Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

 

7.5/10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Doom Patrol- Season 4 (Final)

9/10

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, too!

 

7/10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Harley Quinn- Season 4

7.5/10

In this fourth season of Harley Quinn, Harley (voiced by Big Bang Theory's Caley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Childrens Hospital's Lake Bell) try to continue their relationship with the hurdle of Harley now being a hero and aiding the Bat Family while Ivy has become the CEO of the Legion of Doom.

I'd say this season was a mixed bag. When the show is funny, it is funny. There were a lot of solid ideas. (The show will definitely surprise you at points.) I give the writers credit for not having the characters in the exact same place as the first seaso, but having the scenarios Harley and Ivy in change as their characters evolve. 

However, not every idea and joke lands. This season felt like it was trying to juggle too many plot points and characters. If you're a fan of Harley's original gang, they're a lot more sidelined and recurring than regular. (I'm actually okay with how little screentime Clayface (Resident Alien's Alan Tudyk) got this year. He's a one-note character that works better in smaller doses.) Harley working with the Bat family never feels as well-utilized as expected. The ending doesn't feel as strong as the plot points leading to it.

Harley and Ivy's chemistry and dialogue and Cuoco and Bell's dialogue remains strong. It's disappointing that the couple spends so much time away from each other, because they work so well together. I am pleased that the writers got the hint and cut down on Harley making rushed, one-sided decisions without thinking how it'll affect others.

You get a lot more of Nora Freeze (SNL alumni Rachel Dratch) who's Ivy's assistant in this. I loved her no-bars, does what she wants attitude. Though Giancarlo Esposito really suits as the voice of Lex Luthor, the character hasn't really been that interesting until now. With the whole season featuring him, the writers were able to define Lex's character. Due to this being a comedy, his obsession with one-upping Superman is taken to the umpth degree, and he is portrayed as a narcissistic and silly, wannabe-alpha male. (Admittedly, he does feel a little dragged out by the final episode.)

Also, for a show focusing on two female leads trying to operate in a male-dominated industry, the show has been low on other female characters. This season seemed to try to correct that as we did get more of them this time around.

Infamous one-shot DC villain Snowflame (James Adomian), the villain who gets his powers from cocaine, is portrayed in this as a wannabe-bro with no shutter.  The writers seemed more enamored with him than I as I thought he was overused and not that entertaining.

Recommended. The weakest season of Harley Quinn is still rather entertaining. (Again, predictability is one thing you can't accuse this show of.)

My Adventures with Superman- Season 1

8.5/10

In this new Superman cartoon on Adult Swim and Max, a fresh-out-of-college Clark Kent/Superman (voiced by Hunger Games/Scream's Jack Quaid) and Jimmy Olson (Jury Duty's Ishmel Sahid) meet Lois Lane (Zoey's Extraordianry Playlist's Alice Lee) when they all intern at the Daily Planet.

Though on Adult Swim, MAwS is really a family/children's show. (Kids aren't watching broadcast television nowadays, and from what I've heard, Adult Swim gets better viewership due to an older audience.) This show also seems to be a reaction to recent darker Superman and other DC projects. MAwS has a classic bright and optimistic Superman feel to it. Heck, it's a lot lighter than the 90's Superman cartoon. (Remember that episode where Clark tries to help that guy on death row for a woman's murder? I'm still surprised they were able to get away with all that dark subject matter on children's television.) Not to say the show doesn't have any stakes. Deaths are referenced in the show, but they're backstory deaths. MAwS is about Superman saving people.

The lifeblood of this show is the relationship and trust and support between the three friends. Jimmy, who's a big mystery guy, like as in Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, is especially wholesome and fun to watch. That having been said Lois can be really selfish or hypocritical at times, but I wouldn't call it a dealbreaker. Also, he's not in this much, but the Daily Planet's sports writer Steve Lombard (voiced by the Ninjago show's Vincent Tong) is really fun. He has this goofy, overinflated bravado about him.

