Tag Archives: adventure

Series Reviews

Series Review: Barry (2018)

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With the third season of Barry coming to a close, if you haven’t started watching this series, now is the perfect time to start. Season three is unfolding into the most insane and frustrating journey put on a reel, and I absolutely love every minute of it. For those of you who don’t know, Barry is a dark comedy about a hitman who no longer wants to kill people. Barry is one of the best in the business, but his life is unfulfilled. This all changes when a job has him stumble into the acting class that will change his life. He believes he’s found his true calling in acting despite not being very good at it. It is a fantastic journey of struggle, disappointment, depression, and acting.

This show makes an uncharismatic murderer lovable and that in itself should be enough reason for you to watch this show. This show is well shot, directed, acted, and written. It is full of characters you will hate because you are supposed to, those you will love because they ooze charisma and nail-biting tense moments that will have you ripping your hair out. I love the contrast between the acting scene and the dark underworld that Barry can’t ever shake. The harder Barry tries to have a normal life, the harder it becomes to keep his lives seperate. It is this duality that makes this show so special. All Barry wants in life is to have a purpose, but can he find purpose outside of murder? You will have to watch to find out. 

Watch this show on HBO. Trust me, you won’t regret it. 

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Last Holiday (2006)

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Queen Latifah proves once again that she can be good in anything. This isn’t a very good movie, but I can’t deny that her performance gives this movie its life. I liked it when I watched it long ago, but watching it again came with the uncomfortable realization that Last Holiday has not aged well. It is a bit too cartoonish, and I can never be comfortable with the tokenism.

Last Holiday is about Georgia, a woman who lives a very restricted life because she is waiting for a perfect moment that might never come. She saves her money, clips coupons, only eats lean cuisines, and never makes any unnecessary waves in the world. This changes when she is given only three weeks to live. She spends those three weeks fulfilling everything in her book of possibilities.

As far as bucket lists movies go, this one will always have a special place in my heart. I am biased. I like the light-hearted tone mixed with some very valid criticism about life and greed. It does get a bit preachy at points, and some scenes are difficult to watch, but it isn’t unwatchable. While her performance is amazing, there are some actors that lack the ability. The plot is a bit on the wacky side and some of the bits aren’t as funny as they used to be. I loved the scenes where she talks to the French chef. It was in these moments that the movie wasn’t trying too hard to be funny and wacky, and although the performance wasn’t great, it was a real and authentic exchange. I wish the rest of the movie carried this tone, but then it wouldn’t be a comedy. 

You can watch this movie on YouTube for free. My only suggestion is that you throw this up in the background while you work on other stuff. There are a few scenes you can skip. Last Holiday is average at best, but Queen Latifah is as fantastic as always.

Series Reviews

Series Review: Star Trek: Prodigy(2021)

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Star Trek: Prodigy is the modern Star Trek narrative I have been searching for. This animated series follows a group of misfits who find themselves on a stolen federation ship. With The Diviner after them, they must learn to fly the ship and work together as a functioning crew. Will they be able to overcome their own demons in time, or will they be captured, forced to spend their lives as another one of The Diviner’s undesirables?

If you are looking for an entry to the series, you can’t go wrong with Star Trek: Prodigy. The animation is beautiful, the voice acting is fantastic, and the characters are lovable. The story is incredibly fun and beginner friendly. You do not need to know anything about Star Trek to enjoy this series. This series is what I hope all modern Star Trek shows get to be. You have an interesting a capable villain with clear motivations chasing a crew of capable and lovable heroes operating a cool and powerful ship. What more can you ask for? 

The crew of the S.S. Protostar is filled with unique and flawed characters that will grow as the adventure unfolds. They mess up and fumble through each situation, but they learn and grow from each mistake. I love the attention to detail put into this show. There are small bits of dialogue or small subtle actions that show the audience that these are dynamic characters growing into something great. They might not be the cool collected crew of the Enterprise, but they are lovable just the same. This is a very much welcomed addition to the Star Trek universe, one that you should consider the next time you are looking for something to watch. 

It is available for streaming on Paramount Plus. Trust me when I say, it is well worth your time. 

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore(2022)

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I expected a lot more magic from a movie about wizards. While there are a few scenes that tickle my desire for wizard violence, it is often cut short for political garbage that I didn’t care for. If I wanted to watch a political movie about zealots and corruption, there are better avenues.  

As far as prequels go, I don’t think The Secrets of Dumbledore was necessary. I don’t feel like the Fantastic beasts series really add much to the Harry Potter universe. While I thought the first Fantastic Beasts was fine, The Secrets of Dumbledore feels like a large derailment. Character growth was undone, magic rules are changed, and they took out all the beasts. This is a world where disaster can be done and undone at will, but in this movie we have to sit through procedural nonsense. All I want from my wizard movies is cool wizard battles.  

