As a final hurrah to a rather fascinating phenomena that has lasted a quarter of a century, Best And Last surprisingly doesn't go for the biggest, loudest, and most outrageous finale but more stays consistent with the previous four films adding a fair bit of looking back and reflection on the last production we may see. I could potentially see this might upset some people, you know if you're going out go out with the biggest bang you could do but the new antics they get into while also showcasing a few of the old favorites was really good. It still got a few strong laughs out of me and while it wasn't nearly as packed a crowd as last movie the audience seemed to be having fun with it too. It's funny to see the stark difference between early Jackass and right here right now Jackass, that show looked like it had zero budget and yet look at the legacy it produced. Something that truly shocked me is we got Bam back for a little bit, that's a bit of a big deal and how appropriate that his first segment back has him scared shitless with snakes. We also got a few bits of unreleased footage from the veeeeery early days, so it feels like a well rounded sendoff. Despite not knowing about this series until really my mid to late teens catching the movies on cable, I'd be pretty down to own all five of the movies. It seems almost an impossible task to review a Jackass movie so this probably was more rambling than usual, but I dig it! It's a good movie, fans will be pleased I think, I give it 3 stars and a 7/10! We'll have a bit of a gap between the next new releases so I'll see you at the movies, and be good people.
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Friday, June 26, 2026
Supergirl (2026)
Once again Rotten Tomatoes can suck my assssss!
I knew Supergirl was going to be different in a lot of ways from Superman, and I can appreciate the story it tells even if everything didn't hit the bullseye. They absolutely had me from the premise of some assholes shoot and poison Krypto and Kara has to go intergalactic John Wick on fools, but what I got instead was a story that yes has a good amount of ass whooping to be found but touches on subjects like grief with Kara being very detached and a drunk because of her own origin story and it makes sense, and how revenge continues to be the most worthless of causes as Kara constantly averts a young girl named Ruthye from killing the man who destroyed her family which I unabashedly love that it's not as simple as most tales would go in this direction! I like the character development for them both and as much as bitches are gonna bitch, both Milly and Eve work with this story. The visuals have gotten totally out there and me being the Star Wars kid I am how the hell could I not enjoy a film with so many alien heads and practical costuming for said aliens? I love my sci-fi, I love spaceships, I love alien lifeforms of all shapes and sizes, so I was quite happy with that. The action is a godsend and granted my wishes for a more literally grounded camera, they play a lot with long takes and involved choreography, it's shot more standard and yet works miles better in my very humble opinion, and yeah man Supergirl can wreck some shit. For a movie just a bit under 2 hours it flows at a brisk pace but never so quick to where we can't take in a moment and let a scene breathe, it totally benefits from a basic plot so you can let the emotions and action carry you through. Milly is a solid Supergirl that can juggle comedy, emotion, and has got a mean uppercut to boot so I'm game for what might come next for her in this series. Eve Ripley (great fucking name by the by) I already can tell people are gonna whine about "WelL sHe dIDn't Do aNyTHing" and well yeah, she's an emotional support character not an action heroess and this is the big important part: She doesn't have to be a blood soaked crusader to have an interesting story. Matthias Schoenaerts is a basic bad guy, definitely a bastard but I do wish he had more material to work with to be more memorable but that's more a criticism of script than actor, despite a decent design. Flippin' Jason Momoa as Lobo, now I'm not a hardcore Superman fan so my experience with the main man is limited but I really digged him in this movie! This is just an aside but I would kinda find it fun and funny if they recast most of the previous DC actors as new characters. Like get Henry to play like The Question or some shit. Have fun with it. Although Lobo pops up sporadically you can tell Jason is having fun with the part and by God he looks like he just erupted from the comics. I'm also quite happy David shows up a good bit and isn't just a blink and you miss him cameo, effortlessly still having that boy scout energy and making me really looking forward to Man Of Tomorrow. The effects were really good, the cinematography though not in your face has some standout moments, music choice was a little hit and miss but I'm a heavy metal girlie so what can you do? It's not the most jaw dropping next level comic book movie but I got news for you dear ones, I don't want them to be. I just want good and entertaining superhero movies and that is what I got. I respect it, I admire it, and I like it. I really don't know what more I could genuinely ask. So I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10! But oh, we got a curtain call tomorrow so stay tuned.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
In Retrospect: Superman (2025)
So about a year later, how does it stack up?
