Flash- Season 9 (Final)

7/10

Bart Allen/The Flash (played by Grant Gustin) and friends deal with new threats in this the show's final season.

So, yeah... this season is mostly the same as the last two: the show doesn't hit the strong and more dramatic writing of its early years. But, what we get is a mostly fun selection of popcorn episodes that serve as decent light entertainment. (I personally prefer too-simplistic Flash over trying-too-hard-to-be dramatic Flash any day.)

Given that this is the last of the show, one'd hope it'd be like the end of Arrow and be a truly connected and thought-out culmination of the show over the years. Sadly, we don't get that here. Doesn't help that the show's sticking with the season-divided-into-two-big-threats strategy they've been doing in recent years. Yes, it helps the overarching storyline not to drag it out, but this being the big finale, it would've helped to have a more cohesive plan to it. Plus, this was a shorter season, so there wasn't the need to worry about the plot being stretched out.

Now, like I said, this isn't the culmination I wanted, but the writers are treating this as the final bow. Many faces from throughout the show pop up. Unfortunately if you wanted to know whatever happened to Golden Glider or General Wade Eiling, that never gets addressed. Plus, they don't have time (or possibly the scheduling) for all your favorite villains: no Trickster, no Amunet Black, no Weather Wizard, and no Ragdoll. It's especially unfortunate that former original member of the team and one of the most popular characters Cisco couldn't make any appearances. The actor was willing but had scheduling conflicts.

I know that not everyone is a big fan of Flash's later-introduced allies Allegra Garcia (Kayla Compton) and Chester P. Runk (Brandon McKnight), but I like them well enough. Both the actors do a solid job. Their romance is no great story, but I always felt it was decent.

Again, Gustin is a likable actor, but as is often in the show, there's another episode where Barry's shown as sanctimonious, which always makes him hard to like especially when he made a blunt one-sided decision over an ethically grey situation.

Mark Blaine/Chillblaine (Jon Cor) is still a member of the team. It still doesn't sit well with me that he's an immediate member of the group considering the major crimes he committed in his first appearance. The redemption and trust never felt earned.

Prepare to be disappointed with the storyline for Caitlyn Snow (Danielle Panabaker) this year. If you've been following the character all this time, you'll be disappointed with a direction no one ever asked for.

As for the finale, it's not necessarily the emotionally best of Flash season finales and there's an epilogue scene that makes you say "What?!," but it's got some fun ideas and fights and I thought the final threat was a really good idea.

Kinda recommended. If you liked the show but became disillusioned as it became a shadow of itself, this probably won't do anything to change your mind. If you still like watching, yeah you'll get more of the same and it'll be just fine.

Sisu

10/10

Sisu, a new Finnish movie mostly in English (I'm not sure if it was recorded in both English and Finnish or just English, research was inconclusive; definitely not dubbed, I'll tell you that, the lips matched perfectly), Aatami, a gold miner during the Lapland War (which was part of World War II but also kinda its own separate campaign, look it up), strikes the motherload and determinedly takes his haul across the war torn landscape. He come across a bunch of Nazis who become determined to take the gold for themselves, but Aatami's not going let go of it without a fight.

This is basically Mad Max: Fury Road meets John Wick combined with a war movie and a smidge of Tarantino. There is nothing groundbreaking about the story, really it's all been done before, but it's done so spectacularly.

This is one of those movies where action takes precedence over everything else. This is an action fan's Valhalla. Yeah, a lot of it can be downright cartoonish but man is it entertaining. The movie can get creative including one of the most insanely unique survival techniques I've ever seen in film. In case you haven't guessed, this gets really gory; great if you love that and definitely a red flag if you don't. (There is also reference to sexual violence if you're squeamish about that. Nothing onscreen though.) There's one scene that's rather impressive in its intensity. 

Probably, the best part of this is its cinematography (worthy of an Oscar nomination but probably won't due to it not being a prestige film), the whole thing looks great and was clearly planned down to the details. The Lapland landscape looks gorgeous (including one of the most beautifully shot scenes of its type (I'm deliberately keeping it vague as to avoid spoiling it) I've seen). It gives the film a natural feel but the lack of any plants that aren't small growth also gives off a desolate nature. (The setting can also work against Aatami as he has to deal with limited hiding places.)   

This is that rare film that's light on dialogue. It's not like no one ever talks, but there are stretches that are completely reliant on the action, visuals, and physical acting. I rather like the less-is-more approach. 

Good casting in this. Though the Nazis are there to be mowed down, I give credit to director/writer Jalmari Helander (the same guy behind the dark Christmas film Rare Exports and the Samuel Jackson flick The Big Game) for giving actual personality to the villains. I mean they're all awful, but you clearly get each of them, some bit parts, merely by minor actions and expressions. They also play the villains smart. Yeah, they're all overconfident, but they are realistic of the danger of the man they're pursuing and react appropriately to the their adversary.

Highly recommended, unless you're not a gore fan. This is one of those films that are pure cinema and nail the execution.

The Mandalorian- Season 3

 

9/10

In the third season of The Mandalorian, Din Djarin/The Mandalorian/Mando (voiced by Pedro Pascal) and his ward Grogu go on a quest to the abandoned world of Mandalore.