A lot of credit should be given to this show being able to repackage the same old story of Superman in a new way. Some fans may be annoyed that a lot of villains had their natural powers converted to weaponry, but it is a unique take. I appreciate that this show focused on multiple names from Superman's and DC's rogues gallery and that there's no Lex Luthor this season (he's so overexposed, and you can only do so many plotting evil businessman storylines.)  

One big annoyance of the show is that any character that doesn't trust Superman is incredibly one-note without any nuance or at times even rationality to their reasoning.

The animation is very anime-style inspired (even the end credits feel more like an anime end credits than a western one), and it all looks really good. The line work in this is top notch. Animation allows you to do a lot more with Superman fighting and the plentiful action scenes are all smooth. I especially liked some of the reinvisioned designs for some of the antagonists.

Highly recommended. This show is genuinely entertaining, old fashioned Saturday cartoon fun.

Blue Beetle

6.5/10

In this new movie based on the DC comics character (which was originally supposed to be on HBO Max but new management felt it had a chance in the theaters), Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) is entrusted with a scarab that turns out to be a biomechanical suit that bonds with him transforming him into the superhero Blue Beetle. He's soon hunted by a corrupt corporation out to retrieve the scarab. 

This is one of those films with a weaker first half and a stronger second half. At the beginning, Reyes' family, which is a huge focus of the film, is just too silly and goofy for their own good. (In fairness, I'm a very, very white guy (I know who Glenn Yarborough and Garrison Keillor are). This is a Hispanic director and screenwriter and intricacies of Hispanic families and culture may be lost on me.) It is also frustrating that Jaime is way too naive and idealistic and his cynical sister Milagro (Hocus Pocus 2's Belissa Escobedo) is too self-destructive in her devil-may-care-decisions.

However, when the story starts getting serious and the humor is downgraded then I started liking the family. They felt like real characters and though there were still jokes, they no longer felt too cartoonish. The sentimental family bonding moments really work. Jaime's uncle Rudy (George Lopez) is the one who gets the most screentime and is definitely the VIP. He does get the best jokes but is also a great ride-or-die ally and the tech guy. Lopez gives the best performance I've seen (and isn't playing his usual type) and nails the more serious moments. He definitely has the best interactions with Jaime.

The movie has the problem that you sometimes find in shows and films these days in that it tries to look at a culture while also telling a superhero story and has difficulty balancing the two. The movie tries to cram as much demonstrations of racism and other struggles for Hispanics in America as it can before Jaime gets the suit. It feels inorganic and like the movie is talking down to you. (There are not one but two white people who don't care about getting Spanish names wrong.) Again, things improve in the second half; the messages are shown not told.

If you don't know, Jaime is the third Blue Beetle in the comics. If you're a fan of his predecessor Ted Kord (who may not mean anything to anyone unfamiliar with BB but trust me, he has a fan base. He was pretty prevalent during the 90's), you may like to know that the movie does honor the BB legacy.

The single worst part about this is the villain Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon). She's a one-dimensional evil/racist businesswoman/weapons manufacturer. Sarandon's trying her best but her dialogue is painful and she's impractically evil for the sake of evil. Her right hand Carapax (Mayans M.C.'s Raoul Max Trujillo), who actually does the fighting, is better. He's an effective physical threat, and I give Trujillo credit for nailing the character's body language. He can say a lot without speaking at all.

Jaime's suit has an artificial intelligence (voiced by singer/actress Becky G). She appears to have her own personality, but the movie makes it slow to figure this out at first. So much time is spent on the family and other human characters, the relationship between Jaime and his suit is lacking. She just speaks up when the plot needs it and no more.

The best part of this is the action and visuals. The action in the second half, especially the final battle are some of the best choreographed fight scenes I've seen in a superhero movie in a while. They don't break the mold but are really entertaining. 

I love the use of color in this. Everything looks so vibrant. The city the family lives near is a superb quasi-futuristic-looking accomplishment. 

Special effects really blend in well in this. I applaud director Angel Manuel Soto for making it look like the actors aren't even acting with CGI effects they can't see.

