Tag Archives: prime video

Series Reviews

The Legend of Vox Machina (2022) – Revisited

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The second set of episodes have just been released for The Legend of Vox Machina; I would like to take this time to revise my initial review. I was correct in assuming that it was too early to tell whether or not this show was any good, but I was right in saying that it was heading in the right direction. With this new set of episodes, the writers show important moments of character growth, and I for one am here for it!

This show is casual fantasy. It has enough fantasy elements to satisfy any hardcore fantasy enthusiast, but it doesn’t isolate those who just want something else to watch. As of now, you do not need to know and follow different tribes or houses. You do not need to keep track of different races or their languages. You do need to know who the main characters are and track the subtle nuances of their character development: their backstory, goals, and how they change over the adventure. This show does a great job at creating these moments of character growth without making members of Vox Machina overpowered and boring.

The strongest aspect of this show is its main cast. Vox Machina is crude, imperfect, and they struggle a lot. This struggle is important this early because it is in their failures and what they learn from them that the story happens. Despite Vox Machina’s poor reputation, the show does a great job establishing that they are still above average. There are moments in the show where an enemy easily overpowers guards or heroes, yet somehow Vox Machina holds its own. This helps establish Vox Machina as heroes without making them overpowered. They still struggle to win against these enemies, but just barely. They still have much to learn, which is perfect because it means more story for us!

I still believe that some knowledge of the Critical Role and D&D would help with the experience, although it isn’t necessary. There are a few inside jokes only accessible to fans of the show, and I as a fan enjoyed them thoroughly.

Lastly, this show also does a great job at translating tabletop to animated series. I like the way they handle skill checks and magic., but I can see it going over people’s heads. It helps to understand why a spell doesn’t go off or why a scene ends the way it does.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Reviews: The Watch (2012)

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“The Watch” is one of those movies that is more about the actors than the plot. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it helps to be a fan of the main actors. As far as buddy comedies go, this one is fine. The chemistry between the actors is infectious, and there are some funny bits. Each of the actors plays to his strengths and they create some delightful characters. The problem with this film is that it doesn’t have much replay value. Essentially, this is a collection of funny moments woven together by an alien invasion plot.

I enjoyed this movie the first time. I cannot deny that it has a certain charm about it. Unfortunately, that charm wears off on the second viewing. Once you know all the jokes and have seen all the bits, you are just waiting around for meaningless plot development to get settled. It isn’t bad for what it is. God knows I have seen a lot worse, but you won’t remember watching this movie. Instead, you will remember specific bits and moments you think are funny.

I do not think this movie is worth paying any money to see, it is not entertaining enough to be worth any money, but as a free movie, you can do a lot worse. It is free on Amazon through IMDB, but I recommend you watch it elsewhere without ads because the ads do affect the viewing experience. If you do have to pay for it, I recommend watching “a best of” on YouTube instead.

Movie Reviews, movies

Prime Movie Reviews: Defendor (2009)

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Defendor is another Average Joe Superhero movie. The movie has the delightful casting of Woody Harrelson; his charm is infectious in this movie. Harrelson plays Arthur, a man with mental disabilities who fights crime as Defendor.

What sets this movie apart is Arthur. Arthur has this strong sense of justice and duty that he has emulated from his comic books. There are moments when he shows some bits of his humanity, but his personality changes when he puts on the costume. Watching the contrast between Defendor and Arthur is well executed. Defendor isn’t a great fighter and often gets beat up, but that never stopped him. His real superpower is his determination to his cause. Don’t go into this movie expecting well-choreographed fights. The fights are filmed to fit the narrative. Defendor uses gadgets like marbles or wasps to create confusion and uses that confusion to get an advantage. They are fun to watch. And don’t get me started on his catch phrases. They are the icing to the whole movie!

The movie is a little slow at times. It bounces around from different aspects of his life as he tries to stop his nemesis Captain Industry.
The film spends a lot of time effectively building a back story for Defendor. The film also does a great job showing the impact that Defendor and Author make on the world. This film is successful at telling a compelling superhero story with what it has.

But, this film is not for everyone. The pacing can be a problem, especially towards the middle. But if you have an Amazon Prime membership and two hours to kill, there are worse ways to spend it.