I hate to say this with every iota of my being and every drop of blood in my body, but the hope has waned since seeing this in the cinemas. I remember everyone loving the new Superman, it gave them such an optimistic positive outlook in a world that was very dark and very grim. And I am blaming this solely on me, that while yes it showcases such hope and niceness that absolutely works in the film, I am not happy with the way practically anything is being run by government bodies and so-called "elite" individuals and nothing will satiate or asuage me other than retribution the likes of which even God or Satan could conjure. But I'll save my most vile of hexing for later. It still kinda amazes me just how much they really did shove into a 2 hour movie and YET it somehow works. You think on rewatch the flaws would become abundantly clear of having such a involved plot, more side characters than you can shake a stick at, taking a pretty bold stance on making Superman's parents kinda fucking bastards, absolutely using real world genocide as a basis for in universe conflict, and against all the odds and logic saying this should fail it comes out on top. That's a ballsy ass maneuver to literally kick off the new DC movie universe with so much stuff, but with tight writing, solid ass acting that still kept me invested and entertained, I'd say pretty good effects even if for the fucking life of them they couldn't direct a fight scene where the camera just stays still and yes ooh, ahhh, magical but I don't think it's too much to ask for the camera not to get topsy turvy at the drop of a hat. Minor quibble if I've ever made one and it isn't even terrible but guys, can you maybe not give the camera to a ADHD kid who just got into a 10 pound bag of sugar? I know what that's like because I'm ADHD as shit! But the weaving of the story works just fine, David is still goddamn Superman and while I'm frankly fucking over this comparison bullshit between the Snyderverse and the Gunnverse (comparison is the thief of joy), I still love Henry with his version of Superman, just like I love Brandon and Christopher, and I can safely say the future is in good hands for this character. I mellowed out on Rachel as Lois thank God, I thought she was a hardass and she kinda irked me but on rewatch girl's got a job to do and I ain't gonna slam her for that. Really great to see Edi as Mr. Terrific again, a true standout that I'm kinda proud the writers didn't just go for Guy Gardner even though that would have been the easy way out. Nicholas flip-flapping Hoult man, what a performance to make the most just pure asshole Lex Luthor in visual media and still be a credible antagonist despite being a bietch. Of course I got plenty of love for my boy Skyler as Jimmy, and Isabela ooh honey we need that kind of dictator dropping energy hardcore in this foul year of our lord two thousand and twenty-six, even Nathan who yeah Guy Gardner is a dick but he's an enjoyable dick (never thought I'd say those words but there you go). I'm totally game for Supergirl's antics even though she's a little shit sometimes, very happy I get to see that Friday! Music I still felt was kinda iffy on volume but the score by Jove still rocks, the effects are outlandish but fits perfectly with the tone, I'd be a damn fool to say this wasn't still a rock solid comic book movie in all it's lavishly ludicrous ways. Superman is a citizen of the globe so it's gonna be interesting to see the style difference and character difference between Kal and Kara. So I'll see you at the movies, and I'll boost up this score just a notch to 3 stars, 8/10!
Monday, June 22, 2026
Supergirl (1984)
I'm just thankful Supergirl got more love after this.