The movie does a surprising job of accurately replicating the Blue Beetle suit in live-action. It doesn't have a mouth hole, but they have the suit have a lower lip-like section at the bottom that moves as Jaime talks. I've never seen a movie do something like that ever before. It sounds goofy but manages to work.

Kinda recommended. The first half and Victoria Kord can be a slog to get through, but when the movie works it's really entertaining. I'm really impressed by the action and physical design in this. I do feel a little bad this isn't doing well at the box office. I kinda want to see Jaime and company in a sequel with a chance of correcting the flaws of this film. Also, again white guy here. If you're Hispanic, you may get a lot more out of seeing your culture represented.

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.

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.

The Suicide Squad

 

9.5/10

In this sorta sequel/sorta reboot to 2016's Suicide Squad (yeah, I don't know why they didn't just use a subtitle to differentiate the two,) stone cold government operative Amanda Waller (played by Viola Davis), sends Task Force X, a black ops team comprised mostly of arrested supervillains, to the island nation of Corto Maltese in order to take out a dangerous project it possesses.

This was just excellent viewing. It's directed and written by James Gunn, who did the Guardians of the Galaxy, and it really has that magic touch he had there but in an R-rated format. What unfolds is just a well-told tale that combines dark humor and quirky characters who become surprisingly relatable for a bunch of crooks. Really, this feels like a love letter to DC Comics' B- through C-list villains, basically characters you'd never think would make the live action theatrical films. Of all the MCU directors/screenwriters, Gunn probably played the most fast and loose when it came to consistency with characters' comics origins. He does this again to perhaps better affect, as he takes characters that don't have a fan base, so he can change their history or other aspects in order to create more moving backstories or interesting characteristics.     

Gunn definitely improves upon the first Suicide Squad movie. (Yeah, yeah, I know that one suffered from heavy studio interference and a director's cut would most likely be stronger, but director David Ayer is a victim of his constrictive "make it about the streets" wheelhouse and stuff like gangster Joker and stereotypically black Killer Croc are on him). This movie is probably a relief to fans of the original comics. None of that "the team is created to take down a Superman-level threat when a lot of them aren't capable of that" plot hole. The team's going back to it's original purpose: doing secret "suicide missions" where the government can't officially be. Infiltrating a Latin American country is exactly the kind of storyline I expected and wanted. This movie does a better job of keeping you guessing as to who'll live or die (a staple of the comic). Also, this movie features Amanda Waller's support crew, a staple of Ostrander's seminal run. They add a little bit of humor and more of a human element to contrast with Waller's cold approach.     

This movie also doesn't make you care that a couple elements are recycled from the last film: a certain villain type and the fact that the mercenary Bloodsport (Idris Elba) has a daughter, just like the mercenary Deadshot in the last film. I excuse the whole daughter reuse thing because it's done a lot better here and Elba does a greater job than Will Smith, and that's not a knock to Will Smith, he was good in the last one. (Also, in regards to the redo, the grapevine is that the role was originally written for Deadshot, but Smith was unavailable and they decided not to recast the character in case Smith returned for a future project.) 

The Suicide Squad definitely earns it's R rating. Action and violence fans will appreciate the extents Gunn goes to. However, he also knows less is more, it's paced pretty well, never feeling like overkill. 

Visually this whole thing looks good with one playfully dark scene that will particularly stick in your mind. Costumes and appearances fit the comics while working well in live action. (I'm especially impressed they managed to make Peacemaker's costume, a design that screams "I was created in the sixties and am not practical, work.) Harley has her best outfits in this. 

The movie does a remarkably fantastic job of juggling a huge cast, letting all the characters have a chance to shine. Though, there are two parts in this that felt like a scene got cut, but they're minor situations and not dealbreakers. 

