The New Review - Bullet Train

Bullet Train

Directed by David Leitch

Starring Brad Pitt and many many more

Concept: A man doing a job involving stealing a briefcase filled with $10mil gets caught up in SO much more.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: This a perfectly cast ensemble. Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny(yes, that Bad Bunny), Zazee Beets. And not a single wasted casting. Score: 20/20

Presentation: A very Japanese movie, which is the point. It takes place on a Bullet Train. Includes a few famous songs translated into Japanese. Best thing about the atmosphere is that is takes place on a bullet train. And each car is vastly different. One environment... but many sub-environments. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: The story starts very slow. And that is to subvert expectations. What you think the move is from the trailer... that is how the movie starts. Then you go into the meat of the movie. Plenty of exposition. But each exposit scene is fun. And the 3rd act makes up for whatever slowness the beginning of the movie has. Balanced with all the sub stories going on, and all of them connected, paired with all of the stylistic violence that ALSO tells a story. Like Murder on the Orient Express if Hercule Poirot was played by Deadpool(not Ryan Reynolds... the character DEADPOOL). Score: 28/30

Impact: Based on a book, and you know how book adaptation are: either spot on or not even close. This makes a few small changes, and one big one that just... works better. It shows just how good adaptations can be in the 2 hour movie format. The action sequences prove that the small scale, controlled action of John Wick can work with different mediums AND can work with comedy. The impact of the movie is weighed less from this movie, and more on the John Wick series. It really was the first attempt outside of John Wick to use this style of action. And I'm going to give you a new Term of Entertainment Endearment(which I am going to make a post about): Intimate Combat. Because of that... Score: 22/20

Extra Oomph: The cast... I could talk about bigger parts the whole post, but I am going to highlight 2 small ones. First... I watched this movie twice already. It was until the SECOND watch through that I noticed Karen Fukuhara was the cute snack cart girl. Don't know the name? Katana in Suicide Squad and Kimiko in The Boys. THAT Karen Fukuhara. Yeah. It was a small role, but it was cool that I couldn't tell at first. The second small role... Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny plays The Wolf. An assassin. If you've seen the trailer, you've seen the big fight scene. But the small character backstory exposition, the fight scene itself, and a bit of situational comedy(you'll know what I mean)... I fully believe Bad Bunny could be a GREAT actor if he wanted to be. And I fan cast him in a reboot for Desperado already. Cast Karen in more stuffs... and get Bad Bunny on his movie star track... now. Score: 10/10

FINAL SCORE: 100/100

FINAL GRADE: A++

Conclusion: Yes, Bullet Train does start a little slow with ZERO exposition on Ladybug's behalf. But if your attention span is long enough to get past the small slow opening... this one of the BEST movies I've seen in quite awhile.

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: Go watch it... a few times... and then buy it on disc and/or streaming. And then get a back up copy.

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There is folks... Bullet Train gets a PERFECT score. And it deserves it.

Have you seen it? What do you think? Plan on seeing it?

Comment and share!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Thor: Love and Thunder

Copyright by Disney/Marvel

Thor: Love and Thunder

Director: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale

Concept: Taika's go with Thor, a sequel to Ragnarok. And the 4th in the series. And this one... we get introduced to Mighty Thor, aka Dr. Jane Foster!!!

Slightly Spoilery. That is your warning.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: Hemsworth Thors it up again. You know it. Tessa Thompson with a great support role. Natalie Portman did a great job as the hero. But the highlight of the movie is Christian Bale. His Gorr the God Butcher was amazing. Creepy. The other 3 brought their A game, but Bale brought his A+ game. Score: 18/20

Presentation: Rockin' soundtrack. Bright and colorful. But... equally depressing and dark. And one of the most depressing starts to an MCU movie do far. Straight to the heartstrings. And set a tone that permeates the whole movie. But... the humor, while expected, did take away from the movie a little bit. It wasn't OVERLY funny, like Ragnarok was. But the timing of some of it was out of place. Korg... isn't necessary anymore. Score: 17/20

Chronicle: this is movie with two stories: one for the heroes(Thor, Jane, Valkyrie) and one for the villain(Gorr). The hero story was... happy, positive with a tragic ending. The villain story was dark, depressing with a somewhat peaceful ending. And... that yin yang type works... just know, they feel like two different movies melted together. Not a bad thing... most of the time. And in this case it does, for the most part. The hero side of the story was filled with so many clichés and tropes(but not the one I expected), but it also turned one around(fridging into a hero's death). The villain side... once again, the villain's motivation was justified. But... justified in both sides(the God he worshipped personally... and then the Gods Thor went to for help). The audience understood why. But... methods are what made him a true villain. So... understandable motivations... but despicable actions. A well developed character, portrayed by one of the best actors. Yay to well developed villains. Boo to cramming in too many clichés. Score: 26/30

Impact: Taika Waititi is the first director to repeat in the Thor franchise. And... I was worried going in that Taika would fall into his own trope: overly funny until a serious tone shift. That DIDN'T happen this time. Yes... some of the jokes weren't necessary. But a few were pretty damn good.

