Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

 

7.5/10

In what is considered the last film in the DCEU, Aquaman/Arthur Curry (played by Jason Momoa) is now the king of Atlantis and has to juggle between that position and as a family man. Soon, all that Aquaman holds dear is threatened when his vengeful nemesis Black Manta (the 2021 Candyman's Yahya Abdul Mateen II) returns with a dangerous new weapon and plot. In order to track him down, Aquman must recruit Orm (Insidious/The Conjuring's Patrick Wilson), the villain of the first film and Aquaman's half brother.

I feel that the DCEU is gonna out on at least a decent note. There is nothing about AatLC that breaks the mold, but it is a fun ride. Got some decent jokes in this and entertaining sci-fi/fantasy fight scenes. The best part of this is the depiction of Atlantis/the underwater world in general. The design looks really eye-catching.

The last film focused on a lot of drama about the court/royalty-side of Atlantis. There was all this backstory about Aquaman and setup for the whole kingdoms of the ocean that it did feel a little bloated and soap opera-ish. I like that this film is leaner and focuses more on the adventure. However, this movie did not need to be so long. A lot of the story is Aquaman and Orm pursuing Black Manta to a location, fight a threat and rinse and repeat.

The core of this is Aquman's relationship with Orm. They work well off of each other with Aquaman being a chill jokester and Orm being the uptight but intelligent one. Though Orm was a straight up #$@! who wants Aqua Man defeated in the last film, he was given enough dimension to show why he was the way he was, and this film does a good job of bridging that gap to where he's working with his half-brother. (In fact, the two movies flow into each other really cohesively. Unlike the Shazam sequel, this actually pays off the previous setup.) Orm's seen his dreams and expectations destroyed, so he is still arrogant but more accessible and since his actions, though twisted, were for protecting his kingdom, his ability to see the bigger picture makes working his half-brother seem reasonable. That having been said, it does feel questionable of the filmmakers to try to freshen up Orm's image considering that he's killed many innocents.

Fresh off the Boat's Randall Park has the honor of being one of the most entertaining performances in both the Marvel films and the DC films as Dr. Stephen Shin, a scientist forced to work with Black Manta and constantly worried about what he is doing. He brings the perfect combo of humor and humanity.

I did miss the chemistry between Aquaman and his love interest Mera (Amber Heard). She's barely in this, and it feels like they basically substituted Orm for her as someone more serious to work off of Aquaman. Director James Wan claims the story was always going to focus on the brothers, but considering the recent controversy about Heard, one cannot but feel that there is a different reason for her absence. If the latter is true, one cannot wonder if they couldn't have just recast.

Recommended. AatLK a good time-waster and popcorn film. 

Doctor Who- 60th anniversary special trilogy and Christmas special

9/10

For the start of Doctor Who's move to Disney+, we get a trilogy of specials for the 60th anniversary of the show and a Christmas special. In the trilogy, the Doctor has surprisingly not regenerated into a new form but into a previous one, his Tenth (played by David Tennant). He ends up running into his old companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) which places her in danger again. The two end up going against three threats. Then, we get the debut of the new 15th Doctor (Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa) who will be helming DW's upcoming season. In his Xmas special, The Church on Ruby Road the Doctor goes up against baby-napping goblins.

Russell T. Davies, the creator of the recent DW and show runner of the first four seasons is back. When he originally left, I was okay with it and ready to give the next guy a chance. Davies could be silly/childish, maybe have the Doctor be a little too emotional at times, and throw too many ideas into one episode. However, I realized I took Davies for granted and didn't appreciate what I had with him. Davies understood this was a show for the young and old and though death always follows the Doctor, this is a show about hope. The other show runners forgot that and could forget the human element or go too dark and/or nihilistic. 

The human element definitely feels back here. Donna's married now, and it's been so long that we've seen her that she's now got a daughter Rose (Heartstopper's Yasmin Finney). It used to bug me that every companion had to have a full family attached, but I realized this keeps them grounded, and I missed the feeling of family that Davies effortlessly brought. I particularly realized how much I missed the Noble family in general. Tate hasn't missed a beat as the sharp-tongued Donna, and Jacqueline King as her mother Sylvia is very watchable when you see her in her protective mode and her sheer dislike of putting up with another of the Doctor's adventures. The Doctor generally cared for Donna and her grandfather, and his reactions to reuniting with the Nobles feels really pure here. Tennant and Tate have still got it and they work off of each other so well.

Though the specials of the new Who are a resetting of the tone, Davies doesn't brush aside previous show runners' decisions (including those two very controversial decisions from last season) under the rug and does a surprisingly good job of running with them. The whole crux of these specials is Tennant's Doctor dealing with his baggage in a surprisingly meaningful and emotional way. 

The humor of the early years is back and it is infectious.

As for the three specials themselves: The first is just a fun adventure in Davies' vein of DW. The second is one of the "ominous threat" style of episodes. If you love those, you'll like this as it's very well done. The second is a big finale and is an excellent combo of heart, grandeur, and scares. Not to mention that this has one of the best villains/villain performances in the entire show. That third episode is simply one of the most satisfying finales in the history of DW.

Now to the Xmas special. Only one episode in and I'm already liking Ncuti. He's more of an openly high energy life-loving/good-natured style of Doctor. His new companion is Ruby Sunday (Coronation Street's Millie Gibson). I do fear we may have some companion fatigue as her persona does feel a little derivative of previous companions. That having been said, Gibson does ain't too shabby in the part, especially when she's being enthusiastic.

The special isn't as fun as the last three, but it still makes for a solid episode. The goblins make for silly but still threatening foes.

What all four specials have in common are improved special effects due to the show's deal with Disney+. Yeah, the recent seasons have been looking pretty good for British television budgets, but the effects are at another level here. There is a whimsical splendor to some of the sets/digital backgrounds here.

Highly recommended. The 60th specials in particular are must see and the third may be one of the best in the show's history. If you once loved DW but lost interest after Davies left, you may want to return, because what you originally loved about the show is back.

Hamster and Gretel- Season 1

8.5/10

In this new Disney Channel cartoon from Phineas and Ferb co-creator Dan Povenmire, elementary school-aged girl Gretel (voiced by Povenmire's daughter Melissa) and her hamster Hamster (SNL alumni Beck Bennett) are granted superpowers by aliens and become superheroes. Meanwhile, Gretel's brother Kevin (Love, Victor's Michael Cimino), who was standing right there and got diddly squat, ends up in the thankless job of being the guy in the chair and trying to coral his young and impetuous sister.

If you've seen P&F or Milo Murphy's Law, it's the same kind of humor. Stuff that's clever enough for adults and goofy enough for children. What we get is a bunch of varied and enjoyable villains of the week, who are a fun bunch with goofy gimmicks. Though the episodes are mostly self-contained, the show does a decent job of building the world upon existing characters (I thought the villain Professor Exclamation (MadTV veteran and prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr) was a little one note at first, but he and his single-minded inability to be chill and get over his tragic origin (which is kinda silly) got sorta interesting to watch.)

The three main characters make the show. Kevin is a solid straight man/fall guy who has to deal with helping his sister amongst the various insanity thrown at her There's something about Gretel that's just so darn contagiously optimistic. At first I thought Melissa's casting was just a case of nepotism, but her voice really grew on me. It's got a unique quality. Funniest character hands down is Hamster. He's the one who's surprisingly cool and laid back. Bennet's naturally deep tone is accentuated here and he manages to make delivery that is always in the same tone be consistently funny. Originally the writers had him as a guy of few word like P&F's Ferb, but I think they quickly realized what a personality expert one-liner they had on their hands.

