"Baby Driver" Review

For my written review, click here.

HTC U11 Review

HTC has struggled to keep pace with Samsung and Apple -- usually playing catch-up on significant tech specs -- but that changes with the U11.

Introducing new tactile functionality along with an elegant two-sided glass form factor and shimmering 5.5-inch, 2K resolution display, this smartphone vies to be the center of attention rather than a wallflower.

Exemplary battery life -- intense use after a full work day will not deplete your power bar -- a staggeringly impressive 16/12 megapixel camera set and impressive multitasking and processing speeds make the U11 tough to put down.

The most intriguing new feature is the squeeze input. Rather than hunt for buttons, you squeeze the phone to launch the camera app and snap pics. While the functionality initially seems incongruous, it quickly becomes second nature, even going to the point of making it feel archaic to go back to another device and snap pics the traditional way.

If you dig the squeeze input, you can take a deep dive and set other apps for squeeze activation. If it doesn't work for you, you can ignore it and rely on the preset inputs.

The Pixel-style Google assistant fills the Siri/Bixby roll well -- riding high on a Snapdragon 835 processor -- and the dust-resistant surface keeps you from having to wipe it clean.

Most importantly, the U11 just feels right. Engineered for responsiveness, ease of use and an appealing ergonomical feel, this gem of a device puts HTC into the unfamiliar -- for the past few years -- spot at the head of the pack in the ever-evolving smartphone arms race.

While there's nothing here to make iPhone or Galaxy die-hards give up their cult-like devotion, fence-sitters looking to upgrade should give this one a long, hard look -- and not be shocked if it's love at first sight.

HTC provided a device for review.

Book Report: People Who Eat Darkness

Parry goes beyond nuts and bolts journalism to tear the cover off his murder story and dive deeply into the sociopolitical context and disturbing subculture that spawned Joji Obara's kidnapping and killing of Lucie Blackman.

Recounting a case he covered extensively for a British newspaper, Parry exposes the seductive repression of the hostess bar circuit that Obara used to hunt his prey and Blackman clung to as a means to use her charm and looks to get by in a foreign land. Shoving aside constraints of reporter neutrality, he shares the yearnings and frustrations of him and Blackman's family as the staggered Japanese justice system strains to shackle the monster.

Fascinatingly told and free of cliches or lazy true crime crutches, Parry creates a true masterwork that endures as the magnum opus of Blackman case coverage and sets a shining example for not only authors, but reporters, to follow.

"Injustice 2: Ultimate Edition" Review

As excellent as "Injustice 2" was, the base game is sadly incomplete. Significant characters that appeared in the story mode were seemingly held back as paid DLC or to trick out the Ultimate Edition.

Shell out an extra $40 for the tricked-out edition of the spectacular D.C. universe fighting game and you get nine DLC fighters that significantly flesh out the roster of pugilists. Red Hood, Starfire, Sub-Zero and Tamaran are included, with the others yet to be announced.

You also get premiere skins, which give existing characters alternate voices and dialogue, as well as shader packs that trick out their gear in the manner of alternate jerseys in pro sports.

Oddly, Darkseid is not included in the package, and remains a pre-order exclusive. If you failed to order the game before release, expect to cough up $6 for the hilariously overpowered -- and arguably most fun -- fighter on the roster.

Whether the premium cost is worth all the additional characters depends on how much time you plan to invest in the versus mode, but there's little question that you need the add-on to complete the full game. Cheapskates can hold out hope that a version of the game with all DLC will eventually come along at a discount, as it did for the previous game in the series.

The publisher provided a review code.

"Transformers: The Last Knight" Review

For my full review, click here.

"Cars 3" Review

For my full review, click here.

Book Report: "The Prestige"

Christopher Nolan's flawed movie surpassed the strange, winding book, which takes an intriguing premise, strangles it to death midway through, then keeps on trucking long past when the curtain should have dropped on the plot.

The tale of rival magicians, told through dueling, conflicting journal entries found by their descendants, is at its best when it explores the psyches of the leads, pacing the escalation of the conflict from contentious professional conflict to blood feud and onward to mutually-destructive obsession.

Priest falters once he has to spill the secrets of each magician's special trick that they are hiding from one another. His explanation is a bizarre, supernatural copout that forces the story to wander off into the woods, never to return. Misdirection turns into directionlessness, and the story stops rather than ends.

The format, period detail and character voices are exquisite, but the botched execution fails to coalesce the moving parts into the masterpiece it could have been. The end result is a head-scratching magic trick that baffles rather than dazzles.

LG X Venture Review

No matter how fast your phone's processor is or how tricked-out its apps are, it's worthless once you inevitably drop it and spiderweb the screen. Cases and screen protectors can help guard against the danger, but they can add bulk and mess with the look and form factor of your sexy device.