"Call the Axe."

"You need to call the dentist." That... worked so well. But the tone was split. Colorful with happy/dark with dreary. And setting up the concept for a sequel. Taika isn't one of favorites when it comes to directors, but because he DID subvert by negative expectations, he is my only choice for the next movie. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: Let's address the negative. And then the positives. The negative... TOO MANY CLICHÉS AND TROPES IN THIS MOVIE. It was a love letter to the 80s action/adventure films. But... that means all the crap with it. And it CAN work. Just don't fill a 1 lb sausage casing with 2 lbs of sausage. It doesn't all fit. And shouldn't. It was cool. But might be too much cool. Make sense? Does to me. But... one tired trope got turned on its head. Fridging. Fridging is a trope where someone dies(usually female)to motivate the hero(like in Deadpool 2). Jane Foster dies in this movie. The power of Thor is accelerating her cancer. She chooses the let the power take the last of her strength so she could help Thor defeat Gorr. She died a hero instead of the motivation(and post credits show he joining Heimdall in Valhalla for it). And that was a great touch. And lastly, I can't say enough about how great Christian Bale was. Easily top 5 role for him(because he has so many great ones). Helps me forgive the movie for the clichés, but doesn't eraae them. Score: 8/10

FINAL SCORE: 89/100

FINAL GRADE: B+

Conclusion: The duality of the movie makes this one a bit different than the other MCU movies. And both sides are equally understandable and tragic. Overstuffed with 80s tropes without being an overly 80s movie, but balanced enough that it doesn't matter as much.

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: Thor Love and Thunder is a pretty good movie with a decently woven story to tell. I was pleasantly surprised. And it is absolutely one of Christian Bale's best roles. As for the movie, I do recommend seeing it, just like most of the other MCU movies. It isn't a top 10 MCU movie, but it is one of the better Thor movies...

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There you have it folks! Thor: Love and Thunder has gotten......... an 89!!!!

Did you see it? What did you think? What would have changed about Jane's death? What would you have done about Gorr's story?

Comment and share!!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Elvis

Copyright by Warner Bros

Elvis

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Starring Austin Butler, Tom Hanks

Concept: Stylized Elvis Presley Biopic. Enough said.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: So, there are really only 2 important cast members in this movie. Austin Butler as Elvis. Tom Hanks as Col Tom Parker. Everyone else is moot. And it was on purpose. It was exactly Elvis's story, it was Parker's. And... it was a weird obsession he had with Elvis. It makes good on the influences Elvis had. So the other characters are important, but not forefront. Tom Hanks was a bit weak compared to what he CAN do, but he made a great villain. And Austin Butler slayed at Elvis, including singing AS Elvis. That was him(for the most part... later in life Elvis had the real thing mixed in with Butler to make him sound older). And everything else that made Elvis the King... Butler deserves at least an Oscar nom. Score: 16/20

Presentation: Let's get this out of the way... Austin Butler was amazing singing as Elvis. Like spectacular. But... the rest of the soundtrack was too modern. TOO modern. And visually... Elvis was an extravagant, flashy individual. So it makes sense for his movie to be... but it felt OVER produced in the first half... and UNDER produced in the second half. Where it needed it, it didn't. Where it didn't need it, it did it anyway. And...... that first half... it almost lost me. It was prevented through the eyes of Tom Parker... and imagine a villain seeing his meal ticket through dollar signs. And... it took me out of that. Score: 10/20

Chronicle: It's the story of Elvis through the eyes of Tom Parker trying to make himself out to not be the villain of the story. Even though it was clear he was the villain of the story. And this twist to it makes the story we know about even more interesting. I learned things I never knew about Parker... that I never knew about Elvis. And... the story had to be engaging, seeing how the mismatched presentation started to lose me. Score: 27/30

Impact: Baz Luhrmann is responsible for writing and directing Moulin Rouge, Australia, Romeo + Juliet, and The Great Gatsby. Out of those 4 movies, I only enjoyed one, and that was Gatsby. And now... add Elvis to that list. But... I still don't think he should've done a biopic. The pieces of the movie(cast and story) were amazing. But it was like watching chess pieces on a flashing LED Chinese Checkers board. This movie helps Luhrmann's portfolio. And I hate that it does. Score: 15/20

Extra Oomph: I'm going back to Austin Butler. Dude... deserves at least an Oscar nom. With the fact that he did his own signing... he was able to encapsulate what made Elvis so special. A one of a kind role... made for a one of a kind piece of Rock and Roll history. No one else could've done this movie. No× one else could've played Elvis in this way. And it redeems the film in a major way. Score: 15/10

Final Score: 83/100

Final Grade: B-

Conclusion: Austin Butler shines. Tom Hanks is creepy. But there are two different halves to this movie. Up to you to determine whether it feels like it is Performance/Presentation or if it was Prime/Pre-Prime.

