The Cleaner

Grade: B

In this British take on the Die Hard formula, window cleaner and former soldier Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley from the most recent Star Wars trilogy) is stuck on the outside of a skyscraper when ecoterrorists take over the building.

Though there can be significant gaps behind fights, the action in this is good. (The director is Martin Campbell, the man behind The Mask of Zorro, Goldeneye, and Casino Royale. Yeah, he might no be longer at the height of his skill, but he still knows how to provide some decent action.) The Cleaner sets itself apart from other movies in the genre with the whole stuck on the side of the building gimmick. Joey's there for an unexpectedly long time, and her surviving out there as things get worse makes for some good and new spectacle.

I gotta say that ecoterrorism made for a watchable motivation for the villains. More stuff happens with them than you'd expect.

However, the build-up to the hostage situation is a slow burn. The beginning also shows Joey's relationship with her brother. I know it's to show her character and build her journey, but it's a LOT of them just being upset with each other. Tonally, the movie does feel a little confused and doesn't know how light or dark it wants to go.  

The Clean has a pretty good cast and characters. Ridley makes for a solid lead, though honestly, it's the group of villains that are the best performances and the most entertaining parts. (The villains are hidden a bit, so I won't spoil for them for you if you haven't seen the trailer yet.)

This isn't a movie you need to see in the theater, but it makes for a decent watch.

Love Hurts

Grade: C

Hitman-turned-successful real estate agent Marvin Gable (played by Ke Huy Quan) has his past come back to haunt him when former love interest Rose Carlisle (The West Side Story remake's Ariana DeBose) returns from hiding.

LH has a story that looked like it could work in a Wikipedia synopsis, but doesn't work in execution. There are fun moments (including a couple-laugh-out-loud parts), but a lot of stuff doesn't pan out, and the filmmakers' can't understand how light or dark they want to make this. A lot of people say narration in a movie can be a crutch, but I don't usually have a problem. Here, it really does feel forced.

The action is good, I'll give you that. The movie has some impressive choreography. There's a blade-throwing villain in this, and he has some of the most entertaining blade-throwing combat I've seen.

Quan is the best part. Like in Everything, Everywhere, all at Once, the actor is really good at switching between generally nice guy and a person of violence. Unfortunately, only him and Sean Astin as Marvin's boss are able to make the poor dialogue work. Rose's character isn't really that likable and her actions come across as selfish rather than courageous, and you're not really rooting for Marvin and her to get together. DeBose tries to use the enthusiastic energy she used in WWS, but it feels disingenuous here. Football-player-turned-actor Marshawn Lynch has been demonstrating that he is a real comic talent. (Ever seen the Netflix show Murderville where celebrities are put in improv situations? Lynch blew everyone else away.) Here he just isn't shining as brightly as he has, because he doesn't have much to go with.

Not recommended. I mean LH can work as background noise or Quan fans may want to see his performance, but overall this isn't something you NEED to see.

Back in Action

Grade: B- 

In this Netflix movie, former spies Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Cameron Diaz), having gone underground to raise a family, are found out, and end up on the run.

The lighthearted person-used-to-be-a-spy/criminal/etc.-but-is-now-a-family-person story has been done often, and Back to Action is by-the-numbers and does nothing to reinvigorate the genre. 

To make things worse, the daughter Alice (The Young and the Restless’ McKenna Roberts), who is in a painfully obvious mother/daughter-not-connecting subplot, is way too much of an obnoxious brat. Also, this tries to be a family film (they go out of their way to prevent the leads from murdering anyone), but there are a couple moments certain parents may not want their kids to see.

That having all been said, this is a competently made and watchable film. There are some decent lines, Matt, the parent who has adjusted better to civilian life, provides has the best bits as the voice-of-reason dealing with insanity around him.

Diaz, who returns to film after an 11-year absence, is having fun with her part. Foxx just steals the show with his "dad" delivery and reacting to the chaos around him. Glenn Close, who plays Emily's mother, is also a highlight. I think when she does comedy, she has no restraints about being over-the-top, and her blunt, no-nonsense British mom persona is a good time.

Not particularly recommended or not recommended. There is nothing must-see about this, but it serves its function as a time waster.

Flight Risk

Grade: B+

In Flight Risk, U.S. Marshall Madelyn Harris (played by Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery) and prisoner and witness Winston (That 70's Show's Topher Grace), who is scheduled to testify against his former boss, border a small plane to take them to their destination. Unfortunately, their pilot Daryl Booth (Mark Wahlberg) turns out during the flight to be a sadistic hitman.

More entertaining than I thought this would be. To be clear, Flight Risk is a popcorn thriller that doesn't take itself too seriously, and the sillier aspects may not appeal to everyone. Parts of the dialogue in particular can feel hokey. However, the twists and turns and the moments of actual danger do work. Whereas the trailers often show too much, I felt they did a disservice by not showing that this has a sense of humor. There's some amusing lines in this.  

Best performance is Grace. Nice to see him get a break, because he's always tried to be a movie actor, but his big roles are few and far between. His character is a bit of a wisecracker, and Grace can both be comedic, but also does a good job depicting fear and anxiety when the s**** hits the fan. I think this might be Wahlberg's first villain job, and he's really giving it his all. Booth is a truly rotten and twisted but clever piece of work. I do think there's a little much of his dialogue focused on his love of torture that's too over the top, but Wahlberg completely rolls with what he's given.

There is one of the worst digital effects I've seen in recent years near the beginning, but as a whole the movie doesn't look too bad. A lot of this takes place inside the plane, but the outside shots get the job done. Wouldn't say this has the best footage of all time of the Alaskan landscape, but its still the Alaskan landscape, and it looks nice.