Highly recommended. Show is just fun. On the Povenmire scale, it's below P&F and above Milo Murphy's Law.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

7/10

In this Netflix sequel to the popular 2000 claymation film, the chickens are living a happy existence away from man but now must deal with an ominous new modern chicken farm being built nearby.

At the very beginning I was a little hesitant. The plot's bones felt a little predictable with the story being the chickens breaking into a chicken farm instead of out of it (they even state the obvious fact in the movie) and there being a subplot of a child and parent at odds and having to understand each other. Luckily, the predictability didn't become an issue once we get to the farm. DotN feels like it's from a 70's dystopian sci-fi film if it was made for kids. What happens in the fortress is dark but hidden under an extravagant/colorful facade, and how they contain the chickens is a little freaky. If you miss the "dark" children's films from yesteryear than this might be for you.

The movie is fairly entertaining. The humor is mild but there are a few good moments, including one joke that is pure genius.

Since this is an Aardman film, the claymation looks great. Everything is colorful and all the characters have distinct body shapes to them. Visually the cinematography is active and feels like how'd you shoot a live-action film. (The intro to the main villain is so well paced with its build up.)

Recommended. Not saying this is the best kids movie ever, but it is something your children may have fun with and the captured chicken scenes really stand out.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

9.5/10

In the newest Super Mario 2D platformer, Mario, Luigi and friends are visiting the Flower Kingdom. The wicked Bowser swoops in, steals one of the realm's Wonder Flowers and uses it to merge with the castle of Prince Florian to become a giant, floating castle being. It is up to the heroes to stop him.

The creators of this clearly heard the criticism about the last four 2D Mario platformers, the New Super Mario Bros. series. The games were all fun (yes, in my opinion even NSMB2; I liked the focus on coins, what can I say), but they'd gotten repetitive and for a franchise known for creativity and reinventing itself had played it a little too safe. (I like the Koopalings as much as the next person, but their attacks have gotten a bit repetitive.) I'm pleased to say that wonder brings us back to the days when the Mario games would take a wild new swing. 

Gameplay feels innovative with multiple new game mechanics ideas that are fun and addictive. The biggest innovation in this are the wonder flowers. They appear or are hidden in all regular levels; touch one and the level radically changes in constantly new weird and wonderful ways. Unfortunately, the game still uses the flag pole goal. I remember when Super Mario Brothers 3 and Super Mario World had different styles of goals, and I'm so tired of being stuck with the same boring goal over and over and over.

Super Mario World has always been knoen for how interconnected the entire map was and the various hidden routes. Sadly after that, Nintendo was never that ambitious with the game maps. Finally, we've got a game that tries to recapture that magic. It's still second to SMW, but Wonder really tries to shake things up. There are various and hidden levels and different ways for accessing them.  

Never before have we been able to play so many Mario characters in one game (twelve if I'm remembering correctly). One can play Princess Daisy for the first time in a main Mario game (previously she's only been available in the Mario Party and sports games). For younger kids (or people who are fed up with the harder special levels), you can play a Yoshi or Nabbit, who don't take any damage. However, they can't use power-ups either.

The game comes up with multiple inventive new villain ideas while breathing new life into old villains, such as Koopa Troopas on roller blades. Unfortunately, one of the games' few weaknesses is the sheer lack of boss battles and variations of said battles. Some worlds don't have any boss battles at all and the ones that do exist with the exception of the final battle with Bowser are all Bowser Jr. To the BJ battles' credit, the Wonder Flower powers make all of them different and a breath of fresh air from all old school shelled Koopa boss/mini-boss fights, but I still wanted more variety. There is also one mini-boss in this and it may be the easiest, most lackluster one in Mario history.

The game's other weak spot is the power ups. None of them are bad, but they don't have the special zing that some previous types did. The elephant power-up has been the new big power up associated with this game that's in all the advertising. However, though a fun design that feels unique for the series, it feels like a retread of the rhino and elephant from the Donkey Kong Country games. Being able to whack bad guys and shoot water (which has limited range) isn't as involving as you'd think. Also, this is the first Mario 2D platformer in a while where you don't have the ability to fly. On the other, hand I wasn't much impressed with the bubble power up at first, because I wondered why we needed another projectile power when we already have the fire flower power up. I was pleased to be proven wrong as its range and damage amount was surprisingly different.

Ironically, the better powers don't come from the regular power-ups. Wonder Flowers may temporarily change Mario and company's shapes in brief game segments that are more fun to play and control. For the first time, we got a Mario game with an equipment feature. You can earn or purchase various badges which grant special enhancements like the ability to float or jump higher. You can only use one at a time, and I like the strategy aspect this gives you. I also found some of the badges to be very helpful. However, there are clearly a few that are truly useful and many that aren't so much. There are several badges that force you to be constantly in motion. How is that useful unless you want to challenge yourself?

Visually, there was an obvious effort to reinvent the look of Mario. Flower Land has a unique look to it with charming and colorful backgrounds. I've never seen a Mario game with such personality to it either. The game has a cartoony feel with a greater emphasis on animation details, like Mario grabbing his hat when entering a pipe or the expressions on Goomba's faces.

Highly recommended. The best 2D Mario platformer in decades and a very fun time.

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas

7.5/10 

Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham hosts this Apple+ musical Christmas special in front of an audience.

Wouldn't have thought of Waddingham hosting one of these but in retrospect she's a perfect choice. She seems genuinely happy to be there, has her trademark presence and liveliness, and it turns out has a wonderful singing voice.

Accompanying her a are a bunch of talented singers and dancers that make this a solid special, albeit one that doesn't do anything to break the mold. Several TL cast members are in this (surprised they're not calling this the Ted Lasso Christmas Special). It's nice to see them, but the one weak point to this is the obviously pre-filmed sections they feel they have to do with some of the cast. They're not that entertaining and feel like they're just there to fill up time.

Recommended. Nothing complex, but makes for a fun quick viewing that works for when the family is deciding what to watch or to have something in the background.

Wish

7/10

In the new Disney animated film Wish, the island kingdom of Rosa is ruled by the sorcerer king Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine). People give him his dreams (LITERALLY) in return for him using his magic to bring them to reality someday (which he does sporadically throughout the year). Teen Asha (voiced by the West Side Story remake's Ariana DeBose) becomes disillusioned with the system and wishes upon a star for things to change. An anthropomorphic wishing star named Wish falls from the sky and helps her to make things right.

The best part about this is the story. Rather than being another adaptation of a classic fairy tale, this is a completely original story of the type, and it's a rather original idea at that. How the whole wish storage works was creative and done well, and I really gelled with the movie's emphasis on the importance of wishes. The third act is really where it comes together with an emotionally resonant climax.

However, there are flaws to the narrative. I fear this is a Fox and the Hound/Great Mouse Detective/Atlantis level Disney film and not a Frozen/Little Mermaid/Beauty and the Beast level one. This is one of the most exhibition heavy Disney films (at least in the first half) and parts can be a bit dry, a term you don't usually associate with Disney. The natural comedy/song flow doesn't work here. The songs pop up at unnatural times where you just want the story keep going, another thing you'd never think you'd hear about Disney. These issues do dissipate by the aforementioned third act.

