Renewed Top 10 - Non-MCU Marvel Works

The next part of the Superhero lists through out this Summer.

If you read the the title, you may wonder what it means to be a Non-MCU work? Well, it could a Fox movie... it could be an animated series... it could be from BEFORE there was an MCU. So there are quite a bit of stuffs to pick a list from.

So... how about it?

Top 10 Non-MCU Works

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Ghost Rider: So... yes, this movie. It is cheesy. There is plenty of awkward Nic Cage craziness. And some forced attempts at horror. And introduced us to Rebel Wilson. But overall, the movie is entertaining AND Peter Fonda makes a great Mephisto. I stand by this movie. Just... don't watch the sequel. Don't do it.

Honorable Mention 2: The New Mutants: New Mutants was wonderful. It really was. An attempt to make a superhero universe horror film. And it worked. It would've been on the list proper if it were a completed story. It was planned for a Trilogy. It was planned to have a HUGE X-Men villain. But due to the acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney, this ended up being the FINAL Fox Marvel movie instead. Unrealized potential is why it didn't make the list proper.

10: X-Men 2 X-Men United: The first X-Men movie was the catalyst for the modern superhero craze. But it was only finding its footing. The sequel, however, stood firm. A man plotline for the story, but seemlessly wove in the subplots. Starting from one of the best opening scenes I've ever seen. Sequels are usually worse. This one is one of the greatest examples of why that isn't always true.

9: The Punisher (2004): Frank Castle will show up more than once here. This time around, he have Thomas Jane at the titular character. Instead of killing his wife and kids, this time around JOHN TRAVOLTA has his entire family murdered. And a few hand to hand fight scene that are fun AND brutal. Not to mention this movie introduced me to the late great stand-up comedian John Pinette. And it was also shot in half the time of a normal action flick. That... is impressive.

8: Spider-Man 2: Tobey... Tobey... Tobey. Engaging story about Peter's PTSD... mixed with a plot revolving around a wonderfully written Doc Ock. Another example of the sequel being better. And... fixed an aesthetic issue I had with the first movie...... ever notice the buildings don't reflect like the should in the windows in the first movie? Yeah......

7: X-Men & Spider-Man Animated Series: So no, this isn't the same show. It is 2 different shows. But I put them together for a reason. Fox was on fire with 90s animated series. And these two had a unique formula... with multi episode arcs, like the comics and outfits ripped straight from the comics as well. They also belong together because they were part of the same animated universe. Comics came to life in these 2 shows.

6: Big Hero 6: Baymax is on this list. Yes, this is a kid-friendly adaption of a Marvel comic. And I... keep forgetting that. It could be because the comics are much less kid-friendly... and this movie is tons better. Unique. Smart. Cute. Makes me cry EVERY time.

5: X-Men Days of Future Past: This was a risky movie. Taking the original X-Men Trilogy and the First Class stories combine. Seemingly natural. Dynamic between the future dystopia and the old school feel. With a great story showing us how branching through time should work. This also had the first Quicksilver slo-mo scene, and THAT alone was a masterpiece.

4: Punisher (Netflix)(Bonus: Daredevil season 2): If I had finished this series yet, I would put it higher. But the fact it is HERE without it being done yet speaks volumes. The BEST live action version of Frank Castle in Jon Bernthal(like Matt Ryan is to DC's Constantine... no one else can play him now). Now... why include Season 3 of Daredevil? Specifically, that is when they debuted this Punisher. And the graveyard scene is by far one of the most emotional scenes Non-MCU or MCU combined(one of...).

3: Logan: The final outing for Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. It felt like a Clint Eastwood epic. Dark, gritty, sad, gory, fun. And it made me cry. Twice. Like a baby. So well written. With an unexpected villain... Logan's own health. And it is responsible to introducing Dafne Keen, the young actress who played Laura. One role is all it took to see she has a bright future(and now she has her own series on HBO called His Dark Materials). Hard R Rating... and it needed it. Logan finally got to be the feral beast we know and love.

2: Deadpool 1 & 2: If there was ever a labor of love in comicbook movies, it is Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds IS Wade Wilson. Even if you don't like comic book movies, this is Van Wilder in Spandex. Gory, funny, 4th Wall Breaking. And 2 DIFFERENT movies. Different writers... different crews. And somehow, it makes BOTH movies better. I don't know what else I can say about Deadpool that you can't hear from Ryan Reynolds himself... so... do that. And watch those movies. Unless you are a kid. Then no. These movies have a HARDER R than Logan. Yes... I mean it. Not for kiddos.

