Review: Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen Vol. 2

Having survived an assault on San Francisco orchestrated by Sinister, Cyclops' Extinction Team is ready to face a new threat. Writer Kieron Gillen drops the X-Men into an unknown environment and tests their ability to work together. Even if they survive that, will they be able to stop an intergalactic jailbreak? You can be sure that Gillen cranks up the drama in this second collection of his run on Uncanny X-Men.

After the events of the previous volume, Emma Frost is out and Psylocke is in. The fan-favourite psychic ninja had been covorting around with the morally unsound X-Force squad and her sins are close to being aired out for all the X-Men to see. She was partly responsible for the making of a new environment on Earth and the X-Men have been sent to investigate. The threats seem very real at first and the team is split up into pairs. While Colossus and Magik seem predictable as a duo, Gillen gains traction when he teams Namor up with Hope and Magneto with Psylocke. Namor is a major standout in this arc and there are many humorous moments involving his character. He is a complex individual who keeps Hope on her toes. Of course, her obvious attraction to the Atlantean King makes things all the more complicated (and hilarious). Magneto's knowledge of Psylocke's activities with X-Force proves to be an interesting plot point and seemingly helps bridge the gap between the two characters. Though Magneto had been going through the motions with a rather dull relationship with Rogue, it's quite clear there's some interesting tension between he and Psylocke. Following this adventure, the X-Men plunge head first into a mission to retrieve escaped aliens after the space prison known as The Peak is destroyed. The action here is stronger and there's a greater sense of urgency as the reader witnesses the atrocities committed by Unit (the arc's villain). Character development is lighter than the previous arc but the tension is more intense.

Greg Land and Carlos Pacheco serve as the artists for this collection. As per usual with Land, the pencils are expressive yet gratuitous. The seemingly traced art appears at times beautiful and others overtly sensual. His penchant for drawing "porn faces" has been toned down and the panels are practically bursting with colour. Pacheco's lines, by comparison, seem hopelessly too simple and it lacks the character of Land's. Nevertheless, at least he doesn't draw the females as if they're wearing weaves.

With this second volume of stories from Gillen's Uncanny X-Men, the X-Men are shown to be powerful but fatally flawed. The interpersonal drama that has followed them around is escalating and interfering with their capability to protect the Earth. It's also quite clear that Earth is certainly not safe from threats. Gillen's writing has improved and the characters feel much more human (so to speak) this time around. He's particularly to be applauded for giving each of them an opportunity to shine. With a healthy heaping of Namor and Psylocke, this is one adventure X-fans should consider checking out.

Grade: B

Review: Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen Vol. 1

After the divisive event known as "Schism," the X-Men were split into two factions. Wolverine was the figurehead for one group while Cyclops was the other. Both iconic heroes took their individual groups in different directions but both had the same goal -- to protect the world and preserve mutantkind. Writer Kieron Gillen was tasked with handling Cyclops' team in the then-newly relaunched Uncanny X-Men title. The result was an interesting assemblage of powerful mutants responsible for stopping the most dangerous threats. Their first mission? Take down the deadly Mister Sinister.

In recent years, Cyclops has been a much-maligned character whose moral fibres have been fraying. His questionable behaviour has made him unpopular among some groups but Gillen seems to be interested in rescuing the character from this dark path. When Cyclops assembles his team (known as the "Extinction Team"), he does so not as a general but as a peacekeeper. Despite the fact that his teammates can bring the world to its knees, Cyclops simply wants the X-Men to be the best heroes they can be. In the first volume of this run, Gillen tells the story in a brisk fashion that easily captures the reader's attention and his refocusing of Cyclops' intentions gives the narrative a purpose. That said, the team consists of eight members and, as such, many of the characters get lost in the shuffle. Emma Frost is a standout. Her voice is clear and she is essential to the plot. Likewise, Hope has a distinct personality and purpose. Some of the most memorable moments in this collection involve her character. Unfortunately, the rest of the characters fade into the background. Most regrettably, Storm is underused and contributes very little to the narrative. Nevertheless, Gillen's interpretation of the volume's villain Mister Sinister is interesting. He takes him in a different direction, removing him from the androgynous S&M look the character had previously sported. Sinister proves to be a more interesting foe than the seeming Big Bad known as the Dreaming Celestial. Perhaps this is because he raises the stakes and seems so unbeatable.

