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. 

Wish

7/10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Naughty Nine

6.5/10

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

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

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

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

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

One Piece (2023)- Season 1

9.5/10 

In this live-action Netflix adaptation of the manga by Eiichiro Oda, which already has a popular anime adaptation, Monkey D. Luffy (played by The Imperfects' Inaki Godoy) decides to become King of the Pirates by finding the One Piece, the fabled treasure of former Pirate King Gold Roger (Michael Dorman).

Giving how hard it is to adapt manga/anime, I was pleased to see how well this show turned out. It might have helped that Oda himself supervised this and even dictated a few rules the show had to follow. The creators also really understood the source project and they made the concentrated effort not to make the show lean too light or too dark. Naturally, this adaptation changes things. Considering that the anime and manga have hit over a 1000 episodes, things had to be truncated or cut, but the show manages to be its own thing (and a smidge more appealing to American audiences) while staying loyal to all the broad strokes and all the really crucial elements.

One Piece feels like this decade's Star Wars or MCU, something both younger and older viewers will enjoy. The show is a combination of over-the-top fantasy action, silliness, and true emotional moments. If the show feels too goofy at the beginning, I recommend you stick through to the second half which is more background heavy. One Piece can get dark. One moment you have someone in the silliest costume you've ever seen and next thing you're hit with a truly tragic recollection that IS A LOT. For a world filled with weird characters,  the show is shock-full of pure emotional drama that makes you feel for the characters. Episode seven had me tearing up a little.

One Piece is a pirate show meets a superhero show meets a fantasy show. If you'r unfamiliar with the original, this is something that will feel really unique for you. What makes this show so memorable is its distinct world building. This is based on one of the longest running manga out there and it makes good use of the lore to provide various added details in order to make the world feel lived-in. 

Props should be given to the set, costume, music, and VFX departments. Going back to the uniqueness of the world of One Piece, they did a surprising job of making an over-the-top manga not based in reality with cartoonish-looking characters somehow work. (If you're a person who eschews anything childish, then this show may not be for you because most of the characters' appearances may be too silly for your tastes. Remember, One Piece was originally created for an adolescent audience even if it attracted older readers/viewers.)  There's a lot of detail in some of the sets, like mansions or ships. I liked the sunsety/orangish-yellowish colored lighting to the whole affair. The costumes and makeup manage to somehow make the majority of the most outlandish concepts work. Bear in mind I said "the majority." There are a handful of costumes that no matter what you do it looks too ridiculous in live-action. Music really accentuates the scenes.

One of the best decisions in this show is the cast. Great across the board. Given the large budget, a wise decision was to avoid any big names (with the exception of Ian McShane in a brief narrator bit at the beginning.) We get a great introduction to a bunch of talented actors, many of whom only have a few credits to their name. Godoy is quite a find. Luffy is the type of anime character that is childishly naive but optimistic; a type of personality that is hard to do in live-action for Western audiences. However, Godoy manages to sell the character and sells his blind optimism as well as the moments he is mad. I also particularly liked Taz Skylar who plays Luffy's allly Sanji. The guy sells coolness and quick wit.

Casting really knocked it out of the park with the villains. They really picked the perfect people to look like how they died in the manga but also all had delightfully over-the-top performances.

As much as I love this show, it does have a little abridgment/conversion nitpicks. Multiple chapter story arcs are condensed into a hand full of episodes, resulting in the wraps to each of Luffy and his crew's exploits feeling a bit rushed, and you don't get quite the closure you had in the manga. I commented that Godoy did a good job, but the parts where he's weakest feel like they're the parts where the writers or Oda felt the need to replicate the scene from the manga.

Fans of the manga won't get every single detail they want. Though you see all the main villains, several of their lackeys are cut for time. The ones that are more expensive/complicated to make are most likely to meet the chopping block.

Highly recommended. Everyone's saying this is the first anime adaptation to get it right, and they're not wrong.

Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, the Movie

 

5.5/10

This movie version of the popular French cartoon series is a retelling of the show except it's a musical now (I guess to spice things up; best not to worry about it). It's currently on Netflix in the US. In this, young teenagers Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are gifted with magical jewelry known as Miraculous which turn them into the superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir.

This feels like one of those late 80's or 90's animated movies that were not by Disney or Don Bluth. Story feels very basic. Even emotional moments feel very simple. (In fairness, I believe this is for younger viewers.) A lot of this involves Marinette's insecurities which feel very manufactured. There are moments with jokes and other scenes that feel like a little effort when in, so this isn't a complete no-one-tried effort, but nothing really shines.

One may ask why retell the same story instead of coming up with a new adventure? I wouldv'e preferred more creativity, but I can understand why they might want to make this accessible to newcomers. Also, the show was still in production, so I can also see why they wanted to avoid continuity issues.

Visually this movie is excellent. Yeah, this doesn't have a Disney or other American studio budget, but this is the second most expensive French film ever made. One part of what made the show so successful is its fun look to its heroes and villains and their outfits, which clearly sells dolls, and a fanciful depiction of Paris. The larger budget here gives the animators a chance to include a lot more detail. The scenery is so picturesque and the bright use of color is so well done here.    

The songs are pretty innocuous; again that basic animated movie feel. Also, a lot of the songs sound the same. The English singing voice for Marinette (at least I think the speaking and singing were separate people) is, I'll give you that. The background score for this, well at least in the third act, is more effective than the songs themselves.

Not recommended for adults by themselves, unless they're big fans of good animation, but children will probably like it. If your kids are already fans of the show, there will probably be no complaints. Again, this has a bright and colorful look that will definitely catch a lot of younger eyes.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

7/10

In Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, the titular Ruby (voiced by To all the Boys I've Loved's Lana Condor) is a Kraken, legendary creature of the deep, whose family have disguised themselves as humans and live in the coastal town of Seaside. Ruby's never been in the ocean and her mother forbids her from entering. However, soon an event will cause Ruby to get in touch with her Kraken heritage.

So, yes, it's the coming-of-age story that was Turning Red but told more simply and not as well. However, by itself RGTK ain't a half bad watch. 

Ruby's likable enough and though this is no Turning Red, her relationship with her mother Agatha (Toni Collette) works well enough. The humor is also decent and the writers were clearly having fun.

The best part is the look of Seaside. It's a very creative looking place that doesn't exist in the real world and is like an American Venice. The design and color for the settings all pop.

At first I didn't think I'd like the character animation. I'm not a big fan of simplistic looks, but I changed my mind on this. All the characters have a unique appearance with differing body and head shapes and the movement animation works gels with the simplicity. Also at first, it bugged me that the Gillmans are able to pass for human when they are blue and have fin ears. However, they explain it away in the movie in a manner that was amusing and worked for me.

Voice acting's alright. The standout here is Schitt's Creek's Annie Murphy as popular new girl Chelsea Van Der Zee. Her voice has this energy to it that jumps off the screen. On the other hand, SNL/Last Man on Eath's Will Forte voices sea captain Gordon Lighthouse, and he doesn't work. Forte's trying but it sounds like he's attempting to be a sea captain rather than actually being a sea captain.

Besides the simplicity of the story, the movie has two weak points that prevents it from being better.: 1) Though Agatha's reasons for not returning to the ocean are explained, it felt like the backstory should've had more detail and tried to hit harder emotionally. 2) The outcome of Chelsea's storyline just aren't as narratively interesting as possibilities you could've come up with in your head.

Kinda recommended. Yeah, it's not perfect and the story goes for basic children's film rather than try to be ambitious, but it's still a fun watch, and I definitely recommend checking out Seaside. This is Dreamworks' lowest grossing animated film at the box office, and it doesn't deserve that. It's much better than the likes of Shark Tale, Antz, Spirit, and Sinbad. Your kids will probably like it; my nieces and nephew had a fun time watching this.