This movie has a fantastic cast and there are some fun, and some creative fights, but energy is wasted on a dull plot. There is all this build up to an epic fight between good and evil, but the battle isn’t epic. The setup is mostly perfect too, if you ignore the zealot nonsense and the weird dear ritual. There are tense and suspenseful moments as the heroes fight evil. You get a meaningful connection between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, but then the fight is a huge let down. It is outclassed and outshined by earlier less essential fights. Where did this momentum go? Where is all the magic? Where are all the beasts? 

I don’t think knowing any of the secrets added any character to Dumbledore, nor do I think this movie adds anything meaningful to the franchise. I am sure there is an audience for this movie, but this movie wasn’t for me. But what do I know, I am just a casual. You can watch it now on HBO.  

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

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I’ve watched this movie a few times already, but even now forget what this movie is about. While I appreciate the attempt of bringing this older IP to a modern audience, it isn’t a very good attempt. This is a Ninja Turtles’ movie from the perspective of April. Instead of an action packed war against the Foot clan, you get a very bland about investigative journalism. 

Megan Fox is not a strong enough lead to make this movie work. With as stronger lead, this might have been a better movie, but it’s not. This movie needed someone who could at the very least act as if they were interested in solving crime or getting a story. Instead, you have an unenthused Megan Fox whose acting is inconsistent, her personality is flat, and she has no chemistry with any of the other characters.  

The other characters don’t fare much better. There isn’t enough time with the turtles to establish their personalities. You get a few pop culture references that will help age this movie terribly, but outside of that, they don’t make the impact they should. They are massive, each step seems to shake the world around them, but the dated CGI makes their movements look awkward and incomplete. The combat is boring to watch because it is so slow and ugly. If you are watching this film on anything larger than a smart phone, it is difficult to ignore how terribly this movie is aging. This movie will not stand the test of time, and it shouldn’t. 

You can find it on YouTube for free, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to look for it.  

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Morbius (2022)

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I had completely forgotten about this movie, and after watching this movie, I understand why. This unimpressive addition to the MCU should have been left as an uninspired pitch on the story board. This movie fails to set itself apart from any generic bargain bin action movie despite its fancy packaging. While the acting might set it apart from complete mediocrity, its narrative fails to inspire the least bit of intrigue. 

The movie follows a sickly doctor who is obsessed with finding a cure for his life-threatening ailment. His desperation for a cure leads his research to unethical avenues. His obsession finally pays off when he finds the cure. Unfortunately, the cure transforms him into a monster with an uncontrollable thirst for blood. Now he must find a way to quell his hunger without succumbing to his monstrous desires. 

Do not let the aesthetics of this movie blind you to the fact that at its core, this movie is a shallow addition to the MCU. The story is bland, the villain is boring, and the love interest is unnecessary. I believe a more appropriate term for this movie would be forgettable. I find it near impossible to remember what happened in this movie despite having just seen it.  Do yourself a favor, watch one of the better MCU movies.  

I found this movie free on YouTube, but even as free content I felt it was a waste of time. I’ve seen enough movies to know that this is one of those lazy plots that gets reskinned every year in an attempt to make a quick buck. It is frustrating, but it is the nature of the business. It is better forget about the existence of this  unremarkable movie than to have to sit through even a minute of it.  

Series Reviews

Obi-Wan Kenobi(2022) Initial Thoughts

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I am sure most of you have already seen the new expansion to the Star Wars universe, Obi-Wan Kenobi, that was just released on Disney+. For those still on the fence, I think waiting for more episodes might be a good play. While the acting and action are fine, It does little to set itself apart from anything else you’ve already seen. So far, Kenobi doesn’t offer anything new to the Star Wars universe. Instead, the show reinforces facts fans already know. If you’ve seen the movies, you know Kenobi feels guilt about Anikan’s fate. This show follows Kenobi as he deals with this guilt. The show also offers some obvious insight into characters that are already established. 

I wish Disney would write stories that focused on other narratives and other characters in the Star Wars universe. There are so many books and games that expand the lore, yet they continue to dish out the same narrative. I appreciate that they are attempting to keep the IP alive, but I need some variation. Kenobi feels like it is going to be another narrative of a fallen hero moving through his redemption arc, and I can only hope they make it interesting.  

The show is fine, although I wasn’t impressed. The new city is neat, the acting for the most part is fantastic, the music is amazing,  and there are some pretty solid action scenes.  My only complaint is that they settle for another babysitting plot. It is hard not to compare it to The Mandalorian because it becomes a similar story, which defiantly swayed my reception of the series. The Mandalorian does it better. Unless Kenobi can effectively expand on the universe, I fear it might become another shameless cash grab. It is a shame because Disney has proven its competence at creating interesting expansions to the lore. Star Wars: Rebels is a fantastic example of a series that introduces new and interesting characters and also properly expands on the universe without heavily relying on well-known characters. I can still cling to the hope that this show will be good because they have done it before, but I will have to wait till Friday to know for sure.  