To be perfectly honest it seemed like a rough decade for the character in general especially considering after this movie Crisis On Infinite Earths happened and Supergirl got axed literally out of existence. But let's turn the clock back to 1984, Superman III is already out and through several scripts Supergirl is released to...less than favorable reception. Pretty much bombed at the box office, not a good word toward it from critics, and is now viewed as a secular oddity in comic book movie history. I mean the plot isn't god awful with Kara venturing to Earth to retrieve a magical MacGuffin and has to combat a sorceress named Selena, that has potential and indeed the Super family battles magic users all the time so it's not too out there. But the execution is really what kills it. I mean the cast is decent, Helen Slater just looks like Supergirl and has that wide eyed curiosity and joy that we never really got to see from her famous cousin. Faye Dunaway is our villain and is appropriately over the top, practically eye banging the camera throughout and while her schemes never really get off the ground till near the end the use of magic is inventive. Somehow, I don't know how, they got fucking Peter O'Toole in this movie and he really was my favorite character essentially the architect of Kara's city, and being the hardcore professional he is he brought a lot of charm and dare I almost say gravitas with his delivery no matter how outlandish the film is around him. Hart Bochner is Kara's semi-love interest and despite being introduced pretty early on doesn't have much to do which is a shame cause I feel like there's an okay romance on the cutting room floor. Speaking of which! The post production was a bit of a fiasco to say the least, strained relationship between the production company and Warner Bros., the film didn't even get released here in the States, the film was cut from two odd hours down to about 90 minutes, it really does just look like the world was against Supergirl from the word go. And while indeed the movie is fluff to an extreme, it's very Silver Age in it's plot and characters, the plot is loose and slipstream, it's very kiddy, and while the Christopher Reeve Superman movies were on a downward spiral you always had at least moments of character and drama, it's a far cry from what people would think a comic book movie is nowadays. But it's not unwatchable, I feel like this is a screaming instance where a good movie exists but it just had too many cooks in the kitchen spoiling the soup. It got me to smile, it got a chuckle out of me, I dig Helen as Supergirl, I really loved Peter O'Toole, it even captures just a little bit of that magic seeing Superman fly from the first movie when Kara arrives on Earth which is not an easy feat, it has moments to it! I watched the 2 hour version and while I didn't love it, I'm happy I got to see this little corner of history and when the hell would I have ever gotten around to reviewing this if not for the new movie? Far from great, definitely not for most, but it still has an impact all these years since. They literally cast Helen as the adoptive mother of then current Supergirl Melissa Benoist on the TV show, someone was clearly a fan. I give it 1.5 stars, 5/10, but we got one more stop before hitting the theater on Friday so look up for the next one.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Disclosure Day
Alright Steven, I can dig it.
Probably not a modern masterpiece of his films but a solid if bonkers movie. But hey, it's aliens I'd be disappointed if it wasn't bonkers! And the film kinda throws you in the deep end from minute one but it raises enough questions for you to want to know more and where it goes. It follows an archivist for a black ops team and a newscaster who for reasons unbeknowst to them have access to higher intelligence and they're willing to blow the whole lid on the you are not alone truth. It's interesting to see so many modern camera techniques utilized by Spielberg and it does make for a visually interesting film so props to you! Emily Blunt in my personal opinion is the standout role because she acts how any normal person would when confronted with such strange goings on, she has no idea what is happening to her and she voices it but still follows through knowing she has to do something. She feels unbelievably grounded in an earth shattering situation. Josh O'Connor is a good partnering lead with Emily, and I like how consequences be damned he is about unearthing the truth that yes extraterrestrial life has been on this planet for decades, but also the dyad they form into at a certain point I thought worked quite well. I think this is the first antagonist role I've seen Colin Firth in and while he's no Hugh Grant (sorry Colin please don't shoot) I kinda like the fact he's not this murderous, by any means necessary, above the law type villain, he just is doing what he feels right with such a massive truth. Colman Domingo is kinda the wild card in this deck because he seems to be the one who knows the most and has his own game to play, aiding our protagonists throughout yet it's not fully explained why and how. Far from the performance being bad, it's just a different element. The effects are minimal but are used effectively, they love shooting eyes I can tell you that and while the CG is not quite realistic who cares, it works just fine. Some people might bitch about the religious undercurrents but I found the filmmakers handled it right, with one character claiming this would be disastrous beyond recall and would damage religion worldwide because we need a god and a book to be good people while another claims and in my estimation too who the hell says alien life outside of Earth wasn't also created by a deity, and that faith is faith and not fact. They don't make a big deal out of it, it doesn't feel hamfisted, I rather appreciated that real world discussion. And yeah that reveal is about as real as you can get, though I do find it hilarious our own government has confirmed aliens are on this planet at least three times and we're just like, alright cool but could we maybe not fuck this planet and it's inhabitants even more on a daily basis. We know man, now could you please increase the minimum wage to a liveable status? I had not a great many expectations and walked away fairly happy, I think people will like it just fine and I'm happy to see Steven still doing what he loves. I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10!
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
E.T.
Hand over my heart, this is my first viewing of E.T. despite being a part of pop culture for decades.