Really great cast. Unfortunately, there isn't enough time to go into all the characters here. Gotta say the Peacemaker (John Cena), a soldier who kills A LOT in the name of peace, is my favorite of the new faces. Harley Quinn's scenes and Robbie's performance is/are the best to date. If you're afraid of the character being overused, it isn't yet. I know a lot of people are loving King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone), sort of the Groot of this film, but personally, I think he may be the weakest element. I know he's fun, but what with his limited vocabulary and goals, I find him the least interesting and he takes up time that could've been better used elsewhere.

Highly recommended, unless you're just not a fan of R-rated movies or antiheroes in general. Gunn brings two hours and twelve minutes of just well-crafted cinema. If you didn't like the first one, you should still give this a shot.

Zack Snyder's Justice League

 

8/10

Having helmed Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman, director Zack Snyder's nextstep was to direct the Justice League. The whole thing was mapped out (WB gave Snyder a lot of control as the sort of architect of DCU), with more Justice League films planned. However, BvS didn't do as well as expected, resulting in the studios having less trust in Snyder and his darker, more serious angle. Then tragedy struck, his daughter committed suicide and he bowed out of the project. However, it seems WB execs had were losing  faith anyway: https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/wb-reportedly-blames-zack-snyder-justice-leagues-poor-performance/. Joss Whedon was brought in, and a lot was thrown out and an active attempt was made to make the movie more friendly to a traditional audience. However, now due to intense audience curiosity and AT&T wanting something big to sell HBOMax with, we've got what Snyder intended. 

The basic plot is the same: The Justice League forms to stop extraterrestrial baddie Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciarán Hinds) from conquering Earth. This is definitely a stronger work story-wise than the theatrical cut; the tone just didn't match with or had the confident setup of BvS. More weight is given to everything.  

The world building is so much more stronger than in the Whedon cut. This is probably the biggest strength to the film. Snyder is going for epic scope in this, and it does come across. Both Cyborg (Ray Fisher), Flash (Ezra Miller), especially Cyborg, have far better stories. 

It's been a while since I the theatrical cut, so I can't remember if Alfred (Jeremy Irons)  had less or the same amount of time, so I can't say they did him better here, but he definitely stands out with some of the best lines. (Flash has some good ones, too). I think I'll miss Irons the most out of the actors who'll no longer be reprising their roles after this. 

I know everyone else has said it already, but Steppenwolf is improved from the basic, paper-thin villian he was in the Whedon cut.  Now, he's still not the greatest villain. In the grand scheme of things, he's not that broad a character, still just the basic warrior type. But he's given legit background and motivation. 

I did think Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), who were already introduced in BVS, weren't given as much to do as the new characters. I thought Superman (Henry Cavill) was as improperly utilized as he was in the theatrical version.

Snyder has learned to make the characters more accessible. Sure, the movie is still about them having the weight of responsibility on their shoulders that comes from being demigods and keeps them separated a lot from the common folk, but it feels a lot less in-your-face.

Though I am glad I got to see Snyder make the film he wanted, I think he was allowed a little too much freedom. Snyder didn't need to make this 4 HOURS LONG. Quatro, Quatre, Vier. Don't get me wrong, I don't think this had to be under two hours, but this long? The thing is that there were several scenes that could've been cut or shortened without damaging the film. The epilogue feels especially indulgent and overkill.

Visually, Snyder is one of the most visually distinctive directors out there right now. No other types of films look quite like his. This movie is no exception, great cinematography and action. But, Snyder's gonna Snyder. Everything still looks grey. (You wonder how crops grow in this world when the sun never shines.

Several of the computer animated characters aren't polished enough. Snyder's love of grey is lended to the color scheme of three of the antagonists. I guess this is particularly frustrating since in the comics, Steppenwolf and the other baddies from the planet Apokolips tended to be more colorful-looking. I also found it unnecessary for him to make Steppenwolf and two other baddies computer animated when their original counterparts were humanoid, or in the case of Steppenwolf who was originally yellow-skinned, human-looking enough. One of these computer designs felt particularly weird since the character isn't alien-looking at all.