I like this as much as the last two seasons. though the show is still fairly episodic, there's more of a connecting plotline this time around. After spreading tidbits of the fall of Mandalore and how the Mandalorian people are scattered, this season puts them at the center. Though maybe more time could've been put into adding a little more detail of the Mandalorian history and culture, it's rather interesting to watch a bunch of space warriors with a code, but they have different factions with differing ways of interpreting those codes.

We get to see a lot more of Bo-Katan Kryze (played by Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff), former leader of Mandalore. The character has excellent chemistry with Din as two fellow warriors who respect each other. Sackhoff gives a great performance, there's just something about her delivery. Bo-Katan is a character originally from the computer animated shows Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels. It'd probably help to know about her if you watched this shows, but The Mandalorian provides easy access for the unfamiliar, throwing Bo-Katan in there and making her feel natural without going too heavy on her backstory.

You don't see a lot of Carl Weathers' Greef Karga, now the governor of a planet, but it's always great to see Weathers in anything.

The show feels like it's doing a lot more world building for the general universe of Star Wars this time around. I admit, I was getting tired of a lot of Star Wars taking place in deserts and other desolate areas. Finally, the show remembers that SW has populated cities. We finally visit places that look fancy, and they all look impressive (a lot of money obviously went into this.) 

We also see building blocks of how the first order from the current film trilogy rose from the ashes of the original Empire. I felt the show did a valid job of showing how the New Republic dropped the ball in wiping out the Empire's influence.

Again, the action, effects, and design are all exquisite. The finale may the best and most action packed of them all. 

One episode does have a plot point that may frustrate many as it's far too cartoonish and implausible for its own good. You know the parts of The Book of Boba Fett that felt goofy? it's like that. It especially doesn't compare well to the plotting of the recent and far more serious and grounded Andor, making the two shows kinda feel like they're taking place in different realities.

A lot of fans didn't like Chapter 22: Guns for Hire. I'm not seeing it. I thought it was a fun little diversion and again a decent world builder.

Highly recommended, The Mandalorian continues to be a pretty impressive space adventure.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always

7/10

In this Power Rangers 30th anniversary special on Netflix, members of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, recovering from a tragic event, try to stop the evil plans of Robo Rita (voiced by original voice actress Barbara Goodson), the evil energy of original PR Rita Repulsa reconstituted within a robot body (makes more sense when you see the special, still goofy but it makes more sense). 

Man, this was surprisingly dark for the original franchise. I mean it's still Power Rangers, it doesn't veer too far off-course from the campy nature of the show, but it's the first entry in a while to show a human die, and I don't think it, though the series has dabbled with more serious plot points from time to time, especially during the ABC Family years, has had the characters handled as maturely as this. (Also, the continuity is unexpectedly on-point for a show that's been going almost non-stop since the 90's.) The whole thing is a lot more compelling than it has any right to be, even serving as a tribute to late Yellow Ranger actress Thuy Trang who perished in a car accident. 

Unfortunately, the special wasn't able to include the entire original cast due to them either declining to appear or being on probation or deceased. (To make it clear, original Green Ranger Jason David Frank, who sadly committed suicide, was still alive at the time this was made. He just declined because he was working on something else.) But, the special manages to snag actors who played replacement Rangers in later episodes in order to fill any absentees' boots.

If your memories to the very original MMPR are shady or nonexistent, most of the cast are not great actors. David Yost as original Blue Ranger Billy is definitely the weakest and has trouble seeming natural. Original Black Ranger Walter Jones does the best with the material and comes the closest to believably selling their character. Charlie Kersh, who plays the daughter of original Yellow Ranger Trini, is also one of the better elements in this.

Nice to see they got Goodson back instead of a replacement actor, which they've done before. She hasn't done the voice for decades, but she's still got it and brings Rita's trademark cackley voice. The Rita here is so much more evil and convincing as an evil threat.

It's PR, so naturally the budget isn't much, but I give the creators kudos for effort. Unlike most PR shows, which are built off of the Japanese Super Sentai shows, this has completely original footage and costumes. I'm rather impressed by the design of Robo Rita, which is a smidge off-putting. (Also, kudos to the designer's hutzpah for retaining Rita's infamous cone brassiere.) The costumes for the Putty Patrollers, Rita's foot soldiers from the original show (which are still comical but can come off as a bit menacing this time around), are accurate-looking but the fabric in the head areas noticeably bunch up some times.  

Kinda recommended. I mean it's Power Rangers, this probably appeals more to younger kids or nostalgic adults (i.e., me). By the show's standards, though, it's as high quality as it can get.

Ghosted

7.5/10

In this new Apple+ movie, Cole Turner (played by Chris Evans) falls in love with one Sadie Rhodes (Ana de Armas) after going on one wonderful date with her. He leaves her his number but doesn't get a reply. Finding out she's in London, he decides to surprise her with an ill-advised visit. He quickly finds out she's a spy and gets embroiled in one of her missions.

This is a lighthearted and fun enough work. (The movie has one scene in it that's super amusing.) The spy plot is predictable, but Evans and de Armas both are likable performers and work well off of each other. It's their love-hate chemistry that makes this work.

Admittedly, this movie is based on a guy making unhealthy decisions. To the movie's credit, more than one person calls him out on it, and he's punished for his bad decisions. However, this is still a movie making light of and showing positive benefits from what would be considered creepy behavior in real life.

