Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Power Under Pressure
(The Society of Steam, Book Three)

by Andrew P. Mayer
Cover by Justin Gerard
Interior illustrations by Nicholas Stahlman

Promo copy:

This is an adrenaline-fuelled steam-punk adventure series that will have you one the edge of your seat to the very last page. The Society of Paragons is gone – destroyed from within by traitors and enemies. With the death of The Industrialist and the rebirth of the Iron-Clad as a monstrous half-human creature known as “The Shell,” Lord Eschaton now has almost everything he needs to cover the world in fortified smoke and rebuild it in his image – everything except for the mechanical heart of the Automaton. The device is nearer than he knows. Just across the East River, hiding in a Brooklyn Junkyard, Sarah Stanton is trying to come to restore the mechanical man to life. But before she can rebuild her friend, she must first discover the indomitable power of her own heart and save herself. Only then will she be able to forge a ragtag group of repentant villains, damaged Paragons, and love-mad geniuses into the team of heroes known as “The Society of Steam.”

The Crossing
(Blood of the Lamb: Book One)

by Mandy Hager
Cover by Larry Rostant

Promo copy:

A compelling dystopian novel;

winner of the 2010 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards: Young Adult Fiction

Maryam refused to play by the Rules, and now they’re out to get her blood. . .
The people of Onewere, a small island in the Pacific, know that they are special—chosen by the great Apostles of the Lamb to survive the deadly Tribulation that consumed the Earth. Now, from their Holy City in the rotting cruise ship Star of the Sea, the Apostles control the population—manipulating texts from the Holy Book to implant themselves as living gods. But what the people of Onewere don’t know is this: the white elite will stop at nothing to meet their own bloodthirsty needs . . .

When Maryam crosses from child to woman, she must leave everything she has ever known and make a Crossing of another kind. But life inside the Holy City is not as she had dreamed, and she is faced with the unthinkable: obey the Apostles and very likely die, or turn her back on every belief she once held dear.

The Crossing is a fast, suspenseful drama underpinned by a powerful and moving story
about love and loss.

Earth Girl

by Janet Edwards

Promo copy:

Just because she’s confined to the planet, doesn’t mean she can’t reach for the stars.

2788. Only the handicapped live on Earth. Eighteen-year-old Jarra is among the one in a thousand people born with an immune system that cannot survive on other planets. Sent to Earth at birth to save her life, she has been abandoned by her parents. She can’t travel to other worlds, but she can watch their vids, and she knows all the jokes they make. She’s an “ape,” a “throwback,” but this is one ape girl who won’t give in.

Jarra makes up a fake military background for herself and joins a class of norms who are on Earth for a year of practical history studies excavating the dangerous ruins of the old cities. She wants to see their faces when they find out they’ve been fooled into thinking an ape girl was a norm. She isn’t expecting to make friends with the enemy, to risk her life to save norms, or to fall in love.

The Devil’s Looking Glass
(The Swords of Albion, Book 3)

by Mark Chadbourn
Cover by Chris McGrath

Promo copy:

1593: The dreaded alchemist, magician, and spy Dr. John Dee is missing. . . .
Terror sweeps through the court of Queen Elizabeth, for in Dee’s possession is an obsidian mirror, an object of great power which, legend says, could set the world afire. And so the call goes out to celebrated swordsman, adventurer and rake Will Swyfte—find Dee and his looking glass and return them to London before disaster strikes. But when Will discovers the mirror might solve the mystery that has haunted him for years—the fate of his lost love, Jenny—the stakes become acutely personal.

With London under siege by supernatural powers, time is running out. Will is left with no choice but to pursue the alchemist to the devil-haunted lands of the New World—in the very shadow of the terrifying fortress home of the Unseelie Court. Surrounded by an army of unearthly fiends, with only his sword and a few brave friends at his back, the realm’s greatest spy must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice—or see all he loves destroyed.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

by Elizabeth Moon

 Promo copy:

