Hard Target

This movie has Jean-Claude Van Damme punching a snake and Wilford Brimley, while sporting a Cajun accent, shooting arrows into people. More than 20 years after its release Hard Target feels every bit the B-movie early 1990s action flick it is. Notable for teaming up action star Van Damme (as an out-of-work Cajun soldier in Louisiana) and director John Woo (in his first American film) the film delivers audiences stunts, action sequences, and the large number of wide-eyed reaction shots from co-star Yancy Butler looking directly into the camera.

The story brings Natasha (Butler) to New Orleans in search of her missing father, a homeless veteran who was recrutied by a group of demented sprotsmen (Lance Henriksen, Arnold Vosloo, and others) who enjoy hunting humans for sport. A chance meeting, so to speak, with Chance Boudreaux (Van Damme), who is in need of some quick cash to get back to sea, leads the pair to team-up to investigate what really happened to the woman's father and track down those responsible.

Chewbacca #1

Set shortly after the events of the Battle of Yavin in the original Star Wars, Marvel Comics' new Chewbacca five-issue mini-series gives the Millennium Falcon co-pilot his own mission for the Rebellion. Stranded on a planet in need of parts to fix the ship he borrowed for the mission, Chewbacca makes the acquaintance of a young girl named Zarro who has escaped the local mines where her father is still a prisoner working off his debt to a local gangster and extortionist.

Longmire - Four Arrows

Following a self-imposed exile during an investigation into the Barlow Connally (Gerald McRaney), Walt (Robert Taylor) returns to work to find Vic (Katee Sackhoff) a little too chummy with a deputy (Josh Cooke) on loan from the next county and a new murder to solve during the opening weekend of the new casino. Despite his investigation into Jacob Nighthorse (A Martinez) being finished, Walt's investigation into a body stuffed into a luggage bag on a tour bus headed to the casino does nothing to help calm the tensions between the pair.

Scorpion - Tech, Drugs and Rock and Roll

The super-sized episode of Scorpion turns out to be one of the better episodes of the series as most of the Scorpion team is trapped inside a smart building with other innocent bystanders thanks to a malicious attack someone was able to introduce through Walter's (Elyes Gabel) code. Beginning with Walter getting blindsided by a mysterious woman in the opening scene who drugs him in order to install the worm on his laptop to all members of Scorpion making it out of the building alive, the extended episode finds time for each member of the team to shine including Sylvester (Ari Stidham) who manages to lock down his fear to save three children trapped along with him in the burning highrise.

NYCC 2015 Cosplay Spotlight

Burnt

It didn't make me hungry. That's an interesting response to have towards a film centered around food. Our story stars Bradley Cooper as talented chef, recovering addict, and all around asshole Adam Jones who basically blackmails the old friend (Daniel Brühl) he screwed over in his last job into hiring him as the chef for a mediocre London restaurant. Jones' motives are two-fold. First, he honestly does want to make amends to those he's wronged in the past. At least as important to him, however, is the chance to reclaim glory in the hopes of achieving the prestigious three Michelin star rating as one of the best restaurants (and chefs) in Europe.
I joke that the food on display didn't wet my appetite but Burnt deals with a different side of the retaurant business by focusing as much on its burdens, costs, and obsessive personalities struggling to work behind the scenes as it does about creating the food. Even when the film puts the food first the perspective is always more about the presentation of the meal than the meal itself. Although the film constantly tells us that Jones is culinary genius it rarely shows us actual examples of this on-screen.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - 4,722 Hours

After a summer cliffhanger and handful of following episodes teasing what happened, with "4,722 Hours" Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. finally reveals the truth about happened to Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) after she was suck through the monolith and transported to a barren world on the other side of the galaxy. Presented in an extended flashback sequence, the episode centers around Henstridge with other cast members only making token appearances through saved video on the scientist's smartphone. However, that doesn't mean Simmons is alone.