Also, Burn Gorman from Torchwood among other stuff has a small role as a stereotypically lower-class British cabby, and I felt his talents were squandered. Anyone could've played that role.

For a movie that's a comedy, it takes the action seriously. There were a couple shots that seemed off (I think the greenscreen work might be the movie's weakest point), but as a whole the stunts and choreography are well-executed. The action has a couple moments of sheer creativity, including the memorable last fight, that you wouldn't expect.

The movie does have a bit of an odd grey tint to it. (Though, this may be an Apple+ issue. I noticed that Central Park's look a bit muted as well.)

Recommended, the movie works as a good time to sit back and relax.

Star Wars: the Bad Batch- Season 2

8/10

In this second season, the members of the genetically unique clone squad known as the Bad Batch continue taking whatever jobs they can to support themselves while trying to stay out of the eye of the Empire.

I felt that this was stronger than the last season. Some may be annoyed that this is more episodic-heavy, but it worked for me. The various situations the characters are thrown into keep things fresh. (The only weak spot would be the episode Retrieval. Not bad but it's the type of story that's been told plenty of times.) Not to say there is no ongoing plot. The show continues to look at how the clones were decommissioned after Revenge of the Sith but before A New Hope. The plight of these soldiers and how they were disposable pawns works surprisingly well as an analogy to the treatment of vets. Though a lot of the stories were misadventures, when things get serious, the writing especially pops; the last two episodes make for a hell of a finale.

I think the writers realized the cyborg Bad Batch member Echo (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) had the least amount to do last time around, so he gets some development as the one clone who feels they should be acting against the Empire and not just hiding. Tech (also Dee Bradley Baker cuz' y'know clones), the very smart and logical member, is getting a lot more time to shine and it works.

The various locations and background designs make for a real sci-fi visual delight.

Recommend. Can't say the show is as engaging as much as the recent live-action ones, but it's a well written and animated affair.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

8/10

In this movie based on the popular tabletop game (the second attempt at doing so after the failed 2000 one), a group of thieves plot to steal from their enemies.

This was definitely a satisfying film (actually a more solid popcorn film than either the recent Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania and Shazam: Fury of the Gods). This all comes together with solid plotting, three-dimensional characters across the board, a fleshed out world, and some decent humor. The movie actually manages to throw in a narrated flashback beginning without feeling too weak.  

This is directed/co-written by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who directed the comedy Game Night. I wouldn't say this is as funny as that movie, but it's definitely having fun. Given that fantasy stories can all run together after a while, the duo definitely felt like they were trying to make sure there were some distinct moments in this which pay off. There's one of the most memorable chase scenes I've seen in a while. Plus, the dragon you may've seen in the trailer is a solid design. There's plenty of dragons in film and television, but you don't see a lot of plump ones.

The viewer is thrown into the world. There isn't real effort given into explaining the various races, organizations, etc. (I did a lot of Googling after this.) However, it works. It makes the world feel lived in by not overexplaining (the characters know the environment they live in, why would they state the obvious.) You're never thrown too much at once, and you get the gist of everything. The movie focuses on basic concepts people can understand, thieves steal, evil magic people do evil magic stuff, etc., etc.

Solid casting in this. Chris Pine as lead thief Edgin manages to show off more of his comic side. In what is probably her biggest starring role in a big movie, Michelle Rodriguez as thief Holga doesn't do anything much out of her wheelhouse but manages to keep being charming and badass. Pine and Rodriguez have excellent chemistry together and really sell themselves as old friends and partners. Rege-Jean Page as Paladin Xenk doesn't appear in the movie as much as the trailer makes it out, but when he does appear, he's definitely the funniest character, someone who's super nice and benevolent, but also super literal and straight-laced to the point it can bug others. 

This looks swell with some fine creature and costume design. Some computer graphic effects are more obvious than others. Fans of D&D may be frustrated that all the leads are human or humanoid with minimal aesthetics and the same applies to the majority of background characters. (You see only one dwarf in this.) In fairness, by not spending a lot of money on CGI or prosthetics for the main characters this probably made it easier for the filmmakers to financially justify the big special effects moments in this.

Highly recommended, this is just one of those adventure movies where everything works and comes together.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre

6/10 

In this new Guy Ritchie spy/action/comedy mix, secret agent Orson Fortune (played by Jason Statham) and his team blackmail actor Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) into helping them gain access to arms dealer Greg Simmons (Hugh Grant) in order to stop him from acquiring a mysterious device known as “the Handle.”

I'm guessing that after The Wrath of Man, which might be Ritchie's darkest work, he wanted to do something fun and just lighthearted. (This also kinda has Man from Uncle vibes; Ritchie stated he liked that one and due to its poor box office, this is probably the closest he can get to doing a sequel.)

Unfortunately, this is the weakest of the several films of his I've seen (no, I haven't watched Swept Away yet). The worst part is that this the has bones of a good film in it. If parts had just been tweaked and some jokes cut, this might've worked. To be clear, this isn't straight up bad, just lackluster.

On the plus side, the movie looks great. It's very colorful, echoing the look of the Sixties' Bond films. Though this is a more tongue-in-cheek spy film, the action can be surprisingly intense at points. Also, it's got a strong cast (more on them later).

