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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
Glad its over... reboot ready!
This sequel adapts the more buddy comedy formula. Now Jason and Patrick were fine as a pair but every single buddy one liner joke attempted ended as a big failure. I can give the benefit of the doubt and say "writers' strike" but I'm sure a lot of this was improv and I'm afraid it just didn't work. The idea was a good one just not well executed. I can't help but feel like there's no possibility of a sequel so not enough heart was put into this. The pacing was heavily affected by the obvious reshoots which for me was edited poorly. WB needed to man up and either just remove she who shall not be named or just fully include her. You can see she had a bigger role to play in all this and a lot of her content got cut. It really messed with the flow. The action we loved. The decision to have this possessed Black Manta who's able to go toe to toe with Aquaman made for a good story line and excellent fighting scenes. Story wise predictable and pretty boring. The one good thing for me was the redemption arc for Orm. We got to traverse a different side to his villainous past. I personally will miss this version of Arthur Curry. I'm not sure it can ever be matched. I was looking forward to exploring the numerous kingdoms we were introduced to but hey, over to you Mr Gunn. To be honest I wouldn't bother with any DCEU films at this point. The production teams can't be bothered so not sure why we should, well you should... I mean I'm gona watch them, so you don't have to... you're welcome.
Lioness (2023)
A Must Watch!
The show is top notch and its packed with plot points and plot twists. From episode one we are thrown straight into mystery and drama. It carries this very tense atmosphere from episode to episode. Some really big stories that are very enjoyable. From the parents dealing with parenthood dealing racial school issues, under age sex all the way to a deeply married couple working on opposing sides of the battle board whilst maintain their "loving marriage". Joe's relationship battle with her daughter is a stand out storyline which is well paced and told. This show masterfully blends heart-pounding action, compelling characters, and a gripping storyline. The performances by the cast are outstanding, bringing depth and authenticity to their roles. The production quality is outstanding, immersing viewers in the world of covert operations. What truly sets this show apart is its dedication to showcasing the bravery and resilience of women in the military, shedding light on their remarkable contributions. It explores the spirited dilemma between love and the mission. An intense finale which does well to bring all the jumbled pieces together whilst leaving room for more, it more than delivers.
The Continental (2023)
WICKED SHOW
Here they aim to flesh out plots, back stories and potential spin offs and its done well. The main story point being Cormac being the father figure to 2 orphan boys, trained up and turned into stone cold warriors before deciding to go separate ways over a family squabble. Only to be reunited under dire circumstances. It just makes for an excellent foundation story. The series does this parallel story telling around siblings and bonds with trauma and how they manage. You have Frank and Winston, Miles and Lou and Charon and Cormac. Despite the racial differences I don't think it plays on the outcomes. I really enjoyed the show. It was a great decision to create it in this format just to tell a quick story and to add to such an amazing franchise. So many story plot twists well put together. It has drama coupled with the familiar and graceful action scenes we have grown to love and embrace. Not only do I want more stories like this told in this universe, other franchises should also incorporate it into theirs. Highly recommended!
Ahsoka (2023)
Slow start... but stick with it
I loved the series. It was Rosario for me. Her demeanour just gave the show this samurai type feeling harbouring that anime aesthetic. The connection to Rebels worked as I didn't get to complete that series but this show filled in the missing gaps for me. The highlight for me here is the deep dive into the fantasy element of the franchise. Introducing ancient artefacts, witches, magic, legendary swords and most bizarre was the zombies. At this rate vampires and dragons will soon be attending... and I'm here for it. The collection of characters from past to present was an amazing creative decision. The reveal of the big bad is a foot in your mouth moment with the actor chosen to carry that mantle, absolutely terrifying. The finale just rounded the whole show and made it so wholesome with a beautiful and cryptic ending just leaving us the viewers wanting for more. I still struggle with these messed up timelines and just wish we got a simple streamlined narrative.
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023)
Far from the tv show
I liked the film. It was energetic and spirited. A few adult themes centred around confidence, family and friendship which was still simple for children to digest made for a simple and straight forward story. The added theme of superpowers made it fun but also questionable. For me, if they have these powers then why would they need their vehicles still? Hmm. My kids on the other couldn't care less. They were happy to see a super powered Skye that can now fly still get into her jet ha-ha. My favourite characters were the newly added pup recruits. Too cute, cuddly and funny. The movie moves away from the innocence of the tv show. There's a lot more action, destruction, shooting, explosions etc. In other words, if this happens to be your first experience of the Paw Patrol then going to tv shows from this? You're going to really struggle. Compared to the tv show this movie is on steroids with action. My kids loved the film and I feel if it had the marketing budget of the Super Mario film it would have done a lot better. It's a really good family movie which will definitely be repeated a few times in my home.
