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.

Ducktales - Season 3 (Final)

 

9/10

In the final season of the Ducktales reboot, Scrooge McDuck (voiced by David Tennant) and his family find themselves going up against the evil organization F.O.W.L.

Though I'm sad to see this show end, it's nice to see it go on a high note. Whereas the first two seasons took took several episodes in to reach the their full potential, this season remains consistently good throughout, retaining the show's unique mix of comedy and adventure. 

Whereas the first season focused on Dewey (Ben Schwartz) and the second on Louie (SNL's Bobby Moynihan), this one focuses on Huey (Community/Raven Quest's Danny Pudi). I've been waiting to see him get the spotlight. Of the four kids on this show, he's always gotten the least amount of episodes centered around him. Donald Duck (Tony Anselmo) is also better utilized than he has been in the last few seasons. We get a very strong final main villain with interesting objectives and provides a worthy foil for Scrooge McDuck.  

I'm really pleased with the finale, it's just one of the best ones I've seen. It is surprisingly able to include the majority of the sizable main and supporting cast while also tying up all the storylines in a fairly emotional way. Not to mention that the animation is super fluid in this. I have nothing but respect for finale. It shouldn't be as good as it is considering all the balls that had to be juggled. (Animating it couldn't have been easy.)

If there were any issues I had with this, it's got to be the episode The Fight for Castle McDuck. The show is known for taking liberties with characters. (For instance, Flintheart Glomgold being changed into a joke villain as compared to his far more competent original.) Here, Scrooge's sister Matilda (voiced by Michelle Gomez) is adapted from the comics into animation for the very first time. I was disappointed how they ditched her original personality (she was the straight man in her family) into a frankly obvious and predictable unsuccessful sibling who's self-delusional. Heck the whole McDuck family dynamic in this kinda a bore; weakest episode in the season. 

Overall, if you liked the first two seasons, you won't be disappointed. This was all so entertaining.

Secrets of Sulphur Springs- Season 1

 

8/10

In Secrets of Sulphur Springs, Griffin Campbell (played by Preston Campbell) moves into an abandoned hotel where a girl went missing decades ago. There, Griffin and his new friend Harper Dunn (Kyliegh Curran; yes that's how her first name is supposed to be spelled) discover a big secret which causes them to investigate the disappearance. 

This isn't my age demographic, but the commercials made me curious. It had a sort of uncanny feel to it that Watcher in the Woods had. Turns out the show isn't that spooky. The commercials and parts of Sulphur Springs try to imply things get eerie, but they really don't. Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark this isn't. But that's alright, this is a mystery-heavy paranormal kids show and you just don't see those that much. So, yeah if you were found of WitW, then you may like this. 

The story is pretty simple overall, but the show does a surprisingly good job of pacing things. That being said, Griffin's two younger siblings and their subplot of investigating the hotel's haunting feels just like filler and don't add much. (On the other hand, Harper's brother Topher (Bryant Tardy) is one of the better parts of the show and is a sibling that works. He provides decent semi-comic relief and never overstays his welcome.)

What's refreshing is that the main characters make smart decisions. This involves a gimmick, which I won't spoil, that's been done a lot, and it's nice to see the writers say "yeah, we've all been here before and we're not gonna waste your time with the characters wrapping their heads around it."  

There is also a stern, overbearing father character in this who is painfully one-note, but he's not in this that much.

The child acting in this is pretty good all around. Campbell and Curran do their roles well, I wish them the best in their future careers.

Overall, I recommend this show for your kids. It's just well done.

South ParQ Vaccination Special

 

9/10

South Park presents it's second COVID-19-themed special. The vaccines are coming out and practically everyone in town is trying to get one. 

I found this funnier than the last special, and bare in mind that I liked that one. SPVS seems to know more what it wants to be. A lot of good material is mined from both people's lack of patience for waiting for the COVID vaccinations to become available for all and the insanity of Qanon conspiracists. Also, the show does a pretty interesting and nutso job of reintroducing Mr. Garrison, whose appearances over the past few years had become more sparse due to his becoming president and serving as a representation Trump, back into the fold. 

Overall, I recommend this for all South Park fans.

Mr. Mayor- Season 1

 

8/10

In Mr. Mayor, Neil Bremer (played by Ted Danson), a rich retiree with no political experience, becomes the mayor of Los Angeles after a special election. 

This is a pretty funny show. It was created by Tina Fey and Richard Carlock, the ones responsible for 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and were executive producers on the similarly toned Great News. Mr. Mayor has the same combo of smart and silly that made those other shows work. Think of this as 30 Rock but instead of mocking the television industry and New York, it's politics and Los Angeles. The satire is really strong here. 

Admittedly, the show does suffer a little from Fey/Carlock-style fatigue. They have a very similar comic feel in each of their shows. If you've seen a few of them, expect to see joke types recycled. (There's a social media savvy modern gal in this just like in 30 Rock and Great News.) Heck, I think the spinning of the wheels may've factored into Great News season 2's cancellation because people'd grown tired. 

The show can also go a little too broad and goofy at moments. The episode Brentwood Trash is the biggest culprit of this.

Great cast here. Danson does seem to steal a little of the energy he had with his character in The Good Place, but it's not necessarily a bad thing as such comic flair. The most surprising casting is Oscar winner Holly Hunter as Bremer's gung-ho liberal vice-mayor Arpi Meskimen. She lends a unique tone that helps the show. The one with the best material is SNL's Bobby Moynihan as Jayden Kwapis, the communications director and goofy, sad-sack manchild of the the group. I'm glad to see the actor bounce back after his last failed sitcom. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Vella Lovell, is Mikaela Shaw, Bremer's chief of staff and the aforementioned social media person. Having previously made a name for herself playing a deadpan character, it was nice to see she's got range. I particularly recommend the episode Respect in the Workplace, which is a bottle episode. The main cast are mostly in the same room together and get the opportunity to just go nuts and work off each other wonderfully.