I know the part about Danny getting into the good graces of Simmons (who's a fan) sounds very similar to that film Nicholas Cage made recently, and yeah, it does a little, but much not as much as you think. The trailer makes it look the whole movie is focused on that, but it's only a subplot. (Danny's really just a supporting character not a main player.) I'm glad that section didn't wear out it's welcome, because some of the most enjoyable moments come from the actor and arms dealer interacting. (I won't spoil how it plays it out.)

On the negative side, the tone is all over the place and the movie gets too complicated for it's own good. There's a repeated bit about how Orson has expensive tastes and constantly tries to finagle extravagant benefits from his employer. It's not funny or done well, and the writers really go all in on it. It is clear that this had parts cut and reshoots. The problem is that they don't cut the parts setting up later scenes. There are three plot points that are never followed up on.

As I said, good cast. Statham and Cary Elwes as Orson's boss both play the roles they usually play, tough guy and stereotypically British person, but to be fair, they do it well. Hartnett is amusing, and Grant does an admirable job of continuing to prove in his recent years that he's a character actor. Aubrey Plaza is Orson's team's computer person. Yeah, this isn't her best work and is given dialogue beneath her, but she is still AUBREY PLAZA and brings her trademark energy.

Not a must see. It can make for a nice timewaster/background film. There are good parts. Just don't make this a film you're spending too much on.

Shazam: Fury of the Gods

7.5/10

In this sequel, Billy Batson/Shazam (played by Asher Angel/Zachary Levi) and his team of superpowered foster siblings, who mostly turn into adults when they go into action, have to go against the daughters of Atlas, dangerous goddesses who have beef with humanity and the Shazam team.

I know that there are those online who miss the more human drama of Billy and company from the first film, but I won't lie, I'm okay with this focusing more on the adventure and comedy. My biggest problem with the first film was that it was a tonal mismatch. This one feels a lot more consistent. The best part of the last movie was that you saw a kid become a superhero, and this one realizes that and completely rolls with it. This time you see the characters as adults a lot more than as kids and seeing grown-ups act goofily makes for a good time. (Admittedly, if you liked the child actors, this will be a letdown. Billy actually gets the least amount of screentime here.)

The movie doesn't break the superhero mold, but it's having fun. The humor's pretty good and it really doubles down on the fantasy aspect, which does surprisingly well working with old tropes and makes for some good spectacle.

Like the last film, there are some dark moments. Again I felt there were too forced and more nihilistic than "fun dark." (I feel that one of the biggest weaknesses writers have for superhero or supernatural films or shows these days is that they feel that random civilian casualties to fill up time makes for good storytelling.) However, visually they don't get as graphic as before.

The movie didn't need to be two hours and ten minutes. It's not like it ever felt slow (there's no having to wait through Billy's character-growth/bullying scenes to get to the superhero stuff like in the first movie.) It's just that they threw a lot at you, and they could've cut some bits down.

Strong costume/set/creature design in this. Everything looks nice.

Levi is the main draw of the film, he has excellent timing. Unfortunately, they do have him act too dumb and immature at times (to put things in perspective, Billy is supposed to be almost eighteen). Another show stealer is Meagan Good as the adult form of the youngest child Darla. She does such a great job acting like a child. One of the biggest points of criticism from the last film remains, which is that Shazam really doesn't act like Billy, who is more composed and mature, and I'm afraid that Good also doesn't quite match the mannerisms of child Darla (Faithe Herman). On the other hand, Ross Butler and D.J. Cotrona do a great job of portraying adult versions of their respective child counterparts.

The one young actor who gets the most screentime is Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), and he again does a fine job as the snarky, funny one. The West Side Story remake's Rachel Zegler also puts in a strong performance as a new student at school who befriends Freddy.

Djimon Honsou as the Wizard gets a lot more to do. Whereas the last time the character had to be all busy, here you get more time to get to know his personality, and he's surprisingly funny and works really well off of one of the characters in this movie, which I won't spoil.

This is the first of the DCU films to feature original villains. While I won't deny I wouldn't mind seeing some of the classic Shazam rogues given a chance (sorry Mister Atom, your time may never come.) I'm especially disappointed that we didn't get the threat that was promised in the last movie, but the Sisters of Atlas, while not great (they can be a little one note) aren't too shabby either, and they at least leave more of a presence than some failed superhero movie villains like Thor: The Dark World's Malekith. Helen Mirren, who plays the sister Hespera, as a supervillain is something I didn't realize I've always needed. The woman's got a commanding presence and she does a wonderful job of reacting when things don't go the way she expects. The one scene where Levi and Mirren were working off of each other is probably the best scene. Lucy Liu as the sister Kalypso is unfortunately saddled with the weakest character in the movie. She delivers the role as written but is given nothing to work with.

Recommended, not the most unique superhero or fantasy movie, but it's a generally good time, and I'm far more likely to rewatch this than the first film.

Cocaine Bear

8/10

In this movie based on a true story, a bear in the 1980's eats cocaine that was airdropped from a plane and goes on a rampage across its national park. (This is loosely based on the true story. The actual bear just died of a heart attack. However, what happened to the person who dropped the cocaine appears to be fairly accurate.)

Cocaine Bear is one of those rare theatrical films these days that are intentionally campy. Writer Jimmy Warden (of the movie The Babysitter: Killer Queen) and director Elizabeth Banks (yes, THE Elizabeth Banks) decided to see how nuts they can go with this.  The kills can be delightfully over-the-top and you're kept guessing as to what'll happen next (especially since it's hard to predict how the drug-addled bear will react) and who'll survive. This has the goofiest Mexican stand-off scene you'll ever see.