Carol Pacheco handles the art chores for the first three issues in this collection. First rising to prominence during the late-1990s, Pacheco had a distinctive and clean style that was stunning. His art was some of the best from that particular era. However, none of that flare and uniqueness is present in this volume. His pencils are practically unrecognizable and the art seems extremely rushed. Unfortunately, it does the writing no favours. Brandon Peterson drew the fourth and final issue in this collection. His art is much more distinct and palatable. It's much more detailed and springs to life on the page. He should particularly be commended for his expressiveness.

The X-Men have been around for five decades so it's hard to come up with something new and exciting when it comes to Marvel's Merry Mutants. Kieron Gillen does an admirable job here. He doesn't get trumped up by Marvel's penchant for events and he seems most concerned with telling a great story. Though the team assembled is interesting but not utilized to its full potential. Nevertheless, it's a decent start to this particular era and it leaves the reader wanting more.

Grade: C+

Review: Oz the Great and Powerful

Ever since it was first published in 1900, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has captured the imaginations of children and adults alike. Though its most famous adaptation still remains the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, several writers and directors have tried their hand at adapting and re-envisioning the iconic book. In 2013, the wonderful world of Oz was reinvented by Disney in Oz the Great and Powerful.

Oz the Great and Powerful tells the origin of the infamous Wizard of Oz. James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, the aforementioned Wizard. Oscar is a con man driven by greed, seemingly unable to care about anyone but himself. Franco plays the role flawlessly and with charm in a vaguely Johnny Depp-ian way. However, it quickly becomes clear that Franco cannot hold his own in this fantasy world. He disappears into the background the moment the female characters are introduced. Rachel Weisz vamps it up as Evanora, the Wicked Witch of the East. She is deceptive and commands attention simply by cocking her hips to the side. Likewise, Michelle Williams steals her scenes with her undeniable poise and incredible vulnerability. However, the real star of the show is Joey King who voices China Girl. Spunky and courageous, China Girl provides plenty of comic relief while maintaining the emotional core of the film. Unfortunately, the film's premise falls flat. Despite this being the Wizard's origin, his character seems uninteresting in comparison to his female counterparts. In fact, it's almost impossible not to compare Oz the Great and Powerful to another Oz origin story -- Wicked. Much of the film depends on Mila Kunis' character Theodora. She is ultimately the lynchpin that holds the narrative together. Unfortunately, Theodora comes across as naive and lacks depth as a character. By comparison, her Wicked counterpart totally obliterates Theodora in terms of characterization and personality. This isn't the fault of Mila Kunis, of course, as she acts the part beautifully. It's the fault of the writers and producers for thinking that the Wizard could be half as interesting as the Witches. Acting and narrative aside, the film is absolutely gorgeous. The colours are lush and the costuming is absolutely brilliant, especially the costuming chosen for Theodora. The one nitpick? Weisz's Evanora should have been given more than one outfit.

As far as adaptations go, Oz the Great and Powerful is visually one of the more beautiful. The art direction is fantastic and the costuming is to die for. The cast is fantastic but the obviously scene-stealing on the part of the women makes the film feel lacklustre since it doesn't spend enough time elaborating on their origins or personalities. As such, Oz the Great and Powerful really just leaves the audience wondering, "When are they going to adapt Wicked for the big screen?"

Grade: C+

Review: Koda Kumi, BEST~second session~

Released in March of 2006, BEST ~second session~ was Japanese pop star Koda Kumi's second single collection. It also did double duty, acting unofficially as her sixth album. Selling nearly one million copies in its first week, the compilation proved to be a high point in her career. Spanning a variety of genres, BEST ~second session~ is a treasury of unique songs that showcase Koda Kumi's chameleon-like abilities as a songstress.