Nimona

 

7.5/10

The new Netflix movie Nimona, based on the graphic novel by ND Stevenson (who also helmed the recent She-Ra reboot) takes place in a city-state that is partly medieval and partly futuristic. In it, Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Rix Ahmed) is on the run after being framed. He's surprised to find himself aided by the mysterious shapeshifter Nimona (Chloe Grace Moretz) who wants to be Ballister's sidekick because he's the city's number one villain. 

This almost never got released. Nimona's previous studio was owned by 20th Century Fox and was acquired by Disney due to the purchase. Disney didn't see the need for another animation studio and shut it down (sorry kids, no more Ice Age movies.) The movie was 70-something% complete at the time. Luckily, Annapurna picked it up and completed it.  

Ballister and Nimona are both well-defined and likeable characters who work well together. It's especially fun seeing average guy Ballister reacting to the general chaos he keeps being thrown into.

The movie does a good job of teaching not to judge those who are different and being proud of who you are without feeling it's talking down to the audience. Props should be given to the movie for probably being the first feature-length major animated children's film to feature a gay character (Ballister) as the lead. Sure, we've seen gay characters in other films, but this is the first one where it's front and center.

Humor's pretty good here, and the writers do well in making it fit naturally.

Movie looks sleek, uses a 2D-image-made-3d effect like with the Spider-verse movies. The futuristic/medieval look is unique and it looked like thought was given to the design of the whole place.

You can predict a good portion of where the plot movie is going. The villain feels especially by-the-book. Also there is too much of recycling back-and-forth between the same two scenarios: Ballister and Nimona fighting the city's knights and them regrouping back at their hideout.

If you were a fan of the original graphic novel, which was more YA, you might be disappointed by the fact that the story was altered to make itself simpler and more family friendly.

Recommended. The general story is a little obvious but the world and characters are charming. It's not a perfect film, but it's pretty good. Your kids will probably like it. 

The Little Mermaid (2023)

8/10

In this remake of the 90's movie, Ariel (played by singer/sonwriter/actress Halle Bailey), a mermaid princess, is fascinated with the above world and falls in love with Eric (Jonah Hauer-King), a human prince. In order to become a human herself, she makes a deal with the devious sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy). The condition is that she must get true love's kiss within three days or else.

Given that this is a Disney live-action remake, yeah... you got the regular criticism. They mostly retell the same story, but the script and direction can't quite match the magic of the original with live scenes unable to improve upon their animated counterparts. Sebastian (voiced by Daveed Diggs) is just thrown in without much of a good introduction and Ursula needed more screentime to let her breath. Also, attempts to bring some slight messages about man harming underwater ecology feel hamfisted and trite. 

That all having been said, I still found this to be a good film and one of the better Disney remakes. (Don't worry Pete's Dragon. You're still my favorite.) This is clearly a movie where everyone's trying, and sure there are valid criticisms about moments, but there is a genuine pleasantness and fun to it. The creators attempt to try some new things visually, and the musical numbers manage to look good and draw you in without being exact carbon copies of the original and make up for things they couldn't do in animation. 

The strongest part in this is that the movie does a better job of building the relationship between Ariel and Eric than in the original. More time is given to given to letting them interact and fleshing out Eric's character, showing why the two characters work together. 

Another strength is great casting all around. The best thing about this movie is DEFINITELY Halle Bailey. She completely embodies the essence of Ariel. She brings this youthful energy and innocence that completely works. I think Disney learned their lesson from the Beauty and the Beast remake with Emma Watson and cast a lead actress that truly can sing. Heck, Bailey's voice is even stronger than that of original voice actress Jodi Benson.

There's a five year difference between Bailey and Hauer-King (admittedly I'm not the first review to say it online and I may be regurgitating, but I think it needs to be stated), plus Bailey is shorter and acts younger than Hauer-King, resulting in an awkward age gap. Given the controversy that in the animated movie Ariel was 16 and Eric was 18 (yeah, look it up), you'd think Disney'd be more careful about that.