Great cast in this, especially considering how silly the subject is, including Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Ray Liotta in what was the last role he filmed before he passed. The majority of characters are surprisingly fleshed out. The stand-outs are definitely Solo's Alden Ehrenreich and Outta Compton's O'Shea Jackson Jr. as two drug dealers, the former of which being retired and reluctantly dragged back into the business, who've been sent to retrieve the cocaine. They have this real every guy reaction to the insanity they find themselves in.

Admittedly, some of the bits and exposition scenes that don't feature the bear could've been edited down in order to make them stronger. Some of you may get bored with the people characters. A subplot about Whitlock's detective and his pet dog feels half-baked. Also, the clothing and personalities of a group of punk teens roaming the woods doesn't feel that Eighties.  

The computer generated bear doesn't look too bad. You can tell it isn't real, but it works, and I was impressed that the effects guys put more effort into its anatomy than you'd think.

Recommended unless you're not big on R-rated violence. This is an enjoyable brains-off, sit-back-and-enjoy-the-ride situation.

Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania

8/10

Scott Lang/Ant-Man (played by Paul Rudd), Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) and company are shrunken and sucked into the Quantum Realm and have to survive and find a way out.

I'm seeing a lot of criticism of this film online. I'm not seeing it. It's not the best Marvel movie but there were weaker entries more deserving of a rotten tomato score. Yeah, not much about this, except maybe the villain, really bucks the Marvel/big-budget popcorn film mold at all, but it's exactly the type of movie I was looking for to have a nice time. I found the story to be entertaining with a decent amount of humor, plus it's well-paced.

Though a traditional Marvel film, this is a change of pace for the Ant-Man films. Whereas the Ant-Man movies have been more lighthearted escapades, the characters are suddenly thrown into a Guardians of the Galaxy/Thor big strange worlds adventure. Whereas the stakes were smaller in the past, Ant-Man has to go against a truly serious Thanos-level threat in the form of Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). 

Paul Rudd remains the heart of the films. Scott is just a likable guy, and I love his sort of every man reaction to events. (Also, compared to the last two films where Scott started in not the best situations, he's finally in a good place, and it's kind of nice seeing him actually being treated well by society.)  A big part of this is his relationship with his daughter Cassie (Freaky's Kathryn Newton) which works pretty well. 

Kang may be the most intimidating villain in the entire MCU. He's the speak-softly-but-carry-a-big-stick type who doesn't let anything deter him and has the immense power to back himslef up. I won't go into much detail about the film's secondary villain who isn't featured in the trailer that much, but it's one of the prominent Marvel villains you're surprised they haven't done yet, and I was rather pleased with how they were handled.

Visually, I'm afraid this would look a little too much like the worlds of GotG/Thor, but this ended up more distinct than I thought it would. Some creativity went into to making the lands and creatures of the Quantum Realm distinct. 

While I don't think this movie deserves a lot of complaints, this isn't like it doesn't have it's weak points. The epilogue feels rushed and there are a couple editing issues, an abrupt transition and it felt like scenes (seen in the trailer) had been cut which made a line near the end feel off. 

There are way too many characters in this. The Good Place's William Jackson Parker has a fun role, but he isn't given much to do. They make it seem like Bill Murray's character is going to be a key player but then they don't use him much. Due to this taking mostly place off Earth, you lose several of the supporting human characters you've grown to know including Scott's trio of ex-con buddies who were never crucial to the plot but were fun.

Recommended. I'd rank this above the first Ant-Man and below the second, which I felt did the best in being diverting. In the grand scheme of the MCU, I'd rank this near the middle, but of phase 5 I find this to be one of the most rewatchable. (Not better than Spider-Man: No Way Home, I'm not nuts.)

National Treasure: Edge of History- Season 1

6.5/10

In this Disney+ television spin-off of the National Treasure films, a series of events lead Jess Valenzuela (played by Lisette Olivera) and her friends on a search for hidden treasure.

The first third of this gets off on the wrong foot. Scripts aren't horrible, just so-so. Given that the NT films kinda appeal to a general family audience, it feels like the writers weren't confident as to how adult or child oriented this should be with the tone feeling sort of kidish or young adultish and then something more adult is suddenly thrown in. 

Whereas the films focused on the founding fathers, this show goes a more diverse route and looks at the unspoken minorities and women involved in the history of our country. Unfortunately, most of the social commentary is told instead of shown as characters awkwardly and unnaturally seem to be speaking direclty to the audience. 

The acting is alright but no standouts. Catherine Zeta-Jones is the villain Billie Pierce in this but be prepared to be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, she doesn't do a bad job per se, she's just decent. (No, they didn't get Nicholas Cage to make any appearances, but a few supporting characters from the films pop up.)   

The show clearly wasn't running on a movie budget, so the sets and locations just don't look that impressive or adventurous.

The above having all been said, if you make it through the first third, the show picks up. The plot gets interesting with twists and turns and the villains' motivations are different from what you'd suspect. The characters become more involving; one of the show's strengths being that everyone is well defined. The tone becomes more consistent as well; everything gets more serious as things go on. This actually has more violence than either of the films. I became invested in what was going on even if the show wasn't perfect.