And the Number 1 Non-MCU Work...

(After that last one, WHAT could be better?!?!)

1: Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse: From the people who brought us Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, this is a MASTERCLASS in animation. So much so... it won an Oscar for it. Beautiful colors, glitchy twitches that told the story, and speaking of story... it focuses on Miles Morales and not Peter Parker. Juggled a coming of age story with an origin story with a multiverse story. And... never dropped one of them. Introduced multiple versions of Spider-Man... making a unique origin for each, without throwing up all over Miles' story. Including voices from Nicholas Cage, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Mahershala Ali, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber, and a BREAKOUT performance from Shameik Moore... this is one of the BEST animated movies I've ever seen... and a surprise Oscar Issac alluding to his involvement with the sequel. It stands out. Watch it.

And there it is. The Top 10 Non-MCU Works.

Any you think I missed? What do think about the ones that made it? Comment and Share...... and above all else... watch them if you haven't.

Part 3 of many is down.

Renewed Top 10 - DC Animated Works

The counterpart to the Previous Top 10. I felt animated needed to be separated, because as mentioned before... Marvel might beat DC in Live Action, but DC kills it in animation overall.

So how about a list for that?

Top 10 DC Animated Works

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: WildCATS: A different team, now a part of the DC Universe. It was during the wave of meaningless animated adaptations. Many people missed this. Something that felt familiar but felt different. And it was a great one.

Honorable Mention 2: Static Shock: DC Morning animation gave us this gem. Set in the Justice League shared Universe. This was DC's Spider-Man series. It was. Teenager who ends uo with powers now has to juggle that with high school life. They even tackled a school gun violence episode.

10: Justice League Dark: Animated DCAU movie centered around Matt Ryan as Constantine forming a magical team... with Batman. Animation on point. Story was well done. And Boston Brand being funny. It was a pretty good introduction to the magical portion of the DC Universe.

9: Batman The Brave and the Bold: Cartoon Network gave us this series that was as cheesy as the Adam West 1966 series. With Diedrich Bader as the voice of Batman. It was episodic, each one being its own story. And entertaining as it was goofy.

8: The Death and Return of Superman: Technically called "The Death of Superman" and "The Reign of the Supermen", buying them together in a set, it is called that. They did the truncated version in the infancy of this studio, and it was... okay. So we had a version in DCAU. And it is wonderful. Of the comic stories, this is near the top of the crop. Iconic story... done beautifully through animation.

7: Superman the Animated Series: When this series came out, I had one HUGE hang up about it. Clark Kent was way too solid. He LOOKED like Superman in a business suit. And it worried me. But one iconic theme later, and we have the definitive Superman animated series... that ended up leading to the definitive Justice League series(which makes this list too). Besides... Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor was SPOT ON.

6: The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 & 2: This is the Frank Miller Batman story of Frank Miller Batman stories. Set in the future, Batman comes out of retirement... and attacts the attention of the US Government. Peter Weller gives Bruce that weathered, but still bad ass in his old age. Besides... killing Conan O'Brien is satisfying. If you've seen it, you get it.

5: Flashpoint Paradox: So this movie in the DCAU presents us with the first Flash story I gave any damn about. Heartbreaking, ingenious, and a surprise Michael B. Jordan. It was brilliantly adapted. Also... it introduced audiences to the team that USED to be the WildCATS, complete with Grifter. Give me a movie centered around them... now please.

4: Batman Beyond: Many people are going to moan that this should be higher on the list. And maybe for you... but wait until you see the top 3. This was futurist take on Batman, set in the future of the Batman the Animated series. Some of the stories were weak... sure. But the overall feeling of this series is truly timeless. Different takes on old Batman villains(like the Jokerz gang), new villains. And tech galore. It was a different series. A different Batman. And it felt good.

3: Justice League/Justice League Unlimited: These are essential the same series from the people that brought us Batman: the Animated Series, Superman: the Animated Series, Static Shock, and Batman Beyond. The ultimate team up facing universal threats. What is the difference? Justice League focused on the main seven: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Jon Stewart Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter. The Unlimited series made the audience realize there were other heroes in the DC Universe. The main seven are there, but more focus was put on the others.