Recommended. I wouldn't say this needs to be seen in the theaters, but its a fun ride with a villain that works. (This is directed by Mel Gibson. If you don't want to watch this because of that, I get it.)

Creature Commandos- Season 1

Grade: A-

In Max’s animated series Creature Commandos, the first entry in Warners reboot of the DC universe, government agent Amanda Waller (voiced by Viola Davies), assembles a team of monsters to stop the sorceress Circe (The Witcher’s Anya Chalotra) from assassinating Princess Ilana Rostovic (Borat Subsequently Moviefilm’s Maria Bakalova) of Pokolistan.

This was created by Guardians of the Galaxy/Suicide Squad/Peacemaker's James Gunn, who has been given the unenviable task of overseeing the DCU after a lot of mixed reception to its previous films. CC seems to be an indicator that the ship's course may have been corrected. Gunn brings his strengths here, making use of lesser known comics characters and crafting a likable group with strong backstories. Most episodes feature a backstory for each monster, and I'm impressed how COMPELLING he makes every single character and their backgrounds. (GI Robot's episode is one of the best of 2024). These may also be some of the darkest backstories in mainstream superhero shows/movies (this is kinda right up there with The Penguin, though CC is more loose in overall tone). 

Show's got solid, bloody action that can be as crazy as it wants because its animated. CC also has a more humorous side. (Whereas the original DCU wanted to be SERIOUS and more grounded, I appreciate how Gunn is interested in the more fantastical aspects of the DC and having fun, while not being Marvel and having more mature elements with good storytelling.)

This all having been said, one can't blame another for getting a little tired of Gunn's formula: A ragtag group of misfits with pasts who rise to the occasion in a crazy, colorful manner. This is his most R-rated (DC lets him off the leash even more than they did with Suicide Squad and Peacemaker), so, at least there is that difference. 

Gunn also continues his tendency of going with very different takes with the lesser known characters. (The creator of Mantis is none too fond of Gunn’s movie version.) Fans of the original comics will  probably not love that Frankenstein (Stranger Things' David Harbor), who was portrayed as more of a good guy (to the best of my knowledge, I'm not a CC expert), is portrayed here as an amoral man-child. Also, Gunn seems to love Frankenstein's delusional rambling schtick. It's like the comedy team of Drax and Mantis in the GotG movies; too much of it, and it gets old real fast.

Fans of the comics may also be disappointed that they changed the look of the Bride (Indira Varma). She originally had four arms, but because Gunn is now having  all the DC shows be in the same universe as the movies (the Matt Reeves Batman/Penguin-verse and the Harley Quinn/Kiteman-verse are grandfathered in), he gave her only two arms since she might pop up in live action, and an extra pair of arms will be a pain to pull off. (I wouldn't mind, but the most recent CC comic ditched the extra arms in order to follow the show, and I hate it when comics change to match the shows/movies).

The show tries to include a lot of characters and plot points in only 8 episodes, and some parts felt rushed. Ilana and Circe could've been fleshed out more. (Though in case of the latter, I'm glad a Wonder Woman villain was picked and got some exposure; they always get the short end of the stick). The Arrowverse on the CW mined a TON of DC villains, but only used one WW baddie the entire time. Circe's a good fighter but is a little basic in the personality department. 

There is one character background element Gunn uses twice for two different characters. It works the first time, but the second time feels a little cheap. Also, the show is very vague about whatever rights the monsters do or do not have in the world.

Standout voices in this are Gilmore Girls' Sean Gunn as GI Robot and Resident Alien's Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorous. You may scream nepotism for James Gun casting his brother, but Sean delivers a unique vocal tone that is mostly stuck on gung-ho, but is able to do so much with limited inflection. This isn't the first time Tudyk has been in the DC (he was Mr. Nobody in Doom Patrol and voiced Clayface/Joker in Harley Quinn), but I think this might be his best job yet. Surprisingly, Tudyk doesn't play up his voice like he usually does. Rather, he goes with a more grounded route that manages to work with the character's combination of sarcasm and sociopathy. (Also, nice to see Dr. Phosphorous chosen for this. He's that  one mid-level Batman villain who's been around for a while that you're surprised that their stock hasn't risen yet). Harbor on the other hand; I just don't think he's working out. His delivery is missing something.

This also being a Gunn project, you've got a lot of songs in this. Though, it's become a little old hat by now, I liked the music he went with. Instead of going with 70's or 80's hits, Gunn goes with an Eastern European punk feel that fits the fictional country of Pokolistan.

Wasn’t originally sold on the line work and character design in this based on the commercials, but I grew to like it. Made for solid action scenes.

Highly recommend. I mean, if you’re not big on MA heavy violence and darker tones, this won’t be for you, but for everyone else this is some really compelling storytelling, valid criticisms withstanding. 

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew- Season 1

Grade: A

In this new Star Wars show on Disney+, one day Wim (played by Encanto/BlackAF's Ravi Cabot-Conyer) finds a long dormant spaceship in the woods. Him and three of his classmates investigate. The ship is accidentally activated and they are shot far into space, unable to determine how to get back to their planet.

Of the Disney+ SW shows, SC is the most aimed at a family/younger crowd, which I'm pleased with. Don't get me wrong, the dark and mature Andor was superb, but I feel it a bit somber if the entire SW universe was done that way to capitalize on Andor's success. (SW trying too hard to create drama can backfire. The Acolyte misfired, and they blew up so many planets during the new film trilogy. Hey J.J. Abrams! Stop blowing up planets! There ain't going to be any galaxy left!) What made many of us love the original films was the sense of adventure, and I don't think I've seen any of the Disney live action Star Wars programs truly recapture that sense of childhood wonder before this. The show has adventure, exotic places, interesting characters, and an intriguing mystery about the ship and Wim's planet. SC manages to be fun, but it doesn't pull its punches. There is violence and stakes. Sure, the kids have some plot armor because they're the stars and kids, but the danger they face or are surrounded by feels legit.