Which I have to admit is pretty funny because I'm damn certain I had the 20th anniversary DVD when I was like 7, I knew about the Atari game and that whole reputation, and I knew the basic plot through cultural osmosis. Alien gets abandoned on earth, befriends a young boy, and they have to keep him safe from government bodies so he can GTFO this planet. How I wish I could join him. But it's such an endearing film, it's so easy to connect with E.T. and Elliot and despite the two hour runtime it really doesn't waste anytime pairing these two together. It's a surprisingly funny film and I was having a blast with it, it truly doesn't surprise me why it was such a success both in theaters and on video with audiences. The simple fact alone of this alien design being fully realized as a costume with prothetics built in is a marvel, effortlessly believable in my opinion and with a lot of personality to boot. Hell everyone has so much personality, Elliot is a good kid and I'll be goddamned if I didn't say Henry Thomas wasn't acting his fucking heart out I mean my God man, the movie had me on the verge of tears not once but twice! Robert MacNaughton as Elliot's brother Michael starts off as a punk older brother but quickly becomes a real one, Drew Barrymore just a wee baybah is so fffffffuggin' cute I'd burn planets for her and again for such a young actress she's damn good, Dee Wallace our horror queen barely feels like she's acting at all and despite having the peripheral vision of a mole is lovely to have here. Though dear sweet God this movie is so 80s man, kids playing D&D, some real hilarious insults, E.T. pounding Coors like a blue collar dad, the very fucking questionable scenario of having 8 year olds chloroform and dissect frogs, the buffet of Star Wars references that you bet your ass I was nerding the hell out over, it's crazy. But that's the way I like it even if I do have to say, what the FUCK 1980s?? All in all, a very very good movie that I'm quite happy to have finally seen. I give it 3.5 stars, 8/10, and Mr. Spielberg I'm curious to know what you got cooking up for us so I'll catch you tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
It's probably still top 5 Spielberg.
It should be frankly studied how Close Encounters does two things, keep the audience's attention in a stranglehold and almost mindbendingly mix wonder and terror of extraterrestrial life. You are hooked by scene one and you are left guessing honestly even as end credits role, as several sightings and experiences of UFO's radically change people's lives and has the government trying to piece together what it all could mean. I dare not divulge too much more because this is a movie that truly must be experienced start to finish, I simply cannot no matter how many words I write or feelings I have sum up Close Encounters. It is a marvel of storytelling and is one of those very rare movies where you're constantly wondering what the fuck is going onnnn and YET you are seated and wanting to know more. And it's not like sci-fi exmaples of earlier movies where the alien or spacecraft is more a mystery for most of the film, they show us the ships roughly 20 minutes in, and even then you can't truly describe them. Oh you see them for sure, but its such a finely crafted effect that you can't discern too much other than outlines because of the bright lights but that adds so much mystique and maybe even charm. It really captures that moment of time when space was still cool as shit and a large collective of people still wanted to know what was out there beyond the sky. We still have that now but nowhere near the level as back from say early 50s to late 70s. It is a movie that takes it's time pushing past 2 hours and the story it crafts, really only focusing on about three different characters that all are converging on one point while still showcasing a much wider berth of the effect such a monumental event would have on the world, is very finely done. Richard Dreyfuss has probably one of the most intricate and involved performances I've ever seen, after experiencing firsthand a UFO it shows how much that would change a person and how it kinda destroys his family when he starts pursuing things even he can't properly explain. He does a great job conveying confusion, determination, and a almost neurotic excitement sometimes all at once! Melinda Dillon has big time stakes when the aliens take an interest in her young son and it really is a horrifying situation to be in, you just get what she's going through. Last but not least we follow François Truffaut as a UFO specialist brought in by the american government who after finding several missing craft throughout decades of history has his own theory to everything. Back to my original point involving the aliens, it's effectively eerie when they show up mainly because you really don't know what the intentions are and it's this odd mix of awe and horror that constantly flip flops, not to the film's detriment but down to the simple fact that we fear the unknown. And the movie almost paves the way for modern sci-fi horror like Fire In The Sky, it's shot like a fucking horror movie at times and any singular point where there was a night scene my eyes were glued to the sky than anything else echoing one of the most chilling outro lines in movie history, "Watch the skies everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies.". Everybody on that crew was on their A-Game, writing, designs, visual effects, music, acting, cinematography, in a very unflashy almost subdued matter of fact way. It feels real, undeniably real for that time and corner of the world. It is a high high recommendation from me, 4 stars, 8.5/10! And tomorrow we fast forward to the mid-80s for another Spielberg alien movie.
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