This show isn't a must-see, but if you're in the mood for something light and mindless, this fits the bill. It is also a decent choice if you're looking for something for both the kids and adults to watch.

Legend of Vox Machina- Season 2

8/10

In season 2 on Amazon Prime, the members of the adventuring group Vox Machina go up against the Chroma Conclave, four powerful dragons who are attacking cities.

This is definitely a stronger season than the last, which mostly had a real Castlevania vibe to it. This had more of a traditional fantasy feel, and I appreciate that. There is a lot more this time around as the characters are taken to multiple locations and face multiple challenges. Whereas the first season focused primarily on Percy's backstory, here we get to delve into the backstories of most of the other characters ,and they're pretty good. (There is a generational trauma storyline, and admittedly I think they have gotten a bit old hat by now. Every TV/movie writer seems to be doing lousy parents these days.) 

The animation continues to look really, really good. Like the last season, when this show gets violent, it gets graphically violent. However, where the last season felt like it was trying too hard, here the violence is paced well.  

Recommended, this was just a pretty well crafted story with a distinct, compelling cast of characters.

Shotgun Wedding

 

7/10

Shotgun Wedding, now out on Amazon Prime, is an action romcom in which the wedding of Darcy Rivera (played by Jennifer Lopez) and Tom Fowler (Josh Duhamel), held on an island in the Philippines, is crashed by pirates. The couple end up being the only ones not initially captured and they try to save the others.

I'm seeing a lot of harsh reviews online, but I rather liked this. Don't get me wrong, the plot isn't Shakespeare, doubts about the wedding and fights between the couple come on too strong, and there are a couple of irritations that they suffer during the wedding preparations that feel like a bit much, but there are several good lines throughout, the action scenes aren't shabby, and this has a very inventive and rather amusing idea for a location for holding hostages.

The cast is pretty good. Nice to see Duhamel get the lead role in a film. He's a likable guy and it's about time his star rose. Jennifer Coolidge fans will be pleased to know she gets all the best lines in this as Tom's mother. Lenny Kravitz has the weakest written character as Darcy's ex, but in his defense, he delivers the character as intended, and he does have one good moment. Also, props should be given to Pancho Cardena as the Pirate Leader. His role is more leveled than some of the characters in the wedding party and doesn't have any big moments, but he nails his delivery.

Recommended, it's a fun, silly time.

Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat's Eye

7/10

Having already had Lupin the 3rd team up twice with Detective Conan, the studios have sought a new property to crossover and can fit Lupin's world, one from the 80's. Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat's Eye, on Amazon Prime, brings together prolific anime/manga master thief Lupin the 3rd and his gang and Cat's Eye, a trio of sister art thieves trying to retrieve all the artwork by their missing father. The two groups find themselves in competition for a trio of paintings, which the dangerous Syndicate is also pursuing.

Much how the Lupin/Conan movies felt more like they were set in the Conan world, the tone here feels more like a Cat's Eye film than a Lupin film (at least I think, I don't have a lot of experience with CE), more emphasis is put on the sisters and the movie has a more grounded tone than some other Lupin entries. Not that I'm knocking it. The tone of Lupin has varied frequently over the decades with you getting a bit more lighter Lupin movies over the years than weighty ones, and people who prefer the latter will like this. It's not a hard "adult" title like the early years of Lupin, but there are moments where the situations get more threatening than the majority of the films. 

The sisters are played pretty straight and just aren't as entertaining as the Lupin gang. Also, it hurts the Cat's Eye as main protagonists and believability as professional thieves when Lupin & co. seem quicker on the uptake than them. Lupin is the only member of his group that really gets a chance to shine, with the others just kinda being there. The best use of characters in this are definitely the pairing of Lupin's foe Inspector Zenigato and Cat's Eye's foe detective Toshio Utsumi, who serve as a sort of comic relief. They are both quite similar in goals and outlooks, but their different personalities make things interesting.

As for the basic plot itself, it's solid. I wouldn't say it's the most standout adventure, but it's up there as one of the better Lupin films. Theft/fight scenes are good and everything moves at a steady pace.

The movie utilizes 2d backgrounds with cell shaded 3D characters. Can't say this is the best looking anime I've ever seen, but competent effort was definitely put into this. Backgrounds are detailed and character designs aren't too shabby. However, the filmmakers decided to have the Lupin characters designs changed to fit more into the more realistic aesthetic of the Cat's Eye character designs. Lupin's chin is too short and it bugs me. An interesting detail is that to match the Cat's Eye world, which was very 80's, they had Lupin wear his pink jacket which he wore during that period of time on his third show. Although, I don't think the color blends well with the rest of the scenery.

Kinda recommended. Not a must-watch, but if you're looking for an adventure film, this is a good time. Does stand out a little from the plethora of Lupin films that blend together. 

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

 

8/10

In this sequel to the first film (which was ELEVEN years ago, I'm surprised Dreamworks is revisiting the property two, but rumor has it they're trying to revive the Shrek franchise), adventuring feline Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) is on the last of his nine lives. When, he hears word of a magical wishing star, he goes forth to find it, but several other parties are also after it.

The last PiB movie was just okay. It was stronger than Shrek 3 and 4 and the montage bit was comedy gold, but it was something you watched once and had no interest in revisiting. So, I was surprised at how much better this one was. It was like the creators of Last Wish made notes of everything that didn't work the last time around.