2: The Killing Joke: The FIRST Rated R movie in the DCAU, it adapted one of the best Batman graphic novels off all time. Some people were pissed that the first part was there. For those not aware, we had an intro with Batgirl. It was necessary. Batgirl hadn't been in ANY other DCAU movie... and she is integral to the Killing Joke story... anyway... I digress. This story centers around the now confirmed origin story for the Joker, and the One Bad Day. With a bonus of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill from Batman TAS doing their voices for Batman and Joker respectively.

And the Number One DC Animated Work is...

1: Batman the Animated Series: What else was it going to be? The definitive Batman animated series. Led to Superman TAS and Justice League. In the same "mood" as the Tim Burton movies. Dark, noir, moody, episodic. With the Batman/Joker duo of Kevin Conroy/Mark Hamill... that is STILL relevant today, even through the whole Arkham games trilogy. Even AFTER the weird animation switch, it was still entertaining. Plenty of guest voices, including Ron Perlman, Melissa Gilbert, and Roddy McDowell. Also... this series changed the COMICS forever in two HUGE ways: the debut of Harley Quinn AND changing Mr. Freeze into an antagonist that we can feel for. Plus that theme/intro... it is playing through my head right now... this spot also includes the movies "Mask of the Phantasm" and "Batman/Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero".

There is the list. Did I miss any that you loved? I know a few I love didn't make the list. So I'm open to it. Tell me in the comments other DC animated series you love or DCAU movies you thought were awesome!

Share the post.

Share it.

Part 2 if this journey is down. Stay tuned for the next one.

Renewed Top 10 - DC Live Action Works

I have this big plan for some lists, and you all get to go on this journey with me.

This is the first of a series of lists, leading up to the Top 10 and Bottom 10 overall Comic Book movies toward the end of the Summer. So look forward to that, if you would.

The only way to get there is to take the first step.

So here... we... go...

This Top 10 list is going took at live action DC properties. Movies AND TV Shows. When it comes to DC vs Marvel, DC tend to have the animation down, but falters in the live action department. Even with that fact, DC HAS put out some wonderful live action stuff.

So I'm going to share with you my favorites.

Enjoy...

Top 10 DC Live Action Works

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Batman (1966): The classic series made during the Silver Age of comics. Not violent if could help it. Overly cheesy. BIFF! BAM! SMACK! And it gave us the icon known as Adam West. That makes it great. RIP Mayor West.

Honorable Mention 2: Constantine (2014): This NBC series depicted John Constantine almost perfectly. Solidly paced... but some how it got cancelled after 1 season. Maybe because it was in a horrible TV spot(Dracula was put in the same spot... 1 season). But it made enough of an impact, at least Matt Ryan did, that this Constantine got an animated spin off, he was added to Legends of Tomorrow, AND Matt Ryan is the voice in the DC Animated Universe.

Honorable Mention 3: Superman & Lois (2021): The newest of the CW DC Series, it is a Superman game changer. Not an origin story for Superman. Set after Clark and Lois have teenage sons. Good story so far with so much potential. We will see if they don't screw that up.

10: Swamp Thing the Movie (1982): Directed by the Legendary Wes Craven(yes, THAT Wes Craven) pre-Freddy Krueger. This was campy... very campy. But it took a character that wasn't well known in the comics and turned it into a cult hit B movie series. I have very fond memories of watching this movie AND the series that followed. My uncle and I watched this. And... Dick Durock made it creepy.

9: Smallville: The DC CW series BEFORE The Arrowverse took shape. Follows Clark Kent through the formative teenage years. It had some low points, but Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum have the best Clark Kent/Lex Luthor dynamic I've seen in any Superman property. It also had a wonderfully fresh take on Doomsday... even if the suit they used sucked. I enjoyed the first 8 of the 10 seasons. Go check it out.

8: Batman (1989)/ Batman Returns: Tim Burton is famous for making dark moody movies. So here comes his take on Batman... who was dark and moody. But he had this idea. He took an actor famous for comedies and put him in the suit. Critics chided him for it. And... it worked. Still one of the most iconic Batman actors to this day. And I put both of his movies here because as awesome as Jack Nicholson was as The Joker, the Penguin/Catwoman dynamic was epic in the same ways.