The best element of the story is probably Magnifico. I think Disney got the note that people miss the classic straight-up evil/not hidden Disney villains. They give him a backstory that explains why he is the way he is, but if you're tired of all the three-dimensional/tragic villains these days, the movie doesn't lean too hard into that at all. Magnifico is portrayed as an unabashed egotist which makes him come off at times as little funny and others times as threatening or delightfully despicable. Unlike most Disney villains that want to acquire something, his whole motive is holding on to what he already has. You also see him morally descend, which is a little different for Disney baddies ('cept maybe Gaston, but he never tried to be benevolent in the first place). However, I thought his losing it s*@! felt a little too rushed. He's also, I believe, the first Disney villain since the Queen of Hearts to be married. His wife Queen Amaya (Life in Pieces' Angelique Cabral) has a solid purpose for being in this story, but I'm not loving the dialogue they gave her in this; felt weak.

Admittedly, Asha is a little in the cookie cutter vein of Disney Princess/similar female protagonists, but I felt they gave her a personality and motivation that was tailored to the scenario. DeBose did a fine job of making the character empathetic to others and determined. 

Likable supporting/comedic cast in this. Asha's talking goat Valentino (voiced by Alan Tudyk who's become a Disney movie regular for the last decade), is one of the funnier animal sidekicks (has some of the better one-liners). As always, Tudyk is great with the delivery. However, he's using the same voice he used for Clayface on Harley Quinn. If you've seen the show, it's hard not to disassociate. Asha, has a large friend group who all have distinct personalities. Going back to the pacing issues, it would have been nice if they had more screen time. 

All the credit should be given to the animators on this. Apparently this was a combination of 2D watercolor animation and 3D models in what is an impressive output. The film does look like an old-timey fairy tale illustration brought to life. The background animation is gorgeous. However, it takes a while to get used to the movie's look. The coloring is something one's unused to, and and the 3D models juxtaposed against the background don't immediately feel like they're filmed in the same place. When seeing characters from a distance, a couple times it felt like I was watching a recent Dragon Quest video game, and not a Disney movie. But again, one assimilates. The design for Wish is pretty cute and he's probably going to sell merchandise.

The songs by Ben Rice and Julia Michaels don't have the usual Disney magic. Thing is none of them are bad, but they're not memorable. (Too be fair, the villain song ain't too shabby and one of the last songs is pretty good.)

Most of the main cast are also superb singers. One thing you can't criticize about the songs is that they give DeBose the chance to show off her powerful singing voice. Pine is also a surprisingly good singer maybe not as strong as some of the others, but he manages to actually survive singing alongside DeBose.

Recommended. Yes, this isn't top tier Disney and it could've been improved, but this is still a very watchable and enjoyable Disney film. The opening box office for this wasn't great which is too bad because the animators and writers really put a lot of heart into this.

The Naughty Nine

6.5/10

In the Disney Channel/Disney+'s The Naughty Nine, kid Andy (played by Winslow Fegley, who's name you might not know but he's been a lead or at least main character in a surprising number of films recently) doesn't get a present from Santa Claus (Lethal Weapons' Danny Glover) because he's on the naughty list. Feeling cheated, the self-serving Andy decides to assemble a crew of other kids on the list in order to break into the North Pole and get the presents they wanted.

What follows is an average Disney Channel story. The characters, the moral lesson and the plot are alright. However, the film never reaches as high a beat as it could have. The idea of a Christmas heist film is a good one, and one watches it and cannot ignore the wasted potential and think how this could've been done better. Still, this is from the jaded adult mind. I don't see your children being so picky.

This is a Disney Channel movie in which there isn't a theatrical film-level budget, but the budget is higher and the creators put more effort in than you expect. The North Pole/Santa's Village doesn't look half bad. (Would've preferred more variation with the various buildings, but I'm probably nitpicking.) Sets, effects, and costumes are all colorful. The outfits in this especially stand out.

The child actors here are on average just okay. The two actors who play Andy's parents I felt weren't so great. (Though in fairness, it could be the script and direction. They're the type of parents who aren't aware of their child's wrongdoings and they come off as kinda dumb.) The advertisements for this stress that Danny Glover is in this, but he isn't in it that much, it's the situation where the famous actor clearly came in for one day's worth of filming.

Recommended specifically for children. For adults, you've probably got other films that are a better way of spending your time, but this will probably pique children's interest.

Thanksgiving

9/10

In this new Eli Roth film based on his 2007 mock trailer made for the Grindhouse double feature, a year after a tragic Thanksgiving event a killer dressed up as Plymouth Colony governor John Carver goes on a vengeance-driven killing spree.

Thanksgiving is a love letter to slashers. It manages to not only honor the building blocks of the genre but is also its own thing. There are so many slasher movies where the script didn't work out or is just okay that it's refreshing to see a film that moves efficiently and is well written and thought out. The opening that shows the "event" is just so well crafted. Characters feel distinct and there's even a good portion of dark humor. If you're tired of horror movies where they make bad decisions, this is refreshing in that the characters play things relatively smart. 

The movie has some of the more gruesome and innovative or well orchestrated kills in some time. If you saw the nastiest kill hinted in the trailers, I got to warn you that it is a LOT. This movie is not for the squeamish. Some of the kills are Thanksgiving themed and there is a demented creativity behind them.

For those who like horror but would prefer a morality tale where the guilty are targeted instead of the innocent, then this is for you. It's kinda easier to enjoy the carnage as most of the characters aren't great people and have a reason for being targeted. However, for the main group of teens they make them self-interested enough that they make solid cannon fodder, but not mean-spirited enough that you aren't invested in the chance of them making it out alive.

The biggest weak point of the movie is that it's pretty easy to guess who the killer is. Which is too bad, because the film did a good job of making multiple characters have good motivation (you understand the "event" is the general reason the killings are happening, but there are multiple aspects of it which makes guessing the exact "why" a little more interesting) or of making characters without a motive seem suspicious without knocking the audience over the head.

Solid cast. I'm surprised you don't see Grey's Anatomy/Enchanted's Patrick Dempsey in more stuff. He's playing the sheriff complete with a Massachusetts accent and really sells his role. Some may have mixed opinions on Thomas Hoffman's performance as the owner of Plymouth's biggest store. His performance has an odd energy and it's hard to guess where he stands. However, I felt Hoffman's acting choices stood out.

Highly recommended. This is an original slasher that maybe even outshines other recent types of the genre.

Rustin

7.5/10

The Netflix movie Rustin retells how black and gay civil rights leader Rustin Bayard (played by Colman Domingo) helped organize the March on Washington.

Domingo makes this movie in an electrified and erudite performance; a brave man who was committed to peaceful protest despite the odds and wanted to live his truth. Heck, the majority of the cast is strong, including some known faces.

What unfolds is an interesting look at the behinds-the-scenes of everything it took to make the massive march come to fruition.

Though the film mostly focuses on the organizational aspects of the civil rights movement, it reminds the viewers of the injustices done to African Americans through a few well-placed brief snippets.

Naturally, the film is also about Bayard being both black and gay in 1960's America. Credit must be given to the creators for being honestly cynical about achieving political goals as it focuses on how Bayard's homosexuality was an issue for certain NAACPT members or a weak spot for the movement for more pragmatic members. He's arguably one of the less advertised African American rights activists because of his sexual orientation, and the movie shows the ultimate sadness of a man dedicated toward good but forced to muzzle himself due to his gayness. 

Though the movie wasn't that long, it still could've been shortened. Some scenes just feel like padding or a little dry. Most of the writing flows well, but there is one scene involving an anti-war group where a character's dialogue felt really unnatural and expositioney. (I get the feeling that some scenes for that subplot were cut down and maybe the dialogue would've felt more natural if we had more context.)

Recommended. This is a well told film with an excellent lead performance.

Goosebumps- Season 1

7.5/10

In this the second show to be based on the popular children's horror series by R.L. Stine, a group of teens accidentally open a secret room unleashing a collection of cursed objects upon their town.