The Flash - The Fury of Firestorm

Despite introducing both a new hero and villain while searching for a suitable candidate to merge with Dr. Stein (Victor Garber) and calm the unstable Firestorm Matrix, and spending most of the rest of the episode dealing with Iris (Candice Patton) and her family drama given the unexpected return of her mother (Vanessa Williams), "The Fury of Firestorm" hides its best moments on the periphery of the storyline of the week. Don't get me wrong, I think Franz Drameh did a fine job as Jefferson "Jax" Jackson, and I like the look of the new Firestorm slightly better than the original (although it could still us a little more comic book styling), and I wouldn't mind seeing Demore Barnes return as Tomahawk, but "Fury of Firestorm" saves its best for last.

Supergirl - Pilot

Playing on the classic version of the character while giving her super-hero alter-ego a thankless job in a modern media company, CBS' Supergirl premieres with a solid "Pilot" episode that, while rough around the edges, manages to entertain and show room for improvement. Melissa Benoist seemed like an odd casting choice for Kara Zor-El, Superman's older (but younger) cousin from Kyrpton sent to Earth to protect him as a baby only to get lost in space and show up years later, but has spirit and spunk that serves her well here. The episode has some nice winks to comic and TV history for both Superman and Supergirl including giving Dean Cain and Helen Slater cameos as the human couple who raised Kara on Earth.

Wander Over Yonder - The Good Bad Guy

Lord Hater (Keith Ferguson) faces his greatest fear when he discovers his idol, the most evil villain in the history of the galaxy, has been been turned into a pretty nice guy thanks to the influence of a vagabond and his message of love and friendship. Seeing Major Threat's (Piotr Michael) transformation as his own possible future, Hater pulls out all the stops to bring back the villain's old personality.

Continuum - Final Hour

It's not uncommon for a series final to feel rushed or drawn out, but it is less common for the final episode of a series to feel a bit of both. I'm curious to know how Simon Barry's full vision of the series (likely twice as long as the 39 episodes made for air) may have played out differently than the show's truncated final season involving an army from the future, Kiera's (Rachel Nichols) last chance to make it home, tearful goodbyes, final betrayals, unexpected alliances, and a melancholy ending that is befitting the tone of Continuum. As it is we can only judge the show that was, rather than how it might have been.

Once Upon a Time - Dreamcatcher

Henry's (Jared Gilmore) love life plays a central role in this week's episode, both in Storybrooke and in the flashbacks to Camelot, as his burgeoning relationship with Violet (Olivia Steele Falconer) will not only prove to be the final piece of the puzzle to releasing Merlin (Elliot Knight) but also break the young man's heart in two different timelines. In the past Violet's rejection gives the young man the heartbreak necessary to break the Dark One's curse and back in the present, while his relationship goes much more smoothly, poor Henry's heartbreak comes from the discovery of Emma's (Jennifer Morrison) treatment of his first love.

Hawaii Five-0 - Ka 'alapahi nui

The public execution of a defendant during his deposition by a motorcyclist leads Five-0 to look into a group of stunt drivers notable not only for multiple moving violations but also for the hijacking of several trucks over the past few months. While initial information seems to suggest one of the group was hired to the local Samoan mob the truth is far more complicated and the reason behind the killing far more personal.

Doctor Who - The Girl Who Died / The Woman Who Lived

Another two-part episode brings The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) into contact with Vikings and thieves while introducing a new recurring character to the Whoverse we're likely to see more of this season (and possibly beyond). "The Girl Who Died" takes The Doctor and Clara (Jenna Coleman) to a Viking village besieged by the advanced warriors of the Mire. Despite his reluctance at getting involved in the conflict, The Doctor is coerced to help both by the pleas of Clara and an uncomfortable feeling he gets when meeting Ashildr (Maisie Williams), a young Viking whose appearance (and death) will lead The Doctor to indulge in one of the most impassioned, and reckless, choices of this (or any regeneration).