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 an Elvis stan, go see this. If you are an Austin Butler or Tom Hanks stan, go see this. If you are neither, I recommend seeing it, but wait for disc or digital. Will I watch it again? Yes. But... only because of how great Austin Butler was as Elvis.

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There you go, Folks. Elvis gets an... 83!!!!

If you've seen it, what did you think?

Did I mention how great Austin Butler was in this?

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Sonic The Hedgehog 2

Copyright by Paramount and SEGA

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Directed by Jeff Fowler

Starring Ben Schwarz, Jim Carrey, James Marsden

Concept: Sequel to the Amazing Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Add some Tails and Knuckles, and you get the next step in the story.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: Once again, Jim Carrey slays as Dr. Robotnik. Ben Schwarz made a great Sonic, and he does it again. The addition of Idris Elba as Knuckles and the original voice actress for Tails just makes the package complete. There is less of James Marsden and Tika Sumpter this time around, but that is okay. But... we got more Carrey being Carrey, so that makes his casting still feel so good. Score: 19/20

Presentation: Soundtrack is solid, with remixes of game themes and sound effects ripped from the game too. Visually, you KNOW it will be heavy CG, and there are some moments where the CG doesn't mix well with the physical locations. But nothing that takes you completely out of it, given that we have THREE completely CG Characters this time around. That does the heavy lifting. Score: 17/20

Chronicle: Typical sequel. New family settling in. Typical Dad telling son "you are too young, your time will come" and then the time comes. Solid sequel writing. Motivations for Robotnik are solid revenge notes. Same for Knuckles, but evolution of his motivations was a nice touch. But let's talk about that wedding scene. So... slight spoiler, I'm sorry. Sonic Earth "parents" are going to Hawaii for a wedding. A Sonic Ring gets mixed up with a wedding ring. And Tom needs to swap rings to save Sonic. And it leads to [redacted spoiler]. I can appreciate an unnecessary subplot leading to a way to tie into the main story... and this one included Shemar Moore of Criminal Minds/Soap Opera fame. It just felt off. Didn't hurt the story. But it didn't help the story. But... conflicted because it strengthens the family part... Score: 26/30

Impact: This will be fairly simple. As noted many times on this blog... and nearly anywhere nerd/movie related... we KNOW how bad Video Game Movies suck. But with Detective Pikachu and the first Sonic movie, that is starting to change. But not only do we have a video game movie, we have a sequel. And the general rule is that sequels usually aren't as good as the previous entry/entries. That is NOT the case this time. We has an enjoyable and entertaining sequel. Jeff Fowler has made a GREAT Video Game Movie SEQUEL. And I never though it was possible. Now... let's see if others can get it. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: There are so many sweet references to the game series. The Water references were cool, like Sonic eating an air bubble underwater to keep breathing. Losing his rings when he got in trouble(including Sonic yelling "Oh no. My rings!"). The Robotnik logo looking like game Robotnik logo was cool. But the [Redacted Spoiler] looking like the game character himself... that was a nice touch. But my FAVORITE Easter Egg comes from the Coffee Shop. The name of the Coffee shop is... "Mean Bean". As in "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine", a puzzle game for the Sega Genesis, a westernized version of Puyo Puyo with the Sonic Animated series characters. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 92/100

Final Grade: A-

Conclusion: Entertaining movie for the whole family... and the ONLY example that a Video Game Movie Sequel can be great. This is an amazing movie. And if it really is Jim Carrey's final movie, it was a wonderful way to go out.

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: Definitely go see this movie. Look at the journey for the first movie: horrible reaction to the designs in the first trailer, so they went back and redid Sonic's design... so much support for the first movie, and it was a great movie. Now... we are looking at this sequel being AWESOME. Go see it. This team deserves our support and the movie is worth it. Go see it. They deserve the support. Besides... Idris Elba was fuuuunnnnnnny as Knuckles!

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There it is, folks! Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has gotten...... a 92!!!!!!!

Pretty damn good!

Have you seen it? What did you think? If you haven't, do you plan on it? If not... you should!

Comment and share! Help a dude out!