I give the creators credit for doing something other than the same ol' with the Goosebumps style. Instead of the more colorfully shot tales like with the original stories and the films that star children, this has the leads being teens and the story being told with bleaker lighting and somewhat more grounded writing. The show has more weight and story than your regular Goosebumps. I rather liked the whole backstory of the secret behind the accursed objects and other forces. This took a few risks for a Disney+/Hulu family program. However, the show still manages to be macabre and scary without crossing content lines. (Parents be forewarned that the very last episode is more violent than the entirety of the rest of the show.)

Though a more serious Goosebumps, the writers are having fun. There's a decent amount of humor to balance the tone.

The main teens though maybe not the most standout characters, are all good enough. This is another one of those "teens with parental problems" shows. The show doesn't do much new with the formula. I'm so tired of every series/movie starring teens having emotional trauma issues. I get it, a lot of people in this world don't have super parents, but seeing this done ALL the time is exhausting and kinda depressing. Can't we just have teens going on an adventure that focuses on just the adventure and not their problems? At least the parental issues in this aren't as strong as they would have been if this was more of a teen/adult show.

Standout in this is Justin Long (who'd have guessed at the start of his career that he'd become so associated with horror?) as the teens' teacher Mr. Bratt. He gives a pretty lively, offbeat performance. Childrens Hospital's Rob Huebel (who I'm surprised isn't in more things as he's good with drama or humor) is also pretty watchable as a semi-ineffectual school counselor.

Recommended. Goosebumps purists may not love the somewhat radical changes, but this managed to deliver something new without feeling like its completely discarded the elements of the books.

Villains of Valleyview- Season 2

6.5/10

The second season of the Disney Channel sitcom continues the misadventures of the Maddens, a retired supervillain family, as they live in modern suburbia.

Best part of this continues to be the friendship of the polar opposites bad girl Amy Madden/Havoc (played by Isabella Pappas) and the sunny Hartley (Kayden Muller-Jansen). They work so well off of each other. The rest of the cast remains strong, the humor is still decent and something kids will probably enjoy, and I like the effort they put into the costumes.

Though the family loves each other, the writers lean in even more on the insult humor between each other even more this season. Parents may not love the example it sets, and besides that, it gets a little tiresome.

Youngest child Colby/Flashform (Stuck in the Middle's Malachi Barton) continues to feel unnecessary. Don't get me wrong, Barton delivers his A-game, but as the youngest the writers always feel at a loss as to where to put him. He doesn't get to associate with many his own age and is mostly relegated to B-plots where he interacts with his parents.

The show started with the characters trying to change their ways and seeing the value of good, but this season went in a weird place. The way they portray villains as being mostly lineages has resulted in them being shown  a little as a mistreated class, which seems to disregard the importance of moral choices. A little weird for my tastes and again not a great message for kids.

Kinda recommended. I think your kids will really like it. As a show by itself, it's got a lot of good things going for it, but it's also hampered by its weaknesses. 'Course I might be giving a Disney Channel show too much thought.

Doom Patrol- Season 4 (Final)

9/10

In the final season of Doom Patrol on Max (which took forever to release the second half of the show due to the big shakeup in Warner Bros.' regime change), the ill-fated members of the titular Doom Patrol find themselves the targets of a sinister undertaking.

Though I'm sad to see this wonderfully weird and well-characterized and -acted show end, I felt it left at the right point (they were stretching the group's trauma a bit thin by this point; they have to completely grow eventually). The ending, though it may not be what everyone wants is a very emotional affair with the characters we've all grown to love (those that actually watch this criminally underrated show anyway). I especially like how natural the journey of Crazy Jane (Encanto's Diane Guerrero) has been. Out of all the cast, her progression has been the most natural, relying less and less on her other personalities. (If you were disappointed that they really weren't using Crazy Jane's special abilities that come with each personality anymore, prepare to be equally disappointed here. To play devil's advocate, it both conceptually makes sense and showrunner Eric Carver (the American version of Being Human and seasons 8-11 of Supernatural) probably had pressure from the producers to cut down on special effects). Both Robotman/Cliff Steele (played by Riley Shanahan and voiced by Brendan Frasier) and Elasti-Woman/Rita Farr (April Bowlby) have some great moments, but the show continues its nasty habit of leaning too hard on their negative characteristics: Robotman making too many dumb decisions and Elasti-Woman hindered too often by her vanity and stubbornness. The latter's journey feels particularly choppy as her character sorta goes back-and-forth throughout.   

Again, the show earns it's title as the most bonkers superhero show out there. The various scenarios the gang are thrown into are unique and entertaining. I admire how the writers were able to squeeze in most of the  the remaining villains from the original 60's run. One of the more recent Doom Patrol members Casey Brinke/Space Case (Madeline Zima) finally makes it to the show. If you liked the character, you probably won't be disappointed here. She has this pep to her that other cast members don't have. 

Course for a show where the writers throw out one crazy idea after another, don't expect everything to stick. Once again, I felt there was too much emphasis on the amoral government agency The Bureau of Normalcy, which has really worn out its welcome. Remember the killer butts? Well, they're back. Yeah, yeah, it's a funny concept, but again they've worn out their concept (I think the butts are the one part of the show that got TOO weird), and the writers feel way too enamored of their creation. 

Doesn't help that it feels like the writers had trouble fitting in the butt subplot. There's so much going on that things may feel rushed and that not every concept may get its due. Also, be prepared that some of the supporting characters you've grown to know may not get as much time as they should. The writers focus on the main cast almost to a fault.

Recommended. Yeah, they definitely could've cut down on the characters feeling bad about themselves, but this remains a truly unique experience and deserved send off for the show. I shall miss it, but I'll remember the good times. 

Loki- Season 2 (Final?)

9.5/10

In the second and probably final season of Loki on Disney+, Norse god Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) tries to save the fate of the TVA (The Time Variance Authority).

I mostly liked the first season, which was pretty inventive and the look to the headquarters of the whole TVA was so unique, but I had my criticisms. The story felt a little dragged out, there was too much organizational shadowiness, and though it was fun to see the narcissistic Loki in a situation he didn't have control over, it became exhausting to see him be under the foot of one constant bad situation after another. This season though, it has all the strengths of season one but none of the weak points. (Also, if you were disappointed with the cliffhanger for season 1, it pays off a lot better than you'd suspect.)

This is nothing but great sci-fi creativity, excellent set design (I love the window shots of the massive retro-futuristic world of the TVA so much), and wonderful characterization. The human drama and stakes are so well done here. The finale with the exception of Avengers: Endgame is the best ending in the entire MCU.

Loki continues to be the main strength to this show. Here, the writers have worked most of the redemption stuff out of the way, and for all of those who saw potential for good in Loki, this really paid off. Hiddleston delivers a fantastic performance as a focused and serious-minded Loki trying to do the right thing despite all the odds. His relationship with TVA agent Moebius (Luke Wilson) continues to result in one of the best duos in television history. Wilson delivers one of his best performances, and Moebius' everyday ability to be congenial even alongside someone like Loki works so well. 

The writers seemed to like TVA desk jockey Casey (Eugene Cordero, who's one of those comic actors who's popping up more and more) enough that they upped the role, and he works well when given more serious material to work with. There was always something a little suspicious about Miss Minutes (voiced by prolific voice actress Tara Strong), the TVA's holographic AI in the form of a 1950/60's cartoon clock (brilliant idea by the way), who started to seem a bit suspicious as to her motivations last year. Here we understand what makes her tick as she's become an antagonist and makes for a rather interesting character (although they don't spend much time with her.) I also felt they did a better job with the characterization of rogue TVA judge Ravonna Renslayer (Belle's Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and her motivations.