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022)

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I really wanted to like this movie because the mixed media style is great. Unfortunately, the interesting style does not hide how uninteresting and cliché this movie is. If you have to sit down and watch it with your kids, you will lose interest but there are worse movies out there.  

The movie treats Chip and Dale as actors dealing with the aftermath of their career in their hit cartoon. Dale still clings to his past, attempting to revitalize his career and be able to see his friends again. Chip has moved on and attempts to live a normal life as a insurance salesman. Both are brought together as an evil gang has been enslaving cartoons and using them to produce knockoff movies. The thrill of the mystery revitalizes a broken friendship and is the focus of this movie.  

This movie isn’t all bad. There are some fun visual gags and puns that made me laugh, and I thought the way they mixed different animation styles was brilliant. Unfortunately, the story is uninspired and lazy. Gags will go on a little too long, the voice acting is inconstant, and the interactions between real people and the toons is always awkward. This movie also tries desperately to be meta, but these jokes only highlight the blaring flaws of this movie.  

John Mulaney isn’t a good choice for this movie. His voice acting in this movie is stiff, and took me out of the movie. It is jarring to have him aside Andy Samberg because their energies never match. Samberg is fantastic, but no one in this movie is able to bring the same energy he does to their performance. I know that Chip is supposed to be this stale character to contrast Dale’s bubbly nature, but Mulaney’s  performance is too stale to be entertaining. There is a catalogue of fantastic voice actors who would have been a better choice, but instead they chose to be disappointing. 

There is a moment in this movie where the characters poke fun at how cliché the plot is, I think that was valid criticism. This movie never surprises or tries anything interesting outside of the art style and it doesn’t pay off. You get the same buddy cop comedy you’ve seen way too many times but this time there are cartoons in it. There are better examples in the genre, I suggest you watch those instead.  

Look if you have to sit through this for your kids, it isn’t going to kill you. You will probably lose interest, but it isn’t the worst kids movie out there. I assume the kids this movie was made for will enjoy it more than I did. The whole time I was watching this, I was wishing I was watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit or even either of the Sonics. If you are interested, it is available for streaming on Disney+. 

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Everything and Everywhere All At Once (2022)

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Everything and Everywhere All At Once is my favorite movie of this year. I will even say that it is one of my favorite movies of all time. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun with a movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, buy your tickets now! 

Everything and Everywhere All At Once is about a woman named Evelyn who feels stuck in her life. She feels as if she hasn’t accomplished anything with her life and everything seems to be going wrong. She is on the verge of losing her business, her relationship with her daughter is a bit hostile, and she might be getting a divorce. To make matters worse, she is dragged into a multidimensional battle against evil. Now she must overcome her demons and learn to be the hero the Universe needs her to be.  

I love this movie. I love how they deal with the multiple dimensions in a way that is creative and not confusing. With these movies, they either get pretentious or hard to follow, but even if you dare to miss a minute of this movie, you won’t be lost. You don’t need to draw a maps or charts connecting the different multiverses and identities because this movie does a great job explaining everything. You can sit back and enjoy the spectacular ride this movie will take you on.  

I love the characters in this movie. A lot of the magic for this movie comes from the fantastic performances from all the actors. The chemistry, how they switch between the different personalities, and the energy they bring to this movie is palpable infections. If you’ve never clapped at the end of a movie, you might for this one.  

My favorite part of this movie has to be the costume design, specifically for the myriad of costumes for the villain. There are so many costume changes in this movie, and each one is better than the last. I impatiently waited for the universe just so I could see the new costume. Props to the costume department to making the movie look as fun as it felt.  

There are so many costume changes in this movie and each one is more amazing than the last. I waited here is so much fun to be had with this movie that I fear I have not done it justice. It has a great message mixed in-between the multiple universes and it was a delight to experience every bit of it. Please go watch this in theaters if you haven’t done so, and thank me later.  

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

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I love the novel this movie is adapted from. I rank it among one my favorite books and recommend it to anyone looking for a new book to read. Although the movie isn’t completely true to the novel, it is a fantastic adaptation that you must watch. I do hold the novel a bit more favorably, but this fact didn’t ruin my experience. I had a blast with this movie, and I believe you will too.

The Count of Monte Christo is a fantastic movie about revenge. It has some fantastic acting and a great narrative. It is easy to get immersed into the period’s politics and revenge plot because the characters are so well done. If you love period movies, this is easily a great staple of the genre.

Dante is a fantastic hero to root for. He is charismatic, intelligent, capable, and well deserving of his revenge. Although the ending is a bit on the fairytale side, it makes for a satisfying journey. This story has it all: romance, sword fights, betrayal, and revenge. What more can you ask for in a film?

The Count of Monte Cristo is a timeless narrative that continues to prove it will continue to be so. Best of all, you can watch it for free on YouTube!