Visually this show looks nice. Good lighting and location choices.

Overall, I recommend this. Yeah, it's not Fey/Carlock's freshest show, but it's still one of the funniest shows out right now.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run

 

7/10

In Sponge on the Run, SpongeBob SquarePant's beloved snail Gary (both characters voiced by Tom Kenney) is snailnapped. SpongeBob and his pal Patrick the starfish (Bill Fagerbakke) hit the rode to rescue him. 

This film has its highs and lows. There are a lot of funny bits, including a couple clever ones and a couple that were as delightfully bonkers as found in the previous film Sponge Out of Water. But for every joke that lands, there is one that doesn't and that's often too obvious or has been done before. 

In fact, the strongest bits happen in the middle of the film. The opening starts slow and spends too much time reintroducing us to the characters. The end part just kinda stalls, plus the conclusion is too obvious and feels like it's been done before. 

The script follows the structure of the original SpongeBob SquarePants Movie a little too closely. We got SpongeBob and Patrick on a roadtrip. We have our characters dealing with a god of the seas, King Poseidon (voiced by The IT Crowd/What We do in the Shadows' Matt Berry) this time. The plot involves Plankton's attempts to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula. (All three films have done this last one. I mean, I know that happens a lot in the show but not every episode.) The lack of originality is disappointing given how creative Sponge out of Water was.

The film is further hampered by flashbacks which serve solely and cynically to plug the upcoming spinoff show Kamp Koral. They bring the momentum to a halt. 

The movie looks great. It's entirely in 3D, and the shift from 2D works amazingly well. The animation never goes too detailed and captures the cartooniness that make the SpongeBob designs work. The textures in this are impressive. Plust, the whole thing is colorful to boot. 

Keanu Reeves seems to be having fun playing a wise sage named Sage. I'm glad they brought back Berry, who voiced a dolphin in the last film, He plays an amusingly self-involved antagonist. Sure, Berry uses the exact same voice in every role, but he's downright trademarked the suave-voiced, comical narcissist. I never get tired of him. 

This is the weakest in the SB trilogy. I already mentioned that this doesn't touch the second one. Though the first film suffered from a weak first two acts, it still was more confident in what it was and better paced than Sponge on the Run (which I encourage you to see if you haven't; it's this generation's Yellow Submarine). 

I know I pointed a lot of flaws, but as a whole, this is generally entertaining. The good bits make up for the weak bits. This will probably entertain your kids. And as I said, visually it's definitely something to see.  

Wandavision

10/10

In Wandavision, former Avengers Wanda Maximoff/the Scarlet Witch (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and the Vision (Paul Bettany) move to a small idyllic town  to live in anonymity. But something is very off. The world is operating according to rules of sitcoms throughout the years, including black-and-white episodes and laugh tracks. Also if you saw the end of Avengers: Endgame, there is another large glaring question about this whole situation.

I absolutely loved the show. After the tremendous finale to all the films in the Infinity Stones saga and some main actors exiting, I was afraid that Marvel could've exhausted itself or not know where to go next. Wandavision completely proves me wrong. It is a unique and creative combination of sitcoms and The Twilight Zone. On one hand we get some really spot-on odes to several nostalgic comedies, right down to the styles, sets, filming techniques, and aspect ratios. On the other hand, we get the next big "mystery box" show as we're slowly introduced to what is going on. This is the first MCU to actually go scary (main MCU not the TV branch like Hellstrom). It also givea Inifnity War/Endgame a run for their money for darkest entry. However, the show never quite violates the general audience feel that the Marvel films are known for.    

As weird as the show gets, it never loses the human touch and is actually one of the more emotional entries in the MCU. It's nice to get time to fully focus on Wanda and Vision. They've really only been in a handful of films in which they were never the leads. Yet, the characters were strong enough that you quickly began to root for them. Now they finally get their due. This is primarily Olsen's movie as Wanda, and she absolutely kills it in what is an Emmy-nomination-worthy performance. She nails all the nuances of each acting style of each era absolutely and the emotional segments. Bettany also gives a great performance, though do to a lot of this having him act like a TV dad, he doesn't have as many times to be as eloquent as he has been in the films. (Though when he does, he's wonderful.) Best new face award goes to Katherine Hahn as Wanda's neighbor Agnes. In fact, this show just has a great supporting and recurring cast overall. There are a few faces I'd like to talk about, but I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't heard about them.

I've already mentioned how the show went to lengths to recreate the sitcom feel, but even the non-sitcom stuff looks great. Like The Mandalorian, this show has a large budget and almost looks film quality. Each sitcom includes its own theme song written by Frozen's Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, all which do a wonderful job of fitting their respective time periods. Also, we get a good ending theme and credits, which is a nice surprise in an era where they don't get much love.

Now, some viewers may have trouble with the first few episodes if antiquated television pacing isn't your thing. But rest assured, the show focuses more on the reveals and less on sticking to format as the show moves on. Surprisingly, prime fodder for nineties sitcoms, like Full House or Family Matters, aren't used. Also due to the large number of faces in this, some of the characters don't get enough time as you like. Also, I think that one or two characters' screentime may have been cut due to possible scheduling conflicts or not wanting to take health risks after production was paused due to COVID, which is definitely unsatisfying.

I highly recommend this, especially if you're a Marvel fan.