We get a couple new characters. Ke Huy Quan, whose stock has really risen since Everything Everywhere all at Once, is the TVA's science guy Ouroboros. Quan brings his trademark likableness as the guy who is way too easy going with what's going on.  Jonathan Majors plays yet another variant of the multidmensional warlord Kang, scientist Victor Timely. You're curious as to what role he will play in everything as you're sort of charmed by the smart but awkward man, but know that he has the potential of going bad.

The only weak point to this is that sometimes, especially with the last episode, the writers are trying to be a little too clever with the time travel laws. It can be a little confusing.

Highly recommended, this is one of the best recent MCU entries and one of THE best period. This is just six hours of pure entertainment and superb storytelling.

The Marvels

8/10

In this sequel to Captain Marvel (and follow-up to the shows Wandavision and Ms. Marvel), Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers (played by Brie Larsen), Monica Rambeau/Photon (Teyonah Parris), and Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) find their powers connected as they start switching locations as they use their powers. To further complicate things, they must deal with Supremor Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), a member of the Kree Empire who has a vendetta against Captain Marvel.

This is like Ant-Man and the Wasp. It's not the hardest hitting of MCU stories, but it makes for pretty fun viewing and is very watchable. "Breezy." That is what this movie is in a nutshell. Marvel took it to heart that the first Captain Marvel film, while I thought was a good movie, didn't have quite the personality as other Marvel movies, and that Captain Marvel did feel a little wooden. Here, you've got a good sense of humor and world building. I really digged the alien planets the Marvels went to. The visual designs are typical Marvel quality.

Some may accuse this of following the Marvel formula, but it's the Marvel formula done well, and I felt this was the best of the "light" entries in the post-Endgame MCU. Whereas Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania felt like its alien world (although it didn't happen in space, it was basically an alien world) was too derivative of previous Marvel films and its various weird characters felt tacked on just to add new weird characters, here things feel more natural and thought out.

Now there are a few moments where Larsen's delivery is still a little flat, but she's a lot more lively here. The writers, like they did with Chris Hemsworth in the Thor movies, realize Larsen is better when she's given a chance to be funny. She's at her best when she's reacting to the insanity and people around her.

I know everyone else is already saying it, but Ms. Marvel really is the best part of this. Her ernestness, sheer optimism, and constant fangirling over Captain Marvel steals every scene she's in. Vellani outshines her two older, more experienced co-stars. The movie also retains Khan's family from her mini-series, and it's fun to watch regular people deal with space-based insanity.

Editing does feel a little choppy, especially in the first third. The switching places felt a little sloppy in the beginning, like they had trouble wrangling all the multiple scenes. Also, it felt like stuff was definitely cut.

The beginning does rush a little. We're immediately thrown into the big threat, and I would've liked a little breathing time to introduce the characters with. It's easier to get into this if you've seen the three previous projects for the characters. All their powers and backstories are explained, but they're done very quickly.

Though Kamala's brother Aamir (Saagar Shaikh), has some solid one-liners, he is one character too many in this. He didn't need to become involved. (He doesn't live at home with his family. He just happened to be there when things went nuts.)

A lot of people complain about Dar-Benn being a weak adversary. I don't know about that. Sure, she's not Loki or Thanos, but you understand her backstory and reasoning. (She's still better than the Dark World and Dr. Strange villains). I felt Ashton was doing her best in the role, and I'm loving the look they gave Dar-Benn. Admittedly, the character, especially near the end, could've been better utilized.

Recommended. It may be the Marvel formula, but this is a genuinely fun film and worth seeing for Ms. Marvel at least.

Star Trek: Lower Decks- Season 4

8/10

The lower decks gang from the U.S.S. Cerritos face new chapters in their lives and a mysterious new threat and welcome new crew member Vulcan T'Lyn (voiced by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Gabrielle Ruiz).

The show remains consistently entertaining as the episodes remain varied and distinct, and the writers continue doing a great job making use of and paying  homage to Star Trek lore. What I like about this show is that the characters don't remain stagnant and there is actual growth. (They finally tackle a couple plot points that arguably the writers may have been putting off for a little too long.) I especially appreciate the growth in the case of Mariner (Space Force's Tawny Newsome). She was too controlling at the beginning and destructive, but the show has acknowledged she's on a journey and she's gone through so much development. There's a continuing subplot is a mystery. It keeps you guessing as to what's going on and the explanation pays off pretty well.

The character of T'Lynn, who's a bit of a rebel/goes-with-the-gut-type by Vulcan standards was first introduced in season 2. It was hinted she was going to join the crew since then, and it's finally happened. The execution meets expectations. For a new addition, she fits in flawlessly. She's sort of the straight man to the rest, but she's also understanding enough of the characters that she gets along with them pretty well.

Animation remains strong. It continues to be colorful and the action is really fluid this year.

The main voice cast remains great. Newsome is really on her a-game this season. All her lines sound so natural.

Highly recommended. It's another funny season that's a real treat for Star Trek aficionados.

Five Nights at Freddy's

7/10

In this new movie adaptation of the popular video game series that is airing simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock, Mike (played by the Hunger Games films' Josh Hutcherson) gets a job as a security guard at the closed down family restaurant Freddy Fazbear's Pizza where there is more to the dormant animatronic characters than first meets the eye. (I assume this takes place over five nights. I didn't count. I'll take the film's word on this.)

When it's being scary, the film captures what makes the games work. The animatronics, created mostly through practical puppet suits created by the Jim Henson Workshop, are unsettling, feeding on the fact that there is something uncanny about how animatronics move in an uncanny valley way. These characters were originally created on a low budget years ago and their designs were made to be simplistic and something that works in a video game. Some can make the argument that they don't look as close to the classic animatronics of the Show Biz Pizza/Chuck E. Cheese era, and that a game or movie could've been more scary if you had something like one of those. However, Fazbear and friends do have something about their simplicity and blocky appearances that feels imposing even when they're stationary.  

This isn't one of those movies that rely on characters in the shadows and the less-is-more formula. You see the animatronics a lot, and it works in this situation, because the constant hint of menace beneath the character's faces always intimidates. The kills in this are well done, and director Emma Tammi has a nice visual eye. I particularly like how the opening credits are: a solid way of delivering exposition while staying true to the feeling of the games.

The biggest downside of this movie is that the scary parts are few and far apart and there is a LOT of plot and backstory. The movie is fair to the lore of the games. However, the games slowly teased the backstory over several installments. Here, way too much is thrown at you. I think most would've preferred the simplicity of mostly taking place at the restaurant and having Mike just try to survive. Speaking of the guy, Mike has a dark past and present day personal troubles and has way too much on his plate. The movie could've cut down on all the personal issues. There are also a few plot holes.

That having been said, the script mostly works and I wasn't turned off. (You can't accuse this horror film of choosing style over story.) There are also a couple funny bits. 

The backstory to this movie does get dark. If you don't like violence against children, this won't be for you.

Hutcherson is convincing as poor Mike. He isn't in this much, but "why-isn't-this-guy-in-more-things" Matthew Lillard is clearly stealing the show with his delivery as the employment counselor Mike works with. You's Elizabeth Lail plays a cop that befriends Mike. She gets some of the worst dialogue and motivations to work with and while she isn't bad, she just isn't able to fully make it work.

Kinda recommended. The over-exhibition and darkness of the film won't be for everybody, but when it works it works, and I can honestly say that it does a have a bit of a different feel than a lot of other films.

South Park: Joining the Panderverse

8/10

In this new South Park special on Paramount+, the South Park boys face the threat of their universe merging into one where are all the cast are multicultural women. 