Visually, this is also the best looking of all the shows. I mean, all the Disney SW shows have quite the budget, but this feels the most film-like. So much effort goes into this, and I kind of wish we could visit these planets.

The characters in this are pretty engaging. The best of the kids is the one alien, the elephant-like Neel (Dear Santa's Robert Timothy Smith). He's a generally nice kid. Jude Law gives a tremendous performance as pirate Jod Na Nawood who ends up teaming up with the children. After his so-so performance in Captain Marvel, the actor got redemption in the world of large franchise performances. Nawood is a truly morally grey and nuanced fellow as well as very charismatic.

The only weak point of this is the main lead. Wim does have his affable moments (his comic bits in particular work), however he is kinda bratty and selfish. And yeah, you could make the argument that that's how kids can be, but if you are raising kids, do you really want to sit through even more of them being snotty?

Highly recommended. Old school SW fans should really enjoy themselves with this.

Ranma 1/2 (2024)- Season 1

Grade: A

In this reboot of the 90's anime based on the manga by Rumiko Takahashi, Ranma Saotome and his father Genma are martial artists who fell into separate cursed springs when training in China. Now whenever they are hit by cold water, Ranma turns female and Genma turns into a panda. They return to Japan and end up staying at the house of Genma's old friend Soun Tendo, whose Ranma's hand in marriage Genma had promised to one of his three daughters. They end up matching Ranma with youngest daughter Akane, who is also a martial artist. She and Ranma initially butt heads, but there's a whole will-they, won't-they with them.

I only saw the first two movies and a few of the OVAs of the original show. I can't give definite comparisons of these two versions, but what I'm understanding here is that the new one is trying to be closer to the original manga. The coloring and line work is a lot closer to Rumiko Takahashi's style (it's really impressive these days how close animation can get to copying the original penciling/inking from a comic). The pacing is a lot quicker as well (the old show had to deal with the fact that the manga hadn't been finished and avoiding catching up with it too quickly). Also from what I'm hearing, the reboot is cutting down a little on the Chinese stereotypes from the original.

This show is really fun. I understand why the original anime and manga were huge hits. Ranma and Akane live in a crazy world where they encounter a large cast of people who also know martial arts. Plus, everyone is so weirdly accommodating of the random fights. Some of the fights are very inventive, including an ice skating fight, and over-the-top. 

The characters are another one of the reasons of the manga/anime's lasting charm. As all of them so far are unique and often weird. (My favorite is Ranma's frenemy Ryoga Hibiki who has a rivalry with Ranma but gets dragged into his various problems as well). Though the anime is silly, the two main leads are three-dimensional, and you do get to feel about them.

American viewers may be uncomfortable with the first episode, which I think Netflix had the show originally rated as TV-MA because if it before the rating went down. (Unfortunately, the streaming service rates the series as a whole and not by individual episodes). This episode has no qualms showing frontal, nipple-less boobs of 16-year old female Ranma. Not ideal. 

Highly recommended. Besides the issue with the first episode (and I completely understand if that is a deal breaker), this is a really well-written show where everything and everyone just clicks.

Invincible Fight Girl-Season 1

Grade: A

This is a new show on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim’s Tonami block, but despite its placement like the new Superman cartoon this is child-friendly. CN is having trouble keeping younger viewership what with streaming and social media. However, Adult Swim still has a long time adult audience propping it up with better numbers, which is why this was placed here.

Invincible Fight Girl is about Andy (voiced by General Hospital’s Sydney Mikayla) who lives in a world where wrestling is everything, except on Andy’s homeland of Accountant Isle where accountants are born and raised. Though expected to be an accountant, Andy dreams of being a wrestler and has secretly practiced all her life. This is her journey to becoming a real one.

This is an homage to anime, specifically the shonen type where the protagonists encounter one antagonist after another. This is an impressive ode to anime while also managing to have its own style and voice with a thought out universe populated with diverse and distinct characters. 

The show also has some some unexpectedly emotional moments. Some characters have legitimately sad or sympathetic backstories, and Andy has to jump a lot of hurdles and learn some lessons about life on her path.

Some may find the beginning episodes where Andy has to deal with her parents who have different designs for her future to be pretty formulaic. But, that ends pretty quickly and things get interesting.

Also, Andy’s main focus is getting a trainer this season. Usually this type of plot point takes an episode or two, but here it’s the full season storyline, so I want to make sure you’re not asking “Why’s this taking so long”? Pacing isn’t slow, though. We end up getting a bunch of story ideas that work well.

Got a game voice cast in this. Mikayla does a great job of performing Andy’s doubts, dreams, and empathy.

Highly recommended. Haven’t heard much talk about this online, which is too bad, as this is a well-written and entertaining show, and I hope it gets a second season.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Grade: A

(Note: This review will briefly discuss an element in the movie that has already been shown through a lot of promotional material. However, said element is kept a mystery for a little bit of the film and if you're coming in completely cold turkey to this, you may want to avoid this review if you want to be completely surprised).

In the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) and friends must confront the mysterious and dangerous Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) who is angry at the world.

3 differentiates itself from the last two movies by being the franchise's Empire Strikes Back. This is noticeably darker and contains more mature, tragic elements. (Since the movie features Shadow, they drew a lot of the story from his premiere game which had his origin story Sonic Adventure 2, one of the most serious games in the franchise. Yes, there are more serious Sonic games).  This culminates in a touching and well told story about loss and about how we deal with our past. 