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Morbius

Copyright by Sony Pictures and Marvel Comics

Morbius

Directed by Daniel Espinosa

Starring Jared Leto and Matt Smith

Concept: Marvel comics scientist searching for a cure for his own condition, but turns himself into a Living Vampire.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: Jared Leto gets too much hate for his Joker. He really does. And... somehow, he is getting hate for this role too. And I saw, it is unfair. Leto did a GREAT job with playing Michael. And I can say...... I would love to see him again in this role. Matt Smith as the "antagonist"... he looked like he was having fun and was a superb counterpart to Leto. A waste of Jared Harris. Tyrese Gibson was okay. And... dammit... Al Madrigal... I enjoy his work. I think he is a funny guy. He should NOT have been in this movie. His delivery and involvement made me cringe. So... Summary... Jared Leto and Matt Smith did amazing. Everyone else... not so much. Score: 12/20

Presentation: Dark, melacholy. Like a story about a Living Vampire should be. And a critic I pay attention to said that the action scenes were so confusing... I disagree. Compared to the first Venom fight scenes(especially Venom vs Riot)... this was SMOOOOOOOOTH in comparison. Some physical CG was weird, but overall, it wasn't THAT bad. The particle smoke effects... I enjoyed that so much. Score: 18/20

Chronicle: So... I will go back and mention that Jared Leto and Matt Smith both did great. And here is why. I am going to bring up the Hulk. The MCU Hulk. The Edward Norton movie is the only Hulk appearance where Bruce Banner was actively trying NOT to unleash the Green Beast, even in bed with Betty. But starting with the Avengers movie, the Hulk was just a super suit(screw you, Joss Whedon). There has been no real repercussions on Bruce's mind. Look at Age of Ultron... he went on a Wanda-Rampage, leveled some city blocks. But... afterwards, Banner felt... embarrassed? Little to no remorse. Same for Stark. But Leto as Morbius, he felt remorse. He didn't want to take a human life. And I felt his pain with it. The opposite of that with Matt Smith. His character showed to remorse because he didn't have any. Great "two sides of the same coin" aspect. But outside of the character building of those two, there wasn't anything special about this movie. Instead of Character Driven... it was character-only. It would've been better as Episode 1 of a mini series. Score: 15/30

Impact: This isn't a game changer. But it isn't a game breaker. Proof that maybe Sony should stop. But at this same time, it was a still a decent horror/hero movie. Not the worst movie I've seen. Not the best movie I've seen. But again... the performances of Jared Leto and Matt Smith might be a great template. I want to see Leto/Morbius in other Spidey-verse movies. Score: 14/20

Extra Oomph: There is nothing here. But it isn't a detractor. I might double down on the waste of Jared Harris. But I would then need to double down are the performances of Leto and Smith. So... let's call it a wash there, but the shorter runtime compared to ALL of the MCU, it is still a win. Score: 8/10

Final Score: 67

Final Grade: D+

Conclusion: The movie overall isn't great. It isn't. But the performances are worth seeing. If I would score it just for those, it would be a B or a B+. But you have to have movie with your roles.

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: It's been awhile since I've said this... DON'T go watch this movie. Wait for digital rental. Or purchase if you are a collector. But I feel it doesn't deserve the in theater support. That being said... Jared Leto absolutely CAN be supported. So... the Final Judgment for the studio is... use Leto/Morbius in OTHER Spidey-verse movies, but this movie doesn't deserve a sequel. If it gets one, learn how to make a movie.

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There it is, folks. Morbius recieves a 67!!!

But remember the performances deserve a MUCH better grade.

Did you see it? What did you think?

Comment and share.

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Death On The Nile

Copyright Warner Bros

Death On The Nile

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Starring Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer

Concept: Branagh adapted another Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot novel. Direct sequel of his first one, Murder On The Orient Express.

Disclaimer: This movie was finished or nearly finished when the Armie Hammer/cannibalism scandal broke. And... there was no way to remove him without reshooting the WHOLE movie.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: Branagh as Hercule will always fascinate me. Even making that accent thick enough that when he gets emotional, it is hard to understand him. And that is beautiful. Armie Hammer makes a great Doyle. Gal Gadot is stunning and regal as Linnet Ridgeway. Supporting cast is pretty solid, and I give props to Letitia Wright for another great performance. Score: 19/20

Presentation: Visually stunning. The set pieces are near perfect, which is pretty great, since there aren't very many of them. Definitely a period piece as much as it is a literary piece. And... one of the low points I had with Murder On The Orient Express, the music. I noticed it this time. I wasn't trying to force it. It was just noticeable this time. And that is a positive in so many ways. I wouldn't listen to a soundtrack, but it sets the scenes and the mood so much more in this film. Score: 17/20

Chronicle: The opening scene giving a full backstory on Hercule's famed mustache and his love, Katherine... it was tragic. The over all story was more predictable than Murder. Which to be fair, isn't Branagh's fault. He adapts his movies to the source material pretty strictly. You won't know exactly how deep it goes, but you'll figure out the culprit(s) pretty easily. Doesn't hurt the story. Doesn't hurt the mystery. It is still very well done.