The LG X seeks to take the need for a case away, emphasizing toughness and endurance above all else. Built for those who like to live a life of hiking, mountain biking, DIY projects and kids running around with it, the Venture packs a tough casing, a shatter and water-resistant display and a beast of a battery. While the specs and benchmarking may not be quite up to the most cutting edge of competitors, the AT&T-exclusive device does give you all you need to thrive and survive in 2017 and beyond.

Built to compete with the Samsung S8 Active, even the software suite is designed for outdoorsy folks. The Outdoor Essentials app bundles a barometer, fitness tracker, compass and flashlight -- making it easy for campers to scrounge up what they need with minimal hassle. There's even a Glove Mode that allows the screen to sense your interactions while bundled up from the cold.

The Snapdragon 435 processor won't win many speed tests, but the 16mp rear camera and 5mp selfie cam will keep you cranking out adventurous Instagram posts. But even the underpowered processor and smallish display come with a purpose. The device is powered by a monstrous 4,100mAh battery, and the loaner unit lasted through two days of frequent use without needing a charge.

Sticking with micro USB charging rather than upgrading to USB C like most new Android phones comes with positives and negatives. The good news is that you won't have to replace your chargers, but the downside is you're stuck with slower recharging speeds and the annoyance of having to have the input lined up just right.

Overall, the LG X Venture is a solid pickup for those whose lives are tough on their phones, but offers little for the tech-savvy upgrader looking for the hottest new thing. It's meant to be brought on adventures rather than cooped up indoors.

LG provided a device for review.

Book Report: "Through the Looking Glass"

More artistic and less trippy and disturbing than the original, this feels like a commerce-driven cash-in. It's also an excuse for Carroll to wedge in some spectacular poems that otherwise would have been tough to publish. He abandons many of the twisted themes he tangled with in the original in favor of lighthearted whimsy. He generated some iconic characters here, including a definitive Humpty Dumpty, doofus twins Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum and the icy White Queen. This is, overall, the more accessible and better-written of the two Alice books, but less imaginative and safer.

"The Mummy" Review

For my written review, click here.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" Review

For my written review, click here.

Book Report: "Mafia Prince"

The writing is poor, and the storytelling is mediocre. Leonetti's memoir thrives on the pure grit of his honesty, humility, shamelessness and experience. He recounts his years in the mob, and what led to his betrayal of his entire crime family and willingness to risk his own life and those of everyone he loved just to stick it to his controlling uncle, never pretending that he became a government witness for altruistic, or even pragmatic, reasons. Leonetti and his gaggle of ghostwriters spin their yarn with the matter-of-fact sloppiness of a tired old man spilling his guts to no one in particular at a dive bar.

Because he was so deeply entrenched with his subject matter, he can't help but tell a more reliable history of the fall of La Cosa Nostra than any journalist could catalogue or any novelist could dream up. His scattered, choppy prose may be agonizing at times, but he manages to translate a convincing feel of what it was like to sell your soul to the seductive greed that mob life offered him.

That said, an editor who halfway paid attention could have done wonders for this mess. Characters are introduced and re-introduced over and over again in the exact same manner, nicknames and terms are given the same treatment and stories are rehashed for no apparent reason.

GoodFellas this is not, but "Mafia Prince" is still vital reason for anyone who can't get enough wiseguy tales.

"Injustice 2" Review

s The publisher provided a copy of the game.

Like a costumed vigilante showing off a new uniform and powers, "Injustice 2" passes the "wow" test within the first few minutes. This is the superhero fighting game DC fans have long dreamed of, with heroes and villains squaring off with a full, dizzying set of background-shattering, enemy-splattering powers.

And just like every interesting comic book hero, there are flaws beneath the surface that keep the game from superhuman levels.

Just about everything has improved from the original game. Not only are the visuals sharper and more authentic, the standard moves are more fluid and the specials are easier to execute and more spectacular. It's a thrill, for instance, to use the Flash to pummel Superman through various dimensions.

Online lobbies are streamlined and efficient, pairing you with fighters of similar skill in order to make your experience more accessible and challenging than punishing.

The story mode also takes the mythos to new heights. While the previous version was little more than a flashy tutorial, the new story is a robust and worthy effort that is far more than a throwaway side mode. Ignore the campaign to dive into multiplayer without looking back and you're missing out on a thrilling, twist-filled journey.

The character selection is robust, with new additions such as Supergirl, Firestorm and Scarecrow, but those familiar with "Injustice: Gods Among Us" will miss the fighters who don't show up in the sequel, such as Doomsday, Lex Luthor, Lobo and Martian Manhunter. Even more disappointing is the way devs held back characters for premium editions of the game. If you want the likes of Reverse Flash, Power Girl or the John Stewart edition of Green Lantern, you are going to have to fork over more money upfront or wait for the inevitable rerelease.