Using the Sonic games anti-hero Shadow was always going to be a bit of a risk as they had just already used an equally fast rival to Sonic in the form of Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Of course there was the risk of Shadow being just more of the same, but he manages to feel fresh. Whereas Knuckles was goodhearted but misguided and had a silly side to him, Shadow is bitter and angry and is played completely straight. He works as a great opposite to Sonic. He's also a boss when he fights, being faster than Sonic and friends and has a wider skill set than them, featuring some style of fights that haven't been done before.

As much as I've talked about the darker elements, that's not to say this movie doesn't have jokes. Honestly the more serious parts and the humor manage to coexist really well. That all having been said, I did think they could've cut down on a few of Sonic's snarky lines.

The whole story culminates in the most impressive final battle in the series. It knocks the other two out of the park as it goes full EPIC.

Admittedly due to the movie being plot heavy and having a lot of characters, some scenes and elements felt like they were sped through too quickly. Also, some of the human characters from the previous films don't have much screen time. (I know some people complain about them, but I like 'em).

Shapiro remains a great casting choice as Sonic. He's an expert of displaying bravado in a fun manner, but when it comes the time for Sonic's more emotional side, he's able to pivot so easily. 

Yes, Jim Carrey as Sonic's enemy Dr. Ivo Robotnik, and this time also playing his grandfather Prof. Gerald Robotnik, continues to be one of the highlights with his comic performance. I was worried that Gerald would be played too similarly to his grandson, and while there are similarities between the two, the guy really feels like a separate person. While in the previous, Robotnik has basically been played as a cartoon villain, this movie dives into his past and what makes him tick, and for the first time Carry gets some more dramatic material, and he really manages to knock it out of the park. (Given that in the past Carry hadn't been a fan of making sequels and that he'd said recently that he was planning to retire, the script here makes it completely obvious why he decided to come back as it gave him more to do).

Highly recommended. Director Jeff Fowler and his writers have reached that extremely rare achievement where all three films in a trilogy are good and there is no quality degradation. 3 manages to be as good as its predecessors but in a different way. 

Red One

Grade: B+

In this new Christmas movie, Santa Claus (played by J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped. His bodyguard Callum Drift (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) is forced to team up with underworld tracker Jack O'Malley (Captain America's Chris Evans), who was used to locate Santa’s location, to find him.

This is sort of like the movie Constantine. It sounds like a concept that will be done in a very basic manner, but you are surprised to find out that the directors/writers put more effort into it than expected.

Director Jake Kasdan, who directed the recent Jumanji movies, brings the kind of energy he brought in those. The action scenes are well choreographed, and the movie is well placed. Also, the build up to final bad guy is built up to surprisingly well.

More importantly, it feels like Kasdan and the writers had fun with the idea of juxtaposing an action/spy movie with a Christmas movie, with ideas that could've been too obvious in theory that work in practice. What I liked best about this is that instead of going with a more colorful children's type of film, that could've had candy cane fighting staffs, a Santa's village with bright colors and traditional-looking elves in security outfits, this feels a lot more inspired by classical/mythological Christmas that's been getting more popular with the spread of Krampus. I appreciate that this includes a Christmas-related folkloric being that hasn't really been given emphasis in film before, and not just go with only Krampus again (there are actually a lot of other anti-Clauses and other Christmas-related figures throughout world history than you think; Alsac Lorraine has Hans Trapp, a scarecrow that eats children, for instance. No, he isn't in this. Yes, I'd like to see that one day, too).

The "guy-on-the-naughty-list-finds-his-Christmas-spirit-and-his-humanity-again" has been done plenty of times, and I cannot lie that Jack's character progression isn't the most obvious and least entertaining part of this, but I do give the writers credit for realizing that. Red One is kind of the movie Chef in that the redemption story is lean and mean and doesn't bog itself down with obvious "the-character-has-briefly-turned-away-from-what-he-has-learned" tropes. Also, Callum as Jack's conscious honestly gets through to him using some discussions that haven't been done in these films before.

Evans is a highlight of this, as he’s always good at playing the cocky guy. It is also appreciated that while he’s a criminal, they do make him three-dimensional enough and his apathy understandable instead of an over-the-top Ebenezer Scrooge-type.

Johnson on the other hand doesn’t fair as well. He’s being “serious Rock” here and not “charismatic Rock”. He feels wasted, and also it feels a little odd that his character, for a morally good person, is so unpractically aggressive and threatening to Jack, before he even has the chance to refuse to spill information.

The best part of this is the look. The movie’s takes on Santa’s sled and the reindeer are solid reinventions. (Not loving the elves, but it is a choice, and I give the filmmakers props for trying something new). Going back to this being more mythological Christmas-inspired. This has one of the most traditionally cozy-looking Santa villages (remember when they used to make Christmas-themed buildings for model trains? It is like that), and honestly I feel it is one of the best renditions.

The editing can be a little choppy at times, but it isn’t a deal breaker.

Recommended. Admittedly, having to go through the “message-of-the-film” moments again may kill the rewatch value, but this is a fun time. If you liked the recent Jumanji movies, you will probably like this.

Arcane- Season 2 (Final)

Grade: A

The events of last season have their fallout as tensions between Piltover and Zaun heighten and Jinx (voiced by Fallout/Sweetpea's Emma Purcell) goes on the run pursued by her sister Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and a determined Cait (Kaitie Leun, Cho Chang in the Harry Potter movies).

It was a long wait between seasons, but we finally got it, and I found it to be worth the wait. Events get crazier, and we get a lot more storylines that are high concept. Since the characters have already been introduced, the writers get the luxury to make this a more fast-paced entry.