I think that Snyder cut Steppenwolf is tougher-looking and leaves more of an impression then theatrical cut Steppenwolf. (They look completely different.) However, I still think he is kinda basic-looking. (You'd think Snyder'd learn his lesson after the criticism of how uninspired-looking Doomsday was in BVS.) The various tiny pieces of his armor are constantly moving and it's distracting. They don't move in accordance with Steppenwolf's body movements, they just move completely at random, and I can only ask "Why?!"

How does this movie compare to the theatrical? I'll level with you, my memory's a little sketchy, and I only saw it once. I noticed that my IMDB rating for it is higher than I thought it was. I can say that I think this is the second best of Snyder's DCU trilogy. Though a lot of people say BVS was the weakest, I thought it was just a stronger film than the other two with more interesting stuff thrown at you. I think this is definitely worth a watch if you can stand 4 hours and provided you don't have a total aversion to Snyder's style.

Wonder Woman 1984

 

8/10

Wonder Woman 1984, which surprise, surprise takes place in '84, has Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (played by Gal Gadot), finds herself miraculously reunited with the love of her life Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). But, what caused this and other people's wishes to be granted? The answer will propel WW on a mission to save the world. I had a fun time with this. 

The reception online has been VERY bipolar. I can understand those who had issues. The outfit WW wears in this is really shoehorned in, the villain The Cheetah (played by SNL's/Bridesmaids' Kristen Wiig) is given a great beginning and build up but a lousy conclusion and final battle (see more on that later), the manner with which Steve comes back is "problematic" and raises icky questions, there are, perhaps, one too many wishes which stretch out this two hour, thirty-one minute film, and the lighter-hearted and, at times, goofier tone does not match with that of the previous film. 

That all having been said, I came in expecting to be entertained and this delivered. I know I'm not the first person online to make this comparison, but it feels a lot like the original Superman quadrilogy/Supergirl movie. Wonder Woman 1984 is lighthearted, even more so than some Marvel movies. It's trying to just be a pleasurable viewing experience without a focus on a kill count and emphasis on the hero actually saving people.

The wishes gone wrong idea isn't new (mostly relegated to horror), but you've got to admit that they haven't done it in the superhero format. Though the movie does lean a little too heavy on the concept, I do admire the various ways the film takes advantage of the wishes and how out of control some of them get. Antagonist Maxwell Lord (The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal) actually does some really smart things with them that you haven't seen before.

A strength of this is the four main characters. Gal Gadot once again does a great job as Diana and continues to cement the character as the more passionate superhero. Pine again works well off her. However, I missed the more serious earnestness he had in the last film. Here, he's fed more jokes. 

Cheetah's backstory of a scientist who's disrespected and put upon by society has been done several times already and feels pretty obvious. However, her descent into evil is executed really well and Wiig does a very good job. But, like I said, there wasn't enough payoff. Her full supervillain form didn't jive with me design-wise. The computer graphics weren't the best and the final battle has her move so quickly that you barely get to make her out. Pascal is fun as the main villain Lord. His trajectory is the opposite of Cheetah's. He starts off small but gets more interesting as the story progresses. He's also a change of pace as he's more of an amoral business-guy type who's just trying to grab what he can get unlike someone actively evil. (Admittedly fans of that "big" dark Wonder Woman storyline with ML might be disappointed with how light they went with him here.)

The movie looks nice; it's definitely the most colorful and brightly shot of the DCEU films. The music is excellent.

Overall, the first Wonder Woman movie is definitely the superior film. However, I personally don't think WW84 is a fail. It provides a different viewing experience than other superhero films and is a good time-filler.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow

7/10

Superman: Man of Tomorrow is about Clark Kent/Superman (voiced by Glee/American Crime Story season 2's Darren Criss), brand new in Metropolis and trying to figure out whether he should reveal his abilities to the world. I found this to be one of DC's better animated movies.