Elizabeth Moon is back with the fourth adventure in her bestselling fantasy epic. Moon brilliantly weaves a colorful tapestry of action, betrayal, love, and magic set in a richly imagined world that stands alongside those of such fantasy masters as George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb. The unthinkable has occurred in the kingdom of Lyonya. The queen of the Elves—known as the Lady—is dead, murdered by former elves twisted by dark powers. Now the Lady’s half-elven grandson must heal the mistrust between elf and human before their enemies strike again. Yet as he struggles to make ready for an attack, an even greater threat looms across the Eight Kingdoms. Throughout the north, magic is reappearing after centuries of absence, emerging without warning in family after family—rich and poor alike. In some areas, the religious strictures against magery remain in place, and fanatical followers are stamping out magery by killing whoever displays the merest sign of it—even children. And as unrest spreads, one very determined traitor works to undo any effort at peace—no matter how many lives it costs. With the future hanging in the balance, it is only the dedication of a few resolute heroes who can turn the tides . . . if they can survive.

by Sean Murphy

Promo copy:

In this thrilling conclusion to the acclaimed miniseries, Chris and the Flak Jackets head to Jerusalem, the last stop on their world tour. But in this final concert, will the punk messiah rise above the protests from the world’s three major religions, or will he take matters into his own hands?

This looks very interesting–full of edgy b&w art and compelling concepts– but this is the first issue I’ve seen of this series. Why send out only the last issue of a six-issue mini-series?

by Richard Lee Byers
Cover by Michal Ivan

 Promo copy:

Kagur is a warrior of the Blacklions, fierce and fearless hunters in the savage Realm of the Mammoth Lords. When her clan is slaughtered by a frost giant she considered her adopted brother, honor demands that she, the last surviving Blacklion, track down her old ally and take the tribe’s revenge. Yet this is no normal betrayal, for the murderous giant has followed the whispers of a dark god down into the depths of the earth, into a primeval cavern forgotten by time. There, he will unleash forces capable of wiping all humans from the region – unless Kagur can stop him first! From acclaimed author Richard Lee Byers comes a tale of bloody revenge and subterranean wonder, set in the award-winning world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

by Mark Hodder
Cover by Lee Moyer

Promo copy:

An original adventure from the author of the Philip K. Dick Award–winning Burton & Swinburne series

A tale of good and evil, where neither is what it seems! Aiden Fleischer, a bookish priest, finds himself transported to an alien world. With him is Miss Clarissa Stark, a crippled hunchback of exceptional ability, wronged by an aristocrat and cast out from society. On the planet Ptallaya, under two bright yellow suns, they encounter the Yatsill, a race of enthusiastic mimics who shape their society after impressions picked up from Clarissa’s mind. Creating a faux London, the alien creatures enroll Clarissa in their Council of Magicians and Aiden in the City Guard. But why does the peaceful city require guards? After a day that, in earthly terms, has lasted for months, the answer comes, for on this planet without night, a red sun also rises, and brings with it a destructive evil. The Blood Gods! Hideous creatures, they cause Aiden to confront his own internal darkness while trying to protect his friend and his new home. With a sharp eye for period detail and a rich imagination, Mark Hodder establishes a weirdly twisted version of Victorian London on a convincingly realized alien world, and employs them to tackle a profound psychological and moral question. A Red Sun Also Rises breaks new ground by combining the sword & planet genre with Victorian steampunk while adding an edgy psychological twist.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

On the Ropes

by James Vance and Dan E. Burr

Promo copy:

In this long-awaited sequel to the legendary graphic novel Kings in Disguise, a young circus hand gets involved in dangerous underground activity.

Kings in Disguise was praised by the likes of Art Spiegelman, Neil Gaiman, and Alan Moore. It won two Eisner Awards and has been hailed as one of the ten best graphic novels of all time (Guardian). This highly anticipated sequel tells the story of a young man’s coming of age in a world where the capacity to dream may be a fatal flaw. Set in 1937, On the Ropes continues the story of Fred Bloch, now apprenticed to escape artist Gordon Corey, a star attraction in a traveling WPA circus. Though damaged by the Depression and haunted by past mistakes, each man holds the key to the other’s salvation—but each also harbors a secret that could lead to their mutual destruction. Enacted against a backdrop of violent labor unrest and a nation’s faltering recovery, On the Ropes is a breathtaking visual achievement that delivers a powerful, timeless story.