iZombie - Real Dead Housewife of Seattle

After eating the brains of a murdered trophy wife, a suddenly fashion-obsessed and status-conscious Liv (Rose McIver) begins snooping into the case which leads to Vaughn Du Clark (Steven Weber) who had been carrying on an affair with the victim in the weeks before her death. A conversation between Vaughn and Gilda (Leanne Lapp), who begins giving Major (Robert Buckley) a new kind of motivation to keep up his nightly activities, reveals an important fact about zombies (and their ability to relive the memories from ingested brains) that the unintentional zombie maker is still unaware of.

Arrow - Restoration

While the main storyline of "Retoration" deals with Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) working through their trust issues by tracking down the woman (Carmen Moore) who ordered the hit on Diggle's brother, "Restoration" actually gets its name from its B-story which involves the resurrection of another fallen hero. I'm glad that the series got Ollie and Dig to work out their issues fairly early in the season rather than continuing to allow the distrust and anger to fester any longer. Even if Diggle is left without answers or a measure of revenge at least our hero's most trustworthy sidekick is back onboard.

Arrow - The Complete Third Season

Arrow's Third Season brings Ra's al Ghul (Matt Nable) to Starling City to make Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) an offer he can't refuse (despite his many attempts to do so). Highlights of the season include the season premiere, the fallout of the death of Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), an adventure in Corto Maltese, the return of Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman), Felicity's (Emily Bett Rickards) past coming back to haunt her, Amy Gumenick's appearance as Green Arrow's #1 fan, a crossover with the Flash, the duel with the Demon's Head, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) coming into her own as the Black Canary, and Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) becoming a hero.

The season's final arc focuses on Ra's al Ghul manipulating Oliver and Starling City, including a deadly attack on Thea (Willa Holland), to force Oliver to accept the offer to join the League of Assassins as Ra's al Ghul's heir leading to Oliver's time as Ah Sah-Him, an unexpected wedding, and the season finale wrapping up the arc.

Supergirl by Irina Pirozhnikova

Castle - The Nose

Continuing the season's theme of having Castle (Nathan Fillion) work outside the department and horn in on Beckett's (Stana Katic) cases in an attempt to win back the affections of his wife (which he hasn't even lost), "The Nose" centers around a priceless stolen painting and a witness (Stephnie Weir) who can identify the killer not by sight but by smell. Caring just as much about how the woman's extra-sensory perceptions can tell him about Beckett's mood, Castle enlists the help of the reluctant witness to help track down the killer and find the painting.

Star Wars Rebels - Relics of the Old Republic

Wrapping up events begun in last week's episode "The Lost Commanders," the latest episode of Star Wars Rebels opens with the Empire closing in on the crew of the Ghost and their new Clone allies. Stuck planetside until the Phantom can be fixed, Ezra (Taylor Gray), Kanan (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Sabine (Tiya Sircar), and Zeb (Steven Blum) fight alongside Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor (all voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) against a ground assault of AT-ATs led by Agent Kallus (David Oyelowo) himself. "Relics of the Old Republic" also teases the introduction of a new Inquisitor (Philip Anthony-Rodriguez) who we will no doubt be seeing much more of beginning next week.

The Flash - Family of Rogues

The arrival of Lewis Snart (Michael Ironside) in Central City isn't a celebration for anyone, including the criminal's children who he blackmails to service his own ends. After placing a bomb inside the head of Golden Glider (Peyton List), Lewis forces Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) to join his old man's crew and help with his next big heist. Although I'm still not completely sold on the idea of Cold as a good guy, "Family of Rogues" does take an important first-step in moving the villain onto a new path which will likely culminate with his involvement in Legends of Tomorrow.

