I am also watching – as I type – “Tron: Uprising.”  It hasn’t been renewed by Disney despite being one of the most visually innovative television series on television.  Its won numerous Annie Awards, and is breathtakingly beautiful at times.

Oddly enough, it has significantly more depth than “Tron: Legacy,” the movie that inspired it.  This can be partially attributed to having more time to unfold its storyline, though truth be told “Tron” Legacy ” was more interested in being visually appealing than telling a cohesive and engaging story.

Thinking about the series two thoughts came to mind, one revolving around Paul Rubens (who voiced a treacherous assistant to General Tessler named Pavel) which will be the subject of another column, and another speculating as to why the series was cancelled.

I thought that I’d start with the latter.

Visually there was nothing like “Tron: Uprising” on television.  A mixture of computer animation (vaguely like that of Aeon Flux, with thin, somewhat cynlindrically-drawn characters) with touches of traditional cartooning that somehow managed to seem unique to either form.

In most animated fare on television the backgrounds seem to exist independently of the foreground, which is an accurate reflection of how the characters are drawn.  ’Tron’ is different.  The background here offers an odd seamlessness that isn’t sacrificed to the foreground, creating images as trailblazing as those of the original “Tron.”

So, it’s quite likely that the cartoon was quite expensive.

Though that’s not the only theory behind its cancellation.  Some suggest that its themes of the average person against established power had something to do with it.

I suspect that the truth is probably a bit more mundane.

The caliber of the vocal talent is truely impressive.  Actors like the aforementioned Rubens, Lance Hendrikson (Millennium, the X-Files), Elijah Wood (the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films), Donald Faison, John Glover (“In The Mouth Of Madness” and Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”) among other well-known actors that contributed to the series; and while their contributions are welcome and add its distinctive nature,  I have to wonder if they had perhaps found cheaper talent would the series have been less expensive to produce, and therefore perhaps justify a second season.

Then again, what do I know? Supposedly its ratings were actually significantly higher before it moved to Disney XD.

My condition seemed somehow in sync with the weather, with periods of rain and clarity all weekend.

For better or worse I can always tell when I am about to get sick.  I get headaches, which I never get otherwise; my nose aches and stings and I get congested when I try to sleep. My cold made landfall yesterday, and despite knowing what was coming, it still knocked me for a loop.

So I have been watching a lot of “Archer” on Netflix.  I have already seen all the episodes there, but it rewards repeat viewings.

I had seen most of the horror films on Netflix that I considered worth viewing, though there were a few that I haven’t yet seen.

“Truth Or Die” was one of them.

“Surprisingly Better Than The Cover Art Would Leave One To Believe.”

The cover art – as you can see – is particularly, and needlessly, garish.  Usually movies that do this do so to distract from their mediocrity.

Though I am glad that “Truth Or Die” bucks this trend.  It’s a taut thriller in the vein of “Saw” or “Hostel” except that it’s tighter – which isn’t hard to do in films like these. There are only four or five characters and the writers need only to invest them with a semblance of individuality.

In fact, the deaths on display are relatively bloodless, compared to its domestic brethren (“Truth Or Die” is a British film).

Now keep in mind that I am not saying that “Truth Or Die” is the next “Halloweeen.” Far from it, though at a little over an hour and a half it’s pretty taut and people don’t do too many things that are remarkably stupid.

The scenario isn’t that logical, but the way people respond to it strikes me as very human, and for the most part logical, so it works for me.  I can deal with all sorts of bizarre circumstances and characters, but they have to act in a manner that I at least think makes sense.

Then again, that could be the cold talking, though I doubt it.

Sharito Copley (District 9) poes a passable American accent in the trailer though I am not sure that I am behind the seemingly very realistic way things are portrayed in the film.

While what I know about manned space travel could probably fill an entire Post-It note, I do get the feeling that it’s not nearly as interesting as the film implies.  By which I mean it’s very difficult and there are so many systems that need to be watched that it’s a lot more than just watching the earth rise from a porthole.

And while I know that it’s just a trailer, it already has more plot that all the Transformers films combined (I am only half joking).

In “Riddick” he comes full circle, as he’s once again being pursued by bounty hunters and monsters on a hostile world.

Though what his enemies, human and otherwise, seem to forget that man is the deadliest creature of all.

And no man is as deadly as Riddick.

Though for better or for worse, it all comes down to money.

And speaking of ‘Spiders,’ it reintroduces John and Dave, the (occasionally) intrepid duo from the first film.  With David Wong’s first book, which I enjoyed, I was always cognizant that no matter how starnge things got, everything would be alright.

Now, not so much.

Like the first novel – where John doesn’t die – there are actually no spiders in “This Book Is Full Of Spiders.”  That would be too easy.  Like in ‘John Dies At The End” they have to deal with is another invasion (of sorts) of our reality, a plot device somewhat similar to that in the first book.

Though the invaders are significantly more ambitious than before, and are willing to do what it takes to get ahead.

Another difference from the first attempt is that things begin to look pretty bleak for  John, Dave, Amy, the town of (Undisclosed) and potentially the entire human race.

According to Box Office Mojo “John Dies At The End” earned $141 thousand dollars, which is probably what it cost for catering on a film like “The Transformers,” though one has to keep in mind that it was only released  in nineteen theaters.

So, while the possiblity that there will be a sequel is slim, those are better odds than none at all.  And if it were to happen, the original John (Rob Mayes) and David (Chase Williamson) need to return to the roles that they imbued with such a sense of gusto and humor.

And if  ”John Dies At The End” doesn’t show that Don Coscarelli should be offered Marvel Studios’ upcoming Doctor Strange, I don’t know what does.

Gladstone is a school for the children of supervillains, like Hogworts for the criminally inclined.  In the latest chapter of their adventures they decide to seek some Tarantino-esque vengeance against the superhero known as StormBreaker, who also happened to have defeated their parents.

According to Villavert Jr. the cost of a 22 page section of the comic costs $1000, and that’s only for coloring and lettering, which is probably why the Kickstarter is offered as a PDF instead of an actual graphic novel.  That being said I intend to contact the backers of this Kickstarter to see if it will eventually be offered in a physical format because a good book needs to be appreciated, and the best way to do that is to actually hold it in your hands, something that you cannot do with a PDF.

And as far as I know, Mark Andrew Smith isn’t rolling in dough, which happens to be the case with most writers.

Below is a review of the first series of ‘Gladstone’s.’  The review itself is a bit irritating, though it does illustrate the artwork.

Though I do see that their vehicles have the S.H.I.E.L.D logo in plain sight…

Besides, his last film, “Children Of Men” was not only brilliant, but also significantly better than the book – in terms of impact and sense of gravity (pardon the pun) – in my opinion.

I don’t particularly care for Sandra Bullock or George Clooney – I don’t feel ill will toward either of them, though they don’t move me either.

But put Alfonso Cuarón at the helm, then I am there.