I owe Melissa McCarthy an apology. She's been more of a personality actress than a character actress, and I thought she was cast because she was a big name. I was completely wrong. McCathy knows what makes Ursula tick and pulls off the delivery bringing a humorously, wicked and larger-than-life performance. If you were disappointed with how unfaithfully Jafar was portrayed in the Aladdin remake, this is a breath of fresh air. 

Only casting  that doesn't quite work is Awkwafina as Scuttle. (NOT a gender-change issue.) Maybe it hurt her that she voiced a Disney character not too long ago and there's a comparison. In Raya and the Last Dragon, she felt like she was the character. Here, it feels more like stunt casting with Awkwafina as Awkwafina. 

CGI is a mixed bag. All background aspects of the underwater world look excellent, but the combination of live-action actors with the mermaid actors never look quite natural. I think the director realized that too. In the animators' defense, this was a huge undertaken what with all the underwater scenes. (There's a reason Disney has put off adapting one of their most recognizable IP until now.) There was a clear effort to be economic with the amount of mermaid animation they had to do. So unfortunately, don't expect a lot of mermaid group scenes. The underwater kingdom is kinda sparse and feels like it it's made up mostly of Ariel's famly. The animators do do an impressive job of making hair look like it's flowing in the water.

Sebastian's new design that's more faithful to what crabs look like is controversial, I do say. I like the eyes, but the mouth movements don't work for me. Altogether, I wouldn't call it a deal breaker. 

Whereas the original film took place in a European fairy tale land, this takes place on a tropical island nation. Admittedly, some will miss the original look, but I feel the change in location allows a lot of tropical colors that makes the movie work.

We get three new songs in this from original songwriter Alan Menken with Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda replacing the late Howard Ashman as lyricist. It's funny, I felt that this movie did a better job as a remake than either B&B or Aladdin, but those two each had a new song here that was pretty good and none of the new ones here pop. In fairness, Ariel's new song does work great when you watch it on film. The visuals, lyrics and Baille's performance makes this one of the strongest moments. But, you won't be remembering the song much afterwards. Doesn't help that Eric's new song wasn't suitable for Hauer-King. He seems to have pipes, but the tempo didn't fit his voice. Also, all three songs don't feel like they're in the same tone as the originals. If you're a fan of "Daughters of Triton" or "Les Poissons," they've been cut.

Recommended. Yes, the original is better, but this IS an entertaining film and worth seeing for Baille, McCarthy, and the musical numbers. Your kids will probably have a good time with this.

The Owl House- Season 3 (Final)

8/10

This final season is only three hour-long episodes. (From what I've read, they were lucky to get that. Viwership was alright, but certain Disney suits felt the show didn't fit well within the brand. I'm worried that this may be the end at least for now of serialized fantasy/sci-fi shows on the Disney Channel. All it's current animated programming is episodic and leaning more on the comedy side.) In it, Luz Noceda (voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles) and her friends try to find a way to return to the Boiling Isles, which has been taken over by the Collector (Fryda Wolff), a god-like child who doesn't really get right and wrong.

You can definitely feel the time constraints in this. The amount of time for this world that had gotten pretty character heavy was limited and not every person you may like will have a spotlight on them (Amity's sibling get pretty much zilch in this). Sadly, witch Eda (Just Shoot Me/Hot in Cleveland's Wendy Malick), one of the biggest characters in the show doesn't get to do much.  It's clear the writers weren't able to address everything they probably had in mind (in particular, the mystery of the Bat Queen's past is never addressed, and if you thought there might be more to the story about Eda's curse, you get butkiss.) The show is able to give you enough explanation of the Collector and the show's main villain Belos (The Americans' Matthew Rhys) that's it's satisfactory but basic. I get the feeling we would've gotten flashbacks and lot more filling in of the details if this had been a full season.