Fighting game sequels should leave you no reason to return to the predecessor, and the lack of defining characters from the original makes the follow-up fail at that task. That said, this is a robust overall effort that will please fans of fighters and the DC mythos alike.

Geared as much for easy couch co-op while balanced enough for the e-sports circuit, "Injustice 2" is a game that has started off well and will likely only improve as players shake out its kinks and developers pump out updates, refinements and additional characters. Even if this year's slate of DC movies disappoint fans of the franchise, they'll be able to retreat to the game to take solace.

The publisher provided a digital copy of the game for review.

Three New Sets Revitalize 'Lego Dimensions'

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment continues to pump out new characters and levels to refresh the original game, which came out in 2015. Here's what's new in May:

The Goonies Level Pack

In addition to a "Goonies"-themed level and battle arena, you get the One-Eyes Willie pirate ship -- rebuildable as the Fanged Fortune and Inferno Cannon -- a Sloth minifigure and a skeleton organ/jukebox/turkey 3-in-1.

Harry Potter Fun Pack

A Hermione minifigure and buildable Buckbeak/Giant OwlFierce Falcon three-in-one structure come along with the kit.

Lego City Fun Pack

Chase McCain, the star of "Lego City Undercover," shows up in minifig form. You also get a 3-in-1 police chopper/hovercraft/plane to patrol the game's levels.

Studio provided review samples.

LG G6 Review

With the G6, LG shows that it's no longer willing to settle for playing catch-up with the likes of market leaders Apple and Samsung. Instead, it's not afraid to take some chances and innovate.

It starts with the display, an oblong, extra-wide screen that presents you with a broad, 5.7-inch display that maintains a thin form factor while pumping out visuals at 2,880x1,440 pixels. This makes it so your field of view is comparable to that of a Galaxy S8+ or iPhone 7 Plus, while keeping the device easy to keep in one hand, allowing you to operate it without straining your thumb.

Judging from the durability of the loaner unit, the G6 seems built to last. Should it slip out of your hand, it handles tumbles with resilience. The tough, pragmatic design -- with rounded corners that make for better ergonomics -- negates the need for a case and handles drops on tile or concrete surfaces, as well as plops in puddles, thanks to water resistance that stacks up well to competitors.

The 32GB of onboard memory is expandable with a micro SD card -- which is key because pre-installed apps eat up close to half of the original storage.

A weak spot is the 3,300mAh cell battery, which struggles to keep up with heavy use throughout the workday -- especially if you plan on watching video or gaming on full brightness settings. Luckily, the USB-C charger juices the device back up in short order. As long as you pick up an extra charger for the car and juice up at your desk, you should be fine.

The dual, 13MP rear cameras are another highlight, allowing you to shoot absurdly wide panoramics -- up to 125 degrees. Included software allows you to preview pics without leaving the shooting app, or trick out pictures in such ways as combining a pair of similar shots to craft a hybrid.

The 821 2.35 GHz + 1.6 GHz Quad-Core Custom 64-bit Qualcomm Kryo processor can handle heavy lifting that keeps it on par with the iPhones, Galaxies and Pixels of the world. Whether you're juggling apps via multitasking work apps, pausing videos to get in some gametime while catching up on email or snapping and editing photos and videos to share on social media, the G6 has you covered. The included Google assistant keeps it on par with the Pixel, allowing you to use voice commands to look up facts, call up apps, maps or music.

The LG G6 is a phone for an iconoclast who makes it a point of avoiding following the crowds, and the device rewards those well who make the leap from the comfortable brands. What it lacks in name recognition it more than makes up for in performance.

LG provided a device for review.

"Alien: Covenant" Review

For my written review, click here.

Media Maven Monday Profile

Thanks to Strongpoint Marketing for profiling me.

"Snatched" Review

For my written review, click here.

Book Report: "Catch Me if You Can"

Abagnale pulls off a con job when it comes to the ending. Seemingly uninterested at giving his story any sort of resolution, he just stops and vanishes as abruptly as he did when he passed a bum check or tricked a prison guard into letting him free.

The story is amazing, if probably exaggerated to an absurd degree, and the momentum is overwhelming. Abagnale trips things up a bit by obsessively inserting lame similes into every other paragraph, awkwardly making him seem like he's trying to come off as a hillbilly rather than a sophisticated conman.

The movie is way better than the book, but could have incorporated more of his crazy scams. Abagnale was a chameleon who masqueraded as an airline pilot, doctor, college professor and prison inspector. The joy with which he recounts his capers is contagious, and the inner monologue with which he rationalizes the moral fortitude of his crimes is fascinating.

This seems more like the first half of a deeper, more profound book, but at least it's probably the more entertaining half.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" Review

For my written view, click here.