer is that you are, in a way, your memories--that you know who you are because you remember you are. Take away or alter those recollections and you cease to be who you once were. We become the epitome of Heinlein's Michael Valentine, a stranger in a strange land.

The core of the Blumhouse release Black Box is rife with such philosophical pickings, an intricate, million-piece psychological puzzle that immerses the viewer in the travails of professional photographer Nolan Wright's struggle to find his identity after surviving a car accident that killed his wife Rachel and left him with brain damage-induced amnesia. His is a lost world, where his grade-school age daughter Eva must take the reins with cooking and keeping her father on a daily routine with sticky-note reminders to do everyday activities.

Sun
04
Oct

Ricky Byrd's "Sobering Times" a Message of Hope That Needs to Be Heard

Ricky Byrd, Sobering Times

Whenever I set about to review an album or CD, I always include in my review any sonic attribute I feel compelled to mention for those of the audiophile faith, as I like to know these things myself to aid in the purchase of an album--things such as tonal and timbral accuracy, soundstage width and depth, hall sound. Instrument and performer placement, etc.

It wasn’t long after popping this shiny disc of new music from RRHF Ricky Byrd when all those things no longer really mattered; it was just simply the music that mattered. I was drawn into not only the music, but the message of each song.

Fri
02
Oct

Benefits of Playing College Sports

Benefits of Playing College Sports

College life is unarguably one of the most refined and fantastic experiences for a person. However, remember, college is not just for studying and getting good grades. Indulging yourself in sports and extra-curricular activities is also an essential part of leading a successful college life.

Fri
02
Oct

The Devil To Pay a Must-Watch, Low-Key Appalachian Thriller

The Devil To Pay

THE DEVIL TO PAY from Lane and Ruckus Skye is a low-key thriller that is riveting from beginning to end. Set in Appalachian country, the film is populated with soft-spoken killers, simple-living country folks, and a bizarre religious cult. 

It is in this setting that we are introduced to Lemon Cassidy (Danielle Deadwyler), a farmer living on the mountain in a simple clapboard house with her son, Coy (Ezra Haslam). Her husband has been away on a chore, and it is shortly into the film we learn what that was and who it was for: he had taken a favor from Tommy Runion (Catherine Dyer), a charming sweet-talking lady who is nonetheless ruthless. The price for his favor was to steal a gold watch from the Knox family and bring it to her, a revenge-payment for the Knox family having commited a (to most folks) seemingly trivial trespass against the Runions.

Fri
02
Oct

5 Must-See Movies About College Life

5 Must See Movies About College Life

Introduction

College years contain the best memories of a student. Besides studies, the movies you watch with your friends are cherishable and enjoyable for all. There are some fantastic movies about college life of students like PITCH PERFECT, THE SOCIAL NETWORK and many others.

Fri
02
Oct

Up to the Hilt: The Lightsaber Collection Provides Detailed Look for Star Wars Fans

Star Wars Lightsaber Collection

Even the casual fans of Star Wars can tell you that the lightsaber is a deeply personal weapon to the one who wields it. Unlike a blaster, the lightsaber is not some mass-produced weapon made in a factory, with identically interchangeable parts. No, the lightsaber is crafted by hand by the Jedi or Sith who will take it into battle, making it an extension of themselves. "This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age," as Obi-Wan put it to Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars film. And, really, that whole "random as a blaster" comment pretty much sums up why the stormtroopers could never hit anything they shot at.

Fri
02
Oct

Ways Comic Books Can Improve Writing Skills

Comic Books Influence Writing

Having good writing skills benefits a student during his academic life. The skills remain just as significant, if not more, once you enter the job market. Reading comic books is a useful and exciting option for kids, as well as adults, to polish this skill. Here are some benefits of comic books.

 

 

Reading Comprehension

Thu
01
Oct

No Tricks, All Treats: Meet October Bombshell of the Month, Katy DeCobray

Katy DeCobray Bombshell October 2020

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

 

With Halloween upon us, the whole world is looking to change into somene -- or something -- else. What better time to pull out some exemplary cosplay to get you, our readers, into the right frame of mind. And so, dear readers, with no tricks and all treats, we are happy  to share with you, our...

 

Tue
29
Sep

The Best Superhero TV Show Debuts Today on Blu-ray: DC's Stargirl, The Complete First Season

Stargirl Season 1 BD

The best thing to happen to CW superhero shows was obtaining the license to rebroadcast episodes of STARGIRL the day after premiering on the DC Universe streaming services. The show, shepherded by character creator Geoff Johns, became immediately recognized as one of the best translations of comic-to-tube in decades.

Sun
27
Sep

Talking Craft with NYT Bestselling Graphic Novelist Kazu Kabuishi

Amulet Kazu Kabuishi

Between FLIGHT, COPPER, paperback cover illustrations of the Harry Potter books, and eight volumes of the best-selling graphic novel AMULET (with a ninth in the works), writer/artist Kazu Kibuishi is a role model for not excepting or expecting anything but success. His canny understanding of storytelling, as well as of where the market swings are in comic book culture, have made him an expert in the artform, capable of speaking on subjects from the most esoteric anime to your run-of-the-mill superhero arc.

Critical Blast is joined by UNSTITCHED creator Justin Dutton to spend an hour with Kibuishi discussing these aspects of the graphic novel industry, and what traits make for stories that stand the test of time -- and remain evergreen sellers in bookstores. Check the video below for all the details.