Justice League United #14

Let me start by saying I have absolutely no idea what is happening in Justice League United #14. The second issue of an arc (yeah, okay I'll admit I didn't read the last issue, but seriously WTF is going on?) involving members of the team being trapped in a WWII battlefront along with a Who's Who of lesser known DC characters including Sgt. Rock, Vandal Savage, Robotman, the Creature Commandos, Enemy Ace, the Unknown Soldier, and Batgirl is as bizarre as it sounds. Hell, even O.M.A.C. shows up before all is said and done. And it's also kinda fun.

Scorpion - Super Fun Guys

To find a late-era Soviet nuke before it is sold on the black market, Team Scorpion heads to Kazakhstan undercover as a film crew working on "Super Fun Guy The Movie," which of course makes Sylvester (Ari Stidham) deliriously happy except when Megan's (Camille Guaty) surgery is moved up, a fact she doesn't want Walter (Elyes Gabel) to know about, and he is forced to stay behind to lend his support without letting his friends know why. Although they are able to find the nuke before the sale, Walter and his friends are made by one of the mercenaries and find themselves trapped in a foreign country without outside assistance and still needing to stop the sale of the deadly weapon.

Once Upon a Time - The Broken Kingdom

With only the episode's final scene taking place in present day in Storybrooke, "The Broken Kingdom" spends nearly the entire hour better explaining events in Camelot both before and after our heroes' arrival. The dual flashbacks continue showing us events following David (Josh Dallas) taking a spot on the Round Table while also showing us Camelot five years prior in scenes that not only reveal the show's version of the Arthur (Liam Garrigan) / Guinevere (Joana Metrass) / Lancelot (Sinqua Walls) triangle but also the true motivations of Camelot's king.

Wander Over Yonder - The Rager

Breaking back into the top three of the Galactic Villain Leaderboard, Lord Hater (Keith Ferguson) is in high spirits. The same can't be said for his dungeon filled with deposed rulers who face torture in the morning. The sudden arrival of Wander (Jack McBrayer) and Sylvia (April Winchell) to offer the group the chance to party as if it is their last night (which it very well may be) creates a rager in the hull of the ship that even Hater can't ignore.

Star Wars Rebels - The Lost Commanders

With the Rebels on the run and in need of new allies Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) sends the crew of the Ghost to look for an old ally of hers who she refers to as a great military mind with firsthand knowledge of the Outer Rim. Kanan (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is skeptical of their mission, especially when it turns out Ahsoka's friend, and his associates, are all clones. With the introduction of Rex (Dee Bradley Baker) Star Wars Rebels continues to build on the history of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and deal with the fallout of Star Wars: Episode III - The Revenge of the Sith and the fall of the Jedi.

Anastasia

One of only two feature releases for the short-lived Fox Animation Studios, 1997's Anastasia has the feel of a Disney princess movie while mixing the look and design of a Don Bluth film. Beginning with the fall of the Russian Czar by the evil Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) and the disappearance of the family's young daughter (voiced as a child by Kirsten Dunst), the story picks up a decade later with an older Anya (Meg Ryan) leaving the orphanage where she was raised to journey into the wilder world searching for a family she scarcely remembers.

Along the way our heroine will encounter a pair of con men (John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer) who attempt to take advantage of Anya's resemblance to the missing princess by training her to be Anastasia (not realizing she is indeed the genuine article). On the way to Paris to present Anya to the Dowager Empress in exile (Angela Lansbury) the group will also have to deal with the undead Rasputin out for vengeance and his cute sidekick Batrok (Hank Azaria).

Guardians of the Galaxy #1

Marvel Comics relaunches Guardians of the Galaxy (again). As with each of the preivous incarnations, the first issue shakes up the team a bit with Peter Quill living life away from his pals as the new King of Spartax. With Gamora also missing (and only showing up at the end to bring bad news for the group) the Guardians pick up a couple of new members in The Thing and Kitty Pryde (wearing Star-Lord's costume).

iZombie - Zombie Bro

You had me at frat boy brains. The murder inside a fraternity causes Liv (Rose McIver) to ingest the victim's brains which in turn causes some amusing changes to her behavior. While acting exactly as you'd expect Liv helps Detective Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin). Meanwhile, Ravi (Rahul Kohli) interest in trying out Utonium to give the scientist a better idea of what the drug does to the human body leads to some unattended side effects for Major (Robert Buckley) who quickly becomes addicted to the drug which whisks him away from the nightmare his life has turned into.