Of course, there are some small, inconsequential changes compared to the novel: subbing Tim Allerton out for Bouc made it more of a movie sequel, and Salome ends up not [redacted spoiler]. Score: 29/30

Impact: Once again, Branagh gives a masterclass in how to adapt a movie from source material. And I'm not just saying that because he is my favorite director. He is my favorite BECAUSE of that talent. It is why James Pritchard of Agatha Christie Limited trusted Branagh with these projects. The impact isn't just how he adapted the novel, but how a murder mystery movie should be build. Example... Rian Johnson's magnificent Knives Out... I think more original stories should manifest due to the success of Murder On The Orient, Death On The Nile, and Knives Out. We need more of these movies. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: This one... this one. We need to talk about one particular character. Lord/Doctor Windlesham. A well done adapted character. Throughout the movie, I kept seeing him... hearing him. And I thought he looked and sounded familiar, and I just couldn't figure out who it was. And this it hit me... it was RUSSELL BRAND. And he did a wonderful job. He was a main cast member, but dammit. I can't believe I didn't know it was him. Kenneth Branagh did something nearly impossible: he made me LIKE Russell Brand. To the point where I want Brand to tackle more serious roles. Score: 12/10

Final Score: 97/100

Final Grade: A+

Conclusion: Yes... it is a movie from my favorite director. But this movie is evidence of WHY he is my favorite director. A famous murder mystery getting adapted to make a beautiful movie filled with suspense and emotion.

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 like murder mystery movies, watch this movie. It is currently on HBO Max... if you have Max, you need to watch it. Did I say you should watch it? Watch it. It really is that good of a movie.

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There you go folks! Death On The Nile gets a 97!!!!

(Yes... I know... bonus points for making me like Russell Brand)

Have you seen it? What did you think? If you haven't, plan on watching it?

Comment and share.

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - DC's Peacemaker

Copyright to Warner Bros and DC Comics

DC's Peacemaker Season 1

Starring John Cena, Robert Patrick, Steve Agee, and many more.

Created by James Gunn

Concept: After James Gunn did the Reboot/Sequel/Refresher The Suicide Squad, during Covid, he sat down and wrote 8 Episodes of a Spinoff of Peacemaker. What could go wrong?

Execution

Here we go

Cast: There isn't a single casting lost here. Everything is solid. But I have to highlight the following: Steve Agee's John Economos is the every man stuck in the situation, Freddie Stroma's Vigilante was a SCENE STEALER, and Robert Patrick's August Smith was a villain you could hate(and he wasn't the main villain). But... John Cena. I know I made fun of him during his wrestling career. I know I did. But dammit... as an actor... he is a much better actor than Dave Bautista and he is close to the crown that Dwayne has. It was the breakout role for him I was waiting for. And I can't praise it enough. Score: 20/20

Presentation: It's James Gunn. The visuals were crisp. The soundtrack was unique, but fit the feel for the whole season. And that intro/theme song... I didn't know who Wig Wam was before this season... but WE ALL know of them now. My favorite intro in so long. The show is gory filled with great simple set pieces. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: This season is extremely goofy. That was the point. Goofy. Because that is what the character was in Suicide Squad. But... the layers peel back, and you get this seriously sad story about a man that was ruined and manipulated by a father who was abusive AND a supervillain. All of this while being convinced to help take down an alien invasion of massive proportions. But nothing seemed like a stretch. Each time we got a stretch, they figured out how to explain it to the audience. They successfully turned a douchey anti-hero/criminal into a full fledged hero still dealing with a horrifying past, finally getting the help he so richly deserved. John Cena started as a heel, and ended the show with a most epically heroic face turn. Score: 30/30

Impact: James Gunn is James Gunn. He took a barely know Marvel team and made it into one of the most praised MCU movies(Guardians of the Galaxy). He took the Superman origin story and mixed it with Damien from The Omen(Brightburn). And now... he has taken the DC's douchebag Captain America and made him a household name. But even THAT doesn't explain the impact. Peacemaker was more in demand than BOTH Disney+'s Book of Boba Fett AND Netflix's The Witcher. And I feel it is BETTER than the MCU Disney+ shows so far. Yes... even better than WandaVision and Loki. With the condition that Peacemaker is not kiddo friendly. Peacemaker is that good of a series. And has changed the game when it comes to superhero TV shows. Now... Marvel... more seasons of The Punisher would be the only response... Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: The references of other DC characters. Even Green Arrow has been confirmed to be in the DCEU now.

-Green Arrow

-Eclipso

-Bat-Mite

-Doll Man

-Matter-Eater Lad

-Mad Hatter

-Cerberus

-Intergang/Khandaq(references to upcoming Black Adam movie)

-Kite-Man

-The Justice League

-and a sly reference to Sgt. Gorilla

Any more that I missed? Regardless... James Gunn got to put all the references in he wanted to, and that drastically expands the DCEU outside the characters we already know. And that is pretty cool to me. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 100/100

Final Grade: A++

Conclusion: I fucking love this show. Sorry... I've trying to avoid using expletives in since I revived the blog, but this one deserves it(don't worry... the show has MANY more). So glad it got a Season 2. Because it deserves a season 2.

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 haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for?! I cannot stress enough that the show is not for kiddos... but if you are not a kiddo and can promise me you won't expose kiddos to it(or gross them out and corrupt them, who am I to say what you should do? Lol), then watch the show. Watch the show...