This is one part a fantasy adventure story. Last Wish has more action to it than any other film in the Shrekverse, and the only one where the fight scenes stand out.  

Problem with the last PiB was that the quest wasn't that memorable. Here though, a lot of thought was put into the enchanted forest that Puss and company journey through. It's more creative than you'd think and has a pure unadulterated, children's fantasy feel to it that I haven't seen in a long time.

This new film revamped the the physical look a bit, which to be honest, was really needed for the human characters. The original Shrek came out during the early days of 3D animation when some films tried to make the characters realistic looking before it became the trend to go with more stylistic designs. These resulted in humans whose appearances haven't aged well. They can look kinda off-putting and uncanny valley-ish. In Last Wish, the people look decent. This movie combines 3D with sort of a 2d-ish cell shadingesque effect that makes everything look stylish and results in action scenes that work really well. 

A lot of thought went into the plot this time around. Dialogue is strong and funny, but it's really all about the characters' personal journeys. Puss has a very solid personal storyline this time, the most solid since the first two Shrek films. (Although I think it's a good story, a lot of people online love it a lot more than me. Maybe I'm dead inside. Ehhhh, I'm not going to let it bother me.) Another thing the filmmakers realized was missing from the last entry was a comic relief character. Perrito (What we do in the Shadows' Harvey Guillen) is basically the Donkey to Puss' Shrek. The super-good-natured, optimistic character has been done before, but Guillen brings such a positive warmth to the dog that he never feels cookie cutter. The relationship between the main trio, Puss, Perrito, and Kitty Southpaws (Salma Hayek), returning from the last film, feels really natural. 

Remember when I said that one part of the film was a fantasy adventure? The other part of this is basically a "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" scenario. What really makes this movie and keeps it interesting are all the other characters, with varying levels of antagonism and varying motives, who are also after the star. Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and The Three Bears are really likable. Wolf (Narcos' Wagner Moura), is the only antagonist in the Shrekverse who's a real physical threat and the only one who's ever been really intimidating. The other foe in this hasn't been shown much in the trailers, so I'll let you find out who they are, but they are definitely one of the funniest parts.

For those with younger kids, be forewarned that this has a lot more death and violence than your typical Shrekverse film.

Highly recommended. Again, the best Shrekverse movie since the first two. I'd rank it below 2 and above 1. It's just a really well told and entertaining story.

Plane

6.5/10

In Plane, a storm causes an international flight to crash onto an island off of the Phillipines populated by separatists and militias. (They say "separatists and militias" several times. I don't know if there are two separate groups on the island or militias full of separatists. The whole thing's kinda vague.) In order to survive and protect his crew and passengers, the captain Brodie Torrance (played by Gerard Butler) teams up with Louis Gaspare (Luke Cage/Evil's Mike Colter), a prisoner wanted for murder who was being transported.

This is by no means an excellent or perfect movie. There are many action movies that standout more. It's a basic hostage/action tale that definitely ain't Shakespeare and has been done before. Torrance's desire to get back to his daughter feels especially predictable. The story and dialogue are passable, but not a lot of it pops. More could've been with the various passengers.  

However, none of these previous comments are that egregious. The move ain't half bad either. Everyone involved seemed competent and that they were coming from a good place. Thing is, there are actually some pretty entertaining and well-shot action sequences spread throughout, including a final act scene I don't think has been tried before. (Really, the action is the main seller here.) For those who love violence in their R-rated movie, Plane doesn't wear kid gloves at points. Pacing is solid. Though I mentioned more could've been done for the passengers, personalities were clearly defined for most of the characters. I also give the movie credit for making the scenes of the airline trying to locate the flight (your traditional men at desks scenes you'd find in stuff like Air One, but this time it's with the private sector) more entertaining than you'd think. 

I wouldn't say this is Butler's best performance, but his character is likable enough and he does a decent job as a man thrown into a situation above his pay grade. Interestingly, Butler doesn't play the main kill-guy in this. That honor goes to Colter who is interesting as the cool-headed guy with training who is like a one-man army and provides some of the best kills in this. (Not to say Butler's got nothing to do.) To be honest, I would've liked a little more Colter. Butler's Brodie is the focal point of the film, not Colter's Louis. This also has Ghost's Carl Bruner who brings a certain confidence to his role as the airline's fixer. 

Plane appears to have been made on a moderate budget, but the crew clearly made the most of what it had.

Kinda recommended. Again, not a perfect film and kinda silly, but when the movie works it really works, and the final fight is definitely something. Not a film you need to see in theaters, but this is definitely the sort of thing you'd like when you're working or want to see something light, mindless entertainment.

Violent Night

 

7.5/10

Santa Claus (played by Stranger Things' David Harbor) delivers presents to wealthy Gertrude's house, which at the same time has been taken over by a heavily armed group of thieves. It's up to St. Nick to fight the robbers and save her family. So, yeah, this is exactly Santa Claus in a Die Hard.

Yeah, Violent Night was advertised as a tongue-in-cheek action film and it delivers. The majority of this is the writers trying to come up with inventive, Christmas-themed kills, and they pretty much nail it. (Bear in mind, if this is the sort of thing that bugs you, for a movie that's trying to have goofy fun, the civilian death count is higher than you'd expect.) 