Kings in Disguise

by James Vance and Dan Burr
Introduction by Alan Moore

Promo copy:

“One of the most moving and compelling human stories to emerge out of the graphic story medium.”—Alan Moore

This award-winning tale, set in the height of the Great Depression, received rave reviews long before graphic novels became the phenomenon they are today. Hailed as one of the top 100 comics of all time by The Comics Journal, Kings in Disguise now reemerges as a classic. It is January 1932, and movie-loving Freddie Bloch is trading his father’s liquor bottles for the cost a matinee: “Dreams were only a dime, but empty bottles [only] brought a penny apiece.” When his father disappears and his brother gets arrested, Freddie finds himself homeless and adrift, trying to survive during the Detroit labor riots and amid the furor of violent, anti-communist mobs. Winner of the Eisner Award and the Harvey Award for Best New Series and an additional Eisner Award for Best Single Issue.

When this duo of books arrived at the Compound, I was dumbfounded. Kings In Disguise ranks among my favorite graphic novels of all time. I had no idea that Vance and Burr were even working on a sequel. This is a must read. You’ll definitely be hearing more about this next  year (On the Ropes isn’t due until March).

Dungeon Quest: Book Three

by Joe Daly

Promo copy:

A double serving of the stoner D&D epic.

In 2011’s Dungeon Quest Book Two, we left our heroes, Millennium Boy, Steve, Lash and Nerdgirl, in the Temple of Bromedes as they began their initiation into the mysteries of Atlantis under the tutelage of the androgynous forest mystic, Bromedes. In this third book, our heroes complete their learning with Bromedes and are guided towards further quests in Rufford Park and beyond, to the Zuur Plateau. However, they are not yet clear of the hazards of Fireburg Forest. Resurfacing to the forest floor (after hitting the strongest weed in the universe, “Orangutan Daydream”), they must survive a perilous cliff path, discover moon shrines, battle wild Womraxes, endure knock-out gas, hypnagogic visions, nakedness and deprivation and, finally, embark on a desperate and courageous mission to rescue Nerdgirl from cruel Forest Bandits and retrieve their stolen equipment.

In this third book, by far the longest installment of the series so far (240 pages!), the reader is also introduced to the history and mysticism of The Romish Book of the Dead, a sexually avant-garde “little forest man” (who becomes the fifth member of the crew), Steve’s newly discovered “battle warping’” abilities (which Millennium Boy dismisses as being amere “kundalini spasm”), weapons and armor upgrades and a whole new level of bizarre comedy, rousing adventure and ass-kicking action — all staged in front of fantastic backdrops replete with strange vegetation, ancient ruins and steampunk imagery.

Another pleasant arrival, I previously praised Volumes 1 and 2.

Millennium Boy, Steve, Lash Penis, and Nerdgirl grab their weapons and journey on a mystical quest to recover the missing parts of the Altlantean Resonator Guitar and to return the borrowed penis sheath to prophet and poet Bromedes. Using role playing game tropes as a template, Daly, creator of the acclaimed Red Monkey Double Happiness Book, illustrates the often twisted reality of the contemporary slacker with little subtlety but from a fresh perspective. Littered with violence, inappropriate sexual innuendos, misguided bravado and infused with hilarity, Dungeon Quest (of which two 136 page volumes are available) promises a uniquely entertaining graphic novel experience.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Bad Glass

by Richard E. Gropp

Promo copy:

One of the most hauntingly original dark fantasy debuts in years—perfect for fans of Lost and Mark Danielewski’s cult classic, House of Leaves.

Something has happened in Spokane. The military has evacuated the city and locked it down. Even so, disturbing rumors and images seep out, finding their way onto the Internet, spreading curiosity, skepticism, and panic. For what they show is—or should be—impossible: strange creatures that cannot exist, sudden disappearances that violate the laws of physics, human bodies fused with inanimate objects, trapped yet still half alive. . . .

Dean Walker, an aspiring photographer, sneaks into the quarantined city in search of fame. What he finds will change him in unimaginable ways. Hooking up with a group of outcasts led by a beautiful young woman named Taylor, Dean embarks on a journey into the heart of a mystery whose philosophical implications are as terrifying as its physical manifestations. Even as he falls in love with Taylor—a woman as damaged and seductive as the city itself—his already tenuous hold on reality starts to come loose. Or perhaps it is Spokane’s grip on the world that is coming undone.

Now, caught up in a web of interlacing secrets and betrayals, Dean, Taylor, and their friends must make their way through this ever-shifting maze of a city, a city that is actively hunting them down, herding them toward a shocking destiny.

Great North Road

by Peter F. Hamilton

New York Times bestselling author Peter F. Hamilton’s riveting new thriller combines the nail-biting suspense of a serial-killer investigation with clear-eyed scientific and social extrapolation to create a future that seems not merely plausible but inevitable.