What this season is able to accomplish, it does very well and should please those who like this show. We get some great character work, especially in the first episode. Luz really goes through a heroes' journey as she struggles with her choices in the show. We finally get to spend some time with Luz's mom (Elizabeth Gullion), and they do a great job with developing her as a strong, supportive mother. If you're one of those viewers who felt there was a clear divide between her actions at the beginning of season one, and her portrayal in the second season, the show explains the reasoning behind why she sent Luz to camp, and you get a surprisingly emotional backstory behind the mother's actions.

The third episode is the big action-packed finale, and man does it nail it. (Second episode is decent. I would've cut the the A-plot and have the third episode split into the second and third, giving the third more room to breathe.) This finale is peak epic imaginative fantasy. The animators and design team were clearly giving it their all in the look to this. Be sure to watch the streaming version on Disney+ or Youtube (it's there legally on the Disney Channel channel) and not on broadcast. They cut the epilogue short for time. I saw it on the Disney Channel and originally felt a little disappointed. Imagine my surprise to later find out there was 7 MORE MINUTES. You really need to see the full epilogue which is such a wonderful send off to the world of the Boiling Isles.

Highly recommended. Though this clearly wasn't the ideal story creator Dana Terrace wanted to tell, the show still bowed out an entertaining and pretty emotional note.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Willow (Television series)

8/10

In this Disney+ sequel show to the 1988 fantasy film of the same name (I wished they'd given this a subtitle to differentiate it from the original), Nelwyn wizard Willow (played by Warwick Davis) joins up with a group of adventurers to complete a rescue mission.

I've seen a lot of criticism of this online, but I really enjoyed this. The Willow show isn't trying to be as dramatic or takesitself as seriously as Game of Thrones or even Power of the Rings. It's trying to be a family-oriented, old school fantasy throwback, and it does a very entertaining job. Fun, it's just fun! 

Not to say this doesn't have story. I thought the world-building and multiple character arcs were handled quite well. Also, an appropriate menace is brought to the forces of darkness here. (Though, it is a bit tiresome that the show runners feel that the majority of villains have to look all messed up.)

Admittedly, the complaints that the show feels a little modern are a smidge true. There are a few elements that feel out of place for a medieval fantasy world. Also, this contains modern songs, which are even more distracting. However, I didn't consider them deal breakers.

The characters really make the movie. Davis now plays a wiser, but crankier wizard, and does a great job as the mentor figure (it's too bad that probably due to his stature the actor hasn't had as many high profile roles as he should have.) Best newcomer is definitely Amar Chadha-Patel as rogue Thraxus Boorman. He's the humorous, Han Solo-type member of the group and he always steals the show. Ellie Bamber and The Grand Budapest Hotel's Tony Revolori also do really well as a cook and prince, respectively. Unfortunately, Princess Kit Tanthalos' character does suffer from being a complainer and bit of a pill in a lot of this, but she is likable when she's kicking butt and isn't in a bad mood, and Ruby Cruz gives a good performance. 

Visually the whole program is pretty impressive looking. This feels inspired by the 80's and the whole thing has an untethered imagination feel to it.  

Recommended, this is a good time that goes by quickly.

Disenchanted

7.5

In this sequel to Enchanted, Giselle (played by Amy Adams), originally from the magical and animated kingdom of Andalasia, and her husband Robert (Grey's Anatomy's Patrick Dempsey) move from New York City to the suburb of Monroeville. Dealing with the stresses of a new baby, the move, and her now teenaged stepdaughter Morgan's resentment of said move, Giselle ends up making a wish that turns the suburb into a fairy tale land. Unfortunately, since Giselle is a stepmother, the spell starts turning her into a traditional fairy tale "evil stepmother."

So, yeah, this isn't on the same level as the first film. The more adult humor and moments are gone and the dialogue and emotional tone isn't quite as on point. The musical numbers aren't as lavish or as well-shot. The animation is kinda shabby for Disney and doesn't compare to the animation from fifteen flippin' years ago. However, the issues are mainly that the movie can't quite recreate the feel of the first. By itself, it's still a fun film and does a lot better than expected for a sequel that came out over a decade since the original. (Think of this like the more light-hearted TMNT II: Secret of the Ooze when compared to the first TMNT film.) 