This may be one of the show's cleverest satires in the last few years.  It pokes fun at both Disney movie pandering and those who get upset at anything the slightest bit "woke" at the same time and how a lot of franchises are taking advantage of the multiverse craze. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, much how they expressed their dislike of Family Guy and its reliance on cut-away jokes, deliver some probably honestly held beliefs of theirs about the overextension of multiverses through the South Park boys' dialogue. I appreciate that they are nuanced and not 100% one-sided when addressing the topics.

The writers were clearly having fun with the "woke" South Park universe idea. It's particularly funny seeing all the kids being played by adults who speak the exact same way the kids would. Stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, who also plays one of the Dora Milaje in the Black Panther movies, voices Diverse Cartman. Her delivery of Cartman's lines is pretty funny. She's not mimicking his unique cranky voice, but she gets all the nuance of his selfishness down flat. Kenny's muffled voice usually hides the fact that his dialogue is the dirtiest of the main quartet. Diverse Kenny (Diana Lauren Jones) has no coat covering her mouth, and seeing a woman sincerely delivering all of Kenny's dirty, hormonal boy dialogue makes for a fun time. Montana Jacobowitz completely nails Butters' gullibility and anxiety. Cartman (Parker) is sorta the main lead and again one of the funniest aspects of the show. He's best when he's his most paranoid and obsessive. Cartman's crazed, racist over-the-top fears of being replaced by diverse women are pretty entertaining as we see how increasingly desperate he gets.

The only downside to this is that the show really should've dipped its toe into the whole multiverse thing a lot more, and it felt like a lot of jokes and potential was left on the table. Thing is there's a B-plot. (It's not really mentioned in the promotional material, so I won't spoil the surprise of what it's about.) The satire of it is sound but just isn't as funny as the a-plot. It could've been its own half-hour episode. Plus, it stars Stan's dad Randy (Trey Parker), who I feel is really overexposed recently.

Recommended. Another prime example of the show's satire and both-sides, Libertarian-esque humor.

The Fall of the House of Usher

9/10

In Mike Flanagan's third limited Netflix horror series based on a popular house-based work of fiction (and probably his last since he has signed a deal with Amazon), we get an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Fall of the House of Usher as well as several other of the author's other works. After suffering a great tragedy, CEO of the powerful pharmaceuticals company Fortunato Roderick Usher (played by Thirteen Days' Bruce Greenwood) invites his nemesis district attorney Auguste Dupin (Alias' Carl Lumbly), who's been trying to get him charged for various criminal activities for decades, for a confession. In it, Usher recounts what befell him and his family and why.

This is an interesting departure from the last two house shows. Whereas those were more typical haunting shows with low body counts, this one's rather different. Body count's high here and the show is far more violent. (Perhaps this is Flanagan's reaction to criticisms about his previous show The Haunting of Bly Manor which is more psychological and the least with straight scares.) There is one kill in particular that is EXTREME and not for everyone.

Whereas the previous shows were about basically good people in bad situations, the Usher family, which are obvious parallels for the Sackler family, the ones responsible for the opioid epidemic, are mostly the opposite. This is one of those morality tales where bad people have things happen to them that are equivalent to their trespasses. Flanagan has always been big on characterization, and he does a solid job of making ourselves understand how the Ushers turned out the way they are. The two major strengths to FotH are getting to know the rich, diverse cast of characters and predicting how the next over-the-top death will happen.  One may argue that it's a bit lazy of Flanagan to focus most of the episodes around specific Poe stories, but he does a superb job of updating them to modern times.

Most of the dialogue works in this. However, there are a few speeches given by characters where it does not feel natural and is just Flanagan trying to too hard to get a message across.

As with most Flanagan productions, we get a great cast, including many of the the director's regulars. Originally, Frank Langella was cast to play the Usher Patriarch but got fired for repeated inappropriate comments. I won't lie that I would've liked to see what could've been with Langella's trademark bold voice and performance. (Not to defend him. He was warned to stop, and he still kept on.) However, Greenwood is a veteran actor and he does an awards-worthy performance as a complex, nuanced character. The man's expressions can say so much with so little effort. One of the best parts of this show is the framing device of Greenwood's conversation with Lumbly: two talented men working off of each.

Best performance probably goes to Carla Gugino as the mysterious woman involved with the Ushers' misfortunes. She utilizes multiple disguises in this and its impressive how the actress slips into various personalities.

A surprise casting for this was Mark Hamill as the Ushers' lawyer/fixer Arthur Pym. The actor has been popping up in live-action more often these days, but it still feels like the movie/TV world often still doesn't know how to properly utilize the guy. I think this will be considered alongside The Big Red as one of his best works outside Star Wars. He plays the guy who knows where the bodies are buried; the one employee the spoiled Usher children know you don't mess with. Hamill brings to life a no-nonsense, smart character but who also has a bit of humor and personality to when he is faced with the unexpected. There's a discussion in this that is arguably one of the best performances he has ever given.

Highly recommended. I'd say this is the second best of the trilogy. Hill House has the better scares but the difference between the quality of these two is not by much.

Once Upon a Studio

8.5/10

In this short Disney special, the characters lining the animation cells on the walls of the Disney Studio come to life and come together for a photo.  

Now this is how you do an anniversary special! OUaS really covers all of Disney history. Not just the popular characters but the ones from EVERY single Disney movie. 'Course some get more spotlight than others but directors/writers Dan Abraham and Tent Correy make the effort to give the less famous guys lines and have them mingle with others.

The nice thing about animation projects with short run times is that more effort can go into the animation as the budget isn't spread around as much. It also all looks standard big budget Disney. What is so impressive is that all the characters feel like they were scooped out of their respective time periods as their animation and design are all tailored to their original periods.

Recommended. I mean it's light entertainment that's basically "remember this," and I guess it's not required viewing. However, it is an enjoyable 9 minutes and a big treat for animation fans.

Scavengers Reign- Season 1- Episode 1

6.5/10

In the first episode of this adult animated show on Max, the crew of a damaged spaceship become marooned on a planet full of strange animals and plants.

First off, I've got to give Max credit for giving this a shot. There are so few adult animated shows and films out there that aren't comedy. Scavengers Reign shows the value of telling serious stories through animation. You'd never be able to depict such a visually ambitious alien world with a live-action budget.

The best thing about this is the animation and sheer creativity to the planet. The creator or creators have hatched such a unique environment featuring ideas I'd never think of. What I saw in the first episode isn't leaving my brain any time soon. Designs are colorful but definitely alien. I don't think I've ever seen an alien world depicted on screen that is just so different from our own. As beautiful as the planet can be, it can also be unsettling or straight up macabre. The whole show feels like a European comic.

Credit should be given to Max for taking the risk on telling such a weird and unarguably adult and sometimes dark tale. Going back to comparing this to a comic, this felt like one of those stories that would've been toned down in order to make them more audience friendly if they had been adapted to screen, but no, the show is allowed to be as weird and adult as it likes.

Thing is that I'm not planning on continuing to watch this. I know I spent several paragraphs saying I admire the gutsiness of the project, but that's just it. I admire the endeavor but not the final project. The whole affair was just too slow-paced for my tastes, and I don't think I could push myself through eleven more episodes.

The alien world is creative but just a little too off-beat for my taste. Also, the dialogue felt a little stale/unnatural. 

There is some fine voice acting in this including from Loki/Lovecraft Country's Mosaku as crew member Azi and Arrested Development/Search Party's Alia Shawkat as her robot companion Levi. However, some delivery feels stilted including from Bob Stephenson as crew member Sam. (In fairness to Stephenson, it may not be his fault. His audio felt off when compared to the others, like they recorded his audio remotely because he couldn't make it to the studio and the quality wasn't up to par.)