As far as Japanese balladeers go, Koda Kumi is chief among them. Her rich vocals lend themselves nicely to the downtempo songs on BEST ~second session~. "you" is a gorgeous piano ballad that is accentuated with a chorus of strings while "feel" is a swaying R&B ballad with a warm acoustic sound. A major standout on the collection is the ballad "KAMEN" featuring Ishii Tatuya. It is a simple torch song that blends the singers' vocals together beautifully. It's certainly one of the more memorable tracks on the album. The syrupy ballads are fantastic but Koda Kumi also shows she can have fun as well. "WIND" is a catchy pop song that is wispy and lively. Likewise, "Birthday Eve" is a neo-disco dance track that is punctuated by a bevy of horns. It is cute and 100% ear candy. The Latin-flavoured "Shake It Up" is another great upbeat song that is danceable and infectious. Despite the album's buoyancy, it has a tendency to feel dated like its predecessor BEST ~first things~. "Ima Sugu Hoshii" sounds suspiciously like it could be a leftover track from the Spice Girls' debut album Spice, "No Regret" plays like a J-Pop tune from the late-1990s and "Lies" is equally as outdated. That said, Koda Kumi makes remarkable strides by furthering her image as a seductress on tracks like "D.D.D." and "Candy." The former is one of the best songs on BEST ~second session~. It features Japanese urban duo SOULHEAD and is a multi-genre track that blends hip-hop, pop and rock. It is criminal in its catchiness and is bursting with sex appeal. "Candy" is a more straight-up hip-hop song that utilizes a vaguely Middle Eastern sound and features a memorable rap verse courtesy of Mr. Blistah. It is sensuous and provocative, making it a come-hither kind of number.

Likely considered Koda Kumi's magnum opus, BEST ~second session~ solidified the singer's place in Japanese pop music history. A critical and commercial success, the album is a must-have for fans of the sexy star. It is brimming with catchy pop tunes, beautiful ballads and scintillating dance tracks. Though it may have its share of filler, BEST ~second session~'s production value is high and Koda Kumi's vocals are near flawless. It should be added immediately to the collection of every J-Pop connoisseur.

Recommended Listening: "D.D.D.," "you," "Candy," "Shake It Up," "feel," "WIND," "Birthday Eve," "KAMEN," "Someday."
Grade: B+

Review: Frozen

A sheltered princess and a handsome adventurer set off on the journey of a lifetime. Danger and romantic tension ensues. Sound familiar? It's the basic premise for Disney's mega-hit Tangled. It also happens to be the same formula used in their most recent animated masterpiece Frozen. It would be easy to write this family-friendly film off as an unoriginal cash-grab but Frozen is so much more than that.

Based off the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale "The Snow Queen," Frozen tells the story of a courageous princess who goes off in search of her older sister after she has imprisoned their kingdom in eternal winter. Kristen Bell is marvellous as Princess Anna. Bell's voice has incredible range and she makes the character lovable. Anna can be a bit dippy and naive but she has a good heart. Unlike most Princesses under Disney's umbrella, Anna acts selflessly in the name of love for a family member rather than for a handsome prince. Jonathan Groff plays the rugged (yet somehow incredibly dorky) Kristoff, an ice trader who joins Anna on her quest. It goes without saying that some sparks fly between Kristoff and Anna. That places the film dangerously in the realm of predictability. So what is it that makes Frozen so special? Two words: Idina Menzel. Menzel plays the elegant ice-wielding Queen Elsa. The film comes across as a run-of-the-mill G-rated action-adventure with so-so musical numbers but it is the presence of the stunning snow queen that elevates the film to a new level. The show-stopping "Let It Go" is one of the best moments of the film and the song itself stands out as being on-par with other great Disney numbers. Menzel's vocals are flawless and she belts it out like no one but the Queen of Broadway can. While Anna will be dogged by Rapunzel comparisons until the end of time, Elsa is so unlike all other Disney characters. She is stoic and regal yet devastating in her self-sacrificing loneliness. Additionally, the dynamic between Elsa and Anna is interesting. It's one that feels fresh and unique due to the lack of familial emphasis in previous Disney films. By the end, we are reminded that sometimes you need look no further than your closest family member to find true, unconditional love.

In essence, Frozen is a delightful blend of what would happen if you tossed Tangled and Wicked together and sprinkled it with ice. That's not a bad thing. The themes in the film are varied and are appealing to people of all ages. While the music may not be on-par with Disney greats like Beauty & The Beast or The Lion King, Frozen features some of the best singing found in an animated film. Furthermore, Jennifer Lee is to be commended for managing to pull off some rather unpredictable plot twists and the animators should be applauded for the gorgeous, glittering landscapes they created. This more than makes up for Anna's resemblance to a certain heroine with 70-foot long golden hair. There's action, comedy and one hell of a fierce ice queen. If there's one movie to take your family to see this holiday season, it's Frozen.

Grade: A-