I think the idea of Giselle dealing with the long term difficulties of living in the real world is an admittedly predictable idea of where to take the story. However, the route the movie goes down feels fresh. The idea of Giselle turning bad is really the best part. Amy Adams was already great at playing an upbeat Disney princess, but she proves how good an actress she is as she knocks the other identity out of the park. I was a little worried about how the villain (besides evil Giselle) would turn out as I thought the weakest part of Enchanted was Susan Sarandon's rather one-dimensional evil queen. I'm pleased to say I'm relieved. Though Maya Rudolph's evil queen Malvina isn't the most complex character, she is enjoyable and has a lot more screen time in which to get to know her. One of the best parts of the film is evil Giselle and Malvina fighting against each other for dominance.

The relationship between Giselle and Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino) is the emotional backbone of the film and it's done really well delivering a very satisfying climax. The whole final act itself is really good and a lot more satisfying with the action, stakes, and visual spectacle.

Too bad the movie doesn't really know what to do with Robert, who's sidelined Kristoff in Frozen II-style, and King Edward (James Marsden), who's still funny whenever he's onscreen but isn't in this much because the story just doesn't have much room for him.

The songs are done by the king of Disney songs Alan Menken with lyrics by Wicked/King of Egypt's Stephen Schwartz. The songs mostly aren't on the same par as the original film, but they aren't bad and I appreciate they're ability to mimic the old school Disney-fairy tale style (though there's an I-have-a-dream song that is a little too on the nose if you ask me). The biggest issue people bring up about Enchanted is that it has Wicked/Frozen's Idina Menzel, but she doesn't sing a word (in fairness, from what I've heard, she did have a song but it got cut.) Disney has clearly made the effort to remedy this as she gets two songs, including one that really shows off her pipes (too bad it doesn't compare to her songs from both Frozen films). Now, back when I said the songs mostly weren't on the same tier, this "mostly" is referring to the exeption of the song Badder which is both entertaining and a real earworm. (I've been listening to this online on repeat since yesterday.) The last film never got a villain song (heck we haven't had a true Disney villain song for a while), and this movie makes up for it. It's a duet between Adams and Rudolph and they both kill it, especially Rudolph who I didn't realize was musically talented. It's really too bad that the audio is off in the film and the music is loud enough that it's hard to hear the lyrics. I recommend you turn on the subtitles or listen to the song in the end credits where the audio is correct.

Recommended. Again, this isn't the perfection of the first film (with the exception of the one weird out-of-nowhere poop gag; what was with that?), but it is enjoyable and one that's good for family night.

Dragonball Super: Super Hero

8/10

In this the second DBS film (with screenplay by original DB creator Akira Toriyama), The Red Ribbon Army (from the original Dragon Ball) has rebuilt itself, created new, powerful allies, and are seeking vengeance against Goku and his allies, with Piccolo being the first they set their eyes upon.

If you're walking into this expecting another film like the previous installment the action and lore-heavy DBS: Broly, DON'T. This is more like the first of the DBZ comeback films Battle of the Gods. You get two-thirds of old-school, original DB-style comedy with an impressive battle in the final act. If you love DB for the action, but aren't big on DB's humor, this may not be for you. I, however, had a good time. I thought this was pretty funny and liked the goofy, light-hearted comedy and the unique tone Toriyama brings.

Not to say the fight scenes are anything to scoff at. I wouldn't say they are as good as Broly, some of the best action I've ever seen in animation, but they're not that far off either. The fights are all really impressive, grand, and really well animated. This is the first DB title to use 3D-cell shaded (21/2-D) models, and I thought it worked pretty well. Speaking of the show's appearance in general, I love the look of of the backgrounds and buildings in this. Everything looks really good. 