Watch... this... show...

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HBO Max and DC's Peacemaker got a PERFECT FUCKING SCORE!!!(That's... two expletives lol)

And it deserves it.

Have you seen it? What do you think? Did I miss a reference? Comment and Share this thing.

Until next time... don't forget...

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and The Unforgiven - 2021 Edition

2020 was wrecked by Covid-19 and the shut down of so many movie theaters(even my local AMC is still struggling for showtimes). But 2021 has been a bit better, and even HBO Max/Warner Bros took the initiative to simul-release all of their titles on the streaming service(sad... we won't have that in 2022).

But because 2021 has been better as it pertains to movies, it also deserves a year end post.

Time to bring back... THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY, AND THE UNFORGIVEN!

For those of you who haven't seen this post before, a brief explanation.

The Good: The Best movie, actor, or moment for the year.

The Bad: The Worst movie, actor, or moment for the year.

The Ugly: The Best Positive Surprise for the year.

The Unforgiven: The Biggest Disappointment for the year.

So... let's get into it... starting with...

THE GOOD: This year is the first year I have given THREE Perfect scores, and thus ALL of them deserve the Good. First one is... Dune Part 1. One of my favorite Sci-Fi books of all time, and the original movie raises some vision questions. There were no questions here. It looks great, the story was presented directly, and it was the adaptation I've always wanted. Expectation were high, and they were surpassed. 

The second one is... Ghostbusters Afterlife. The single greatest Legacyquel released so far. Nostalgia at its finest, yet setting up for a bright future, bringing a new generation in while satisfying the lifelong fans. Harold Ramis would be very proud of it. 

And the third one is... The Matrix Resurrections. Another Legacyquel using it's foundation a competely different way. Mixed reactions from audiences and critics alike, but I personally LOVED this movie. This one took nostalgia down a different path, and utilized it in real time(well, during the movie). Watching Neo try to recover from a nervous breakdown because he couldn't tell the difference between reality and fantasy... and then coming to terms with the fact that his fantasy WAS his reality. The psychological experience and experiments done by the Analyst is deep enough to question the whole first half of the movie. And THAT is why I LOVED it. One moment changed the whole movie(up to the moment and then after the moment). Tonal shifts, when done right, can be the catalyst for a massive pay off or total diappointment(look at the career of M. Night Shyamalan). And for me, this one had a massive pay off.

Honorable Mention: Zack Snyder's Justice League: I loved this version(the only version). Sad that it took as long as it did to get finished. It is a bit long, but worth the wait.

THE BAD: I struggled to find a Bad at first... but boy did I find one during the holiday season. And that movie is... Home Sweet Home Alone. Why did this happen? It didn't need to happen. But it happened. In the original Home Alone movies, Kevin was bullied, picked on, but he still loved his family. He defended his home(and a toy store in the second movie) against a pair of burglars that we the audience had little to no sympathy for. And Kevin, though a slight jerk, he was still the lovable protagonist. This movie...... got the formula wrong. Max Mercer is a jerk, much more so than Kevin. Not a lovable jerk... a tiny asshole. And the burglars, the movie took the time to make them relatable. Some wonderful talent wasted on this movie... all because they forgot the foundation of the franchise.

Dishonorable Mention: Encanto: Sweet story, but it is a boring movie. And I love Disney movies. It might be the Disney Movie in a LOOOOOOONG time that I can't recommend. Boring. Lin-Manuel Miranda makes great music... this is just a huge misstep.

THE UGLY: This one has to go to an actress. Awkwafina. I admit, I'm not the biggest fan of her comedy or how she portrays herself when she is being funny. She feels like a walking Asian stereotype, and I'm not sure if that was on purpose or just part of the schtick... but it's there. But... voice work... she had an AMAZING turn in Raya and the Last Dragon. Almost a heartwarming difference. And I think she would be great in some more voice roles or even some more serious roles. We will see...... but until then, this was great example of what she CAN do.

Honorable Mention: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Marvel has had some success with taking a relatively unknown property and making it interesting. Just look at Guardians of the Galaxy(though I credit James Gunn for it). Shang-Chi has a very cool backstory in the comics(even with the retcons). But he isn't a major player in print. More martial arts epic than MCU movie, it was a nice surprise it worked so well.(Awkwafina is in this too)

THE UNFORGIVEN: This one was very clear... Black Widow. No, I don't think it was a bad movie. It is disappointing for what it represented. ScarJo was finally getting her own solo movie...... but... it wasn't her movie. It was both a family movie... and a passing of a torch movie from Natasha to Yelena. A Black Widow solo movie that wasn't enough about her...... I'm also not saying it was a bad movie... it could've been split up into two movies. "Family"... exposition. "Sister"... exposition. "Villian" exposition. Marvel could've made both of those matter, but they didn't.