Yeah, this isn't the first Superman origin story ever told or him feeling like an outsider and trying to find his place in the world, but to its credit, this is the first time I've seen it done as feature animation. The script does a decent job of exploring the character of Clark and his fears of the world distrusting an outsider. In fact, this includes one of the best gosh-darn-likable Clark's. Heck, this includes some of the better depictions of Lois Lane (Percy Jackson's Alexandra Daddario), Ma and Pa Kent (Bellamy Young and Scrubs/The Middle's Neil Flynn), Lex Luthor (Stare Trek/Heroes' Zachary Quinto), and other Superman/DC characters. 

There are reasons I didn't rate this higher. Not every story decision worked for me. Some things seemed to happen just because the writer wanted them to happen regardless of whether they were natural. Superman has a big speech in this that is supposed to be persuasive but comes off as schmaltzy. Also, the movie felt a little too tragic and morbid with the villain Parasite (Agent of Shield's Brett Dalton). His depressing, dark storyline seemed to be at odds with the more hopeful, upbeat feel of Superman's.   

The whole things looks great. I felt that a lot of DC animated character designs, especially recently, have been so-so. Here, some sort of new process is used giving the characters a more rotoscope-type appearance. They just feel a little more detailed than a lot of character designs today. Although I miss the old-school original humanoid appearance of the Parasite and haven't been a big fan of the comics making him look more like a parasitic creature these days, I admit that this particular monstrous design is pretty good, especially his weird feet.   

Overall, I think any DC animation or Superman fan will like this.

Doom Patrol- Season 2

9/10

Season 2 continues the exploits of the Doom Patrol as they deal with more weird villains and personal issues as well as the unbridled power of new young member Dorothey Spinner (Abigail Shapiro). I continue to love this show!     

Doom Patrol continues to amaze, remaining one of the most creative shows currently out there. One of the things I like best about this is how the writers will make changes to the already out-there characters and ideas that always manage to knock it out of the park.  

Dorothy continues the show's history of sculpting tragic, multifaceted tragic characters. Though the show has stories for all the characters, her story is the main backstory. (I'm keeping things vague because it is an interesting tale.) Shapiro, who is actually twenty with  cleidocranial dysostosis allowing her to play younger, does a really good job playing as an eleven-year old. Unlike last season, we get Niles Caulder (Timothy Dalton) full time here. Dalton has always been a great actor, but this may be the performance of his career. Caulder is such a complex, fascinating character, and Dalton nails every emotion. The other Doom Patrol members and their actors remain strong. I still love Brendan Frasier as the voice of Robotman/Cliff Steele doing the perfect delivery for the character's comical and uncensored reactions to the sheer insanity going on around him. 

Despite my praise, I liked the first season a little better than this due to the characters arcs having some issues. The first season perfectly balanced the light and the dark. This season felt at times like it was trying a little too hard to put the characters through the emotional ringer. Don't get me wrong, there is some pretty good material. (The show still does a better job of juggling light and dark than Titans or Stargirl ever did.) However, I worry that the show may eventually go down the Once Upon a Time path and rely too much on flashbacks and having to invent more and more past trauma. Cliff and Larry's issues that weren't resolved and carried over from last season worked well. However, Rita's issues were wrapped up and her new doubts this season feel created in the name of having every character have drama. It doesn't help that Cliff is written a little too dumb sometimes and Rita (April Bowlby) too over-the-top comical.       

A couple things to bare in mind: COVID hit before the last episode was fully filmed, so expect a cliffhanger to what was supposed to be a self-contained story. Though villains are picked from throughout the comic's various run, emphasis is still put on the Morrison years. If you were waiting to see any of the Doom Patrol's five-or-so quirky major rogues from its original run, you'll still be disappointed. 

The show is still a great visual feat, though I think the budget was cut a little so don't expect exactly the quality of last season. (The main threat looks like it could've been more polished.) I'm still impressed how they manage to visually adapt some of the fantastic characters from the comics. They actually chose to tackle the helmet of Dr. Tyme, one of the goofiest and weirdest appearances in comic book history, and got it to work.  