Arrow - Green Arrow / The Candidate

With Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) convinced to leave their blissful (if boring) lives in the suburbs and reestablishing themselves in the renamed Star City, and Ollie giving his alter ego a new name by calling the city's new archer the Green Arrow, Arrow's Fourth Season moves forward with foreshadowing that this is the year we will be introduced to more of the mystical side of the DCU. What began with the introduction of the Lazarus Pit last season, which is still having a lasting side-effect on Thea (Willa Holland), continues with the introduction of the season's new big bad in Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough) who has contradictory plans for the rebranding and rebuilding of what once was called Starling City.

Bridge of Spies

Set in a smaller world during a darker time, the latest collaboration between director Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks takes place at the height of the Cold War and is inspired by the real events concerning Brooklyn lawyer James B. Donovan (Hanks) who found himself thrust into the middle of international intrigue by agreeing to defend Soviet spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) in an American court of law. Spielberg's humanism is certainly on display in a film that feels a bit like a throwback to his movies from the late 90s and early 2000s.

The Martian

Adapted by Drew Goddard, Andy Weir's novel about an astronaut left behind and stranded alone on Mars isn't exactly what I was expecting from a Ridley Scott film. With more heart and humor than Scott's usual fare, the film actually reminded me of a mashup of the space disaster from Ron Howard's Apollo 13 with the lone man survivor of Robert Zemeckis' Cast Away with a bit of MacGyver thrown in for good measure as our protagonist is constantly forced to think outside the box in order to survive a series of challenges that make his continued survival less and less likely.

The Flash - Flash of Two Worlds

Continuing the theme which began in last week's season premiere, "Flash of Two Worlds" deals with the fallout of the singularity which brought Atom-Smasher (Adam Copeland) to Central City by introducing another visitor from Earth-2 and giving the show's non-comic-reading audience an introduction to the Multiverse. Jay Garrick (Teddy Sears) isn't the only new face to get attention in the season's episode. The Flash from another world is unexpectedly overshadowed by a more recent comic character as Patty Spivot (played here by Shantel VanSanten) makes her first appearance as a member of the Central City Police Department while also teasing an upcoming romance with Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) which can't start soon enough for me.

NYCC 2015 Epic Cosplay

Scorpion - Robots

When the new Deputy Director of Homeland Security (Peri Gilpin) enlists the help of Walter (Elyes Gabel), Cabe (Robert Patrick), and Happy (Jadyn Wong) for a classified mission involving a trip on a Special Ops nuclear submarine to investigate an ocean-floor data-hunter attached to a fiber-optic cable on the floor of the Pacific Ocean used to connect the United States Department of Defense and Chinese Government the rest of the team is forced to sit this one out. However, when tragedy strikes and the submarine becomes crippled at the bottom of the ocean it will be up to Toby (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Sylvester (Ari Stidham) to not only come up with the secret location of the crashed submarine but also a plan for saving their friends.

Star Wars #10

Separated into three stories, Star Wars #10 gives us Luke Skywalker captured and thrown into gladiator combat on Nar Shaddaa, the unlikely duo of Chewbacca and C-3P0 playing a version of good cop/bad cop for information about their missing friend, and Han Solo stuck between Princess Leia and his "wife" Sana Solo while fleeing from the Empire.