Castlevania: Nocturne (2023)
I enjoyed!
The writing is where it struggles a bit. The motivations and drive for some of the story plots needed more time and development. Some characters introduced but under used like Juste. Would have been good to see him join in the climactic battle in some capacity, felt like he was just written out. The slavery narrative the story some meat and made it a lot more grounded. What I did like story wise was the African folk tale connection. The myths of African deities like Ogun and other Nigerian gods playing roles in the show. They go as far as even using the Creole language in some parts. The one liners are epic and add to the drama. The action and animation are where its strengths are. Some big blowout scenes and a wicked climatic finale made for a good follow up to the previous but previous still edges it.
The Creator (2023)
Loved It
You hear sci-fi + robots + AI and you just picture all out action, Star Wars Trekky type vibes but its really not the case. There's heart here. There's soul. This is a full-on emotional drama with minimal action and yet you're fully sucked in and attached. The plots around love and romance are weighted and heavy, so embedded in the journey of our characters. They touch on family connections, loss, grief, sacrifice and all. Character interactions like with Joshua and Alphie are engrossing as we see their characters evolve from strangers to family. The story is nice and smooth and comes full circle giving it a very wholesome conclusion. Its garnered comparisons to Avatar with the whole undercover agent turning native which is fair but this does stand on its own 2 feet. It's a story which would have thrived around 20 years ago when the culture was humans versus robots but it still works today.
The Nun II (2023)
Meediiiii
Now, for me, the best parts of the movie were the beginning and the middle, the ending left me feeling a bit underwhelmed.
The horror genre over the last few decades have started to introduce a comedic element in their movies, and the The Nun II is no different.
The balance between suspense and comedic value is just right for this movie, but it kinda makes it more of a thriller than a horror.
The actors believed they were who they said they was, the use of CGI has helped them increase the shock value.
I liked the characters, but as usual, there has to be an element of stupidity in order for the movie to move forward, which had me asking myself "why".... "Why are you going in there and "why are you doing that? " For me, it takes away the suspense notion.
The majority of the movie is set in 1 location A boarding school in France. The cinematography and set come together fairly well. It felt like a small place in the French countryside somewhere.
Overall it was a ok watch, not something I would see again simply because there was nothing new in this movie that I haven't seen before but I think the new generation will enjoy it because it is very modern in the way it is shot.
Sound of Freedom (2023)
VERY IMPORTANT!
What I respect most about this film is the focus on the message. They could have chosen to get real graphic to really rock the world but the censoring is so well done where you get all the nasty feelings without the need to see what happens behind closed curtains. My anxiety was through the roof from the intro scenes all the way through. The thought that this is someones job whilst managing to hold it altogether with his own personal family. His selfless display is inspiring. The back story for each character as to why they are making this sacrifice is amazing with some really well put together monologues which are guaranteed to keep you sucked in. The movie makes me view the world very differently with some quotes that will stick with me forever as I embark on my new journey to be more vigilant in my surroundings to help with the fight against human trafficking. "It's already surpassed the illegal weapons trade, and soon it will surpass the drug trade. Do you know why? You can sell a bag of cocaine once. A 5-year-old child, you can sell them 5-10 times a day, for 10 years straight." Powerful stuff.
The Equalizer 3 (2023)
Media End to a trilogy
I do wish we got to explore more of the chemistry between Denzel and Dakota. The screen time together although was great, was not enough. The marketing material really got us on that. The story is fairly simple and straight forward and doesn't really try to do too much. It has a nice twist at the end which makes it all wholesome and even funny to some extent. With messages pointing at family, support, community and payback... it's a decent action movie bringing the trilogy to an end. I'm not sure if this is a good enough story to end a trilogy but I guess it will have to do. A good watch. It can wait for digital release.
One Piece (2023)
Surprisingly Good
The whole thesis of the show is around family (queue the Dom meme) which made it a feel-good season. The origin flashback scenes are well inserted as their timings were perfect and well connected to the present-day plot. They all seem to have some deep routed trauma which jump started each characters pirate journey so it tries to play on the emotions. The formula of the show is very simple. It's a journey, each episode is a new stop, new characters, new location, new drama, by end of the episode justice is served then onto the next stop. I like it simple. Compared to the anime they managed to fit around 4 seasons of anime into 1 season of live action. Which is proof there are way too many fillers in the anime. A story that gets straight to the point is what we have here and it works. It's an action-packed finale and a wholesome ending that comes full circle, it's worth going through it all before judging.