Overall, I really, really, really recommend this. My criticisms were in comparison to the first season. It's still more original and better written than most of the shows out there. 

Stargirl- Season 1

6/10

Stargirl, on DCUniverse and the CW, is about teen Courtney Whitmore (played Brec Bassinger) who finds out her new stepfather Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson) used to be the sidekick to superhero Starman (Joel McHale). She ends up becoming the new owner of the hero's Cosmic Staff. The show really fluctuates from pretty darn good to painfully frustrating.

I'll go with the pros first. Stargirl is an homage to silver age comics, often evoking a sort of modern retro feel. The writers are willing to go a little more high concept out there than other superhero fare. The show is jampacked with Justice Society and Injustice Society members providing a wide range of distinct characters. Heck, they even include the Gambler (Eric Goins), probably one of the least used ISA villains in comics and media these days. 

The cast is all good. Bassinger does a convincing job with the character's optimism and earnestness. Though the best one in this is Wilson. His Pat is completely believable as someone who would've been a 40's-style sidekick with an "awe-shucks" kindness and desire to do the right thing.  

The budget isn't shabby, featuring some pretty good fights and CGI creations. (Though it seems to go only so far, and there is a fair amount of talking in the middle.) The Americana-style town this takes place in looks pretty good.

Now for the problems. The superhero stuff is really good, but the teen drama parts are sooooo cookie-cutter and basic. I mean really, really basic; one of the most uninspiring I've ever seen. The teen dialogue sounds very "TV" and not natural at all. Including the worse "mean girl" dialogue I've ever heard. Also, this mines parent-issue tropes way, way too much. It's depressing and frequently too obvious. I mean why are bad parents all the rage these days. I mean if you had lousy ones, I understand it is nice knowing your not alone in the world, but there is just so much of this these days. It feels like a crutch now. The tone in general can be pretty bipolar.

Although I liked Stargirl in this, there are several moments, where she can be maddeningly thickheaded, especially one dogged assumption she makes based on very little evidence. I mean she's a teen, and teens do dumb things, but as mentioned the dialogue doesn't feel natural in the slightest. The villains also do some stuff that cross the line between practical evil and forced evil-for-the-sake-of-evil.

The worse stuff happens in the middle. the beginning and end are pretty darn good.  

This is hard decide to recommend or not. I rotated between loving and hating Stargirl. I will still be watching, because I hope to see more of the good stuff and there's the hope for improvement.

Retroactive review- Wonder Woman (1974)

7/10

The 1974 Wonder Woman movie was a made-for-TV production/unsuccessful pilot for the first attempt at the Wonder Woman series. It's no 2000's Wonder Woman movie, but it has its seventies charm.     

The plot is no grand achievement. Wonder Woman (Cathy Lee Crosby) mostly follows the villains from one locale to another, occasionally trading words and fists. There a few trip-ups. The intro to Wonder Woman's origin feels rushed, a plot point entered at the beginning of the third act feels really wedged in, and the heroine doesn't apprehend the villains at first when she gets the chance. However, what the film lacks in depth, it makes up for pure uninhibited fun. The traps and the villains' tricks of the trade are rather stylish or creative ideas. One trap has this unique look you could only find pre-80's.    

Another thing helping the movie is that we've got a game cast playing colorful, engaging characters. (Except, maybe a couple of henchmen in this, but they are visually interesting for what it's worth.) Cathy Lee makes a fairly charming superhero and has chemistry with anyone she's on-screen with. Her outfit doesn't look anything like the traditional one, but I'm not hating it. It looks more practical and the character is finally wearing pants.

We are also treated to a pretty fun group of villains. Ricardo Montabalm (Fantasy Island/Star Trek II) is great as the main villain, a charming, clear-headed professional. Part of what makes the movie work is his back-and-forth with his resourceful and clever, but treacherous and violence-prone right hand played by George Calvin.  

I don't know if this is a must-watch, but it's definitely escapist fun if that's what you're after. At an hour and thirteen minutes, it won't take up much of your time.