Sat
26
Sep

Legends of Tomorrow Fight Fate in Post-Crisis Fifth Season

Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 Bluray

While the CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS crossover event was a mid-season interruption for most of the CW superhero shows, it was the season opening episode for LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, the action sitcom of the Arrowverse. LEGENDS began as a team of superheroes assembled to go on a time-travel mission to stop Vandal Savage, and selected because they would not be missed by history if they were killed. Since then, it has evolved into a sort of "anything goes" time-travel fix-it series, with very little super-heroing happening -- with John Constantine (Matt Ryan) thrown into the mix.

Thu
24
Sep

Neotheric: The Return of the King Irreverent Clash of Genres

Neotheric Cover

Sixty-five million years ago, dinosaurs disappeared from the face of the Earth.

Yesterday, four of them came back -- crash landing into the Mayberry-esque town of Riverside Junction in the same ship that took them away millennia ago.

Wed
23
Sep

Enola Holmes a Quirky, Feminist Reimagining of Holmes Tradition

Enola Holmes

There have been numerous takes on the Holmes legacy left by creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to have included books, television shows, movies, and even a incorporated inot the canonical universes of both DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

ENOLA HOLMES was, perhaps, an inevitablity. Having already seen takes at Mycroft Holmes (THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES' SMARTER BROTHER), the idea of a Holmes sister, while explored disturbingly in the final series of SHERLOCK, is a concept ripe with opportunity for the YA market, and one well capitalized on by author Nancy Springer.

Tue
22
Sep

One Thousand Issues in the Making: Detective Comics #1027

Detective Comics 1027 - J Scott Campbell variant

The ten-dollar-comic is rapidly becoming a regular thing at the local comics shop. True, it's been reserved for these 80th aniversary specials, but as we continue marking that particuar milestone, we'll soon have overlap with 80th anniversaries of later characters and 85th anniversaries of the ones we just celebrated. So the bottom line is to get used to them.

Fortunately, with books like DETECTIVE #1027 -- this one celebrating the 1000th issue of the title since the introduction of Batman -- you get a collection of really good short stories featuring the world's greatest detective. Unfortunately, it doesn't lead off with them -- all the more surprising given the Bat-experience of the writers.

Mon
21
Sep

This T.E.D.D.Y. is Ready for the Boogeyman. Prepare to Get UNSTITCHED!

Unstitched 1

Eleanor isn't having an easy time of it lately. The new baby brother seems to constantly be taking more and more of mom and dad's time, taking away from her play time and her story time.

But Eleanor has a bigger problem,and she doesn't even know it. A dark and evil force has set his sights on her, and she's going to need a special defender, an experienced knight, to fight on her behalf to keep her safe.

Enter Muffins: Muffins is a T.E.D.D.Y. -- a Terrifically Effective Dreaming Defender. Yeah! Unfortunately, Muffins is not a fully-trained T.E.D.D.Y. but rather an over-eager rookie, who overheard there was a threat when he eavesdropped on his teacher speaking with the Dream King in Dreamland. Ready to prove he's got the stuffing of the greatest T.E.D.D.Y. ever, Muffins takes a shooting star to Earth and lands in Eleanor's bedroom.

Mon
21
Sep

Beckman Aims John Wick at Christian Audience

Beckman DVD

Aaron Beckman (David A.R. White) is an assassin for hire who wants out of the game. Injured during an encounter in Los Angeles, he takes refuge in a church, giving a satchel of money to the pastor, Philip (JUSTIFIED's Jeff Fahey). The pastor is at his own crossroads of faith over his failing health, and we quickly forward two years later to Philip's own death. Beckman takes over as the church's shepherd, until he comes to a crossroads of his own, preparing to leave everything behind when history repeats itself and another lost soul comes to the door needing sanctuary: a young woman named Tabitha (Brighton Sharbino, THE WALKING DEAD).

Fri
18
Sep

DC UNIVERSE TRANSFORMS INTO DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, THE ULTIMATE COMIC BOOK SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE

DCUniverse Infinite

BURBANK, CA (Sept. 18, 2020) – Calling all comic book fans to Explore the Multiverse! DC today announced the evolution of DC UNIVERSE into DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, a premium digital comic book service set to launch on January 21, 2021. With access to more than 24,000 comic books at launch, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscribers will also encounter digital-first comics, member access to DC fan events, as well as a steady stream of recently released comics six months after their physical versions hit store shelves. Following its initial launch, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE will begin expanding globally in SUMMER 2021.

Thu
17
Sep

Supergirl's Greatest Battle is Fought in Cyberspace in Fifth Season (Now on Blu-ray)

Supergirl Season 5 Blu-ray

In the fifth season of the Maid of Might's adventures, Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and her super friends find themselves going up against Leviathin, an organization bent on putting Earth through its next extinction event, ushered in at the hands of seemingly immortal gods like Rama Khan (Mitch Pileggi) and Gamemnae (Cara Buono).

But it's not as simple as that, as Supergirl's civilian life as Kara Danvers is complicated by new relationships. A new fellow reporter at CATCO, William Dey (Staz Nair), gets nosy about Kara's personal life, and has some pretty shady interactions that arouse Kara's suspicions. But his true motives become revealed later on, when Kara learns he's been undercover investigating a very bad person.

Wed
16
Sep

Which Next-Gen Gaming System is Right for You?

Samsung Galaxy Fold

When it comes to which gaming platform we like to play on, most of us need to first consider the cost. While some might be fortunate enough to be able to drop the cash for every system under the sun, the rest of us need to balance a whole range of factors to make the right choice. In this article, we want to investigate the most important parts, to help guide you into the right purchase for yourself or a lucky friend or family member.

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