The Blackening (2022)
Parodies R Back!
It's a hilarious film. The characters bring a lot of fun and energy to it and they are the main heart of the film. It's the ultimate gathering of chief influencers/content makers who I have known over the years actually swimming in their acting bag now, I am very proud of them. It's a film that doesn't take itself seriously so I don't expect anyone else to. Its light in the story department and the stride of the film is quite wobbly in the sense that it just moves along from beginning to end. No back stories, flashbacks etc. The comedy is reminiscent of the same humour of the 2000s spoof movies like Scary Movie, Don't Be a Menace etc. It will be hard for most to digest in this social climate of intolerable imprisonment. For example, the board game host is a "black face" model asking trivia questions about famous black shows which even had me doing calculations and searching my memory banks to answer. Disclaimer: I would have died at round one! There's this neat feature they use which was brilliant. Black people being able to communicate telepathically and it was well utilised you can't help but laugh. They have mini plot points around bullying, friendship, love, relationships, etc. It's a nice touch but again not enough for us the audience to care about. Some jokes hit and some jokes don't, some will get it and some wont. Nonetheless it's a hysterical ride.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
Loved it
It's a very fantastical and entertaining motion picture. They go in with the setting and shots of vast lands, town folk, outfits etc. Unlike Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter etc it doesn't take itself too seriously and that's the charm of it. It just feels like a good fun time. The story is a fairly satisfactory tale. There's a nice balance of comedy and action. The chemistry between the group works. The driving force here is they pushed to market to the masses and not just the gamers and it worked. I don't know the overall plans of the franchise but I'd like to see sequels and interchanges within the band in the future.
Twisted Metal (2023)
More More Please!
It's a dark comedy with a special type of humour which incorporates violence, mental health and a complex love story. The chemistry between Mackie and Beatriz starts slow but blossoms into a thing of beauty. It isn't for everyone but it definitely was for me. The season has a simple formula and doesn't try to overcomplicate things. It's a journey from Point A to B. Each episode introduces a new encounter with a character or a faction. Very simple yet effective. The commitment to the source material with ideas to evolve it is magnificent. For example, as much as Sweet Tooth has come across as a mindless killer over the years, he's made out to be very calculated here. He's prepped and surprisingly very understanding. That's another layer of enjoyment of the series. Granny Dread and Roadkill make a sweet appearance. There's even an easter egg which has John enter a PlayStation code to start his car LOL. I loved it. The finale is ripped right out of the video game and was one dedicated to the fans of the franchise.
Blue Beetle (2023)
Had low expectations but they passed
The highlight of this film is its heart. To do that they made the whole family central to the movie which then made Jaime not feel so much like a main character despite having the suit. There were some big characters that happen to over shadow him. Nana Reyes was hilarious and the MVP alongside Rudy Reyes. So, it added and took away from the film, if that makes sense. I got a bit teary eyed I can admit. The mix of English and Spanish really drove the authenticity of the emotional scenes. They were centred around grief, loss and pain. They were few and they were impactful. Throwing some throw backs in to compliment the past Blue Beetles was pretty cool too.
Lightyear (2022)
KenKen Rejected
This was a very cool and brilliant creative decision by Disney and Pixar. One, none of us saw coming. Build a franchise from within a franchise. Still good for children but has a more serious tone along the lines of "the planet actually needs saving" vibe. No Andy, no Woody, no Mrs Potatohead... so turn away if you came here for nostalgia.
A fresh take, a fresh Buzz. A new Buzz Lightyear we have never met whose clueless, dorky, naieve attitude from Toy Story actually translates directly here to a clued on, experience master soldier. The flip is actually hilarious if you're familiar with the character and the franchise because its actually the same characteristics only this time it has real life meaning LOL.
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Beast (2022)
MEHHH
I'm personally a huge fan of uncle Idris but he's just isn't our next bond. He can't be. Uncs is tired and needs rest. He can feature in the films definitely but to hold out for another 7/8 movies over a 10 year period? It's a no from me. Now lets talk about Beast...
I love a "monster" movie. The idea of a big bad creature stalking folk and picking them off one by one? Thats my thing! The concept of this film, I like it, the delivery? Not so much. Universal have taken some plunges with some franchises and seem to be struggling with their deliveries.
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