Dishonorable Mention: Space Jam: A New Legacy: I thought it was better than the original, but a family movie with so many references from IPs that kids shouldn't watch(like Game of Thrones)...... Warner, you can do better than that! Right?!...... Right?

As you saw above, I struggled to get a Bad in here. And I contemplated omitting it completely. 2020 was bad for the movie industry... 2021 has been great. We got the first GORY Mortal Kombat movie... we got a Ghostbusters Legacyquel that was phenomenal... a proper Dune epic... a few great Disney movies... Zach Snyder got his vision out there for Justice League. The best Spider-Man movie. And a new Matrix movie, that I hope has kickstarted a new trilogy.

Spider-Man No Way Home cracked the $1 Billion mark, globally. First movie to do so since the Covid pandemic era began. And I hope this is a sign of things to come.

2022 looks to have some contenders. And I hope we get some awesome results.

Yeah... I know... 3 perfect scores. And it does feel a bit awkward. At first, I thought it was because I was happy we were back in the theaters again. Happiness over quality. But... really... those 3 movies stand out. Not only this year, but the past few years. 2 Legacyquels with different takes on how a Legacyquel should be done... and a movie that shows that sometimes remakes are necessary.

New IPs are awesome. Classic IPs are awesome. "Hollywood needs to come up with more original movies." Do they though? Some remakes need to happen... (the original Dune was messy as best). Some franchises need to be introduced to new generations. And new original stories are going to come out. Just be happy. Enjoy what you like... let other people enjoy what they like...... but above all else, no matter what movie you are watching(or not watching) or where you are watching it at......

Don't forget...

Happy New Year everyone!!!

ONWARD TO 2022!! I hope it isn't 2020 Part II...

The New Review - The Matrix Resurrections

Copyright by Warner Bros

The Matrix Resurrections

Directed by Lana Wachowski

Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Concept: Going back to the Matrix. Legacyquel for such an innovative franchise!

Execution

Here we go

Cast: As always, Keanu Reeves was breathtaking. Nice to see Carrie-Anne back. The new crew members are amazing. But the highlights are Jonathon Groff and Neil Patrick Harris. All of the performances are wonderful, but those 2 stand out. Score: 20/20

Presentation: Retro and futuristic. Color schemes the original trilogy introduced are still present. The flashbacks were a bit choppy, but it was done on purpose... manipulating the audience. Subliminal throughout. The action scenes felt different, but it parallels the story. All of the action scenes before the climax were indoors, isolated, like Neo through the story. Nice touch. The little details throughout the movie make piecing the story together even better, small clues, blink and you miss it moments. Score: 18/20

Chronicle: Some points in the movie feel like nostalgia in overload(especially the flashbacks). But as I was going through the film, I realized that it was done on purpose. Those were memories as Neo was seeing them, we were seeing them when he was seeing them. The "villain monologue" by Neil Patrick Harris(you'll know the one)... it all clicked for me. The original trilogy was focused around innovation in technology... but this one was a straight up psychological thriller. An experiment of the human mind. I started piecing things together, and any problem I had with the film leading up to it just melted away. I was engaged, and I want to see it again for those pieces. I love those kinds of things. An amazing Legacyquel, and makes me feel better about Reloaded and Revolutions. I really like what Lana was able to, and this deserves bonus points. Score: 33/30

Impact: There are no real technological innovations in this movie, but the workings of the human mind, the manipulation. I felt the franchise is in good hands with this movie, and I can't wait to see how the Analyst and the new Smith take psychological evil to the next level. It wasn't what I expected, but I'm glad. And I hope other franchises take note. Nostalgia is good, but you must use it wisely. And Lana pulled it off beautifully. Score: 19/20

Extra Oomph: It made me think. I love that. This is my kind of movie. Also, an appearance from Christina Ricci always makes things better(*wink*)(even if was just a cameo with one line). We also had a surprise Chad Stahelski(stuntman turned John Wick series director). And...... is that a Telma Hopkins?(checks cast list) it IS a Telma Hopkins!!! See... not all nostalgia is bad. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 100/100

FINAL GRADE: A++

Conclusion: It isn't like the original trilogy. And that is perfectly okay. It also isn't going to be for everyone. If you were looking for technological innovations, you will be disappointed, but this is perfect for anyone into the psychological thrillers.

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: I know this isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I loved it. I recommend this movie to every sci-fi fan, but I also recommend to drop all expectations. This isn't the same Matrix we all know and love. But... it has so much potential going forward.

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There you go folks! I have given The Matrix Resurrections a score of 100!

Yes... I docked a point off Impact... and two off Presentation because of the fight scenes... but I loved the story/psychological aspect SOOOOOOO much, that it deserved the extra points there. So... it isn't a perfect movie, but I fully believe that deserves the rub from me! And the performances were all better than solid!

What did you all think? Aspect of the franchise that is missing? Something unexpected that pleased you? Something anger you? Disappointed? Surprised? Comment down below, share this with the masses!!