Kinda recommended. Some people will be put off by the pacing and general content, while I see others being really into this. Though I'm not returning, I don't regret giving this a shot.

The Burial

7.5/10

In this Amazon Prime film inspired by real events (I admire how the film is straight up honest in its embellishment) that takes place in the '90's, Jeremiah "Jerry" O'Keefe (played by Tommy Lee Jones), the owner of several Mississippi funeral homes, is suffering from money problems. He makes a deal with Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), the owner of a Canadian funeral home company to sell a few of O'Keefe's businesses. However, Loewen stalls for months on signing the contract so he can just wait out on O'Keefe not being able to afford insurance so he can sweep in and take over O'Keefe's entire turf. The Mississippian decides to sue and since the trial takes place in a predominantly black district, he decides to hire black personal injury lawyer Willie Gary (Jamie Fox), who has never lost a case but does not have contract law experience.  

The Burial is your typical feel-good historical drama that involves disparate people working together. The movie's biggest weakness is that it's too blatant in certain parts of dialogue in its attempts to emotionally tug on the audience's sympathies. However, it is a well orchestrated film of its type. The cast and script are solid and make for an enjoyable two hours and six minutes that blow by.

Needless to say that the best part of a movie starring Fox and James is Fox and James. Fox owns the role of the fast-talking, showman type of lawyer, and Jones easily has mastery over the role of a salt of the earth, family man. Camp doesn't get much screen time, but he succeeds in the time he has as a guy who is slime, but intelligent and knows the game. Ferris Bueller/Succession's Alan Ruck and Elemental's Mamoudou Athie also do well as O'Keefe's long term contract lawyer and the lawyer who introduces O'Keefe to Gary.  

Recommended. It's just a well told story that works. 

Monster High 2

6/10

In this made-for-TV Nickelodeon sequel, Draculaura's future practicing witchcraft is threatened when witches attack Monster High. Plus, Clawdeen's attempts to make the monster world more progressive is threatened by returning student Toralei Stripes (played by Salena Qureshi).

First film was stronger. I miss a bit of the humor from that one. The main villain pales in terms of personality and motivation in comparison to the last movie's one. MH2 is all about the three main leads trying to stop the war between vampires and witches. They talk a lot about the reasons why to be sympathetic with witches, but we don't get to see enough benevolent witches, so it's hard to see how peace can be achieved when the understanding is one-sided.

That all having been said, I do credit the writers for putting effort into the plot. This could've been complete fluff and general Nickelodeon hijinks but the movie has a clear message about getting along and diversity. Thought was given into the whole history of the witch/vampire war and the whole affair does feel like a genuine threat to monster kind.

Songs, except for one that pits Clawdeen Wolf (Mila Harris) against Torali, aren't very memorable, but I wouldn't say any are bad either.

Sorta recommended. Not the greatest children's movie ever made but decent, and kids will probably like it.

The Continental: From the world of John Wick

8.5/10

In three movie-length episodes, this Peacock television spin-off/prequel of the John Wick movies (couldn't tell if it is supposed to be a season 1 or just a mini-series) is about how Winston Scott (played here by Colin Woodell) became the manager of The Continental, the hotel for assassins and other criminals, as a young man back in the 1970's. The movie starts with businessman Winston being forced by crime boss and current Continental manager McCormac O'Connor (Mel Gibson) to find his brother Frankie (Animal Kingdom's Ben Robson) who has stolen a valuable item.

What works about this is that the show doesn't feel like a cookie cutter plot of the traditional JW formula. Don't get it wrong, there is plenty of action (more about that later), but there's a lot more focus on characters and plot. This is doing a strong job of being a 70's crime story and the battles/cooperation between various characters make things interesting.

The action isn't the pure gun-fu from JW, but the show is action-packed. Some may be disappointed that the second episode doesn't have that much fighting, but they're saving it all for the finale. Rarely have I seen the final episode of a season so rewarding. Almost the entirety of it is a pure violence and choreography lover's dream.

The protagonists are decent. I wouldn't say they're all stand-outs, but they all work well. A particularly strong performance is Ayomede Adugin as the young version of Winston's right hand Charon (Ayomide Adegun), who's currently Cormac's right hand at this point. The actor perfectly captures Lance Reddick's charm and professionalism. At first, Cormac doesn't seem that interesting as he feels like a basic mobster. However as  his situation becomes more and more desperate (he's got superiors who don't want failure) the character becomes more and more intriguingly disturbed. 

The villains who really stand out here are the silent assassin twins Hansel (actor and stuntman Mark Musachi) and Gretel (Marina Mazepi, who's specialized in playing monsters in the past). Yeah, the whole silent twins thing has been done before but what make this different is that these two psychos aren't identical in their mannerisms or fighting styles. They make for ideal real threats and are fascinatingly weird. They might actually be my favorite antagonists in the whole JohWicki-iverse.

If you're a fan of the films, you might be disappointed with how the rules of the world are handled. The characters in the movies take the rules of the criminal underground very seriously with major repercussions if you cross them. However, there is a lot of rule breaking or bending in this show and not as much enforcement. In fairness, since this takes place in the past the answer could simply be that the organization played more fast and loose back then. Maybe the rules became more strictly enforced as time went on. If that is true, they didn't make it clear, though.

If you liked that the JW films had plenty of stylish deaths but no civilian deaths, so you don't feel guilty or bummed out, The Continental doesn't follow this format. In the 70's it's dangerous to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Recommended, this was a surprisingly entertaining crime show.

Totally Killer

7.5/10

In this new film on Amazon Prime, the masked Sweet Sixteen Killer resurfaces after 35 years and attacks teenager Jamie Hughes (played by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina's Kiernan Shipka). She seeks safety in the time machine photo booth her friend invented and is sent back to the late eighties. There she tries to save the lives of her mother's three friends and figure out who the killer is. 

This is a slasher horror comedy similar to Happy Death Day and Final Girls. Much like how HDD is a "what if Groundhog's Day was a horror film," this is "what if Back to the Future was a horror movie." What ensues is a solidly written and fairly funny work with a solid story that makes you guess what'll happen next. (Plus, we get a final fight that's never been done before.)

The high point is having a modern girl in the 80's. I've never seen a movie so accurately nail the difference between today's culture and the non-PC culture of the eighties. Seeing Jamie amazed with how different things were back then never gets old. 

This movie is about Jamie learning to understand and get along with her mother Pam (played in the present by Modern Family's Julie Bowen and in the past by Cloak & Dagger's Olivia Holt). Time travel helping someone relate to their parent has been done before and there's nothing new here, but the movie does it well.

Jamie immediately knows what's going on. We don't have to go through the whole obvious character-takes-time-to figure out she's in the past bits. She's immediately on her mission.

It can be frustrating how dense and self-destructive the teens are when there's a murderer on the loose. Yeah they're teens, but I still feel they're played a little too cartooney.

If you're more into comedy than horror, and you're wondering how violent this is then this might not be for you. When the kills happen, director Nahnatchka Khan doesn't pull any punches, and they are bloody.

Also, understand that this is entertaining and clever, but I wouldn't say this is the funniest film of the year. I enjoyed myself but never laughed out loud.

Recommended. Just a generally good time, especially if you like jokes about generational differences.

The Exorcist: Believer

4/10

In this the sixth Exorcist movie, young Angela (played by Good Girls' Lydia Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia O'Neill) go go missing for three days and have no knowledge of what happened. Soon, it becomes quite obvious that the girls are possessed. 