There are a lot of complaints that this season is too fast paced, and I confess that this could’ve been split into two. Admittedly, too much may be going on and too quickly. The creators cannot give every element and character as much focus as they should. Plus, a lot of cast do not get to interact as much since some of the storylines are so separated. (The relationship between inventor Jayce (Fire Country/Lucifer's Kevin Alejandro) and politician Mel (the Frasier reboot/The Neighbor's Toks Olagundoye) is barely touched on).

Of course, it's the multifaceted characterization that still makes this work. The large cast continues to be diverse and interesting. There are few shows that get you to like and feel for characters as you do for this, and even if they are antagonists or just make bad decisions, you get where they are coming from. One of the episodes that made me say "they're doing this storyline again!" worked because of the characters.

The briefly introduced general Ambessa (EastEnders' Ellen Thomas) becomes a major player. She's one of those confident warrior types that are very verbose about the art of war and is one of the most cunning people in the room. Singed (Mistresses' Brett Tucker), the underworld doctor and a minor character last season, also gets more to do. There is more than what meets the eye to the guy. Plus, figuring out his goals and actions makes him super captivating. (There may be a lot of complaints online, but no one seems to have issue with Singed).

The destructive Jinx continues to be one of the main draws. What's nice is that she just isn't doing the same "sister-issues" stuff she did last season. She does not really know what to do after what happened in season 2, and it is nice to see her being genuinely pathless, not knowing what she wants anymore, which allows her quieter and more personal moments (though its Jinx, and she still blows things up a lot). Ella Purnell is still killing it as her, fluctuating between devil-may-care and self-hating. To think she got the role right before her career started taking off, back when Hailee Steinfeld was the only big, big name on this (not to disrespect the various experienced actors involved).

Cool street urchin Ekko (Blaze and the Monster Machines' Reed Shannon), continues to get the short end of the stick as he is once again underutilized, but at least he gets his very own focus episode.

Some character actions do feel a little forced for the plot. Cait’s decisions change really quickly here.

I appreciated that the last season of the show didn’t go crazy with random shock deaths. Unfortunately, this did not carry over here. Several deaths feel unearned and too random in the manner that has been popular with shows since Game of Thrones.

The animation is still some of the best ever done for television. (Apparently, this is the MOST expensive animated show ever). Again, colorful and beautiful . The animators even get a little experimental for certain scenes. There isn’t as much time spent on the settings and their details and nuances due to the faster-paced plot, but there are more creative-looking places and devices.

Recommended. Season 1 was stronger, I do not deny, and I’m not saying there are no legitimate criticisms, but this is still highly engaging television and knocks a lot of other shows out of the park.

Gladiator II

Grade: B-

In this sequel to the 2000 hit, Lucius (played by Paul Mescal), now grown up, is captured and sold into slavery as a gladiator after his wife is killed and his city conquered by the Roman Empire. Like Maximus before him, Lucius vows revenge.

The movie starts slow for the first two-thirds. It also feels like it's copying plot points too much from the first, such as the enslaving, the political intrigue against the current ruler, and especially the wife death, which just feels a little like a cheap trope the second time around and a little misogynistic that you need to kill a woman to spur a man's storyline. (When Casino Royale came out we were like "Oh, a Bond girl death. It's been a while". When Quantum of Solace came out we were like "Oh, the Bond girl death again, well it's still kinda effective". When Skyfall came out we were like, "Seriously? This one went real nihilistic, man".)

This felt rather like Gladiator-light, as the events don't feel quite as grounded as the original. Characterization is not as strong. Lucius' fellow gladiators do not get a lot of screen time and there is not a natural time line of them warning up to him, they just start working with him. (Also, the movie makes a mistake of having Lucius interacting with few people he likes and too many people he has got a beef with. I like Lucius, but he could have been given more time to really shine as a leader and a person people will follow.)  

Some of the deaths feel like overkill as well. Plus, this goes for the "ending of the last film meant nothing and things went bad" trend that a lot of sequels made decades after their predecessors have been doing. You know that you can have characters doing alright and then set up a new threat/conflict, right?

But there are also some good ideas, lines, and moments in this sprinkled througout. This is a Ridley Scott movie, and though I would not say this is the best of his in terms of visuals, they have been his strong point and he he will catch your eye at times, including some creative kills. A great idea is to have this Rome be more of a fancy-looking, corrupt decadent type of Rome.

It is when the third act comes and everything comes to a head, and we do not have to wait anymore, that things get interesting. Some of the best parts are here including some legitimate surprise moments (including one truly earned scene of melodrama) and the type of epic final battle that the audience wants to see. Though the movie starts out like the original, it definitely tries something different here.

The best part hands down is Denzel Washington's character of Macrinus, the gladiator owner who purchased Lucius and a master schemer who climbed up the ladder from the bottom. He gets the best lines and Washington gives one of the liveliest performances he's ever given in a style I dub "restrained flamboyance". His body language is killing it here.

Mescal is no Crowe (though, the script is not giving him any favors), but he ain't half bad. The character of Lucius is a little dull at first, but Mescal gets a chance to show his ability as the angrier and fed up he gets. You're rooting for Lucius as he wants to burn all the awfulness he encounters to the ground.

Though I felt the emperor in the last film was a little overwrought, he had better characterization than the twin emperors here. They given could have been given more backstory, personality, and stuff to do, but, as spoiled/foppish sort of rulers, they definitely have some fun scenes. All credit should be given to Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla, the more juvenile of the duo. He IS the character, providing some great facial work.

Pedro Pascal is the head general of Rome, and I am sad to say that this is one of his less impressive performances. He feels so low-energy throughout most of this film.