A century from now, thanks to a technology allowing instantaneous travel across light-years, humanity has solved its energy shortages, cleaned up the environment, and created far-flung colony worlds. The keys to this empire belong to the powerful North family—composed of successive generations of clones. Yet these clones are not identical. For one thing, genetic errors have crept in with each generation. For another, the original three clone “brothers” have gone their separate ways, and the branches of the family are now friendly rivals more than allies.

Or maybe not so friendly. At least that’s what the murder of a North clone in the English city of Newcastle suggests to Detective Sidney Hurst. Sid is a solid investigator who’d like nothing better than to hand off this hot potato of a case. The way he figures it, whether he solves the crime or not, he’ll make enough enemies to ruin his career.

Yet Sid’s case is about to take an unexpected turn: because the circumstances of the murder bear an uncanny resemblance to a killing that took place years ago on the planet St. Libra, where a North clone and his entire household were slaughtered in cold blood. The convicted slayer, Angela Tramelo, has always claimed her innocence. And now it seems she may have been right. Because only the St. Libra killer could have committed the Newcastle crime.

Problem is, Angela also claims that the murderer was an alien monster.

Now Sid must navigate through a Byzantine minefield of competing interests within the police department and the world’s political and economic elite . . . all the while hunting down a brutal killer poised to strike again. And on St. Libra, Angela, newly released from prison, joins a mission to hunt down the elusive alien, only to learn that the line between hunter and hunted is a thin one.

Dearly, Beloved

by Lia Habel

Promo copy:

Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the illness—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.

Lia Habel’s spellbinding, suspenseful sequel to Dearly, Departed takes her imaginative mash-up of period romance, futuristic thriller, and zombie drama to a whole new level of innovative and irresistible storytelling.

The Cold Commands

by Richard K. Morgan
Cover by Jon Sullivan

Promo copy:

The otherworldly Kiriath once used their advanced technology to save the world from the dark magic of the Aldrain, only to depart as mysteriously as they arrived. Now one of the Kiriath’s uncanny machines has fallen from orbit, with a message that humanity once more faces a grave danger: the Ilwrack Changeling, a boy raised to manhood in the ghostly realm of the Gray Places. Wrapped in sorcerous slumber on an island that drifts between this world and the Gray Places, the Ilwrack Changeling is stirring. When he wakes, the Aldrain will rally to him and return in force. But with the Kiriath long gone, humankind’s fate now depends on warrior Ringil Eskiath and his few, trusted allies. Undertaking a perilous journey to strike first against the Ilwrack Changeling, each of them seeks to outrun a haunted past and find redemption in the future. But redemption won’t come cheap. Nor, for that matter, will survival.

Annihilation: Star Wars (The Old Republic)

by Drew Karpyshyn

Promo copy:

Based on the epic videogame from BioWare and LucasArts

The Sith Empire is in flux. The Emperor is missing, presumed dead, and an ambitious Sith lord’s attempt to seize the throne has ended fatally. Still, Darth Karrid, commander of the fearsome Imperial battle cruiser Ascendant Spear, continues her relentless efforts to achieve total Sith domination of the galaxy.

But Karrid’s ruthless determination is more than matched in the steely resolve of Theron Shan, whose unfinished business with the Empire could change the course of the war for good. Though the son of a Jedi master, Theron does not wield the Force—but like his renowned mother, the spirit of rebellion is in his blood. As a top covert agent for the Republic, he struck a crucial blow against the Empire by exposing and destroying a Sith superweapon arsenal—which makes him the ideal operative for a daring and dangerous mission to endAscendant Spear’s reign of terror.

Joined by hot-headed smuggler Teff’ith, with whom he has an inexplicable bond, and wise Jedi warrior Gnost-Dural, Darth Karrid’s former master, Theron must match wits and weapons with a battle-tested crew of the most cold-blooded dark side disciples. But time is brutally short. And if they don’t seize their one chance to succeed, they will surely have countless opportunities to die.

Scoundrels: Star Wars

by Timothy Zahn

Promo copy:

To make his biggest score, Han’s ready to take even bigger risks.
But even he can’t do this job solo.

