Digital | ON: GAMES Jul 5, 2020
Two new styles of samurai showdowns
by Brian Ashcraft
SNK drops an unreleased Samurai Shodown game; Ghost of Tsushima brings feudal Japan to life; and Marvel’s Iron Man VR puts you right in the suit.
Digital | ON: GAMES Aug 26, 2018
by Brian Ashcraft
The upcoming month brings with it the "Marvel's Spider-Man" PS4 game and console release, an all-women SNK game and the expo for all gamers — Tokyo Game Show.
Film / Reviews May 30, 2018
'Deadpool 2': A tad tame but still a ton of fun
by James Hadfield
Blame it on the Bat. For a brief period, Deadpool seemed like the most subversive player on the cinematic superhero circuit, deflating the genre's pretensions with a barrage of self-referential humor and fourth wall-breaking asides. But after last year's "The Lego Batman Movie," he's ...
Film / Reviews Apr 27, 2018
'Avengers: Infinity War': Bold, bombastic and a bit of a bummer
by James Hadfield
This review contains discussion of plot points that may be seen as mild spoilers for "Avengers: Infinity War." So here it is: the "most ambitious crossover event in history," the grandest episode to date in cinema's most expensive soap opera — and, coming in the ...
Film Feb 10, 2017
by George Hadley-Garcia
Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth — all of them look like naturals when it comes to playing superheroes. Benedict Cumberbatch? Not as much. Though audiences love him as the new Sherlock Holmes, that iconic role has never been described as a superhero. The titular ...
Film / Reviews Jan 18, 2017
'Doctor Strange': When seeing is not always believing
by Kaori Shoji
In case you're wondering if the entire superhero film genre is being monopolized by Marvel, it is my regrettable duty to tell you that it does look that way. There are no superhero free agents out there anymore, and if a lone wolf should ...
Culture Dec 1, 2016
Tokyo Comic Con calls on Hollywood's big guns for star power
by Ryotaro Aoki
As we sit down for an interview, Tokyo Comic Convention Committee Chairman Mitsuaki Munegumi casually points to a glass case in the center of the room. "There's actually a real 'Star Wars' lightsaber in there," he says, and reaches over. He pulls out a hilt ...
Film Aug 17, 2016
Superhero films need to reach beyond the geeks
by James Hadfield
Where superhero movies are concerned, you should never trust a critic. When David Ayer's "Suicide Squad" opened to a barrage of negative press in the U.S. earlier this month, some fans responded by lashing out at film journalists online. One even launched a petition ...
Film / Reviews Jun 1, 2016
'Deadpool': Shooting off at the mouth and at the hip
by James Hadfield
Living in Japan, you get accustomed to scrolling through a film's release dates on IMDb, only to discover that it's arriving here months behind the rest of the world. Such has been the case with "Deadpool," which opened everywhere from the U.S. to the ...
Film May 25, 2016
Hollywood takes its wisecracking hero seriously
by Ryotaro Aoki
The opening credits of "Deadpool" begin with the words "Some Douchebag's Film." Maybe it was because of this self-deprecation that overseas audiences found the film refreshing. Especially since in another recent superhero blockbuster, a billionaire vigilante pontificates on morality using the "one percent doctrine" ...
Film / Reviews Apr 27, 2016
'Captain America': Civil War: Marvel shows Superman how it's done
by James Hadfield
Have we reached peak superhero yet? After spending the winter months watching "Jessica Jones" and "Daredevil" on Netflix, viewers can now subject themselves to a barrage of comic-book spectacle at their local multiplex. Following last month's clattering, messy "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" ...
Film / Reviews Jul 1, 2015
'Avengers: Age of Ultron' didn't need a director
by James Hadfield
How many superheroes does it take to make a movie? At this point, Marvel Studio's cinematic empire is getting so overpopulated that you'd need a spreadsheet to keep track of who everyone is. There are over a dozen comic-book characters vying for attention in ...