A light recommendation. It is not as strong as the original, but when it works it works, and I truly enjoyed the finale. Honestly, some will find this too long and a little dull, while others will enjoy the action and grandeur of this all, and I feel a lot of Gladiator fans may be more forgiving of this than me (I honestly did not love the original as much as some).

Wolfs

7.5/10

In this new movie on Apple TV+, two separate fixers/cleaners (played by George Clooney and Brad Pitt) are forced to work together when separate parties hire each of them to take care of a body in a hotel room. Soon, the situation becomes a lot more complicated and the duo are going to have a long night.

What makes this work is the dynamic between Clooney and Pit. The two actors, who I hear are friends, have the same chemistry they did in the Ocean's Eleven movies. Clooney is the proud, grumpy one and Pitt is the cocky one. Most of the movie is watching the two characters argue and begrudgingly work together. The fixer occupation and seeing the two professionals react to whatever is thrown their way is engaging.

One down side is that when it's all said and done the crime plot doesn't exactly tract and is kinda confusing. Also, the film is kinda inconsistent. At points, it feels like the crime world is being treated seriously but other parts feel more like the writers are playing fast and loose.

Recommended. I have my criticisms, but the two leads make this work.

Crow (2024)

5/10

In this remake of the 1994 film based on the graphic novel by James O'Barr, Eric (played by It's Bill Skarsgaard) comes back to life to become the Crow in order to take down the villains who killed him and his girlfriend Shelly (actress/composer FKA Twigs). 

To the credit of director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman/the live-action Ghost in the Shell) this doesn't feel like one of those films where the director was coasting. He clearly had a vision, and it didn't feel like producers sabotaged his ultimate tone. (In the grand scheme at least. It does feel like parts were cut.) Sanders tried to approach the story in a new way. The reboot focuses more on the relationship of the doomed lovers and how they got together instead of just jumping into things like in the original. Unfortunately, the execution of this angle doesn't play out. The build up takes way too long, and you're mentally begging the movie to jump to the action.

It doesn't help that the rules to the afterlife and the paranormal are confusing and don't track. The main villain Vincent Roeg (Danny Huston) has a very basic, disappointing 2000's evil paranormal agenda. Plus, there is one part about a character sticking around the city that doesn't make any sense. You know people are after you! Why are you still around?! Heck, you still shouldn't even be in the country!

However, when we finally get to the action, it doesn't disappoint. I believe Sanders started out in music videos, and the guy definitely has style. The violence has a distinct rawness to it that works. (Sadly, it comes too late.) Also, Sanders has an excellent eye for sets and locations mirroring the original's intent to have its own distinct larger-than-life city, though this is more desolate modernism than modern gothic. 

Also, I'll give Sanders and the writers a hand for at least making all the baddies feel different enough from each other.

One can't blame the actors for this as most of them are doing the best with what they are given. Skarsgaard feels born to play the character, and really sells Devin's love and rage. It looks like this won't excel at the box office, but I honestly would like to see a sequel under new hands just to see the guy get a chance at better material. 

Not recommended. I mean I suppose it's something to watch if you like interesting-looking misfires, but it's too slow and the script isn't strong enough.

Deadpool & Wolverine

9.5/10

In the new Deadpool movie, Deadpool (played by Ryan Reynolds) is called in by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) and learns of a threat to his universe/timeline. In order to save it, he enlists the aid of a Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) from another timeline/universe for his adventure.

The previous Deadpool movies were definitely funny and and the most loose of the 20th Century Fox films, but the preexisting X-Men rules of the world still kept the elements Deadpool could interact with kinda grounded. Now that MCU owns his film rights, the character has access to the more wild and funny elements he couldn't have before. This is hands down the funniest, most creative, and just plain fun of the trilogy. The whole multiverse aspect gives Deadpool carte blanche to work with whatever Marvel characters or crazy content the writers want to. I know some people may be tired of the multiverse, but I'm still having fun with it, and they've managed to keep it fresh in my opinion; this movie is meta in way the other multiverse works weren't. (The only Marvel multiverse film I thought was unnecessary was the Doctor Strange movie. Felt manufactured and it completely threw out the build up in the last movie of Mordo's path to villainy.) The D&W does an exceptionally good job at surprising you with what happens next, and who'll pop up.

This is the MCU's first R-rated movie and that Deadpool humor stays completely intact in it's shift over to Disney. Given that Wolverine and DP have healing abilities and are almost immortal, the writers can really unload the violence upon them. 

This movie is also surprisingly a love letter to the end of the 20th Century Fox movies in a way that feels genuine and not mean-spirited.

Unfortunately, Deadpool's supporting cast from the previous movies get very little screentime. Deadpool's girlfriend Vanessa (Gotham/Serenity/V's Morena Baccarin) is again treated kinda like an inconvenience despite the fact that Deadpool's love for her is the main focus of his life. Domino from DP2, who I genuinely liked and I thought had a great rapport with the lead, isn't even in this at all. (Neither is DP2's Cable, but I can take or leave him. Honestly with Wolverine in the picture, we don't need an additional grumpy straight man.) 

Especially in the first half of the movie, Deadpool's constant quips and train-of-thought lines feel too frequent and like overkill when compared to the previous films. At a little over two hours, this could've been shorter just by cutting some of the guy's material.

It feels like every film they have to give DP an emotional conflict/journey, and this one feels pretty forced. I think it can be okay for DP to go on an adventure just for the sake of an adventure.

Jackman was good enough to go back on his decision to never play Wolverine again, was game for whatever insanity was thrown at him, and still brings on the pathos when the film calls for more serious moments. However, this movie is definitely Deadpool with Wolverine instead of Deadpool & Wolverine. It isn't really until the third act that the focus is on him as equally as on DP.