7: The Flash series(2014): Here we have the show that turned CW's Arrow into the Arrowverse. I didn't know what to think about this show at first, but it turned out to be entertaining. Grant Gustin just... worked. And bringing in such a great actor like Tom Cavanaugh as Harrison Wells, a character they have molded into whatever they need to steal the show. I admit, I tapered off the show and I WANT to go back and catch up. But... the first 2 seasons were gold... so much so, I need to say this. The Flash Season 2 is my favorite season of any superhero TV show of all time. The villain Zoom is so well written, I'm glad I got to experience it.

6: Watchmen: Who Watches The Watchmen? I do. My favorite graphic novel of all time. Changed my way of thinking. It really did. So when I saw Zack Snyder was tackling it, I got excited. Perfectly cast across the board. Shot for shot ripped from the novel. But... in the graphic novel has 2-3 panels of Dr. Manhattan penis. Somehow, we got roughly 30 minutes of electric blue penis. Electric... blue... penis. Kudos to Billy Crudup... for... that.

5: Swamp Thing series (2019): I don't want to say too much, because this pissed me off. It was such a good series. Cut short due to money mismanagement. It was scary, the storytelling was better than solid. Perfect homage to the originals... but an even better homage to the comics. Worth the watch. I hope the CW experiement saves it.

4: Superman II Richard Donner Cut: Before pining for the Synder Cut was a thing, the Donner Cut was a reality. Christopher Reeve is an icon. And Superman made everyone believe a man could fly. But this sequel took everything that made the first movie great and made it all legendary. All because of a truly terrifying villain. General Zod. Terrence Stamp aggressively declaring "KNEEL BEFORE ZOD" is ingrained in our minds.

3: Joker: A artistic film representation of a man shit kicked by society's ascension into the Clown Prince of Crime. Noir without being noir. Smart without being too smart. And it doesn't hold your hand through exposition. Hints at something bigger, while still being VERY contained. Capped off by a performance by Joaquin Phoenix that got his that well deserved Oscar. This was a masterpiece of filmmaking. Watch it. But not for the kiddos.

2: The Dark Knight: The Nolan trilogy. Christopher Nolan, famous for his over the top fantasy style of film making decided to flip it... and make a Batman Trilogy that was very grounded in reality. Nearly everything in the trilogy was designed to make the viewer think it was possible in real life. Giving very real explanations for the tech. And of these movies, The Dark Knight was special. As amazing as the Joker movie was, this movie here gave us the definitive live action Joker performance. The movie is overall amazing, but Heath Ledger's Joker is THE reason to watch the movie(getting the Oscar for Supporting Actor for it)...... and even then, I would put Aaron Eckhart's performance at Harvey Dent/Two-Face over that. Yeah. I said it. That is how good those two were in this movie. And a testament to how great the movie was overall.

And the Number One DC Live Action Work is......

1: Zack Snyder's Justice League: So before anyone accuses me of being a Zack Snyder fanboy, he isn't even in my top 5 for directors. He is responsible for one of my least favorite movies of all time: Sucker Punch. But this... this was a cinematic masterpiece. The culmination of his vision, his hard work, the dedication of the fans wanting to see this come to fruition after the piss-poor Whedon Cut failed to satisfy us. We knew it could be more than it was. Then Warner announced it, gave extra money to Snyder to make it however. And what we got was 4 hours of a weaved story, doubling down on Ben Affleck being the best Live Action Batman... while introducing us to The Flash and Cyborg, making them MAJOR players... equals to the Trinity and Aquaman. Along with building a ferocious villain, and more than a glimpse of the end-all villain this one bends to knee to. Solid pace. Good story. And action sequences worth the wait. This is the pinnacle of what DC could be.

There is the list. Tell me what you think. Share it so others can tell me what they think. Any I might've missed? Have you own? Let me know in the comments.

Part 1 of many. So stay tuned.

2021 Preview - Pandemic Screwed It All Edition

Credit goes to the Late LEGENDARY Dave Fleischer, co-owner of Fleischer Studios, along with his older brother the even MORE LEGENDARY Max Fleischer. If you don't know who they are, look them up... you might find a piece of your childhood...

ON TO THE CONTENT!!!