This is from David Gordon Green, the director and co-writer of the recent Halloween trilogy. If you had issues with the way people felt a little surreal in Halloween Ends, this movie is that but even more so. To his credit, Green is trying to have this be a movie that focuses on characterization. However, the dialogue is off throughout. Pacing is real fast. Green's trying to get through all the plot points which makes it hard to really get to know some of the characters. The relationship between Angela and her father Victor (Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr.) never feels natural and kinda weird. Plus, there is one whispering scene where you guess they're trying to provide exposition, but you can't make anything out.

Giving that those involved were trying, I was initially inclined to give this a slightly higher rating. It was bad but only kinda bad and an "interesting mess". Then the ending came. All good will was thrown out the door. It's not worth watching through the entire movie for what happens.

Green did make a concentrated effort not to have this be just another exorcism movie, a genre that admittedly has gotten pretty similar over the years. Yeah, making it two kids possessed instead of one might be a bit obvious, but it does work. You have to watch two separate and different parental units handling the situation. The exorcism itself is also a bit different.

The scares and effects are definitely scary and well done. The makeup for the possessed girls is real creepy. If the plot hadn't been so frustrating and dominated over the good stuff, I would've given the movie more of a pass for its fear factor. Color scheme is similar to the 70's throwback feel that the Halloween movies had and is effective. Settings weren't too shabby either.

The cast can't be blamed for this film. Everyone's good here and do the best they can with the poor dialogue they're given. Odom is especially strong as a concerned and desperate father.

Not recommended. An off film that never quite works.

Futurama- Season 11

7/10

Yep, it's been brought back from cancellation. For a SECOND TIME! Season 11 of Futurama on Hulu continues the misadventures of the employees of the intergalactic delivery service the Planet Express.

Given the sheer amount of time since it was last on, I'm pleased to say that this season feels like Futurama always has. (And luckily it doesn't have that weak starting up run of episodes like season seven did.) For better or worse that is. The show continues to have funny lines and some well-honed satire. It also continues to have lines and ideas that miss, including the weakest anthology episode the show's ever had (though I liked the wraparound). Bender is still a character where the writers are trying too hard to make him the outrageous one. Course he has a lot of funny dialogue, but a lot of stuff he says also feels perfunctory.

I appreciate how well the character movement flows in the animation.

Recommended. Same ol' Futurama. If you already liked it, keep watching. If you did not then nothing will change your mind here.

Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, too!

 

7/10

In this made-for-streaming/DVD movie, the Mystery Inc. gang is called in to investigate the disappearance of the Justice League and search the Hall of Justice which is haunted by a phantom. There they team up with Superman's famed pet Krypto.

This film had an interesting history. Images of it leaked a while back but no official confirmation of its existence was given by the WB. The last released SD movie Trick or Treat had a difference in tone and animation style from the other SD made-for-DVD movies released since 2009. Krypto, too! has the original character designs which makes one hypothesize that it was created first. (They produced two of these films a year for a while.)  When it comes to David Zaslav and WB Discovery's controversial cuts since the studios' regime change, Batgirl has got all the publicity for being the completed title that got shelved and never shown, however it looks like SD got hit the hardest. The Scoob prequel was shelved as well as the incomplete pre-school show being made. Another in-production SD made-for-DVD movie was canceled as well. (It would've brought the Hex Girls back and had songs. 'Tis a shame.) It's reasonable to assume that this movie had also been shelved (though there's no official info.) However, an interesting thing happened. The full film was leaked online. It was quickly pulled but not much later its release was announced. Perhaps the leak produced enough views to entice the studio to change their minds.

This is likely the last of the SD made-for-DVD movies for a while based on recent trends. (These have been going on since '98. I fear that ending this universal cornerstone along with Hasbro ending the long running Power Rangers series in the form as we know it may be the harbinger of the unraveling of reality and some dark, looming event. Or it can simply be the fate of media in a changing business environment if you want to get boring about it.) It's a good film to go out on. Wouldn't say it's one of the best in the series, but it's definitely one of the better ones. 

Definitely one of the funnier ones. Dialogue's on point. There are a few really solid self-pokes on legitimate critiques of the DC and SD. (There is one point where I thought to myself "Yes, you're completely right about that! Thank you!") Lex Luthor (voiced delightfully by Charles Halford) is a main part of the cast as he's stuck in the building with the rest of the gang and has to team up with them. He's a sarcastic, grumpy and arrogant interpretation, and he's an interestingly new type of dynamic for the team as they don't usually have a foil to work off of.

Story is also one of the more unique SD plots. The conclusion to the mystery is satisfying. We also get an entertaining group of suspects. 

Admittedly, the plot in the middle act is a bit light, but kids probably won't be as critical. There is a subplot with Jimmy Olson (prolific voice actor James Arnold Taylor) that is arguably problematic and uncalled for but doesn't pop up much.

As it's always been, the 2009-2023 animation remains colorful and smooth. (Though I still hate that they don't include whites in the characters eyes because that's what the original Scooby-Doo Where are you? did in order to be "retro.") Loved the design of the phantom. It has a cosmic/molten lava-like feel to it. Considering that they did a team-up a few years back with the "Brave and the Bold" version of Batman and other DC characters, the change in character designs might be nitpick for some who prefer continuity. But, what can you suspect with a continuity as long as SD?) 

Recommended. This is definitely a fun time for kids or adult SD/DC fans.

Spy Kids: Armageddon

6.5/10

In this fifth Spy Kids movie on Netflix, Tony and Patty Tango-Torrez (played by Connor Esterson and Everley Carganilla) do not know their parents are spies, but that all changes when evil forces target a dangerous item the family is harboring.

This is a... Spy Kids. Definitely. Story's not high art, but it is something your kids will probably enjoy. Since this movie is introducing yet ANOTHER duo of spy kids, the whole part about the kids finding out their parents are spies has become old hat. You know where things are going and you're waiting for the action to kick up. However, once that exhibition is done you get what makes the films work: silly action with colorful and campy vehicles, gadgets, and villain appearances. I really do like director/co-writer Robert Rodriguez's designs in these film. Surprised they haven't made more toys and action figures off of his ideas. They have this simplicity to them but are never too basic.

This is strangely enough a retread in that this movie is focused around video games like SK3-D was. However, the plots are different just enough that I don't mind. (To be honest, I think they do a better job with the concept here.) I also appreciate that Rodriguez uses this movie as a warning against media over-reliance and the importance of honesty in an easy to digest lesson for the kiddos.

I'd rank the film beneath 1 and 4-D and above 2 and 3-D. The latter two just didn't have much in the plot department. Weirdly, Rodriguez puts more emphasis on the stories for the films where the characters are introduced.

If I'm not mistaken, the kids are the youngest they've ever been. Which is a bit of a downside considering how very young Carganilla is. There is nothing natural about her acting. Esterson's a little better but not by much. Shazam!/Chuck's Zachary Levi and Jane the Virgin's Gina Rodriguez are the parents. They're both charismatic actors, but they cannot make the dialogue work. Faring better are D.J. Cotrona as the head of the spy agency and Game Night's Billy Magnusson as the villain. Cotrona gets the inherent silliness of a serious guy in a ridiculous world. Wouldn't say that Magnusson is the best villain in the franchise, but he is one of the better ones. For a simple movie, you get where he's coming from. Magnusson was clearly hired because he can do camp and has this child-friendly feel to his energy and delivery.

Kinda recommended. Younger kids will probably love this. Parents may dislike this or be neutral. Rodriguez has always focused on making kids films for kids and has never worried about adult references or maturer storytelling. I salute him for sticking just to the core audience.