Doctor Who - Under the Lake / Before the Flood

The two-part episode featuring The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) fighting off ghosts in an underwater mining facility in the near future has a strong set-up and some intriguing ideas behind it's premise even if it does eventually falter and stumble with the reveal of the truth about its ghosts and the reveal of the Fisher King (who looks like he walked straight out of incomplete costume fittings of the classic Doctor Who). Even if only partially successful, it's still better thought-out bootstrap paradox than Looper.

Once Upon a Time - Siege Perilous

Both the Dark Emma and Camelot storylines continue in an episode which gives an unexpected twist to each tale. During the lost days in Camelot we see David (Josh Dallas) earn a spot at the Round Table, despite failing in his quest alongside Camelot's king, but the flashbacks also reveal the darker motivations of King Arthur (Liam Garrigan). Despite befriending Charming in both Camelot and Storybrooke it is obvious the king has his own agenda which will likely put him at odds with the town's heroes before too long.

Selena Gomez lights up Billboard

Helping to promote her new album Revival, Selena Gomez is the cover girl for the October issue of Billboard. You can find pics from her photo shoot, along with a behind-the-scenes video, inside.

Longmire - High Noon

"High Noon" brings several storylines to a head as the unrelated events of an unknown assailant shooting at Jacob Nighthorse (A Martinez), which the Native American quickly blames on the local sheriff, and Cady (Cassidy Freeman) accepting a job at a local law firm will begin the dominoes tumbling down in a series of events that will not only allow Walt (Robert Taylor) to solve Branch's (Bailey Chase) murder but also face off against the man who order the murder of Longmire's wife. The result will be a bloody death of yet another important series regular leaving Walt with as many new problems as answers.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Purpose in the Machine

While bringing back Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), and eventually intertwining her into the ongoing Hydra subplot, the main focus of "Purpose in the Machine" deals with the investigation into the mysterious monolith and a discovery by Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) which gives the team hope of finding the missing Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). The storyline brings back Peter MacNicol to reprise his role as former Asgardian Berserker Elliot Randolph who helps the team relocate the monolith to a dusty castle where, thanks to the help of Daisy (Chloe Bennet), the portal is opened once more.

Castle - PhDead

Under the season's contrivance of keeping Beckett (Stana Katic) and Castle (Nathan Fillion) apart while trying to artificially recapture the feel of the show's earlier seasons, "PhDead" finds Castle using his private detective's licence, along with his fame and money, to weasel in to Beckett's latest case involving the death of a frat boy on a nearby campus. What the latest episode has going for it is Castle and Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) what it lacks are enough moments of husband and wife working together.

The Flash - The Man Who Saved Central City

Picking up six months after the cliffhanger ending to The Flash's First Season the show's sophomore year begins with the Flash (Grant Gustin) keeping his former support system and arms length unwilling to put the lives of any his friends in further danger. That type of decision making nearly gets our hero killed by the arrival of a meta-human from another world when the radiation-eating Atom-Smasher (Adam Copeland) disrupts Central City's first Flash Day with plans with plans of flattening the Scarlet Speedster.

The Big Bang Theory - The Bachelor Party Corrosion

Pre-wedding celebrations are held after Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) have returned from Vegas, and worked out their post-marriage issues, as Howard (Simon Helberg) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) kidnap Leonard and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) for a Mexican road trip in Richard Feynman's van for an overdue bachelor party celebration. This leaves the ladies on their own to celebrate Penny's wedding. Neither weekend goes as planned.

Morning Glories #48

The student elections finally come around in the latest issue of Morning Glories which plays on a running theme of the comic concerning perspective and how it effects what we know to be true.

Once Upon a Time - The Price

Magic always has a price. Returned from Camelot, the our intrepid heroes attempt to get used to the new status quo with Emma (Jennifer Morrison) as the Dark One (as the audience tries to get used to her ridiculous new hairdo). While making room for King Arthur (Liam Garrigan) and his subjects who have been transported from Camelot with the same gap in their memories as our heroes, Regina (Lana Parrilla) will step-up as Storybrooke's new Savior in an attempt to save Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) from a Fury who appears in the town to exact a price for magic used in Camelot. While love and the support of friends helps save Robin's life it proves less than adequate for Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) who struggles to find a glimmer of the old Emma.