And there is my final review of 2021. Hopes that 2022 will have some spectacular movies!

Until then, don't you ever forget...

Happy Early New Year!

The New Review - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Copyright by Marvel/Disney

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

(Long title lol)

Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina

Concept: MCU first Asian led movie, looking at Chinese lore mixed with MCU lore. Like an Asian Thor movie.

Execution

Cast: Simu Liu comes through with the young Asian win. Tony Leung was spot on as Wenwu. Support cast was pretty solid. Only issue I have... is Awkwafina. Like with Raya and the Last Dragon, Awkwafina showed us she can be serious, and she isn't annoying. But when she tries to be funny, she rubs me the wrong way. And... well... she is part of the comic relief. It works... but... still. Walking, talking Asian stereotype. Her saving grace is that Ben Kingsley makes his return and assumes the role of comic relief for the rest if the movie. Score: 18/20

Presentation: I've said this before... Disney/Marvel has this penchant for making things look amazing. Every fight scene seems flawless, set pieces look amazing, the cgi even LOOKED real. Even a CGI Dragon looked real. Soundtrack... well... a little bit of it was distracting. A little. Specifically the song during the scaffold fight scene...... it was awkward. But... still fit the film. And as the fight kept on, I forgot the song was playing still...... Score: 20/20

Chronicle: Overall, I wasn't sure what to expect. I don't know enough about Shang-Chi. And I know marginally more about Wenwu. So... I didn't have much to go on, lore-wise. That being said... I'm gonna first say, if it weren't for the cameos of Wong and Abomination(not spoilers... in the trailer), I wouldn't be able to say this was an MCU movie. It was a martial artist epic style movie. Gorgeous locations filled with emotionally driven fights... all wrapped up with some Chinese lore... mixed with family ties that bind... topped two redemption stories going opposite directions. Sounds like alot, but... it isn't. It just all builds together beautifully. There wasn't a scene in the movie that didn't serve a purpose, either to build a character arc or to connect it to something else important. No wasted time. Ecen the fights... each fight scene told a story, and references the story as a whole as you go along. As I said... Martial Arts Epic... like the MCU take on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon... mixing with an entertaining fight/camera Jackie Chan film. Score: 28/30

Impact: Movie sets up Shang-Chi as an important member of the MCU going forward. Maybe as a member of the Young Avengers? Who knows. But what ai do know that this movie deserves praise for making me start to like Awkwafina. But as a movie, it is also the first MCU movie since Covid to NOT be simul-released in theater and Disney+ premium. It also already shatted the box office Labor Day weekend record, even before actual Labor Day. Plus, the first Asian led MCU film... culturally, that can be important, Shang-Chi definitely showed he can stand within the MCU. I'm hoping those that enjoy the movie but don't know about the character in the comics... I hope it leads to more people checking out Shang-Chi in print. Score: 19/20

Extra Oomph: First all all, dammit... Ben Kingsley's return as Trevor Slattery... makes up for his same role in Iron Man 3. And the inclusion of Wong, though brief, has turned him into more than just an assistant/side-kick... maybe the new Coulson? But... best of all, let's talk about the identity of this movie... so many people were like "why make a movie about this relatively unknown character?" Because, look how well Guardians did? And they were relatively unknown(to most). And then...... the MCU movies are superhero films, but the best of them don't feel like superhero films: I.E. like Ant-Man(heist), Ant-Man and the Wasp(prison break), Winter Soldier(spy thriller). So they made a Martial Arts Epic. It doesn't do it AS well as the examples, but you have an MCU film with a relatively unknown character in a non-superhero style movie. Score: 10/10

FINAL SCORE: 95/100

FINAL GRADE: A

Conclusion: This is a really good movie. I went in with no expectations. Only 2 keypoints I wanted them to cover(was Wenwu the Mandarin we wanted him to be and was there a certain "Space Dragon" in it?... yes, to the first... and no to the second, but we got something just as cool). And what I got was a modern Martial Arts Epic. It was smooth... solid... and even gets away with fridging for a different motivation, while NOT making a forced relationship out of a platonic friendship(at least for now). One of the BEST mid-credit scenes in MCU history. This is a wonderful film.

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 haven't seen it yet, you need to see this movie. Personally, it makes up for my issues in Iron Man 3... and I will even recommend it to those who don't like the MCU, but still like the Martial Arts Epics. Unless you know the MCU references, you wouldn't even know. And there are no REQUIRED MCU movies to see before this one. Remarkable. And fun. Go watch this movie... and if you can, support your local movie theater...... but either way, don't forget to mask up.

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There you go! Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings gets a 95!

While I didn't go in with expectations, I had hopes that it would be at least a good movie. I am very pleased that it was much better than I hoped for. Top 10 MCU for me.

If you've seen it, what did you think? Leave a comment below. What are some suggestions for current or upcoming movies you want to me to check out and review? Leave those below too.

Until next time...

Don't forget...