Han Solo should be basking in his moment of glory. After all, the cocky smuggler and captain of the Millennium Falcon just played a key role in the daring raid that destroyed the Death Star and landed the first serious blow to the Empire in its war against the Rebel Alliance. But after losing the reward his heroics earned him, Han’s got nothing to celebrate. Especially since he’s deep in debt to the ruthless crime lord Jabba the Hutt. There’s a bounty on Han’s head—and if he can’t cough up the credits, he’ll surely pay with his hide. The only thing that can save him is a king’s ransom. Or maybe a gangster’s fortune? That’s what a mysterious stranger is offering in exchange for Han’s less-than-legal help with a riskier-than-usual caper. The payoff will be more than enough for Han to settle up with Jabba—and ensure he never has to haggle with the Hutts again.

All he has to do is infiltrate the ultra-fortified stronghold of a Black Sun crime syndicate underboss and crack the galaxy’s most notoriously impregnable safe. It sounds like a job for miracle workers . . . or madmen. So Han assembles a gallery of rogues who are a little of both—including his indispensable sidekick Chewbacca and the cunning Lando Calrissian. If anyone can dodge, deceive, and defeat heavily armed thugs, killer droids, and Imperial agents alike—and pull off the heist of the century—it’s Solo’s scoundrels. But will their crime really pay, or will it cost them the ultimate price?

Some variety today with animation, crime, and science fiction…

The King of the Pigs

After killing his wife, businessman Kyung-Min seeks out his school friend Jong-Suk, who ghostwrites autobiographies. The two men reminisce about Chul-Yi, their old class classmate, who fought back against the bullies and briefly became the King of the Pigs. The first South Korean animated film to be screened at Cannes, the powerful The King of Pigs expertly employs surreal moments and an engaging mystery among a magnificent script to relate the sublime tale. Produced for only a reported $150,000, it proves once again that quality animation can be had for little money.

Hail

The semi-autobiographical Hail stars former convict Daniel P. Jones. Just released from a Melbourne jail, Danny moves back in with his girlfriend Leanne(Jones’s real life partner Leanne Campbell), as though nothing changed. He has trouble re-establishing himself in society. Danny’s years in prison and the things that got him there took an emotional and psychological toll. When Leanne accidentally dies, Danny descends completely into the darker side of his reality. The well-written, compelling film makes effective use of the faux-reality style. Jones’s excellent performance further enhances the film.

Vanishing Waves

The slick, stylish, and self-indulgent Vanishing Waves squanders its immense potential. Lukas, who helped to develop the technology that allow thoughts to be transferred digitally from one person to another, agrees to participate in the human trials. Unbeknownst to him, he is connected to a comatose woman. At first, all Lukas experiences only feelings and geometric shapes, but then things expand at an unexpected pace. He soon is immersed in a full realized vision, complete with the personality of the other test subject. The pair fall in love. Not wanting to end the trials, Lukas keeps the full details of his visits. Additionally, he begins showing real world changes in his personality. The mind sequences are beautifully handled with a dream-like quality. Sadly, that fails to save the overly-long, sleepy Vanishing Waves, which may have been served as a Twilight Zone epsiode.

Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world, started here in Austin on September 20. During the course of the eight day festival, I’m blogging about my cinema experiences.

A trio of good crime films…

Cold Blooded

After a botched jewelry heist and accused of killing one of his partners, Cordero (Ryan Robbins) awakes from a coma, chained to a hospital bed. Stern policewoman Jane (Zoie Palmer) stands guard over him in an isolated ward in an otherwise overflow floor. Violent, vindictive crime kingpin Louis Holland (William MacDonald) arrives with two other thugs to find the jewels and punish Cordero. Alone and trapped, Jane plays a dangerous and bloody game of cat and mouse with the desperate thieves. The simple story offers few graphic scenes, maximizing their effect. Director Jason Lapeyre crafts a tense, claustrophobic action thriller in the riveting Cold Blooded.

Paris By Night

Director Phillipe Lefebvre’s flawed Paris By Night follows a pair of vice cops through the seamy Paris nightlife. Each night, a different colleague chauffeurs the suave chain-smoking, hard-drinking Captain Simon Weiss (the mesmerizing Roschdy Zem) on his rounds. In exchange for cash and other favors, he makes sure the Paris club scene runs smoothly. Tonight, 28 year old Sergeant Laurence Deray joins Weiss as things don’t run as smoothly as usual. On top of that, internal affairs is investigating Weiss and his activities. While beautifully shot and well-written with interesting scenes and, Paris By Night cannot overcome the flaw that no corrupt cop as careful as Weiss would allow for a different driver each night.