Those of you who followed the old blog will remember that I used to do a preview post at the beginning of the year. Well, surprise... COVID... and the fact that I was still on "hiatus". But I restarted this blog due to wanting to perosnally... and that it feels like the movie theaters are starting to go back to normal. Finally. So I decided it was the perfect time to do a preview post. I kinna like the format of the Top/Bottom 10 lists, so this will be my Top 10 list for movies that I'm wanting to see for the remainder of this year.

Before we get to this list, I want to share something with all of you. I have been missing the feeling of going to the movies. I'm so glad I've been able to go again. But why did we have to get to this point? COVID...

Please. If you haven't gotten your Covid shots, go do so. If you aren't going to due religious reasons, health reasons, or personal reason... at least wear a mask. And if you can't or you refuse to do even that... please stay home until it is safe... and if you are petulant enough to whine about do this because you don't care about your fellow human being, bring it on!!! Meet you in the theater parking lot, bitch!!!!!

This isn't a political matter. This is a Protect our People matter. Democrat. Republican. White. Black. Latino. Straight. LGBT.(if there is anyone I missed, I'm sorry... trying to be inclusive) We are all a part of one of the greatest groups in the world... the audience. A light smattering of people? Cool. A packed theater? I miss those. My people. Our people. Don't ruin the experience for anyone else... or We the Audience will shank you...

Masks work. If you don't think they work, find one that works for you. That is what I had to do, took a few different ones to get the right one for function, comfort, and safety... and it will now be a part of my winter attire from now on(keeps my face so warm when it is cold outside!!!!!)

Sorry... I Digress...

Be safe. Play safe. Go the movies and stay safe. Be mindful of your movie neighbor... they better be mindful of you. And let's have safe trips to the movies!!!!! WATCH ALL DA MOVIES!!!

And Let's All Go To The Lobby!!!!

We are so close to getting things back. Don't screw it up...

Still with me? Good... let's get to it!!!

There is the "PSA". Now... for the list...

Enjoy.

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Here it is... the Preview Post for the rest of 2021. Any dates posted will be considered Tentative, just in case the stupidity spreads again(don't screw it up).

Honorable Mention 1: Black Widow - July 9th: Solo film starring the MCU's hot ginger assassin. This would go in the list, but pushing it back cause it to lose its luster for me. I still wanna see it. But it doesn't matter as much as it did.

Honorable Mention 2: The Matrix 4 - December 22nd: The 4th movie in a franchise that redefined what action should be. This doesn't make the list for a couple reasons. One, not sure if the date is staying in 2021. Two, not sure I wanted a 4th one. The last 2 were hot garbage... but they closed the story. But more of Keanu Reeves kicking ass? Okay... I will watch it.

Honorable Mention 3: No Time To Die - October 8th: What is supposed to be Daniel Craig's last James Bond movie. Honestly... I don't really care. Bond is beloved by so many, but I've never been a dedicated fan. There have been more stylised Agents/Assassin types in recent years... Jason Bourne and John Wick come to mind... but I am interested because Rami Malek is the Bond Villain, and Rami is one of my absolute favorite young actors. So... we will see.

10: Free Guy - August 18th: If you read my list about Movies Inspired by Video Games, I have higher hopes for this one. But I got all the synopsis wrong. Go watch the newest trailer. Oh... Ryan Reynolds.

9: Candyman - August 27th: One of the greatest horror/slasher franchises has come back from the dead. And this time, it looks like a better twist is coming(go watch the trailer). Also... bonus... Tony Todd is back. One of the creepiest voices in horror!!!

8: Spider-Man: No Way Home - December 17th: The 3rd of the MCU Spidey movies, this one is looking to be a greatest hits of sorts. Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, and Willem DaFoe are all back for this one. Villains from the others Spidey franchises. Hopefully this works out.

7: Halloween Kills - October 15th: Anticipated sequel of the long removed sequel of the original Halloween. This last one was so damn good, it was a nice surprise to find out we were getting TWO more. Well, one more after this one.

6: The Addams Family 2 - October 1st: Sequel to the amazing animated movie from a few years ago. Animation honoring Charles Addams work, voice cast filled with LEGENDS. The only issue I had with the first one was run time. It should've been longer. Here's to hoping this one is.