The violence is pretty much why people will watch this, never mind the plot. The script itself is uneven, featuring some fun or clever parts and some that are just okay. Santa is well characterized and his interactions with the matriarch's granddaughter Trudy (Leah Brady), a true believer in Christmas, are well handled. However, the rest of the family are just kinda there, or in the case of Trudy's aunt's family, a little too cartoonish and one note even for this.

Harbor, who I noticed with his new found-fame often picks the let's-have-fun projects like Winter Soldier, Hellboy, and that Netflix special he did, knows exactly what's he's supposed to do in this, playing a jaded  and entertaining Santa, and he definitely nails the John McLaneesque hero-thrown-in-the-fire-pan role. Admittedly, a lot of the cast, played by people I've never seen before, are just alright. To be fair, the script isn't Shakespeare. The two actors who do make the dialogue work are the other two known actors in this, Beverly D'Angelo as the tough, no-nonsense Gertrude and John Leguizamo as the robbers' leader Scrooge (his codename, don't worry about it). Credit should especially given to Leguizamo. Lesser actors probably wouldn't have made the dialogue work. Though Scrooge has a good backstory, he's a basic Christmas villain who happens to have beef with the holiday. Leguizamo really manages to bring personality and conviction to him. Okay, still not the strongest antagonist ever, but it's a solid performance. 

Recommended. I mean, the movie earns its R rating, so if violence isn't your thing then it isn't your thing, but I think most people will have a good time. 

Avatar: The Way of Water

 

6.5/10

This sequel to the highest grossing movie of all time takes place many years after the original. On the planet Pandora,  Jake (played by Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) now have a family of four kids. Soon, they're under threat from the returning Earth military and end up seeking shelter with the water tribes.

Basically this is kinda like the first one. It looks AMAZING! It's fairly obvious by now that Cameron likes oceans, and it really shows. All the water work is top notch. I love the new worlbuilding for the marine side of Pandora. I also appreciate that the water tribes Na'vi look a little different from the land based ones and have a physiology that is more attuned to an aquatic lifestyle.

However, the plot again is just okay. To the movie's credit, it isn't quite as predictable as the "Dances with Wolves" formula of the first one. "Quite" I said. The "evil of colonization" tropes are still heavy-handed here. 

I liked the family dynamic in this and, again, the world building. I was pleasantly surprised with how they handled returning villain Quaritch (Stephen Lang). When I heard they were bringing him back, I wasn't enthused. After Pirates of the Caribbean and The Matrix, I'd grown weary of bringing back a villain who had a solid first run, but didn't really add much in subsequent appearances. Here, they do something interesting with Quaritch, and he has more to do personality-wise.

Movie probably didn't need to be three hours and twelve minutes. Again, plot's not bad but is predictable and not enticing enough to merit everyone's attention spans. (Though, this is a real experiences-will-vary situation. Personally, I never felt bored or found the length unbearable, but I never felt that time flew by either.) There is a lot of Na'vi being mad at/distrustful of humans and each other that gets old real fast. Some scenes just feel like they're setting up the next film without any payback in this. 

Also, the movie repeats the plot of the first one in that Jake must become accustomed to yet again another culture. (The reasoning why he goes to the water tribe feels really forced by the way.)

The acting is solid across the board, including the younger actors. 

Kinda recommended. Overall, if you were mainly into the visuals of Avatar regardless of plot, you get exactly what you're looking for. This looks great on the big screen. If you're not keen on having to sit through another just okay story for a long period of time, then this may not be for you.

Werewolf by Night

9.5/10

In this Marvel Halloween special on Disney+ based on the comic of the same name, a group of monster hunters are summoned for a competition to secede their late leader as the possessor of the powerful Bloodstone. However, there are a couple hunters whose priorities are a little different...

Wow! Marvel's first special knocks it out of the park. It's especially impressive that besides a couple shorts, this is the first directing job from popular film composer Michael Giacchino (that theme from the beginning of Up, that's him.) The action is pretty good. I know a dozen people have already mentioned it, but this is the most violent Marvel offering (not counting Marvel TV) to date being helped by the black-and-white color scheme of the movie.

Humor's pretty good too. A nice touch to this is that the monster hunting society is populated by a bunch of eccentrics, the higher ups being particularly weird, providing some unexpected, fun bits. I think the character of Elsa Bloodstone (played by The Nevers' Laura Donnelly), the daughter of the former leader, is probably my favorite in this as she's the straight man and gives some decent reactions and pushbacks to the insanity around her.

Werewolf by Night looks great, going with a 30's/40's appearance. Some of the outfits, sets, and props are just really impressive looking. The werewolf outfit in this, however isn't as good as what your imagination can come up in. The torso's too puffy and evokes the impression of the actor wearing a wool coat. (On the plus side there is one really strong monster design in this.) In terms of cinematography, this may be the best I've seen a movie replicate the appearance of a different age. Only downside is that like early movies, the camera focus isn't always 100%, especially with the backgrounds.  The blurriness may get to some people.

If there are any other cons about this, the fact that this is only only fifty-two minutes means limited time to build the lead characters of Elsa and hunter Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal). You do get enough to understand the characters, but there is also some having-to-fill-in-the-blanks that may annoy some people. Some may also wish that the ending be a little less open.

Highly recommended, this is a unique and very fun film that looks superb.