Tower Block

Borrowing (good) elements from I Know What You Did Last Summer, Tower Block thrills with a quick paced, tension-fueled story. On the top floor of a block scheduled for demolition, two thugs beat a 15 year old boy to death. None of the tenants will help the police with the investigation and the killers go unpunished. With only the top floor tenants remaining, three months later on a Friday morning, someone starts killing the them with a high powered rifle. The survivors soon discover that their floor is riddled with booby traps and they cannot escape. Thus begins a weekend of terror. Smartly reliant on stereotypical shorthand for the characters, the James Moran script wisely focuses on the plot and action. Director Ronnie Thompson makes effective use of the locale for his taut thriller.

Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world, started here in Austin on September 20. During the course of the eight day festival, I’m blogging about my cinema experiences.

Three actual science fiction films and a bit of Chilean exploitation tossed in to keep everything off kilter.

Errors of the Human Body

Director Eron Sheean’s first feature, Errors of the Human Body recalls the over-indulgent science fiction of the 1970s with dull, over-used trippy sequences, a fairly standard thriller script, and a seemingly never-ending conclusion. In this oft told tale of genetic manipulation gone wrong, brilliant American geneticist Dr. Geoff Burton (Michael Eklund) accepts a job in Germany when his obsessive search for a cure to the rare genetic ailment that killed his infant son destroys his career and his marriage. Once there, Burton re-unites with a former student/lover (Karoline Herfurth) and quickly immerses himself in a conspiracy of lies and deception. Even the excellent acting of Eklund and Herfurth fail to overcome Sheean’s stereotypical script. Though an arduous task to get there, the ultimate conclusion is satisfying and shocking. Course by then, who cares?

Bring Me The Head of Machine Gun Woman

Santiago Fernandez works a dead end job as a club DJ, owned by the brutal Argentinian gangster Che Longana. He spends most of his days playing video games and dreaming of an exciting life of crime and gun fights. When Fernandez overhears a secret meeting between Longana and his henchmen, he gets the chance to live his dreams. In order to save his own life, Fernandez must hunt down Machine Gun Woman, a lethal leatherclad assassin. In an interesting piece of metafiction, Chilean director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza framed his deliciously entertaining fourth exploitation feature as a hyper-violent video game. The sexy titular character lights up the screen with explosive and bloody action and Longana delivers the expected cruelty. As with all films of this particular genre, communal theater viewing enhances the experience. Just leave your brain at the door.

Looper

The big budget, much hyped Looper delivers some quality popcorn entertainment though failing on the intellectual and thriller promise of its trailers. In 2072, gangs use the illegal practice of sending those they wish to eliminate back 30 years. In the past, assassins (loopers) kill the victims without prejudice. Looper Joe Simmons (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) recognizes his new kill as his future self (Bruce Willis), allowing him to escape. Now Joe is hunted in both the present and future for failing the assassination. The potentially exciting elements feel rehashed from other far superior action movies. The science fictional elements, as often the case with time travel, succumbs to paradoxical occurrences. Though Gordon-Levitt does his best with make up and acting skill to portray a younger Willis, the physical differences between the actors crushes elements of believability. Flaws and all, Looper ultimately achieves above-average film fun.

The History of Future Folk

The feature film debut of directors John Mitchell and Jeremy Kipp Walker relates the improbable and utterly charming origins of the real life “Acoustic Space Aliens.” With a comet on a collision curse with their planet, Hondo sends General Trius (Nils d’Aulaire) to find a new planet for them to inhabit. Landing on Earth somewhere near Brooklyn, General Trius discovers music chooses to forgo his mission to eliminate the indigenous peoples. He takes the name Bill, starts a family, and a one-man bluegrass act. The Hondorians send a bumbling fool named Kevin (Jay Klaitz) to assassinate General Trius. Bill subdues Kevin with music and the two form a band called Future Folk. The Hondorians, still intent on their plans, create havoc for the duo. The enjoyable bluegrass music, complete with catchy lyrics, permeate the lighthearted, fun movie. The History of Future Folk surprises with fun and wit, a cult classic in the making.

Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world, starts here in Austin on September 20. During the course of the eight day festival, I’m blogging about my cinema experiences.

Day Three

Day Five