5: Venom: Let There Be Carnage - September 24th: Sequel to the unexpect hit featuring everyone's favorite black sludge... but without the Spidey connection. It was corny, cheesy, and funny. A welcome addition to the superhero genre. Tom Hardy nailed it... now... we add Woody Harrelson to the mix. I'm just hoping that Woody calls Tom "Dad" just one time. I NEED to hear it. If it happens... that movie instantly gets bonus points.

4. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - September 3rd: Crounching Tony, Hidden Bucky!! The MCU is finally doing an Asian Martial arts film. Using a character with one of the weirdest(but unusable) origins. And we finally get the REAL Mandarin! Only downer is... Awkwafina. I know I had HIGH praise from her work in Raya and the Last Dragon. But... voice work. This isn't animated. So let's home she doesn't over do it.

3: The Suicide Squad - August 6th: The Non-Sequel, Non-Reboot directed by James Gunn. I love James Gunn. And this has a cast of characters that are even larger than life than the first movie. And with the spin off mini series coming, this could be a HUGE opportunity for John Cena. I really liked the first movie... even have respect for Leto's Joker. But this one looks like it will blow us all away.

2: Ghostbusters: Afterlife - November 11th: Loooooooooooong awaited sequel to the originals. No Egon, but we get his grandkids. And a Paul Rudd. Looking forward to this due to Ghostbusters being an AWESOME franchise, including two animated series AND one if the greatest movie tie-in games off time. Hopefully it doesn't break my heart. Another bonus... more Finn Wolfhard. He has a promising career left to go!

And my most anticipated movie for the rest of 2021......

1: Dune - October 1st: Technically, this a part one. But they haven't said that yet. But it is. Based off one of my favorite sci-fi book series. AND a remake of a LEGENDARY Sci-fi movie classic(with Sting too... the musician, not the wrestler). I honestly thought it would never get remade. But here we are. And I know alot of people are angry at the thought of movies getting remade("Why can't they come up with anything original?"). Hollywood comes up original movies. They still do. But sometimes... a remake is worth it. Maybe a movie would've been better with more polish special effects, for example. Our technology is MUCH different than it was when the original Dune movie was made. A remake takes NOTHING from the original and fans of the original. But a remake can introduce the stories to a new generation. A remake is a good thing about 98% of the time. And this one... will take the spice... because...

He who controls the spice controls the Universe!!!!!

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There is my list for movies I'm most looking forward to the rest of this year. There are a few more, but this is the list. Hopefully the dates stay the same...(don't screw it up).

Are there any I omitted that you want to see? Are there any on this list you are looking forward to? Please leave a comment. Share your thoughts. And Share this post.

There will be more content soon, so please stay tuned.

Hope to see you AT THE MOOOOOVIES!!!!!

P.S. Don't screw this up. Be safe. And enjoy the show...

The New Review Renewed - Cruella

Copyright for the logo belongs to Disney

The New Review

Cruella

Cast: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Mark Strong

Directed by: Craig Gillespie

Concept: Explore the backstory of the Villainous Villainess of the timeless Disney animated classic, 101 Dalmatians.

Execution

Cast: Emma Stone IS Cruella. Emma Stone owns. Nearly EVERY role she takes on. Same can be said of the Uber-Villain played by Emma Thompson. You learn to hate them quickly. Support cast feels like they were pulled directly from the Animated movie. And... surprise Mark Strong is surprise Mark Strong(though, if I looked at the cast beforehand, I would've known). The only casting question isn't a question from me. They changed the races of Anita and Roger. And... it is a welcome change. Their races in 101 Dalmatians doesn't matter as much as the occupations and how they were connected to Cruella. And that...... is ever present. (Side notation at the end of the review)

Score: 20/20

Presentation: It's a live action representation of Disney's London. And it is drab... dreary... depressing. Like it came from a Tim Burton movie. For a more kid friendly "The Devil Wears Prada", the fashion choices were superb as well. Soundtrack was wonderful. Great covers backed by Disney doing Disney stuffs with their music. It's the Disney standard of Presentation.