A couple of the best performances are from newcomers. Succession's Matthew Macfayden is pretty funny as TVA official Mr. Paradox, who manages to give a delivery that is distinct from DP's but manages to work alongside it. The Crown/Murder at the End of the World's Emma Corrin's Cassandra Nova is one of THE best MCU villains. I'm a little surprised they went with her as a Deadpool enemy as she's a fairly big enemy of the main X-Men team (she's more recent if you're unfamiliar with her), but they really managed to fit her in this story. She can both be creepy and threatening, but also has a sassy side to her. Too bad she isn't in this movie more. (She's kind of like Oogie Boogie in Nightmare before Christmas or the Joker in Mask of the Phantasm in that she is a threat encountered along the way instead of being the instigator of the main crisis.)

The movie looks great and has its moments of visual creativity. I don't think the MCU gets enough credit for how fun the designs look when compared to a lot of other blockbuster pictures. Also, there's a great selection of songs in this. Plus, we finally get to see Wolverine's classic comics costume, and it translates to real life pretty well.

Highly recommended. Even if DP talks a little too much by even his standards, this is still a highly creative and entertaining film that I recommend everyone to see. Unless you don't like R-rated humor or violence. That is fair, and this is DEFINITELY not for you.

My Adventures with Superman- Season 2

8/10

In the new season, Superman (voiced by The Boys' Jack Quaid) uncovers the truths of his origins while still being the target of the government agency Task Force X, now run by the far more zealous and dangerous Amanda Waller (MadTV alumni Debra Wilson). 

Glad to say that the show keeps up the quality. MAwS gets more serialized and serious. The final bad guy is appropriately hateable and dangerous and superior to season 1's Parasite.

MAwS continues to do what makes the show strong: solid new takes on Superman. The whole Superman origins thing isn't exactly anything that hasn't been done before when it comes to the general plot points, but yet they somehow managed to make it feel fresh and entertaining. Same applies to the season finale final battle. It doesn't do anything that hasn't been done before, but it's done so well. A lot of animated shows these days are signed up for two seasons due to how long the animation process can be, and I think the writers were perfectly willing to let this be a series finale and a gratifying conclusion if the show didn't do well. They really nail the emotional bits here with characterization being a real strong point.

Though I mentioned that the show gets a little more serious, the comedic aspects and more light-hearted feel to the world than compared to some DC adaptations sitll exist. The writers are definitely having fun with the cast of characters they've created. They clearly seem to love writing for goofy sports reporter Steve Lombard (Vincent Tong). Unfortunately due to the smaller number of episodic stories, the supporting characters don't get as many chances to pop up; so, not that much Steve overall, which trust me is a bad thing.

I also like how ambitious they are with the end credits animation, changing it to fit with each episode's plot.

The biggest weak point is that the characters' struggles feel a bit obvious and trite. Lois Lane's daddy issues are just really basic and so many shows have done this already. Though the idea of Superman being seen as a threat due to his being alien is a compelling idea, the way they handle it isn't. The dialogue of those who don't trust him never feels how someone would talk about it in real life. (In fairness though this is an Adult Swim show, MaWS was originally meant to be a family show and appeal to children.)

Recommended. I preferred the first season a little better, as the episodic episodes tended to be the more enjoyable, but this is just a well-written, animated, and acted Superman show where everyone cared about the final product.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

9/10

In this prequel/spin-off to Mad Max: Fury Road, we look at the origins of the apocalyptic warrior/transporter Furiosa (played by Anya Taylor-Joy), who became more popular in the last film than it's lead, as she is taken from her village and struggles to survive the dangerous factions ruling the wasteland that used to be Australia.

This movie differs from the last one in that it focuses more on the fighting than prolonged vehicle pursuits, though don't worry, you do get a couple good chase scenes. What this film does definitely retain is both the over-the-top action and larger-than-life characters with their weird post-apocalyptic Australian lingo.

Like the last film, this looks great with solid effects and design work. Whereas Fury Road is famous for being mostly practical effects in the day of digital, here they have upped the digital effects, but if you're not a fan of that, I wouldn't worry too much. It seems to be more background work than vehicle and set work. 

I was worried about this being a prequel, since we're being exposed to info. and characters we've already known, but this does a surprisingly good job of keeping things interesting across two-and-a-half hours. Whereas Fury Road was a road movie, this is more like a crime war movie as we see fighting and intrigue between the factions of the waste lands. The best part of this is the various larger-than-life villainous personalities. Even though we've seen the villainous warlord Immortan Joe (Offspring's Lachy Hulme, replacing the late Hugh Keays-Byrne) before, we get to see more of his strategic leader side, which makes for an interesting time. 

When I saw this movie's main villain Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) in the trailer, I wasn't immediately sold on the character as he came off as being a more stereotypical looking post-apocalyptic villain than a lot of the other colorful baddies of MM. I'm really pleased to say that Dementus is THE best performance of Hemsworth's career. Whereas Immortan Joe is an authoritative type, he presents himself as a religious-type figure, Dementus is the opposite. He's sort of a free livin' sort of bike gang leader. He's got a childish energy to him and is someone who is clever but not as clever as they think they are.   

If you saw Fury Road, you might be confused to see a new member of Immortan Joe's inner most circle that wasn't there. If you're confused by that, this character appears in the MM video game that takes place between this film and FR. (I give director co-writer George Miller credit for corporate multimedia synergy, but I can see how this can be frustrating to people who don't keep up with everything.)

Viewers beware that there is one scene in this that features an uncomfortable, adult topic that you wouldn't necessarily walk in expecting.

Yeah, Fury Road might give you a little more bang for your buck, but this is still an enthralling and great looking action piece. 