Be forewarned that the movie sidelines lead Goku and Vegeta, the best fighters in the series. To be honest, I'm not hating the decision. It's a fun shift from the norm to focus on some of the supporting characters. Piccolo really does carry the film. He's basically the serious, competent guy who has to deal with everyone else's eccentricities. 

I also like the new villains in this, they're all pretty entertaining, particularly eccentric and morally complex scientist Dr. Hedo. The two main androids in this Gamma 1 and 2 are admittedly just a reuse of the old trope of the cocky guy/takes-things-seriously guy duo, but they're still decent characters. 

Recommended. I'd say this is my third favorite DBZ movie (below Broly and Battle of the Gods). It may be a step down from the last film, but if you like it when DB is just trying to have fun, I think you'll like this.

The Legend of Vox Machina- Season 1

7/10

Based on the first campaign played in Critical Role, a web series where predominantly voice actors play D&D, The Legend of Vox Machina follows a lively group of adventurers.  

Probably thanks to this being based on an existing story, the characters all feel well-defined right out of the gate, and the voice actors, who I believe mostly return from CR, are well acquainted with their roles. The world here feels alive and thought out. The humor, often R-rated, works well enough. Plenty of action; the fantasy scenario provides the writers with a lot of creative ideas. If you like/dislike graphic violence then be prepared for this getting pretty bloody.

The show does feel bipolar. On one hand we got the comedy half and the likable band of misfits, but most of the threats they face are played SUPER serious. The villains kinda feel like they were ripped out of Castlevania in terms of how straight and sadistic they're played. Though the they do have distinct personalities, the foes suffer from from being too similar in type: They're all straight up "immediately go to the most savage extreme just cuz'" evil with very little dimension to them. The writing feels like it's trying too hard for the dramatic/dark parts. However, the story is thought out. I became engrossed in what was happening and the finale was satisfying.

The animation is impressive. Action scenes are well choreographed, and all the backgrounds look really good.

Recommended, provided you're okay with a show leaning really mature. Though I hope the writers lighten up a little when it comes to the threats/villains next season, overall the The Legend of Vox Machina is interesting with a strong main cast.

The Wheel of Time- Season 1

6.5/10

In this Amazon Prime show based on the popular fantasy series by Robert Jordan, several inhabitants of a small village are hunted by dark forces as one of them may be the Dragon Reborn, basically a gussied up title for a "chosen one."

I have very mixed feelings about this. At times the story is pretty good. You've got a lot of world building with interesting characters, customs, and places. Events can be pretty exciting at points. Some of the middle episodes are particularly engaging.

The problem is that not every decision or scene knocks it out of the park. The show suffers a little from the post-Game of Thrones era in that the writers automatically feel that awful stuff happening to people and killing off random civilians automatically equals good story telling. Don't get me wrong, it's not like the books were violence free and sunshine and butterflies, they just weren't trying too hard to be mature. In the show's defense, it doesn't go straight up obviously grim and kill-happy like the Shannara adaptation and that mature Wizard of  Oz show did.

I don't hate the ending as much as some people, but it is a let down. After following the characters' journey for eight episodes, the finale does not make me feel like it was worth it. It just kind of ends saying "you better stay tuned for the next season" without feeling like anything of substance happened. Yeah, the ending of the first book (which I believe this first season is based on) served as a setup to the next book, but it actually felt like an ending with a satisfying conclusion.

Show looks nice. Kind of wish it was more colorful, but that just may be because I remember the design of the original book covers, and that may be an unfair comparison. Solid costume fantasy world building design. Nothing too standout, but a show like this probably costs a lot of money, and you can only do so much.

I don't know if I can recommend this or not. This is one of those shows where I definitely see people having higher or lower opinions than me on this. There are legitimate arguments for saying this is either bad or good. It couldn't hurt to check this show out and see if you like it, but it doesn't need to be an immediate watch.