Wander Over Yonder - The It

Lord Hater's (Keith Ferguson) focus at moving up the Galactic Villain Leaderboard and claiming the title of the greatest villain in the galaxy quickly fades thanks to the arrival of Wander (Jack McBrayer) who with two simple words derails the entire workings on-board the ship: "You're It!" As Hater becomes increasingly obsessed with the impromptu game of tag life aboard the ship turns into chaos as none of the Watchdogs will allow their leader to tag them.

The Blacklist - The Troll Farmer

Picking up directly following the events of last season's finale, The Blacklist begins its Second Season with Lizzie (Megan Boone) on the run with Reddington (James Spader) after being branded as a Russian spy, terrorist, and murderer. Relying on an old contact Red's plan to hole-up in the city for weeks until the man hunt dies down, but after being betrayed he and Lizzie are forced to run far sooner than expected. Even with the help of a member of The Blacklist (Aaron Yoo) known for his ability to use social media to obscure real events under a haze of false information, only one member of the pair is able to make it out of the city.

The Flash - The Complete First Season

Racing out of the events of Arrow's Second Season, The Flash introduces us to Central City and the world of police forensics officer Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) who, thanks to the explosion of a particle accelerator and getting hit by lightning, is imbued with super-speed making him the fastest man alive.

Highlights of the show's First Season include the the the Flash fighting a new Weather Wizard (Chad Rook), Flash taking on a teleporter, introduction of Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) and Cold's team-up with Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell), the two-part team-up with Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), the first appearance of the Reverse-Flash, Barry's first run-in with the U.S. Military, a two-part storyline involving Firestorm (Robbie Amell, Victor Garber), Mark Hamill reprising his role as the Trickster, the introduction of Grodd, and the show's final arc concerning the investigation into Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh), the confirmation of Wells' identity as a time traveler, and the season finale.

Mary Marvel by Alouette Cosplay

Sleeping with Other People

Writer/director Leslye Headland's indie romcom doesn't stray far from the basic formula of the genre. After meeting, and loosing their mutual viriginity to each other one steamy night in college, Jake (Jason Sudeikis) and Lainey's (Alison Brie) paths cross again years later. Despite their mutual attraction, the two agree to keep things platonic given Jake's womanizing ways and Lainey's hang-up on an old college ex (Adam Scott) who she still carries a torch for despite how awful he's treated her over the years.

There's little to no surprise in Headland's script and when Sleeping with Other People works it does so on the talent and likability of its stars and supporting cast that includes Scott, Amanda Peet, Jason Mantzoukas, Andrea Savage, Natasha Lyonne, and Margarita Levieva (in an opening cameo so good she nearly steals the entire film). We know where Jake and Lainey are going, how long it will take to get there, and can guess (pretty accurately) on the stops they'll take along the way. Thankfully the movie's cast keeps the predictable story from becoming stale and boring. It's far from a must-see, but if your girlfriend is determined to drag you to a romcom you could do far, far worse.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Laws of Nature

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. opens its Third Season with a better than average episode focusing on the new mission of Coulson's (Clark Gregg) team in a race to track down burgeoning mutants Inhumans (seriously, other than the gas which causes their mutation is there any difference between them?) before a mysterious, but equally well-funded military force, gets their hands on them. From the premiere we learn that S.H.I.E.L.D. is officially dead (which makes you wonder just who is funding Coulson's army and providing them with top-of-the-line tech such as their new flying stealth ship). Daisy (Chloe Bennet) has adopted her birth name and made great progress in controlling her powers leading a team to rescue a new Inhuman (Juan Pablo Raba) from the forces of Rosalind Price (Constance Zimmer) who Coulson mistakenly believes is responsible for the death of five Inhumans in the past few weeks.