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

NOTE: There a no spoilers for this film, but there are a couple significant spoilers from the last one that will be mentioned because it's difficult to sidestep them.

8/10

In the fourth film in the Bad Boys film series (yes, I'm amongst you that don't know why the third one was called Bad Boys for Life and not the fourth one because of obvious word play), detectives Mike Lowry (played by Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) try to clear the name of the late Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano), who's been framed by corrupt law personnel. 

The Bad Boys movies continue to be one of the few series where there hasn't been a weak entry. This is a well balanced combination of action and comedy, plus it is also a solid continuation of the story from BBfL. 

The action-packed finale is a creative hoot and is a breath of energy in a world where there's been so many action movies it can be hard to be original. There is a also a surprising variation in the types of action in this. Returning directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah really have an eye for fight scenes.

Be warned that this is probably the darkest entry in the series. If you just want to enjoy a simple action popcorn flick where the good guys win without too much civilian collateral damage, then you may have issues with this.

The BB movies should be given credit for building up a cast of characters over time and making the world feel lived in. However, I do think RoD suffers from juggling too many characters. Like last time, the writers seem to have fun writing for Lowry and Burnett's backup Kelly (High School Musical/Princess Switch's Vanessa Hudgens) and Dorn (Vikings' Alexander Ludwig), but they're given little enough screen time that you're kinda annoyed that they're getting you to like characters without much follow-up. (In all honesty, I wouldn't mind a spin-off with these guys.) 

Given that they spent the length of the last film setting up the romance between Mike and Rita (Paola Nunez), one may be bothered that they dropped the relationship and married Mike to an entirely new person without any setup. Maybe it's because Rita's the police chief now, and it'd be awkward if her husband were her subordinate, or maybe the filmmakers thought the chemistry wasn't working.

Acting is fun across the board. Though he's dead, they manage to squeeze in a few appearances by Captain Howard through video recordings and visions, and Pantoliano makes the most of what looks like his final work on his franchise by giving his trademark enthused performance along with some surprisingly emotional parts. I honestly think it's a mistake they killed Howard off (and that Pantoliano isn't in more stuff in general.) He's just so fun.

Highly recommended. This makes for a good time.

Ninja Kamui

7.5/10

In this new anime show available on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim and Max, Joe Higan seeks revenge on his former ninja clan for killing his family. 

Can't say that this story is a ninja action anime story that breaks the mold. The basic plot feels derivative of previous works, but to the show's credit, it is a competently told story. Although, I feel that some of the backstory could've been introduced a bit earlier and a few more elements of what spurred the ninja clan to change its methods been added, overall Ninja Kamui is very well paced. None of the thirteen episodes feel wasted at all. It feels like there is just the right amount of characters and story in this that the show is neither too fast or too slow. 

The characters also, aren't the most unique or best written, but they mostly work. Higan makes for a capable and determined protagonist. Probably the best character is the FBI agent Mike Morris, he's the honest everyman who might be getting too old for this but won't back down, which is stuff we've seen before, but he does make for the most relatable character. (Also, props should be given to his voice actor Shawn Hamilton, who is hands down the best one in the dub.) Another strong point is that the head of the ninja clan makes for a solid antagonist. He is one who you don't agree with their methods, but you understand their point of view and how they are trying to do this for the greater good. He's also one of those smart antagonists, who don't fail by making mistakes. 

Be forewarned that one of the villains is the "really filthy-mouthed, raunchy one". He's just too much without any subtlety, but he doesn't dominate the entire show.

The animation in this is quite nice. I'm always impressed with when animators can go with more realistic-looking characters and make them move smoothly rather than when animators go with more simplistic designs because it's easier to animate. If you're looking for anime ninja action, this is fits the bill. I think this is one of those anime that was commissioned by Adult Swim, and fells specifically aimed towards American action lovers. The ninja's cyber suits, which are a combination of 2D and 3D, are neat.

Recommended. Ninja Kamui makes for a simple but well told story.  

Spy X Family Code: White

 

7/10

(Full disclosure: I did fall asleep for a small part of the film. I wasn't bored, I'd up my guanfacine dosage for my ADHD and was very tired.)

In this the first film for the anime Spy X Family, spy Loid Forger and his family head up to the northern country of Frigis in order to help adopted daughter Yor find the recipe for a dessert she intends to enter into a baking contest. On the way there, Yor accidentally gets herself involved in a secret military plot. 

This isn't one of those anime movies spun from a show, like the action ones, where you can coast and not worry too much about not seeing the original. Don't get me wrong, the movie does give newcomers a refresher on the basic plot, but the whole world and additional characters felt like a little too much for me (not enough detail). I think the biggest issue is that this is an imaginary, Cold War-esque world with its own helping heap of political backstory and international policy. (I do appreciate the world-building.)

But if you're already a fan of the show, I feel like this may be up your alley. I'm surmising that a main draw of this is the humorous situation the characters get into and the core characters themselves (this really feels a like a character piece for the family). That having been said, I as a newcomer did feel like a lot of the scenes of the family just hanging out went on too long.

There is action, but it mostly isn't till the end. Still, when it happens, the fight scenes are well handled enough. Also, the villain in this isn't too shabby. Since a lack of filler stories for ongoing anime stories can feel basic or lackluster, this guy at least had a bit of a personality to him. His design ain't too shabby, either.

This is one of those show-to-movie adaptations where basically it's television animation that looks a little better. This isn't a huge budget, but I'm not knocking it. The animators were clearly putting in the effort, and I particularly liked the amount of detail in the backgrounds.

Kinda recommended. I think the fans will be pleased, but this would probably be more of a 6/10 for newbies in a story that feels just okay without context.