My Little Pony: A New Generation

8/10

This new MLP movie on Netflix (intended to sell the new toyline and kick off a new show) takes place in the land of Equestria, presumably long, long after the events of the Frienship is Magic TV show. Magic no longer exists in the land, and the three different types of ponies no longer co-exist and each live apart from each other in fear and distrust.  One earth pony Sunny Starscout (voiced by Vanessa Hudgens) meets and befriends a unicorn Izzy Moonbow (Kimiko Glenn), and the two team up to bring magic back to the land. 

Friendship is Magic became an unexpectedly big hit because it went above and beyond what you'd find in your usual girls cartoon in terms of world building, writing, and characterization. To the best of my knowledge, none of the show's writers worked on this. So the question, is this new world on the same level as the FiM? No, it doesn't quite have the magic it did. Feels a little simplified. It particularly shows in the ponies living in three specific places whereas the show made it clear that many towns and cities existed. (To be fair, the movie's only an hour and thirty minutes, and you can only do so much.)

However, this movie doesn't trail behind the original show by that much. Effort definitely went into this. The script is fun and there are several good lines. Thought is given to the world here. The pegasi mountain city is the most impressive. 

Some genuine heart is given to Sunny's storyline. Her loyalty to the memory of her father, who taught her that all the ponies once lived in harmony, and desire to get the ponies to all get along feels honest and earnest. 

The computer animation in this ain't too shabby. This was originally supposed to be a theatrical release before COVID hit and there is clearly a decent budget. My compliments to the scenery designers; being MLP, the animators are given carte blanche to be as colorful and whimsical as they want. (There is one scene with a tree in a field of flowers that's really pretty.) The direction and camera angles felt very basic. Though, there is one shot in the first act that bridges sudden changes in mood really well.           

Songs are decent. None of them are memorable, but they're not bad.

Recommended for kids or general MLP fans. Again, not on the same level as FiM. Not the most unique work, either. But it is a well made, good-natured work. 

The Green Knight

7/10

In this movie based on the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain (played by Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel), nephew of King Arthur (Sean Harris), accepts a challenge from the mysterious Green Knight (Ralph Ineson). The challenge doesn't turn out to be what Gawain thinks it is and he ends up having to accept a second part of it that causes him to go on a journey on what may very well be a suicide mission.

This is one of those movies that are hard to rate. I mean it looks great. This is one of those Blade Runneresque films where it's really characterized by it's look; maybe the most visually arresting film of the year. Director/writer David Lowery (who also did the Pete's Dragon reboot) brings a great eye to this with wonderful shots of creative medieval architecture and clothing and sumptuous pastoral scenery. He is one of those directors that has a truly confident hold on all their shots. The treelike Green Knight is a great-looking design, imposing but in a fascinating way. Glad Lowery didn't go with CGI. The makeup still allows Ineson some facial expressiveness. (There is a little CGI in another part of this that feels dodgy, but it doesn't last long.) The medieval-esque music also really helps capture the feel of the film.

It's the plot where my opinion of this becomes complicated. When this movie started I would've rated it higher, but my opinion got lower as it continued. Running at two hours and ten minutes, the movie runs feels tired out by the third act. This is a travel film where Gawain encounters many distinctive characters and unexpected situations on his way. They're hit and miss. Some things stuck with me, while others tried my patience. For an artsy film, I found this accessible at first, but as the movie goes on (again it's the third act where issues are really prevalent) the movie reeks of Lowery trying way too hard to be clever and adding psychological depth and modern sensibility to the original tale. (Don't get me wrong, this isn;t one of those art films that the average Joe won't be able to get into at all. You can tell where Lowery's going with this.) It just feels like a bit much.

Acting's good. Patel does a decent job of portraying a flawed character in contrast to the more noble Gawain of lore. Harris steals every scene as a sickly, thoughtful take on Arthur. Ineson really manages to give a partially mysterious, unknowable but oddly courteous feel to the Knight.

I can see some people being bored with this or at least a little disappointed with the third act. However, when you get a lot of films these days based on popular franchises or traditional formats or concepts, it's nice to see something that feels truly original with a distinctive director's voice. If anything, the visuals are worth seeing.