Score: 20/20

Chronicle: This is the backstory of Cruella DeVil. Devilish Fashionista villain of 101 Dalmatians. Quite a few villain backstory tropes: surprise parental reveal, underdog kicked around story. But where it sets itself apart from the tropes is sympathy. Usually in these types of stories, they try to make you sympathetic to why the good person went bad...... that doesn't last long here. They didn't leave room for that. You genuinely dislike Stella/Cruella. And you're meant to. It's a story of how a bad kid becomes a worse adult. No redemption arc. At least in the traditional sense. The movie is smooth, but in places feels long. And while I give credit to how they weaved in the relationship between Stella with Jasper and Horace, they did that weaving too much with Anita and Roger, within them being major characters. They were always connected to Cruella... but this much? That is just another trope they hit. A couple of really good twists to traditional tropes... like the parent reveal. I thought they were going somewhere else. Glad I was wrong... but... might've untwisted that one. And it closes leading into what is the story for 101 Dalmatians... all the set up... for all the previous payoff. Too many Disney tropes... too many backstory tropes. But enough to set it apart. Immersion so well done, I almost forgot I was watching a SPECIFIC Disney movie... until the Extra Oomph...

Score: 25/30

Impact: Disney has had some hits AND some misses when it comes to adapting to live action. This one is on the hits side. Showing how to make a villain backstory... without adding sympathy into the mix(I'm looking at YOU, MCU). It doesn't break the mold. But it does make it's own. And... while it is really good thing, I'm afraid that Disney might run with it for villains we DON'T need the backstory for... does worry me.

Score: 17/20

Extra Oomph: So... the realization moment. No spoiler if you've seen 101 Dalmatians. Anyone remember WHY Cruella was a villain? What was her plan?....... if you said dognapping Dalmatians so she could make a fur coat out them, you would be correct. I... forgot. I legit... forgot. This movie MADE me forget. And then the impromptu fashion show in the park scene. The Baroness sees Cruella's coat... exposits the "did she kill my dogs(Dalmatians)?" And the scene... as it protrayed by FACIAL expressions alone(look at Jasper), the movie thinks Cruella did. I KNOW I felt my face go pale... "oh my god, did they actually do the dog murder in this Disney movie!?!?!?!" She didn't. Breathe easy. But dammit, I couldn't believe they pulled off this kind of bait and switch in a Disney movie. Animated... you wouldn't think about it. But live action made it feel so different. And THAT makes for a unique "Holy Shit" moment for the adults. Disney went there.

Score: 10/10

Final Score: 92/100

Final Grade: A-

Conclusion: This is a real dark, drab, wonderful movie. Some parts made me feel like Disney didn't make this movie. And while Disney is AMAZING at what it does, losing yourself in some of their movies is where they need to dive into more. Immersion win for the win.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: WATCH THIS MOVIE! Watch it. Go see it. Pay for it. Go see it. For the string of live action adaptation style movies from Disney, this one is one of the best. Top 2. Easily. Unlike Raya and the Last Dragon, this is a movie for movie watchers too.

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Cruella. It was a great movie. Disney strikes. Goes for blood. And it feels good. It gets a 92.

Side note: Emma Stone is an A lister. One of the best in Hollywood. Very talented. One of my favorites. Emma Thompson is an absolute legend. There is this feeling of allegory in this movie. Almost a passing of the torch. See the movie. Get it... understand it.

Tell me what you think. Leave a comment. Share the post. I wanna know what you all think!

Disney went for blood. It got it. BETTER Disney strikes again!!!!

Again!!!!

Again......

The New Review Renewed - Raya and the Last Dragon

Copyright for the logo goes to Disney

The New Review

Raya and The Last Dragon

Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan

Directed by: 4 of them

Concept: Asian themed Post apocalyptic story about a Girl trying to save her world with the help of the last living dragon.

Execution

Cast: Kelly Marie Tran needs to do voice acting. She really does. I didn't realize it was her. Disney did a great job of casting Asian actors to voice Asian characters. And let me go on record saying I'm NOT an Awkwafina fan. She annoys me. But her turn as the Dragon Sisu was quite impressive. The usual Disney side humor cannon fodder was present, but Awkwafina was NOT one of them. Awkwafina is an Asian stereotype come to life... but she DEFIED that in this movie. But that is where is ends. None of the other characters were memorable. Funny. Interesting. But NOT memorable. And Disney is famous for memorable characters.

Score: 14/20

Presentation: It's a Disney movie. Disney movies are animated masterpieces. That is what it is. The score. The difference in visuals in the difference regions. Flashy. Beautiful. This is what Disney does. And... that is all anyone needed to say.

Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So... this is the downer. The story is good. It really is. Girl gets responsibility to protect world. Dad trusts wrong people. World gets destroyed. Dad "dies". Girl finds way to save world. Meets ragtag friends along the way. Um... it's a Disney movie. Cookie cutter is cookie cutting. Even though it feels different... it doesn't as much. The story arc that wins is the evolution of Sisu and the different powers she gets along the way. Each time she gets one, she exclaims that "this power is this sibling's power". That is the REAL story building in this movie. And the Closing of the movie reflects that. Raya doesn't save the world. She passes the responsibility to someone else(NOT Sisu... no spoiling here). And once the world is saved, you get closure for Sisu... but while Raya gets hers, it doesn't feel as important. It is a smooth story, but not fully supported. Not like it should've been. Like a beautiful crystal ball held up by twigs. The story is nice... but the focus feels half-baked.

Score: 21/30

Impact: Asian representation for the win! Disney really does do it's work. Researching lore, casting for their roles for these types of movies. It is on point. But even with this... it still FEELS like the others. That is a good thing for the kids. As it should be. The Disney formula. It works. But overall, it still doesn't feel like it fits among the top Disney stories.

Score: 15/20

Extra Oomph: 100%... Awkwafina. I know I stressed on it so much already, but it DOES make that much of a difference. Of the handful of roles I've seen of hers, this one is the best, at least... my favorite. If I were her, voice acting may be for her. Awkwafina is a living Asian Stereotype Caricature. And so have been her live action roles. But this one broke that mold for her.

Score: 10/10

Final Score: 80/100

Final Grade: B-/C+

Conclusion: I did like this movie. I really did. But... I was also a bit bored with it. I might have to watch it again. And I WANT to watch it again. But it was too cookie cutter for Disney. I get it... I really do. But I was able to predict how the movie was going to end within the first 30 mins. And... that isn't MY idea for a fun time. Regardless... Awkwafina.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: If you are a huge Disney Stan or have some kiddos, then I recommend buying this movie. There is potential for enjoyment here for repeat viewings for Stans and Kiddos. But if you do not fall into those categories, I would still recommend a rental. But would not be hurt if I found out you didn't see it. Disney written all over it...... and sometimes, it is TOO Disney. And here we are.

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And there is it. My first review in years. I missed this, but just couldn't get it going. But hopefully I got this.

Raya and the Last Dragon gets an 80. Not mind-blowing, but safe. And that is what matters.

Tell me what you think. Share this post... I wanna see what others think about it.

Stay tuned. A review for Cruella is incoming. Look! It's Disney again!!!

Again...

The New Review Revisited

If we are going to get new reviews, I wanted to explain the slightly streamlined format... as compared to the old format.

So... this is what to look forward to.

Cast: This will be taking the places of Cast and Characters from the old format. Why have two separate categories and scores? I focused on the who and the who they played. But separate. Now they will be combined. Because I want to have a similar scoring system, combining these two also combines their weight. So Cast will have a score out of 20.

Presentation: This will be taking the places of Visual and Sound. These two are just as important to my opinion as anything else. A good soundtrack or lack thereof. A beautiful visual presence or too dark to see anything. Audio and visual ARE the Presentation. It will also have a score out of 20.

Chronicle: This will be the combination of three previous categories: Story, Flow. Closure. The story is what the movie is trying to say, the... story. Closure is how the story ends, how the movie ends, any tied up loose ends. And Flow is how the story gets from beginning to end. This category is the most important, and as it is the amalgamation of THREE previous ones, Chronicle will have a score out of 30.

Impact: This will be taking the place of Substance and Legacy. In the old format, Substance was whether or not the movie was what it was supposed to be. If it was advertised as a scary horror flick, but I laughed through the whole thing instead... that missed the mark. But... as compared to what? That was what Legacy was. Either the movie compared to others in the same genre or compared to the original version(in the case of a reboot/remake) or compared to the source material(if based on books/comics/etc). And that Legacy is WHAT would be the benchmark for Substance. Score will be out of 20.

Extra Oomph: This category is staying. This would be that little necessary or unnecessary thing that might set the movie a part from the rest. Or maybe it DOESN'T need this. For example, how X-Men First Class was also a decent period piece or how Drax is basically Autistic, and some kids indentified with him. As always, this will be out of 10.

That is the new format.

Now... let's get this going!!!

Wish me luck. I need some support! See a post... comment... share it. Let's go!